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TEENAGER IN COURT OVER MURDER A teenager is due appear in court accused of stabbing a 30-year-old man to death just yards from his home in Erdington, Birmingham. The 18-year-old accused, who has not been named, will appear before Sutton Coldfield Magistrates' Court. He is charged with the murder of Alton Goulding, who died following an altercation in the street. MP PROBES ASSET STRIPPERS' BID A Birmingham MP threatened court action against asset strippers who tried to take equipment from a troubled factory which supplies goods such as mirrors. Steve McCabe, MP for Hall Green, said police were called to Elite Archfold in Billesley when 300 people blocked asset strippers from entering on Sunday. Mr McCabe said: "These workers are owed a great deal of money." PLANT INQUIRY DUE TO OPEN A public inquiry into a controversial incinerator and recycling plant in Kidderminster is to begin this week. The inquiry at Kidderminster Town Hall is being held after Mercia Waste Management's plans to build the plant were rejected by the county council. Plans for the facility, which have been on the table for several years, have attracted opposition in the town. PESTICIDE TAX TO BE DISCUSSED Farmers from across the region are due to gather in Worcester to discuss alternatives to a proposed new tax for using pesticides. The National Farmers Union wants to reduce the environmental impact of crop sprays to deter the Government from introducing the tax. The tax would cost farmers around £125m a year, the NFU will argue. FREE LOCKS FOR THE ELDERLY Elderly and vulnerable residents from an inner-city Birmingham district are to receive free chain locks fitted by local police. Officers will visit the homes of residents in Newtown and South Aston to fit the front door locks It is part of an initiative to tackle burglaries by thieves posing as officials. PAIR HELD AFTER JEWELLER RAID Police have praised members of the public who tackled a robber armed with a handgun after he tried to hold up a jewellers' in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent. The robber was trapped in Stafford Lane by people who spotted him and an accomplice emerge from an unnamed shop. A 29-year-old man was arrested, and a second man also 29 from Stockport was later detained over the incident. 250 NEW NURSERY PLACES Up to 250 new nursery places are to be created in poor parts of Warwickshire with a £1m plan to create more affordable childcare. Seven of the county's poorest areas will be targeted under the Government's Neighbourhood Nurseries schemes. Areas include Abbey and Stockingford, Camp Hill and Attleborough, all in Nuneaton, Bedworth Heath, and Newbold. £300,000 CCTV CAMERA SCHEME Work is under way to install more than £300,000 worth of security cameras in two Walsall districts following a successful bid for Home Office funds. Twelve CCTV cameras will be installed in Bloxwich and nine in Palfrey. Walsall Council's leader Tom Ansell said CCTV cameras had reduced crime and fear of crime in other parts of the borough BUDDING SPACE SCIENTISTS WANTED Scientists at a Worcestershire-based research centre are challenging young people to take part in a new mission to the edge of space. QinetiQ, which has a branch in Malvern, is appealing to children to design an experiment that can be tested during a high altitude balloon flight. The team behind the record bid aim to ascend more than 25 miles. MAN, 38, HELD AFTER STABBING A Stoke-on-Trent man is recovering in hospital after he was stabbed in the neck while visiting a crematorium. Paramedics were called to Carmountside crematorium, Bucknall,after the 29-year-old suffered a very serious neck wound, say police. A spokesman for Staffordshire Police said a 38-year-old Stoke man was arrested and remains in custody. MARRIED COUPLES IN THE WEST MIDLANDS GET A BOOST FROM INTERNET LOVE Singletons have long been smitten with email flirtations, but now it appears that established couples in the West Midlands, grown lazy with love, are using the Internet to re-ignite their passions. According to research by BTopenworld, email is helping couples in the region revive those heart fluttering days, with one in four long-timers adding spice to their love life by sending saucy messages to their other half. Stuttering over the 'love' word, many men and women in the area now rely on technology to do the talking for them. More than a quarter (27 per cent) confess to using email to say things to their nearest and dearest that they can't find the words to reveal in person. But, it's not just couples that find it hard to express themselves. When faced with the girl of their dreams the 'bruised ego' syndrome causes many British men to wimp out of asking for a date, with almost one in 10 (9 per cent) preferring to email their romantic intentions. And card shops are set to suffer with love letters and cards becoming a thing of the past, as even Cupid appears to have gone