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9th. July 2001 A 34-year-old Birmingham man arrested in connection with an alleged serious sexual assault has been released. Warwickshire Police said the man was released pending further inquiries into the assault on a 20-year-old woman on grassland in Lichfied Road, Coleshill. The alleged victim told police that she was attacked by the driver of a car she believed to be a taxi. MG cars could soon be re-entering the North American market after an absence of more than 20 years. Birmingham-based MG Rover exhibited three vehicles, including two of its newly-launched MG models, at an event in Minnesota. A company spokesman said the move had been designed to test public opinion about the models across the Atlantic. Royal Worcester porcelain is to stage a month-long design exhibition to mark the company's 250th anniversary. The firm's museum will host the event, featuring contemporary craft designs, between July 17 and August 17. Museum manager Amanda Savidge said the exhibition would provide a unique opportunity to compare historical craftsmanship with modern-day works. BOY BAILED OVER SEXUAL ASSAULT A 13-year-old boy arrested in connection with a serious sexual assault in Birmingham has been freed on bail by West Midlands Police. The teenager has been released pending further police inquiries into the attack in West Heath. The alleged victim, a 12-year-old girl, was attacked near the Cofton Community Centre. A Birmingham woman living in Dubai has jetted back to Britain - to have her hair cut by her favourite stylist. Sue Bates made a 7,000-mile round trip, costing £660, to visit Edgbaston-based stylist Gora Uppal's salon for a £42.95 cut, style and blow dry. The 46-year-old said: "I've tried having my hair done by people in Dubai, but it's never the same." The head of the Royal Shakespeare Company is to receive an honorary degree from the University of Warwick. Adrian Noble, the theatre group's artistic director, will receive the honour on Thursday after 10 years of service at the RSC. The director of Victim Support, Dame Helen Reeves, and paralypic runner Bob Matthews will also be honoured. MOTORWAY JAMS TO BE DISCUSSED Tackling congestion at a junction of the M1 in the region will be discussed at a meeting this month. A number of organisations have been invited to discuss the problems at junction 19, 10 miles east of Coventry. John Dutson, from the Highways Agency, said: "Junction 19 is a key strategic location where the M1 and M6 motorways and the A14 converge." TEAM SOLVES STICKY CAR PROBLEM Researchers at the University of Warwick have helped to devise a revolutionary way of ensuring plastic car parts stay attached to vehicles. Researcher Rebecca Cain said getting components to form a strong bond to a vehicle's frame was a major challenge. A team led by experts at Warwick has found a simple plasma pre-treatment process that solves the problem. TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PRAISED Shropshire County Council's traffic management service is good and will improve, according to an Audit Commission report. Cabinet member Philip Engleheart said the authority was delighted at the findings of the report. New recommendations included monitoring the number of accidents and comparing the service with other councils. COASTGUARDS SAVE ANGLERS Four Birmingham men had to be rescued by coastguards after getting cut off by the tide while on a fishing trip in Pembrokeshire, south Wales. The four had set out on foot to fish between Tenby and Saundersfoot but did not realise the tide had come in. They called emergency services on a mobile phone and an inshore lifeboat and coastguards rescued them. LOCAL SCHOOL STUDENT SCOOPS TOP PRIZE On July 5th over 90 talented young students from 15 schools across
the region gathered at Birmingham University for the final of the West
Midlands heat of the Intel Computer Challenge on Tuesday. In the 15-18
age group, Alex Reynolds (age 18), won the top prize of an Intel® Pentium®
III processor based PC for Sneyd School with his CAD for Signs project.
Alex also took home £50 of computer vouchers. Working with equipment
from Walsall College to develop his project, Alex used Computer Aided Design
software to visualize, try out and manufacture illuminated signs. Alex's
win also entitles him to a place at the British Youth Science Fair (BYSF)
2002, to be held in London next Spring, where he will compete to take part
in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF).
