Birmingham Post

Little Harriet Loses Her Fight for Life After Transplant Surgery

Courageous Harriet Stobbs, the little girl who received a donor liver after being given just hours to survive, has lost her fight for life. The 14-month-old had transplant surgery at Birmingham Children's Hospital on January 28 after suffering severe liver failure.

Factory 'Forged Postal Votes

Labour candidates and agents were discovered operating a 'vote- forging factory' at midnight in a deserted warehouse on the eve of the 2004 Birmingham City Council elections, a court heard yesterday. Two police officers arrived at the Riley Industrial Estate at Witton to discover six Asian men sorting through 275 unsealed postal ballot papers.

Shop 'Til You Drop in Brum and Make New Friends, Says Toyah

Rock star Toyah Willcox returns home to Birmingham to hail shopping centres as Britain's new community centres. Speaking at a retail industry conference at the ICC yesterday, the eighties music idol said shopping centres had now become the place to meet and make friends as well as spend moneyHer praise - the Bullring is still her favourite shopping haunt - came as a survey showed women enjoy visiting shopping centres so much they often leave with goods they never use.

Jury Reject Woman's Claim That She Burnt Pounds 92,000

A Birmingham businesswoman was convicted yesterday of concealing property after a jury rejected claims she destroyed pounds 90,000 on a barbecue during a bitter legal wrangle with her ex-lover. Diane Fisher (39) was found guilty at Birmingham Crown Court of a single charge brought under the Insolvency Act. Sentencing was adjourned until March 30.

Men Charged with Killings

Two men were charged with the murders of four people who died in an arson attack. West Midlands Police said the men, aged 19 and 20 and both from Handsworth, would appear before magistrates in West Bromwich today.

Exhausted Paul Came Close to Quitting

Paul Smallman, aged 35, from Cannock has been a driver on the National Express Birmingham to London route for the last six months. At 16 stone he struggled with the dance routine and came close to quitting.

Strictly Riverdance As Drivers Are Coached

Their feet are more used to comfortable shoes and clutch changes than tap heels and tricky dance techniques. But when the call came for six National Express employees to swap the motorway for three weeks of intensive Irish dance training for a national television programme they were more than up to the challenge.

'Get Your Uniform Off for Charity

A Birmingham hospital is appealing for men to take part in open auditions for a new charity calendar on Saturday. Firemen, paramedics, policemen, soldiers and any other uniformed professions are being asked to go to the aid of Birmingham Children's Hospital.

An 'Election of Deception

Labour candidates in Birmingham City Council's Aston ward were elected after organising a blatant campaign of bribery, forgery and deception, a court has heard. Hundreds of postal ballots were fraudulently obtained and voting intentions changed on completed forms in order to give Mohammed Islam, Muhammad Afzal andMohammed Kazi a winning edge over their Liberal Democrat rivals, it was claimed yesterday. An election court in Birmingham is considering a petition brought by Liberal Democrat suppo...

Inquiry Call Over Blaze Tragedy

An inquiry has been demanded into the death of a pensioner who survived a fire only to die after being sent to a hospital 80 miles away. Elizabeth Byrne, a 65year-old mother-of-two, lost both her sons, Martin aged 45, and Ian, aged 40, in the fire at their home in Highgate, Birmingham.

Talent Spotter's Talent Recognised by Bafta

Dan Jones has an eye for talent and helping talent. His work has now received special recognition with a Bafta for helping young people get into the creative industries.

Bullring Not Just for Shopping, Says Toyah

Shopping centres are Britain's new community centres as well as being consumer outlets, rock star Toyah Willcox told retail bosses at a Birmingham conference yesterday. The Kings Heath-born star, whose multi-platinum albums made her an eighties idol, was the celebrity speaker at a three-day event for British shopping centre managers at the ICC.

Nec Move Is a Sell-Out for Library Services Event

An event which showcases library and information services has sold out all its exhibition space after it moved from London to Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre. The Library + information Show is moving to the NEC next month after a three-year residence at London's ExCeL centre, which was announced as the new home of the Motor Show only weeks ago.

Essay Competition Winner Meets Tony Blair

The winner of a prestigious essay competition supported by The Birmingham Post met Tony Blair in Downing Street yesterday. Ashvir Sangha also received a guided tour of the Houses of Parliament after he was named Midland regional winner of the Parliamentary Press Gallery writing competition.

Snow Problem As Gritters Beat the Weather

The snow showers that hit the region yesterday brought up to three centimetres of snow in some areas but caused little disruption. Gritting teams worked throughout the night on Tuesday to prevent accidents and were out in forceagain last night as temperatures plummeted to minus 3C (24F) in some parts of the West Midlands.

Brum Trials to Help with Parkinson's

Patients suffering from the debilitating effects of Parkinson's Disease are being invited to take part in a revolutionary new treatment trial in Birmingham. Neurologist Dr Carl Clarke is leading Birmingham City Hospital's three-year study, which will involved 740 patients across 14 countries.

Bellamy Says Dig Quarries for Nature

TV botanist David Bellamy has called for fresh quarries to be dug in Warwickshire in a bid to increase the number of wildlife habitats in the county. Professor Bellamy said current quarries and gravel pits in the area were providing vital homes for an abundance of species, from rare bumble bees to endangered creatures such as the great crested newt.

Pensioner 'Postcode Bus Passes Unfair

New laws to give every pensioner in England free bus travel have been proposed by a Midland MP. Mike Foster (Lab Worcester) presented a Bill in the House of Commons designed to end the 'postcode lottery' in concessionary fares.

Policeman 'Ran for His Life' When Threatened with a Gun, Court Told

A police officer investigating a road accident in Birmingham 'ran for his life' when he had a gun pointed at him, the city's crown court heard yesterday. The court was told the crash happened in Lancaster Circus in the early hours of the morning when one of two cars, which had been racing, crashed into the middle of a roundabout.

Ministers Will Not Stop Fire Cover Cuts

Ministers have refused to intervene in plans to cut the number of night-time fire engines in the West Midlands by a quarter. The fire authority is under no obligation to consult them, Ministers said.