Birmingham Post

Vicar Refuses to Let Academic Dig Up Bard Shakey

The custodian of the Bard's bones has poured cold water on plans by a US academic to exhume his body to discover if he was murdered. Rev Martin Gorick, from the Holy Trinity Church in Stratford- upon-Avon where William Shakespeare is buried, said nobody had asked to exhume his body and, if they had, they would have been refused.

Firm's Pensions Thief Jailed

The mastermind behind a plot to systematically fleece more than pounds 2.9 million from the pension fund of a Birmingham lock- makers has been sent to jail for eight years. Kevin Sykes was the main figure behind the scam, which left scores of pensioners who worked at Hockley-based CW Cheney & Son Ltd facing financial ruin.

Blair Faces Blows Before Start of 'Final Chapter'

Tony Blair has suffered two huge blows to his authority with the resignation of David Blunkett and a major backbench rebellion over new anti-terror legislation. Mr Blunkett, who left the Cabinet following damaging revelations about his business interests, was the Prime Minister's closest Cabinet ally.

Murder Charge

A 19-year-old man has appeared in court charged with murdering a teenager who was shot in the head. Dowaine Phillip Maye, from Newtown, Birmingham, was remanded in custody by magistrates in the city accused of killing 18-year-old Aaron James, who died in hospital on October 24.

Eid Jams Expected

Police in Birmingham are warning motorists to avoid the Highgate area of Birmingham today as congestion is expected due to people visiting Birmingham Central Mosque as part of Eid celebrations. It is expected between 15,000 and 20,000 worshippers will be attending the mosque this morning.

Man Hit by Car

A man is in a critical condition in Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Edgbaston after a hit-and-run accident in Erdington. The 48-year-old pedestrian, from Witton, was hit by a dark- coloured hatchback car - thought to be a Renault Megane - in Station Road, at about 1.25pm on Tuesday.

Escapee Captured

A prisoner who escaped while being transported between two prisons in a van has been arrested. Carl Townsend went on the run on October 27 after tricking a guard into opening the cell door of his prison van during his transfer from Rye Hill Prison to Long Larten, in Worcestershire.

'Funding for Brum Deprivation Diverted to Soft Schemes

A pounds 27 million fund to tackle deprivation in Birmingham is being diverted to hundreds of "soft" schemes that are failing to meet targets to tackle poor housing and unemployment, it has been claimed. Chief executives from public bodies and voluntary organisations warned it was impossible to tell whether the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund was delivering social and economic improvement because of poor selection and inconsistent monitoring of projects. Many of the 575 separate NRF schemes in Bir...

Beating Internet Crooks with Online Safety Show

A new campaign aimed at showing people how to stay safe online has been launched in Birmingham. The Government-backed Get Safe Online roadshow, which has been visiting cities around the country as part of a national tour to tackle internet crime, launched the www.GetSafeOnline.org website.

Ruthless Con Artists Stripped Cheney of Its Money and Dignity ; John Revill Looks at How the Cheney Pension Fraud Was Uncovered

Lock and safe makers CW Cheney had seen better times. The plant in Factory Road, Hockley, needed investment to survive.

'He's an Utter Scumbag Who Left Us Devastated ; Brian Smith Spent All His Working Life at Cw Cheney. But Dreams of Retiring to the Countryside Lay in Ruins After the Firm's Pension Fund Was Raided, As He Told John Revill

The rumours were rife around the workshops of CW Cheney. Staff had heard mutterings that something was not quite right with the pension fund, and demanded a meeting with its administrator - Kevin Sykes.

Firebomb Victim Shae to Be Commended for Her Courage

A girl who was severely burned in an arson attack on a Birmingham shop last year is to receive a commendation from West Midlands Police for her bravery and courage. Seven-year-old Shae Thomas, from Bristol, suffered horrific burns when a 24-year-old man threw a flaming petrol bomb into the TK Maxx store in Perry Barr.

Health Matters: Don't Fall for Rare Cases - We Can All Adopt a Healthier Lifestyle ; Second Opinion

There is no doubt that adopting a healthier lifestyle can significantly reduce the risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke in the long term. Unfortunately, there are some rare cases where people have improved their diet, quit smoking or lost weight, and then had an attack.

Health Matters: 'Pulled Muscle' Turned Out to Be a Heart Attack ; a Balanced Diet, Regular Exercise and Not Smoking Are Three of the Key Ingredients to a Happy, Healthy Heart. But, As Health Reporter Emma Brady Discovered, They Do Not Rule Out the Possibility of Heart Attacks or Strokes in the Future

Heart disease, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke, is Britain's biggest killer, claiming three-and-a-half times more lives than lung cancer. The contributions that smoking, eating junk food and leading an increasingly sedentary lifestyle make to heart problems are well documented.

Health Matters: Forget the School Run, Cycle There Instead

Parents, teachers and pupils across Birmingham are being urged to abandon the school run and cycle to classes instead. With obesity and a lack of exercise becoming an increasing problem in children, a transport charity is urging them to get on their bikes during the winter months.

Health Matters: Muslims Urged to Get a Flu Jab

Healthcare bosses are calling on all Sandwell residents to get a free flu jab as Ramadhan ends today. Muslims observe a strict fast from sunrise to sunset during the holiest month in the Islamic calendar - and some abstain from having injections during this period.

Health Matters: New Fairer Fertility Treatment Checks

Patients wanting fertility treatment will face fewer and faster checks to make sure they will be suitable parents under new guidelines issued yesterday. Under the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990, clinics must make an assessment of the welfare of any child born as a result of fertility treatment before they provide any services.

Health Matters: Whooping Cough Cases Double

Parents are being urged to get their children immunised against whooping cough following news that the number of cases in the West Midlands has nearly doubled since 2004. In September, health experts in Sandwell reported four cases in a fortnight of the disease , which can be fatal in babies under a year old.

Health Matters: Trust Bosses Facing Protest Over Cuts

Bosses of a debt-ridden Midland hospital trust are to face worried residents at a protest meeting over a proposed pounds 20 million savings plan on Saturday. Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust's suggested cuts include the downgrading of the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch - by moving A&E and axing maternity and children's units.

Schools 'Doubling-Up' Alert

Pupils in the West Midlands are being crammed into classes of 45 to ensure teachers are given time out for marking and preparing lessons, a union has warned. The National Union of Teachers says primary schools are splitting classes up and sharing pupils between two others in a bid to adhere to new laws relieving teachers from teaching duties.