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HOUSING MARKET BOOM 'OVER'
A survey of the West Midlands housing market has uncovered more evidence of an impending slowdown, including a 2% fall in properties changing hands.
Property research group Hometrack said the £120,600 average price of a house in the region was unchanged in August, and homes were taking longer to sell.
A Hometrack spokesman said: "The boom appears to be well and truly over."

CALL TO RETHINK RAIL TIMETABLE
Rail bosses are being urged to reconsider a proposed new timetable for the Birmingham-to-Coventry service, amid concerns of overcrowding.
The Passenger Transport Authority said the schedule for the county's busiest service, which calls at the NEC and Birmingham airport, had "gaps".
The watchdog feared the proposed trains would struggle to cope with demand.

60 PEOPLE ARRESTED AT FESTIVAL
A total of 60 people were arrested during the two-day V Festival at Weston Park, Staffordshire, police have said.
More than 211 revellers at the concert were searched, leading to the discovery of 495 Ecstasy tablets, 966g of cannabis and 21.7g of cocaine.
Organisers reported a capacity 70,000 crowd on each day of the event, including 53,000 fans who camped out.

DOCTOR AVOIDS DEATH CHARGE
A doctor accused of killing a Staffs mother undergoing treatment for an infected bunion is to escape prosecution because of a legal blunder.
Priya Ramnath fled to the US days after allegedly injecting Patricia Leighton, from Burntwood, with adrenalin.
Mrs Leighton's daughter says the Crown Prosecution Service missed a five-year deadline to apply for her extradition.

HOMES 'WILL TACKLE SHORTAGE'
Plans for the construction of 3,000 new homes in Telford have been submitted to the borough council.
The national regeneration agency, English Partnerships, said the "people-friendly" development will help tackle a regional housing shortage.
A spokesman said: "The development will be a model for the design of other urban extensions across the country."

GRAVE OWNERS COMPENSATED
Grave owners whose memorials were laid down during an inspection of Bromsgrove Cemetery are to receive compensation for the cost of their restoration.
The district council announced its decision after a complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman. The authority was found guilty of maladministration.
The grave owners will be reimbursed with half of the restoration costs

CLUBS 'DRAGGING FEET' OVER LAW
Many football clubs are dragging their feet over compliance with new disability legislation because of the cost, a Birmingham surveyor says.
From October, grounds across the country will be legally obliged to ensure they have full disabled access.
Surveyor Jonathan Mott warned: "A head in the sand policy is likely to have serious consequences."

SOFT DRINKS GROUP SET TO FLOAT
Soft drinks group Britvic, which has offices in Solihull, is to float on the stock market with a value of up to £700m, according to reports.
The company, which includes brands such as Tango, is reportedly set to choose advisers to mastermind the listing.
More than 2,815 staff are employed at offices in Chelmsford, Solihull, six factories and 15 depots across the UK.

FRUSTRATION OVER ALCOHOL SALES
The continuing sale of alcohol to under-age people in Shropshire has provoked frustration among local trading standards officers.
In a recent undercover investigation, three out of six licence holders sold alcohol to a 15-year-old volunteer.
A spokesman said: "Retailers should understand under-age sales could result in the loss of their alcohol licence."

60-YEAR-OLD PLANT IN BLOOM
A rare Mexican plant which only flowers once during its lifetime is in bloom at Birmingham's Botanical Gardens.
The Agave Americana Marginata is also known as the Century Plant because it can live for up to 100 years.
The example at the Edgbaston site is known to be at least 60-years-old and will remain in flower until the end of the summer before dying off.

