|
   
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
|
MAN IMPALED ON GATE Firefighters had to cut a man free after he impaled one of his wrists on railings outside a Birmingham house. The victim underwent surgery to remove a spike embedded in his wrist after being taken to City Hospital from outside an address in Kingstanding. West Midlands Fire Service said inquiries are under way into how the man received his injuries. MAN STABBED BY CAR THIEVES A Birmingham man is in a serious condition in hospital after he was stabbed in the stomach by a gang of teenagers breaking into his car. The 30-year-old was also slashed across the face when he caught the thieves, while his car was parked on the Wyrley Birch estate in Kingstanding. The victim is in intensive care after undergoing surgery. WOMAN KILLED IN CAR CRASH A female motorist has died after her car crashed on the A38 in Birmingham, police said. The 28-year-old driver was heading along the road in Bournbrook, when her Ford Focus hit a kerb, veered into the central reservation and struck a tree. The woman, from Frankley, was taken to hospital suffering multiple injuries and died later. POLICEMAN 'RAMMED AGAINST CAR' A man is due in court accused of causing grievous bodily harm to a police officer allegedly rammed against a patrol car in Birmingham. The unnamed defendant was charged by West Midlands Police after the officer was injured while on duty in Court Oak Road, Quinton. The officer suffered a broken hand and other injuries in the incident. GUESTS EVACUATED DURING FIRE More than 1,000 guests and staff were evacuated from a hotel next to Birmingham Airport after a blaze broke out in a bedroom, fire crews have said. Some guests had to flee from the swimming pool at the Hilton Metropole NEC and were wrapped in foil blankets as they stood in the car park. No-one was injured. The cause of the fire is still being investigated. MEN FACE CAR CHASE CHARGES Two men are due before magistrates in Walsall charged in connection with a police car chase through the West Midlands in the middle of the night. The men, both 22 and from Birmingham, are also accused of burgling a Walsall shop and aggravated vehicle taking. The defendants will appear at Aldridge Magistrates' Court in connection with the charges. MAN QUIZZED OVER DOUBLE MURDER Detectives are questioning a man in connection with the murder of a man and woman in a village near Nuneaton. The male victim was found dead at his home in Barwell. Police confirmed that a badly-injured woman discovered at his side had later died in hospital. "A 46-year-old man, arrested several hours after the incident, is being held in custody," a police spokesman added. FOUR HURT IN ROAD COLLISION Four people have been taken to hospital after a two-car collision in the Digbeth area of Birmingham. A man in his 40s had to be cut free from the wreckage of his Ford Escort following the collision with a Renault car in Cheapside. Hotel manager Ifty Arshad, 27, who gave the man first aid, said: "He was having a lot of difficulty breathing." FLY-TIPPERS ENDANGERING LIFE Fly-tippers are threatening the lives of humans and animals along a stretch of canal in the Black Country, British Waterways has warned. Officials have spent £2,000 clearing up land between the Tame Valley canal and Carisbrooke Road in Wednesbury. Officers found animal and even human waste which can spread disease as well as toxic building materials. TOWN PLAN TO ATTRACT SHOPPERS Plans to pull more shoppers into Rugby have taken a major step forward with the appointment of a project director. John Armstrong will try to persuade approximately 700 firms to pay extra business rates to turn the town centre into a Business Improvement District. The extra rates would pay for a better CCTV system, more street cleaning and "hosts" to assist visitors. SEARCH FOR DEATH CRASH ACCUSED An international search is continuing for a Sri Lankan man accused of causing the deaths by dangerous driving of a Daventry teacher and her unborn child. Deborah Peaty, 26, suffered fatal injuries in a pile-up on the A5 near Potterspury, Northants, last October. Ratnam Yogan, 29, who lives in London, did not attend Northampton Crown Court and is believed to have fled the UK. MAN HELD OVER STABBING DEATH A 22-year-old man is being questioned on suspicion of murder after a woman was stabbed to death during a street brawl in Wednesbury, police said. Christine Walker, 30, died after a long-standing feud erupted into violence near her home, officers said. She was pronounced dead in hospital. Two men and a woman were also arrested on suspicion of violent disorder. 