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THE NEW BIRMINGHAM SUPER PRIX IMPORTANT MAJOR UPDATE Would you like to see THE BIGGEST MOTORSPORT / MOTOR
SPECTACULAR THIS COUNTRY HAS EVER SEEN on the streets of Birmingham?
We have had to have a major rethink of our plans to bring back motor racing, but
have come up with something potentially even more spectacular. We are trying to
bring together as many individuals, businesses and organisations as we can to
try to make this happen again. It could bring huge benefits to the region, but
it needs as much support as possible to make it happen.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE, VIEW VIDEO & PHOTOS FROM THE OLD SUPER PRIX, AND TO SEE
HOW YOU CAN HELP BRING ABOUT THIS SENSATIONAL AND UNIQUE EVENT. QUICK LINKS TO THE SITE NEWS
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MAN IN COURT OVER STAB DEATH A 48-year-old man is due to appear at Birmingham Magistrates' Court charged with murdering a policeman who was stabbed while making an arrest. Det Con Michael Swindells, a 44-year-old married father-of-one, died while attempting to apprehend a suspect in the Nechells area on May 21. The ex-Royal Engineers lance corporal had served on the force for 14 years. MAN QUIZZED OVER FATAL STABBING A Worcester man is being questioned by detectives in connection with the fatal stabbing of a teenager. The 19-year-old was found at an address in Willow Court. Paramedics took him to Worcestershire Royal Hospital, but he was pronounced dead soon after. West Mercia Constabulary have confirmed officers subsequently arrested a 41-year-old man who remains in custody. CUSTOMS JOBS UNDER THREAT The closure of the Droitwich-based Army Medals office could be followed by the loss of 115 Customs and Excise jobs. Fifty jobs are to be relocated when the medals base relocates to RAF Innesworth in Gloucestershire. Customs and Excise has an arrangement to occupy the MOD-owned building until 2006 but is now "exploring alternative accommodation options". BODY FOUND IN WOODLAND Police in north Worcestershire are investigating the death of a man whose body was discovered in a wood next to a busy road. A member of the public made the grim discovery off Birmingham Road in Bromsgrove and alerted West Mercia Constabulary. A force spokesman said officers were treating the death as unexplained. MOTOR SHOW HAS RAIL PROBLEM The Birmingham Motor Show opens this week with a new look, but an old problem - transport access. The biggest closure of the West Coast Main Line in 40 years means Virgin Rail will not run any trains from London to Birmingham for most days of the show. Despite the rail transport problems, advanced ticket sales for the show have hit the 50,000 mark. 50 JOBS CREATED BY NEW FACTORY Fifty manufacturing jobs are being created in Walsall with the development of a £750,000 factory. Stackright Building Systems, which makes anti-vandal accommodation for the construction and rail industries, is setting up a new Midlands operation. A spokesman said the area was ideal as it was near the motorway network and gave access to a good labour force. TARRANT TO HOST QUIZ RECORD BID Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? host Chris Tarrant is in Birmingham for a tournament to find the best quiz team. The presenter of the show will host the Mega Quiz, which is expected to attract more than 2,000 competitors to the NIA venue on July 14. Organisers want to enter the Guinness Book of Records for the "largest quiz with the most teams in one venue". MAN BIDS TO FREE IRAQ HOSTAGES A West Midlands man who fled Iraq after his father and brother were killed by Saddam Hussein's regime has returned to help secure the release of hostages. John Alpha is working alongside Canon Andrew White, from Coventry Cathedral, for the Iraqi Centre for Dialogue, Reconciliation and Peace. The 43-year-old father-of-two fled the war-torn state 27 years ago. PEDESTRIAN DIES IN CRASH A pedestrian has died after he was in collision with a car on a dual carriageway in Birmingham city centre. The victim, in his 40s and from Kingstanding, died at the scene of the incident involving a VW Golf driven by a 21-year-old man. Police cordoned off Great Charles Street Queensway for nearly seven hours following the tragedy. 