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23rd. December 2002 MAN FACING COURT OVER TEST SNUB A 25-year-old man is due in court charged with refusing to take a breath test after a car crash in which a baby boy was killed. Warwickshire Police said the man, from Nuneaton, will appear before magistrates in Leamington Spa. The 25-year-old, a woman and the baby were travelling in a Peugeot 306 which crashed on the A46. £34m SCHEME TO BE APPROVED Councillors in Birmingham are set to approve a £34m scheme to regenerate the Eastside area of the city. The 2003 Eastside Action Plan, which is being considered by the authority's cabinet, includes a media village and a technology park. Cabinet member Andrew Coulson said: "It is exciting to see the parts of the Eastside jigsaw fall into place." CHAIRMAN WORKS TO CREATE JOBS The new chairman of the West Midlands regional development agency has vowed to create more jobs in the region. Advantage West Midlands chairman Nick Paul replaces former boss Alex Stephenson, who is standing down after four years at the helm. Mr Paul said: "The Agency is well positioned to lead the economic regeneration of the West Midlands." TWO NEW ROUTES FROM AIRPORT The growth of Birmingham International Airport is continuing with the announcement of two new regular routes. The independent regional airline FlyBE will operate direct daily services to Bergamo, east of Milan, in Italy, and also to the Isle of Man from March. Managing director Jim French said: "I am delighted to introduce the new routes from Birmingham." COUPLE FREED IN MURDER PROBE A Bromsgrove couple arrested in connection with the murder of a three-year-old boy have been freed on police bail, detectives have said. Officers investigating the death of Christian Blewitt had been granted a further 36 hours to question the couple by magistrates in Kidderminster. The man and woman had been detained on Thursday on suspicion of murder. DEVELOPMENT GIVEN GO-AHEAD Planning officials in Birmingham have given the green light to plans to transform a landmark warehouse at Fort Dunlop into an innovative development. The Urban Box scheme at the Grade A-listed building beside the M6 could create more than 1,300 jobs, according to developers. The project will include retail, hotel, residential and leisure facilities COURSE NAMED IN NEW GUIDE De Vere Belfry has been listed in a new guide as Britain's rich golf heritage is being exploited to lure more overseas tourists to the UK. The Golf Iin Britain guide, produced by the British Tourist Authority, includes details on the Midlands course where Europe recently won the Ryder Cup. There are 146 courses in the guide stretching from Shetland to Cornwall. MP WELCOMES SCHOOLS GRANT Worcester Labour MP Michael Foster has welcomed news that Worcestershire is to receive more than £7m to improve its facilities in its schools. The cash boost, announced by Schools Minister David Miliband, will be used for new school places and to improve access for the disabled. The investment is substantially more than other West Midlands authorities. MAN ATTACKED DURING ROBBERY Police have appealed for information after a shop owner was attacked with an iron bar during a robbery in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter. Officers said the 59-year-old man suffered extensive facial injuries after being assaulted by two men at Ades Gems in Vyse Street, Hockley. The offenders were both black, in their mid-30s and about 5ft 8in. TRIAL CAR BAN CONDEMNED A trial ban on all vehicles except buses at the weekends in Birmingham's Broad Street has been condemned by a West Midlands Conservative MEP. Philip Bradbourn is calling for the trial to be abolished and says claims by Birmingham City Council that it is proving successful are "absurd". He says the scheme is damaging local trade and putting young people at risk. RAPE SUSPECT FACES NEW CHARGES A man accused of nine rapes across southern England has been charged with further sex offences, alleged to have taken place in Birmingham. Antoni Imiela, 48, of Appledore in Kent, has been charged with kidnap, indecent assault and attempted rape. The charges relate to an alleged incident on November 21. Imiela is due before Greenwich Magistrates' Court. POLICE DELIVER CRIME CARDS Birmingham police have been delivering Christmas cards giving residents in crime hotspots advice on prevention over the festive period. Officers from Handsworth's Thornhill Road police station have sent 6,000 cards to households. The advice includes fitting locks to windows, using light timer switches and keeping car keys out of sight. OAP ASSAULT MAN WALKS FREE A double-glazing salesman who attacked a Birmingham OAP in a row over £50 has walked free from the city crown court. James Staunton, of Worcester, assaulted Tom Higgins, 65, at his Selly Oak home after he refused to pay a call-out fee. Staunton was sentenced to a two-year Community Rehabilitation Order, given a 100 hours' Community Punishment Order and ordered to pay £750 compensation. PLEDGE TO LOCK UP BURGLARS West