WIGAN Athletic and Queens Park Rangers drew a blank in the first leg of their Championship play-off semi-final at the DW Stadium.

The clash between two teams relegated from the Premier League 12 months ago featured very little in the way of goalmouth action, with Wigan's Marc-Antoine Fortune spurning the best chance in the second half of a 0-0 draw.

Harry Redknapp's Rangers will be the happier with the result and will hope to take advantage in their home leg on Monday night.

Wigan were playing their 61st game of the season after European and FA Cup exploits and looking to secure a fifth trip to Wembley in little over a year against either Derby County or Brighton & Hove Albion.

Wigan defender Gary Caldwell spurned an early chance, while QPR's Gary O'Neil saw a shot blocked.

The tackles were robust and the luckiest man on the pitch may well have been QPR's Clint Hill, who appeared to elbow Rob Kiernan in an incident early in the game that neither referee nor the crowd spotted.

Wigan should have scored in the 62nd minute, Fortune blazing over an open goal from eight yards.

ORGANISERS were delighted when 31 cyclists – many of them first-time racers – lined up for the first-ever women's race organised by Matlock Cycling Club.

The category three/four race at the Darley Moor circuit, near Ashbourne, followed on from a recent road race coaching session organised by the club's Elisa McDonagh, which saw 40 women take part.

Race organisers Chris Mottram and Roy Osment said: "We were delighted with the number of entrants and really pleased to have added a women's class to the club's racing schedule.

Local online female cycling clothing company Cicla sponsored both events.

Director Louise van Adrichem said: "It was amazing to see 31 women take to the circuit and race. It shows how important grassroots cycling is.

"The demand is there, all it takes is a club to add a women's race to their schedule and women will turn up."

Further races are planned by the Matlock club in August and September, although Ashfield Road Club are also hosting women's only races at the circuit in June and July.

The race was won by Natasha Morrison, with Melissa Denman second and Rosemary Homer third.

● In the picture, eventual winner Natasha Morrison is second left with organiser Elisa McDonagh behind her.

HUNDREDS of song requests have been sent in to Derby County after they asked fans for ideas for pre-match music for tomorrow's home leg against Brighton.

Right Here, Right Now by Fatboy Slim, Thunderstruck by ACDC, Ready to Go by Republica, and Club Foot by Kasabian were among the most popular of the 250 requests made by fans.

Faye Nixon, marketing manager at Derby County, said: "It's really great so many people are interested in this and we've now put together a long list to send to the match DJ to build into the pre-match music programme.

"We're still really eager for Rams fans to bring their scarves so they can wave them as the players come out. We'll have fan-cams around the stadium and we'll be showing the Premier League games ahead of our match, so there'll be lots going on."

PUBS across the city are joining in the fun and have devised a series of activities with the Rams v Brighton match in mind.

One of the earliest starters is the flag-festooned Neptune in Osmaston Road, which is opening at 8am. The match will be shown live and two double-decker buses will be taking 180 fans to the iPro Stadium at 4.45pm.

At the Flowerpot, King Street, the lucky winner of a raffle at 2.30pm will get two tickets, plus hospitality, for the match. And a shuttle bus is running from the Tap, Derwent Street, at 4.30pm.

The nearby Exeter Arms, Exeter Street, has a match-day menu from noon to 4.30pm, offering items such as ram and eggs.

Customers at the Coach and Horses, Mansfield Road, can also see the match live on television.

Another pub showing the match is the Wardwick Tavern, Wardwick, where a free barbecue will be on the go from 10am with bacon sandwiches, followed by burgers. Two tickets for the game will also be available in a raffle.

Meanwhile, Walkabout, Market Place, claims to have the biggest screen in the city with pre-bookable seats and table service. The pub will be festooned with black and white balloons, have a supply of face paint on hand and serve black and white-themed drinks.

Up at the Thomas Leaper in Iron Gate, the pub will be decorated with flags and with a Steve McClaren "muscle man".

"CHANGES in society" led to what was an innocent bid by a pensioner to help a child he believed was lost spark a police alert, a campaign group for the elderly said.

The 80-year-old man was filmed by CCTV taking a toddler by the hand at the Intu Derby shopping centre.

The mum with the 21-month-old boy, who had been with him outside Boots, alerted police, but it was later established the incident had an innocent explanation.