online. The BTopenworld survey shows that almost half (49 per cent) of the region's love sick opt to email their beloveds to let them know that they care. And 62 per cent admit to sending tantalising text messages to add a bit of sparkle to their love lives. Duncan Ingram, senior vice president of BTopenworld, says: "Whether you're a Darby or Joan or a Romeo or Juliet, love online is helping you make sure your sweetheart knows you care. It's great to see technology keeping romance alive." TESCO CHARITY OF THE YEAR LAUNCHED 17 month old Oliver from Burton on Trent launches the Cystic Fibrosis Trust as Tesco Charity of the Year 2002 ‘Life isn’t a bed of roses when you live with Cystic Fibrosis’ 11am, Thursday 21 March 2002, Tesco Burton on Trent, St Peter’s Bridge. Nigel Clough and Aaron Webster from Burton Albion FC join Oliver Burroughs, a 17 month old who has Cystic Fibrosis (CF), and Tesco staff to announce the Cystic Fibrosis Trust as Tesco Charity of the Year 2002. Burton on Trent is one of 12 Tesco stores helping to launch this initiative nationwide. ‘Life isn’t a bed of roses’, will mark the start of the Tesco and Cystic Fibrosis Trust relationship. It is being set up to continue to build understanding and raise awareness about CF. Cystic Fibrosis is the UK’s most common, life-threatening, inherited disease, which affects more than 7,500 babies, children and young adults nationwide. Roses have been the international symbol for CF since it became known that a little girl in Australia was unable to say Cystic Fibrosis, saying instead, “65 Roses”. As Tesco Charity of the Year, the Cystic Fibrosis Trust will receive the funds raised by staff fundraising activities throughout the year. All money received by Tesco staff will go to the Cystic Fibrosis Trust’s campaign to fund a number of projects. These include providing specialist staff at Cystic Fibrosis (CF) clinics throughout the UK and a welfare service, which offers emotional and practical support for people coping with CF. Cystic Fibrosis, which currently has no cure, attacks the lungs and digestive system, clogging them with a thick sticky mucus. This makes it difficult for a person with CF to breathe or digest food. more… Tim Mason, Marketing Director and Chairman of Tesco Charity Trust said; “We hope that the money raised by our staff and suppliers will go some way to help local people with CF, cope with the very difficult daily regime of medical care that is required. We also hope that our fundraising efforts will support the Cystic Fibrosis Trust in its bid to find a cure for the disease.” Alison Johnson, Regional Fundraising Manager for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust said; “We are extremely excited about this partnership and look forward to working closely with Tesco. Staff, at the 750 stores nationwide, are already expressing an interest in fundraising events to help meet its fundraising target of £1.5 million. Tesco support will be invaluable in helping the Cystic Fibrosis Trust to provide practical help for people with CF and their families.” COVENTRY & WARWICKSHIRE LESBIAN AND GAY POLICING FORUM LATEST Homophobic crimes are still under-reported despite all the efforts of local police - according to the latest research carried out by vulnerable victims officers based at all three Coventry operational command units. This is just one of the issues to be tabled at the next meeting of the Coventry and Warwickshire Lesbian and Gay Policing Forum, which will be held at Rainbows in Short Street on Wednesday 20 February, starting at 7pm. Also on the agenda is a presentation of the Crime and Disorder Audit by Warwick District Council and a member of Ryton Police Training College has agreed to attend to talk about the recent controversial decision by the college to remove gay magazines from display within the centre. The final drafts for leaflets, a logo and advice cards commissioned by the Forum, are also ready to put before the meeting before they go to print. WPC Nadine Whiteford, vulnerable victims officer from Little Park Street, said: "It was disappointing to discover that homophobic crimes, which include instances of verbal abuse, harassment and assault are still not being reported. "One of the things I want to discuss at the forum is why that is and would like to hear from people who have any ideas of how we can improve matters. Until we have a clear picture of the scale of the problem neither we, nor other agencies, can act to make things better. "If people do not feel comfortable about approaching police to report these crimes, self-reporting forms are available at Victim Support, Friend or Rainbows. They can also be downloaded at www.west-midlands.police.uk - click on 'Are you a victim?' then 'Hate crime' and 'Homophobic self reporting forms' This service can be totally anonymous." Anyone is welcome to attend the forum, which was set up at the end of 2001 with a view to monitoring and tackling homophobic