A FAMILY who want to build a brain tumour centre as a lasting legacy to their son are a step closer after raising a phenomenal £75,000 in less than a year.

Brave Frazer McDermott died in September 2011, aged 20, from a tumour he fought his whole life.

In January, his parents, Chris and Biba McDermott, from Littleover, decided to raise money in his name so he would never be forgotten.

They launched a huge fund-raising drive to build a centre for families in the East Midlands who have children fighting a brain tumour.

It is hoped that hundreds of families in Derbyshire will benefit from the centre, to be built near the Queen's Medical Centre, in Nottingham.

Chris, 45, said: "If you had told us a year ago we would have got this far, we never would have believed it. It's amazing.

"This means his name will live on for ever. It is only recently we have got over the shock of losing him but this is helping. Frazer would be so proud."

Biba, also 45, now dedicates most of her time to raising funds and this year organised a number of events for the charity, including a fun run, ball and football match.

And after the Derby Telegraph told Frazer's story, hundreds of cheques from readers were sent to us for the family's fund.

Biba said: "We want to thank everyone from the bottom of our hearts for all the support and donations."

HE lived a short life but Frazer McDermott's parents are adamant he will never be forgotten.

Aged only 20 when he died, Frazer, of Littleover, fought a brain tumour his entire life.

The talented artist was born with the tumour in the centre of his brain – but he managed to live as normal a life as possible, even after it robbed him of his sight.

Though non-cancerous, the tumour was treated with radiotherapy but it never shrunk.

In the months before he died, Frazer had 18 brain surgeries, three haemorrhages, pneumonia, shingles, two water infections, clostridium difficile, an aneurysm and two strokes. Eventually, the tumour spread to his spine and he passed away with his family at his bedside minutes after arriving at his Burton Road home from hospital after doctors said there was nothing more they could do.

Devastated by his death, his family started looking at ways that he could be remembered. Then they had their eureka moment.

During his illness, Frazer was treated at the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham – at best, a 30-minute drive from their Littleover home.

His parents, Chris and Biba, realised what was needed was a house where families who do not live in Nottingham could stay while their child had treatment at the QMC.

That way, families would not have to face the trauma of a long commute and having to leave their child behind.

And so, in January this year, the family launched a fund-raising drive to make their idea a reality.

They set a target of £300,000, which would be used to build the house from scratch. The building – to be named Frazer's House – would double up as a brain tumour information centre.

It was a comfort to the tight-knit family as it helped them deal with the immense grief of losing Frazer.

And their dedication is paying off as, after only 12 months, the fund is already standing at £75,000.

Chris, who runs a car business based in Pride Park, said: "If you told us this time last year that we would be in this position, we never would have believed you.

"We thought it would take years to get to this stage.

"I think people are touched by Frazer's story.

"It is tragic but he was very inspirational. He had a very short but powerful life.

"He suffered and we suffered but we were with him every day for the last five months of his life.

"Now, it comforts us that the time we are putting into the charity is time we are putting in for Frazer – so it feels like he hasn't gone.

"We are very strong-willed – and we want to build this house for him.

"This means his name will live on forever. It is only recently we have got over the shock of losing him but this is helping us."

While he was alive, optimistic Frazer had an impact on those he met.

Despite having only 10% vision in one eye, the talented artist continued to paint and play on his guitar.

Despite Frazer suffering from the tumour since birth, Biba wanted him to be like any other child and so he was enrolled at Markeaton Primary School, followed by St Benedict Catholic School, in Darley Abbey.

After finishing sixth form at St Benedict, he moved to Loughborough for two years to attend the Royal National Institute for the Blind College, to learn to live independently.

While living away, he remained close to his parents, brother Myles, 23, and sister, Ellisia, 18.

Biba now spends most of her time running the charity – which started off as the Frazer McDermott Foundation but has now been renamed Frazer's House – along with Chris's sister, Lisa Radford.

In April, they organised a charity football match at Pride Park.

Then, in October, they held a fun run – named Frazer's Run – at Darley Park. About 140 people took part and £2,000 was raised.

But the biggest event was in October, when a charity ball took place at Derbyshire County Cricket Club.

Businesses from around the city pitched in and a staggering £32,000 was raised.

The rest of the funds has come from members of the public, including Derby Telegraph readers who donated after reading Frazer's story last year.

Chris said: "Biba and Lisa work really hard to organise the events. We all have ideas but they really head it up. It's a full-time job for them.

"They organise things on a day-to-day basis, but there are also lots of people in Derby doing things for Frazer.

"There was a golf day earlier this year which raised £4,200 and pupils at his old school St Benedict hold events for the charity.

"Frazer would be absolutely over the moon with what we are doing.

"He was a quiet young man who never thought he had achieved anything, which is so far from the truth.

"In fact, we've had people donate thousands of pounds in his name and in his memory. He was an inspirational guy."

Recently, the charity was given a three-bedroom house four miles from the QMC, which is currently in the process of being renovated.

They will be using the house on a trial basis so they can figure out how to run the bigger project once the £300,000 target has been met.

Chris said: "We won't have a strict criteria for families who want to stay there.

"We won't ask for a minimum distance the family has to have travelled from – some charities give a distance of 40-miles but that never helped us because we are only a few miles away in Derby.