Midlands Police has pledged to lock up at least 60 burglars before the start of 2003 as part of a force-wide crackdown on break-ins. A spokesman said Operation Safer Homes has seen burglaries drop 25% compared with October and November last year. Supt Peter Goodman said: "The aim is to disrupt activity. Anyone arrested over this period will be kept in custody." SHOPPERS WARNED OF FESTIVE CONS Last-minute Yuletide shoppers in Birmingham have been warned not to fall foul of the "12 cons of Christmas". A trading standards spokesman said many people have been tricked by scams such as underweight turkeys, fake jewellery and overpriced hampers. Trading standards also warned that counterfeit DVDs and unsafe Christmas lights are also widely in circulation. CHRISTMAS CHEER FOR PASSENGERS Chiltern Railways, which operates train services from Birmingham to London's Marylebone station, is allowing cheaper tickets to be used over Christmas. For the first time ever, cheap day returns and saver tickets will be valid over the holiday period. Chiltern managing director Steve Murphy said: "Feedback so far has shown it to be a popular decision." IRRADIATION PROPOSALS CONDEMNED The Lib Dem MEP for the West Midlands has slammed EC proposals to extend the number of foods that may be irradiated. Liz Lynne said manufacturers should not be allowed to rely on irradiation -which kills bacteria and slows decay -to make sub-standard produce safe. She added: "Any suggestion there might be a relaxation in the rules would be a step in the wrong direction." SNAKE FOUND OUTSIDE NIGHTCLUB West Mercia Police were called to a Worcester nightclub to deal with an unusually slippery customer - a snake. The 12in reptile was recovered from outside Tramps nightclub where, reports said, it had been seen slithering along the pavement. The red and yellow snake was taken to a local police station where the RSPCA collected it. MAN STABLE AFTER ASSAULT A man is in a stable condition in hospital after being assaulted near his home in Rugby, say police. The attack happened in Newland Street where the victim was assaulted by an unknown group of men. He was taken to the Coventry and Warwickshire Hospital for treatment for head injuries and later transferred to the Walsgrave Hospital, Coventry. RAIL WORKER TO APPEAR IN COURT A 48-year-old rail worker is to appear in court accused of the kidnap, indecent assault and attempted rape of a 10-year-old girl in Birmingham. Antoni Imiela, of Appledore in Kent, is due to appear at Maidstone Crown Court for a preliminary hearing. Imiela is also accused of a series of nine rapes on women and girls across the south east of England. BURGLARIES FALL BY 47.7% Police in south Birmingham have recorded a large reduction in burglary offences since a new initiative was launched two months ago. The Acocks Green and Sparkhill areas have seen house burglaries drop by 47.7% in October and November since Operation Safer Homes began. Across the whole West Midlands Police force area, burglary has fallen 25%. MAN FACES MURDER CHARGE A man charged with the murder of a 31-year-old who was stabbed to death is due to appear in court. The 45-year-old man, of Wednesbury in the West Midlands, is to appear before West Bromwich magistrates. Mark Richard Harris, of Carrisbrooke Road, Wednesbury, died from a stab wound to the chest after being attacked in Carrisbrooke Road at the weekend. MP ACCUSES PRINCE OF HYPOCRISY A West Midlands MP is offering Prince Charles an open invitation to see any car built in the region, following reports he has bought a German vehicle. Labour MP Tom Watson, who represents West Bromwich East, has accused the Prince of hypocrisy after he encouraged people to buy British-made products. "He could find an entire fleet of cars to meet his needs," said Mr Watson. ARMED ROBBER RAIDS SPAR SHOP An armed robber escaped with cash after threatening workers at a shop in Stoke-on-Trent with a pistol. The thief struck at the Spar store in Carlton Avenue, Mill Hill, Tunstall, before fleeing on foot, police said. He was white, aged 20-25, 5ft 11ins, of slim build, and wore a dark hooded coat and a black scarf. Anyone with information should contact Hanley CID. POLICE ISSUE ACCIDENT APPEAL Police are still seeking witnesses to an accident which left a Birmingham motorcyclist fighting for his life. The 33-year-old is in a critical but stable condition at Heartlands Hospital after Friday's crash in Acocks Green. Anyone who saw the Suzuki bike and a blue Volvo colliding in Shirley Road is urged to contact the Road Policing Unit at Billesley. COUNCIL ISSUES RECYCLING PLEA Bromsgrove District Council is hoping recycling will be well and truly on the cards during the festive season. The council is urging people to recycle their greetings cards and used wrapping paper. Christmas cards can be recycled at various sites across the area and wrapping paper can be recycled at any of the council's 20 paper banks. CANAL DRAINED IN SAFETY DRIVE Council engineers have drained a section of canal in Dudley amid fears over its stability. The