Birmingham Post

Girl, Six, Victim of City Bomb Horror

A innocent six-year-old girl suffered horrific burns when a petrol bomb was thrown into a busy Birmingham store yesterday.

The Olympics: 2004: More Olympic Heartbreak for Paula

Paula Radcliffe's attempt to win the 10,000 metres at the Olympics ended in heartbreak last night when she dropped out with eight laps to go. Radcliffe, who bowed out of the marathon on Sunday when she stopped after 23 miles, only made the decision to run the race on Thursday.

Jaguar to Slash Uk Production by 15,000

Staff at Jaguar's Castle Bromwich plant in Birmingham have been put on a 3 1 /2-day-week until the end of the year as the company slashes its UK production by 15,000 cars. Similar cuts have been brought in at at the luxury car makers' plants at Browns Lane, Coventry, and Halewood, Merseyside, which have been put on four-day weeks.

The Olympics: 2004: We Danced, We Sang, We Watched in Peace ; Two Weeks Ago Birmingham City Council Media Officer Carol Austin Jetted Off to Athens As One of 45,000 Official Volunteers for the 'Greatest Show On Earth'. Here She Tells of Her Olympic Adventure.

When Birmingham hosted the World Indoor Athletics Championships last year we relied on the efforts of some 800 volunteers who contributed to the huge success of the event. On that occasion, I was working there in an official capacity.

The Olympics: 2004: Jelly Beans and Fig Rolls Fuelling Region's Dreams of Medal Glory

Midland athletes competing in the Athens Olympics have been revving up their energy on a diet of jelly beans and fig rolls. The confectionery has made a surprise appearance in a fitness guide handed to all of the Team GB competitors taking part in the Games.

Cricket Venue Bans Sponsors' Food Rivals

Cricket fans have been warned that only drinks or crisps made by ICC Champions Trophy sponsors will be allowed into match venues, including Birmingham. Fans will have to drink Pepsi and choose from Walkers of crisps and snacks to avoid falling foul of regulations, according to a letter sent to ticketholders by tournament director David Clarke.

Voting Abuse Is Biggest Threat to Uk's Democracy Since Nazis

Home Affairs Correspondent richard_warburton@mrn.co.uk - A Birmingham City Council watchdog yesterday detailed its plans for an eight-month investigation into allegations of election fraud, with one senior councillor claiming postal voting abuse was the biggest threat to British democracy since the Nazis. The electoral matters scrutiny committee was set up to examine the secrecy and security of local ballots following chaotic scenes in the run-up to the local elections in the city in June.

Watchdog Condemns Postal Vote System

The Government looks set to abandon all-postal voting after a devastating report by the elections watchdog. Local Government Minister Nick Raynsford said the referendum due to be held later this year on a North-east assembly could be the last all-postal ballot.

Up Close and Personal Screen Stars Disappoint ; When the Opportunity Arose for the Birmingham Post's Pa Rina Chauhan (Above) to Meet Some of the Bollywood Stars of Her Dreams, She Jumped at the Chance. Now She Wishes She Hadn't Bothered

Ever since April when some of my favourite Bollywood stars came to the NEC, there wasn't a week that went past that I didn't allow myself an excited giggle thinking about when they would return in August. Imagine how I felt when I was asked if I would like to attend the press conference for Temptation 2004, the Bollywood extravaganza boasting such names as Shahrukh Khan, Rani Mukerji and Preity Zinta.

Number of Abortions Across the Region Up Three Per Cent

The number of women opting for abortions in the West Midlands rose to almost 18,000 last year - an increase of nearly three per cent. Sexual health experts voiced concerns that the percentage of early abortions - under 12 weeks gestation - was lower than the rest of the country and the situation had deteriorated over the year.

Travellers Facing Evictions Again After Council Gets Tough

Two groups of travellers who set up home on separate areas of council land in Warwickshire face eviction after possession orders were granted yesterday. One group, an estimated 15 families, are living on the grounds of Manor Park Community School in Vernons Lane, Stockingford, where they have set up their homes on two football pitches.

New Pounds 1.1m Centre: Bellamy Opens Wildlife Trust

Conservationist Professor David Bellamy was in typically jovial mood when he opened Worcestershire Wildlife Trust's new pounds 1.1 million wildlife and farming centre yesterday. The centre has taken 15 years to create at Lower Smite Farm, near Worcester, in disused outbuildings surrounding the farmhouse and the trust's headquarters. A 17th Century granary has been restored as part of the project and old barns and dairies have been renovated to provide a classroom, laboratory, exhibition room ...

Review: Vibrant Mix of Old and New Wins Support ; Presteigne Festival St. Andrew's Church, Presteigne

Once again the Presteigne Festival is here with its vibrant mix of old and new music, including four world premieres and nearly 30 other works by living composers. As artistic director George Vass said at the official reception, people in the Welsh Marches trust and support his programming. 'There's no need for open-air 1812s in this festival.'

'Beer Goggles' Research Fund

An educational programme in which teenagers are asked to don 'beer goggles' to simulate the effects of alcohol has secured funding to continue its work into next year. School and college pupils in Oswestry, Shropshire, have been invited to use the goggles - which distort vision - during role- playing workshops which highlight the difficulty of performing simple tasks while drunk.

Death Fall at Sewage Plant

A worker died after falling from scaffolding at a sewage treatment plant. The man, who was in his 20s, was working at a Severn Trent Water site in a village near Shrewsbury, Shropshire, when he was fatally injured.

Enthusiastic Music Critic and Classical Campaigner Dies, Aged 83

A former music critic for The Birmingham Post and enthusi-astic campaigner for getting more people to see classical music concerts has died aged 83. Kenneth Dommett was a fearless critic known for his honesty and disdain for pretentiousness in classical music.

Victim Will Appeal Organist's Jail Term

A high-profile child abuse victim launched a bid yesterday to increase the prison sentence imposed on the Queen's former choirmaster for sex attacks on children. Shy Keenan, founder of victims' group Phoenix Survivors, has contacted the office of Attorney General Lord Goldsmith urging him to refer former Lichfield Cathedral organist Jonathan Rees- Williams' sentence of five years and three months to the Court of Appeal. Rees-Williams stepped down from his post as organist and choirmaster at S...

Council Officer Jailed On Child Porn Charges

A Birmingham City Council health education officer who downloaded more than 2,000 indecent images of children from the internet has been jailed for four months. Former teacher Phillip Barnett was also banned from working with people under the age of 16 for five years and ordered to register as a sex offender.

Teenager's Torment Over Hit-and-Run Death

A teenager yesterday spoke of her torment as she relived the moments in which her twoyear-old nephew was killed in a hit-and- run. Thirteen-year-old Millie Robinson choked back tears as she described how she and a friend had taken toddler Joshua Berrill for a walk.

Pounds 750,000 Move to Redesign Crime Alley

Police have welcomed pounds 750,000 plans to transform a crime hotspot in the centre of a Black Country town. Butlers Passage links the bus and railway stations to Walsall's shopping area but residents have come to fear using the dark, rundown passageway.