"When we have hit the £300,000 target, we will build a house near to the hospital, a few minutes' walk away.

"There will be rooms for families to stay in while their child is having treatment at the hospital.

"Eventually, we want it to become a centre which will offer advice and information to families affected by brain tumours and head injuries."

Despite the fact that Frazer's House will be in Nottingham, the charity is based in Derby and all fund-raising events have taken place in the city.

But the family plans to expand the charity so one day it will become national.

Chris said: "We've got major support coming through and I think the momentum is going to get bigger.

"The charity has been well-received by the people of Derby and for that we are thankful.

"Next year, we want to get the charity even more established. The charity is part of our lives now and it will be fantastic to help other families who are going through what we went through.

"We want to do three main events a year – the football match, Frazer's Run and the ball. We want them to become popular, well-known events. Next year, we want to get 500 people taking part in the run.

"And one day it would be great to have Frazer's House in every hospital."

Biba said she thought it was "amazing" that the people of Derby were supporting Frazer.

She said: "Having Frazer's story in the Derby Telegraph last year helped the charity so much. There's also been a lot of word-of-mouth.

"It's amazing to have raised so much money – and we're still getting money coming in. It's wonderful that people have taken Frazer's story to their heart.

"We want to thank everyone from the bottom of our heart for all the support and donations.

"We think having Frazer's House is so important to the East Midlands.

"You never know what is round the corner and you never know if or when you will need one of those beds.

"Cancer and tumours feel like a common illness these days because most people know of someone who is affected by it."

Chris added: "We don't want Frazer to have lived a waste of a life. He had an amazing life.

"People tell us they have memories of Frazer all the time and it makes us so proud as parents."

For more information or to donate, visit www.frazers house.co.uk.

Every day, hundreds of 999 emergency calls are made by people living throughout Derbyshire. And all of them are answered in one room. Chris Jones reports.

THE shout comes up from across the room, turning everyone's head: "He's got a knife. He's pulled a knife on someone."

Immediately, the most senior ranking man in the control room, the inspector, looks up, wanting more information.

The call-taker acknowledges this with a nod and continues to take details, talking calmly but firmly into the headset, asking the caller what is happening, who is armed with what, and gently encouraging the person to stay calm.

Team leader Phill Blood, who is showing me how the police control room in Ripley works, starts clicking through screens at his computer, telling me what is happening. The time is 11.30pm on a weeknight.

"Ok, so you can see here," he points at a couple of text boxes on one screen, "the call-taker has already filled this in. She's been filling it in from the moment she picked up the call.

"It's a call from a woman. Her brother is drunk and he's started on a friend. Because there is a knife involved, this one goes through the inspector."

In the time Phill has been speaking, the details have already been forwarded to the control room operator in charge of the central Derby area – the address is a local one.

The operator, in turn, has contacted a couple of officers on the ground via radio and they are en route to the house where the call originated.

Phill nods and says: "The call-taker is trying to calm the woman down. Drink is such a big problem in domestic situations like these. You have no idea how many calls like this we get. But we can't take any chances.

"Oh, see? There you are, subject detained."

The time is now 11.34pm. Since the 999 call was made, a full account of the situation has been taken, passed through the control room and fed directly to officers on the street, who have been round to the house, gained entry and detained the armed man.

Four minutes. It's impressive. And it needs to be.

Each day, more than 2,000 calls are made to Derbyshire police. These will be a mixture of emergency 999 calls, non-emergency calls to the 101 number, and internal calls within the police.

In Ripley, at Derbyshire Constabulary's headquarters, there is a large, recently-built brick building which houses the control room.

This is where all these calls are answered. The upper floor deals with the 101 calls and the internal communication, the downstairs floor takes the 999 emergencies, or the "three-nines" as they are referred to internally.

Downstairs, there is a staff of about 20 people taking hundreds of 999 calls each day. Walking into the main control room is like walking on to the bridge of the USS Enterprise.

Several huge screens dominate the front wall, showing CCTV footage from cameras across the county.

These track vehicles and people, and keep known trouble spots highlighted, like Morledge and the Market Place in Derby.

Facing this are several banks of desks, each staffed with a head-set-equipped operator.

There is a constant chatter and hubbub, with the occasional raised voice – "Calm down, please. Calm down, I need to ask you these questions" – as, with practised patience, the operators deal with frantic, emotional callers.

Each desk has several computer monitors arranged in a wrap-around curve, giving each operator CCTV readouts, information screens and access to databases. Along the back wall is a long cupboard with sliding doors, filled with jackets, snacks, teabags and so on.

There is also a well-stocked kitchen with loaves of bread, cereals and soup cans. The shifts are long and the centre is manned every day around the clock.

There are a couple of call-takers who field the majority of the calls.

They take the initial details and pass each case on to the relevant operator for that geographical area.

Derbyshire is split into nine policing areas – Chaddesden, Pear Tree, Swadlincote, Amber Valley and so on – and each is dealt with by a separate control room staff member.

It is the jobs of these operators to get in touch with officers on the ground, keep them updated and relay information.

When the system is fully engaged, it enables a rapid response to almost any emergency anywhere in the county.