LOCAL CHEF TO SERVE FOR TOP CULINARY TITLE
A local chef has just learnt that he has won through to the regional finals of the hospitality industry's favourite competition and the chance to hold the title Young Chef Young Waiter 2004. Chef Adam Brown, 24, who works at Gallery Restaurant in Earlsdon, Coventry, has beaten off tough competition from over 200 other young hopefuls to win through to the Regional Finals of Young Chef Young Waiter 2004. The competition, now in its 20th year, is organised by The RestaurantAssociation in partnership with American Express and the Savoy Educational Trust, the hospitality industry's leading independentcharitable trust. The competition aims to encourage young people by
giving them a platform to demonstrate their cooking and waiting skills.
It is open to all professional chefs and waiters 25 and under on 31 December, working full-time in any sector of the hospitality industry.
Adam will compete in the Northern Regional Final, which takes place at St Helen's College in Merseyside on Thursday 9 September.
Adam is Junior Sous Chef at Gallery Restaurant and was the winner of Coventry Chef of the Year this year. He was apprenticed with the Hilton Hotel in Coventry and lives in Finham. The title Young Chef Young Waiter is highly sought-after and brings a tremendous fillip to career ambitions in the hospitality industry - one of the UK's biggest employment sectors.
Previous winners have gone on to be awarded coveted Michelin stars or to work at some of the most acclaimed establishments in the country.

LOCAL YOUNG MUSICIANS TO PERFORM AT
COMMONWEALTH EDUCATION MINISTERS’ MEETING
Music for Youth, the national charity that provides free access to educational and performance opportunities for young musicians, in conjunction with the National Union of Teachers, has invited two groups of young musicians to perform for delegates at the Commonwealth Education Ministers’ Meeting in Lincoln’s Stoke Rochford Hall on Tuesday 31 August and Wednesday 1 September, 2004.
The Azaad Dhol Group is part of the Birmingham Schools Bhangra Ensemble, run and taught by their musical director, Harjit Singh. The four members are aged from 18-21 years old and play both Bhangra and Folk music from the Punjab in India. On 31 August the group will play at a pre-dinner reception for the Education Ministers from across the Commonwealth. In November, they will join other members of the Bhangra Ensemble to perform in the Royal Albert Hall, London, at the Schools Prom – the highlight of an active performing schedule that has seen them perform across the country and in Birmingham, promoting diversity in music to all cultures and traditions.

'EXPLOSIVES' SMUGGLED ON PLANE
Transport officials are investigating after an undercover reporter smuggled fake bomb-making equipment on to a jet at Birmingham International Airport.
The journalist posed as a baggage handler and took the equipment on to a Boeing 757 carrying 220 tourists.
Sun reporter Anthony France, 31, was employed by private contractor Aviance despite giving bogus references.

CHINESE INTEREST IN MG ROVER
Birmingham-based car company MG Rover could be bought by Chinese car manufacturer Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation, it has emerged.
MG Rover has already done a technology sharing deal with the firm, which is China's largest passenger car-maker.
SAIC will eventually take over the UK firm, which was formed when BMW sold the Rover Group in 2000, sources said.

800 JOBS AT SHOPPING CENTRE
About 800 jobs are to be created in Walsall with the development of a £50m shopping centre.
The complex will contain five new stores as well as a Sainsbury's supermarket and a 1,460-space car park.
Civic officials said the project will link up with the adjacent Shannons Mill designer outlet and breathe new life into the heart of the borough.

PRE-CIVIL WAR PARCHMENT ON SHOW
Archivists in Ludlow are celebrating the return of a unique record of the town in the run-up to the Civil War.
The parchment dating back to 1640 lists the amount of money collected for the ship tax - one of the triggers which started the conflict two years later.
It was bought by Shropshire County Council at auction in London and will be added to the authority's archives.

BRITISH CYCLISTS GET SILVER
Cyclist Paul Manning, from Sutton Coldfield, has won a silver medal in the men's team pursuit at the Athens Olympic Games.
Manning, with team-mates Steve Cummings, Rob Hayles and Bradley Wiggins, was aiming for gold but lost the final to the Australian team.
The British team narrowly missed the Olympic record in the semi-final.

THREE IN COURT OVER POTTERY
Three Stoke-on-Trent men are to appear in court charged with counterfeiting famous pottery brands.
They are charged with offences under the Trademarks and Trade Descriptions Acts and will appear before Newcastle-under-Lyme magistrates.
They were arrested after a probe into china allegedly bearing the forged stamp of names such as Royal Doulton.