10th. July 2001 'HANGOVERS HITTING ATTENDANCE' The headmaster of a Bromsgrove school has claimed that increasing numbers of sixth-form students are missing classes due to hangovers, it has emerged. Tim Taylor, head of independent Bromsgove School, told his annual prizegiving ceremony there had been a decline discipline over the last year. He said the Millennium had confirmed a "watershed" away from Christian values. A baby girl whose life was saved by a vital liver transplant in Birmingham is expected to return home - less than four weeks after the operation. Seven-months-old Freya Stratford underwent an eight-hour operation four weeks ago at the Diana, Princess of Wales Children's Hospital. Freya, from Penrith, has astounded her parents with her recovery. The wraps are to be taken off a statue in Warwick honouring British boxing legend Randolph Turpin - exactly 50 years after his greatest win. The Leamington Spa-born fighter carried off the world middleweight title on July 10 1951, beating America's Sugar Ray Robinson in London. The tribute to his life is being unveiled in Warwick town square. Virgin Trains boss Sir Richard Branson has unveiled a 140mph tilting train which will slash journey times on the Birmingham to London line. The tycoon launched the Pendolino, built at the Alstom Works in Washwood Heath, Birmingham, on a test track in Leicestershire. The trains are expected to cut the journey time to 1hr 10mins by 2005. A West Bromwich verger has appealed for the women of his parish to donate a length of their used knicker elastic -to help mend a broken church clock. David Lord, verger of All Saints Church, said an 18-inch length of elastic is needed for the 100-year-old motorised timepiece. He said the vicar-in-charge of the church had "seen the funny side". A masked student on his way to an Aston fancy dress ball with a toy gun was arrested and sprayed with CS gas. David Welch, 20, of Erdington, was pounced on by police who suspected him of the armed robbery of an off-licence. The High Court refused permission to seek judicial review of a refusal of the Chief Constable of West Midlands Police to withdraw a formal caution. MAN CHARGED OVER FIREBOMBS A 20-year-old man accused of two racially-motivated firebomb attacks has been granted bail on condition he stays at an address in Burton-on-Trent. Rajab Ali, of Accrington, Lancashire, is charged with petrol bombing a car and a Roman Catholic primary school in the town on the evening of June 28. Ali appeared at Hyndburn Magistrates' Court. DOG FOUND TRUSSED IN CULVERT A starving shih-tzu dog was found whimpering in a four-foot culvert after being trussed up with dog leads, a court in Oswestry has heard. Owners Jonathan Maxfield, 25, of no fixed abode, and Louise Swannick, 21, of Lime Grove, Oswestry, admitted causing the dog unnecessary suffering. The case at Oswestry Magistrates' Court was adjourned until July 23. OLD QUARRY BECOMES BIRD HAVEN A former quarry in Solihull is attracting rare birds after being transformed into a wildlife haven. About 150 species of birds are being drawn to the 55-acre Marsh Lane Nature Reserve such as buzzards, marsh and hen harriers and avocets. The former sand and gravel quarry has also been designated a site of specific scientific interest. BUILDINGS COMPETE FOR AWARD Judges are to visit buildings which are competing for a conservation
award by Stafford Borough Council. Seven buildings have been short-listed
for the award, including Pizza Express and the refurbished Express and
Star offices in Bridge Street. Council spokesman Roy Osborne said: "The
award has again attracted a wide variety of interesting entries."