The problems arise when there is no emergency.

Phill explained: "I have spoken to people on 999 calls who were asking for the best transport links to London or about the weather and things like that.

"It is easy to get wound up about it, but there is a chance people don't know about 101 and non-emergency calls."

But he said there was another side to things. "We had an old woman called 101 and she was explaining that she was afraid and was sorry to be calling, and it turned out she had been beaten by a gang.

"If it needs dealing with there and then, and it involves life or property, it's an emergency. But it's difficult, it's not straightforward. If someone has been living a crime-free life, then gets their milk bottle stolen from outside, to them it's an emergency.

"But, in that instance, we would ask them to call 101 and we would send a PCSO around to their house.

"Of course, there are also examples of people not thinking a genuine emergency worthy of 999.

"Ultimately, we can't stop people calling 999 and we will always respond to the call, we have to. It is a free service and everyone knows the number.

"But we want to stress, so much, that if a call is not an emergency, then please call 101. That's what it's there for."

The festive weeks are some of the busiest for control room staff. Phill said that, along with big football matches, like England games, and bonfire night, it was the busiest time of the year.

He said: "We had the flooding a few weeks back and we got a lot of calls about that. Some of it is genuine emergencies, others things which we try to warn against.

"We had drivers calling to stay they were stuck on flooded roads after driving past road closed signs. Surely it's common sense not to do that? But we have to respond to it.

"And at Christmas you get a huge amount of domestic incidents."

Arguments and assaults in the home are some of the most common types of 999 calls. Phill said that 76% of all police cases in Derbyshire were classed as domestic incidents.

Picking a day at random – July 4 this year – he shows me on the computer that there were 44 domestic 999 calls.

"Add Christmas to this, when families are penned together, drink is flowing and people get a bit irritable and the calls shoot up," he said.

"It's often the afternoon, blokes have been down the pub and they come back, fall asleep and ignore the dinner their partners have spent all morning cooking.

"You also get a lot of burglaries around Christmas, all those presents in each house, a lot of high-end electrical goods, it's like treasure troves. We would advise everyone to lock everything up tightly around Christmas."

On a busy day, the control room team might take 200 emergency calls. But on New Year's Eve, the number of 99 calls easily hits 300. Phill said: "It's domestics, it's assaults – a lot of people out, a lot of drinking and it's just inevitable. But we have to answer each and every one, put it through, log it and action it as far as we can. It's a busy night."

While I was in the control room, a call came through from a man threatening to slice open his wrists.Keeping him on the phone, the operators worked with officers in the area to find the man and detain him.

But I asked Phill about the effect taking the calls had on the staff.

"It's difficult. There's nobody here who hasn't been affected by what they have heard. I remember being on when a chap jumped from the roof of Westfield.

"But apart from taking the call, acting calm and passing on all the details to officers, there is little you can do.

"But the thing is you are here, on the end of the phone. And it makes a huge difference – all the difference – in so many emergencies."

A HUSBAND and wife who founded their own travel firm have launched a bespoke holiday service that could benefit Derbyshire companies looking to seek out new markets overseas.

Steve and Veronica Hendry, who run Future Travel, have launched A Week Away.

The idea behind the service is to take people anywhere in the world for a guided short break or business trip.

The company is starting the service by organising trips to China.

Steve and Veronica will accompany their customers on the trip, acting as tour guides and taking them to some of the best places.

Veronica already has an extensive knowledge of China as it is the place where she was born and raised.

The couple met in China in the early 1990s, when Steve was a tour manager for a large UK travel company and Veronica was a local guide based in Beijing.

They married in 2001 and Veronica relocated to Derby, where she set up Future Travel, which was part of the Co-op Travel Group.

But she kept going back to her home country to work as a guide and tour manager.

As well as working with thousands of visitors to China, Veronica has acted as a personal guide for a number of VIP guests, including former US Secretary of State Dr Henry Kissinger and current US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton.

Veronica said: "Meeting Dr Kissinger was perhaps one of the biggest highlights of my career. In the early 1970s, he helped establish relationships with China, which opened up the country to the rest of the world.

"I had grown up with his name, so to meet him in person was a great privilege. I showed him around the Forbidden City and he said he had been there a number of times but got more out of his visit with me as I managed to get him access to some of the rooms which are normally closed off to visitors.

"In more recent times, in 2008, I was so proud to be involved with the Beijing Olympics working as a translator for the company that designed the famous Bird's Nest Stadium.

"The Olympic Park is definitely on our 'to do' list while we are in Beijing.

"Thanks to my knowledge and connections I can ensure tour guests have access to areas and destinations not normally open to travellers."

Veronica said the service would not just benefit the leisure traveller.

She said: "With the growing popularity for UK businesses in developing relationships with Chinese suppliers and customers, I can help local businesses with travel arrangements, introductions and interpreting services.

"My previous work has seen me ensure that business travellers to China find the right flights and accommodation and identify the most appropriate venues for trade shows and exhibitions."

Steve said: "An increasing number of people want to travel further afield and it's important that every aspect of the trip runs efficiently."

The couple have launched a website, www.aweekaway.co. uk.

A "MAJOR player" in supplying party drugs has been jailed for four years.

