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NETBALL star Paige Reed is one step closer to her dream of playing for England's senior side after she was selected for the England Under-19s Potential squad aged only 16. The Sport and Exercise Sciences student was selected from a trial day which featured players from the country's most talented academies and Superleague franchises. Her selection is even more impressive considering some of the players she was up against were three years older than her. Reed, who plays either goal attack or goal shooter, will now face further trials in the summer as the squad is reduced. Reed said: "I was shocked when I received the news I'd made the squad and I'm delighted to have been given this opportunity to prove myself." Hartpury netball manager Sarah Prettybelieves Reed has earned the call-up. She said: "Paige's hard work and perseverance has paid off, and she truly deserves this. "We will continue to work with Paige to help her maintain her form and give her the best chance possible of making the full England squad." At the request of the England Netball management, Paige was also asked to be released to play for Team Bath in the Netball Performance League (NPL). Former Hartpury student Sarah Llewelyn used her time with Team Bath as a springboard into the Netball Superleague, signing for Celtic Dragons this season.

Hartpury: Netballer Paige Reed shows her England potential

HARTPURY have clinched two more national sporting titles with a trio of golfers from the college's golf programme grabbing glory at the British Colleges National Championships. Gee Won Park, Harriet Matthews and Hannah Stradling featured in the women's team of four representing the West Midlands at Bath Golf Club. They had the three best scores that counted to take the team title on the first day. Their individual scores on the opening day then carried over to be added to a final 18-hole round on the next day to determine the individual winner, which was Park. She shot seven over on the first day and five over on the second to win the individual national title by two shots. Three Hartpury students also featured in the men's team representing the West Midlands. The team, comprising Rhys Llewellyn, Joe Harvey and Tom Sloman, finished fifth overall in the national competition. Harvey had the best individual score of that trio, finishing fifth in the race for individual honours, and only missing out on fourth spot on countback. Richard King, golf manager at Hartpury, said: "The girls' performance was superb up against some really strong regions. "To take the team and individual title was a deserved reward for all of their hard work and shows how much progress they are continuing to make on the programme. "The boys were let down by a poor final three holes after starting well. "Had they finished better, they could have been in with a chance of the team title. "It was great to see Joe finish in fifth overall, particularly as he's in his first year and still has another year on the programme. He's showing great potential." There was also success for Hartpury's Tom Davies over the weekend, starring for Wales Under-18s in their comprehensive victory over Ireland at Cardigan Golf Club. Davies won both of his matches – a foursomes on the first day and his singles match. He is also in his first year of the golf programme. Next for Hartpury's golfers is the Gloucestershire Schools Tournament on April 28 before heading to the BSC Tour and the Intercollegiate National Tour Finals.

A LICK of paint here, a litter pick there, city centre volunteers were everywhere. A 50-strong team of people from businesses, community organisations and people on probation helped out with a city centre clean up operation spearheaded by Gloucester City Council. Bollards and bike racks were repainted, litter was picked up and graffiti was removed during the operation yesterday. Reyaz Limalia, from volunteering organisation Fair Shares, was among the helping hands. He said: "We are happy to help. It is about people taking responsibility for keeping their city clean." Councillor Pam Tracey (C, Westgate) added: "It is wonderful to see so many people helping out." Chewing gum will also be removed in the coming weeks. A clean-up operation was also held in White City on Tuesday with the help of youngsters.

Lick of paint gives city centre fresh new look

WITH international honours, Superleague signings and competition success under their belts, Hartpury's netballers can look back on a successful campaign. Thea Thompson, Erin Howell and Kellie Hull starred for the British Colleges national representative side against Wales Under-19s in a Superleague match curtain-raiser. Hartpury's Izzy Dunsford also played for Wales. The Under-19s finished runners-up in the BCS National Championships at the University of Bath, losing 22-14 in the final to National Schools champions Greenhead College, the same team that had edged them out by a point in the BCS National Cup semi-final. En route to the final, they defeated South East winners Farnborough Sixth Form College, with shooters Elly Milner and Howell sinking five from five in the closing minutes to win 23-18. They then defeated London winners Havering Sixth Form College 34-16, Milner scoring 15 goals from 18 attempts in 15 minutes, before dispatching North East winners Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College 43-5, Thompson taking four interceptions. In their final group game, they defeated North West winners Aquinas College 32-12, who they also beat to take the National Cup last year. The impressive Milner finished with her highest shooting percentage of 86. As winners of group B, Hartpury then crushed Truro College 30-10 in the semi-finals before coming unstuck against this season's bogey side Greenhead. They were without Paige Reed, who had been released to play for Team Bath, and Megan Powell, who was struck down by injury in the first game of the National Schools championships. Hartpury netball manager, Sarah Pretty said: "I'm hugely proud of the whole squad for their achievements, but most importantly for their individual progression and development. "Finishing runners-up to Greenhead in two national competitions was hard to take but the standard of play was definitely the highest I have seen on the college circuit. "The girls have had plenty to celebrate. "We've had Megan Powell and Izzy Dunsford selected for Wales and Paige Reed picked for the England Under-19s Potential squad, as well as three girls selected from 150 hopefuls for the British Colleges national squad." Former Hartpury student Sarah Llewelyn, has signed for Superleague side Celtic Dragons this season, joining Team Bath duo Sophie Masterson and Sam Cook and fellow Dragon Rosie Pretorious – who all played netball for Hartpury – in the top-level competition.

