Translate into

1. Go to www.google.co.uk
2. Type in "site:birmingham101.com" followed by whatever you are searching for

Click "Search" to get results displayed

TRUST AWARDED FOUNDATION STATUS
Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth and Selly Oak hospitals have been awarded NHS Foundation Trust status, giving them greater freedom from Whitehall.
The hospitals - run by University Hospital Birmingham NHS Trust - are the first in the West Midlands to be approved by the Independent Regulator.
The hospitals will remain part of the NHS but will operate independently.

SIX SCHOOLS HANDED STATUS
Six more Birmingham schools have been awarded specialist status and will be operating under their new profiles from September 2004.
Among those affected is Saltley School, which will become a science specialist and team up with staff at Heartlands Hospital to deliver the curriculum.
Some 53 of Birmingham's 77 secondary schools now have specialist status.

THEME PARK FAST FOOD CRITICISED
The quality of food on offer at two Staffordshire theme parks has been criticised in a new report.
Consumer magazine Which? awarded Drayton Manor Park a 35% rating for its choice of healthy foods, ranking it 15th out of 20 UK attractions.
Rival theme park Alton Towers came 11th, with a score of 55%. Edinburgh Castle topped the poll scoring 100%.

YOUTH QUIZZED OVER STABLE FIRE
A 17-year-old boy is being questioned in connection with a suspected arson attack on stables in Stoke-on-Trent in which a horse died, police have said.
Fire crews and police officers were called to the stables in Brindley Ford where they discovered the dead animal.
Staffordshire Police said the blaze is thought to have been started deliberately.

BOY HAS 'MIRACLE' ESCAPE
A 13-year-old boy from Rugby who suffered a massive electric shock on overhead railway wires, plunged 30ft from a bridge - and still survived.
Police called it a miracle escape. It began when the boy's foot touched the overhead power line.
The boy fell off the Woodside Park rail bridge, through overhead cables, and on to a wagon before hitting the tracks.


MAN SECTIONED FOR TANKER THEFT
A 27-year-old Stoke-on-Trent man has been sectioned under the Mental Health Act for stealing a fully-laden petrol tanker from a Northants supermarket.
Michael Lawrence stole the tanker carrying petrol from the Sainsbury's store in Wellingborough last November, and shed fuel as he drove away.
Judge Thomas Corrie sectioned him at Northampton Crown Court.

FIVE ARRESTED IN WEAPONS RAIDS
More than 25 illegal weapons have been seized during dawn raids across the West Midlands.
Five people were arrested following 11 raids during a national crackdown on firearms being sold over the internet.
Fifteen blank-firing weapons, seven CS spray canisters, several replica firearms, a stun gun, a deactivated AK47 and a machine pistol were seized.

MAN STRANDED 80ft ABOVE STREET
Firefighters have rescued an injured man who was stranded on scaffolding 80ft above a Birmingham street.
The man had suffered head injuries during demolition work in Lord Street, Nechells, and was helped to safety from his perch outside the fourth floor.
West Midlands Fire Service said the man was taken to hospital by ambulance following the incident.

LIB DEM LEADER VISITS CANDIDATE
The leader of the Liberal Democrats is making a second visit to Birmingham in support of the party's candidate in the forthcoming by-election.
Charles Kennedy will join Nicola Davies ahead of the Hodge Hill poll, which is being contested after Labour's Terry Davis quit to take up a European post.
The pair are due to meet local people near the Fox and Goose Shopping Centre.

SHOTGUN TAKEN DURING BURGLARY
A shotgun and keys to a gun cabinet have been stolen during a burglary at a house in Nuneaton.
The 12-bore double-barrelled Greener shotgun was taken from an address in Caldecote Lane while the owner was in another room.
Police are keen to speak to the female driver of a burgundy Renault Megane seen parked in the lane at the time.