'ONE IN EIGHT' FIRMS USE TOLL Just one in eight Birmingham firms is using the M6 Toll to transport their freight, according to a new survey. Firms cited the £10 charge for HGVs as the reason for giving it a wide berth in a questionnaire for the city's Chamber of Commerce. About 35,000 vehicles a day used the route in its first week of operation -20% of the vehicles which used the M6. PAIR QUIZZED OVER 1984 DEATH Two men are being questioned by police over the killing of a 79-year-old peace activist in Shrewsbury 20 years ago. They were detained during dawn raids as part of the inquiry into Hilda Murrell's death in 1984. She had been stabbed but died of hypothermia. Her body was found in a copse four days after disappearing. A third man has already been charged with her murder. NEW SQUAD TO TACKLE REVELLERS A police squad has been created to curb drink-fuelled violence around Birmingham's city centre nightspots. West Midlands Police has set up an "entertainment crime team" with a sergeant and six constables to patrol busy areas including Broad Street. According to police statistics, 57% of all alcohol-related crime in the city centre occurs in Broad Street. RAPE SUSPECT'S FIBRES 'MATCHED' Fibres found on clothes belonging to a suspected rapist matched those on garments belonging to an alleged victim from Birmingham, a court has been told. A forensic scientist told Maidstone Crown Court 112 fibres on the top, jumper and underwear matched those on clothing belonging to Antoni Imiela. Imiela, 49, of Ashford, Kent, denies raping the 10-year-old girl in 2002. MAN CHARGED OVER CAR INCIDENT A 27-year-old motorist appeared in court accused of mowing down a police officer who was struck by a car during an anti-drugs operation in Birmingham. Shabaz Ali, of Gillott Road, Edgbaston, was remanded at Birmingham Magistrates charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent to resist arrest. The officer suffered multiple injuries on Court Oak Road on Friday. QUIZ CONTINUES IN DEATHS PROBE Detectives are continuing to question a man in connection with the murder of a man and woman in a Leicestershire. The male victim, named locally as Darren Staniforth, was found dead at his home in Barwell and a badly injured woman later died in hospital. A 46-year-old man is being held in custody at a police station in Leicestershire, a spokesman said. DRUG SUPPLY 'DISRUPTED' Police believe they have disrupted a "significant" supply of Class A drugs in north Warwickshire following the arrest of three men in Nuneaton. Police seized a substantial quantity of cocaine and heroin when they detained the three - all in their 20s and from Birmingham - at Nuneaton train station. The three are due to return for further police questioning in early March. PRAM CRUSH MOTHER GIVES BIRTH The mother of a baby who was crushed to death when masonry collapsed onto her pram in West Bromwich town centre has given birth to another child. Moreen Campbell's 10-month-old daughter, Trilby Graham, was killed when the masonry plunged to the ground. Ms Campbell, 34, and her partner Leroy Graham, are celebrating the arrival of Jade, who weighed just under 7lb. MAN BAILED OVER DOUBLE MURDER Detectives probing the murder of a Leicestershire couple found stabbed to death in Barwell on Valentine's night have released a second suspect on bail. Officers arrested the 26-year-old over the deaths of Debbie Joanne Hodgkiss and Darren Robert Staniforth, both 36. Brian Tedds, 46, of Hinckley, has been charged with the murders and is due at Leicester Crown Court next Wednesday. GIRL HELD OVER STABBING MURDER A second teenager is being questioned by detectives investigating the murder of a 16-year-old girl found stabbed at a block of flats in the West Midlands. The 14-year-old girl was arrested by officers probing the incident in the Hillfields area of Coventry. An 18-year-old woman - who was arrested earlier and is believed to have known the victim - remains in custody. A BEAST RAPED GIRLS - ACCUSED A man accused of kidnapping, indecently assaulting and attempting to rape a 10-year-old Birmingham girl has said only "a beast" could