Anthony Dexter was caught with the rave drug NRG2, ecstasy tablets, amphetamine and the so-called "date rape" drug GHB after police raided his house and a second property in Ilkeston.

Officers also found cannabis growing at the houses in March this year.

Nottingham Crown Court was told that the drugs could have netted the 24-year-old up to £23,000.

Dexter pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing at Derby Crown Court to nine charges of possession with intent to supply class A, B and C drugs, production of a controlled drug and abstracting electricity.

Speaking after the hearing, Inspector Nick Daines, who is in charge of policing in the town, said he was delighted that the drugs had been taken off the streets of Ilkeston.

He said: "In terms of what you might call 'party drugs' this man was without doubt a major player in their supply in the area and I am delighted that he has been given such a long period of custody.

"I think the fact that Dexter has been jailed for so long sends out a strong message that officers in the Ilkeston area and across Derbyshire will stop at nothing to rid the streets of drugs, which are a scourge in our society.

"I hope this reassures our community that we will act on information we receive about illegal substances and always prosecute drug dealers."

Mr Daines said that his officers were called to Dexter's address in Stanton Road and to another property in Wood Street earlier this year after receiving information from members of the public, who suspected drugs were being grown and dealt from the properties.

Mr Daines said his officers found almost 10g of cocaine on Dexter when they stopped him on October 16 while he was riding through Ilkeston on his bike.

Dexter ran off on that occasion and was not arrested until November 2.

At Dexter's sentencing hearing at Nottingham Crown Court, Adrian Reynolds, in mitigation, said that his client turned to drugs after the breakdown of a relationship.

Mr Reynolds said: "When that relationship went wrong, his life went downhill.

"He started to abuse drugs and all of his problems arise fairly and squarely out of his abuse of drugs."

He said that Dexter had been living in one room where he had lived a "hand-to-mouth existence", as he funded his drugs habit by dealing.

A REVELLER had the tip of his nose bitten off during a fight in a Derbyshire pub.

Police say the 22-year-old victim has undergone plastic surgery at Royal Derby Hospital to re-attach the missing piece of nose to his face.

Five police cars were sent to the late-night brawl, at the Rising Sun, in The Green, Willington.

As well as the man whose nose was bitten, officers said five other people were injured in the fight, including a 60-year-old man.

A force spokesman said: "The report came through that there was a fight inside the Rising Sun at 11.40pm on Boxing Day.

"Officers attended and discovered there were five victims.

"A 22-year-old man had part of his nose bitten off during the fight and a 21-year-old man was also punched in the fracas.

"Another man, aged 60, suffered from head injuries during the incident."

Last night, police said no-one had been arrested in connection with the fight and the police are asking for anyone who witnessed the incident to get in contact.

The Derby Telegraph called the Rising Sun and the landlord, who did not want to be named, said the village was normally a friendly place. He said: "I have been here 17 months and there has never been any incident like this before.

"Willington is a great village, really friendly with good, loyal customers and this is the first time I have known of trouble like this here in the village.

"The man who had the tip of his nose bitten off is a regular and I have been told he has had plastic surgery which I hope goes well for him.

"I have never seen the man who attacked him before, he's certainly not a regular.

"I think this was one of those situations whereby there was an argument that looks like it got out of control.

"No-one was even drunk and the regulars waded in to help the man who was being attacked and to try to stop the fight."

Anyone with any information is asked to call the police on 101.

THESE three bikes were stolen from a house in Derby.

The burglary happened in the early hours of Sunday December 23 between midnight and 6am, when a raider broke into the garage of the house in Woodlands Road, Allestree, and took the cycles.

A force spokesman said: "One bike is custom-made, so is unique. It is a Ribble Sportif racing bike that has a white frame, red handlebars, a red seat post and red and black tyres.

"The second cycle is a white 2013 Trek Neko mountain and the third is a white Landrover Khartoum mountain bike."

Police are appealing to anyone who may have seen them or has been offered them for sale to call 101.

WORKERS who were made redundant by Derby City Council at a cost of £50,000 have been re-hired by the authority.

Staff lost their jobs as part of drastic cuts to the authority's budget but some workers were then re-employed within the same departments they had left.

The revelation has been branded a "huge waste of money" by the TaxPayers' Alliance but the council has defended itself – saying a former employee may be the "best person" to fill a genuine vacancy which arises.

A wave of staff left the council on December 31 last year due to budget cuts and the authority is currently trying to find a further 350 employees who are prepared to take voluntary redundancy.

But figures show some of those that left later returned – with six employees being re-hired.

One of those staff members was re-employed on two separate contracts and, in three cases, staff were re-employed in similar roles. The council would not reveal whether the workers returned to the same pay.

The cost of paying redundancy packages of those six workers totalled £50,000.

Council rules state that if a staff member is made redundant they can apply for jobs with the authority after four weeks.

Matthew Sinclair, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance said: "It's a huge waste of taxpayers' money to rehire staff you've just spent a fortune making redundant.

"Poor planning at the top of the council is costing residents dearly.

"With necessary spending cuts to be made, taxpayers can't afford for council chiefs to squander money like this."

A report on the matter acknowledges the move to re-hire the staff may be unpopular with the public.