HUMAN TABLE-TOP FOOTBALL CHALLENGE RAISES OVER £2,000

Turner Bates, formed 14 years ago have recently joined forces with a small group of Independent Financial Advisers offering national coverage to their clients.  To celebrate their new identity, a Human Table-Top Football challenge was made to clients and contacts and held at the Indoor Cricket Centre, Edgbaston on Monday 3^rd May.
The event was in aid of the Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Trust, which matches bone marrow donors with leukaemia sufferers.  Over £2,000 was raised to help tissue type more potential bone marrow donors, any one of whom could save a life.
Turner Bates Kilminster Director Neil Bates said : "it was an opportunity to celebrate our further development by raising funds for a worthwhile cause and having a fun day with our clients".
For more informaton, please see the "Blown Ups 4Grown Ups" website at :-  http://www.blownups4grownups.co.uk

AWARD FOR GALAXY PROGRAMME DIRECTOR

Acocks Green’s Galaxy 102.2 Programme Director, Neil Greenslade Banks Commercial Radio Award, Despite Burning £5000 in Publicity Stunt.
The NTL Commerical Radio Award was presented to Neil Greenslade who was crowned Radio Programmer of the Year, despite the controversy surrounding the station’s ‘Bank it or Burn it’ competition earlier this year. Chrysalis Radio Midlands’ other station (The Midlands’ largest Radio Station), 100.7 Heart fm, was also nominated for two awards.
Earlier this year the station was the subject of controversy due to a competition where listeners were asked to choose between; giving a Galaxy winner £5,000 to embark on her media career, or setting light to the money and burning it. Listeners voted by text, and in the end Birmingham united, voting to send the cash up in flames.
Galaxy 102.2 Programme Director, Neil Greenslade, beat Coventry and Warwickshire’s Mercia FM and London’s Heart 106.2, making Chrysalis Radio Midlands the winner of Programmer of the Year for the second year running (100.7 Heart fm’s Alan Carruthers won in 2003).
Neil Greenslade commented: “ This is such an unexpected pleasure. I grew up with my Dad’s band, following him to radio stations. I knew I wanted to work in radio but who would have thought it would have lead to this? It’s terrific news especially on the back of all time record audiences for Galaxy 102.2 in the latest RAJAR survey. I have to thank everyone who has helped the station, both by listening and by working behind the scenes.”
Neil Greenslade grew up in Bristol but settled in Birmingham 7 years ago, living first in Solihull and then moving to Acocks Green. He commented on his decision to live in Birmingham: “I have no regrets. I love Birmingham, I love my mates here, and I love where I live. It’s a progressive place. It’s got an awesome musical heritage and the current scene is just unmissable.”

STUDENT KILLED IN ROAD ACCIDENT
Pupils and staff at a Worcestershire school are attempting to come to terms with the loss of a student who died in a road accident following a prom night.
16-year-old Jamie Holden was in collision with a car as he made his way home from Bewdley High School.
Specialist family liaison officers plan to counsel the teenager's friends and teachers who witnessed the tragedy.

POLICE PROBE HOSPITAL STABBING
Police are investigating the stabbing of a man who was found staggering in the grounds of a Birmingham hospital.
West Midlands Police said the victim was rushed into City Hospital after flagging down an ambulance which was passing through the site.
Inspector Kevin Kelsey said the victim was in a serious condition and had undergone preliminary surgery.

LIFE TERM FOR MURDEROUS CONMAN
A Worcester financial adviser has been jailed for life for fleecing an elderly client in Macclesfield then murdering her when she demanded the cash back.
Peter Crittenden, 64, seduced Joan Beddeson, 69, and made her hand over almost £300,000, then smothered her.
A jury at Chester Crown Court found Crittenden guilty of murder and three counts of theft.

£80m INVESTMENT IN HOUSING
The Government has announced an £80m boost to the housing stock in the West Midlands and north Staffordshire.
About 2,000 houses will be refurbished, 700 properties demolished, 300 empty homes bought and 200 extra acres set aside for redevelopment or green space.
The money will be shared between the Birmingham Sandwell urban living scheme and Renew North Staffordshire.

GREEN BELT SITE TO BE RESTORED
A Warwickshire green belt site occupied illegally by gipsies for three years will take "some time" to restore, according to council officials.
More than 100 riot police were needed to throw around 40 residents off the Bulkington camp after the travellers lost a High Court battle to stay there.
A spokesman said: "Extensive works had been carried out by the families."

COMPUTER FIRM AXES 390 JOBS
Global electronics giant Celestica is to close its Staffordshire factory with the loss of 390 jobs, it has emerged.
Amicus called the decision to close the Kidsgrove site - as part of the firm's restructuring - a "hammer blow".
About 180 workers at the computer components company will get the chance to transfer to another site in Telford before the closure early next year.

HOWARD IN PRE-ELECTION VISIT
Tory leader Michael Howard is visiting two key by-election battlegrounds, including one in Birmingham.
Mr Howard will be in Birmingham Hodge Hill and Leicester South to support the candidates who are hoping to take the vacant seats from Labour.
The Hodge Hill seat has become empty following the appointment of Terry Davis MP to a European post.