Hartpury: Netballers celebrate successful campaign

A FURTHER £40,000 of city centre improvements has been announced by Gloucester City Council – and the council is cracking on with the work. The money had been allocated for the replacement of the railway station boundary wall with railings but council bosses decided it was a 'considerable sum with limited additional benefit'. The money will instead by put back into a pot which started out as a £2million windfall from the sale of land at St Oswald's to make way for the Tesco store. A new programme of improvements across the city centre has been announced:– 20 new seagull proof litter bins at Longsmith Street, Kings Walk and Eastgate rooftop car parks by May.– Improved lighting along Hampden Way from early summer.– Improved ventilation and decoration to stairwells at Kings Walk car park and new lighting at the Eastgate rooftop car park. Celebrating the city's heritage features highly in the works. The historic clock and figures at GA Bakers and Sons, in Southgate Street, have this week been removed for repair and cleaning. Historic buildings are also being lit up to show them off at night. St Nicholas Church, in Westgate Street, a medieval church built for merchant traders, is set to benefit. The city landmark was situated beside the now vanished west gate to the city. The Grade-I listed building, which has been redundant since 1971, is known for its leaning, truncated white stone spire which was damaged by a direct hit by Royalist troops during the Siege of Gloucester in 1643. Work on the former church will begin this week and is due to be completed in autumn 2014. Councillor Paul James, leader of Gloucester City Council said: "I'm really pleased the city centre investment fund is being used for such a wide range of projects across all of our four gate streets. "This project will not only help to illuminate Westgate Street by night, but will encourage residents and visitors to really appreciate their surroundings." Since 1971, the church has been owned and maintained by the Churches Conservation Trust and is still used for tours and as a meeting venue. Stonework repairs are about to start at St Michael's Tower, on the Cross, at a cost of £100,000 and the work will be complete by July. Lights will then be installed to show off the building in all its grandeur. Retiring councillor Fred Wood, cabinet member for performance and resources, said: "There is a lot of heritage here and we will not shy away from doing what we can to focus on it." Councillor Colin Organ, cabinet member for housing, added: "It makes me proud to be a citizen of Gloucester."

£40,000 extra for Gloucester city centre improvements

POLICE were called after a teenager suffered a small stab wound in Cinderford in the early hours of Sunday morning. A 16-year-old boy was seen by members of the public clutching his stomach around 1.30am and the emergency services were called. Police initially had difficulty finding the boy, but he was found in Dockham Road with a small stab wound to his stomach. A police spokesman said officers are working with the teenager and his family to determine what happened. Anyone with information should contact Gloucestershire Police on 101 quoting incident 27 of April 6.

Stabbed teen found in Cinderford

A NEW series starts tonight following the highs and lows of the people that broker the biggest purchases most of us will ever make – the estate agents. With the current property market more complex and starkly polarised than ever before, the fortunes of estate agents across the UK are put in the spotlight in Under Offer: Estate Agents On The Job. The fly-on-the-office-wall six part series starts tonight at 8pm on BBC2. Estate agent to the super-rich, Gary Hersham operates in some of the world's most expensive postcodes. His latest instruction, a £39 million town-house complete with eight bathrooms, private gym and cinema, is up for grabs in Mayfair W1 – the heart of prime central London. It's a very different world for Lynne Blaney in Spennymoor, County Durham – where houses start at auction for £1. Exeter, one of the UK's most desirable places to live, sees rookie estate agent Lewis Rossiter juggling two deadlines – a pregnant wife and a demanding client who wants her house sold – fast. And, in Birmingham, veteran agent Dave Simms' dog-eat-dog world, two couples, desperate to downsize, compete for the same prized bungalow in Birmingham. What do you think about estate agents? Are they unfairly branded?