100 FAKE ENGLAND SHIRTS SEIZED More than 100 fake England football shirts have been seized at a north Worcestershire car boot sale during an operation to target rogue traders. The goods were found at the Wassell Grove Car Boot Fair in Hagley by police and trading standards officers. A 45-year-old man from Stechford, Birmingham, was arrested over handling stolen lap top computers at the event. POLICE PROBE BIKE RALLY DEATH Police are returning to a weekly motorcycle rally in north Warwickshire seven days after a spectator was killed when a bike careered into the crowd. Officers hope to find more witnesses to the death of Sandra Brown, 41, of Birmingham, on an A446 traffic island. Robert Penlington, 28, of Birmingham, has appeared in court charged with causing death by dangerous driving. BNP CANDIDATE DUE IN COURT A BNP candidate standing for a seat on Stoke council is due in court accused of involvement in violent clashes after a Division One football match. Ian Clegg, of Stoke, is one of 16 men set to appear before Fenton magistrate after trouble broke out between Stoke City and West Ham fans. Clegg is a candidate in Weston and Meir North ward in next month's elections. MAN ON REMAND OVER STABBING The man accused of stabbing police detective Michael Swindells to death has been remanded in custody. Glaister Earl Butler appeared at Birmingham Magistrates' Court where he was formally accused of murdering the 44-year-old officer. Butler, 48, of Long Acre, Nechells, was remanded in custody while the case was transferred to Birmingham Crown Court. GIRLFRIEND REJECTS SUICIDE The Stafford-born girlfriend of Army cadet Stephen Hilder does not believe the skydiver committed suicide. Ruth Woodhouse, 24, said she was not convinced by forensic evidence which suggested her boyfriend cut the straps on his own parachute. Miss Woodhouse spoke out after Humberside Police concluded last week that Mr Hilder was not murdered. POLICE HOLD MAN AFTER STABBING A man was taken to hospital after being stabbed during a dispute at a flat in Nuneaton, police have said. The 31-year-old local man was attacked at a property in Meadow Street and taken to George Eliot Hospital where his condition is described as stable. Police said a 27-year-old man was arrested at the scene following the argument and is being questioned. YOUTH 'RESPONSIBLE FOR ATTACKS' An offender as young as 15 may be responsible for a series of indecent assaults on women in Staffordshire, police have said. Five women have been attacked in the Kidsgrove area since the beginning of March and most of the victims describe a male attacker around 15 or 16. A police spokesman said none of the victims were hurt but were distressed. CHANGES TO MOTOR SHOW FORMAT Organisers of the Birmingham Motor Show are moving away from their traditional focus on displays of static cars in a bid to make the event more exciting. They are to give visitors the chance to go round an off-road testing course and to test-drive certain vehicles. The show at the National Exhibition Centre opens on Thursday with a public preview day. MAN ARRESTED OVER KNIFE ATTACK Police have launched a murder inquiry into the death of a 21-year-old man found stabbed in Birmingham. The man suffered a single stab wound during an incident at a house in Warwards Lane, Selly Oak. A spokesman for West Midlands Police said one man had been arrested in connection with the incident who would be interviewed. TWO ARRESTED OVER TOWER PLUNGE Two men have been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a man fell from the fifth floor of a Birmingham tower block, police said. The victim, a 26-year-old man, was taken to hospital with multiple injuries after falling from Chadwick House, in Over Pool Road, Ward End. West Midlands Police said two men were helping them with inquiries CITY TO GET NEW MEGASTORE Virgin Megastore is to open new premises in Birmingham as part of a £90m investment programme. The company, founded by Richard Branson, is also planning to establish new stores in Dublin and Glasgow, a spokeswoman said. The position of poorer-performing stores will be reviewed by the firm's management. OFFICERS REMEMBER COLLEAGUE Police officers are gathering to remember a colleague who was stabbed to death making an arrest in Birmingham. A special Mass is being held at St Joseph's Church in Nechells for Det Con Michael Swindells, 44, who died nearby. A 48-year-old man, Glaister Butler, was remanded in custody after appearing in court charged with the murder of the former