SOUTH AFRICA ANNIVERSARY MARKED
Senior politicians are due in Coventry to celebrate the 10th anniversary of democratic government in South Africa.
Members of the African nation's current government will assemble at Coventry University alongside UK counterparts.
The event will also mark 10 years of achievement by the Coventry-based group Tabeisa, which has helped develop small businesses in South African townships.

HOSTAGE HOAX THIEVES SOUGHT
Police have released CCTV stills of a couple who have used an elaborate hostage hoax to rob banks in Coalville, Daventry and Birmingham.
The hoax involves a woman who enters the premises posing as a customer, followed by a man who threatens to harm her if cash is not handed over.
Leicestershire Constabulary detectives believe the pair are working together.

YOUTH BAILED OVER SCHOOL FIRE
A teenager arrested over a fire which destroyed a Rugby secondary school has been bailed by police.
The youth, 15, was held on suspicion of arson in connection with the blaze at the Avon Valley Foundation School.
Police said the boy has been charged with breaching an unrelated Anti-Social Behaviour Order and will appear before Rugby Youth Court on July 9.

THREE HURT AFTER GANG FIGHT
Three men needed hospital treatment after a huge fight between two armed gangs on the car park of a Warwickshire supermarket, police have said.
The violent clash involving thugs wielding golf clubs and other weapons took place outside Tesco in Rugby.
Three Lutterworth men aged between 18 and 20 had serious injuries, including a severe head wound and broken arm.

MAN CRITICALLY ILL AFTER ATTACK
A man found in the grounds of a Birmingham hospital with serious stab wounds is in a critical condition after emergency surgery, police have said.
West Midlands Police initially feared the victim, who was found at City Hospital, had been fatally injured.
Officers believe he was attacked in the Bordesley Green area before being left at the Winson Green hospital.

BOYS RESCUED FROM LAKE
Four boys had to be rescued after they became stranded on an island in the middle of a Birmingham lake.
The youngsters used an inflatable dinghy to paddle out across Merescroft Pool, Kings Norton, but the boat burst after they landed.
A specialist water rescue crew based at Perry Barr was called to rescue the boys, who were not injured.

TEENAGER'S INQUEST TO OPEN
The inquest into the death of an apprentice bricklayer who died in a road accident in Worcestershire after his high school ball is due to open.
Jamie Holden, 16, suffered fatal injuries in the collision in Bewdley while walking home with his friends.
County coroner Victor Round is expected to adjourn the hearing in Stourport-on-Severn to a date to be fixed.

DRIVERS FACING DELAYS
Motorists are being warned to expect delays as a major roadworks operation begins on roads around Birmingham.
The northbound M6 between junctions 5 and 6 will close for 20 weeks for resurfacing, and part of the A38 Aston Expressway will also be worked on.
Engineers say the £15m works on both routes at the same time will save drivers five months of problems.

SURVEY: 90% WANT SMOKING BAN
Nearly 90% of West Midlands people who took part in an online debate about smoking said they would prefer all enclosed public places made smoke-free.
Organisers said 13,592 people registered their opinion regionally and expressed a strong desire for change.
An NHS spokesman said: "There is overwhelming support for smoke-free public places in the region."

MURDER ACCUSED IN CUSTODY
A 26-year-old Shrewsbury man has been remanded in custody charged with the murder of a retired music teacher.
Matthew Brookes, of Field Close, is accused of killing 54-year-old Philip Cieciora, who was found bludgeoned to death in bed at his Ditherington flat.
Shrewsbury magistrates committed the case to the town's crown court, where Brookes will appear on July 12.

BALLET 'LOSING OUT TO BULLIES'
A new generation of Billy Elliotts are being hampered by a "bully-boy culture" in schools, dance star Wayne Sleep has claimed at a workshop in Birmingham.
The former Royal Ballet star said he knew of aspiring male students who had been assaulted for "daring to take up dancing" like the star of the hit film.
Sleep, 56, also criticised schools for showing a lack of interest in dance.