TODDLER'S POTTERY FIND ON SHOW
Fragments of an Iron Age bowl have gone on display in Newcastle-under-Lyme after they were unearthed by a three-year-old in a garden in Bradwell.
The remains of the pot, thought to be more than 2,000 years old, were found while a family was busy digging.
Tonya and Stephen Taylor-Jones - whose daughter Melissa found the pottery -took the 11 pieces to Newcastle Museum.
 

BUDGET FOR REGENERATION DOUBLED
Six regeneration zones set up by Advantage West Midlands to drive the transformation of the region are to have their budgets almost doubled.
The regional development agency is to increase the total budget for the six boards over the next three years, taking it from £61.5m to £110m.
An AWM spokesman said: "This is a massive vote of confidence for change."

HOSPICE SEVERS TV STAR LINK
A Stoke-on-Trent hospice has severed links with Anthea Turner after she failed to turn up at charity events.
The Douglas Macmillan Hospice said it would not ask the 44-year-old TV presenter to act as fundraising patron.
Turner pulled out of a Christmas event last year and a dinner appearance a few months later. Her agent said TV work took precedence over charity events.

REACH FOR THE SKY!
Young people from Birmingham make the news!
Budding young journalists, entertainers and sports stars from across London were this week given the unique opportunity to get behind the scenes of the media industry at BSkyB’s Reach For The Sky Live – while gaining inspiration and advice from Liberty X.
Selected from hundreds of applicants the youngsters attended Birmingham University to take part in an event designed to help young people see where their talent and potential lies by getting hands-on experience in the Media, Entertainment and Sport industry.
The participants took part in workshops which offered them the chance to try a number of innovative and creative activities. These ranged from preparing dance routines for Liberty X to being put through their paces in a simulated newsroom by Sky presenters Juliette Foster and Martin Stanford.
One of them, Philip Hall, 15, said: “My Dad is a presenter on a community radio station, and I really want to be a presenter as well one day. I have come to Live as it will look good on my CV, but I have also had really good fun. Getting the chance to meet and learn from people who are actually in the industry was great.”
Liberty X were also on hand to offer advice on their experiences of getting to the top.
Liberty X said; “It was fantastic to meet people so many young people from Birmingham. Live is a great opportunity to get some fantastic experience in music, dance, drama and sport and discover new opportunities that you’d perhaps never thought of.”

Now in its fifth year Reach For The Sky Live has helped thousands of young people take their futures forward. It builds young people’s confidence, helps them realise skills and talents, empowers them to feel in charge of their future and to develop a sense of direction.
Ben Stimson, Head of Corporate Responsibility for BSkyB said: “BSkyB is committed to finding innovative ways of helping local young people reach their own potential. We realise that it can be difficult to discover what you’re good at and what you enjoy doing. Reach For The Sky Live is an exciting way of getting young people to think about the many opportunities available to them, and allows them to prove to themselves what they are capable of.”

MAN FACES MURDER CHARGE
A man is set to face court charged with murdering the brother of Hollywood actress Deborah Kerr in an alleged road rage incident in Birmingham.
The 55-year-old Redditch man will face Birmingham magistrates charged with the murder of Edmund Trimmer, 78, brother of the star of From Here to Eternity.
Mr Trimmer died in hospital after the alleged incident in West Heath.


ANGER OVER AIRPORT LAPSE
A Lockerbie campaigner who lost his daughter in the atrocity has criticised security in the wake of an incident at Birmingham International Airport.
Dr Jim Swire branded the screening of prospective baggage handlers "wholly inadequate" after a reporter managed to smuggle a fake bomb on to a flight.
Sun reporter Anthony France, 31, was employed despite bogus references.