Royal Engineers lance corporal. MAN CONVICTED OVER MURDER A New York insurance agent is facing life in jail after being convicted of murdering his Staffs-born wife to cash in on a £335,000 insurance payout. A jury decided Eric Rose, 46, shot his wife of 22 years, Wendy, originally from Kidsgrove, three times before telling police she committed suicide. Rose was found guilty of second degree murder and will be sentenced in July. MILITARY MEMORIAL GARDEN OPENS A service is being held to dedicate a garden to fallen soldiers at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas, Staffordshire. Samantha Roberts - the widow of a British soldier shot dead in Iraq after handing back body armour - was due to receive his campaign medal. Sergeant Steven Roberts, 33, was gunned down trying to quell a civilian riot. ROYAL JOINS CHARITY WALK The Queen's granddaughter Zara Phillips is to accompany ex-England cricketer Phil Tufnell from Evesham to Worcester on the ninth day of his charity walk. Phillips, 22, and Tufnell will complete a 16-mile stretch of the route, which ends in Nottingham on June 12. The 38-year-old, whose mother died from cancer when he was 14, aims to raise £250,000 for Macmillan Cancer Relief. BNP MAN BANNED FROM EURO 2004 A BNP candidate standing for a seat on Stoke council has been banned by city magistrates from travelling abroad while Euro 2004 takes place. Ian Clegg was one of 12 Stoke-on-Trent men charged in connection with violent clashes between Stoke City and West Ham fans on April 24. Clegg is a candidate in Weston and Meir North ward in next month's elections. MAN QUIZZED OVER WOMAN'S DEATH A man is being questioned by police over the murder of a mother-of-two discovered shot dead in Wolverhampton. The man, aged about 30, was arrested on suspicion of killing Hayley Davenport at her Tansley View home after handing himself in at Bilston police station. Ms Davenport, 23, who had daughters aged two and three, died from a single gunshot wound to the head, police said. BID TO GROUND AIRLINE REJECTED A legal bid to ground a new budget airline after local opposition to night flights at West Midlands International Airport has failed at the High Court. Warwick District Council had accused the Coventry airport of building a passenger terminal which breached planning regulations. But its bid for an order banning Thomsonfly flights was rejected. QUIT ARCHITECT SEEKS RETHINK The architect behind plans to redevelop theatres in Stratford has called for an "unrestricted rethinking" of the £100m scheme after quitting his post. Erick van Egeraat, of EAA London, said the Royal Shakespeare Company needs to reconsider its options. He added: "This project for the RSC is a great project but I now need to focus on other major international projects." MAN FOUND IN WOODLAND NAMED Police have named a man whose body was found in a Worcestershire wood as Joseph Thain, of Hayes, Middlesex. The 59-year-old was discovered dead in Hawford Wood next to the A449 near Ombersley on May 17. West Mercia Police said the results of a post-mortem examination had proved inconclusive and that investigations into his death would continue. OLDEST FIRM UNVEILS NEW MODEL The world's oldest independently-owned car company has taken the wraps off a £35,000 new sports car at the Sunday Times Motor Show Live in Birmingham. The Roadster, produced by the Morgan Motor Company of Malvern Link, Worcestershire, has a 3.0 litre V6 engine and can reach 134mph. The motor show at the National Exhibition Centre opens on Thursday OPEN-TOP MINI UNVEILED AT SHOW The first-ever open-top Mini has been unveiled at the Sunday Times Motor Show Live in Birmingham and then put through its paces by a stunt team. Built by BMW, the Mini Cooper S Convertible goes on sale in the UK on June 26 from £13,000. The motor show at the National Exhibition Centre opens on Thursday with a public preview day. POEMS FOR REFUGEE WEEK Children across Birmingham pen new poems to celebrate Refugee
Week School children across Birmingham have been invited to take part
in a new Poetry Competition organised by Save the Children to celebrate
Refugee Week from 14 - 20 June this year. Internationally renowned local
poet Roi Kwabena will award prizes for the best poems from each category
and the runners up on 11 June at the Schools Refugee Week event in Birmingham
Library Theatre at 12.30 -1.30pm. 480 primary and secondary schools in
