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MAN KILLED BY STOLEN CAR West Midlands Police are hunting the driver of a stolen car who ran over and killed a 61-year-old man. Detectives said the victim was knocked down as he prepared to get into his own vehicle in Erdington, Birmingham. The stolen blue Ford Mondeo, registration K516 AOA, stopped a short distance away from the scene in Marsh Lane and the driver took off on foot. MURDER PROBE AS BODY FOUND A murder inquiry has been launched following the discovery of a woman's body at a house in Staffordshire. The 30-year-old was found in Cheadle Road, Uttoxeter, and a post-mortem revealed she was killed by "compression to the neck". An incident room headed by DCI John Drake has been set up at Weston Road police station in Stafford. DEPUTY PM VISITS BULL RING Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott is in Birmingham to inspect the £530m Bull Ring shopping complex. Mr Prescott will tell members of the Birmingham Alliance and city council how public-private partnerships can play a role in urban regeneration. The complex has attracted more than a million visitors from across the country since it opened last month. STATION TO OPEN AFTER UPGRADE Stoke-on-Trent railway station is set to reopen a week behind schedule after a four-month refurbishment and upgrading of the West Coast Main Line. Commuters had to endure another week of being taken to other stations by coach. Engineers have improved a 50-mile stretch, running through the Potteries, so Virgin's 125mph tilting trains can start running in September next year. MAN, 71, HURT IN POLICE CRASH A 71-year-old Stoke man suffered a suspected broken hip when he was involved in a collision with a police car at a pedestrian crossing. The police car, with sirens and lights on, was responding to an emergency call when the accident happened at Newcastle Street in Burslem. The man was taken to the University Hospital of North Staffordshire. STABLE MEETING TO PROMOTE EVENT Bosses at Wolverhampton's Dunstall Park Racecourse are to mark National Meetings Week by gathering in a stable. The team of 10 are to discuss business in the 10ft by 10ft shed with only bales of hay to sit on and a horse and jockey in attendance. A spokeswoman said: "It might seem a bit madcap, but we feel National Meetings Week is a most worthy event." POWERGEN SILENT OVER REPORTS Electricity generator Powergen has been silent on a report that it is set to buy Midlands Electricity for £1.2bn. The Coventry-based group is said to be in talks to buy the indebted Midlands distribution operation from owners Aquila and First Energy of the US. A spokesman for Powergen, owned by German energy group Eon, said: "We never comment on media speculation." COUNCIL CONCERNED OVER RAF BASE Stafford Borough Council is seeking an urgent meeting with the MoD over the future of the town's RAF base. Council leader Judith Dalgarno is worried the RAF may leave the Beaconside base in only two years. She said it would be a "tragedy" if the long association between the RAF and Staffordshire is lost, with a serious impact on local jobs. NEW RUBBISH TRUCKS FOR TOWN Bromsgrove's binmen are to be the first in the country to use a new type of refuse collection vehicle. The council has invested in a fleet of eight Faun Sidepress X "freighters" which have a swivel arm capable of emptying 1,100 bins a day. Another four of the models have been ordered to collect recyclable waste and will go into operation in March 2004. WARNING OVER FIRE RISK SURVEY Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service has warned householders that it is not endorsing a firm which is cold-calling and offering a fire risk survey. Residents have been approached by European Environmental Controls. A spokesman said: "I am sure they are a legitimate commercial company, however, they are certainly not working with our fire and rescue service." SOCIAL CARE 'HAS IMPROVED' The historically poor provision of social care in Birmingham has turned a corner and improved, the department's director has said. Social Care and Health Directorate boss Peter Hay said a weak management structure had been improved. Mr Hay said: "We can start to build towards providing an excellent social care service for the city." TORIES ACCUSED OVER JOBS Efforts being made in the European Union to save jobs threatened in the West Midlands are being undermined by Tory demands, a politician has said. Michael Cashman, Labour MEP for the region, said the Tories jeopardised progress over French train-maker Alstom's future in the area. He accused the Tories of "talking Britain down". DRUG SUSPECT POLICE ARRESTED Three serving police officers have been arrested on suspicion of supplying drugs, West Midlands Police have said. The Solihull-based constables - two men and a woman - were arrested on October 2 and suspended from duty. The three were bailed while inquiries continue. Three members of the public were also arrested on suspicion of supplying a controlled drug. MAN DIES IN STABBING AT FLATS One man died and another was seriously wounded during a stabbing incident at a block of flats in Birmingham, police have said. Officers were called