|
    QUICK LINKS TO THE SITE NEWS
ENTERTAINMENT
MOTORS
WHERE TO STAY
PROPERTY TO RENT
INFORMATION
BUSINESS
FEATURES
DETAILS OF OUR ADVERTISING & DESIGN PACKAGES 101 EVENT
& SPORTING PACKAGES
|
SCHOOLBOY HANGING CASE REOPENED The case of a Birmingham schoolboy found hanged more than 17 years ago has been reopened as a murder inquiry. Police said "a significant line of inquiry" had been identified in the case of Mark Billington, who was aged 15 when he was found dead in woods. Police have linked the case to sex killer Brian Field, jailed for the 1968 murder of Surrey teenager Roy Tutill. MAN DIES FROM MULTIPLE INJURIES A 48-year-old man was discovered with multiple injuries at a house in Newcastle-under-Lyme and later died at North Staffordshire Infirmary. A 29-year-old woman has been detained at Newcastle police station and is helping police with their inquiries. Staffordshire police are appealing for witnesses to the incident at Beaumont Court in Westlands. MORE TIME TO QUIZ STAB SUSPECT West Bromwich detectives have been granted an extra 24 hours to question a man over the murder of two brothers who were found stabbed to death in a car. Bradley and Brett Wilson, aged seven and eight, were discovered in a green Daihatsu estate car at Hill Top Golf Course in Handsworth, Birmingham. A 43-year-old man from nearby Great Barr is being held in custody. NHS TRUST TO LEARN FATE An NHS trust in the West Midlands is learning its fate under radical plans to allow private companies to turn around failing hospitals. Last year, six trusts nationwide were found to be performing so poorly they were given three months to improve. Walsgrave Hospitals, now University Hospitals of Coventry & Warwickshire, received zero stars in an assessment. FORMULA FOR THE PERFECT PANCAKE Scientists at Birmingham University have been tossing and turning over their latest research - how to make the perfect pancake. Physics lecturer Dr Garry Tungate has presented the results of hours of study at his home. The perfect pancake should be flipped at 10mph, taking less than a second before landing upside down in the pan. POP IDOLS TO REUNITE IN CONCERT Will Young, the winner of ITV1's Pop Idol TV talent contest, is to perform with beaten finalist Gareth Gates at the NEC Arena in Birmingham. All 10 finalists in the hit talent competition, including Birmingham singer Hayley Evetts, will perform at the venue on March 23 and 24. They will sing more than 25 songs and be accompanied by a 17-piece band. CALL FOR END TO ARMS EXPORTS The Bishop of Worcester, the Rt Revd Dr Peter Selby, is calling for an end to arm sales to Third World countries. Dr Selby joined 40 of his Church of England colleagues to criticise the export of weapons to the Third World. The Bishops want an amendment to the Export Control Bill to prevent "irresponsible arms sales wasting the resources of poor countries". DERBY PASSES WITHOUT VIOLENCE Police in Stoke-on-Trent say a high-profile presence at the Potteries derby helped the game pass off without any major incident. Stoke City and Port Vale fans were warned they would face the consequences after violence marred the last clash at the Valiants' Vale Park ground. Unofficial figures showed there were about six arrests for minor disorder. JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS OPEN Walsall is marking the start of the Queen's Golden Jubilee Celebrations with a civic parade. Drummers from the Grenadier Guards will lead the procession through the centre to mark the Queen's 50-year reign. Four officers from The Queen's Royal Lancers regiment and the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of the West Midlands will represent the Queen on the parade. NEW SYSTEM TO TACKLE GROWING NUMBER OF FALSE 999 CALLS A new system set up by West Midlands Police to deal with silent 999 calls from mobile phones has led to a huge drop in the number of 'false' calls received by emergency operators. The new initiative was introduced after a survey found silent 999 calls from mobile phones accounted for a staggering 10,000 calls to emergency staff each month - with the majority being made unknowingly and accidentally. Many people store mobiles in their pockets or handbags and do not realise their phone can still connect to '999' even if they have switched on the keypad lock. Now, after a set period, silent 999 calls from mobiles are automatically diverted to a recorded message on an automated call handling system. If the caller is on the line but cannot speak for any reason, they will be given the option to press a button which will automatically return them to the switchboard at any time. The new scheme was launched in the Metropolitan police area several months ago and has proved so successful it is now being taken up nationally. Acting Chief Inspector Keith Morgan, from the Force's