Lapal part of the Dudley Number Two canal will be closed while the problem is investigated by the council. Officers decided to drain it after routine checks showed water levels in the embankment which supports the canal had risen, prompting safety concerns. £30,000 MAKEOVER FOR TOWN Stourbridge is to benefit from a £30,000 New Year makeover which will bring new road signs and more litter bins to the Black Country town. New signs are to be put up around the ring road, while the number of bins will be increased from 20 to 29. Dudley Council, which has approved the works, is also planning a refurbishment of Bell Street multi-storey car park. CHURCHGOERS TOLD TO BE VIGILANT Parishioners in Wolverhampton and Shropshire have been urged to take extra precautions while at worship following a spate of Christmas thefts. The Diocese of Lichfield says thieves have been stealing valuables from the public on their way home from services. Those responsible for removing the collection from churches are advised to take particular care over their safety MAN KILLED BY FLEEING VEHICLE The Police Complaints Authority is to investigate the death of a pedestrian run over by a speeding car which officers were pursuing in Birmingham. The unnamed middle-aged man was struck by a Mitsubishi Evolution which was allegedly trying to escape from a marked police vehicle in Tile Cross. Officers are appealing for witnesses to the incident to call 0845 113 5000. FLOOD WARNINGS AFTER HEAVY RAIN Torrential rain has prompted 41 flood warnings in the region, with the rivers Severn and Avon among those affected. The Environment Agency said caravan parks, farmland and roads along the Avon between Evesham, Worcs, and Tewkesbury, Glos, were under threat. Low-lying properties along the Severn around Upton upon Severn and Kempsey, near Worcester, are also at risk. POLICE NAME CAR CRASH VICTIMS A couple who died after a car crash in Worcestershire on Christmas Eve have been named by police. Michael Osborne and his wife Helen, of Weston Subedge, Glos, died when their Audi appeared to lose control on the B4084 between Charlton and Cropthorne. Mrs Osborne, 45, died at the scene, and her husband, 49, died from his injuries at Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham. TEST 'CAN HELP SMOKERS QUIT' Scientists at Birmingham University have developed a simple 10-minute test they claim helps people quit smoking. Smokescreen measures the amount of nicotine in saliva and research found smokers were three times more likely to cut down after seeing the results. Dr Graham Cope, Professor Iain Chapple and Dr Kit Barnfather said dentists could target smokers with the new test. DEFENCE STAFF SET TO STRIKE Workers at a Royal Ordnance factory in Stoke which makes ammunition for the MoD are set to launch a series of strikes to defend their pension scheme. About 4,000 workers at nine factories across the UK voted by more than 90% in favour of taking industrial action. Last-ditch talks between unions and BAE Systems, which owns the factories, are to be held in a bid to avert strikes. COMEDIAN 'HUMBLED' BY OBE Birmingham-born funnyman Jasper Carrott said he is "thrilled but humbled" to be given an OBE in the New Year Honours. The comic has spent years raising money for charities including the NSPCC and Variety Club, and is patron of a school for autistic children near Stourbridge. Carrott, 57, of Lapworth, is said to be worth £50m thanks to shares in Celador, maker of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? DRIVER ON ROAD TO MBE SUCCESS A bus driver who has worked since 1969 to provide reliable transport in north Staffs has had his efforts rewarded with an MBE in the New Year Honours. Fundraising is another passion of Roy Smallwood, 59, of Newcastle-under-Lyme, and his charitable work extends to arranging parties for children. He has also worked to promote road safety, taking his bus on school tours. MBE FOR RAIL HISTORIAN A railway artefacts collector has been honoured with an MBE in the New Year Honours for his part in the success of a Leicestershire museum. John Jacques, 77, of Newton Burgoland, has been connected locally with the railways since he was aged just 15. In 1970, he created the Railway Museum at Shackerstone Station, displaying a collection of more than 3,000 items. VOLUNTARY YOUTH WORKER HONOURED A woman who has kept a Worcestershire village youth club alive for more than 25 years has had her work recognised with an MBE in the New Year Honours. Elizabeth Phillips, 54, of Evesham, has been honoured for services to young people through her tireless work at Broadway village youth club. Working on a voluntary basis, she gives up three nights a week for the club. OTHER NEW YEAR HONOURS CBEs: Derrick Anderson, Wolverhampton City Council, services to local government. Peter Davies, Pera, for services to business innovation, Leamington Spa. John Giffard QPM, Chief Constable, Staffordshire Police. West Midlands. Stephen Goode, Chief Probation Officer, Derbyshire. Stanley Harrison, district judge and president of