Estate agents under the spotlight in new BBC fly-on-the-wall documentary Under Offer: Estate Agents On The Job

SEVEN weeks remain until the city council elections and the Tories are in turmoil. Long-standing Conservative councillor Nigel Hanman, who has represented Grange ward for 12 years, revealed to me on Tuesday that he has been 'dumped' by his party ahead of the election. He will now stand as an Independent and hopes his previous electors will vote for the person, not the party. Mr Hanman admitted that he was annoyed by the decision to deselect him in favour of a younger Sinead Kennedy. He joshed: "They know I'm speaking to you and will probably try and take me back but I don't want to be dumped like this again. That's why I want to stand as an independent." It doesn't take too much digging to realise why Nigel might be a bit cheesed off. As early as October 26 last year Sinead started a new Twitter account called @Sinead4Grange – and her first tweet read: "Many thanks to those who joined me in Grange this morning for some leafleting!"

Many thanks to those who joined me in Grange this morning for some leafleting!
— Sinead Kennedy (@Sinead4Grange) October 26, 2013

On January 11 deputy leader Jennie Dallimore said that she had enjoyed canvassing Grange 'with our fab candidate'.

Sunny morning canvassing & delivering in Grange with our fab candidate @Sinead4Grange. @cllrpauljames @GordyTaylor @AndrewGravells
— CllrJennie Dallimore (@jenniedallimore) January 11, 2014

Interestingly my spies saw Mr Hanman being spoken to by senior Conservatives on Tuesday night. Meanwhile on the same evening, Conservative councillors Pam Tracey and Paul Toleman, who share the Westgate ward, also came to blows over the installation of new bollards in the city centre. Pam told me that she had reservations about the automatic bollards because it could create access issues for dray lorries and emergency vehicles, while Paul beamed that they were his idea. What a load of bollards!

Inside Politics: Tories in turmoil 7 weeks before city elections

A controversial housing plan has been rubberstamped by Cheltenham Borough Council. It took the authority five hours of debate to reach a majority agreement with 18 votes in favour of the blueprint known as the joint core strategy (JCS) and 14 votes against. Cheltenham was the last of three partner councils which have been working on the plan for more than five years to vote on whether or not to agree to its content. Tewkesbury Borough Council ratified the plan on Monday evening while Gloucester City Council did the same on Tuesday night. And Cheltenham's decision to follow suit means the JCS can continue with one more round of consultation on whether or not the plan is sound before it is submitted to the Government for examination. It sets out where 30,500 homes will be built across the three areas between 2011 and 2031. However, while Tewkesbury and Gloucester agreed to the JCS without making any changes Cheltenham did undertake some tinkering. The borough council inserted a cast iron commitment into the plan to revise the JCS housing figures once the latest data on population growth is published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in the coming months. Councillors also agreed to take advantage of the Government's Local Green Space (LGS) designation tool "where appropriate" to stop some land from being developed. The designation can be applied to pieces of land which are of "particular importance" to local communities. The council will "evaluate the potential" of land, particularly sites in the north west of the town and in Leckhampton which have been earmarked for development in the plan, to see if some parts of them could be suitable for LGS protection. An amendment put forward by Conservative and independent councillors to defer the vote on the JCS until the ONS publishes its new data and until traffic modelling mapping the impact of the planned developments is available was defeated. The leader of the council, Councillor Steve Jordan (LD, All Saints), said the JCS is the "best option for Cheltenham" going forward. He warned councillors that voting to scrap the plan could lead to a "developer free for all" because a council without a plan is a council with no defence against unwanted planning applications. "We wouldn't be able to protect pretty much anywhere," he said. However, not everyone agreed with Mr Jordan's assessment. Councillor Duncan Smith (C, Charlton Park) was savage in his criticism of the way in which the plan has been put together, accusing Cheltenham's Liberal Democrat administration of "slopey shoulders and blame shifting". He urged all of his peers not to back the plan, but to no avail. "If you have any conscience at all about the future of Cheltenham, and what is good for Cheltenham, you cannot vote for this plan," he said. The JCS will see 1,124 homes built on green fields at Leckhampton and 4,785 homes built on green belt land off Tewkesbury Road in north west Cheltenham. Hundreds of homes will also be built on new sites in Innsworth, Churchdown, Brockworth and Ashchurch.