PROBE AFTER MAN FOUND HANGED
Health officials are carrying out an inquiry into the death of a 70-year-old patient who was found hanged at Birmingham's City Hospital.
Dennis Endean, who lived near the site, was found in toilets off a ward.
Police are not treating the death as suspicious, but the Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust has launched an internal investigation

KIDNEY PATIENT NETS DAY OUT
A five-year-old Walsall girl with kidney cancer shared in a piece of Wimbledon history by joining Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams on court.
Emily Bailes was chosen to flip the coin at the women's final just a day before her sixth birthday.
The toss was won by Sharapova, who became the tournament's third youngest women's singles title holder.

NEW M-WAY TOLL PROPOSED
Transport Secretary Alistair Darling is expected to reveal plans for a second toll motorway near Birmingham.
The new road will head north from the existing M6 Toll near the city and will reportedly trace the route of the old M6 for 50 miles up to Manchester.
It is understood that two lanes will be built both northbound and southbound very close to the existing motorway.

TOLL MOTORWAY PLAN CRITICISED
Campaigners have accused the Government of bowing to the roads lobby with proposals to build a second toll motorway near Birmingham.
Secretary Alistair Darling is expected to outline plans for a "pay-as-you-go" road to head north from the existing M6 Toll to Manchester.
Friends of the Earth said it was "angry and disappointed" about the plans.

MURDER VICTIM'S MOTHER APPEALS
The mother of a disabled Worcestershire man who was murdered following a night out is to make a public appeal for witnesses to come forward.
Andrew Lammas, 44, died in hospital 10 days after suffering severe head injuries in a street attack yards from his front door in Bromsgrove.
His family are due to join West Mercia Constabulary at a news conference.

AIRPORT STAFF VOTE TO STRIKE
Baggage handlers at 17 airports including Birmingham and Coventry have voted to strike in a dispute over pay, threatening chaos to summer flights.
Members of the Transport and General Workers Union overwhelmingly backed walkouts in protest at a 2.5% offer.
The union said talks will be held with employers Aviance on Wednesday in a bid to avert stoppages.

BLAIR DEFENDS WAR IN LETTER
Tony Blair has defended the war in Iraq in a letter to the father of a Solihull man who was one of six military policemen killed by a mob last year.
The Prime Minister told Reg Keys: "I do believe their lives were lost in a just and important cause, for which future generations would be grateful."
An inquiry is probing the death of L/Cpl Tom Keys, 20, and his colleagues.

TEENAGER SUFFERS ELECTRIC SHOCK
A Solihull teenager is battling for his life after suffering an electric shock from a faulty extension lead, police have said.
Daniel Kitley, 13, from Chelmsley Wood, suffered the shock in his back garden.
He is being treated at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent, where his condition is understood to be critical.

RAIL SAFETY DEVICE LAUNCHED
A safety device to detect cracked railway lines like those which caused the Hatfield disaster has been launched by the University of Warwick.
The ultrasound equipment enables high-speed locomotives to detect flaws in the tracks before reaching them.It is hoped that with funding the technology will be able to be used to spot cracks which will fail in future.

BOY HURT IN CAR COLLISION
A three-year-old boy was injured when he was in collision with a car near his Nuneaton home, police have said.
He suffered cuts and bruises to his head and body after colliding with a grey Volkswagen Golf in Ivanhoe Avenue.
Warwickshire Police said the boy was taken to George Eliot Hospital for treatment and later released. Police are appealing for witnesses.

REMEMBRANCE E-BOOK LAUNCHED
A West Bromwich crematorium has set up an e-book of remembrance for grieving visitors.
Newton Crematorium is trialling the novel service to see if it proves popular with relatives wishing to pay tribute to a loved one.
Bosses say the paperless book will make it easier for the bereaved to write and read other people's tributes.

PARENTS FINED OVER TRUANTS
Parents in Dudley are being warned to ensure their children attend school or face prosecution.
The advice came after local magistrates fined two parents hundreds of pounds for failing in their duties.
A Dudley Council spokesman said further incidents of non-attendence at school could result in a prison sentence for the parents.

BRITISH QUALITY CHICKEN ON TOUR
• British Quality Chicken has teamed up with Woman magazine for a nationwide tour
• Tour bus arrives in Birmingham on Tuesday 6 July @ Victoria Square
• Celebrity chef recipes, goody bags, prizes to be won, and much more!
It’s a fact: we love chicken. As a nation, it’s our favourite meat by far 1, and when we’re trying out new recipes, 69% of us prefer to use chicken as the main ingredient.
If you’re one of the many budding chefs that likes to cook up a chicken-based treat in the kitchen, make sure you head for Victoria Square in Birmingham on Tuesday 6 July.