Association of District Judges, for services to the administration of justice, Cheshire. Anthony Hawkhead, chief executive, Groundwork, for services to the environment, Solihull. Michael Saunders, services to the water industry, Tanworth-in-Arden, Warwicks. OBEs: Babu Singh Bawa, Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council, for services to the community, Oldbury. John Bettinson, for services to the community, Birmingham. David Fawbert, lately headteacher, The Chase Technology College, Malvern, for services to education, Worcester. The Rev Gordon Gatward, Arthur Rank Centre, for services to the farming community, Stoneleigh Park, Warwicks.Anthony Harrop, Leicestershire County Council, for services to social care, Burbage, Leics. John Hudson, Birmingham International Airport Company, services to industry in the West Midlands, Solihull. Harry Mawdsley JP, for services to the administration of justice, Cheshire. Nicholas Otter, Alstom Power, for services to the UK energy industry, North Kilworth, Leics. Christopher Sims, Assistant Chief Constable, West Midlands Police, Brewood, Staffs. Bryan Smith, chairman, United Kingdom Accreditation Service, for services to industry, Malvern, Worcs. John Thorpe, for services to the community, Daventry, Northants. Heather Williams, head, Whitecrest Primary School, Great Barr, Sandwell, for services to education, Bromsgrove.John Andrews, for services to the community in Wolverhampton, Pattingham, Staffs. Charles Bason, for services to the community in Clungunford, Shropshire, Craven Arms, Shropshire. Jane Belfield, Department for Work and Pensions, Redditch, Worcs. Peter Bennett, for services to heritage and to education in the West Midlands, Birmingham. MBE's: The Rev Theodore Bott, for services to chemical engineering, Solihull. Peter Bottomley, for services to the water industry, Solihull. Margaret Bowden, lately head receptionist, Newman College of Higher Education, for services to higher education, Halesowen. Peter Bridle, for services to music education in the West Midlands, Birmingham. Robert Brolly, for services to radio broadcasting and to charity, Coventry. Stanley Brown, for services to local government and the community, Oswestry. Malcolm Butt, Department for Work and Pensions, Wolverhampton. Anthony Bywater, for services to the caravan industry and to tourism in Wales, Shrewsbury. Vera Corbett, founder, GKN Sankey Employees' Charity Trust, Telford.George Davis, for services to the community in Radford, Coventry. Georgia Draper, for services to social security appeal tribunals and to the Guide Movement, Tamworth. Denis Evans, for services to industry and to the community, Bilston. Babu Govind Garala, sub-postmaster, for services to the community, Coventry. Jacquelyn Gaze, for services to Wolverhampton New Cross Hospital.Howard Green, for services to the Avery Historical Weighing Museum, Smethwick, West Midlands, Birmingham. Barbara Gull, for services to education, Oswestry. Ashia Hansen, for services to athletics, born in Birmingham. Sandra Haynes, for services to education within the Asian communities, Birmingham.Anne Gee JP, for services to the administration of justice, Church Stretton, Shropshire. Abdul Ghani, for services to the community, Birmingham. Judith Gibbons, for services to the education of physically disabled children, Birmingham. Patricia Godfrey, for services to youth badminton, Solihull.Kevin Jackson, police officer, for services to charity fundraising in Derbyshire. John Jacques, curator, Shackerstone Museum, for services to railway heritage, Newton Burgoland, Leics. Acting Capt David Keates, Staffordshire and West Midlands Army Cadet Force. Eric Kinston, for services to education, Swadlincote, Derbys. Gordon Lawson, driver, Horticulture Research International, Warwick. Ian Marks JP, for services to the community in Great Barr, Birmingham. William Masefield, chair, Friends of Ledbury Hospital, for services to health care, Ledbury, Herefordshire. Clare McManus, for services to Wood End Community Centre, Coventry. Mary Miles, for services to the community in Worcestershire. Ashley Miller JP, Executive Officer, Child Support Agency, Department for Work and Pensions, Stourbridge. Elizabeth Phillips, for services to young people in Broadway, Worcs. Greta Phythian, Coventry City Council, for services to the environment, Coventry. Trevor Poxon, assistant chief examiner, Institute of Advanced Motorists, for services to road safety, Walsall. Timothy Strickland, for services to archaeology and to the community in Middlewich, Cheshire, Whitchurch, Shropshire. Francis Thain, for services to swimming and water polo, Birmingham. Gillian Turner, for services as national co-ordinator, Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease Support Network, Market Drayton, Shropshire. Barrie Whyman, for services to the community in Derbyshire and Staffordshire, Uttoxeter. WO Class 2 Ronald Wilding, the Cheshire Regiment. Charles Zuckerman GP, for services to the NHS, Birmingham.
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