US MURDERER FACING SENTENCE
An American man is to be sentenced for murdering his Staffordshire-born wife to cash in on a large insurance payout.
New Yorker Eric Rose, 46, will be sentenced at Suffolk County Court on Long Island, after being convicted of shooting dead wife Wendy at their home.
He claimed his 52-year-old wife, originally from Kidsgrove, had shot herself in a delusional rage.


FIVE HELD OVER RAPE ALLEGATIONS
Five men have been arrested on suspicion of raping two women at a house near Stratford-upon-Avon.
The five, in their 20s, were detained in Stratford town centre after police were called to a house in Wellesbourne following reports of a disturbance.
They are being held in Leamington Spa and will be quizzed over the alleged incident at the Granville Road house.

RESIDENTS 'POOR SAVERS' - STUDY
People in the West Midlands are less likely to save for their futures than people in any other region outside the capital, research has shown.
A study for the Wolverhampton-based Birmingham Midshires bank found 50% of residents had put no money aside during the three months to the end of June.
Only Londoners were less likely to have saved during the period - at 51%.

MAN ADMITS OAP's MANSLAUGHTER
A 24-year-old man has admitted the manslaughter of a grandfather who was found stabbed at his sheltered housing bungalow in Kidsgrove, Staffordshire.
Police have also charged Keith David Griffiths with the murder of 59-year-old Harold Bunn, but he chose to make no plea at Stafford Crown Court.
Griffiths was remanded in custody and the case was adjourned to a later date.

SUSPENDED SENTENCE FOR STALKER
A stalker who pestered an aristocrat in Gloucestershire for two years has received a suspended prison sentence for breaching a restraining order.
Stephen Adamson, 43, bombarded Lady Rosalthe Rundall with letters and telephone calls at her Greater Ashton estate in Chipping Campden.
He admitted at Cheltenham Magistrates' Court breaching a restraining order.

TRAVELLERS FACE DELAYS
Bank holiday drivers are facing delays in the West Midlands after highways chiefs decided not to suspend roadworks on busy motorways, including the M6.
Motorists will have to contend with the closure of link roads to Spaghetti Junction on the M6 in Birmingham as well as parts of the M25 West.
But more than 20 roadworks on other routes have been suspended.

POLICE HUNT FOR ARMED ROBBERS
Police are hunting two masked robbers who held up a Warwickshire off-licence owner with a Samurai sword and gun.
The pair burst into the Bulkington store as the trader was preparing to close for the evening.
He was forced to hand over cash and Lottery scratchcards before the pair made off in a stolen Rover car, registration K225 VWD.

'TONGUE WAGGER' WANTED FOR HOME
A stately home in Staffordshire that played host to a live-in hermit is recruiting a "professional gossip" to dish the dirt about the estate.
Shugborough, near Stafford, wants someone to spread rumours about the antics of those who once lived there.
Staff hope the appointment will help to bring some of its salacious history to life and change its public image.

A NEW APPROACH TO ADULT LEARNING
While younger students are waiting for their A-level results, the
University of Birmingham is busy recruiting adults of all ages for part time study at its Centre for Lifelong Learning. The Centre for Lifelong is designed to meet the needs of students who require flexible learning. It was set up for adult learners who wish to pursue their education to a higher level or to enter higher education for the first time, but who also have work or
family commitments.
The Centre offers courses in Counselling, Business, IT, the Humanities, Creative Writing and Social Sciences. Courses are designed for anyone who has an interest in the subject, with no background knowledge or previous qualifications needed.
Involving assignments rather than exams, courses are geared around busy lifestyles, enabling participants to study and continue to work. All courses are offered part-time, in the evenings and at weekends, and students learn in a friendly, supportive environment, surrounded by fellow adult learners.
For more information about part-time programmes of study leading to University of Birmingham qualifications contact Heather Down at the Centre for Lifelong Learning on 0121 414 3413.