British Quality Chicken has teamed up with Woman magazine for a nationwide tour and from their double-decker bus you can pick up delicious recipe ideas, including some created by restaurateur and celebrity chef, Brian Turner. There are also goody bags to take away, on-the-spot prizes, and even the chance to win a brand new MFI kitchen worth £5,000. And there’s plenty to keep the kids occupied while you’re browsing for culinary inspiration, such as a colouring corner and free face painting.
British Quality Chicken is a new initiative that aims to encourage us to choose British when we buy chicken, for the best quality and freshness. By looking out for the Red Tractor and Union Jack symbols on pack, you can be assured you are buying a quality British product.

LOCAL MAN WINS SERVICE EXCELLENCE AWARD

John Cull, head chef at BUPA's Ashby Court Nursing and Residential Home in Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire, has won a service excellence award for his contribution to the home.
John is one of ten employees chosen to win service excellence awards. Over the past year over 2,300 BUPA employees from all over the world have been presented with BUPA ambassador awards recognising that they have excelled in their roles and the very best of these receive further recognition at an awards presentation at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden.
John is described by home manager Ruth Coales as a wonderful chef who provides management support and excels at his job. He dresses up to help entertain residents, helps raise money for charity and has even roasted a pig for the home's garden fete.
"John spends time getting to know each resident, their relatives and friends, finding out their likes and dislikes and offering reassurance. He's never too busy to talk with a resident, a small act of friendship that frequently brightens the person's day, making them feel special and loved," said home manager of Ashby Court, Ruth Coales.
Peter Ludford, director of BUPA Care Homes, said, "Our staff members are our most valuable asset and I am delighted that John has been recognised for the excellent care and service that he provides."

DRUG ADDICT FACING LIFE TERM
A Birmingham drug addict is facing a life sentence after being found guilty of murdering a drug dealer hours after kidnapping and raping a prostitute.
Jerry Williams, 46, stabbed Ian Jenkins around 18 times in the face and chest in a dispute over a sex-for-drugs deal at the victim's Wolverhampton flat.
Williams had denied all the charges at Birmingham Crown Court.

SHOPLIFTERS TO PAY FOR LOSSES
Shoplifters in Solihull can expect to be taken through civil courts by retailers wishing to recoup their losses with the launch of a new scheme.
West Midlands Police said criminals would face costs associated with the offence, including damaged and stolen goods, the use of CCTV and staff time.
The force is hoping small retailers will be encouraged to use the scheme.

TOLL MOTORWAY PLANS UNVEILED
Plans for Britain's second motorway toll road, to run north of the existing road between Birmingham and Manchester, have been announced by the Government.
Transport Secretary Alistair Darling told MPs the plan is an alternative to widening the M6 to four lanes.
The new toll road will be a 50-mile dual-lane expressway parallel to the M6 to "give motorists greater choice".

TOLL ROAD CUTS TRAFFIC
Traffic on the M6 has plummeted by 10% since the M6 Toll opened in the West Midlands last December, figures show.
The biggest effect on traffic volume has been felt on Friday afternoons, and journey times have been reduced.
New Government statistics show the road carries 40,000 vehicles on a weekday and 30,000 a day at weekends - about one fifth of the traffic in the area.

TOLL MOTORWAY PLAN CRITICISED
The West Midlands branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England has described plans for a new M6 toll road as "a crazy notion".
Spokesman Gerald Kells believes the M6 to be one of the less congested sections of motorway in the region.
Friends of the Earth said it was "angry and disappointed" that the Government had "caved in" to the roads lobby.

MAN QUIZZED OVER DRIVE-BY DEATH
A Sparkhill man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering a father of three killed in a drive-by shooting.
Jahanzab Khan was shot several times in the head and upper body by a gunman in a passing car as he drove along a Birmingham road last year.
West Midlands Police said a 27-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder and is in custody.

BODY DISCOVERED IN RIVER
A woman's body has been discovered in a stretch of the River Severn in Worcestershire, police have said.
Police recovered the body after a member of the public spotted it in the water.
West Mercia Police said a post-mortem examination will be carried out and inquiries are being made to discover the woman's identity.

BLAIR DISCUSSES CUBA DETAINEE
The Government cannot ensure British detainees at Guantanamo Bay, including a Birmingham man, would not pose a security threat if freed, the PM said.
Tony Blair told the Commons Liaison Committee he had discussed the case of Moazzam Begg, from Sparkhill.
He said the United States was not "unreasonable" in holding the men until Britain could give security assurances.

