LOCAL NEWS 25/09/00

POLICE HUNT ARMED RAIDER GANG

Police are hunting three masked men who raided a restaurant in Birmingham, stealing the day's takings. Police said two men burst into TGI Friday's on Hagley Road, Edgbaston, and threatened the manager with a handgun. They escaped with another man in a car. The manager was hit on the head during the raid. He is said to be shaken by his ordeal but not seriously injured.

MURDER TEAM RECEIVE 1,213 CALLS

Detectives investigating the murder of Tamworth teenager Heather Tell have had 1,213 calls to their incident room since the start of the inquiry. Police have also taken a total of 1,013 statements after Heather was found in the town's Kettlebrook Linear Park. An e-fit of a man seen in the park the night the 17-year-old was killed has generated more than 100 names.

CELEBRATIONS PLANNED FOR LEWIS

Athletes, coaches and friends of Birchfield Harriers' Denise Lewis are finalising their celebration plans to commemorate her Olympic gold. Members of the Birmingham-based club are honouring her achievement this week and when she returns from Australia. Club chairman Roy Tilling said: "Even before she won the gold Denise was a major inspiration to people here."

REGENERATION MEETING COMMENCES

Business and council leaders were meeting with European delegates in Birmingham to swap ideas on urban regeneration. Foreign dignitaries were meeting at the first Regeneration Convention at Birmingham's International Convention Centre. Visitors will tour the city to look at major EU-funded regeneration projects.

COUNCIL CONSIDER ROAD PROJECT

Birmingham City Council leaders are expected to give the green light to a new £25m road project to help ease congestion on the busy A38. Improvements to the existing road through Selly Oak will see renovations such as wider footpaths, improved cycle lanes and more pelican crossings. The plans also form part of proposals for a "technology corridor".

PARENTS TAKE GREATER INTEREST

Parents are taking more interest in choosing universities for their offspring because of the cost of degree courses, Warwick University claims. More parents are now attending the university's open days as they are the ones who will shoulder the costs. A spokesman said: "Universities will have to ensure they provide information to parents as well as students

MAN FACING FATAL FIRE CHARGE

A man is to appear before magistrates accused of starting a fatal fire at an industrial site in Burton-on-Trent. The unnamed defendant will appear at Stafford Magistrates' Court charged with manslaughter and arson. Abdul Majid, 47, died in hospital after suffering serious burns when an explosion and fire ripped through the industrial unit on September 1.

ASIAN DAY CARE CENTRE OPENING

The Director of Birmingham Social Services is to open a day care centre catering for the Asian community. Sandra Taylor has invited Birmingham Ladywood MP Clare Short to the ceremony at the Milap Day Centre, Payton Road, Handsworth. The centre, which can cater for up to 12 elderly people each day, is housed in a refurbished residential home.

TWO INJURED AT EXHIBITIONS SITE

Two men were injured, one seriously, when a display stand collapsed at Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre. They were taken to hospital after treatment at the scene of the accident. A 28-year-old man suffered serious abdominal injuries and a casualty with back injuries was taken to Heartlands Hospital, Birmingham.

E-COMMERCE ADVICE FOR FIRMS

Staffordshire University, Stafford, has established a centre to offer local firms advice about e-commerce. The director of the Expert Centre for the Support of Electronic Commerce says companies must keep abreast of the latest technology to stay competitive. Dr John Rees said: "They will be left open to competitors entering the market at a higher level of technology."

LOCAL NEWS 26/09/00

COUNCIL SICKNESS COSTS £10M

Birmingham city council chiefs have vowed to crackdown on soaring sickness and absentee rates among the 49,000 members of staff at the authority. Employees are now taking an average of 16 days a year through sickness and the high rates are costing taxpayers more than £10m a year. Council leader Albert Bore has vowed to take action over the figures.