the Birmingham area have recently received special packs, produced by
Save the Children, to promote the competition, which is designed to involve
both refugee and non-refugee children. There are three age-group categories
and children can write one of the following themes: Being a stranger;
Your life on a strange planet; Fleeing your home; A poem for peace; Life
as a refugee; The asylum seeker; leaving your homeland; A new life; If
I could do anything; A world at peace. KNIFEMAN 'GAVE UP TO POLICE' A man who stabbed a police detective to death in Birmingham gave himself up only after marksmen threatened to shoot him, an inquest has heard. Michael Swindells, 44, was fatally stabbed while trying to make an arrest. Details of the death emerged at a brief hearing at Birmingham Coroner's Court. Glaister Earl Butler, 48, of Nechells, has been charged with murder. OFFICERS MOURN FALLEN FRIEND Police in Birmingham have attended a service to remember a colleague stabbed to death as he made an arrest. Officers packed the front benches at St Joseph's Church in Nechells for a special service for 44-year-old Detective Constable Michael Swindells. Condolence books were also open at force headquarters at Lloyd House and Queens Road police station. SOCCER STAR TO BE SENTENCED A shamed ex-Aston Villa star who attacked an Alfreton woman in a drunken rage is facing jail as he appears at Derby Crown Court to be sentenced. Gary Charles, 32, was warned by a judge he could be returned to prison if he failed to tackle his alcohol addiction. The former England player pleaded guilty to the charge of common assault on April 14 and was released on bail. £16.5m BOOST FOR CELL RESEARCH Researchers at universities across the UK, including Birmingham, have secured a £16.5m boost in a bid to harness the potential of stem cell technology. A total of 57 Government grants will fund the study of new treatments for illnesses such as Parkinson's disease. Professor Ann Logan from the University of Birmingham will look at the "plasticity" of adult stem cells. COLLEGE LECTURERS GO ON STRIKE The head of a West Midlands college at the centre of a £2m fraud inquiry has pledged to go ahead with plans to cut 100 jobs after staff went on strike. Lecturers at Sandwell College picketed the four campuses in protest at the proposed redundancies. The one-day action is the latest blow for the debt-ridden institution, which is planning a move to West Bromwich. RACISM VOTE 'SPITTING AT GOD' Eleven West Midlands Church of England bishops have issued a statement warning voting for racist political parties is like "spitting in the face of God". They signed the document urging people to reject groups that try to stir up racial and religious hatred. Among them were the Bishops of Birmingham, Coventry, Lichfield, Wolverhampton, Stafford and Shrewsbury. EX-UNION LEADER TAKES NEW POST The former Transport and General Workers' Union leader Sir Bill Morris is set to be inaugurated as Chancellor of Staffordshire University. Lord Ashley of Stoke will confer the title on Sir Bill, who is an honorary graduate of the university. The inauguration comes days after he won the lifetime achievement award at the Ethnic Multicultural Media Awards. 'DISREGARD' FOR FOOTBALL CLUB Police said a former marketing manager who stole £2,500 from Port Vale Football Club showed a "callous disregard" for its financial future. Neil Hughes, 49, pleaded guilty to one count of theft when he appeared at Stafford Crown Court. Seven other charges of theft were ordered to lie on the file. Sentencing was adjourned for reports. FOOTBRIDGE PLUNGE WOMAN DIES A woman who fell from a footbridge on to a busy road in Staffordshire died later in hospital, police have said. The unnamed woman was found seriously injured on the northbound carriageway of the A38 in Burton. She was airlifted to the University Hospital of North Staffordshire where she later died. Police are not treating the death as suspicious. WIDOW COLLECTS SOLDIER'S MEDAL The widow of a soldier who was killed in Iraq after he was ordered to return body armour wept as she received his campaign medal at a service in Alrewas. Samantha Roberts fought back tears as she received the Gulf War campaign decoration for Sergeant Steven Roberts at the National Memorial Arboretum. Sgt Roberts, 33, was killed during a civilian riot near Basra last year. AIRPORT STAFF VOTE TO STRIKE Union chiefs have warned of "chaos" at UK airports, including Coventry