DEGREE OF SUCCESS LEADS THE WAY FOR LOCAL AND FAMILY HISTORIANS
Christine Mann, 51 and Ted Rudge, 64 are celebrating being the first ever students to graduate from the University of Birmingham with a degree in local history. They have just learned that they been awarded BPhils in Humanities for their six years of part-time study into Local and Family History.
Neither ever expected, when they signed up in 1998, that they would last the whole course. What kept them going was a passion for history and the support of their fellow students.
Both had been away from education for decades before signing up. Ted admits, jokingly, "I left school at fifteen with nothing to show but a Road Safety Certificate! So it was quite a challenge for me, after 40 years working forthe Post Office, to sign up for a University course".
Ted persevered and not only has he completed his degree but he has also published a book along the way. The book is called "Brumroamin" and is based on his researches into Birmingham's previously forgotten Romany Gypsy community, carried out as part of his coursework.
Christine's clerical experience as a secretary and later administrator in the NHS meant that she had no problems with her writing but, she too needed the support of her fellow students to keep her on track. "I lacked the discipline to do something totally self-directed such as an Open  University
course", she said, "I really thrived in the friendly atmosphere of the classes among others who shared my interests."
Both feel that they have gained a lot more from their studies than just the degree, although they are very proud of the achievement. Ted has started working as a volunteer guide at Birmingham's newest Heritage attraction, the National Trust back-to-backs and says he would never have had the nerve
to do this without his time at University. Chris too feels that she has grown in confidence in both her work and personal life.
Family, Community & Local History is one of a range of courses
recruiting now offered by the Centre for Lifelong Learning at the University of Birmingham. Students working towards a degree could be applicable for having their fees paid by their local authority.

WOMAN SUFFERS 95% BURNS
A Worcester woman is in a critical condition in hospital, suffering from 95% burns, after a suspected arson attack, police have said.
The woman, 20, was rescued by two police constables called to the Ronkswood area following reports of screams coming from a burning house.
West Mercia Police found the woman in an upstairs room and rescued her.

TWO-YEAR-OLD DIES IN COLLISION
A two-year-old boy has died after being struck by a car which failed to stop despite dragging him along the road for 300 yards in Birmingham, police said.
The boy, from the Ward End area, died in hospital after the incident in Alum Rock in which a 13-year-old girl from the same area was also badly injured.
A white Toyota involved in the incident was later found abandoned in Bromford.

HUGHES 'FAILED DRUG TEST'
Shamed former West Brom football star Lee Hughes reportedly failed a drugs test on his first day in prison.
Reports say Hughes tested positive for cannabis hours after arriving at HMP Birmingham following his conviction for causing death by dangerous driving.
The Prison Service refused to comment on the newspaper claims but are probing the leak of an official mugshot.

'KILLER'S' ASHES SENT TO MOTHER
A package was sent to the mother of a murdered Willenhall woman which purported to contain the ashes of her daughter's killer, police have said.
Elaine Cartwright, 45, also received a letter blaming Spencer Smith, 30, for the murder of partner Lisa Higgins, 25, and their two young daughters.
Smith, on remand accused of murder, was found hanged in prison in May.

WOMAN FOUND WITH HEAD INJURIES
Staffordshire Police have appealed for information after a woman in her 30s was found collapsed outside a fast food outlet with head injuries.
The woman, from Stoke-on-Trent, was discoverd in Victoria Road, Fenton, and has been detained in hospital.
A police spokesman said officers had been unable to establish how the woman came by her injuries.

METRO SEES RISE IN USERS
The Midland Metro tram network has recorded a 5% increase in annual passenger numbers, according to Department for Transport statistics.
The system, which links Birmingham Snow Hill with West Bromwich, Wolverhampton and Wednesbury, carried 5,100,000 people in the year to the end of March.
The statistics mirror a national rise in people using trams.

PUPIL CELEBRATES 10 TOP GRADES
A pupil at a school in Sutton Coldfield is celebrating after achieving 10 A*s in his GCSEs.
Adam Wallin, 16, from Bishop Vesey's Grammar School, bagged 10 A*s while classmates Daniel Yielder and Andrew Bean scored nine A*s and one A apiece.
And despite the demands of a burgeoning tennis career, Chris Priddle managed to achieve seven As and three Bs.