It said: "Whilst it does not look very palatable that people are re-employed by the council after taking a voluntary redundancy package there are circumstances where this is legitimate and potentially beneficial to the organisation.

"For example, it is not always possible to effect redeployment where the time between a redundancy and new vacancy arising is months apart."

The report said two home care assistant posts were made redundant towards the end of 2011, but then vacancies for a day care assistant and home care assistant were created in May and September and staff previously made redundant took these roles.

In another case, an employee in the children and young people's directorate whose title had been Japanese Support was then re-hired as an English language teacher for foreign students.

In the neighbourhoods department, a creche supervisor was re-hired as a cleaner, as was a pre-school gymnastics assistant coach. Another coach became a well-being co-ordinator.

A day service worker in the adults, health and housing directorate became a senior care team leader in the same department.

Councillor Sarah Russell, cabinet member for finance and democracy, said: "The council offered a voluntary package to mitigate the need for compulsory redundancies.

"If at some point in the future a genuine vacancy arises, the best person, as identified through a recruitment exercise; should be appointed, so long as a period of four weeks has passed since they left on the grounds of redundancy."

THIS year has been the fourth-wettest in Derby since 1848, according to a local weatherman.

Amateur weatherman Philip Singleton, of Chaddesden, said that from Wednesday, December 19, to Christmas Eve, the city experienced 76mm of rain.

The average rainfall for December is 67mm.

Mr Singleton said: "In seven days we have had more than you would expect to see for the entire month of December."

And Croft Engineering in Draycott has been feeling the consequences of the wet weather. The firm is mopping up the mess after water from the swollen Trent flooded its workshop on Christmas Eve – the second time in the last month.

Manager Malcolm Dexter said: "The last time Croft flooded was 15 years ago and now it's happened twice in the last month.

"The water started to come in on December 21 and there was about a foot in the lower floor of the workshop.

"We've managed to pump most of it out now and are just dealing with the aftermath.

"I think it will happen again as soon as there is more rain. Something needs to be done to stop it happening, but I just don't know what."

Derby has experienced 40% more rain so far this year than it would expect in an average year.

Mr Singleton said: "We're on course for a record-breaking year. The records I have for Derby go back more than 160 years and 2012 is currently the fourth-wettest year. The wettest year to date was 1848 when Derby had 1,018mm of rain.

"The average for Derby for a year is 697mm and we have beaten that already as we have had 975mm of rain."

But, despite large volumes of rain causing flooding across the county over the festive period, the next few days will see lower rainfall.

Met Office forecaster Helen Chivers said: "The rain will be noticeable in the wind today but it will not be terribly heavy. It's going to be very mild and windy and temperatures will reach 12 degrees, possibly 13."

She said that there would be rain on Friday evening but this was expected to be "short-lived".

She added: "Over the next couple of days, the rain will not amount to a great deal.

"This changeable weather is expected in December. It comes as the Atlantic depression brings wind and rain from the west."

There are no current flood warnings for the Derby or Derbyshire area.

But a spokeswoman for the Environment Agency said that there was an ongoing problem of surface water and sewer water in the Scropton area of Egginton which was currently being dealt with by Severn Trent Water.

A GRANDFATHER whose wife was killed after a van pulled into the path of their motorcycle is calling for motorists who cause death through poor driving to be banned from the roads for life.

Bob Stovell is still undergoing operations more than three years after the smash that robbed him of his wife.

Now the former firefighter wants to see harsher sentences for people like David Clarke, who was convicted of causing the mother of two's death at the age of 55.

Mr Stovell, 56, of Ripley, said: "The man that killed my wife got a community sentence, was banned for three years and wasn't even fined. It was a joke.

"That was all that my wife's life was worth. Our justice system is completely unfair.

"Because of the crash, I can't remember the last 40 years, I have lost my wife and lost my memories of her.

"And that man walked out of court without even looking at us."

Mr and Mrs Stovell were riding their Harley Davidson to a rally in August 2009, when a Royal Mail van driven by David Clarke pulled into their path on the A429, near Moreton-in-Marsh.

Mr Stovell was flown to Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham by air ambulance and was still being treated in hospital when 400 people attended his wife's funeral.

A year and a half later, Clarke, a former RAF airmen, pleaded guilty at Gloucester Crown Court to causing death by careless driving.

The court was told that Clarke was making his last delivery of the day and was turning into a farm entrance when the crash happened.

He turned across double white lines towards the driveway and hit the motorcycle, having failed to see it approaching.

Mr Stovell is now calling on Amber Valley MP Nigel Mills to propose a Private Member's Bill to impose harsher sentences on people who cause death on the road.

He said: "I want anyone who kills someone with their car to be banned for life.

"They have two legs so they should just get the bus or walk.

"The laws we have at the moment are not a deterrent. People don't realise how dangerous a car is."

Mr Stovell also wants to see a change to driving tests.

He said: "As a fireman, we had to do advanced driving and got to use the skid pan at Ripley police headquarters.

"Just half an hour on that would allow people to experience a car skidding in a controlled environment.

"My daughter has just passed her test and I told her instructor that I wanted her to have four or five more lessons.

"I wanted her to go out on the motorway, drive at night and in rush hour traffic."

