Birmingham Post

Council Triumphs in Battle of Nelson's Railings

Bullring owner Hammerson has finally admitted defeat in the Battle of Nelson's Railings. The statue of Britain's greatest naval hero will be fully restored in time for the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar in October - complete with its original railings.

Move or Die - the Harsh Choice Faced by Firm After 120 Years in Business

A 120-year-old Birmingham metal-bashing firm has warned it will go out of business if a plan to redevelop its Jewellery Quarter site is rejected, writes Paul Dale. The future of precision engineers AE Harris depends on being able to sell its existing site for a mixed-use development of houses, offices and workshops.

Split-Site Plan for New Library

The new Library of Birmingham will be built on two sites in the city centre. Leaders of the Conservative-Liberal Democrat city council coalition are close to finalising plans that would involve using separate buildings - one for the archives and reference section and one for a lending library.

Neighbour in Search of the Truth ; As She Prepares to Take the Stage at Cannon Hill Park On Sunday at the Party in the Park Music Extravaganza, Former Neighbours Actress Natalie Imbruglia Told Emma Pinch About Her Graduation From the Tv Soap to Top of the Pops

Party in the Park star Natalie Imbruglia must have been camping out in the queue ready for the day God was dishing out from the looks and talent box. With a boat race beauteous enough to catapult her into the fragrant ranks of the 'Because I'm Worth It' brigade plus a number one album and a burgeoning film career, she seems to have pretty much everything.

Rain Fails to Dampen Crowd's Spirit

Actors performing at Ludlow Castle must be asking themselves whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous weather, or take arms against a sea of troubles with the help of an umbrella. But the cast of the open air performance of Shakespeare's Richard II, including Steven Berkoff, are determined that the show must go on despite the bad weather and audiences cowering beneath plastic ponchos and bin liners from the rain.

Sex Abuse Victim Says Payout Will Hit Church

A sexual abuse victim campaigning to bring paedophile priests to justice said yesterday's award was a significant step further in forcing the Catholic Church take responsibility for rogue elements in the clergy. The award to Mr A follows another payout, of pounds 330,000, to a man named Simon Grey, who also suffered abuse at the hands of Fr Clonan.

Store Wars Threat to Estate Renewal

Plans for a Tesco superstore on the southern edge of Birmingham city centre would threaten the regeneration of the former Lee Bank housing estate, councillors have been warned. Optima Community Housing Association, which is helping transform Lee Bank into Attwood Green, has submitted a formal objection to a proposed mixed-use retail and housing development off the A38 at Bristol Street.

Church Faces Huge Bill After Record Payout

The Catholic Church could be forced to pay out millions of pounds after the High Court yesterday awarded recorded damages to a West Midlands man who, during his childhood, was sexually abused by a priest. The victim, now 35, was abused for more than ten years between the ages of seven and 18 by Father Christopher Clonan, his parish priest at Christ The King Church in Coventry.

Father's Whereabouts Were a Source of Speculation

Father Christopher Clonan's whereabouts have been the source of as much speculation in recent years and filled as much newspaper copy as the progress of the child abuse legal claims against him. But the mystery ended in May last year when West Midlands Police confirmed that the man known to neighbours in a quiet Melbourne suburb as Christie Oliver was the fugitive priest and that he had died in 1998.

Post Debate: Should 'Privatisation' Be Used to Help Nhs ; the Private Sector Is Increasingly Being Used in Nhs Clinical Care. While Politicians See It As an Inevitability, Not All Health Sector Professionals Agree, As Campbell Docherty Found Out

The political debate over so-called 'privatisation' of the NHS has, leaving aside semantics, in effect been settled. During the General Election campaign, with health issues playing a central role in the political grandstanding, both Labour and Conservatives huffed and puffed but still both proposed significant private sector involvement with the NHS.

Speed Humps Policy Review

A controversial new Birmingham City Council policy which would threaten existing or planned speed humps and other traffic calming measures on 'blue routes', will be reviewed by councillors. The transport scrutiny committee has 'called in' the plan, which aims to speed up response times for the emergency services.

Roadshow Is All About Mental Health

A mental health charity is holding a drop-in roadshow at the Molineux football stadium in Wolverhampton today. The West Midlands branch of the National Institute for Mental Health in England is running the roadshow for anyone who lives or works in Birmingham or the Black Country, and has an interest in mental health.

David Frampton of the Surrey Space Centre

Brum Art Exhibition Opens

A Birmingham art exhibition which aims to provide a hands-on experience for the local community is to open today. The TAKEpART exhibition will take place at St John's & St Peter's Church in Ladywood until next Thursday.

House of Commons Compared to a Pantomime

The House of Commons has been compared to 'a pantomime' by a Midland MP because of its 18th century traditions. David Winnick (Lab Walsall North) said Parliament should give up its customs, such as wearing wigs and even the Queen's Speech.

Mp Slams Edgbaston Touts

Ticket touts should face the full force of the law for selling tickets to cricket matches at Edgbaston at inflated prices, a city MP has said. Gisela Stuart (Lab Edgbaston) accused the touts of 'ripping off' customers and demanded new laws to tackle the problem.

Call for Rethink On Runway

A Birmingham MP yesterday called for proposals for a second runway at Birmingham International Airport to be scrapped. John Hemming, whose Yardley constituency borders the airport site, called for the Government to help remove the blight on residents in Sheldon.

Killers Jailed After Beating Man to Death Over Love Row

Two killers who beat the wrong man to death in a dispute over a relationship between a young Asian couple from different religions were jailed for life yesterday. A jury at Stafford Crown Court took almost 13 hours at the end of a 16-day trial to convict Shimraz Khan (35) and Waheed Akhtar (22) of the murder of Major Singh Gill, a 55-year-old father of three in his Costcutter Shop in Pemberton Road, West Bromwich, in August last year.

Police Chief Hails Crime Drop

The West Midlands Chief Constable has hailed his force's 'unprecedented' performance which had led to 'spectacular' reductions in crime in the region. Burglaries and vehicle offences have hit their lowest levels for 25 years, overall crime dropped to its second lowest rate in 15 years and public confidence in the force was at an all-time high, said Paul Scott-Lee.

1971 Daimler Fleetline Bus