Communication Centre (FCC), said operators were under considerable pressure to answer a growing number of 999 calls. Over the last six years the number of emergency calls in the West Midlands alone had risen by a huge 80 per cent. "Staff are under enough pressure already without having the extra pressure of having to deal with silent calls," he said. Research has shown that the majority of silent 999 calls are made on mobiles by adults who are totally unaware they have even dialled the police. "Many people store mobiles in their pockets or handbags and they don't realise that their phone can still connect to '999' even if they have switched on a keyboard lock. Most people who have a mobile think the phone is incapable of dialling 999 if the lock is on which just isn't correct," said Acting Chief Insp Morgan. A month-long survey carried out by the FCC last summer identified more than 10,500 silent calls from mobile phones - equivalent to more than 300 every single day. That did not include the average 1,000 silent calls from landlines the FCC receives each month. "All of these calls put added pressure on busy operators. They have to treat each one as a real emergency and, while they are trying to assess whether there is someone at the other end of a silent call, someone else may be in real need of help and cannot get through. "Although the evidence suggests most of these calls are made accidentally, they are still a major drain on resources and we hope this new system will go someway to reduce the problem and free up operators' time to help provide a better service to those who need it," added Acting Chief Insp Morgan. POLICE LAUNCH PROPERTY MARKING INITIATIVE IN WEST HEATH Officers from Bournville Lane operational command unit will be helping to launch a new crime prevention initiative at West Heath over the coming weeks. The project, to supply the local community with a property marking kit, including dye stamp markers, property labels and ultra violet marker pens, will be managed by the local community. Two volunteers have already offered to run the project, with the aim being to offer residents the chance to safely mark their property at a nominal fee per item (possibly 10 pence). The cost is to cover replacement costs for the kit and any excess will be kept and used for the benefit of the community. Police Constable Stanley Morgan, from West Heath police station, said: "We would like to thank the Police Authority for kindly covering the cost of the kit, with a cheque for £165." Members of the public wishing to use the kit or volunteer for the project should contact Mrs Christine McConnell at West Heath Community Centre, Condover Road, West Heath. OPERATION FERRARI IN BLOXWICH Officers from the Harden beat team based at Bloxwich police station will be continuing their drive against crime and anti-social behaviour with two weeks of intensive and highly visible initiatives starting from today (Monday). Extra officers will be on duty along with members of the Special Constabulary to deter and disrupt criminals. Sergeant Steven Worker, from Bloxwich police station, said: "Many of the operations will be carried out as a direct response to concerns voiced by residents and will involve working with public transport inspectors, education welfare officers and councillors. "Activities will include a speed campaign, vehicle checks, school visits, truancy initiatives, gathering of intelligence and distribution of crime prevention advice. "We will also be paying visits to those people who have warrants outstanding unless that is, they take the opportunity to visit us first so as not to be visited at home." Officers will make use throughout the operation of video filming equipment to take evidence that can be used to assist conviction in court. "Our main aim is to work with the community to tackle all crime concerns and make the area as safe as reasonably possible," he added. Anyone with any information that can assist the police should call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. PAIR QUIZZED OVER BOMBINGS Two men have been arrested in connection with a suspected Real IRA bomb blast in Birmingham last year. The two men, aged 24 and 36, were held in Northern Ireland and have also been quizzed about two separate explosion in London in 2001, police said. The younger man is being held in custody in London and the 36-year-old has been released in Northern Ireland. NHS TRUST'S FATE POSTPONED An NHS trust in the West Midlands which scored zero stars in an assessment faces a wait to learn whether its management is to be franchised out. University Hospitals of Coventry and Warwickshire was among six trusts given three months to improve. Now time has run out but a decision has been postponed until a report comes out next month. STAFF CHECKS ARE 'NON-EXISTENT' Checks on