to a disturbance in Ruddington Way in the New Town area of the city. One man was pronounced dead at hospital and another is in a serious condition. A 26-year-old man has been arrested. ELDERLY SUPPORT SCHEME EXTENDED A scheme designed to help old people leave hospital by finding care home places as soon as they are available is to be extended in Birmingham. The electronic bed-finding project, launched by the city council's Social Care and Health Directorate six months ago, is aimed at tackling bed-blocking. The bed vacancy information service -BEDVACS - will run until November 2004. MOONSHINE PRODUCER JAILED A Shropshire man has been jailed for two years at Shrewsbury Crown Court for producing moonshine whisky at an illegal distillery on remote farmland. David Cox, 52, from Bridgnorth, pleaded guilty to evading £529,275 in excise duty after being arrested in January. Officers found six stills, 1,500 litres of whisky and 35,000 litres of fermenting liquor in the raid. DRUGS CRACKDOWN HAILED SUCCESS West Midlands Police have revealed that a drugs operation in Wolverhampton is breaking up a network of local dealers. Officers have carried out a number of raids and seizures in Heathtown, Wednesfield, in response to increased drugs activity in the area. In one swoop, heroin, crack cocaine and cannabis withe a street value of £7,000 was recovered in Park Village. BID TO TRACE VICTIM'S MOVEMENTS Detectives are attempting to trace the last known movements of a Staffordshire mother of two who was strangled following an evening out. The body of Tina Moore was discovered at her home in Uttoxeter on Saturday. Det Chief Insp Jonathan Drake, who is leading the murder inquiry, appealed to anyone who had seen her out in the town centre on Friday to come forward. REPORT REVEALS HOUSING CONCERNS Large numbers of people in the West Midlands live in sub-standard housing, studies based on the 2001 Census show. Researchers looking at public health issues found that nearly 6% of homes were overcrowded, but Birmingham and Coventry registered the highest levels. The study also found that the number of single parent households had risen from 4% to 7% since 1991. COUSINS 'PLOTTED BRIDE MURDER' A Birmingham bride-to-be was stabbed to death moments before her wedding in a plot hatched by two of her cousins, the city's Crown Court has been told. Sahjda Bibi, 21, was stabbed 22 times with a knife at her Alum Rock home. Rafaqat Hussain, 38, of Camberley, Surrey, pleaded guilty to murder at an earlier hearing. Tafarak Hussain, of Bordesley, denies murder. MAN CHARGED OVER CAR DEATH A man has appeared in court charged with killing an engineer who was struck by a stolen car in Birmingham. Carl Roden, 29, of Station Road, Gravelly Lane, is accused of causing the death of Keith Bayliss, 61, by dangerous driving in Erdington. Roden was remanded in custody and the case was committed to Birmingham Crown Court for a preliminary hearing. CRASH VICTIM CRITICALLY ILL A teenage boy from Tamworth is fighting for his life in hospital after he was in collision with a car at a pedestrian crossing, police have said. The 13-year-old was crossing Marlborough Way when the accident involving a blue Nissan happened. He suffered head and leg injuries and was taken to Birmingham Children's Hospital where he is "critical". BLOOD SERVICE DRIVER IN COURT A National Blood Service driver facing prosecution for speeding while on an emergency call near Stafford says he is relying on "common sense" to clear him. Paul Stockbridge, 37, was doing 41mph in a 30mph zone on the A449 outside Stafford as he drove to Staffordshire General with a blood delivery. He wil cite mitigating circumstances before Stafford magistrates. 200 PUPILS IN UNIFORM PROTEST Almost 200 schoolchildren have walked out of lessons in Warwickshire to protest at a decision to introduce a traditional uniform for future pupils. The demo at Trinity Catholic Technology College in Leamington Spa was staged amid claims that the change will undermine the college's liberal ethos. Acting head Monica Cotterell confirmed Year 7 pupils would wear the uniform. CCTV STUDIED IN MURDER PROBE Detectives are studying CCTV footage in an effort to trace a man who caught a ferry to France hours after the murder of his girlfriend in Staffordshire. Toby Norris, 23, boarded a P&O Dover-Calais service 15 minutes before Tina Moore, 30, was found strangled at her home in Uttoxeter. Norris was driving a silver-grey VW Golf, registration G125 XFH. GANGLAND SILENCE IN DRUGS PROBE A wall of silence enforced by Jamaica's gangland bosses has stalled efforts to identify a drugs "mule" found dead near a motorway in Northamptonshire. The Jamaican woman was found at the side of the M45 near Kilsby last year. Despite police finding where the woman lived in Kingston, locals, terrified of drugs gangs in the Jamaican capital, have refused to help identify the body. MAN BETS ON PRESIDENT ARNIE A Worcestershire man stands to win a massive £100,000 if Arnold Schwarzenegger ever becomes president of the United States after a £200 bet. Bookmaker William Hill said Robert Coppini, from Little Acton, has bet on the Austrian-born star - just voted the new Governor