lack of results when querying db with CI

[eluser]aeternuslibertas[/eluser]
hi all Im running this query through phpMyAdmin

Code:

SELECT *
FROM  `cities_extended`
WHERE  `city` LIKE  "%oak p%"
LIMIT 0 , 30

I end up getting 8 rows.

However when I implement the same thing with codeigniter I get 0 results...

Code:

$search = 'oak p';
$sql = "SELECT * FROM cities_extended WHERE city LIKE '%".$this->db->escape_like_str($search)."% ' GROUP BY city";

$city_suggestions = $this->db->query($sql);
echo($city_suggestions->num_rows);// 0

Whats going on here? :/ can anybody help?

[eluser]aquary[/eluser]
check if $this->db->last_query() show the same query like the first one, else, something is wrong with your code :-)

[eluser]aeternuslibertas[/eluser]
I found the error...
since I have multiple entries for arbitrary rows of cities due to their varied coordinates I decided to use

Code:

GROUP BY city

but its counter productive when using it with the LIKE statement...