the identities of staff caring for vulnerable elderly people in nursing homes are non-existent, an investigation in the region has found. Health Which? asked a nurse to call 20 nursing homes and 20 nursing agencies in the West Midlands and Eastbourne to see what they asked temporary staff. It found none of the nursing homes requested proof of identity. BARRY CROONS FOR SHY SHARKS Shy sharks in Birmingham are being serenaded by soul star Barry White in an unusual bid to help them mate. Love songs by artists such as Barry are being pumped into tanks at The National Sea Life Centre in Birmingham. The move follows research by scientists in Massachusetts that found fish appreciate and differentiate between different types of music. RECORD INCREASE IN WOODLAND The nation's biggest ever inventory of trees has revealed that woodland cover in the region has made a significant increase over the past 20 years. The Forestry Commission said tree cover in areas including the West Midlands has expanded since 1980. The largest concentration of woodland in the West Midlands region is in Herefordshire and Worcestershire. MAN BITES SHOP WORKER'S EAR A Redditch shop assistant has had a chunk bitten out of his ear by a customer, police have said. The 19-year-old was left permanently disfigured after the attacker, who had bought alcohol in the shop, later assaulted him outside the premises. Police say the male attacker is white, about 6ft, of stocky build and aged in his late teens. RECORD INCREASE IN WOODLAND The nation's biggest ever inventory of trees has revealed that woodland cover in the region has made a significant increase over the past 20 years. The Forestry Commission said tree cover in areas including the West Midlands has expanded since 1980. The largest concentration of woodland in the West Midlands region is in Herefordshire and Worcestershire. MAN ARRESTED OVER STAB DEATH A 49-year-old man has been arrested after a woman died from serious stab wounds at her home in Birmingham. Police were called to Wicketts Tower, Edgbaston, after a report that a 39-year-old woman had been stabbed. A police spokesman said the woman was treated at the scene by paramedics and taken to Selly Oak Hospital, where she later died as a result of her injuries. MAN FACES BOYS MURDER CHARGE A 43-year-old man is due to appear before West Bromwich Magistrates' Court charged with the murders of two brothers from Great Barr. The bodies of Brett and Brad Lee Wilson, eight and seven, were found at Hill Top golf course Handsworth. Police charged the man after they were granted a 36-hour extension by magistrates to question him. BRITONS MOVED TO CAMP X-RAY Another man from Tipton is one of two more British prisoners moved to the controversial US camp X-ray in Cuba, the Foreign Office has confirmed. Ruhal Ahmed, 20, and a Lancashire man were among the latest batch of alleged al-Qaeda or Taliban fighters flown out of the Afghan capital, Kandahar. It brings the number of Britons held at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base to five. MOTORCYCLIST DIES IN ACCIDENT A motorcyclist has died after a road accident near Coventry, police said. A Warwickshire Police spokesman said the 58-year-old rider was in collision with an oncoming Peugeot on the B4029 at Brinklow The rider was pronounced dead at the scene following the accident. The female driver of the car, from Earl Shilton, suffered shock. PROSTITUTE DEATH CLUE PROBED Forensic evidence found on the body of a murdered prostitute in Stoke-on-Trent could help hunt down her killer. The body of Nikola Higgins, from Coalville, Leics, was found at the rear of a cemetery in February 2001. Traces of roofing bitumen may indicate that she was taken to a place where bitumen was used or that the killer worked in the building trade. COUNCIL TAX UP £1 A WEEK Residents in Walsall have been told that the Borough Council is planning a £1 a week increase in council tax bills in the coming year's budget proposal. Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council band A property owners will see their tax increase to £601.59 per year and £701.85 for a band B property. Council Leader Tom Ansell said the budget would have no cuts to services. HOSPITALS PLANNED IN £1bn PLAN Private sector finance could provide new hospitals for Birmingham, the Government has announced. University Hospitals Birmingham Trust will issue tenders for controversial public-private partnerships. Ministers say the scheme will form part of the biggest hospital building programme in the history of the NHS and encourage innovation in healthcare. PARENTS: DEALER MUST BE CAUGHT The parents of a Dudley soldier who died from hypothermia after apparently taking six Ecstasy tablets appealed to find the dealer who sold them. Gary Smith, 26, an Air Trooper with the 9th Regiment Army Air