Mr Stovell also thinks that more needs to be done to educate people on keeping an eye out for bikes, something that could be checked during regular re-testing.

He said: "People get into such bad habits and hardly any of them would pass their test if they had to take it again. There should be compulsory tests every five or 10 years to make sure people are up to scratch.

"I know there are probably too many laws at the moment but it's so important."

Mr Mills said: "I will be meeting with Mr Stovell to discuss this very important issue."

JAMIE Ward is hoping to mark an end to his injury frustration at Charlton Athletic tomorrow.

The Derby County forward is set to return to Nigel Clough's squad for the trip to the Valley after three months out with a torn hamstring.

Ward, who has missed 16 matches since limping out of the 1-0 victory at Nottingham Forest in late September, is now back in full training and could be handed a place on the bench this weekend.

"We will take him with us and he could be on the bench, which would give everyone a boost," said manager Clough.

"He's been able to run at a certain pace and do some fitness work – but nothing can replace playing games and that is what he needs now.

"There are no reserve games at the moment, so it might be a case of bringing him on for 10 or 15 minutes."

Ward, who netted four goals in eight appearances before getting injured, said: "It's been very frustrating. Obviously, I'm here to play football and not be injured.

"It's just one of those things. As a footballer, you put your body on the line and you will get injured sometimes.

"It's been tough but the sooner I get back out there, the better.

"I've had no tweaks since I've been back in training, so touch wood, I'm going in the right direction.

"The plan is to travel down with the team and see how I react to the training.

"Obviously, I don't expect to start, so I think the gaffer will ease me back in.

"I've missed a lot of games, so it will take a while for me to get back up to speed.

"It's always hard to catch-up on match fitness and it's going to be tough but I will try my best to get there."

Midfielder Craig Bryson and defender Mark O'Brien are both rated doubtful for the Charlton game.

Bryson was replaced after 65 minutes of the 2-0 defeat at Burnley on Boxing Day as he continues to struggle with a knee injury, while O'Brien is feeling the effects of returning from a lengthy lay-off.

"Both are doubtful," said Clough. "We'll take them with us and see how they are on Saturday morning.

"Neither of them were able to finish the game at Burnley, so with the games coming thick and fast, that puts them in doubt.

"We knew this would happen with Craig. His knee is getting sorer and, at some stage, he will need a breather.

"Once we get into January and the games are Saturday to Saturday, it should make things a bit easier for him.

"I'm not sure Mark will be able to start. He was feeling his groin and his back, which is the result of having been out for 13 months."

AMATEUR photographers have been sharing tips at monthly meetings of a group called TogsQuad, at Quad, in Derby.

"Our Lives" was the theme of this month's shots.

Nick Allen, 62, from Stenson Fields, took this rural image at a steam rally in Hartington Moor.

Nick spotted this engine in the main arena. Called The Grizzly, it is a farm engine built in the late 1800s in Wisconsin, USA.

Nick said: "I followed its progress around the ring and just as it got level with me I grabbed the shot.

"The reason it fitted the 'Our Lives' category for me is that I have attended several steam rallies throughout the summer whilst driving a retired fire engine myself."

Derby Telegraph picture editor Victoria Wilcox said: "I like Nick's shot for its atmosphere and his focus on the men involved in the action.

"I feel like I am at the event among the steam."

The next TogsQuad meeting is on Thursday, January 17. Visit www.derbyquad. co.uk for details.

THEY didn't make quite as many deliveries as Santa – but an Indian restaurant in Derby that opened on Christmas Day said business was booming.

Curry Art, in Chellaston, delivered Indian cuisine as well as turkey dinners and claimed it was the only takeaway in the city to open on December 25.

And an online pole on the Derby Telegraph's website www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk revealed that more than a third of readers would consider ordering an Indian takeaway on Christmas Day.

Out of almost 1,500 votes cast, 36% of respondents said they would order a curry on Christmas Day, with the remaining 64% saying they would not.

For Curry Art, in Ridge Way, it was the first time the restaurant had opened on December 25, following requests from its customers.

According to owner Abdul Muhit, the restaurant ended up making "dozens" of deliveries on the big day.

He said: "We had taken a number of advanced orders so we roughly knew how many deliveries we needed to make.

"The busiest time was between 1pm to 3pm, which is not too surprising, I suppose, as this is the time of day most people have their Christmas dinners.

"We had about six staff working on the day – and although they were working they seemed to enjoy themselves, going out to deliver the food to the customers.

"It was an experiment but it seemed to work really well. I reckon we will be looking to do it again next year."

Mr Muhit said that there was a mix of people ordering traditional turkey dinners and Indian dishes.

He said: "I would say that, as a general rule, some of the older people wanted a traditional Christmas dinner and some of the younger ones wanted Indian dishes. We probably did about half and half.

"But what is most important is that since Christmas Day we have received some excellent feedback from the customers about the quality of the food.

"They were also really happy because they did not have to worry about doing any cooking – or the washing up."

Last year, fast food giant McDonald's decided to open its Osmaston Park Road branch on Christmas Day.

This year the chain took the decision not to open any outlets on December 25.

NIGEL Clough believes a fit-again Jamie Ward can give Derby County a bit of extra attacking quality.