issues with a multi-agency and community approach. There are many supporters and many come along either as members or guests. Minutes are placed on the notice board at Rainbows for general information. JUDGE SUMMING UP IN MURDER CASE A judge in the trial of a Birmingham man accused of murdering two war veterans is due to continue summing up. Mr Justice Butterfield was summarising the six-week trial of Andrew Aston, 29, who is alleged to have carried out robberies of pensioners in their homes. Appearing at Birmingham Crown Court, Aston denies murdering George Dale, 87, and Francis Hobley, 80. REGION'S HOUSE PRICES STAGNANT House prices in the West Midlands have hit a plateau while the rest of the country enjoys a rapid rise in property values, a survey has revealed. The difference between surveyors in the region reporting rises and falls fell to 32% from 33%, said the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. Over three months to the end of January other areas saw prices climbing. MAN ARRESTED OVER STAB DEATH A man has been arrested after a woman was found stabbed to death in a house in Worcestershire. Police officers held a 59-year-old man after the woman, 57, was found at an address in Bromsgrove. A spokeswoman for West Mercia Police said the victim was treated at the scene, but later pronounced dead at the Alexandra Hospital, Redditch. JOBS SAFEGUARDED AT CAR PLANT Thousands of jobs at a Solihull Land Rover plant have been safeguarded after a stand-off between the firm and City accountants KPMG was resolved. The two settled a row over the supply of chassis from Midlands-based UPF which could have halted production. The plant has 1,400 workers while UPF employs 550 at Walsall, Wolverhampton and Congleton, Cheshire. TEENAGER DETAINED OVER DEATH A West Midlands teenager who knocked down and killed a pensioner while driving a stolen car was ordered to be detained for four-and-a-half years. Stanley Bradley, 78, suffered multiple injuries as Carl Fletcher, 19, did not stop after the crash in Lower Gormal, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard. Fletcher is to serve the sentence in a young offenders' institution. CASH FUNDS FOR RIVER PROJECT A forgotten part of Stoke-on-Trent's river heritage is to be rejuvenated thanks to a £56,000 investment plan. Regional development agency Advantage West Midlands is funding the River Trent Action Plan to open the area from from Boothen Bridge to Hanford Island. The aim of the action plan is to create a "green corridor" along the Trent which people can use for recreation. WOMAN CHARGED WITH ROAD OFFENCE A West Midlands woman has appeared in court charged with obstructing the highway while protesting against Trident submarines in Plymouth. Mary Wilson, 59, of Bridgenorth Grove, Willenhall, pleaded not guilty to obstrction of the highway in Saltash Road at Plymouth Magistrates' Court. She was remanded on bail until March 8 and barred from Devonport naval base. CHILDREN 'STABLE' AFTER FIRE Two young children critically injured when fire swept through their Nuneaton home are said to be out of danger. A boy, aged four and his two-year-old sister were rescued with their parents from the house in Heath End. Malcolm Tandy, of Warwickshire Fire and Rescue, said the youngsters were now in a stable condition after suffering from severe smoke inhalation. CHILD GENIUS UNIT AT UNIVERSITY Warwick University has been chosen to play host to the Government-funded study centre for England's brainiest children, it has emerged. The Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth will be launched by school standards minister Stephen Timms. The centre is now looking for 100 children for its first summer school which will be held in July and August. FREE SECURITY MARKING OF BICYCLES AND VALUABLE GOODS Police from Walsall Road police station in Great Barr are offering members of the public the chance to have their bicycles and valuables security marked at the police station free of charge. Officers will mark property between 1pm and 3pm on Saturday 23 February at Walsall Road police station, which covers parts of Great Barr and Perry Barr. Police Constable Malcolm Lay, from Walsall Road police station, said: " Property that is marked and easily identifiable is less valuable to a potential thief and increases the chances of him or her being caught in possession of an item that we can prove is stolen property. "If we can persuade everyone to mark their property as a matter of course it will greatly assist the police in reducing this type of crime." In particular, officers emphasise the advantage of marking those goods that are the most attractive to thieves such as bicycles, mobile phones and personal stereos. FIFTY-THREE ARRESTS FOR STORMHEAD SIX Officers in Willenhall are hailing Operation Stormhead Six a great success after total arrests reached 53 today. Stormhead Six has been focusing on vehicle crime since its launch on 28 January and police are warning