have done it. Antoni Imiela, 49, of Kent, claimed during his evidence at Maidstone Crown Court that the girl had "cobbled together" her account of the attack. Imiela denies raping eight women and girls aged between 10 and 52. BULLRING STORES HIT BY FLOODING Shopkeepers at nine stores in Birmingham's £530m Bullring shopping complex are assessing flood damage after a major leak in a water tank. West Midlands Fire Service said its incident support unit had been deployed to tackle flooding over four floors. The new Bullring opened in September 2003, attracting more than a quarter of a million shoppers on its first day. AIRPORT PLANNING BREACH DENIED Bosses at Coventry Airport have denied claims that preparations for the launch of a new budget airline next month have flouted planning laws. Campaigners against the expansion of the Baginton site say a temporary terminal has been built and the runway "extended" without planning permission. Thomsonfly.com is using the airport to launch cheap flights to Europe. POLICE APPEAL OVER HIT-AND-RUN A man has been seriously injured after being struck by a hit-and-run driver on a pedestrian crossing in Birmingham. West Midlands Police say the victim -who is thought to be aged 60 and had a dog with him - suffered head injuries. A force spokesman said they want to speak to the driver of a brown or red Seat car, who may be Asian, with a goatee beard, wearing a woollen hat. RECYCLING SCHEME TO BE EXPANDED A kerbside recycling scheme in Dudley is to be rolled out across the borough after securing £1.5m of extra funding from central government. Dudley Council was one of 51 successful local authorities to bid for a slice of £43m available from the National Waste Minimisation and Recycling Fund. Council spokeswoman Karen Shakespeare said: "This is fantastic news." SOCCER RIOT VIDEOS CONDEMNED Police have condemned the sale of videos of football violence on the Internet, including one of Aston Villa fans clashing with Birmingham fans. Thugs can buy the sickening footage legally and officers admit there is nothing they can do to stop it. Some images are thought to be filmed by hooligans but police believe others are videos from their own spotters YOUTH QUIZZED OVER DJ DEATH A teenager quizzed on suspicion of murdering a radio DJ who died after confronting burglars at his Birmingham home has been bailed. Tushar Makwana, 37, died from head injuries after being run over outside his house in Castle Bromwich. A 17-year-old boy, from Castle Vale, was released on bail pending further inquiries, a police spokesman said. MAN REMANDED ON MURDER CHARGE A bouncer accused of killing a man who was shot dead on a canal towpath in Notts has been remanded in custody. Thomas Convery, 31, appeared before Nottingham magistrates accused of the murder of Simon Luffman, 39, who was found by Nottingham Canal in Bramcote. Convery, of Nottingham, was remanded in custody to appear before the same court via video link on Monday. CAMPAIGNERS BACK AIRPORT SALE Environmental campaigners have welcomed the sale of Coventry Airport to Europe's largest travel group. West Midlands Friends of the Earth said the past owners had built extensions to the runway and temporary passenger terminal without planning permission. A spokesman said he hoped German-based TUI would reconsider the recent developments at the airport. WARNING OVER IMMIGRANT WORKERS An MP claims cities in the region such as Birmingham will be hit by the influx of migrant workers from eastern Europe after the forthcoming EU enlargement. Lichfield Tory MP Michael Fabricant predicted the Government's proposals to refuse benefit payments would not work. Mr Fabricant has now issued a statement calling on local authorities in the region to make contingency plans. GUANTANAMO DETAINEES TO BE FREED Three men from Tipton being held at the US Guantanamo Bay army base on alleged al-Qaeda links are to be released. Rhuhel Ahmed, 23, Asif Iqbal, 20, and Shafiq Rasul, 24, will be freed in the next few weeks, according to Foreign Secretary Jack Straw. Police will consider whether the three men should face questioning under the Terrorism Act 2000 when they return. DETAINEE'S FATHER FIGHTS ON The father of a Tipton man being held at the US Guantanamo army base has spoken out after learning his son is not among five Britons to be released. Three other detainees from Tipton are to