Corps, collapsed during New Year's Eve celebrations at the Britannia Hotel in Wolverhampton. The father-of-one had been on leave from Canada and was with friends. TEENAGER DIES AFTER ROAD CRASH A 17-year-old Bloxwich pedestrian who was injured in a road accident has died in hospital, police have revealed. Jamie Minton, of Walsall, died in the town's Manor Hospital following an incident in Leamore Lane, Bloxwich, on Friday, February 8. He was in collision with a Ford Fiesta being driven by a 27-year-old local woman, a police spokesman added. RIVERS SPARK FRESH FLOOD ALERT Parts of the West Midlands remain on flood alert as dangerously swollen rivers threaten to break their banks. The Environment Agency has issued two severe flood warnings on stretches of the River Severn and its tributaries in Shropshire. Warnings are in force on areas between Tewkesbury and upstream of Gloucester, and between Worcester and Tewkesbury. WALRUS OF LOVE PLAYS TO SHARKS A week-long experiment to coax a group of sharks into mating has begun in Birmingham - using music by the Walrus of Love, Barry White. Staff at Birmingham's National Sea Life Centre are pumping the star's classics into the 800,000-litre tank to serenade them ahead of St Valentine's Day. No shark offspring have yet been produced from the 10 males and females. CONTINUED SUCCESS FOR OPERATION LANGLEY IN WALSALL Efforts to crack down on burglary continue in south Walsall with the help of Operation Langley, a dedicated police initiative. Following 24 arrests in the first fortnight, the operation has continued to lead to the arrest of some of the most prolific burglars in the area. Most notably, one offender has admitted to 15 offences of burglary in the Palfrey area while another has admitted to 30 vehicle crime offences in the Walsall area. Uniform officers, plain clothed CID officers and the Caldmore crime fighting team continue to make the arrests during a series of warrant executions and undercover operations. Sergeant Jan Leggett, from Walsall police station, said: "We are really pleased with these arrests and are sure they will have an obvious effect on the crime rate in this area. "All officers involved are determined to stop any would-be criminals from disrupting these communities." Officers are continuing to investigate and conduct interviews in relation to the arrests and make a request to the public to pass on information about where stolen property is being taken or sold using the free phone Crimestoppers number - 0800 555 111. Any suspicious activity should be reported direct to local police for investigation. POLICE SUPPORT LOCAL SCHOOLS INITIATIVE West Midlands Police Authority is to donate £1,500 through its Community Initiative Fund to a Saturday morning youth club held at Holyhead School, Handsworth. The funding is used to support initiatives in which police officers are involved in improving aspects of the local community. Police Constable Daniel Jones, from Holyhead Road police station, said: "The money that the club receives is to go towards sports equipment and games for 150 kids who attend the club on a Saturday morning. "The initiative is a great way for kids to interact socially and keep fit through sports and games in a secure environment off the streets." Children who attend the club have already been supplied with caps, t-shirts and water bottles, donated by local police. Ann Worley from the Police Authority will present the cheque on Saturday 16 February at 10.30am at Holyhead School, Holyhead Road, Handsworth. GREETS GREEN RESIDENTS GET SET FOR ALARMING DROP IN BURGLARIES Residents in Davey Road, Greets Green, are safer in their homes thanks to the donation and fitting of brand new alarms. Operation Safer Greets Green has been running in the West Bromwich area since August last year and local police officers have been working together with members of the Greets Green partnership. The partnership paid for the alarms and on Tuesday 19 February the Yale Security Roadshow will be visiting Davey Road along with some of the police community safety team who will be handing out crime prevention advice to passers-by. PC Mick Keyte, community safety officer at West Bromwich police station, said: "Every house in the street has been provided with a fitted house alarm to help tackle the burglary problem in the area. This is just one of the measures we have helped organise to improve the security of residents." Greets Green were given £56 million by the Home Office over 10 years to improve the area and quality of life. The dedicated police team have worked with local residents to fight crime and help residents feel proud of their area. Police work from a community base at the West Bromwich building society in the High Street. Paul Shill, Yale Security Roadshow Project Manager, said: "Yale is always keen to work