JCS D-Day: Cheltenham Borough Council agrees to divisive housing plan, will now proceed

The deaths of two close friends distressed Steven Cox, 41, so much that he started smoking an amazing 90 cannabis joints a day - and growing his own supply, a court heard today. Windscreen fitter Cox, of Marlborough Road, Longlevens, Gloucester, had been 'knocked for six' by finding the body of one friend and then hearing that another had hanged himself, Gloucester Crown Court was told. His cannabis smoking habit became so heavy that neighbours could smell the fumes from his reefers, said prosecutor Julian Kesner. Cox pleaded guilty to possession of 214 grams of cannabis which he had grown himself and also admitted cultivating a new crop of 10 plants in his loft. After hearing that he has now pulled himself together and stopped using the drug Judge Jamie Tabor QC sentenced him to four months jail suspended for two years. He also ordered him to do 120 hours of unpaid work and to attend a six months drug rehab programme. "You were smoking 80-90 cannabis cigarettes a day," said the judge. "How you survived that is a miracle." Mr Kesner said police raided Cox's home on Nov 11 last year and found a 'pretty professional' growing set-up in the loft. He had lined the walls and had high intensity lights. There were ten plants growing in pots and they had a potential yield of 400 grams of cannabis. Four jars were found which contained 214 grams with a value of £2,000. "He told the police he was smoking up to 90 cigarettes a day so his lungs must have been in some state," said the judge. "I am amazed that smoking that amount didn't cause such a torpor that he was incapable of working." In fact, he said, Cox was a trained electrician and now a windcsreen fitter who was a hard worker and he had never been in trouble with the law before. Stephen Ritter, defending, said "The reason for all this was that he had two very good friends from schoolboy days one of whom died and he found the body. Then the other hanged himself and my client was traumatised by this. "He has since lost two partners but thankfully has kept his relationship with his young son." Judge Tabor told Cox "I will accept that you lost two close friends, one in absolutely tragic circumstances, and it knocked you for six. People react in different ways to bereavement. Some bottle it up, some have friends and a support network around them, others get counselling. "What you did was take an illegal route and smoke lots and lots of cannabis. "

New sessions to help city businesses explore the world of export have been announced during 'Export Week'.

Working with UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) the City Council has announced that from later this month (April) UKTI will be providing a range of sessions each month from the offices at North Warehouse at the Docks to help businesses make the most of opportunities out of the country.

UKTI has a great track record, in 2012 they helped more than 24,000 businesses in the UK grow their businesses overseas.

Councillor Paul James, Leader, Gloucester City Council said: "Recent studies have shown that even through challenging economic times there are still fantastic opportunities for businesses to tap into emerging, high growth markets abroad and continue to grow.

"These sessions are just one way the City Council shows its dedication to supporting the businesses which will help the city to prosper for the future."

Export Week is a bi-annual national event which forms part of a drive to double UK exports to £1tr by 2020 and get 100,000 more companies exporting. The monthly sessions running in Gloucester are:

Intellectual Property Rights - Centre for Cities ranked Gloucester 6th for the most patents granted per 100,000 residents in 2012 – these sessions will help businesses to find out about their intellectual property rights status and learn how to get the right protection. These sessions will take place the first Wednesday of the month: 30th April, 28th May, 25th June, 30th July, 27th August and 24th September.

International Trade Advice - An International Trade Adviser will provide professional advice on a range of services, including financial subsidies, export documentation, contacts in overseas markets, overseas visits, e-commerce, export training and market research. Dates are: 22 April, 27th May, 24th June, 22nd July, 26th August, 23rd September, 28th October, 25th November and 23rd December

Anyone interested in attending should contact Economic Development, Gloucester City Council on 01452 396974 or email eds@gloucester.gov.uk.

For more information on how the City Council support businesses visit www.gloucester.gov.uk

