Birmingham Post

Council Axes Library Plan

Plans by the architect Lord Rogers for a new Library of Birmingham in Eastside appeared dead in the water last night after a city council report called the project 'unacceptable and unaffordable'. The council's ConservativeLiberal Democrat coalition believes that none of six options for a library investigated by consultants can be delivered on cost grounds.

Woman Burned Pounds 90,000, Court Told

A woman being pursued by her ex-partner, in an acrimonious property dispute, claimed she had destroyed pounds 90,000 she owed him on a barbecue. Diane Fisher said during bankruptcy proceedings that she had been drunk when she threw the cash on the fire, Birmingham Crown Court heard yesterday.

Kwame Kwei Armah and Don Warrington

Healthy Brum

Birmingham is the healthiest city in Britain with workers taking an average of just eight days off each year. Newcastle is Britain's 'sickie' capital with the average worker taking 11 days off each year, a survey by employment law firm, Peninsula has revealed.

Two Hundred of City's Teachers Say They Are Too Stressed to Work

More than 200 teaching staff in Birmingham have been off work ill for longer than three months - a higher rate of long-term sickness than in the region's police force. Teaching unions last night blamed the stress of working in a modern classroom with pupils behaviour getting worse.

Brown Faces China Crisis

Gordon Brown promised to abolish unemployment among young people completely in an electioneering visit to the Midlands yesterday. The Chancellor was in Wolverhampton, fresh from his highprofile journey toChina where he joined the battle to save MG RoverMr Brown (left) held talk with Chinese leaders inShanghai on whether the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation would invest pounds 1 billion to buy a 70 per cent stake in the Birmingham company.

One in Seven City Youngsters has No Job or Training Course

More than one in seven young people in Birmingham has no job, and no training scheme or college course to attend. The new figures from the Department for Education and Skills revealed the scale of the challenge facing Government as it attempts to improve Britain's skill base.

Midlands Police Get Crime Fighting Stun Gun

West Midlands Police firearms officers will be issued with electrical weapons that deliver a 50,000 volt shock from today. The Taser M26 electrical weapon will be used by all of the force's 130 firearms officers as a means of tackling violent offenders who are believed to be armed.

Northern Lreland's System Would Have 'Stopped City Vote Fraud

Election fraud could be virtually wiped out if Birmingham adopted Northern Ireland-style security checks, a High Court judge has claimed. Richard Mawrey QC, who is presiding over an election court examining allegations of corruption at last year's city council elections, said the Government might have to acceptthat only by introducing stringent regulations would it be possible to prevent the continued mis-use of postal votes.

Predatory Paedophile Jailed for Eight Years

A 'relentless, predatory paedophile' who has spent more than 20 years behind bars for sex attacks on women and girls was jailed for eight years yesterday for 'grooming' a girl of nine. Keith Tomlinson's previous sentences include a 12-year prison term for raping a girl of 11 at knifepoint after abducting her from a girl guides' camp in Staffordshire.

Post Writers to Muck In

Design duo and Birmingham Post columnists Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan have signed up to host the new series of reality show The Farm. Five is bringing back the programme which famously featured Rebecca Loos pleasuring a pig.

The Total Soldier Talks Guns and Gliders ; Their Achievements May Have Been Overshadowed by Spitfires or Lancaster Bombers but Gliders Played a Crucial Role in the Second World War, As Youngsters From a Birmingham School Will Hear From a Veteran Today. Emma Pinch Reports

See a glider in the sky and what do you think of? Sunny Sundays, balmy air, families having a picnic in the countryside.

Man Charged Over Car Deaths

A 30-year-old man was charged with causing death by dangerous driving yesterday in connection with a motorway accident in which a married couple were killed. The man, who has yet to be named but is known to be from Walsall, will appear before magistrates in Stoke on March 9A police spokesman said the charges had been brought in connection with a collision on the M6 between junction 11, near Cannock, and the intersection with the M54 on September 10 last year.

Prodigy to Play V Festival

The Prodigy and the Chemical Brothers are to headline the second stage at this year's V Festival. They will join main stage headliners Scissor Sisters and Franz Ferdinand at the event over the weekend of August 20-21.

Our New Food Trend Is Here and It's On Our Doorstep ; Local, Regional and British Give Blob Pars Please the Quality, Trust and Service Which Comes with Local Food Nearly Always Outweigh the Cheaper Alternatives, Says Tv Chef Alan Coxon

Food fashions are as buoyant as clothing fashions. The new Holy Grail of food fashion, in my opinion, is long overdue and a trend we can all nurture.

Reader Offer ; Win a Hamper Packed Full of Locally-Grown Produce

The Birmingham Post and Heart of England fine foods (HEFF) have teamed up to offer readers a delicious treat. HEFF is the regional food group for the West Midlands. Working with local food and drink producers HEFF successfully promotes the diverse range of food and drink available within our region.

Why It's Not Dear to Buy Local ; This Week the Birmingham Post Launched an Initiative Urging Local Consumers and Restaurants to Buy More Local Produce. Today Sarah Probert Looks at Some of the Myths About Local Foods

It is probably one of the finest goats cheeses created in the Midlands. Yet for Joe Bennett, at Innes Cheese in Tamworth, Staffordshire, the majority of his produce is bypassing the region and instead being shipped to London.

Adulterer Marsden Backs Charles

Prince Charles has won the support of another controversial figure known for his colourful private life - Midland MP Paul Marsden. As the Prince of Wales faces questions about the legality of his planned marriage to Camilla Parker Bowles, Mr Marsden has backed him in a House of Commons motion.

Gallery Assistant Elizabeth Clayton

Crash Man Named

Police have named a man who died when a minibus carrying agricultural workers crashed into a central barrier and flipped on to its side. Balvinder Singh, aged 43, from Grove Lane, Handsworth Wood, Birmingham, was one of two men killed in the accident, which happened shortly before 5am on Sunday.