closely with the police and this project is an excellent example of this. It will definitely increase the quality of life for the 4500 residents involved and we will give it all the support we can." The alarms were supplied by Yale and fitted by Locktechnique. TWO ACCUSED OVER BOMB ATTACKS Two men charged in connection with alleged Real IRA bombings in Birmingham and London are due to appear in court. One of the men, 33, is charged with causing three explosions - one in Birmingham and two in west London. The second man, 24, is charged with conspiracy to cause an explosion. Both are due to appear at Belmarsh magistrates' court in London. FOUR CHARGED OVER PHONES THEFT Four people, including a West Midlands man, have been charged over the theft of 26,000 mobile phones. They will appear before magistrates in Uxbridge accused of handling 9,600 Samsung A300 phones worth £1.5m stolen from a warehouse in Hayes, west London. Surindur Kumar, 34, from Walsall, was arrested in north-west London, with three men from Southall, west London. SURVEY: ONE IN THREE BULLIED Almost a third of young people in Walsall have fallen victim to bullying or assault in the past year, a survey in the borough has revealed. The research also revealed that almost three-quarters of youths feel more vulnerable if they carry a phone. Some 700 people responded to the survey by Walsall Youth Congress and Action on Crime in Walsall Together. POP IDOL BACKS BLOOD DONATIONS Pop Idol contestant Hayley Evetts is in Birmingham to encourage more people to donate blood used to treat youngsters. The 25-year-old singer from Quinton is due to visit the Diana, Princess of Wales Children's Hospital to mark congenital heart defect awareness day. Children with heart conditions rely on blood donations as on average only two out of every 100 are suitable for them. MAN REMANDED OVER SONS' DEATHS A Great Barr man charged with murdering his two sons has been remanded in custody until February 22. Steven Wilson, 43, appeared at West Bromwich Magistrates' Court charged with killing sons Brett, eight, and Brad Lee, seven, on February 6. Wilson, of Linden Avenue is also charged with assaulting his wife Denise and making threats to kill her. COURT DISMISSES BUGGING CLAIM The Court of Appeal has dismissed claims over "unlawful" covert bugging made by four men convicted after a series of crimes near Coventry. The court ruled that evidence obtained by bugging suspects in cells is permissible so long as it does not affect the fairness of the trial. The recordings had formed a major part of the prosecution's evidence NEW POP IDOL DATES ANNOUNCED The stars of Pop Idol are to play two extra dates in Birmingham to satisfy the huge demand for the singers. Winner Will Young and runner-up Gareth Gates, along with the eight other finalists, have agreed to play a total of four dates at the NEC Arena. They will perform on March 31 and April 1 as well as the two original dates, March 23 and 24, which have sold out. FOOTBALL FANS RECEIVE BANS Two men, from Stoke-on-Trent and Coventry, have received two-year bans from football after being arrested ahead of England's friendly in Holland. The men, among 12 suspected football hooligans arrested in Kent, received the bans from Folkestone magistrates. A Kent Police spokesman said: "This has been an ongoing operation since Monday. We have not found weapons or drugs." WASTE PERMIT SCHEME INTRODUCED A new permit scheme has been launched to tackle Shropshire businesses who dump trade waste without paying disposal charges. Anyone dumping rubbish from April 8 will have to prove it is not trade waste to get a permit to proceed. Ordinary cars, estates, four-wheel drive vehicles, minibuses and people carriers will not require a permit. YOUTH BUTTED DURING THEFT Police have appealed for information after a 17-year-old boy was butted and kicked by a mugger who stole his mobile phone in Redditch. West Mercia Police said he was attacked by two youths on a path leading to the Windmill Community Centre in the town. The main offender is described as white, about 6ft, slim and aged 18-19. He had closely-shaved blond hair. POLICE SAY LOVE YOUR PHONE ON VALENTINE'S DAY AND ALL YEAR ROUND The police, council and shopping centre bosses are getting together to combat mobile phone crime in Solihull. The first step is that officers will carry out regular truancy patrols, along with staff from the local education authority. CCTV in Solihull town centre will be used to spot youngsters who are not at school and those who are caught will be returned to school, their parents informed and details recorded by police. Sergeant Kris Starynskyj said: "Nearly half of mobile phone theft victims in Solihull are school children, many of whom are truants. Traditionally the coming term poses the highest risk of robbery and theft of