TRIO RESCUE MAN FROM HOUSE FIRE
A father and son are recovering in hospital after helping an off-duty police officer save a Worcester man from his burning home.
The resident and his rescuers were taken to the Worcestershire Royal Hospital following the blaze.
The victim, who was said to be in a poor condition, was due to be transferred to a Birmingham hospital.

HOME SECRETARY JOINS CAMPAIGN
The by-election battle for a key Birmingham seat is continuing with a visit by Home Secretary David Blunkett to support Labour's candidate.
Mr Blunkett is the latest high-profile politician to visit Hodge Hill, following trips by Chancellor Gordon Brown and Tory leader Michael Howard.
Labour is fighting to retain control of Hodge Hill at the count on July 15.

DISABLED GROUP PLANS SURVEY
Disabled volunteers in Rugby are taking part in a campaign to highlight the physical obstacles that prevent them accessing town centre businesses.
Organisers hope the mystery shopper event will encourage traders to understand what changes are needed to ensure accessibility for all.
The Rugby Disability Forum hopes to create a league table of accessibility.

BRAILLE JEWELLERY SHOWCASED AT BIRMINGHAM EXHIBITION
QAC Sight Village is probably the largest international exhibition of technology, products and services for blind and partially sighted people in the UK. Amongst this year’s exhibitors will be Kim Christiansen. The show is in Birmingham on 13/14/15 July. A Creator of the World’s first line of Braille Jewellery, Kim Christiansen has been providing his unique designs to satisfied customers around the world since 1989. His range of products include earrings, pins, pendants, cuff bracelets, key chains, tie tacks, cuff links and rings. Some pieces can be personalized and people are fascinated with the idea that they can have secret messages that they and friends can share. The range is available in sterling silver, 14 kit. gold and gold plated sterling. When Christiansen first had the idea to make Braille Jewellery, he did not have any friends or acquaintances who were blind. He was simply driving along, thought of his wife’s birthday coming up and wanted to make something different for her present. After a series of thoughts the idea of a pair of silver earrings with the words “I Love You” in Braille came to mind. He went to the local Braille Institute, learned how to Braille and the night before her birthday he finished the first pair. Everyone loved them and he has been doing it ever since. He has exhibited his work at conferences throughout the US and Canada and at QAC Sight Village 2000 in Birmingham, England. One of his earrings, the Harmony Serenity, has actually been placed into the permanent collection of the American History Museum at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. To view his work you can go to www.braillejewelry.com.

HOMES WITHOUT POWER
Around 7,000 Shropshire homes are without electricity after gales battered the region.
Engineers from suppliers Central Networks are working to fix a transformer which cut out, causing the power loss in Albrighton.
Spokeswoman Rebecca Middleton said work has gone on throughout the night to try and get the supply back.

WALL COLLAPSES ON WORKERS
Two builders have been taken to hospital after a wall collapsed on them as they worked on a new filling station in Birmingham during stormy weather.
West Midlands Fire Service said the 15ft-high internal wall toppled over on the site in Lawley Middleway.
They were taken to Heartlands and Selly Oak hospitals with injuries that were thought to be not life-threatening.

FATHERS SCALE COURT BUILDING
Spiderman and Batman are seeking justice for fathers by protesting from the top of a Worcester court building.
Two campaigners dressed as the comic strip heroes have climbed the Shirehall demanding equal rights for fathers.
They are members of the pressure group Fathers 4 Justice, and said they have enough food, drink and warm clothing to stay put for days.

FOOTBALL CLUBS JOIN IN FORUM
Stoke City Football Club is to host a national conference on strategies to deal with a potential terrorist attack on a sports stadium.
Emergency planners want to discuss how clubs would respond to a chemical, biological or nuclear disaster.
Representatives from top football clubs will be visiting the Britannia Stadium for the awareness day.

AIRPORT PAY DEAL STRUCK
The threat of a strike by baggage handlers at UK airports, including Birmingham, has been averted after a pay deal was agreed.
A two-and-a-half year deal, worth 3.5% this year and a similar amount in 2005, was thrashed out by the TGWU, Amicus and the GMB with employer Aviance.
The unions will now recommend the deal to baggage handlers and check-in staff.