of California - at 500/1. But current laws mean only those born in the US can become president. NEW FLOOD BARRIER TO BE TESTED Ironbridge in Shropshire has been chosen to test the largest temporary flood barrier in the UK. The Environment Agency will install the 1,800ft defence along the Wharfage, where more than 20 properties are at risk of flooding from the River Severn. The dry run on October 13 is intended to give experts experience in assembling the "pallet barrier". TRIBUTE TO Pc VANDALISED Vandals who ruined a Birmingham memorial to a police motorcyclist murdered in the line of duty have been condemned by police. The granite tribute to Pc Malcolm Walker, 46, who died when his motorbike was rammed by a stolen car, was pulled off its plinth and is being repaired. West Midlands Police said: "The damage causes further upset for Mac's family." MP CONDEMNS BUS PASS 'LOTTERY' A Worcester MP has condemned a postcode lottery which unfairly restricts the use of elderly people's bus passes among his constituents. Labour MP Michael Foster said he is shocked Malvern Hills and Wychavon OAPs can use their passes for county-wide travel but Worcester pensioners cannot. He said: "Pensioners in my constituency are getting a raw deal." BOY, 16, SUFFERS SEX ATTACK A 16-year-old boy was sexually assaulted by another youth as he walked across open ground in Nuneaton. Police said the victim reported the incident near the Anker public house in Anker Fields, Weddington, to his mother after making his way home. The attacker is described as 16 to 17, of average build, 5ft 11in to 6ft, with short dark brown hair. MOTORIST ARRESTED OVER DEATH A man has been arrested after the death of a 15-year-old pedestrian in a road accident in Birmingham. Imran Shah, from Sparkhill, was pronounced dead at Heartlands Hospital after he was in collision with a Toyota MR2 in Aston Church Road, Nechells. The car driver, a man in his 20s, was arrested and later released on bail pending further inquiries. DEAD WOMAN'S PARTNER REMANDED A man who caught a ferry to France hours after his girlfriend was found strangled at her Uttoxeter home has been remanded in custody in Belgium. Toby Norris, 23, is being held in jail in Brussels after a court hearing was adjourned so extradition papers can be prepared. He has not been charged. He was arrested in connection with the murder of mother of two Tina Moore, 30. MP CRITICISES TORY LEADER A Birmingham MP has added his voice to criticism of Iain Duncan Smith after the Tory leader joked that he would like to shoot PM Tony Blair. Steve McCabe, Labour member for Hall Green, said he was shocked to hear the remark in a week when the headlines have been dominated by gun crime. Mr Duncan Smith should apologise for the "irresponsible" comment, he added. JARVIS HALTS RAIL REPAIR WORK Engineering group Jarvis has said it is halting rail repair work involving contracts in the West Midlands. Network Rail is to take over the work after Jarvis said it was a "commercial decision" to exit. Jarvis has held the Central contract since April 2000. It was due to expire in March 2005. The East Coast Main Line contract started in April 2001. DETENTION CAMP APPEAL WELCOMED Supporters of a Birmingham man held in Guantanamo Bay have welcomed a bid by former US judges to have the camp's detention policies ruled illegal. Moazzam Begg is among 650 people being held at the base in Cuba over suspected links to al-Qaeda and the Taliban. Campaigners in the US have filed briefs with the Supreme Court claiming the prisoners are being detained illegally. YOUTH BANNED FROM CITY AREA A 15-year-old Birmingham boy has been banned from entering part of the city after being convicted of stealing mobile phones from schoolchildren. A Criminal Anti-Social Behaviour Order was issued by the Youth Court after he admitted two offences in Handsworth. The boy was also given a 12-month supervision order and banned from the Grove Lane area for two years. APPEAL OVER CONSTABLE'S DEATH Traffic police in Ludlow are trying to trace a potentially vital witness to a crash which killed a Redditch-based Pc. Insp John Payton said a driver heading towards Morville who stopped in a red car on the B4368 Corvedale Road, near Craven Arms, may hold key information. Pc Steve Price, 48, was off duty when his motorcycle was in collision with another bike near Diddlebury. REWARD FOR DIGITAL PICTURES Relatives of a young woman who died of cancer are offering a reward for the safe return of photographs of her, lost at a Northamptonshire service station. The pictures were on an IBM Think Pad laptop computer, left at the Watford Gap services on the M1 near Rugby. The owner is now offering a £1,000 reward for the safe return of the digital images of his daughter-in-law. FACTORY CRAFTS VASE FOR POPE Craftsmen and women at the Wedgwood factory in Stoke-on-Trent have created a unique vase for the Pope in celebration of his Silver Jubilee. Seven workers at the Barlaston site took six weeks to finish the piece which will accompany the Archbishop of Birmingham on a trip to the Vatican. The Most Reverend Vincent Nichols will present the vase to the Pope.
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