A more consistent brand of cricket can see Gloucestershire challenge for honours this summer, according to captain Michael Klinger. The Australian batsman is back in the UK for his second season in charge of the County, which begins this Sunday when Hampshire visit Bristol in the LV= County Championship. In charge of a virtually identical crop of players, the 33-year-old expects his side to improve on a campaign in which they lost just four times in red-ball cricket but failed to progress beyond the one-day group stages. Klinger said: "We showed a lot of improvement over the course of last year and we're looking to build on that. "The guys are certainly pumped up and I'm coming back here off the back of a decent season in Australia, although I would have liked to have pushed on to some really big scores in four-day cricket. "I always try to lead by my actions on the field but I haven't set myself any personal goals – it's more about contributing to consistent team performances. "For me, if I don't score the same amount of runs but we win more matches that's a lot more important. "Last year there was a biggish gap between our best and worst performances, and you get that when you have a young side. "But with last season behind the guys, and a lot of them playing plenty of cricket during the winter, it should be a natural progression that the gap gets smaller. "If we become a more consistent team who knows what level we can reach?" Gloucestershire's players and staff fronted up to the media today at the County Ground, which has been transformed by the completed Bristol Pavilion and development of the Ashley Down Road end and former Mound Stand. Klinger is pleased to have been given a home start to 2014 against Hampshire, who began their Division Two campaign with a draw against Worcestershire. "The ground is looking fantastic and I can't wait to see it when the big crowds are in for the Twenty20 games and the One-Day International," said Klinger. "On paper Hampshire are a very good team but we had two really good games against them last year, controlling the majority of the draw at home and winning down at their ground. "We're confident going in against them and they will certainly come here respecting us." As for the make up of the side, Klinger could drop down from opening batsman to number three to make room for youngster Will Tavare. The latter was handed his first professional contract after impressing for the second XI last year and has partnered Chris Dent at the top of order during the pre-season matches. Klinger added: "There are still a couple of selection issues to address and that opening spot is one of them."

Gloucestershire captain Michael Klinger seeks consistency

GLOUCESTER-born midfielder Joe Hanks has extended his loan deal with Gloucester City until the end of the season. The 19-year-old playmaker has impressed the City fans and boss Tim Harris since joining the Tigers on loan from Whaddon Road landlords last month. And despite Robins boss Mark Yates' desire to throw some of his young guns in to first-team action between now and the end of the season, the two clubs have struck a deal. Hanks won't be available for tomorrow's visit of Vauxhall Motors as he is still recovering from the bruised foot picked up in last week's 2-0 defeat at the hands of Oxford City. That is bad news for City boss Harris, who could also be without midfield options Lewis Hogg, Tom Webb, Matt Roome, Adam Mann and Matt Groves for the visit of the Ellesmere Port club. "I spoke with Mark Yates at Cheltenham this week and we've agreed to take Joe for the rest of the season," Harris said. "He will have a 24-hour recall clause as is standard with any loan deal and he is unlikely to start this weekend anyway. "When he comes back to fitness he will be able to do a job for us and that may then mean he gets a look-in at Cheltenham. "It's something I know a lot about from my time at Newport, it's difficult to get young lads a grounding in competitive football. "They are not going to gain experience and be ready for the rough and tumble of League football by playing in development teams. "If we can forge a good working relationship with Mark Yates at Cheltenham and we can help them get some lads some game time then great, because it will help us too." Vauxhall head to Whaddon Road outside the relegation zone, but having already resigned from Conference North. Highly-rated manager Carl MacAuley has left to take a role at Skrill Premier club Chester City and a number of experienced players have also left the club. "Vauxhall have had their problems this season but they are currently outside of the relegation zone and I am sure their players will be determined that they don't get relegated for football reasons this season," Harris added.

Gloucester City secure extended loan deal for Cheltenham Town midfielder Joe Hanks

Chief executive Will Brown has moved to reassure Gloucestershire followers that there are no plans to ditch the club's 144-year-old name. Brown caused a stir in the north of the county last month when he suggested re-branding the Twenty20 side the Bristol Badgers might attract more support from within the city. But the 38-year-old, who replaced Tom Richardson in the job in September, is well aware of the pride and rich tradition attached to the Nevil Road outfit. Brown said: "Gloucestershire are the club I love and I've supported my whole life. "I lived near Stonehouse for a period when I was growing up and my mum is based near Stroud, so I know how passionate people are about the club and I share that passion. "I can't imagine ever not having Gloucestershire in the title, but we have a unique problem in that we've been playing in Bristol for 125 years and I don't think there is enough awareness of that. "Rather than spending thousands of pounds in marketing the name thing was just an option that I put out there." A far less contentious issue was the need to improve facilities at the County Ground, and Brown has been thrilled with the developments since completion of the Bristol Pavilion last year. Confirming that the building work was running to schedule, the former Betfair man outlined his optimism about the club's prospects for 2014 – on and off the field. "It's an exciting time on every level, both for me in my first full season at the club and for the club," he said. "We've got the new flats and new stands going up which will be done by the middle of May, with permanent seats for about 6,500. "Bringing in all temporary seating will give us an overall capacity of about 16,000, and it's a good sign that our membership has gone up for the first time in six years. "There have been a lot of changes to the ground but we're all set up and ready to go, and more importantly we've got 21 out of 22 players fit to start the season. "Chris Dent scoring his maiden double century and Cameron Herring his maiden first-class century against Cardiff University this week was fantastic, and there is a real positive buzz about the place. "People are beginning to take notice of the improvements to our facilities, investment in the squad and big games coming up like the Somerset T20 fixture on May 16." On the team's chances of success, he added: "I think we'll surprise a few detractors and we've got to shake off the 'young boys' tag. We've got a team of old heads on young shoulders now, and we've set ourselves the target of promotion from the second division of the Championship and getting out of the group stages in the T20 and 50-over competitions. "Northants got promoted last year and we only lost one more match than them."