11th. July 2001 Longbridge-based MG Rover car company is expected to announce a loss of £250m in the first eight months of existence. The results cover the period from May 9 to December 31 2000, and are £50m less than the £300m loss once feared. But the company - bought by the Phoenix consortium from German giant BMW for just £10 - hopes a new range of models will help it break even by 2002. Telecoms giant Marconi is to axe 322 jobs at its site in Coventry, the company has confirmed. The jobs are among a total of 600 to be lost at several sites around England, on top of a further 570 cuts which were previously announced in Poole. Union shop stewards have pledged to fight against compulsory redundancies among their members. Birmingham City Council has vowed to tackle staff sickness rates after a survey showed its workers had more time off than those in the private sector. The Confederation of British Industry revealed that private sector employees had 7.6 days off per year but the local authority's figure was 19.1. Councillor Muhammed Afzal (Lab, Aston) said the absences were "unacceptable". WATER QUALITY PRAISED IN REPORT The Drinking Water Inspectorate is due to publish a report which will show that the quality of drinking water in the West Midlands is better than ever. The report shows South Staffordshire Water quality is the fourth highest in the UK with a 99.92% quality rating. Severn Trent Water is sixth with a rate of 99.90% - both above the national average of 99.83% Motorists are being warned to expect delays when the M42 east of Birmingham is closed for 53 hours during the first weekend in August. The Highways Agency said the area should be avoided between 11am, Friday August 3, and 4am, Monday August 6. The closure, between junction 7 at Coleshill and junction 9 at Curdworth, is for essential demolition work. The RSPCA has named and shamed litter blackspots in the West Midlands which are causing injuries to animals. Some of the worst areas include Gumbleberrys Lake, Birmingham, Swanswell Pool in Coventry and Dothill Pool, Wellington, Shropshire. The casualties have included a swan which nearly died after two fishing hooks became lodged in its throat. FAMILY SHOT AT BY CAR THIEVES A young Birmingham couple and their 20-month-old son have escaped uninjured after they were shot at by thieves who stole their car, police have said. The family was approached by two black youths as they parked their car in Old Park Walk, Aston. The gun was fired after the keys were handed over. Acting inspector Adrian Taylor said: "This was a terrifying incident." STATUE TO BOXER UNVEILED The wraps have been taken off a new statue honouring Leamington Spa-born British boxing legend Randolph Turpin -50 years after his greatest win. He carried off the world middleweight title on July 10 1951, beating America's Sugar Ray Robinson. Stars of the ring from past and present including Sir Henry Cooper gathered for the ceremony in Warwick's Town Square. SUMMER UNIVERSITY TAKING OFF Students from across Europe are descending on Birmingham this month to further their studies as part of the city's Summer University scheme. More than a hundred visitors have signed up so far. City council leader Albert Bore said: "The success of the Summer University is a great boost for Birmingham's European reputation." 12th. July 2001 NEW HOTEL WILL CREATE 200 JOBS Baskerville House, one of Birmingham's best-known buildings, is to be converted into a luxury hotel, creating 200 jobs. The Centenary Square building is scheduled to open in 2003 and will be managed by Radisson Edwardian Hotels. Lord Mayor, Jim Whorwood, said its transformation was entirely appropriate for the "prestigious" location. MAN GUILTY OVER TODDLER'S DEATH A 31-year-old man has been convicted of killing a Nuneaton toddler with cerebral palsy by shaking him and causing massive head injuries. Karl Ison caused 14-month-old Jack Carding to suffer head bleeding, plus bruising to his left ear and both legs. Ison, formerly of Hinckley, was acquitted of murder but convicted of manslaughter at Birmingham Crown Court. Police officers will soon be carrying out compulsory drug tests on suspects under a scheme being piloted by forces in Stafford and Nottingham. The tests, also piloted in Hackney, east London, will identify offenders whose crimes could be linked to their use of heroin or crack cocaine. Suspects will have saliva swabs taken at police stations for testing. Warwickshire Trading Standards have joined forces with the police to warn about the dangers of investing money in a pyramid selling scheme. The scheme began in the Isle of Wight last year and now the authorities are warning it has arrived in Warwickshire. A Warwickshire police spokesman said: "Several vulnerable people locally have lost large sums of money." Actor Pete Postlethwaite is showing his support for a West Mercia
Police crackdown on stolen goods. The star is helping to launch a series
of touch-screen kiosks at Telford Shopping Centre to inform the public
of the "We Don't Buy Crime" campaign. The Government funded campaign is
designed to clamp down on stolen goods circulating in Shropshire.