criminals that decoy vehicles will be used over the next few weeks to reduce the problem even more. Superintendent Peter Goodman, operations manager at Willenhall police station, said: "We hope that as a result of these arrests we will have put a stop to some of the most prolific offenders of vehicle crime across Willenhall, Darlaston, Brownhills and Bloxwich." "Our next tactic is to place decoy vehicles in car parks and places that have experienced the most vehicle crime and use undercover officers to watch over them. "The message to criminals in Willenhall is 'don't bother', we've got our eye on you and we will take every measure to stop you from committing crime in this area again." Anyone with information about vehicle crime in Willenhall should call the team on 01922 439105 - calls will be treated in the strictest of confidence. RELEASE DEMAND CONSIDERED A US judge is considering calls to free free two West Midlands men detained after being captured in Afghanistan. Lawyers for the families of Asif Iqbal, 20, and Shafiq Rasul, 24, have filed legal papers demanding that the US bring charges or release them. The men, both from Tipton, are being held in Camp X-Ray at the Guantanamo Bay naval base in Cuba. JURY TO RESUME IN MURDER TRIAL The jury trying a Birmingham man accused of murdering two war veterans is set to resume its deliberations. Andrew Aston, formerly of Station Road, Stechford, denies murdering George Dale, 87, and Francis Hobley, 80, at Birmingham Crown Court. The 29-year-old also denies five counts of assault with intent to rob and 21 charges of robbery. FIREMAN MUST QUIT OVER ASSAULT A West Midlands firefighter who fractured a colleague's skull with a mug has been ordered to resign after a disciplinary hearing, it has emerged. Michael Mole, 41, of Tividale, resigned after facing a disciplinary panel headed by West Midlands Fire Service Chief Fire Officer Ken Knight. He was convicted of causing grievous bodily harm last November. EVENT TO HELP REFUGEE CHILDREN A conference is being staged in Walsall to raise awareness of the aid available to the children of asylum seekers. Officers from West Midlands Police will join speakers from Walsall Council and delegates from about 30 schools and colleges in the area at the event. The conference is being run by Asylum Seekers Forum, a multi-agency team which helps asylum seekers in Walsall. 23,000 JOBS CREATED BY NEW PLAN Government ministers are expected to agree a £1.6bn scheme to regenerate the Black Country borough of Sandwell, which could create 23,000 new jobs. The project will develop an area near the Midlands Metro light railway, along Smethwick, West Bromwich and Hill Top over 15 years. Advantage West Midlands and Sandwell Council say jobs will be created. TWO KILLED IN HEAD-ON SMASH Two people have been killed and two young children seriously injured following a head-on collision near Shrewsbury, police have said. A female driver and her passenger both died when their Citroen collided with an oncoming coach as they headed towards Dorrington on the A49. A boy, aged three, and a girl,aged four from the same car remain in hospital. US-STYLE ROADS 'THREAT' Government road building plans which could mean Los Angeles-style motorways in the West Midlands have been criticised by an environmental group. Schemes being considered by Government transport studies include the widening of the M42 and M6, creating 12-lane US-type highways, says Transport 2000. "Alarm bells should be ringing now," said director Stephen Joseph. TWO BAILED IN FRAUD CASE Two West Midlands people have appeared before magistrates in Northampton charged with conspiring to defraud the Department for Education and Skills. Keith Mann, of Evesham, Worcestershire, and Kerry Williamson, of Wolverhampton, are among 12 people accused of obtaining tens of thousands of pounds. All were granted bail to reappear at Northampton Crown Court on February 25. STABBING VICTIM IS IDENTIFIED A 57-year-old stabbing victim who died in hospital has been named by police as a married mother-of-five. Maureen Troth was discovered seriously injured by her sister at Hinton Fields, Bournheath, near Bromsgrove, West Mercia Police said. She died from a single stab wound to the heart. A 59-year-old man is being questioned by police in Redditch. MURDER VICTIM'S PARENTS APPEAL The parents of a 34-year-old West Midlands murder victim have issued an emotional appeal for information in a bid to bring his killer to justice. Father-of-one Mark Richards was shot in the head outside the Brewer's Droop pub in Willenhall, near Walsall, on September 18 last year. His father John said he was sure that someone is shielding the murderer. WALSALL ASYLUM SEEKERS IN EDUCATION CONFERENCE Officers from West Midlands Police will join speakers from Walsall Council, the Immigration Service and the Education Development Service, at a conference aimed at raising awareness about the support available to asylum seeker children. Around 