NASA DREAMS FOR HIGH GRADE GIRL
A Birmingham student with aspirations to work for Nasa has come one step closer to fulfilling her dreams after securing 11 1/2 GCSE A*s and a grade A.
Anna Pugh, 16, was among several high-achieving pupils who received their GCSE results at King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls.
The half GCSEs are short courses. Three other students earned 11 1/2 A stars.

BIKE TOUR MAY CAUSE DELAYS
Motorists have been urged to be patient while a major cycle race passes through Derbyshire next week.
The Tour of Britain will cause temporary road closures during the event, the county council said.
On Thursday, September 2, the race will pass through Glossop and Hathersage. Diversions will be directed by the police or tour marshals.

PENSIONER ATTACKED BY YOUTHS
An 88-year-old man suffered an angina attack after being robbed in his Dudley home by two teenagers, police said.
The youths asked the man if they could search his garden in Sedgley for a lost puppy and while the victim hepled one of them, the other searched his house.
When he disturbed the boy the pensioner was pushed to the floor and the youth snatched his wallet before fleeing.

CADET'S MOTHER MAKES APPEAL
The mother of a Shropshire Army officer cadet who is missing in the French Alps has appealed for help from tourists.
Blake Hartley, 25, was on a trekking expedition when he vanished from camp near Chamonix after a night out with comrades on August 8.
His mother Sally Perrin urged tourists to look out for any signs of the Royal Military Academy cadet.
 

LOCALS FIND LUCK AT BIRMINGHAM BRANCH
A local woman has become the second person from Birmingham to win a national car competition through Welcome Car Finance.
Wendy Wilkes from Shard End purchased a Rover 25 at the Welcome Car Finance Branch in Birmingham, unaware that they would soon be giving back every penny that she had paid. Mrs Wilkes was given the welcome piece of news while she was on holiday with her husband Graham but didn't believe it until she had confirmation in writing.
Wendy is the final winner in the competition, which Welcome Car, the leading car finance specialist, has been running since April. Customers at the twelve branches across the country are entered into a draw and the winners pay absolutely nothing for their car. They are also reimbursed for any extra insurances that they purchased in the original deal. Wendy will not only get her deposit back but will also have her extra insurances paid for her which are worth in total £500.
The branch in Birmingham seems to be a lucky charm as it has already given away a car to one of its customers through this competition. Kenneth Bradnock from Erdington, was the 9th person to win a car with Welcome Car Finance.
Phil Morris, Branch Manager at Welcome Car Finance, Birmingham said; "I'm thrilled to be presenting Wendy with such a valuable prize. Our branch seems to be a source of good luck. After all, its not often that customers get to drive away their car absolutely free so I'm very pleased that two of ours have become winners in this exciting competition."

MAN HELD OVER HIT-AND-RUN DEATH
An 18-year-old man has been arrested following a fatal hit-and-run collision in Birmingham in which a toddler was dragged 300 yards by a sports car.
Two-year-old Joshua Berrill, from Ward End, died in hospital after he and his 13-year-old aunt, Millie Robinson, were struck by a white Toyota in Alum Rock.
The man is being held on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

INQUIRY INTO VOTE FRAUD CLAIMS
Claims of postal vote fraud during the local elections in Birmingham this year are to be discussed by council members.
The electoral matters committee is meeting to set out its terms of reference in the light of various complaints made about the ballot.
More than 600 candidates, agents and party officials have been sent letters to gather evidence for the inquiry.

ALERT OVER AIRPORT PARKING SCAM
Travellers using the internet to book car parking at Coventry Airport are being warned about websites offering unofficial facilities near the site.
A police spokesman said four websites falsely claiming to be exclusively for Thomson Fly customers had been unearthed during investigations.
DC Adrian Shaw urged people to be wary about handing over personal details.

POLICE WARNING OVER RAVES
Shropshire landowners allowing illegal raves to be held on their property over the bank holiday weekend are being warned they face possible prosecution.
West Mercia Police claim the raves often create misery and disruption for nearby residents and are a danger to those attending the events.
Anyone allowing land to be used could be subject to criminal investigation.