be freed in the next few weeks, according to the Foreign Office. Azmat Begg, father of detainee Moazzam, said: "I will keep on doing whatever I have to do to get him released." FIRE CREWS ATTEND SCHOOL BLAZE Firefighters were called to tackle a severe blaze at Cottesbrook Junior School in Acock's Green, Birmingham. West Midlands Fire Service attended the scene after a blaze spread from the entrance hallway to a boiler room and office accommodation. Firefighters had to cut away ceiling panels in order to salvage office equipment from the two-storey building. THIRD MAN CHARGED WITH MURDER A third man has been charged with the murder of a Walsall landlord. The 18-year-old, from Heath Hayes, near Cannock, Staffs, has been charged with murder, burglary and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. Last year, Lee Worgan and Gavin Chapman were remanded in custody charged with killing Michael Hughes, 49, at the Royal Oak pub in Pelsall. INQUEST ON PREGNANT TEACHER A Milton Keynes inquest is to determine the exact cause of the death of a pregnant teacher from Northants, killed in a pile-up with her unborn child. Teacher Deborah Peaty, 26, of Daventry, died after the accident on the A5 near Potterspury, Northamptonshire. Ratnam Yogan, 29, was charged with causing death by dangerous driving, but fled the country while awaiting trial. MORE CASH FOR IMPROVEMENTS Birmingham City Council has announced an 11% increase in the amount of money set aside for repairs and improvements to council houses. A spokesman for the authority said £160.8m had been earmarked for such projects in the 2004/2005 budget. A rent increase of £2.50 per week effective from October this year was also announced. JOBS TO GO AT POWERGEN Electricity generator Powergen is to close its offices in Birmingham and Telford as part of UK-wide cutbacks that will see 600 jobs axed. The move follows the recent purchase and merger of Midlands Electricity and East Midlands Electricity. A spokesman for Powergen said consultations were under way with its 4,700 employees and trades unions. LAND ROVER WORKERS ACCEPT DEAL Workers at motor company Land Rover have accepted a pay offer to end the threat of more strikes by staff at the Solihull and Gaydon plants. The Ford-owned firm has been hit by two walkouts that crippled production. A fresh ballot was held on an offer worth about 6.5% over two years. This has been accepted by 65% of those voting, said union Amicus. THINKTANK SHORTLISTED FOR MAJOR PRIZE These are exciting times for Thinktank, Birmingham’s museum of science and discovery, as it has been shortlisted for the UK’s biggest arts prize, The Gulbenkian Prize for Museum of the Year. The Gulbenkian Prize for Museum of the Year is a £100,000 award given annually to one museum or gallery, large or small, anywhere in the UK. Thinktank has been singled out for the unique new exhibits on show in the Futures gallery, offering a tantalising glimpse into what might be the future. Three of the judges who will decide whether Thinktank wins the prestigious prize on May 11th will be at the museum on Monday. PLANS PROPOSED TO IMPROVE SWIM FACILITIES IN PERRY BARR City Council Chiefs have announced that the provision for swimmers in the Perry Barr area is heading for major improvement. The Council is currently considering a proposal to build a new leisure centre with brand new facilities. A feasibility study is currently being conducted which will assess whether the proposals are financially viable. The proposals would see a private sector partner taking on the costs of the re-build which would then be paid back by the council over a period of 25 years. The new premises would replace the facilities at Beeches Pool and Fitness Centre, Great Barr. Cllr Ian Ward, Cabinet Member for Leisure, Sport and Culture says: "I'm delighted to announce that work is under way to look to how we improve provision of swimming and leisure facilities for people in Perry Barr. As a National City of Sport, we want to enable all to participate in sporting activities. We want people to go swimming as part of their daily lives and clearly pleasant surroundings are important to achieve this." He added: "Our commitment to swimming provision across the city is further proven by the new scheme which will grant children up to 14, free access to swimming baths."
PHONE
BACK TO BIRMINGHAM101 HOME PAGE
|