30 schools and colleges will be represented at the conference tomorrow (Wednesday), which has been organised by the Asylum Seekers Forum, a multi-agency team that meets on a weekly basis to support the dispersal, accommodation, health, safety and education of asylum seekers in Walsall. Police Constable Sam Jones, young persons officer at Darlaston police station, said: "This training conference has been organised in response to a rising number of asylum seeker pupils in Walsall schools. "This partnership approach means that everyone has the opportunity to engage with people who can offer support to asylum seeker children and their families. "The forum has definitely helped the local police understand the situation that asylum seeker children find themselves in and how we can best assist them in our work with the community." TOURIST DIES IN THAILAND A tourist from Nuneaton has been found dead at a guest house in the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai after a drinking binge, police said. Luke Williams, 22, was found dead after he collapsed in a bathroom at the Flamingo Guest House. Mr Williams' companion, who has not been named, told police that they had been drinking heavily. CHEMICAL FIRE UNDER CONTROL Fire crews have been dealing with the aftermath of a serious chemical fire at a factory in Smethwick. West Midlands Fire Service said crews were working to damp down the blaze at Ionic Surface Treatments. A spokesman said 17 appliances had attended the fire at its height, including a hazardous substances unit based in Birmingham. CONCERN MOUNTS FOR MISSING MAN Concern is growing for a 49-year-old Birmingham man who has been missing from home for almost three weeks. Police said they were concerned for the safety of Michael John Reid, of Severn Tower, Cromwell Street, Nechells. Mr Reid, who was last seen at his flat on February 2, is about 5ft 7in tall with blue eyes and short dyed blond hair which is beginning to recede. MURDERER SHOULD HANG - FATHER The father of a Birmingham crack cocaine addict who bludgeoned to death two elderly war heroes has said his son should be executed for his crimes. A jury at Birmingham Crown Court found Andrew Aston, 29, guilty of murdering George Dale, 87, of Ladywood and Francis Hobley, 80, of Stechford. After Aston was jailed for life, his father Roger said: "I'd hang him." 'LIFE MEANS LIFE' - JUDGE The judge who sentenced a Stechford drug addict to life for murdering two OAPs has said "life means for life". At Birmingham Crown Court, Mr Justice Butterfield said 29-year-old Andrew Aston had exhibited a "gratuitous desire" to hurt his victims. The judge said Aston may never be released, adding: "Imprisonment for life may well mean exactly that." JET IN RUNWAY SKID DRAMA A private jet careered on to a grass verge as it tried to take off at Coventry airport in high winds. The executive plane skidded from the runway as it prepared for take off on a flight to Aberdeen. None of the passengers is believed to have been injured, but the airport was forced to divert all arrivals. Bad weather was blamed for the incident. BLUNKETT TO VISIT DNA CENTRE The Home Secretary is due to announce a major step forward in the use of DNA technology in the fight against crime during a visit to Birmingham. David Blunkett is to visit the Forensic Science Service, where the National DNA Database now houses 1.5m profiles. He is due to reveal that Government funding will help double the number of DNA profiles by April 2004. COMMUNITY GROUPS GET FUNDS Community organisations throughout the West Midlands are celebrating a £500,000 National Lottery windfall. Among the groups to benefit in the latest round of New Opportunities Fund cash are Birmingham's Bangladesh Advice Bureau and a Dudley primary school. A total of 42 groups across the region have benefited from the latest National Lottery grants. MAN STABLE AFTER STABBING A Redditch man is in a stable condition in hospital after he received multiple stab wounds during a fight on a bus. The 35-year-old became embroiled in a brawl with two men on the number 58 service as it travelled through the Matchborough estate. A police spokeswoman said the victim was stabbed about the head and body. He later underwent emergency surgery. COUNCIL CALLS TIME ON DRINKING A Black Country town has called time on outdoor drinkers by imposing an alcohol ban in the town centre. Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council has agreed to impose the ban under the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001. The council had resisted imposing such a ban under byelaws because it would not have given police powers of arrest for anyone caught infringing it. LATE NIGHT RAIDS IN BLOXWICH LEAD TO SIX ARRESTS Officers from the Operation Ferrari Two team in Harden made six arrests during late night raids in the Harden area of Bloxwich, following information received from members of the public about drug dealers in the area. Sergeant Steve Worker, from Willenhall operational command unit, said: "Warrants were executed at three houses in Harden where we recovered a large quantity of cannabis, some heroin, a stolen motorbike and a tax disc from a stolen vehicle. "We are particularly happy to have stopped a significant amount of drugs circulating in the local area and six people are currently helping us with our enquiries." Anyone with information about crime should call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. "These arrests are a direct result of information from the public - it is vital we continue to receive information in order to be successful in our aim to make the streets of Harden as safe as possible," added Sgt Worker. NEW INITIATIVE TO CURB HOTEL CRIME Police in Dudley have launched the new 'Hotel Watch' initiative across hotels in the area to warn staff and customers of potential crime. Five hotels, including the Ward Arms Hotel, Copthorne, Travel Lodge, The Village and the Station Hotel in Dudley and Brierley Hill have all signed up for crime prevention training sessions on Thursday 21 February at the Ward Arms Hotel. Around 100 delegates will attend three sessions covering topics such as what to do in an armed robbery incident, security incidents, credit card fraud and general personal safety tips. The sessions follow an armed robbery incident at one of the hotels during last summer, which highlighted possible areas for crime. Police Constable Louise Shepherd, from Dudley North operational command unit, said: "Through these sessions we hope that people are made more aware of security issues and their own personal safety, such as parking and securing vehicles and making sure their belongings and valuables are safe." Chief Superintendent Dennis Hodson will launch the event at 10.00am on Thursday to welcome delegates to the day. BACK TO BASICS TO CUT CRIME Crime has been cut by a third in one area of Brierley Hill over the last 12 months thanks to a successful partnership between the police and local authority taking simple steps to improve the area. Residents have seen a drop in burglary from 47 incidents from September 2000 to September 2001 to 24 incidents in the following 12 months. Vehicle crime has also been reduced from 20 incidents to 8 in the same period. The Chapel Street flats team, made up of five officers, was one of the first crime fighting fund schemes to establish itself 18 months ago with the help of other agencies to cut crime, improve security and enhance the area for the local community. The area is fast becoming a safe haven for its residents with the dramatic 32 per cent drop in crime. A year ago, there were 61 properties without tenants; now there are only 16 with an expanding waiting list. Initiatives by the housing department with regard to allocations and vetting of applicants via police checks have contributed to a significant reduction in the number of empty properties. This, combined with security and property improvement initiatives, have also contributed to increased demand for accommodation at Chapel Street. Priority neighbourhood initiative manager, Tony Sidaway, said: "More residents are choosing to stay at the flats and the community is starting to stabilise as the area is beginning to develop. We have had a good response from the local people after making simple and inexpensive changes to improve the quality of their lives." In the first year, Tony and Sergeant Jon Harris, from the flats team, have seen the implementation of a number of crime prevention tactics such as 105 secustrips which are steel profiles fitted to doors to stop them being forced open. All the windows have been upgraded to UPVC and double-glazed as a result of the housing department's planned maintenance programme. The low level flats are currently being fitted with stronger locks with the aid of Neighbourhood Renewal Funding, which will extend to all flats later this year. The Chapel Street community partnership group is a multi-agency approach consisting of local residents and representatives from Dudley Council, police, local housing estate office and health authority committed to improving the area. Bushes have been pruned to low levels to make an open and safe atmosphere and residents will be consulted on a range of initiatives such as reducing the height of walls and disengaging the service facility to the door entry system for added security. The group, in collaboration with the housing department, is also looking at revamping existing closed circuit television surveillance and improving lighting. Looking to the future a new job club starting on Wednesday (27 February) at 10.00am to 4.00pm in the neighbourhood priority office in Bodmin Court, Lower Derry Street. The club will provide a hands on approach to seeking employment with residents being able to view hundreds of jobs via employment websites and find out what training opportunities are available in the area. Chelsfield will also be highlighting