Birmingham101 local daily news

22nd. May 2001

FOREIGN NURSES POLICY DEFENDED

Officials at the North Staffordshire Royal Infirmary have defended their decision to recruit foreign nurses to make up the shortfall in staff. The move comes after the Royal College of Nursing criticised the Government policy of overseas recruitment. NSRI chiefs say the 140 nurses they employ from the Philippines have shown high levels of skill and ability.

JAIL STAFF ANGERED BY SWITCH

Officers at Blakenhurst Prison have voted not to co-operate with the Prison Service when the jail switches from private to public ownership. UK Detention Services, which has run the prison near Redditch for eight years, is to hand over the ownership. But officers have given a vote of no confidence in the Prison Service team handling the transfer.

BLAIR CLEARS TV CREWS OVER ROW

Prime Minister Tony Blair has cleared TV stations of provoking his notorious confrontation with an angry member of the public in Birmingham. Mr Blair was responding to claims the Labour Party was blaming broadcasters for setting up such incidents. He said broadcasters were not to blame when Sharron Storer ambushed him at the Queen Elizabeth hospital.

HUNDREDS AT MEMORIAL SERVICE

The family of Rosie Ross, the teenager stabbed as she sunbathed in Birmingham city centre, have led hundreds of mourners at a tribute to her life. Parents Sean and Karen Ross, and Rosie's brother, Alex, 13, headed a memorial service at Aldridge parish church, near Walsall. A man has been charged with Rosie's murder and remanded in custody.

CRACKDOWN ON TRUANTS LAUNCHED

Youngsters who shun school for the shops are being targeted in a new crackdown on truancy in Shropshire. West Mercia Police and education bosses in Telford have teamed up to ensure that truants are sent to school. Surveys have shown that the majority of truants are with their parents when they are stopped. The scheme will involve patrols of shopping areas.

EDUCATION PROJECT LAUNCHED

An education project has been launched in Shropshire for youngsters to learn more about art, design, technology and culture at a National Trust property. Children aged five to 11 will be able to use the picture gallery, kitchens and workshops at the 18th century Attingham House, near Shrewsbury. The day-long visits are tailored to the needs of the national curriculum.

LIFEBOAT NAMED AFTER CITY

The land-locked West Midlands is set to have a presence in British waters after a lifeboat was officially named in honour of Coventry and Warwickshire. The £66,000 vessel is Weston-super-Mare's newest lifeboat and replaces a 19-year-old craft which will be used as a reserve. People in the West Midlands raised £78,000 to fund the new boat.

ARTIST TO STAGE JAIL EXHIBITION

An artist is to stage a show revealing the hardships of life behind bars - on the walls outside Stafford prison. John Newling, of Nottingham Trent University, will project images shot inside the jail on to the walls later this week. Mr Newling said: "I'm interested in walls that the public don't have access through."

HELP ON HAND FOR DOG OWNERS

Animal welfare experts will be on hand at the NEC in Birmingham to offer dog owners help on stopping their pets being aggressive. The Blue Cross will have experts at this weekend's Crufts 2001 at the NEC to show how breeders and owners can produce well-adjusted dogs. The scheme centres around familiarising young dogs to different situations.

COMPANY EXPANDS PUBS EMPIRE

Solihull-based pubs group Enterprise Inns has snapped up 439 former Whitbread sites in a £262.5m deal. The group bought the pubs from Morgan Grenfell Private Equity, which purchased the sites from Whitbread earlier this year. The deal means that Enterprise Inns will now control more than 3,000 pubs across the country.

23rd. May 2001

SEMINAR ON CRACKING CITY CRIME

Councillors, business leaders and police officers are due to speak at a business crime seminar aimed at cracking down on crime in Birmingham. The seminar forms part of Guardianship Week which is aimed at encouraging people to care about their safety and the safety of others. The seminar will take place at the Burlington Hotel.

LABOUR ON BRINK - PRESCOTT

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott has given a rousing speech to about 200 Labour Party faithful in Birmingham. Mr Prescott told the gathering at Yardley Ex-Servicemen's Club that Labour is on the brink of an "historic" second term in office. He said: "A lot has been done, there's a lot to do and there is a lot to lose."