Name change not on agenda yet, says Gloucestershire chief executive

IT WILL be a relegation rumble for Old Centralians tomorrow as they prepare to take their National Three fate into their own hands. The side currently sit 12th and three from bottom in the league with a home game against basement boys Chippenham beckoning tomorrow. Player/Coach Ben Slatter, who could feature from the bench tomorrow, said that Cents' fate lies entirely in their own hands and the side are preparing as such. He said: "The pressure is on but we have three games in hand which puts our fate in our own hands really. "Chippenham are going down next season but we can't be too complacent, their back three are a real threat and they have nothing to lose. "We've been really focusing on our set-piece; the lineouts and scrums and also our discipline which has be one of the main things that have let us down this season. "We've been really clinical in games only to give possession away when we've got ourselves in a position to score". Seven points separate the two sides but Old Cents have three games in hand giving them an opportunity to put points between them and the drop zone. The club has been fortunate enough to have good numbers to round off the season as opposed to the expected injury and unavailability problems at the business end of the competition. Injuries are relatively low and the players are raring for the final push. But Slatter reinforced the difficulty of the final three games. After this weekend Cents play Old Redcliffians on April 19 and Worcester Warriors on Monday 21. He said: "It will be tough, we are playing three games in the space of ten days but we have a full squad to select from and off the back off a good win last week we are confident to go out and play our game". Regardless of their league fate Cents are looking to bolster their squad and bring in ten players of real quality who will bring experience and leadership to the side. They will be hoping for a strong crowd at Painswick Road to carry them to the end of campaign with hopefully some positives to take forward into next season.

Old Centralians can still win National Three relegation fight

Parents of children starting school for the first time in September will find out which school their child has been offered this week. All parents across the UK who submitted primary or infant school applications will be offered a place on Wednesday 16th April. In Gloucestershire, the county council will be contacting these parents and letting them know the placement for their child starting education in September 2014. Everyone throughout the county will be offered one school place on the 16th and have until 30th April to return their reply form. All are urged to return their forms as soon as possible. This year 97% of applications were made online and these parents/carers will receive an email confirming the school place after 9am. Continuing our improved customer self service, parents who applied online and whose child has been offered their first preference school will not receive a letter in addition to their email. All other parents/carers will receive written notification of their child's allocated school in the post. All 6,725 applicants have been allocated a space, nearly 90% of which have been offered their first preference. For those parents receiving a letter an explanation of the decision made will be included while all further clarification about general issues will be on the county council website. Cllr Paul McLain, cabinet member for children and young people, said: "This is always a particularly stressful time for parents but our teams work very hard to try to ensure that as many pupils as possible get one of their preferences. "I hope that all children settle into their new schools in September and have a happy start to their formal education." Charlotte Jones, Senior Admissions Manager, said: "I'd encourage parents to complete and return their reply forms as soon as possible, but definitely by 30th April. We anticipate that most parents will be happy with the place offered to them. For those who aren't, I would urge them to keep their allocated place as this will ensure that, whatever the outcome; their child will have a place at a Gloucestershire school."

