|
   
QUICK LINKS TO THE SITE NEWS
ENTERTAINMENT
MOTORS
ARCHIVE ARTICLES AND REFERENCE
WHERE TO STAY
PROPERTY TO RENT
INFORMATION
BUSINESS
FEATURES
DETAILS OF OUR ADVERTISING & WEB DESIGN PACKAGES
|
TWO CHARGED WITH MAN'S MURDER Two men from Burton-upon-Trent have been charged with the murder of a lorry driver found beaten and stabbed to death in a house, police said. The men, aged 29 and 19, are accused of killing Alan Halliday, 30, found dead at an address in Edward Street. Staffordshire Police said father-of-two Mr Halliday was beaten around the head and stabbed a number of times. DIRECTIVE 'HAMPERS BUSINESS' A new EU directive forcing employers to consult workers will hamper businesses, a West Midlands MEP has claimed. Philip Bushill-Matthews, the Conservatives' employment spokesman in the European Parliament, condemned the Information and Consultation Directive. He said it would limit companies' speed of reaction and confirmed the folly of having "one-size-fits-all" legislation. EXPANSION 'WOULD CREATE JOBS' An extra 42,000 jobs could be created if East Midlands Airport is developed into a major freight and passenger hub, a new report claims. Airport bosses said a Government consultation had suggested that expansion of the Castle Donington site would benefit the region. Growth would be offset by measures to minimise aircraft noise, they stressed. TWO SEPARATE STABBINGS HIT AREA Two men have been stabbed to death in separate incidents in the Black Country, police have said. A 25-year-old man died after suffering a single stab wound at a house in Heath Lane, Old Swinford, near West Bromwich. Another man, Christopher Narrowmore, 40, of Netherton, died after an incident in Blewitt Road, Pensnett, Dudley, and six people were arrested. CLIMBER DIES AFTER 90ft FALL A climber has died after falling about 90ft from a peak in Staffordshire. The man, who is believed to be from the Chesterfield area of Derbyshire, was climbing on Beeston Tor, near Leek, in the Staffordshire Moorlands. The man was airlifted to the University of North Stafforshire Hospital in Stoke-on-Trent for treatment but later died. Inquiries are continuing. MAN SHOT IN STREET ATTACK A man is in a stable condition in hospital after being gunned down in the Lozells area of Birmingham. The 28-year-old victim was in Hartington Road when he was wounded with what police believe was a shotgun. Hartington Road is in the same area of the city where Charlene Ellis, 18, and Letisha Shakespeare, 17, were shot and killed outside a party at New Year. NEW SMOKING ADVERT BEGINS A new hard-hitting advert urging adults not to smoke near children is to hit TV screens across the West Midlands. The NHS ad comes on the heels of a survey which found that 42% of the region's children live in a house where at least one person smokes. Rod Griffiths, director of public health, said: "People need to wake up to the dangers of second-hand smoke." MP PRE-TRIAL HEARING Walsall magistrates are to consider the forthcoming trial of former Treasury minister Geoffrey Robinson, accused of failing to provide a sample of breath. The millionaire ex-Paymaster General is not expected to attend the pre-trial review at Walsall Magistrates' Court. Robinson, 65, Labour MP for Coventry North West, denies the offence which allegedly took place last year. DEGREE BREAKTHROUGH REVEALED Coventry University is to become the first in institution the UK to offer a degree which trains people as both nurses and paramedics. The institution's four-year BSc (Hons) in Nursing and Paramedic Science has been hailed as a major breakthrough. The skills learned can be used everywhere from GP surgeries to accident and emergency departments. MEP WELCOMES AIRLINE SHAKE-UP West Midlands MEP Liz Lynne has welcomed new European legislation to compensate air passengers who fall foul of overbooking and cancellations. Under the new rules, due to come into force in 12 months, airlines will have to compensate passengers up to £415. Ms Lynne said: "These rules should make airlines think twice before overbooking or cancelling flights." ASYLUM SEEKER SEWS UP FACE An asylum seeker living in Coventry who has sewn up his eyes, ears and mouth to protest against being deported would "rather die than leave Britain". Iranian Shahin Portofeh, 23, took the drastic action when the Home Office rejected his asylum application. His friend Massoud Abdalian said: "He says he would rather die than have to go back to Iran." YOUTH QUIZZED OVER VAN MURDER Detectives investigating the murder of a man who was run over as he tried to stop thieves stealing his van in Solihull are questioning a youth. The 19-year-old was arrested in connection with the death of welder David Warrilow on January 13. The 37-year-old father-of-two was knocked down and killed as he confronted thieves who stole his van. MAN HELD OVER FATAL STABBING A 