mobile phones. The message to youngsters is 'don't take your phone to school and don't play truant'". As well as the truancy patrols police have linked up with staff at Touchwood shopping centre to start a register of the unique reference number of all new phones sold in participating shops in Solihull. The IMEI code is unique to every mobile and can be discovered by keying in *#06# Police are encouraging phone owners to make a note of their number which could help them trace the mobile if it is stolen. Officers will also be visiting schools in Solihull to register the numbers from phones belonging to students. Sgt Starynskyj added: "The recent government announcement, that all major mobile phone companies have now agreed to adopt the ZAP scheme (the ability to disable stolen phones making them useless) is welcomed and reinforces the message that stealing phones doesn't pay." RECRUITMENT CARAVAN ON SOHO ROAD The force's recruitment caravan will be on the Soho Road in Handsworth, Birmingham, on Saturday 23 February - providing a fantastic opportunity for wannabe 'bobbies' to find out what it's like to be a police officer. Staff will be on hand to answer any questions about the application form, written assessments, physical tests and other issues. Constable Manjit Marva said: "Soho Road is normally quite busy on a Saturday and I hope many people stop by and have a chat. "The police service is a varied career where no two days are the same. I think if people take time to find out more about the role, they'd find it is one of the most diverse occupations around." Everyone is invited to the caravan on Soho Road near to the junction with Grove Lane from 9am to 3pm. For further information about becoming an officer, special constable or support staff member visit the website at www.west-midlands.police.uk MAN HELD OVER SCHOOLBOY HANGING New information has led to the arrest of three men in connection with the murder of a Birmingham schoolboy who was found hanged almost 20 years ago. A man aged 32 from south Birmingham has been arrested and released on bail until March pending further inquiries. Two other men were held but released later. Mark Billington, 15, disappeared from the city's South Yardley district. BOY DIES AFTER LORRY COLLISION A 16-year-old boy has died in Stoke-on-Trent following a collision with an articulated lorry, police say. The teenager was on the west bound carriageway of the A50 near the Meir tunnel when the accident happened. A spokesman for Staffordshire Police said the victim was taken to the North Staffordshire Royal Infirmary but later died from his injuries. MINISTER TO PROMOTE LEARNING Secretary of State for Education Estelle Morris is in Birmingham to help promote the city's campaign to become a beacon for learning. The minister, who is also MP for Yardley, is to present the Lifelong Learning seminar at the Young People's Parliament, Millennium Point. Ms Morris will discuss how to attract more people of all ages into education. TWO ACCUSED OVER BOMB ATTACKS Two men charged in connection with alleged Real IRA bombings in Birmingham and London have appeared in court. James Patrick McCormack, 33, is charged with causing three explosions and Aiden Patrick Hulme, 25, is charged with conspiracy to cause an explosion. The two men were remanded in custody until February 21 at Belmarsh magistrates' court, south-east London. MURDER PROBE AFTER MAN STABBED A murder inquiry has been launched after a Birmingham man was stabbed to death yards from his home in Erdington. The victim, aged 30, was taken to City Hospital with a stab wound to the stomach but later died following the incident in Norton Walk. A 28-year-old man has been arrested and is helping detectives with their inquiries, said a police spokeswoman. WAR CHILDREN LAUNCH APPEAL The children of British servicemen captured in the Second World War are setting up an appeal to fund a Staffordshire remembrance centre. The centre, funded by the Children of the Far East Prisoners of War, will be at the National Arboretum in Alrewas and commemorate the fall of Singapore. It will be dedicated to informing visitors about their parents' ordeal. POLICE SNIFF OUT FOOD THIEVES Three thieves tracked down by a trail of curry sauce after they ambushed a delivery man in Bentley have been each sentenced to community service. Brothers Joseph and Carl May,aged 28 and 27, and Colin Brownjohn, 21, were arrested in Fairview Court tower block in Western Avenue, Bentley. Wolverhampton Crown Court sentenced them to 120 hours community service. HUSBAND GIVEN 'GIFT OF LIFE' A Birmingham businessman has told how his wife gave him the "gift of life" after donating one of her kidneys. Gurd Ubhi, 39, and his wife Kam, underwent a "live" donation in which one of her kidneys was transplanted into him. Father-of-two Mr Ubhi said: "There is no better gift than the gift of life, which is what she gave me." BUSINESSES ARE GIVEN CASH BOOST Three Birmingham-based firms have been awarded almost £1,250,000 to help boost the prospects of entrepreneurs from the West Midlands' ethnic minorities. Black Business in Birmingham, Just for Starters and Aston Reinvestment Trust were boosted by small business minister Nigel Griffiths and the Phoenix Fund. The cash will help firms in Sandwell, Dudley, Birmingham and Walsall expand. GUINEA PIGS' SURVIVAL 'MIRACLE' The RSPCA has described the survival of a family of guinea pigs abandoned in woods near Shrewsbury as "a miracle". The three adults and five babies - some just a day old - were found by a boy near Rowton Castle Leisure Centre. RSPCA animal collection officer Sarah Ryder said: "It is a miracle they have survived. They could have been attacked by predators or died from exposure." FREE CHAIN LOCKS FOR ELDERLY RESIDENTS Elderly or vulnerable residents in the Newtown and South Aston areas will get the opportunity this week to have one of a limited supply of free chain locks from local police fitted to their front doors for security. Officers will visit homes to fit the locks as part of an initiative to crackdown on burglaries committed by people posing as officials. Police Constable Jasbir Cox, from Bridge Street West police station, said: "The chains will be given to vulnerable or elderly people who will be advised to use them whenever they answer their front doors. "A chain lock on a front door is a large deterrent for would-be burglars and it allows the resident to keep control of the situation. "We will also be offering other crime prevention advice to the local community and paying visits to those who have suffered a crime to offer advice on reducing the chance of it happening again." Anyone who has any information about bogus officials or burglars operating in this area is asked to call Crimestoppers in confidence on 0800 555 111. FOOTBALL OPERATION HAILED A SUCCESS Police were on their guard at Birmingham International Airport during the days leading to the friendly international football fixture between Holland and England, hosted in Amsterdam. Operation Meson was part of a nationwide crackdown to address potential problems that may have arisen in Holland. The high profile three-day police operation was instigated as a warning to football fans to stay away - or face the consequences. Prior to the game police warned troublemakers not to attempt to travel from the airport. By using the Football Disorder Act 2000, officers were able to verify the identity of people they believed were travelling to the match and to put them before a court if they believed the person intended or had the potential to cause trouble and had a relevant previous conviction. Hooligans were warned that the courts could issue a Banning Order, which prevents them from attending games both home and abroad for up to a minimum of two years. More than 180 officers were assisted by up-to-date intelligence provided through police national checks and National Criminal Intelligence Service. The West Midlands operation was the largest in the country and had the greatest success in terms of numbers of people dealt with by officers. Over the three days 300 people were detained and checked by officers prior to leaving the country. Of those, 11 men were required to appear before Solihull Magistrates Court where an application for a Banning Order was made. One man, from Northfield, Birmingham, was banned for two years from travelling to domestic and international games. Two men from Walsall and one male from Derby had their case adjourned until 20 March. Three men from Birmingham, another from Derby and one from Nottingham all had their cases adjourned until 27 March. The magistrates imposed bail conditions on all of them to prevent them from travelling to last night's game. All are in their 20s. Inspector Sue Parker, from Operations Support, said "West Midlands Police are continuing to drive home the message that they want all football matches - internationals included - to be trouble-free and enjoyed by all. The operation will be repeated ahead of other international matches and the World Cup 2002 tournament in Japan, later this year."
We are Members of the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce If you wish to contact us either : PHONE 0121 444
4723
or E-Mail us on :
Do you want to link to our site ? Feel free to use the Image below , let us know and we'll give a return link.
BACK TO BIRMINGHAM101 HOME PAGE
|
We
can now offer a whole range of top quality ticket / hospitality packages
to
many of the most prestigious sports events such as Twickenham, Rockingham,
major golfing tournaments, as well as some superb sporting holidays. Ideal
for individuals or businesses.....
