Birmingham Post

Mg Workers Asked If They Want to Relocate to Shanghai

MG Rover has offered more than 100 workers at its Longbridge car factory the chance to work in China. The company has already moved the 119 employees away from their administrative, sales and marketing jobs as part of a restructuring of the plant aimed at saving pounds 100 million a year. Now they are asking them if they will relocate to the Shanghai plant of MG Rover's potential partner in developing a new generation of cars, Shanghai Automotive Industries Corporation (Saic).

Charles: Our Debt to Medics

The Prince of Wales was told to scrub up yesterday as he met armed forces and civilian medical staff responsible for treating many of the ill and injured military personnel from the conflict in Iraq. Sister Kate Parker told Charles to use a 'hand sanitiser' before he toured the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine (RCDM) at Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham.

How Ken the Pen Was Pipped

Celebrated Birmingham architect Ken Shuttleworth, who designed London's 'gherkin' landmark, has lost out in a bid to shape part of the city's Eastside quarter. Make, the company founded by Shuttleworth in January 2004, was one of four practices shortlisted for the 'masterplan' project for Eastside's new leisure and technologies park.

Coroner's Care Home Concerns

The Birmingham coroner has voiced concern over hospitals releasing terminally ill patients into nursing homes. Aidan Cotter said he had noticed a pattern in recent years which gave rise to serious questions about hospitals' policies.

Man Stabbed

Trial Date

A 48-year-old man accused of murdering Det Con Michael Swindells is to stand trial in May. Glaister Butler, of Long Acre, Nechells, Birmingham, is accused of killing the 44-year-old police officer by stabbing him in the stomach as the officer tried to make an arrest.

Sword Hunt

Detectives are hunting for a three-foot ornamental sword abandoned by robbers in a Staffordshire field. The sword was used by three masked raiders who targeted a home at Longford, near Cannock, on January 11.

Good Golly!

New Millennium Point Boss Promises Bright Future

Millennium Point, which houses the Thinktank museum of science and discovery, is unique in Europe in appealing across the generations from young children to university students and the elderly - according to the new head of the pounds 113 million attraction. Nick Winterbotham, named yesterday as the pounds 80,000-a-year chief executive of Millennium Point, praised 'astute' council planners who had realised the worth of bringing together technology, past and present, and presenting it in a way...

We'll Fight On to Save Charlotte

The parents of premature baby Charlotte Wyatt vowed to fight on last night after a High Court judge refused to suspend his order allowing doctors not to resuscitate the desperately-ill child if she stops breathing. But Mr Justice Hedley gave Darren Wyatt and his wife Debbie, originally from Birmingham, permission to bring up-to-date expert evidence to court.

Consultant Faces Inquiry After Baby Died Six Weeks After Birth

A consultant obstetrician has been reported to the General Medical Council after a baby boy he delivered with forceps was found to have severe spinal injuries and later died. Birmingham coroner Aidan Cotter has written to the GMC's Fitness to Practise Directorate about Eric Watson, who works for the Dudley Group of Hospitals NHS Trust.

Cotter's Inquiry Proposal

Until 2003 when NCSC took over, multiple inspections were conducted by the former Birmingham Health Authority, which had responsibility to make one pre-arranged and one unannounced visit each year, and 17 such inspections took place before the Maypole home was closed down. 'Was this nursing home run by its owners in an unacceptable way?' asked Mr Cotter. 'Was the nursing home monitored acceptably by the NCSC? Did the local authority and their social services departments monitor the Maypole Nu...

Pornographer Downloaded 42,000 Images of Children

A man who downloaded nearly 42,000 images of child pornography from the internet also had a miniature camera hidden in a matchbox in the bathroom of a home he shared with his partner to spy on people, a court heard yesterday. David Jackson, prosecuting at Stafford Crown Court, said David Heath (59) was living with his partner in Tamworth, Staffordshire, when her daughter found the camera and immediately contacted the police.

Rita Closes the Net On Long Lost Foster Brother

After more than four decades Rita Westwood had almost accepted that she would never see her long-lost foster brother again. Fitzeroll Rose had become part of the family back in the 1950s when her parents fostered him as a baby so his Jamaican mother could train as a midwife.

'Obsessed' Detective Loses Court Battle

A detective, whose 'obsession with perceived corruption' in the West Midlands Police led to psychiatric illness, has lost his pounds 368,000 damages claim. Matthew Wearing, who was retired on ill-health in February 2002, described himself as a 'whistle-blower' in connection with what he alleged were corrupt, or suspected corrupt, activities within the force's drug squad over an inquiry, Operation Topple.

Road Rage Arrest

A teenager was arrested yesterday in connection with a 'road rage' attack which left a Hungarian lorry driver fighting for his life. West Midlands Police confirmed an 18-year-old suspect was detained over the attack on Peter Nagy, who was taken off the critical list yesterday.

Villa Win Cup Without Kicking a Ball!

Aston Villa supporters are to get a rare glimpse of part of the club's history when London auction house Christie's brings the second oldest FA Cup trophy to Villa Park next week. Christie's football memorabilia specialists will be on hand at the Centenary Room in the North Stand, and members of the public are invited to bring their prize possessions, including old programmes and signed shirts, to be valued between 12 and 3pm.

Liberty's Nightclub Tycoon Is Dead

A tycoon who ran one of Birmingham's best-known nightclubs has died aged 69. Andreas Gregoriou, who battled cancer for 15 months, founded Liberty's nightclub in Hagley Road, Edgbaston, and was also behind the construction of the city centre Paradise Forum complex.

Tributes to City Charity Stalwart

Tributes have been paid to a Birmingham man who died after a lifetime devoted to charity work. John Pearce, aged 79, from Edgbaston, married Heather Short in 1951 and they had four children. Two were severely disabled and died. This led to Mr Pearce taking a keen involvement with Birmingham Mencap.

Nice Man of Rock Capaldi Dies at 60

Tributes were paid yesterday to Midland rock legend Jim Capaldi who died at the age of 60. Drummer Capaldi, who was born in Worcestershire, found worldwide fame with sixties psychedelic rock group Traffic which he formed with Birmingham musician Steve Winwood.