any skills shortages they have locally with the view to residents training in this area. The priority neighbourhood office and local police are also urging residents to form their own neighbourhood watch schemes for each block of flats, for more information call Ray Dawson, neighbourhood watch officer on 0121 626 8062. FATHER DUE IN COURT OVER MURDER A 43-year-old West Midlands man accused of murdering his two young sons is due to appear before a crown court. Steven Wilson, who is alleged to have killed Brett and Brad Lee, was remanded in custody earlier this month by West Bromwich magistrates. Wilson, of Linden Avenue, Great Barr, is due to appear at a preliminary hearing at Wolverhampton Crown Court. WILDLIFE TRADE CAMPAIGN Coventry Airport had the second largest seizure of illegal wildlife trade in the UK, the World Wildlife Fund says. The airport is a major importer for banned goods such as medicines containing tiger and leopard bone, rhino horn, the Fund claims. The flourishing trade was detailed in a report by the Fund, which launched a campaign to tackle the problem. MOTHER 'HEARD NEWS ON RADIO' The mother of the tourist found dead in a Thai guest house after an apparent drinking binge spoke of her shock at hearing of the tragedy on the radio. Debbie Williams, 41, of Bede Road, Bedworth, said her son, Luke, had been enjoying the holiday of a lifetime. Mrs Williams, 41, said: "I am in total shock. I am completely devastated and to be honest, it has not hit home yet." HEAT IS ON FOR CURRY FINALISTS Three top West Midlands curry chefs are to cook their ideal meal in a bid to be crowned the International Indian Chef of the Year. Maneerat Phokasem, of Birmingham, Azmor Hussain, of Lichfield, and Dharmendra Vassaramo, of Stoke-on-Trent, are among eight finalists at the event. The finals are being held at the Queen Margaret University College, Edinburgh. TWO REMANDED ON BOMBING CHARGES Two men charged over bomb attacks in Birmingham and London which were linked to the Real IRA have appeared for the first time at the Old Bailey. James McCormack, 33, is accused of causing three explosions, and Aiden Hulme, 25, faces a charge of conspiring to cause an explosion. They were remanded in custody until the next court hearing on May 20. BANK STAFF THREATENED WITH GUN An armed robber threatened staff at a bank near Walsall with a shotgun before escaping with an undisclosed sum. The offender struck at the NatWest bank in High Street, Brownhills, West Midlands Police said. The raider is described as aged 25-30, about 6ft 1in and of medium build. He is also thought to have been carrying a distinctive black and white holdall. FUNDING SHORTFALL FOR BRIGADE West Midlands Fire Service is anticipating a difficult future after being left with a funding shortfall. Although it has been given a 4% increase to £69.9m, it is struggling to find the rest for the £92.2m needed to run the service each year. Councillor David Hinton said the brigade would struggle to deliver a service with less money. SITE SCOOPS CLEAR ENGLISH AWARD Warwickshire County Council's education website has won approval from the Plain English Campaign. Only 16 UK websites have been awarded the Internet Crystal Mark by the group, which campaigns for clear English. Eight of the jargon-free websites are linked to local authorities, but Warwickshire's is the only education website to have landed the award. FATHER DISOWNS MURDERER SON The father of a drug addict from Smethwick who murdered two war veterans during a three-month crime spree has said he "no longer had a son". Roger Aston repeated his belief that his son, Andrew, 29, should be hanged after he was jailed for life. "I am trying to sort this out, where I may have gone wrong as a father, if indeed I did," Mr Aston added. APPEAL FOR STABBING WITNESSES Detectives in Redditch have issued an appeal to trace two witnesses after an attack in which a man was stabbed. The 35-year-old victim, who suffered punctures to his lungs, spleen and bowel, was attacked on a bus in the Matchborough area on Tuesday. West Mercia Police said they want to trace two passengers, a woman in her 50s or 60s and a man in his 30s. TWENTY MOST WANTED FOR POLICE IN WILLENHALL Police in Willenhall are warning local criminals that Operation Stormhead Six has uncovered 20 'most wanted' people in relation to vehicle crime in the area. The 20 will be targeted over the next fortnight through observations, execution of warrants and local intelligence gathering. Superintendent Peter Goodman, operations manager at Willenhall police station, said: "We have already made 68 arrests as part of Stormhead Six and these 20 are next on the cards. "We believe that by arresting these we will make Willenhall a safer place for the whole community." The 20 are wanted for crimes such as vehicle theft and thefts of property from vehicles; many of these are also known to have been involved in drug crime.
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