FARMERS IN COURT OVER DEATH Farmers from Shropshire failed to ensure the safety of a 16-year-old employee killed in a collision, Birmingham Crown Court has been told. Lee James Smith, of Grinshill, was crushed in the cab of a JCB machine on the A49 trunk road in Shropshire. The teenager was working for father and son Edward Crow, 62, and Alistair, 31, of Hadnall, who deny manslaughter. BACK PAIN RESEARCH BREAKTHROUGH Researchers in Birmingham have revealed that some back pain could be caused by the bacteria that causes acne. The research, which found that 19 out of 36 sciatica sufferers tested had the micro-organism, means that anti-biotics could be used for treatment. Aston University, Queen Elizabeth and Royal Orthopaedic hospitals teams will probe acne sufferers' sciatica rates. MILLIONAIRES BACK COUNCIL PLANS Black Country millionaires the Richardson twins, Don and Roy, are backing council plans to regenerate Sandwell and bring jobs to the borough. The brothers are "100% behind" a regeneration company to redevelop the Metro corridor between Wednesbury, West Bromwich and Smethwick. Sandwell Council leader Bill Thomas welcomed the developers' support. FUTURISTIC LOO MONITORS HEALTH A sanitary ware company in Stoke-on-Trent has lifted the lid on its latest invention in the Potteries - a loo that tells you what is good for you. As well as an adjustable seat height and vacuum flush, the Versatile Interactive Pan will run a health check on the user by analysing waste. Inventors at Twyford Bathrooms showed the device at Gladstone Pottery Museum. BOOSTING THE IMAGE OF EGGS A company director from Staffordshire is to travel the world on a mission to boost the image of the humble egg. Steve Pritchard, of Rugeley-based animal feed supplements plant Premier Nutrition, was awarded £10,000 from Nuffield Farming Scholarships Trust. His study, which will cover Australia, America, Europe and Asia, aims to find out how other countries market eggs.
Police have traced the mother of a baby boy who was abandoned in a
back garden, in All Saints, Wolverhampton. He is now being cared for at
the city's New Cross Hospital and staff have named him Joseph, West Midlands
Police said. Inspector Jo Owen, of Bilston Street police station, Wolverhampton,
thanked the public for helping officers trace the mother. West Midlands food producers are to benefit from an £86,000 grant from the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The cash has been allocated to Heart of England Fine Foods, which intends to recapture markets lost during the foot-and-mouth crisis. The group said members had reported turnover down by an average of 50%. More than £40m is to be invested in projects to improve health and education services for children in deprived areas of the West Midlands. Education Secretary Estelle Morris said a fresh wave of Sure Start projects would include 18 in the West Midlands. Sure Start helps young children and their families with play, learning, childcare, health and family support. OFFICIALS PUT CASE FOR STADIUM Birmingham and Solihull representatives are to put their case for bringing the National Stadium to the region. Council officials will present their case to Patrick Carter, charged with reporting to a Government committee. Birmingham City Council's deputy leader Andy Howell, who will attend the meeting, said: "We are determined to show the huge advantages of our site." Two men from Derby are to learn the outcome of their High Court challenge against Government powers to combat hooliganism in football. Lawyers for Derby County fans Carl Gough and Gary Smith said the Football (Disorder) Act 2000 is incompatible with European laws on movement. The pair were banned for two years from defined areas around Derby matches. HUNT FOR MEN AFTER SHOOTING Police are continuing to hunt two attackers who shot a 57-year-old man in the face as they tried to steal his car in Birmingham. The victim is recovering in an unnamed city hospital after the bungled heist in Porchester Road, Newtown. Police are linking the attack to a car-jacking in Aston on Tuesday when a couple and their baby were shot at. PLANE CRASH STUDENT UNINJURED A student escaped uninjured when the plane he was flying suffered engine failure and crashed into fields near a Shropshire air base, the RAF has said. The 20-year-old from Warwick University ditched the single-engine plane about one mile north of Sheriffhales, near Shifnal. He was taken to RAF Cosford after the incident and was found fit and well. BRONZE AGE RELICS UNCOVERED Bronze Age relics, Roman remains and an Iron Age settlement have been unearthed along the new 27-mile Birmingham northern relief road. The settlement and a Roman burial ground containing 50 