NEW SHOPS ARE MORE UP-MARKET

The chairman of traders at Birmingham's new indoor market has pledged that the complex will provide a friendly and inviting environment for shoppers. Robert Tobin said stallholders, who are moving into the building ahead of an official opening date of October 7, were delighted with the development. The Bull Ring market is the first to be completed in the area's £800m revamp.

COUNCIL TRANSFERS HOUSING STOCK

Coventry city council has transferred 20,169 homes to a non-profit housing association after a vote by tenants. In what the local authority believes is the largest transfer of its kind, the Whitefriars Housing Group will now take over the maintenance of properties. Councillors said tenants are now guaranteed £240m of housing improvement work over six years.

GO-AHEAD FOR TRANSPORT TERMINAL

A £30m rail and bus interchange next to Birmingham International railway station has been given the go-ahead. The new scheme has been approved by Solihull's planning committee and the new transport hub will serve Birmingham International Airport and the NEC. The two-storey building will have airport-style waiting areas and will increase bus capacity from 22 to 48.

STUDENTS CAN WIN LOTTERY CASH

Cash-strapped students at Wolverhampton University have the chance to enter a lottery and win a prize of £4,000. Students can use a discount card in local shops and enter a draw where the winner scoops £1,000 a year for a maximum of four years. The scheme is designed to help students pay for living expenses after the abolition of student grants.

CEMETERY WAITS ON TOP AWARD

Bridgnorth Cemetery is waiting to find out if it has won the contest for Britain's best burial ground. The Shropshire cemetery is up against three other contenders in the under 10-acre category of the annual Cemetery of the Year Awards. The competition judges graveyards on design, maintenance, facilities and community initiatives.

CRACKDOWN ON 'DRUGGED' DRIVERS

West Mercia Police is launching a scheme that will warn motorists of the dangers of driving while under the influence of legal and illegal drugs. The force is also aiming to train officers to carry out roadside drug-drive recognition tests. The scheme will run in Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Shropshire, backed by health groups and road safety officers.

TEENAGER TALKS OF SEX SESSIONS

A teenager broke down in tears as he told a jury how after-school stop-overs at a woman's house in a Staffordshire village turned into sex sessions. The youngster claimed he "lost count" of the number of times he had sex with 34-year-old Frances Edmonds. Edmonds has denied four charges of indecent assault on two 14-year-old boys at Stafford Crown Court.

YOUNGSTER SAVES MOTHER'S LIFE

A five-year-old boy has been praised for his quick thinking after saving his mother's life by ringing 999. Kane Williamson, from Rugeley, Staffordshire, dialled for emergency crews after finding his mother, Lynne, in a diabetic coma. Unable to wake his mum, the youngster picked up the phone and summoned ambulance staff who arrived to help.

MURDER APPEAL MADE TO WITNESSES

Police have appealed for witnesses to a stabbing incident in which a Birmingham man suffered fatal injuries. West Mercia Police said officers had still not traced the weapon used to stab Liam Gall, 18, of Druids Heath. Any witnesses who were in the vicinity of the incident near Royal Square, Redditch, last Wednesday are urged to contact officers.

LOCAL NEWS 27/09/00

MAN HUNTED AFTER POOL CUE DEATH

Police in Birmingham are appealing to the public to help trace a man in connection with a murder case. West Midlands Police said they wanted to speak to Carl Anthony Morrall, 29, of Hodge Hill, Birmingham about the death of Seamus Tighe. Mr Tighe, 31, died after being stabbed through the eye with a pool cue at The Mercat pub in Bradford Street, Digbeth.

THREE-WHEELERS END IN STYLE

Staffordshire-based car maker Reliant is to produce a limited edition gold vehicle to commemorate its decision to stop making three-wheelers in December. The Burntwood firm aims to mark the end of a motoring era by producing a series of special edition Robin 65s. A Reliant spokesman said each 65 would feature a walnut dash and would be hand-built to the highest standard.