41-year-old man has been arrested after a fatal stabbing in the Lozells area of Birmingham. The suspect handed himself in after the murder of a 28-year-old Quinton man, who was stabbed in Villa Road. A post-mortem examination on the victim is due to take place. Police said inquiries are continuing and have appealed for witnesses to contact them. PROBE CONTINUES INTO RAIL CRASH Investigators are continuing to probe how a passenger train collided with a minibus at an unmanned level crossing in Worcestershire leaving three dead. It has emerged there have been two near misses at the crossing, near Evesham, in the last eight years. Three of the minibus passengers were killed and six injured when the Hereford to London train hit the bus. 120 JOBS CREATED IN DISUSED HQ Up to 120 jobs are being created at a disused headquarters building at Wolverhampton's Goodyear tyre plant. Tyre giant Goodyear Dunlop UK and St Modwen Properties said jobs would be created at the complex by financial services firm Promise Solutions. The former Goodyear HQ building has been empty since last September when the tyre firm moved to Birmingham. £1.2m BOOST FOR BUS SERVICES Bus services in the West Midlands have received a £1.2m boost under a scheme which allows transport officials to apply for extra funding from councils. The Passenger Transport Authority said it had made a number of successful bids under the Quick Wins scheme. Coun Gurcharan Sidhu said the boost had led to an enhanced Sunday timetable and more low-floor, easy-access vehicles. MAN DIES IN ROAD COLLISION A 19-year-old man died and four people were injured when two cars collided in Birmingham, police have said. The man was pronounced dead at the city's Heartlands Hospital after the crash in Coleshill Road, Ward End. Two men in the same vehicle, aged 18 and 20, the 24-year-old driver of the other car and his 19-year-old female passenger were also taken to hospital. BODY FOUND IN BURNT-OUT CAR Detectives in Shropshire are trying to establish the identity of a man whose body was discovered in a burnt-out car on a country lane. West Mercia Constabulary said a passer-by found the red Nissan Micra parked at the entrance to a field at Longford, near Market Drayton. Police said the death of the elderly man is not thought to be suspicious. £500,000 CARGO LORRY STOLEN An articulated lorry carrying a £500,000 cargo of copper wire has been stolen from a car park in Ludlow. Police are appealing for help to trace the £100,000 blue articulated truck containing the 26-tonne delivery. West Mercia Constabulary said the vehicle also had the word Owens stencilled on the side. Anyone with information is urged to contact police. STUDY DETECTS 300 CANCER CASES A pilot scheme in the West Midlands aimed at detecting the early stages of bowel cancer has identified more than 300 people with the disease. The two-year project may now be rolled out across the UK in a bid to cut the number of deaths from the disease. The study highlighted people who showed early signs of the disease and offered further tests and treatment. M-WAY WIDENING MAY GET GO-AHEAD Transport Secretary Alistair Darling is expected to give the go-ahead to a road-widening scheme for the M42, which runs through the West Midlands. The announcement is part of a huge multi-billion pound Government programme of road building. Mr Darling will also make road charging proposals but he has admitted he is unsure of their nationwide feasibility. 18 YOUTHS ARRESTED IN CRACKDOWN Police have arrested 18 youths during an operation targeting anti-social behaviour by youngsters in Shrewsbury. The crackdown took place after increasing concern about gangs of youngsters who have been making residents' lives a misery. The youths were arrested for a variety of offences, including possession of drugs and burglary. 24 ARRESTED IN DRUGS RAIDS Police are continuing to question 24 people arrested in drugs raids on homes and businesses in the Daventry area. Operation Antelope targeted drugs and money laundering and involved more than 175 police officers. Det Insp John Jones said: "We have received a number of phone calls from members of the public who have wanted to offer further information." RAIL CRASH DEAD UNIDENTIFIED Police are still attempting to identify the three minibus passengers who died in a rail collision on a level crossing near Evesham in Worcestershire. Inquiries have been complicated because the farm workers did not know each other and are of various nationalities, including Asian, Somali and Iraqi. Three men remain critically ill at Birmingham's Selly Oak Hospital. WATER SUPPLIES 'ABOVE AVERAGE' A survey of drinking water has found that all three firms which supply the West Midlands provide water of a quality above the national average. The study showed that Severn Trent Water, South Staffordshire Water and Welsh Water had "compliance levels" of 99.91%, 99.92% and 99.89% respectively. Only 3,741 tests fell below standard in 2002 - compared with 37,000 in 1992. YOUTH QUIZZED OVER VAN MURDER Detectives investigating the murder of a man who was run over as he tried to stop thieves stealing his van in Solihull are questioning a youth. The 19-year-old was arrested in connection with the death of welder David Warrilow on January 13. The 37-year-old father-of-two was knocked down and killed as he confronted thieves who stole his van. MAN MURDERED 'IN PARKING ROW' Police investigating the murder of a 28-year-old man in the Lozells area of Birmingham have said he was stabbed after a row over parking. A 41-year-old man was arrested in connection with the killing in Villa Road after handing himself in. A post-mortem examination on the victim, who was from the Quinton area, is due to take place. £1.2m BOOST FOR BUS SERVICES Bus services in the West Midlands have received a £1.2m boost under a scheme which allows transport officials to apply for extra funding from councils. The Passenger Transport Authority said it had made a number of successful bids under the Quick Wins scheme. Coun Gurcharan Sidhu said the boost had led to an enhanced Sunday timetable and more low-floor, easy-access vehicles. MAN DIES IN ROAD COLLISION A 19-year-old man died and four people were injured when two cars collided in Birmingham, police have said. The man was pronounced dead at the city's Heartlands Hospital after the crash in Coleshill Road, Ward End. Two men in the same vehicle, aged 18 and 20, the 24-year-old driver of the other car and his 19-year-old female passenger were also taken to hospital. TEENAGER CHARGED WITH MURDER A teenager has been charged with the murder of a welder who died as he attempted to stop thieves stealing his van in Solihull in January. David Warrilow, 37, was knocked down by the Ford Transit as the gang sped away during the incident in Chelmsley Wood. A 19-year-old man has been charged with murder and is due before Solihull magistrates, West Midlands Police said. DEATH CASE JURY DELIBERATING A jury is beginning its third day of deliberations in the case of two men accused of killing a cocaine dealer whose body was found in Pendeford. Stafford Crown Court has heard that Floyd Dodson died after being tied up at a flat in Catford, London, on August 19, 1999 during an argument over drugs. Ryan Matthews, 25, and Nigel Brade, 41, both deny manslaughter. £1bn BOOST FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT Public transport across the West Midlands is set to benefit from a £1bn package of measures announced by Transport Secretary Alistair Darling. The plans, including light rail and bus schemes, will be implemented in the region over the next seven years. Mr Darling added that a West Midlands regional control centre will be set up to monitor trunk roads. M-WAY WIDENING GETS GO-AHEAD The M42 motorway through the West Midlands will be widened under £7bn road building plans, Transport Secretary Alistair Darling announced. The M42 will have £270m spent on traffic management while the M54 will get a £55m link to the M6 Toll road. But bypasses at Stourbridge and Wolverhampton have been rejected by the Government on environmental grounds. PRINCE VISITS ROVER PLANT The Earl of Wessex is visiting Birmingham to see the five-millionth Rover car coming off the production line at the firm's Longbridge plant. Prince Edward will cut a ribbon to celebrate the achievement before meeting MG Rover staff and dignitaries including Lord Mayor John Alden. He will be given a tour of the premises and view the new product display. PENSIONERS STUNG BY BEES A Shrewsbury pensioner has been stung 400 times by a swarm of bees which also turned on his wife and paramedics. Stanley Chapman and his wife Rose, both 88 from Upper Cound, are in the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital after he stumbled and disturbed the hive while gardening. Paramedics also suffered minor injuries when the swarm of around 3,000 bees surrounded their ambulance. PM URGED TO PROTECT DETAINEE Tony Blair must act now to protect a Birmingham man held in Guantanamo Bay from being tried by a "kangaroo court", Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy warned. Father-of-four Moazzam Begg is among six detainees at the US base in Cuba due to go before a military tribunal over suspicions of links with al-Qaeda. Mr Kennedy urged the PM to ensure any trial was conducted with proper law. POLICE NET £50,000 DRUGS Police have recovered drugs with a street value of £50,000 and an "extensive" cannabis production facility during raids in Daventry. More than 175 police officers carried out searches on more than 26 homes and businesses. A total of 24 people were arrested and various forms of cannabis and Ecstasy tablets seized. FIVE QUIZZED OVER MURDER Police