Updates for Thursday 31 December 2015
News, sport, travel and weather updates will resume at 08:00 Monday
BBC Nottingham Sport
Nottingham Forest midfielder Jamie Ward hasn't had the greatest of times in 2015.
He joined the Reds in the summer on a free transfer from Derby but he is yet to find the back of the net for them.
He said his aim for the New Year will be to score more goals.
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Sandish Shoker
BBC News Online
Harry Parkes says he's "bamboozled" after being given a BEM in the Queen's Honours list.
"I'm just an ordinary fella and I'm not looking for awards," he said.
He said he was "proud" to represent the 48,000 Bevin Boys of World War Two with his honour.
"I'm carrying the flag because they were the forgotten wartime conscripts... and they can gain confidence in that we have at last been remembered - and that's my honour."
The parents of a nine-year-old boy who died in Zante after being hit by a motorcycle say they hope 2016 will be the year they see justice, external.
It was fairly windy yesterday with gusts of up to 57mph at some points, but it was perfect conditions for windsurfing.
One of our weather watchers David E took this photo at the Notts County Sailing Club in Hoveringham.
Image source, David ESandish Shoker
BBC News Online
Many of you saw this error message when trying to access the BBC website this morning.
The issue was caused by a large web attack known as a "distributed denial of service" (DDoS)
Hopefully it is all working for you now.
Others to receive honours in the Queen's list are Susan Davies from Barton-in-Fabis and Louise Third from Gotham.
Image source, GoogleMrs Davies has been awarded a British Empire Medal for her efforts as a parish councillor in securing lighting for elderly residents, improving roads, introducing breakfast and lunch clubs for pensioners and for her fundraising.
Mrs Third has been awarded an MBE for her services to enterprise and charity, through organising a food bank in Clifton and supporting programmes abroad.
Alex Smith
BBC News Online
On 29 December, the city council served a notice to the group telling them to leave Station Street within 24 hours.
However nothing changed, and now a possession order has been made at the crown court - and the matter will be transferred to the High Court for enforcement.
Due to a lack of police availability over the bank holiday, this is unlikely to take place until Monday.
Alex Smith
BBC News Online
I've been at Nottingham Crown Court this morning where a judge has made a court order to evict a group of rough sleepers who pitched up outside Nottingham railway station.
FightBack Nottingham, which is the group helping the occupants of the 15 tents, said the camp was set up on Christmas Eve to get the city council to open empty buildings for the homeless over winter.
However, the authority has dismissed the group’s campaign, saying most of the occupants are “not homeless or from Nottingham”.
Sandish Shoker
BBC News Online
The Bevin Boys were a group of young men who were conscripted to work in the UK coal mines during World War Two.
Image source, Harry ParkesThey were named after Ernest Bevin, a former trade union official and then British Labour Party politician who was Minister of Labour and National Service in the wartime coalition government.
Twitter reactions to the premature New Year tweet from Nottingham Castle got some chuckles around the newsroom this morning.
Image source, TwitterIt looks like someone at Nottingham Castle got their days confused when they scheduled this tweet 24 hours too soon.
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Meet Harry Parkes from West Bridgford who has been awarded the British Empire Medal
The 88-year-old worked as a miner in Nottinghamshire during the Second World War.
Image source, National Memorial ArboretumYears later he started a long campaign to get recognition for the wartime effort of the Bevin Boys and in 2013 a stone he designed was unveiled at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.
Sandish Shoker
BBC News Online
The list of people receiving New Year Honours this year has been released.
We'll take a look at some of the ones from Nottinghamshire who have been recognised.
Sandish Shoker
BBC News Online
Phew! Looks like we're back online. Thanks for your patience this morning.
The site still seems a bit slow, so bear with us if you're still having problems...
Sandish Shoker
BBC News Online
We're experiencing some technical problems today, so apologies if you're unable to see all of our updates straight away.
Our friends in IT are trying to get the issues resolved.
Anna Church
Weather Presenter, BBC East Midlands Today
There's a few showers around first thing but these will ease to allow for a largely dry morning with plenty of sunshine.
A band of squally rain will move west to east this afternoon with gusty winds but should clear by early evening to give a mostly dry, clear and chilly end to the day.
Max 9C (48F)
Sandish Shoker
BBC News Online
Good morning and welcome to our updates for the last day of 2015.
I'll be bringing you the news, weather and sport throughout the day and as always you can get in touch with us via email, Twitter, external or Facebook, external.