DAUGHTER SEES SPEED RECORD CAR

The daughter of car designer Reid Railton is to visit a Birmingham museum to see for the first time the car that broke the world land speed record. Sally Joslin is expected to jet in from the US to visit Thinktank, the city's museum of science and discovery, which houses the Railton Mobile Special car. The car, designed by Railton, broke the speed record in 1938, 1939 and 1947.

CASE DROPPED OVER TIMESHARE

The prosecution has dropped the case against Andrew Palmer from Solihull accused of plotting in timeshare fraud. The jury was unable to agree a verdict on Palmer, 32, who denied conspiracy to defraud at the Old Bailey. His wealthy businessman uncle John Palmer, 51, has been jailed for a total of eight years for masterminding the massive timeshare swindle.

MAN HIT BY TRAINS AFTER FALL

A man involved in a lovers' tiff lost part of his right leg after he fell 30ft on to a railway track and was struck by two trains, police said. It is understood the man was arguing with his girlfriend on a footbridge above the track near Ward End Park in Birmingham shortly before the accident. British Transport Police said the 40-year-old man was lucky to be alive.

ALERT OVER TOXIC CHEMICAL THEFT

Police are hunting thieves who stole a lorry and trailer which contains highly toxic chemicals. West Midlands Police said the lorry, which contains liquid chlorine, was stolen from Budden Road in Dudley. The lorry has seven empty pressurised cylinders and two full ones. Police have urged members of the public not to approach the vehicle if they see it.

HONOUR FOR HAVE-A-GO HERO

A man who grabbed a bank robber in the West Midlands, was pistol-whipped with a handgun but scared off the offender has been honoured by Jack Straw. Peter Hill is one of 13 men and women who received bravery medals in the Provincial Police Awards presented by the Home Secretary at Birmingham's NEC. The honours recognise bravery or civic duty in support of the police.

EIGHT ARRESTS IN CRACKDOWN

Eight people have been arrested as part of a crack-down on house burglaries in the Redditch and Bromsgrove areas. West Mercia Police said operation Hawk Eye was an intelligence-led operation targeting those believed to be responsible for house break-ins. Police said: "This operation is part of our continued commitment to reduce burglary offences and make arrests."

BREWER REPORTS BIG PROFITS

Wolverhampton & Dudley brewery, which operates breweries in Wolverhampton and Burton-on-Trent, has reported a heady 28% rise in first-half profits. The brewer recorded pre-tax profits of £26.6m in the six months to March 31, compared with £20.8m in the same period last year. Shareholders will receive an interim dividend of 9p per share, up 5.9%.

POSTMASTER THREATENED WITH GUN

A 49-year-old postmaster is recovering after being threatened with a shotgun during a Post Office raid. The victim was left shaken but uninjured after he was threatened with the weapon and forced to hand over cash at his Post Office in Darlaston. Police said the postmaster handed over a sum of money before ducking behind a counter and activating the alarm.

PEOPLE WILL PAY FOR FARM FOOD

More than three-quarters of people in the West Midlands are prepared to pay more for food reared to high welfare standards, a survey has revealed. The survey, by RSPCA's farm animal label scheme, also showed 57% of people in the area believe farm animal welfare is more important after foot-and-mouth. The RSPCA is launching a 10-point action plan for the future of farming.

HI-TECH SQUAD CAR UNVEILED

A voice-activated police car has been unveiled at the Association of Chief Police Officers' Conference and Exhibition at Birmingham's NEC. The car uses a elaborate computer and camera system to enable officers to carry out complex computer searches and operate the sirens and lights. The system, which cost £100,000 to develop, will be used by Kent police.

ALERT OVER CARAVAN THEFTS

Police in Brierley Hill are warning residents and motorists to be aware of the rise in thefts of caravans across the area during the summer months. The warning follows a recent operation resulting in the arrest of five people for conspiracy to steal and receiving stolen goods. Detective Constable Martin Hall urged the public to be vigilant.