MEN DENY NEW YEAR MURDERS
Five men accused of shooting dead two teenagers outside a New Year's Eve party in Birmingham have denied murder charges against them. Students Charlene Ellis, 18, and Letisha Shakespeare, 17, were killed in Aston. The men were remanded in custody at Nottingham Crown Court and the case was adjourned for trial in October.

DEMO OVER THREAT TO TREES
Protesters are taking to the streets of Birmingham to demonstrate against a proposed road-widening scheme that would see 10 mature trees chopped down. Environmentalists will join residents in School Road, Hall Green, to highlight the plans to cut down the 100-year-old trees. Opponents of the scheme say the development will ruin the area.

PM HONOURS ACT OF BRAVERY
A Staffordshire policeman is being honoured by the Prime Minister for his bravery in tackling an armed man. David Stephenson had confronted a drug addict who walked into Hanley police station wielding a replica handgun. The former sergeant, now retired, is among 45 officers from around the UK whose heroism will be toasted by Tony Blair at a Downing Street reception.

TOLL ROAD USE UP 56% - FIGURES
The number of vehicles using the M6 Toll road on a daily basis has risen by 56% since January, say new figures. Operator Midlands Expressway said it was pleased with the rise, which showed the average traffic in June was 47,986, up nearly 12% on the previous month. The news came the day after the Government announced plans for a tolled expressway on another part of M6.

ONLY ONE AGRICULTURAL DEATH
The number of deaths recorded in the agricultural sector in the West Midlands this year remains static at one, according to the latest figures. The Health and Safety report for 2003/2004 shows the only reported death was a 52-year-old farmer. The man died after falling through a cowshed roof while he was attempting to repair cracks.

BEST TAP WATER QUALITY
The Drinking Water Inspectorate, the independent tap water watchdog, today announced figures showing that the high quality of tap water for South Staffordshire Water has been maintained for another year. 99.91% of tests carried out last year passed the DWIs exacting standards. The quality of South Staffs tap water is among Britains best, against a national average pass rate of 99.88%. The number of failed samples from the region was just 34 out of over 37,000 tests carried out annually. The tests are taken to check on treatment processes and the quality of the water as it comes out of customers taps. The high level of achievement is due to £20m of investment in water treatment processes over the past 5 years. The Director of Water Quality, Dr Mike Turrell, said: “South Staffordshire Water is pleased to report another year of high levels of water quality. Going forward the challenge will be to continue to improve as we reach the point of balance between additional benefit to our customers against the additional cost.”

MAN IN COURT OVER HOSTEL DEATHS
A 30-year-old charged with murdering four residents of a Birmingham hostel in a suspected arson attack is set to enter his plea to the charges.
Garry Dudley is due before a judge at the city's Crown Court for a plea and directions hearing.
He is accused of killing the three men and a woman who died in a blaze at the Fairlawns Hotel, Hagley Road, in April.
 

RAPIST JAILED FOR MURDER
A convicted Birmingham serial rapist who attacked a prostitute and murdered a drug dealer months after his release from prison has been jailed for life.
Crack cocaine addict Jerry Williams, 46, was told he must serve a minimum of 25 years for butchering Ian Jenkins.
He had been released less than five months earlier after serving 12 years for raping four women in the 1990s.

STUDENT ACQUITTED OVER CRASH
A 19-year-old student at a Shropshire college has been acquitted of killing three others in a head-on collision.
Nicholas Evans, of Newport, was accused of three counts of causing death by dangerous driving following the tragedy near Harper Adams College, Edgmond.
The trial at Shrewsbury Crown Court was halted after the judge ruled that prosecution evidence was conflicting.

FIRE JOBS ESCAPE AXE
The threat of redundancy to nearly 100 Worcestershire and Herefordshire firefighters has been averted - but the brigade's budget has still been capped.
Hereford and Worcester Combined Fire Authority must curb spending increases next year by £1m, not the expected £2m which would have meant cutting 93 jobs.
Telford and Wrekin Borough Council has escaped Government budget-capping.

FAMILY NET CHAMPION TITLE
A Staffordshire family has been chosen to spearhead a sport initiative to help the nation get active.
The Robinsons from Burntwood beat off the challenge from eight other families to be named as Sport England's first "Champion Family".
David and Pat, plus Charlie, 25, Amy, 23 and 15-year-old Matt keep fit by walking, cycling and going to the gym.