ARMY STORE OWNER HANGS UP BOOTS

A veteran Army surplus store owner is hanging up his combat boots after 39 years in the business, ending 140 years of history in Birmingham. Terence Hand, 65, is standing down from the landmark AJ Beeny shop in Broad Street he runs with his wife Joyce. Social historian Dr Carl Chinn said closing the tiny shop would leave a gap in the city's trading heritage.

DANGEROUS ITEMS FOUND IN POOL

Animal welfare workers cleaning up a pool at Coseley in the Black Country have recovered a "haul of shame" of items that are dangerous to wildlife. The RSPCA said inspectors taking part in a litter crackdown had found seven shopping trolleys, a bicycle, computer, tyres and chairs in Rocket Pool. Planks of wood, bin bags, bottles, ropes, tins and hooks were also found.

PIRANHA SEEKS LOVING HOME

A predatory piranha is looking for a new home after munching all his fishy friends and becoming too fat for his tank in Digbeth, Birmingham. Because of his monster appetite, Bluenose the killer fish has to be kept on his own at Luminaire UK lighting. Now bosses want a bigger tank for the 24-inch fish, who they say is lonely and depressed because of his plight

SUPERMARKETS RECRUIT STAFF

Coventry Employment Service is to host an Open Day on October 4 to recruit staff for local supermarkets. Sue Colledge, who works at the JobCentre in New Union Street, said major chains were anxious to find a total of up to 140 retail staff. She said: "There are full and part-time vacancies, mostly for Christmas, but some may lead to permanent positions."

SHADOW CABINET VISITING REGION

Conservative shadow ministers are visiting the region and some of the key constituencies targeted for the next General Election. Shadow cabinet members are also meeting in Meriden, West Mids, to put the finishing touches to plans for their forthcoming conference in Bournemouth. Leader William Hague said they would listen hard to what residents said.

BOY'S BEHAVIOUR IS ANTI-SOCIAL

Walsall magistrates granted a two-year anti-social behaviour order against a 10-year-old boy involved in bullying. A spokesman for Walsall Borough Council said the boy had terrorised children on the Avenues estate in Brownhills, Walsall, West Midlands. The boy was ordered not to take part in any anti-social behaviour in Walsall or the neighbouring district of Lichfield.

STUDENTS FACE FLOOD DISRUPTION

About 5,000 Birmingham University students faced severe disruptions after a burst water main in Selly Oak. The incident caused major flooding on the Bristol Road at its junction with Bournbrook Road close to the university. Water firm Severn Trent worked round the clock to repair the damage. Motorists were diverted.

UNEMPLOYMENT TOTAL HAS FALLEN

Stoke on Trent has seen the lowest fall in an almost universal drop in unemployment since the last General Election, according to a new report. The jobless figure fell by just 2.5% in the Staffordshire city, according to research for the GMB union. Unemployment fell in every constituency in the country except one, Bosworth in the East Midlands, where it rose.

LOCAL NEWS 28/09/00

'SEX WITH BOYS' JURY TO RESUME

A jury at Stafford Crown Court was resuming its deliberations in a case where a 35-year-old woman is accused of having sex with two 14-year-old boys. The jury has heard allegations that Frances Edmonds had sex with the teenagers during sleep-overs. She denies four counts of indecent assault between September 1998 and July 1999.

MP URGES DRIVERS TO TAKE CARE

A Tory MP has marked the arrival of autumn by urging road users to take extra care behind the wheel. Lichfield MP Michael Fabricant said the season usually saw a rise in accident levels as children returned to school. "Autumn in particular is a time when extra care needs to be taken as the weather becomes wetter and the nights draw in," he said.

BED SHORTAGES STOP CANCER OP

A Worcestershire surgeon has revealed how bed shortages forced a cancer operation to be cancelled less than 48 hours before it was due to take place. Richard Tudor, who works at Alexandra Hospital in Redditch said it was the first such case he had encountered. "It is a real issue when the NHS is failing people with the most serious illnesses," he said.

