Birmingham Post

Autosport Show: Show Hits Winning Formula

The Autosport International 2004 show roared into Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre yesterday to help provide some 'va-va- voom' to the motorsport industry. The show, which this year received the royal seal of approval from the Duke of York, is expected to generate more than pounds 400 million worth of business before it opens its doors to the public tomorrow. Billed as the world's number one racing car show, the exhibition is expected to have attracted more than 90,000 visitors by the ...

Metro Dream in Crisis

Birmingham's dream of a 21st century metro system to end chronic city centre gridlock lay in tatters last night. Six weeks into a public inquiry on the extension from Snow Hill to Five Ways, transport bosses have still not resolved how to accommodate the 130 buses an hour that the system would displace. An eleventh hour deal to buy them more time to come up with a solution only crystalised doubt over the future of the scheme, which has been in the planning for ten years.

Rusedski Denies Drug Use After Test Failure

Greg Rusedski last night confirmed he has tested positive for the banned drug nandrolone and faces an ATP hearing in Montreal on February 9. The Canadian-born British number two issued a statement confirming he tested positive for the drug and is determined to prove his innocence, insisting the amount of nandrolone detected was negligible.

Blair's Offer Not Enough for Fee Rebels

Labour rebels vowed to continue the fight against Tony Blair's flagship university reforms yesterday, despite a pounds 500 million package of concessions. Education Secretary Charles Clarke caved in to demands from backbenchers in an attempt to win their support for new student fees.

Give Salmon a Miss to Stay in the Pink

It may be a firm favourite with a sip of chilled Champagne, slightly peppered on cream cheese and warm crusty bread, but British farmed salmon could seriously damage your health. Experts believe eating too much of the farmed fish could cause cancer and even birth defects because of a large presence of pollutant chemicals.

Bullring Stampede Hits House of Fraser Takings

House of Fraser admitted yesterday that the consumer stampede to the Bullring has hit trading levels at its Corporation Street store. But despite emptier aisles and reduced takings the firm believes that its freshly revamped flagship store should bounce back by the summer and was confident it had a successful future.

Autosport Show: Susie in the Fast Lane to Drive Home Message for Women Drivers

Women drivers may be viewed as a laughing stock by a minority of white van-driving men, but one female racing driver says she will not stop challenging gender stereotypes until she achieves her aim of getting more women into racing cars. Britain's top female racing driver Susie Stoddart was in Birmingham yesterday promoting a Government-backed campaign aimed at encouraging more women into the motorsport industry. Attending the Autosport International 2004 show at the National Exhibition Centr...

Malvern's Eastern Promise

A t school in the Midlands he was an ordinary boy. Polite, not particularly sporty, described by staff at Malvern College as 'thoroughly pleasant'. Today, as deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, Najib Tun Razak is one of the most powerful men in South-east Asia.

Solihull Woman in Air Attack On Mother

A Solihull businesswoman was ordered to perform 200 hours community service and told to pay compensation to another female passenger she hit and scratched in a violent row on a returning holiday flight into Gatwick Airport. At Crawley Magistrates Court, West Sussex, Ruth Pearce (41), of Honiton Way, Solihull, yesterday pleaded guilty to assaulting Christine Evans on the Monarch Airlines flight from Cuba in June.

Family Fight On to Save Son's Playhouse From Demolition

A couple could face court for failing to demolish their son's playhouse, it emerged yesterday. The playhouse is not in keeping with Colin and Margaret Jackson's garden, Tewkesbury Borough Council said.

Residents Facing More Noise

Warwickshire residents could be hit twice by increased aircraft noise, an MP has warned. Caroline Spelman (Con Meriden) said it was 'extraordinary' that Coventry Airport was going ahead with plans to introduce cut-price passenger flights, even though Birmingham International Airport had received permission to build a second runway.

Axe Murderer Appeals Against Conviction

A farm labourer who was jailed for life for the murder of a trainee welder has lodged an appeal against his conviction. Maurice John Latus was convicted by a jury at Chester Crown Court last year of the 'savage and brutal' murder of 21-year-old Julian Sanders.

Memorial Event

Last Night's Review: Symphony of Voices ; Requiem for Ground Zero the Patrick Centre, Birmingham Hippodrome

The fact that this extraordinary performance by Stage 2 Youth Theatre started and finished precisely on time is perhaps the most prosaic thing you could say about it. However, it does tell you something about its astonishing professionalism. Steven Berkoff's verse reflection on 9/11, originally a solo performance for its author, has been reconceived as a piece for 100 young people aged between 8 and 22.

Girl Admits Lying to Police

A teenage girl yesterday admitted lying to police about an incident in which a father of two was killed. Kerrie Collins had earlier pleaded not guilty to doing acts intended to pervert the course of justice.

Bad Weld Blamed for Air Show Death Crash

A plane crash in front of thousands of people at last year's Coventry Classic Airshow in which a 59-year-old pilot was fatally injured was caused by fatigue in welding on one of the wing struts, an official report said yesterday. Pierre Hollander, from Sweden, was flying a replica of the Spirit of St Louis -the plane in which Charles Lindbergh made the historic first solo flight across the Atlantic in 1927 -when the wings folded shortly after takeoff last May and the plane crashed at Coventry...

Police Hunt for Gunman

Police appealed last night for witnesses after a driver fired shots at a man in Wolverhampton. A man was driving a silver Peugeot on St Mark's Road, Chapel Ash, at 9.15pm on Tuesday when a Vauxhall Vectra pulled up alongside and shots were fired. The man suffered injuries to his right arm and left hand.

Albion Anthem Is Liquidated

Crash Driver Fights for Life

Bus Passengers Don't Want Metro Misery ; Jessica Shepherd Went Out to Get Bus Passengers' Views On the Controversial Metro Plans and the Possibility of More Travel Confusion

Bus users in Birmingham have faced delays and confusion on their journeys over the past two years. Now, if the metro city centre extension goes ahead, they may have to put up with further chaos if transport bosses find a new destination for the 130 buses that stop in Corporation Street every hour.