Police said the man was "acting with good intentions".

Katy Pugh, chief executive of Age UK Derby and Derbyshire, said the James Bulger case in 1993, when the two-year-old was kidnapped in a shopping centre and killed, was a turning point.

Mrs Pugh said: "It's really difficult for older people because their natural instinct is to help.

"After the James Bulger case, I think people have become more conscious.

"What was the right thing before has now changed.

"I would have encouraged him to just stand next to the boy.

"I would not want older people to feel isolated from society because of this incident.

"However, I would hope people have a little bit of tolerance and to remember how life has changed."

A spokesman for Derbyshire police thanked the media for their assistance in publishing the CCTV footage, which led to the pensioner coming forward yesterday morning and explaining the situation.

The story on the Derby Telegraph's website attracted almost half a million views in two days.

Officers spoke to the pensioner and Detective Chief Inspector Nick Lamb said: "We are very grateful to the response from the public and to the man who contacted us and was later interviewed.

"The gentleman was acting with good intentions, believing that the young boy had become separated from his mother."

He said the man was "a little confused" and thought the boy was with another woman, and tried to take him to her.

Detective Chief Inspector Lamb added: "We are satisfied he was acting with good intentions and there was no ulterior motive."

Derby celebrity Maria Fowler tweeted a link to a Derby Telegraph online story about the incident to raise awareness.

The former Only Way is Essex star said: "It reminded me of the James Bulger image when he went missing.

"People in these situations should stick together and help."

Police said they always advise anyone believing a child is lost to stay still with the youngster and not lead them away from where they were found; ask the child where their parents or guardians are, and look around to see if they can be spotted; consider asking other passers-by if they know where the child's parents might be; and, if after a few minutes, the parents have not been located, take the child to the nearest shop and contact a member of staff.

Derby County need to forget about the previous Brighton game and go at it again fresh. Refuse to lose. Relentless #dcfc

— Kal (@KhalSir) May 10, 2014

@bryso7 the @IProSport stadium is gunna be rocking tomorrow! Do us proud just like all season! #COYR#dcfc#dcfcfans@johnnyrussell27

— Jack Chapman (@jackchapman49) May 10, 2014

Buzzing for tomorrow @dcfcofficial. Super Derby Super #dcfc

— Matt Hind (@MattHind94) May 10, 2014

Praying that we're at Wembley 2 weeks today #dcfc

— Martyn Hodgkinson (@MJHodgo88) May 10, 2014

Going retro for the game tomorrow. Wearing my centenary shirt #dcfc#dcfcvsbhafc

— Declan New (@DeclanNew) May 10, 2014

I'm so happy I have managed to get my match ticket for tomorrow! Let's rock the @IProSport stadium tomorrow! @dcfcofficial#dcfc#dcfcfans

— Catherine Hind (@CatherineHind) May 10, 2014

The anticipation is getting to me #dcfc#ready#DNA

— Graham Collins (@gwc_graham) May 10, 2014

Is it Sunday afternoon yet??? #Dcfc#nowyourgonnabelieveus

— Gaz (@Dcfc_Gaz) May 10, 2014

Don't think I have ever been this excited to get to a Sunday !!! #dcfc#dcfcfans

— Louise Hillyer (@LouLouRam) May 10, 2014

Tomorrow's match can't come quick enough! #COYR#DCFC

— James Cozens (@James_Cozens08) May 10, 2014

MISFITS actress Lauren Socha is rumoured to be set to appear on this year's Celebrity Big Brother.

The 23-year-old, of Littleover, could appear in the show, according to website www.tellymix.co.uk.

She is best known for her role as Kelly Bailey in E4's Misfits.

It was for this role that she won the Bafta for Best Supporting Actress in May 2011.

According to TellyMix, she sent a message on Twitter last year that said: "I would love to go on Big Brother hahaha!!!"

Other names linked to the new Celebrity Big Brother 2014 line-up include Coronation Street actress Helen Flanagan and Benefit Street's White Dee.

The show will air on Channel 5 in the summer, straight after the regular series, which begins in June.

WHAT a sad indictment of the times we live in.

A pensioner trying to be helpful when he spots a toddler seemingly on his own wandering through Intu Derby shopping centre becomes the subject of an investigation after the boy's mother reports the incident to the police.