cremations were found at locations along the road. The finds, uncovered during work on the road, are now being analysed and some will go on public display. JAGUAR DONATES CAR TO CHARITY Jaguar has celebrated a production milestone at its Coventry factory by donating a £36,000 saloon to charity. The car was the 1.5 millionth to roll off the production line in the UK since Jaguar started building vehicles in this country in 1932. The silver coloured XJ saloon was handed over to the motor industry's occupational benevolent charity BEN. DEVELOPMENT CHIEF REAPPOINTED Alex Stephenson has been reappointed as chair of the regional development agency, Advantage West Midlands. Mr Stephenson, was commended for his work as leader of the Rover Task Force at the height of the BMW/Rover crisis more than a year ago. He has been reappointed for a term of one year by Trade and Industry Secretary Patricia Hewitt. National Lottery players in the West Midlands could miss the chance to win a rollover jackpot after workmen cut vital communications cables. The cable break, which could take 36 hours to fix, has left almost the whole of the region unable to issue tickets. More than 1,100 stores in Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Coventry and Dudley have been affected by the break. HIGH CAESAREAN BIRTH RATE FOUND One in four babies in the region is born by caesarean section - more than in any other part of the country, new figures have shown. Worcester Royal Infirmary has one of the highest levels in the UK at 29.8% of all births, whereas the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital only has 13.3%. Young women not wanting to go through a natural birth was suggested as a cause. POLICE WELCOME ROBBER SENTENCES Police have welcomed sentences of 17 and 15 years given to two Black Country men who carried out a string of violent armed raids across the region. Wayne Davies, 26, of Dudley, and 31-year-old Neal Frost, of Wordsley, were convicted at Worcester Crown Court of conspiracy to rob. The pair were involved in a bungled raid on Wolverley post office. Work on a Worcester street has uncovered ancient artefacts, some of which date back to the Middle Ages. The finds on The Deansway/Fish Street junction include a 17th century gravestone, 12th century jugs and medieval cobble and iron slag. They have been put in storage with a view to displaying them at Worcester Museum, city council officials said. Hollywood director Steven Spielberg is being lined up to open an exhibition against anti-Semitism and racism in Worcester next year. Worcestershire County Council chiefs have approached the Schindler's List director to launch the Anne Frank Exhibition at the cathedral in January. The authority said it had the backing of the Anne Frank Trust. NATIONAL STADIUM BID WELCOMED Birmingham and Solihull's bid to secure the prize of the national stadium has been welcomed by the Government's troubleshooter. Pat Carter, who was in the city to meet council chiefs and delegates behind the bid, said he was pleased to hear the "well-presented" proposals. He will assess the plans for a green belt site near the NEC. SCULPTURES TO GO ON DISPLAY Giant sculptures based on the history of Dudley will be put in position
next week in the heart of the town. Artist Andrew Burton's work, to go
on the Castle Hill traffic island, reflects the past and the life of Dud
Dudley, the son of Edward, Lord Dudley. The pieces include a bronze cannon
and cannon balls, plus a heraldic lion and a ruined castle wall.
PARTY FOR FOOTBALL HEROES Walsall's promotion-winning football heroes have been honoured at a civic reception hosted by the town's mayor. Saddlers players, directors and representatives of supporters, as well as local MPs and councillors were invited to the town hall celebration. The Bescot club secured a swift return to the First Division from which they were relegated in the 1999-2000 season. MAN JAILED FOR KILLING TODDLER A 31-year-old Leicestershire man has been jailed for five years for killing a toddler with cerebral palsy. Karl Ison, formerly from Hinckley, hit 14-month-old Jack Carding as he cared for him alone in April last year, causing massive head injuries. He was found guilty of manslaughter but cleared of murder earlier this week at Birmingham Crown Court. HOLIDAY FIRM PAYS OUT TO WIDOW The wife of a former West Midlands police superintendent who drowned while on holiday has been awarded £50,000 by holiday giant Thomson. Wendy Blagg, 57, of Pedmore, Stourbridge, received the money in an out-of-court settlement with the firm. Mrs Blagg's husband, Frederick Arthur Blagg, who was known as Dave, died in May 1996 while holidaying in Cyprus.
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