Birmingham Post

Who Will Foot the Bill

Hundreds of residents whose homes were damaged or destroyed by the Birmingham tornado will need Government aid, MPs have warned. Local Government Minister Phil Woolas visits the city today to see for himself the damage, which is estimated at tens of millions of pounds. He was urged by MP Roger Godsiff to look at providing financial assistance for residents whose homes were wrecked or may be demolished. Local agencies such as the city council or emergency services may also need financial help,...

Four-Strong 'Suicide Bomb Gang' in Custody

All four members of a suspected suicide bomb gang were in custody last night after anti-terror police scored a major breakthrough. Three were captured yesterday after eight days on the run after the botched July 21 attacks in London. Two were held in a dramatic swoop on a London flat. One identified himself to police as Muktar Said-Ibrahim, aged 27, who allegedly tried to blow himself up on a number 26 bus in Hackney.

Tornado: Bishop's Relief That Children Were Not Hurt ; We Need to Approach Nature with Great Humility Because, As We Have Seen, It Can Be Very, Very Violent Bishop Sentamu

The Bishop for Birmingham yesterday toured a church which had its foundations shaken by the tornado while 50 teenagers were inside the building. The Rt Rev Dr John Sentamu visited All Saints Parish Church in Kings Heath. Tornado damage at the church is estimated to be 'well into a six-figure sum'.

Tornado: My Garden Dream Ruined

It had taken Vijay Singh years of saving his earnings to afford the perfect garden. He had one complete with a Tandoori-style cooker, outdoor furniture and glossy fences.

Tornado: Rebuilding Is 'Long and Stressful

The rebuilding process in the area devastated by the Birmingham tornado may be longer and more painful than many residents envisage, according to a university expert. Dr El Parker, from Coventry University's Centre for Disaster Management, believes that while US communities in 'Tornado alley' have a culture of preparedness, Birmingham may take much longer to bounce back.

Tornado: Panic After Evacuation Call Blunder

West Midlands Police last night admitted one of its helicopters mistakenly broadcast an evacuation warning to Moseley and Balsall Heath residents in the immediate aftermath of the tornado. Some residents were panicked and confused by the recorded warning because officers on the ground were not issuing the same advice.

Tornado: Bogus Workers Prey On Vulnerable

Householders whose homes were damaged have been warned not to fall prey to rogue traders and bogus officials. The city's Trading Standards Department and West Midlands Police issued a joint warning to tornado-hit residents to be wary of anyone calling at their homes offering to do repair work. The city's chair of public protection, Councillor Neil Eustace, said police were particularly concerned about distraction burglars using damage as an excuse to enter people's property. Coun Eustace said...

Tornado: 'Tens of Millions' in Insurance Payouts

Insurance payouts in the wake of the Birmingham tornado could run into the tens of millions but many motorists could miss out. The Association of British Insurers said drivers with only third party, fire and theft cover would be unlikely to receive a payout.

Tornado: Traders' Anger at City's 'Tax, Talk and No Action

By Neil Connor Traders, who have lost thousands of pounds in the fallout from Thursday's tornado, said last night they had been neglected by the city council. Restaurateurs, grocers and newsagents on the usually bustling Ladypool Road in Sparkbrook and Moseley criticised city leaders who they claimed would have acted with more urgency if the city centre's entertainment zones had been hit by the twister.

Tornado: Officer Hurt in Stormy Clash

A police officer was injured when he was attacked by a man who tried to get through a cordon sealing off a tornado-damaged area of the city yesterday. The constable suffered a dislocated knee after he was assaulted in Chestnut Road, off Church Road, Moseley.

Tornado: University Offers Emergency Shelter

The University of Birmingham accommodated 100 people forced to evacuate their tornado-hit homes at its Vale student halls of residence on Thursday night. Geoff Pringle, director of accommodation, said while most people were expected to vacate the halls yesterday, the university remained on stand-by to house people over the weekend.

The Licensing Act

Late-Night Drinking Laws Attacked As Violence Rises in Midlands

Alcohol-fuelled violence around Midland pubs and clubs has shot up, official figures have revealed. In Staffordshire alone, the number of incidents rose by a quarter in just one year.

Fresh Appeal to Find Gym Worker's Killers

Detectives yesterday renewed their appeal for help in catching the killers of a Birmingham man shot dead in a city gym a year ago. Azmat Yaqub (right) was killed as he worked out at the Chic Physique gym in Foremans Rd, Sparkhill, on the evening of 29 July 2004.

Hospital Ticked Off

A national charity is urging a Midland paediatric centre of excellence to appoint an immunologist to diagnose rare medical conditions. The Primary Immunodeficiency Association (PIA) wants Birmingham Children's Hospital to rank the appointment as a clinical priority.

Legal and Musical Worlds Mourn Jonas

George Jonas, one of the leading lights in the West Midlands legal, political and classical music circles, has died from motor neurone disease at the age of 77. A wartime child refugee who was adopted on his arrival in the UK, he went on to carve a formidable reputation as a lawyer, city councillor and chairman of the CBSO during its rise to international acclaim.

Officer Is Back

A senior housing officer who was suspended over claims that a councillor moved into a local authority flat ahead of a waiting list of 3,000 people has returned to work. The officer at Tamworth Borough Council was suspended last Tuesday as part of an investigation into alleged queue jumping by Conservative councillor Gerald Pinner, who is in charge of housing at Tamworth Council. The officer has returned to work but is still being investigated for his role in Coun Pinner's move.

Road Closed

Buses and cars in Harborne, Birmingham, will be diverted tomorrow when a road is closed for the building of the city's new super- hospital. Mindelsohn Way, near the University Hospital, will be shut at its junction with Vincent Drive from midnight tomorrow. The road will be open by its entrance at Metchley Park Road.

One of the Last of the Altruistic Chairmen Who Did It for Love

As chairman of the CBSO for 18 years, George Jonas steered it through the exciting period when it rose from regional respectability to international acclaim. Following the orchestra's falling-out with former conductor Louis Fremaux in 1978he oversaw the appointment of the long running and hugely successful partnership of chief executive Ed Smith and music director Simon Rattle.

School Report

An article in The Birmingham Post on Wednesday reported that Cockshut Hill Technology College in Yardley was in special measures. The school is in fact classed as having serious weakness by Ofsted.