DOG RESCUED FROM RAILINGS
Firefighters were called to rescue a dog impaled through the stomach on a 6ft railing in Willenhall.
Crews worked for more than an hour to free the animal, which had became impaled next to a detached house in Bloxwich Road North.
A vet tranquilised the Lurcher before firefighters worked for more than an hour to release the dog.

LAWYERS CAN SEE GUANTANAMO MAN
Lawyers will be allowed to visit a Birmingham man held at Guantanamo Bay next week, it has been announced.
But the US lawyers will not be allowed to tell the family of Moazzam Begg how he is, due to a gagging order.
His father Azmat said: "I cannot understand why even a lawyer who is going to see him cannot tell me how he is or what he is doing."

MP WELCOMES PLAYING FIELDS RULE
Birmingham Edgbaston MP Gisela Stuart has welcomed new measures to prevent the sale of school playing fields.
The regulations, announced by the Department of Education and Skills and the National Playing Fields Association ensure a sale will be a "last resort".
Ms Stuart said: "Playing fields are the training grounds for tomorrow's Olympic athletes and national sporting stars."

PROBE INTO PRISONER'S DEATH
A probe is under way into the death of a 30-year-old prisoner who died in hospital three days after being found hanging in a cell at Shrewsbury Prison.
The Prison Service said Lee Nottingham was given 94 days in jail on August 16 and was found hanging the same day.
Staff at Shrewsbury Prison attempted to resuscitate the inmate, who was jailed for theft, but he died in hospital.

WOMAN FOUND WITH HEAD INJURIES
Staffordshire Police have appealed for information after a woman in her 30s was found collapsed outside a fast food outlet with head injuries.
The woman, from Stoke-on-Trent, was discovered in Victoria Road, Fenton, and has been detained in hospital.
A police spokesman said officers had been unable to establish how the woman came by her injuries.

METRO SEES RISE IN USERS
The Midland Metro tram network has recorded a 5% increase in annual passenger numbers, according to Department for Transport statistics.
The system, which links Birmingham Snow Hill with West Bromwich, Wolverhampton and Wednesbury, carried 5,100,000 people in the year to the end of March.
The statistics mirror a national rise in people using trams.

’GROWING YOUR OWN’ POLICY SHINES THROUGH AT BEACON AWARDS

South Birmingham College (SBC) is celebrating after making the shortlist for another prestigious Beacon Award for promoting race equality. If successful, it will be the third time that SBC have won a Beacon Award in four years.
The award, which is sponsored by The Commisssion for Black Staff and Network for Black Managers, is given for promoting race equality and takes the form of a monetary grant. The funds are then used to help realise the full potential of a project based in a college of further education.
SBC’s initiative, entitled ’Promoting Race Equality Through Growing Our Own Staff’, was recognised for its wide variety of aims and objectives. These include developing the skills and aspirations of staff and managers from Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) backgrounds so they can progress their careers at SBC and using the skills of people from BME communities within partner organisations, to increase the numbers of BME staff in FE teaching.
Commenting on being shortlisted for the award, SBC Principal Alan Birks said:
”We’re delighted to be shortlisted for another Beacon Award as it recognises the hard work done by all at SBC to promote race equality in our institution. Whether we win or lose, we won’t be resting on our laurels and will continue our policies on growing our own staff as it has been very successful in increasing participation rates from hard to reach groups. We intend to concentrate on ensuring that promotion of race equality and diversity are embedded in the entire student experience.”
SBC have been committed to developing learning provision within deprived neighbourhoods for more than 12 years. The policy of ’Widening Participation through Social Inclusion’ has led to the creation of college access centres, or has seen SBC develop the capacity of locally based community organisations to provide sustainable learning models which cascade learning and skills into excluded communities.
The winners of the award will be announced at the AoC Annual Conference which takes place 16-18 November 2004.
SBC Principal Alan Birks has previously won a Leadership Award for promoting race equality from the Commission for Black Staff and Network for Black Managers, while SBC has won five Lifelong Learning Awards sponsored by Birmingham City Council for specific programmes which recruited learners from BME communities. The college has also gained recognition from OFSTED for the quality of work in equal opportunties and widening strategies.

