Man jailed after setting fire to flat and assaulting firefighters who came to save him
A man has been jailed after setting fire to his flat and then assaulting firefighters who came to help him.
Reuben Woolley was in his first storey flat in Helston Drive, Bilborough, when emergency services went in to tackle the fire, which had been reported by a concerned member of the public.
Firefighters used a ladder to gain entry through the window and as they got inside the address, Woolley hit one of them across his helmet with a metal bar, knocking him to the ground. He got up only to be met by more aggression from the 38-year-old, who delivered a second blow with the metal bar.
Woolley was able to be separated into another room and police were called to the scene whilst he was detained. He was subsequently arrested and taken to the Queen’s Medical Centre to be checked over whilst he was under arrest.
Fire crews were quickly able to contain and put out the fire following the incident on Sunday, December 20, 2020.
Reuben Woolley appeared at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday (January 7, 2021) charged with arson, causing actual bodily harm and two counts of assaulting an emergency worker.
He was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison.
Wilko announces store closure plan
Notts-based firm Wilko is planning to close 15 stores this year.
In an announcement the firm said the stores affected will close as leases end and favourable terms cannot be agreed, adding it will not affect its new openings or stores relocation programme.
The GMB union said it was “another nail in the High Street’s coffin”, warning that hundreds of jobs could be lost.
No Nottinghamshire stores have so far been earmarked for closure.
Wilko said 11 of the 15 stores closing have an alternative Wilko within five miles.
Tributes flood in for ‘voice of Notts County’ Colin Slater
Tributes have flooded in for former BBC sports broadcaster Colin Slater, who has died at the age of 87.
The voice of Notts County first became Magpies correspondent for BBC Radio Nottingham back in 1968, his first match being a 5-0 defeat to Lincoln City.
Notts County's chief executive Jason Turner told BBC Nottingham: "Everyone at Meadow Lane is heartbroken to have lost not only an iconic figure in the club's history, but also a great friend.
"We will be remembering him and his incredible dedication with a minute's silence at our next home match."
Hockley makes Sunday Times ‘coolest postcodes’ list
Hockley has been named as one of the 12 ‘coolest post codes to move to in 2022’ by The Sunday Times Style Magazine.
Us locals have long known it as an area of the city centre with a cool vibe, with its mixture of independent shops, bars, restaurants and music venues.
Now the London-based publication has woken up to the charm of Hockley in ‘one of England’s most underrated cities,’ encouraging ‘hipsters who have moved on from Hackney’ to consider attributes from graffiti murals and warehouse clubs to indie spots, cocktail bars and caves.
Portfolio Holder for Skills, Growth and Economic Development, Cllr Rebecca Langton, said: “Hockley has long been popular because of the high number of independent outlets which help to create a particular vibe in this part of the city.”
Morrisons scraps use-by dates on milk in favour of ‘sniff test’
Morrisons is to remove “use-by” dates from milk packaging in stores across Notts by the end of January in an attempt to save pints from being wasted.
They will now be advising customers to carry out a simple sniff test to work out whether or not the cow’s milk is off or still usable.
Ian Goode, senior milk buyer at Morrisons, said the changes would reduce impact on the environment.
He said: “Wasted milk means wasted effort by our farmers and unnecessary carbon being released into the atmosphere.
“Good quality well-kept milk has a good few days life after normal ‘use by’ dates – and we think it should be consumed, not tipped down the sink.”
This breathtaking mural on the side of a house on Church Drive in Arnold is more than what meets the eye, raising awareness about the comeback of beavers.
Created by the Nottingham-based graffiti artist Alex Rubes, the mural is inspired of gorgeous but endangered Fen violet and draws attention to the re-introduction of beavers to Nottinghamshire after 400 years.
Spotted something in Notts worth shouting about? Let us know: contact@nottsnow.com
Latest from our takeaways and restaurants…
KFC brings vegan chicken burger back permanently: KFC has announced that its vegan chicken burger is making a return restaurants in Notts – this time permanently.
The fast-food chain’s Original Recipe Vegan Chicken Burger is now available in all KFC restaurants across the UK for £3.99. The burger includes a Quorn fillet, coated in the chain’s “iconic 11 herbs and spices recipe”.
The vegan burger was initially launched in June 2019, when it was called “The Imposter”, and sold out within four days.
TODAY: Cloudy and damp during the morning, with extensive low cloud. Gradually becoming brighter but colder from the northwest through the afternoon, with some sunny spells. Maximum temperature 9 °C.
OUTLOOK WEDNESDAY - FRIDAY: Dry and settled through this period, however with light winds, fog and frost are likely to readily form, with fog perhaps lingering all day in places later in the week.
The world’s oldest guinea pig passed away in Nottingham in 1979. Named Snowball, he was 14 years and 10 months old.