Ward is expected to return to the Rams squad for today's Championship clash with Charlton Athletic at the Valley after three months out with a torn hamstring.

The 26-year-old forward has missed 16 matches since he limped out of the 1-0 victory at Nottingham Forest in late September, having netted four goals in eight appearances.

Clough feels Derby have sorely missed one of their most creative players.

"He is capable of providing that bit of quality that could help us out in games like the one at Burnley on Boxing Day," said the Rams boss.

"We've still got to be cautious with him but we hope he will be in the 18 against Charlton.

"It's a lot of games to miss and he was playing so well before the injury. He looked a major threat for us.

"I don't think we've got a strong enough squad to lose people like him and not miss him.

"Sometimes you lose a key player for two or three games but we can't afford to lose one for that amount of time."

Ward is unlikely to start at Charlton but, if he comes off the bench, he could fill one of several positions.

The Northern Ireland international could partner Conor Sammon up front, operate just off the front man or on either wing.

"It depends what formation we go with but Jamie certainly gives us another option out wide," said Clough.

"He also showed at the start of the season that he was forming a good partnership up front with Conor."

Ward had hoped to be back in action sooner but suffered a setback when he initially returned to training towards the end of October.

"I had a recurrence of the injury in training before the Peterborough game, which is why I've been out for longer than expected," he said. "It was obviously just a bit too soon for me.

"I have had problems in the past but not for about three years before this.

"I've done both hamstrings in the past and no doubt I will do them again.

"I'm going to be a bit cautious at first and I think that's understandable, with my history.

"But we're doing everything we can to reduce the risk of them going again.

"We're going to get some hot water bottles to get some heat to the hamstrings if I'm on the bench.

"And I've been given lots of good strengthening exercises to do, which will hopefully make me a lot stronger."

Ward has been a frustrated spectator for the past three months but has been encouraged by what he has seen.

"It can be painful watching from the stands but I'm really happy to see the lads doing well," he added.

RAIL services at Derby will be disrupted over the next few days to allow emergency track repairs to take place following the derailment of a freight train.

The damage was caused when the train left the track at Barrow-on-Soar, between Leicester and Loughborough, on Thursday.

East Midlands Trains will now be running a revised evening and early-morning timetable over the next few days to allow Network Rail to remove the stricken wagons and repair the damaged section of track.

No trains will be able to run north of Leicester after 8pm today, tomorrow and Monday.

The last direct northbound services departing from London St Pancras will be the 6.25pm service to Derby/Sheffield and the 6.30pm train to Nottingham. All other services will terminate at Leicester and a limited replacement bus service will be available for onward northbound travel.

In the southbound direction, there will be a reduced service after 4.30pm. Some early-morning services will also be affected until Wednesday.

A spokeswoman for East Midlands Trains said: "We would advise passengers to check before they travel and either travel earlier in the day if they can or use an alternative train operator wherever possible."

A Network Rail spokesman said: "Over the next three nights, our engineers will have to construct a road to the site, stabilise the embankment, remove seven derailed wagons and repair over 300 yards of track."

Passengers holding an advance ticket for a service after 8pm will be able to use it to travel on an earlier train, while people with an advance ticket for an early-morning service can use it to travel later in the day.

East Midlands Trains tickets will also be accepted on Virgin, East Coast, Cross Country and London Midland services.

A revised timetable can be found at www.eastmidlands trains.co.uk.

SHE is famous for empowering women through politics, becoming the first woman leader of her party and the first female foreign secretary.

So, it seemed only fitting for Margaret Beckett to be awarded one of the highest-ranking titles which can be bestowed on a woman – a damehood – in honour of her work.

But the 69-year-old MP for Derby South said she was so surprised by the news, revealed in today's New Year Honours list, that she had not yet decided how to celebrate.

"Well, I imagine we'll have a drink or two," she said.

"But other than that, I have no idea yet. It's been such a surprise."

In a career spanning nearly 40 years, Dame Margaret cut a swathe through politics, embarking on a series of firsts for women.

She was elected Labour's first female deputy leader in 1992 and took on the role of leader for the period after the sudden death of John Smith, from a heart attack, two years later.

She stood in the subsequent leadership election to choose a permanent successor to Mr Smith but came third behind Tony Blair and John Prescott.

When Labour came to power in 1997, she was a fixture in Mr Blair's Cabinet from the start, holding posts including Trade and Industry Secretary, Leader of the Commons, Environment Secretary and, from 2006-7, the first female Foreign Secretary.

Mrs Beckett returned to the backbenches when Gordon Brown became Prime Minister, after he made clear she would not be staying at the Foreign Office.

But she was soon appointed to the sensitive post of chair of the Prime Minister's Intelligence and Security Committee and made a comeback to government in 2008 as housing minister.

She first became an MP in 1974, for Lincoln, lost her seat in the 1979 election and then was elected MP for Derby South in 1983, a position she has retained.

She hoped the honour made Derby "proud" of her.

She said: "I heard about it a couple of weeks ago. My husband Leo knew but that was it. We've kept it secret. It's amazing, the idea of being given this honour.

"When I was a little girl the idea of being an MP was amazing and I did that.

"The citation I was sent mentioned the fact that I had done several things women had never done before and it said how women can follow in my footsteps so it has made me look back at my career and see what I've achieved."