POLICE TO RELEASE BODY DETAILS
Staffordshire Police are expected to release further details today about the discovery of a body near Kinver.
The grim discovery was made shortly after 6pm on Saturday by a woman and her son as they walked a dog in woodland off Whittington Hall Lane.
The body is believed to be that of a missing person, but police have yet to name the deceased.

TENANTS PRAISED FOR AWARENESS
Residents of Dudley's tower blocks have won praise for their efforts to ensure that flat-dwellers are kept aware of fire risks.
Leaflets containing fire safety tips are being distributed to every high and low-rise block in the borough.
Tenants' groups urged officials to produce the guide, thought to be the first such project in the region.

CALLS FOR MORE AFFORDABLE HOMES
Staffordshire councillors are being asked to give the go-ahead to a £5m scheme to create 100 affordable homes.
The proposals are for the building of houses in Biddulph, Cheadle and Leek over the next three years.
Councillors are being asked to release the cash and free up four plots of council land in each town to create homes for sale and rent.

MEDALLISTS 'MUST BE HONOURED'
Birmingham and Coventry authorities have been urged to honour Olympic gold medallists Mark Lewis-Francis and Marlon Devonish with civic receptions.
Birchfield Harriers president Tom McCook said Lewis-Francis, who joined the Birmingham club as a schoolboy, had shown remarkable maturity in the relay.
Coventry sprinter Devonish ran the second leg in the 4x100m relay victory.

DETAINEE TO GET LEGAL ADVICE
A lawyer is to visit a Birmingham man being held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for the first time since his imprisonment by the US more than two years ago.
Father-of-four Moazzam Begg, 36, has been held without trial since being detained by US authorities in Pakistan in February 2002.
US-based lawyer Gita Gutierrez has been given permission to meet him.

TRUST DISMISSES DOWNGRADE FEARS
The Shrewsbury & Telford Hospitals Trust has dismissed fears raised by Tory Party activists that the Princess Royal Hospital may be downgraded.
In a letter to Wrekin Labour MP Peter Bradley, chair Phil Homer said: "We have seen a dramatic increase in investment over the last six years.
"It is my best judgement that the PRH site will continue to expand."

DEADLINE FOR IRAN TRADE MISSION
West Midlands companies have until Wednesday to join a winter trade mission aiming to help them gain a foothold in the Iranian market.
Birmingham Chamber of Commerce trade adviser Allen Matty acknowledged Iran, branded as part of the "axis of evil" by the US, may be hard to penetrate.
"However, good opportunities exist in all sectors in Iran," he added.

APPEAL OVER HOSPITAL CRUTCHES
Rugby's Hospital of St Cross has launched an appeal to recover missing crutches after it emerged that only a third of the walking aids are returned.
The problem is costing the hospital £300 each month and causing shortages.
Sister Karen Hunt, of the casualty unit, said: "There are an awful lot of crutches out there, perhaps in garages or sheds, that we could reuse."

CONDOLENCES OVER COACH DEATH
A Coventry-based holiday company has offered its condolences to the family of a man who died when a coach veered off a motorway slip road near Daventry.
Seven others were injured when the Harry Shaw City Cruiser, which was returning from France, smashed through crash barriers on the M1.
A company spokesman said: "Our thoughts are also with all of those involved."

AUCTION FOR FIRE-DAMAGED SCHOOL
An auction has raised £1,400 to buy new musical instruments for a Rugby school which was devastated by fire.
About three quarters of Avon Valley secondary school was destroyed on June 28 and GCSE coursework was also lost.
The auction at the Crown Pub in Newbold Road comes as the finishing touches are being put to a "village" of mobile classrooms for the new academic year.