and Birmingham, after baggage handlers and check-in staff voted to strike.The
GMB announced 80% of their 1,000 members who work for services firm Aviance
had voted in favour of action. MAN DUE IN COURT OVER MURDER The man accused of murdering policeman Michael Swindells in Birmingham is due to appear before a crown court judge. Glaister Earl Butler, 48, of Long Acre, Nechells, is due at the Queen Elizabeth II Law Courts in Birmingham. He is accused of killing the constable, who was stabbed with a carving knife as he tried to make an arrest on a towpath in the Nechells area of the city. PRESENTATION IN MEMORY OF PUPIL The life of a football-loving pupil who tragically died at his Birmingham school is being celebrated with a trophy presentation in his name. The cup is in memory of 10-year-old Habibur Khan, who suffered a fatal asthma attack in the playground of Somerville Primary School, Small Heath. The cup will be awarded to a youngster who has excelled in sport. SMUGGLING GANG GET 20 YEARS A gang of West Midlands-based smugglers who offered a "Club Class"
service to illegal immigrants have been jailed for a total of more than
20 years. FIRMS FINED OVER WORKER DEATH Two firms have been fined a total of £110,000 for safety flaws which led to a worker being crushed to death at a building site near Lichfield. Mark Warrallo was killed when a crane unloading steel from his truck fell on top of him, Stafford Crown Court heard. Morrison Construction and RMD Kwikform admitted breaching lifting and health and safety laws respectively. PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR SMOKING BAN More than 75% of people in the West Midlands are in favour of a ban
on smoking in cafes and restaurants, a survey has shown. Of 10,500 people
polled in the ongoing Big Smoke Debate, 58% supported smoke-free pubs
and 80% wanted a complete ban on smoking in workplaces. BABY DIES IN BLINDS HORROR A Lichfield mother whose daughter died after becoming entangled in a window blind has called for better safety legislation regarding the products. Linda Whitehead's one-year-old daughter Madeleine died after being tangled in the blind cord on April 14 this year. At Cannock Coroner's Court, South Staffordshire Coroner Andrew Haigh recorded a verdict of accidental death. MAN JAILED FOR SMUGGLING DRUGS An Worcestershire man who tried to smuggle £17,000 worth of cocaine into the UK in his underwear was jailed for five years, Customs officials said. Aaron Weavers, of Stourport-on-Severn, was stopped and found with 236 grammes of the drug at Birmingham International Airport on January 29. Weavers, 24, pleaded guilty at Warwick Crown Court to one charge of smuggling. 1,000 JOBS CREATED AT CAR FIRM Japanese car giant Toyota has announced that it is to create 1,000 jobs at its Burnaston site in Derbyshire. The company said is to invest a further £50m in the plant and increase production from 220,000 to 285,000 vehicles a year. Prime Minister Tony Blair welcomed the investment, saying it "affirms Toyota's commitment to manufacturing in the UK". PAEDOPHILE 'MAY BE IN CITY' A convicted paedophile who plied young girls with drink before assaulting them may be in Stoke-on-Trent after being missing for four years, police said Michael Feeney failed to register with Staffordshire Police in early 2001 shortly after his release from prison. An appeal for information made on BBC Crimewatch has prompted several calls suggesting he is in the city. SOCCER STAR TO FIGHT ALCOHOL A shamed ex-Aston Villa star who attacked an Alfreton woman in a drunken rage has walked free from Derby Crown Court to start his battle with drink. Gary Charles, 32, was put under a curfew and ordered to pay £500 to his victim. The judge told him he had reached "rock bottom". Charles was told he faces jail if he does not try to beat alcoholism. TV BOXING MURDER APPEAL MADE A reconstruction of events leading up to the murder of a Coventry boxing coach gunned down outside his home has been featured on the BBC's Crimewatch. Joseph Montague, 64, was found dead at the wheel of his Ford Focus, outside his terrace house in Newdigate Road. West Midlands Police have appealed for information about the murder, which happened in June last year. SHOPPING CENTRE IN £1m FACELIFT A Black Country shopping centre is to benefit from a £1m facelift,