She said she was proud of the way people in Derby had rallied against difficulties in the past few years, like the decision not to award Bombardier the lucrative Thameslink contract.

"The reaction of people to the problems at Bombardier, the way people pulled together after that left me full of pride; it was admirable.

"In some ways I think Derby has changed for the better over the past few years."

Born in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, in 1943, the young Margaret Jackson trained as an apprentice engineer before being drawn into politics through the campaign against the apartheid regime in South Africa.

She became MP for Lincoln in 1974 and served as a whip in Harold Wilson's last administration and education minister under James Callaghan, but lost the marginal seat in the 1979 election which swept Margaret Thatcher to power.

She married the chairman of her local Labour Party, Leo Beckett, the same year and he became her agent and a vital part of her team throughout her parliamentary career.

After four years as a TV researcher, she returned to Parliament in 1983.

In opposition, she was a principal architect of Labour's renewed vigour and aggression during the mid-1990s as a prominent member of the shadow cabinet.

Her political journey mirrored that of the Labour Party, from protest against apartheid and nuclear weapons in the 1970s, when she was a hard-left supporter of Tony Benn, to the softening of her views under Neil Kinnock's leadership and then easing her way into the centre ground to become one of the great survivors of the Blair era.

Dame Margaret said that despite the length of her political career, she still had a lot of fight inside her.

She said: "I want to see the Labour Party back in power and that's what I am fighting for.

"To my mind, what the Conservatives are trying to do is complete what Margaret Thatcher started in the 80s. I would like to defeat that."

The MP was not the only local person to be honoured today.

Elsewhere, Rolls-Royce bosses Professor Richard Parker, the director of research and technology, and Michael Terrett, the firm's outgoing chief operating officer, were given CBEs (see panel, right).

An MBE was awarded to Lisa Vernon, the chief executive of Derbyshire Learning and Development Consortium.

The charity supports voluntary and community groups and earlier this year it took control of Rykneld Community Centre, breathing new life into the centre, which closed in March 2011.

The Learning for Living Centre is planned to open in spring 2013.

Initial activities will include a children's club, a youth club and an enterprise club for those looking to set up their own business.

Burton singing teacher Coral Gould, who has guided numerous pupils to careers in musicals and opera and published a successful singing tuition book, was given the OBE for services to music and the arts.

In Matlock, Carol Taylor, who is the director of research and development for the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education, was awarded the OBE for services to adult learning.

She has 30 years' experience of teaching and managing learning and has been a primary and secondary teacher, worked in higher and further education and in local authorities.

Anthony Favell, councillor and chairman of the Peak District National Park Authority, was awarded the MBE for political and public service.

Mr Favell was the former MP for Stockport and in 1990, he resigned as John Major's Parliamentary Private Secretary in a disagreement over whether the UK should enter the European Exchange Rate Mechanism.

Finally, Nicholas Warren, of Hope Valley, was awarded the OBE for services to the voluntary sector.

VILLAGERS have told how they faced raw sewage running down their streets over Christmas caused by flooding in the area.

Heavy rain meant drains were unable to cope with the excess water causing sewage to seep into the already flooded area.

The aptly named Duck Street and Fishponds Lane were the main roads affected as well as Main Street.

Now, the chairman of Egginton Parish Council, Lisa Brown, is calling for more to be done to ensure the problem never happens in the area again.

Mrs Brown said: "We have had a horrendous Christmas period in Egginton.

"The surface water would not drain so we had sewer water bubbling up.

"People were worried about their properties and I've personally had our depot opened so people could be supplied with sandbags to protect their properties.

"We have had drainage problems in Egginton before but never to this extent. We never expected anything as bad as this."

Mrs Brown said the latest problems began on December 21.

She said: "I have been on the phone to Severn Trent throughout the Christmas period. I've been calling five or six times even on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

"I was concerned because it was very serious health hazard with the sewage.

"When the help arrived they came and stuck at it. It was effective."

A spokesperson from Severn Trent Water said: "Our engineers have been out to check how our assets are coping with the flood water in Egginton over the Christmas period.

"We would like to reassure our customers that none of our assets have failed but, unfortunately, the sewer system just cannot cope with the sheer volumes of rainfall the area has seen over the last week.

"However, our pumping station is still working as it should.

"We are now waiting for the floodwater to subside. Once it has, we will do a full inspection of our assets and complete any clean up work that is necessary."

Last night villagers said the floodwater drained away and the roads had re-opened.

But Mrs Brown said she would be referring the matter to OFWAT - the Water Services Regulation Authority and she had made contact with local MP Heather Wheeler and the Environment Agency about the matter.

Last night, Wilne Road in Draycott was closed in both directions between the Market Street junction and the Repton Road due to flooding.

And also Sawley Road in Draycott was closed in both directions between the A6005 Draycott Road junction and the Wilne Lane junction.

But despite spells of heavy rain, Met Office weather forecaster Charles Powell said today would begin with wet and windy weather but would see drier spells around midday.

He said: "Sunday will be a drier day but it will be rather cloudy and there will be a south-westerly wind."

He said New Year's Eve will be dry but temperatures into New Year's Day will drop to around two degrees.