are questioning five people about the murder of a man who died in hospital after being found collapsed in the Hillfields area of Coventry. Two men and three women were arrested by officers probing the death of 35-year-old Alan Conneely. Mr Conneely, from the Hillfields area, died at Coventry's Walsgrave Hospital four days after being found injured. BOSSES CALL FOR STATION REVAMP Business leaders have warned that failure to upgrade Birmingham's New Street Station could lead to passengers being turned away at peak periods. The Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and Industry urged the Government to allocate cash for improvements. The Strategic Rail Authority refused to back Network Rail's plans to spend £135m on increasing passenger capacity. WEST MIDLANDS FOLK HELP SAVE LIVES West Midlands residents have proved themselves to be among the most
kind-hearted by almost doubling their number on the NHS Organ Donor Register
in the past five years. BOY ORPHANED IN M-WAY TRAGEDY A 15-year-old Ledbury boy was orphaned in a minibush crash in which his parents and his nine-year-old brother were killed. The boy was injured in the accident in which seven holidaymakers died on the M56 in Manchester. The boys, along with their mother, 47, and father, 46, were on their way to Manchester Airport to go on holiday. MAN DIES IN CAR 'THEFT' A 75-year-old man was mown down and killed as he desperately tried to stop thieves stealing a car from his garage forecourt in Dudley, police said. The man, named locally as Henry Raybould, grabbed the front of the car but the thieves drove forward throwing him to the ground in Gornalwood. Police have launched a murder hunt after the man later died in hospital. BID TO TRY TERROR SUSPECT IN UK The Government is bidding to have a Birmingham terrorism suspect returned from a US military base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for trial in the UK. A spokesman said the repatriation of Moazzam Begg was among a "range of issues" being discussed with the US administration in Washington. "Those discussions are continuing," the spokesman added. DEATH TRIAL VERDICT AWAITED A jury is to consider its verdict on a man accused of killing a drug dealer whose body was stuffed in a barrel and then dumped near Wolverhampton. Stafford Crown Court has heard how 39-year-old Floyd Dodson's body was found in a hedgerow in Pendeford in 1999. Nigel Brade, 41, from London, denies unlawful killing. His co-defendant, Ryan Matthews, has been cleared. WORKERS VOTE FOR PAY CUT About 2,000 workers have voted to effectively cut their own pay packets to save jobs at a Coventry car plant. Workers at the Peugeot plant in Ryton were given the choice of losing an entire shift, resulting in 700 job losses, or having working hours cut. A company statement said 67% of staff who voted had agreed to cut hours in order to save colleagues' jobs. SOLDIER CLIMBS BACK TO THE TOP A Staffordshire soldier who almost died in an abseiling accident six years ago is setting off to climb some of South America's most remote mountains. Sgt Robert Stevenson, 32, of Abbots Bromley, suffered multiple injuries in 1997 when he plummeted 75ft during a charity abseil in Birmingham. Sgt Stevenson will make the month-long trip with four British Army colleagues. ROYAL COUPLE VISIT GAMES The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh have toured a public sports field in Shropshire where the precursor to the modern Olympic Games began in 1850. Hundreds of schoolchildren recreated the traditional games in Much Wenlock, which included tilting - a form of jousting - and quoits. One of the instigators of the Olympics was inspired by the Shropshire event. MAN'S BODY FOUND ON HILLS A man has been discovered dead near Evesham in Worcestershire, West Mercia Police have said. The man's body was found on the Bredon Hills, near to the church in Kemerton. A post-mortem examination is to be carried out. Police have opened an investigation into the death and say they are keeping an open mind as to how the man died. TRIPLE JUMPER COLLECTS MBE Birmingham's world record-breaking triple jumper Ashia Hansen has picked up an MBE at Buckingham Palace for her services to athletics. The 31-year-old sports star from Erdington admitted she was more nervous than when competing for her country. She said: "Nothing compares to meeting a royal. I was really nervous. I was thinking I just don't want to trip up." RIVERSIDE ROAD TO BE CLOSED Shropshire County Council is to close a quiet riverside road in Shrewsbury
from where a drink-driver drove his car into the water, killing two teenage
boys. Sydney Avenue in Castlefields has been the scene of four serious
accidents since 1979. Peter Pritchard, 32, was one-and-a-half times over
the drink-drive limit when brother Michael and his friend died.
PHONE
BACK TO BIRMINGHAM101 HOME PAGE
|