Primary school places wait almost over for Gloucestershire parents and children

Personal trainers in Gloucester have hit back at claims of rampant steroid abuse in the city, claiming not all gyms subscribe to the 'quick-fix' solution for a perfect body. A special report by The Citizen revealed some chemists in Gloucester were handing out more than 50 safe injection packs every week. Pharmacists claim many are given to youngsters who have turned to anabolic steroids to achieve big muscle gains. Dan Crisp, a personal trainer at Reebok CrossFit Glevum at Waterwells Business Park, said not all gyms advocate drug use. "The benefits of taking steroids are massively outweighed by the hugely damaging health implications," he said. "We do not support the use of steroids or artificial supplements in any way, but the results and size achieved by them cannot be gained from natural food products. "We are not training to be the biggest guy or girl in the room, but to be the best prepared for any given task. "At Glevum Reebok Crossfit we focus on peak performance and health that can be achieved naturally by hard work and the right diet. "We are not about bodybuilding or looking good in a t-shirt on a Saturday night. Steroids are wrong, there is no other way to describe it. "We are seeing more of our clients asking how they can supplement their diets naturally with things like omega three fish oils and vitamin D. "It is worrying to hear some people are willing to risk their health by using anabolic steroids." Experts from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence have called for more help for the rising numbers choosing to inject themselves with steroids. According to NICE, users see themselves as fit and healthy, but are putting themselves at risk of hepatitis and HIV. Further risk to the health of gym bound youngsters is the popularity of testosterone boosters, peptides and growth hormones, some claim. One father from the Forest of Dean, who asked to remain anonymous, said testosterone use among teenagers was growing according to his 17-year-old son. "He says a lot of his male friends are ordering testosterone boosting products," he said. "It's a real worry that these young lads are putting stuff in their bodies without properly understanding what the long term impact might be." Dietary supplements account for nearly 20 per cent of drug-related liver injuries that turn up in hospitals, up from seven per cent a decade ago, according to an analysis by liver specialists. Graham Moxon, a personal trainer working in Gloucestershire who also manages ReSET Health and Fitness in Cheltenham, said: "I find it ironic that the reason most steroid users take them is to improve their look and shape for vanity reasons, when the health implications show the side effects can outweigh the positives in so many ways. "Men who regularly take them have been known to develop breasts whilst also reducing their own sperm count and becoming impotent. Women often have increased facial and body hair growth and develop deeper voices. "At ReSET, we advocate healthy living. We don't cater for exercisers who want to build large muscles. "We recommend a good healthy diet and exercise routine based on each person's requirements. "If a client wants to increase their muscle mass and weight, we can advise them on the best ways to do this with better diets and sensible supplements to accompany their exercise routine." Dr Fortune Ncube, head of the blood-borne virus section, at Public Health England's National Centre for Infectious Disease surveillance and control, said anyone who injects drugs is at risk of blood-borne viruses, regardless of the substance they inject. "Our recent research suggests that levels of HIV and hepatitis infection among men using image and performance enhancing drugs have increased since the 1990s," he said. "We must maintain and strengthen public health interventions focused on reducing injection-related risk behaviours to prevent HIV and hepatitis infections in this group. "This includes ensuring easy access for those who inject image and performance enhancing drugs to voluntary confidential testing services for HIV and hepatitis and vaccination against hepatitis B, as well as to appropriate sterile injecting equipment through needle and syringe programmes." A full list of safe supplements supported by the UK anti-doping website can be found at UK Anti-Doping

Fitness trainers in Gloucester speak out against 'rampant' steroid use in city gyms

WIN tomorrow against Ampthill and District and Hartpury RFC will have secured the National Two title and promotion to the third tier of English rugby. Promotion to National One is in the College's hands, but the task is far from simple. Ampthill are now second in the table, having defeated title contenders Canterbury 41-8 last weekend. Though they are eight points adrift of pace-setters Hartpury, coach John Barnes cannot help but look over his shoulder ahead of the decisive clash tomorrow. Nor can he stop his mind wandering to potenitally securing a very unique treble. Hartpury have won the BUCS Cup and been crowned Under-18 AASE champions. Promotion would be the icing on the cake. Barnes said: "We are under no illusion about how tough this fixture will be. "We beat Amtphill 41-20 away but they are very experienced side and they have money, so there are a few ex-internationals playing for them. "But hopefully, as we did away, we can combat their strengths. But they are in form. "They put 40 points on Canterbury at home and they will be full of confidence and ready to turn us over. "The guys know what is at stake, but we will approach this in the same way as any other game. "We are unbeaten at home and we will want to uphold that. It has been a great year for the College and to get promotion would be a unique treble." While in-form Ampthill will be relishing last weekend's thrashing over third-placed Canterbury, Hartpury scraped through a nervy fixture against London Irish Wild Geese. With the last kick of the game, fly-half Gareth Thompson secured Hartpury's 21st win this term, albeit a slender 37-34 score. Though London Irish are 10th in the table, Barnes was expecting nothing less than an almighty tussle in what was the final game at the Avenue in Sunbury-on-Thames after 80 years. He said: "London Irish are in form, and there was a very big crowd for their last game at the Avenue. "We expected a tough battle and to win was a massive bonus." n Kingsholm Supporters Mutual are supplying free coaches to this Hartpury clash for all Gloucester fans who have not managed to get their hands on tickets for the sell-out West Country derby against Bath tomorrow. The coach will leave B&Q, at St Oswald's Retail Park, at 1.15pm and is free to all. Entrance to the match is £5 for adults or £3 for concessions.