It later emerges that the 80-year-old man in question had innocently tried to help the youngster and, according to the police, had been "acting with good intentions".

It is easy to understand the actions of the mother in reporting the incident to the police.

Watch the CCTV footage here:

That dreadful incident, which happened 21 years ago and involved two child offenders, has had a deep impact on people's awareness of, and behaviour towards, strangers.

Yet this must be all so alien to older people who were brought up in a time when front and back doors remained unlocked and children took themselves to school at the age of five.

It has been revealed that the pensioner in question has been left mortified by the publicity surrounding the incident and by being the subject of such unsavoury suspicion.

We suspect the consequence of this will be that he will never again come to the aid of someone whom he thinks may be in trouble.

And how sad is that?

For, on another day, in another place, he and we suspect many others like him, will turn the other cheek rather than risk their intentions being misconstrued.

This in itself may also have very unfortunate consequences.

THE judging process to find the finalists and winners of the first Derby Telegraph Business Awards is now in full swing.

Ever since entries closed last month, the judges have been sifting through more than 200 applications from firms across the county who have put themselves forward for the 13 award categories.

Each award is being judged by the category sponsors, who have now started meeting up with firms vying to make the shortlists.

There will be three finalists for each award – and, of course, a winner.

The winning companies will be announced at a glittering awards ceremony, which will take place at Derby College's Roundhouse on June 18.

The awards would not be able to happen without the backing of the sponsors.

One company that is supporting the award is Franklin Underwood, an accountancy firm based on Pride Park.

As well as being a headline sponsor – along with Derby College and Flint Bishop Solicitors – Franklin Underwood is also sponsoring the Services Award.

The companies nominated for this award will have demonstrable strengths in service excellence, business growth, innovation, technology, training and personal development.

Judges from Franklin Underwood will be looking for a service company that has achieved and succeeded measurable goals.

Collin Franklin, partner at Franklin Underwood, said his firm decided to support the awards after attending a similar awards ceremony run by the Derby Telegraph's sister paper, the Nottingham Post.

He said: "We have a genuine enthusiasm to see businesses ran well and I attended the Nottingham awards last year and was really impressed with the quality of the whole event and the enthusiasm of the entrants.

"So, when this same event was announced for Derby, I was keen to be involved and spread the same enthusiasm in Derby.

"It's great to focus on some business success stories after some very difficult years for all businesses."

Mr Franklin said that he believed the timing of the Derby awards was right as the local economy now appears to be heading in the right direction.

He said: "There is no question that the economy is moving forwards now but what has been particularly encouraging in the last month or so is seeing many of the high street banks actually beginning to lend to various business sectors in the East Midlands.

"This has been conspicuously absent in recent years and I believe this is a key element of recovery.

"In terms of the local economy good news helps to repair and inspire and indeed creates a positive momentum.

"Hearing how people have worked hard and smart and, as a result have achieved great things is inspiring for others. It can be contagious. I believe that is what these awards can achieve.

"In addition, the awards can raise the local profile of all the entrants, regardless of whether or not they ultimately win."

Mr Franklin said his firm chose to sponsor the Services Award because it has a close affinity with his business.

He said: "We chose this category mainly because this is the category of our own business and we regularly consult many professional service firms in exactly this sector; so we know it, understand it and as a business have excelled in it in the last 10 years, despite the recession."

The winners will be announced at a glittering awards ceremony at Derby College's Roundhouse on June 18.

Tables for the event, which will start at 6.30pm with a champagne reception, cost £750 plus VAT and each one can accommodate 10 people.

To purchase a table or tickets to the event, call Charlotte Best on 08453 313031 or e-mail cbest@championsukplc.com.

ADDICTION, domestic violence and crime are all issues with which women are helped by a Derby charity that is opening its doors to the public next week.

Women's Work wants professionals and potential volunteers to visit its base in Charnwood Street at its open evening on Tuesday.

The event will give visitors a chance to find out about the women it supports, the different projects it runs and the various volunteering opportunities available.

Dionne Reid, chief executive of the charity, said: "We want people to come along and see what we do." She said that the charity wanted volunteers with some "life experience" and people who were willing to commit their time.

Dionne said: "We are also looking for people with skill sets, such as in IT, somebody who can drive a van or help with admin or running sessions. The best thing is for people to come along and find out more and then they can decide whether it is right for them, and for us to find out about them and the kind of skills they can bring to Women's Work."