HAGUE - MEETING IS NOT A STUNT

Tory leader William Hague has denied his shadow cabinet meeting in Meriden, Solihull, is a "stunt" to deflect attention away from the Labour Party. He said during a visit to Birmingham's Great Barr Comprehensive School that it was part of a series of events aimed at listening to voters. Mr Hague said: "This visit is part of a continuing programme of getting out."

ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS DROPPED

A 22-year-old man who alleged he was assaulted by two West Midlands footballers near a nightclub has withdrawn his complaint to police. West Bromwich Albion strikers Lee Hughes, 24, and Jason Roberts, 22, were arrested last month after an incident at a leisure complex in Brierley Hill. A police spokesman confirmed that the complaint was formally withdrawn.

OAPs ELIGIBLE FOR EXTRA FUNDS

A Birmingham City Council initiative aimed at raising pensioners' awareness of benefits has been hailed a success. The authority said more than 5,400 people had requested information during Pensioners' Benefits Week, identifying 1,200 people eligible for extra help. Tahir Ali, cabinet member, said: "The city council is committed to caring for all sections of the community."

COMPANY PLEDGES MINIMAL IMPACT

The company behind the proposed Birmingham Northern Relief Road has pledged to ensure minimal disruption. The Staffordshire Parish Councils Association said Midland Expressway Ltd wanted to be "good neighbours" and minimise environmental impact. The proposed link, the country's first toll motorway, is to link the M6 near Coleshill with the M6 near Cannock.

LOCAL NEWS 30/09/00

RELIEF ROAD GETS GREEN LIGHT

Work on the Birmingham Northern Relief Road is to go ahead after Government approval of funding arrangements. The £600m deal has been agreed by contractors Midland Expressway and the controversial project, from Coleshill to Cannock, is set to open in 2004. Environmentalists condemned the deal, saying the 27-mile road would add to congestion and wreck greenbelt land.

SLADE'S NODDY IS A RISING STAR

The top-hatted frontman of cult 1970s glam rockers Slade has been elevated to new heights - by recording lift announcements for a £21m art gallery. Noddy Holder will be greeting visitors in his Black Country tones at the Walsall New Art Gallery. The singer will inform art lovers where they can view masterpieces by artists such as Picasso, Monet and Andy Warhol.

CUSTODY FOR PHONE THEFTS PAIR

Two 16-year-old boys who carried out a spate of street robberies in Solihull, stealing mobile phones from youngsters, have been locked up for two years. The pair were sentenced to two years in youth custody while a 16-year-old accomplice received probation at Warwick Crown Court. A police spokesman said: "This sentence should deter others."

SOLICTOR ON MORE ABUSE CHARGES

A solicitor who helped free the Birmingham Six has been charged with 14 further offences of indecent assault against young girls. The additional counts bring the total number of charges against 80-year-old Ivan Geffen, of Walsall, to 17. He had initially stood accused of three offences against children aged between six and eight between 1977 and 1996.

SACKED VICAR APPEALS TO LORDS

A Church of England vicar who was dismissed by his diocese vowed to take his battle for reinstatement to the House of Lords. The Diocese of Lichfield wants the Rev Ray Owen to move out of his vicarage in Stoke-on-Trent or face eviction. The dispute dates back to February 1999 when the Bishop of Stafford told Mr Owen his contract had come to an end.

FANS PAY £1,000 TO SEE JOSE

Fans of Spanish tenor Jose Carreras are paying £1,000 to have the singing star remembered in Coventry Cathedral. The Jose Carreras Appreciation Society has agreed to pay the fee to include the Barcelona-born opera sensation on a millennium screen. The screen will form the centrepiece of a new chapel. Donations from it will go to raising £1m for the building.

APPEAL FOR RETURN OF STATUE

Council chiefs in Birmingham have issued a fresh appeal for the return of the city's 600lb bronze statue of the Greek goddess Hebe. The 6ft reclining figure, thought to be worth about £50,000, vanished from her plinth at Holloway Circus. In mythology, Hebe was the daughter of Zeus and the wife of Hercules. The statue was put up in 1967.

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