civic officials have announced. Once completed, the Tolgate centre in
Smethwick High Street will provide premises for 17 retail units over a
70,000 sq ft area. ADVENTURER ATTEMPTS RECORD Intrepid adventurer Sir Richard Branson is to attempt the fastest crossing of the Channel by an amphibious vehicle, using a Nuneaton-built craft. Sir Richard will mount his channel challenge by taking the controls of a Gibbs Aquada amphibian craft. Alan Gibbs of Gibbs Technologies said: "We are pleased to support Sir Richard's record breaking attempt." MOTORCYCLIST KILLED IN CRASH A motorcyclist has died in a collision with a 4x4 vehicle in the Staffordshire moorlands, police said. The 34-year-old Ducati rider was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident on an unclassified road leading to Morridge Top. Staffordshire Police added the driver of the Toyota Landcruiser also involved escaped without injury. US CARS DAMAGED BY VANDALS Vandals caused £22,000 of damage to a collection of American cars at a north Staffordshire dealership, police said. The thugs daubed vehicles with graffiti and smashed their windows at Oldcott Motors in Kidsgrove, which specialises in brands including Chevrolet. Police are examining the incident but say they do not believe those behind it were protesting against America. MOTORIST DIES IN OVERTURNED CAR A Birmingham motorist has died after his car overturned near Redditch as he drove home, police said. West Mercia Constabulary said 26-year-old Christopher Howard, from Kings Norton, died at the scene of the crash on the A441 road. Officers say he failed to negotiate a right-hand bend in his Vauxhall Vectra, which struck the offside verge. POLICE REMOVE ESTATE YOBS West Midlands Police have used new anti-social behaviour powers to reclaim the streets of a Birmingham estate from up to 60 yobs. Officers moved children and older youths out of the Glebe Farm area as part of a crackdown on yob behaviour. Superintendent Gareth Morgan said: "The community has been blighted by this minority of individuals." 60 TENANTS FLEE FLATS BLAZE Sixty council tenants had to be evacuated when a fire swept through a block of flats in Leamington Spa. The residents were forced to flee the Winston Crescent complex in Lillington when the blaze broke out in a cupboard housing electricity meters. They spent a night in a nearby school before council housing officials began to find them temporary accommodation. ROBBERY QUIZ EXTENSION SOUGHT Detectives are to ask magistrates for more time to question a Solihull man over a series of attacks on pensioners at their homes in the borough. West Midlands Police will ask JPs for an extension to continue holding the 23-year-old for up to 36 hours in connection with the break-ins. He is being quizzed over incidents in which OAPs were robbed at their homes. VISITORS FLOCK TO STEAM ENGINE Visitors are expected to flock to Birmingham's science museum to see the world's oldest working steam engine celebrate its 225th birthday. The 35ft-high machine was built by the city's famous inventors James Watt and Matthew Boulton in 1779 to pump water up canal locks in Smethwick. It is on show at Thinktank where visitors can watch it run on steam. WOMAN PLANS EXPLOSIVE EXIT A fireworks-loving grandmother from Worcestershire has arranged to have her ashes fired into the sky. Joan Macarthur, from Barnt Green, has asked her family to ensure she goes out with a bang by packing her remains into a rocket when she passes away. The 67-year-old said: "I can just imagine them enjoying the whoosh of a rocket and saying: 'There goes Gran!'" POLICE PROBE SUDDEN DEATH Police are probing the sudden death of a man at a house in Birmingham. Officers were called to a property in Esme Road, Sparkhill, where they discovered the body of the man, who was in his 30s. West Midlands Police said they are not treating the death as suspicious but appealed for help in tracing the man's last known movements. MP BACKS FREE PASSPORT PLAN Plans to give Second World War veterans free passports so they can go to the 60th anniversaries of VE and VJ days have been backed by a Black Country MP. Dudley North Labour MP Ross Cranston said he will support parliamentary proposals to exclude ex-servicemen from paying the usual £42 fee. He said a free passport was a way of showing "gratitude" to UK veterans.
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