The charity was set up in 2003 to provide respite, advice and support to women with drug and alcohol addictions – specifically targeting those involved in street sex work. It has now evolved to provide intensive support, information and advice to disadvantaged and socially excluded women and their families.

Nadia Graziani, a volunteer since October, said: "Volunteering does something for my soul, it gives me peace and a feeling of comfort that I can help by doing something I really enjoy and see that it is working."

Nadia, who has just completed a degree in creative expressive therapy at the University of Derby, set up sessions at Women's Work for children of the families that the charity supports.

The 43-year-old, of Allestree, said: "I use art, movement and music as mediums to express their emotions. When you do this through art, music and dance, it's very safe and I find it absolutely fantastic how the children react."

Women's Work's projects include Turn Around, for women in the criminal justice system, and the Freedom Programme, a domestic violence awareness course.

The open evening runs from 4pm to 7pm at the Villa, 30 Charnwood Street. For more information, visit www.womens-work.org.uk or call Derby 242525.

HOUSE prices in Derby are expected to rise as demand outstrips supply and investors gain confidence in the market.

Yesterday, the Bank of England's monetary policy committee voted to keep interest rates at 0.5%, although there is mounting pressure to increase them to check a potential housing bubble.

Additionally, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors says that a third of its members reported an increase in sales over the course of last month.

Its residential market survey shows the property market is seeing high demand and weak supply, exacerbated by a decline in the number of new homes coming to the market.

Derby estate agent Chris Brown, a former president of the National Association of Estate Agents, said that the situation in the city reflected the situation across the UK.

Mr Brown said: "What happens when you get an upsurge in the market is that people selling get nervous, thinking that if they sell their house and do not have anywhere to move then the time they spend in rented accommodation could cost them thousands as prices rise further.

"To put it simply, it is basic supply and demand.

"Over the last five or six years, house builders haven't been particularly active so supply has reduced.

"When demand increases, builders cannot simply magic homes out of thin air as the process takes time and that is what is happening in Derby and across the nation. There are a lot of people out there with quite a bit of cash who see property as a good bet.

"Interest rates have remained the same this time around but I imagine at least one of the monetary policy committee will be saying that a rise is something they should be looking at."

For the past three months, the average number of homes sold per surveyor in the East Midlands has hit 32, the highest level since March 2007 when the property boom was still in full swing.

Chartered surveyors also said that loan-to-value ratios among first-time buyers stood at more than 90% and that prices would rise.

The Government's Help to Buy scheme has been criticised by think tank the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development for fuelling the phenomenon, suggesting that subsidies and low interest rates meant that the UK housing market was in danger overheating.

SUPERFAST broadband has arrived in four more areas of Derbyshire.

The county council is working with BT to transform broadband speeds for thousands of businesses and residents.

Once complete, the £27.67 million "Digital Derbyshire" project will result in 95% of the county having access to fibre-based broadband.

Wirksworth, Leabrooks, Eckington and Shirebrook are the latest areas where work has got under way.

About 17,000 homes and businesses in these areas now have access to the high-speed technology – and this figure will increase to 21,000 in the weeks ahead as the work is finished.

Councillor Joan Dixon, cabinet member for jobs, economy and transport, said: "This is great news for people living and working in these four areas. Its importance to the economy of Derbyshire cannot be underestimated. Fast and reliable broadband has never been more important for local business and for so many aspects of people's home lives.

"It gives businesses a competitive edge in today's marketplace and provides access to new markets with the potential of new jobs."

Fibre broadband is currently available to more than 337,000 Derbyshire homes and businesses as part of BT's commercial deployment.

Owen Moody, BT's regional director for the East Midlands, said: "Our roll-out of fibre broadband is advancing across Derbyshire with these four areas the latest places to benefit.

"Whatever you're doing online, you can do it better and faster with fibre. Whether it's shopping, downloading music, watching TV, social networking or studying, once you've switched to fibre you'll never look back.

"Outside the home, it also has huge potential for public services and local firms. Businesses tell us it's helping them in a wealth of ways, from day-to-day activities like downloading software, collaborating with clients and moving large data files to big business decisions like expanding the workforce or introducing better quality IT services at less cost."