MAN SHOT ON NIGHT OUT
A 20-year-old man has been shot several times while he was on a night out with friends in Rugby town centre.
Warwickshire Police said the victim was gunned down as he walked across the town's cattle market in Craven Road.
He was taken to the Coventry and Warwick Hospital with wounds to his head, neck and upper body, and is said to be in a stable condition.

'MAGIC MUSHROOM' SHOPS RAIDED
Four people have been arrested on suspicion of selling class A drugs after police raided three Birmingham shops selling "magic mushrooms".
They were exploiting a legal loophole which allows them to import mushrooms and sell them in their natural state.
However, it is an offence to process them in any way. Police arrested three men and a woman in stores in Selly Oak.

SCHOOL TO START WIND TURBINE
A Telford primary school is looking forward to electricity bill savings with the unveiling of a wind turbine.
Pupils at Ladygrove primary school will set the sails spinning on the electricity-generating windmill.
Ladygrove is thought to be the first school in the region to build one of the devices - which should trim about £400 off annual fuel costs.

WOMAN KILLED IN HEAD-ON CRASH
A Warwickshire motorist who died in a head-on collision with a refuse truck has been named by police.
Frances Lloyd was at the wheel of a VW Golf which was involved in the crash with the Biffa lorry on the A452 at Bishops Tachbrook.
The 60-year-old, from Wellesbourne, was airlifted to Birmingham's Heartlands Hospital but could not be saved.

ANIMALS SHOT AFTER RAMPAGE
A bull and a cow have been shot dead after they went on the rampage while trying to escape from a Warwickshire abattoir, police have said.
The animals began charging at terrified staff after running into the yard outside the slaughterhouse.
A Warwickshire Police spokesman said staff spent an hour trying unsuccessfully to restrain the animals.

DOMINO’S GETS DOUGH-RAISING FOR MAKE-A-WISH
Domino’s Pizza in Yardley, Birmingham, will help the Make-A-Wish Foundationâ UK move one step closer to making a child’s wish come true this week, thanks to some dedicated ‘Dough-Raising’ throughout a special Customer Appreciation Week.
Customer Appreciation Week aims to offer customers outstanding value on both delivery and carry out orders to thank them for their ongoing support. Throughout the week, which begins 12th July until 18th July, 20 pence will be donated to Make-A-Wishâ for every order placed.
Make-A-Wishâ is the largest wish-granting organisation in the world, with one simple objective - to grant the wishes of children aged 3 to 18 living with life-threatening illnesses into a reality. Jennie Mould from the charity said; “We are over the moon that Domino’s is Dough-Raising for us this week and hope that the orders will come flooding in!”
Commenting on the special week and the dough-raising drive, Domino’s Area Manager Tony Austing said;
“Domino’s is committed to delivering more than just a great-tasting pizza. We want to do something for the local community because, after all, it’s local people that have helped us to be a successful business. Dough-Raising is our way of making a difference and we hope to raise lots of money for Make-A-Wish Foundation UK.”
Throughout Customer Appreciation Week, customers can buy any pizza, any size, for £5.99 on carry out orders and £7.99 on delivery.

TOWN HALL CALLS FOR STONEMASON APPRENTICES
Local people are being given a unique opportunity to learn the craft of stonemasonry, and in doing so, will work on one of the city’s most prestigious landmark buildings, Birmingham Town Hall.
As part of its commission to renovate the building’s stonework, Stonewest is offering two modern day apprenticeships in the ancient craft of stonemasonry.
Open to anyone sixteen years of age and above, the apprenticeships comprise two years of Construction Industry Training Board sponsored-study on a block release basis. Based at one of the country's premiere stonemasonry colleges in Bath, the successful applicants will return to Birmingham where they will join a highly skilled team of stonemasons and carvers on site at the Town Hall.
As well as creating the opportunity to be an active part of one of the city’s biggest conservation programmes, the apprenticeships also provide a recognised NVQ qualification.
Paul Woods is Project Manager for Stonewest, “We’re keen to attract applications from men and women from every age range and ethnicity. With no previous experience necessary, the most impressive candidates will demonstrate enthusiasm, dedication and an interest in architecture and conservation.”
The apprentices will learn the traditional skills of masonry and addition the training will also provide a general understanding of construction site management and procedures, including health and safety.
Accommodation at the City of Bath College will be provided for the duration of the college programme. The apprentices will also receive £265 per week living costs.The deadline for interview requests is 10am Friday 13 August 2004. To request an interview or for further details, contact Paul Woods or Lee Saunders at Stonewest on 0121 233 0846.