Hartpury on the brink of National Two promotion

NIGEL Davies has issued a rallying call to his wounded Gloucester side ahead of the "biggest" game of their season. The Cherry and Whites take on bitter rivals Bath in a mouth-watering West Country derby at Kingsholm tomorrow (3.15pm). Gloucester are still seething following their dismal quarter-final defeat to London Wasps in the Amlin Challenge Cup, a performance Davies has branded as unacceptable and he has called for an emotionally charged reaction. Davies said: "It's been a very brutal week within our environment, there have been a lot of home truths and that's basically down to the fact that the performance against Wasps, particularly in the first half, was completely unacceptable. "I take full responsibility to that and the players have to react to that. "We just weren't in the right frame of mind, that's something I take very personally, I expect all my teams to turn up and play for the shirt. "It's a huge game for us regardless of what happened on the weekend and regardless of how our season has gone. "A Gloucester versus Bath West Country derby is the biggest game of our season. This right up there as far as derbies go. "For 10 years I hated Paul Moriarty as a rugby player in the Llanelli-Swansea games. "I would never speak to him and when you come to a game like this that's the attitude you've got to bring as a player. "It's a great occasion, there's a sell-out crowd, a lot of frustration in our camp and it's a great opportunity against our traditional rivals. "I'm expecting a big performance, a big reaction and the players to go out and show everything they failed to show last week." Bath have not triumphed in a league encounter at Kingsholm since 2006, but have won the last three encounters between the sides in all competitions. They are at the opposite end of the Premiership table and will be looking to cement their place in the top four with a victory and Davies is well aware of the size of the challenge ahead. And while he has urged his side to produce a passion-packed performance, he insists it must be in a controlled manner. Gloucester are still battling to finish seventh or higher in the league table, which would lead to a play-off for next year's top-tier competition. Davies said: "It's a huge challenge for us and we can't just reply on blood and guts, we also have to be very technical and proficient with those levels of intensity and commitment. "They have a good record but interestingly if you look at the last nine games we are just one point behind them. But they have been able to achieve a lot more than us overall. "When you look at the league it's not where you want to be by any stretch of the imagination but we have a great opportunity in the next four games to get something out of the season. "This game is huge for lots of different reasons and we have to get back to the type of rugby we know we're capable of playing."

Gloucester could be down to just one hooker for the clash, in Dan George, with Huia Edmonds facing a late fitness test and both Darren Dawidiuk and Koree Britton unavailable. Davies could welcome back Mike Tindall following a calf complaint but was dealt further double blow with further set-backs to Tom Savage and Ryan Mills. Savage injured his knee during his recovery from shoulder surgery, while Mills broke down in training yesterday and Davies is unsure whether they will play again this season. Davies added: "Sav will not be available for the next couple of weeks at best. "I wouldn't like to say for definite whether we will see him again this season – but there is a slim chance. "Ryan went over in training and we will have to see how he looks over the next 48 hours. "I'm so disappointed, I have a lot of time for him, he's a fabulous player and has been extremely unlucky with his injuries."

Gloucester Rugby: Nigel Davies issues West Country battle cry

CHAMPIONS Lydney will be hoping to round off a glorious season with one final win against Old Patesians at Everest Road tomorrow (3pm). For the Severnsiders, this final game will round off a National Three campaign which has seen them lose only one game out of 25. But Pats, who are four from bottom and barely clear of the drop zone, will be fighting for their lives and Lydney cannot afford to be complacent. A 35-17 win against relegation-threatened Worcester Wanderers at Sixways last weekend seemed straightforward enough for the pace-setters. But at 21-0 up, Lydney took the foot off the gas and allowed the Wanderers to close the deficit to 21-17 at the break. If Lydney are to finish the term with their 24th win, they cannot allow battling Pats to do the same to them. Boss Duncan Bell (below) is set to miss their final game of the term as he will be in Italy with Newport Gwent Dragons to face Benetton Rugby Treviso.

One last hurrah for champions Lydney at Old Patesians