Birmingham Post

City Terror: Midland Link Is Played Down

Police investigating the London bombings have no idea whether the terrorists responsible have fled abroad, died in the explosions, or are planning further atrocities, they admitted last night. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair said all options were being considered but there was 'no evidence whatsoever' to support speculation an Islamic terror cell in the Midlands may have been responsible.

Hospital in Superbug Trials

A Birmingham hospital is to launch a national trial of a new MRSA test which could reduce the number of 'superbug' cases. Heartlands and Solihull hospitals already screen patients on admission for the infection, but nursing staff have to wait 48 hours for results and the delay can mean patients carrying MRSA are not identified until after they are on a ward.

Housing Boss Blasts Council

The boss of a Birmingham housing association yesterday criticised city councillors for putting the brakes on one of the largest regeneration projects in the country. Simon Kimberley, chief executive of Optima Housing Association, was speaking after the council's Development Control Committee gave the go-ahead for a new Tesco store on the site of Bristol Street Motors.

Men Stabbed

Police are appealing for witnesses after two men were stabbed in Birmingham. They were attacked after a row with a third man in Bishopshgate Street on Thursday night, but their injuries are not life- threatening.

Street Horror

A man who was found in a Staffordshire street with serious head and facial injuries was recovering in hospital yesterday. The unidentified man, thought to be eastern European, was found by a passer-by in Crossfield Avenue, Blythe Bridge, Stoke-on-Trent, on Thursday night.

Pub Rescue

Two people were rescued from a pub fire in Birmingham in the early hours of yesterday. Firefighters from Central and Ward End fire stations were called to the Village Tavern, in George Arthur Road, Saltley, at 3.58am.

Star Is Born

Birmingham-born actor Ryan Cartwright's career is set for international take off - thanks to a major new film and TV series. The star of The Grimleys will be seen playing Tom Conti's son in ITV's new forensic science drama series Donovan , which starts tomorrow night.

Nfu Awards

The NFU has launched a new awards scheme to honour those in the agricultural industry. The awards will celebrate and promote business excellence in British farming and growing.

Card Fraud: Police Blame 'the Asians

A Birmingham businesswoman has criticised West Midlands Police after claiming she was told there was no point reporting the fact her bank card had been cloned because it was such a common occurrence. The 31-year-old, who asked not to be named, had been out with friends and used the Lloyds TSB cashpoint in Woodbridge Road, Moseley, last Saturday night.

Final Farewell to Girl Who Died in Dryer

Hundreds of mourners gathered yesterday for a final farewell to a three-year-old girl who suffocated in a tumble dryer. Georgina Bywater died at her home in Waldron Avenue, Brierley Hill, on June 24 after climbing into the kitchen appliance with her pet kitten Zac. The door somehow slammed shut behind her.

Force Is Losing Respect, Says Mp

The public is losing respect for the police because they are seen to be targeting 'the soft target of the middle classes' instead of serious crime, an MP has claimed. Peter Luff (Con Mid Worcestershire) said he highlighted Tory plans to recruit more police at the last election - but was shocked when voters said they did not want extra officers.

Party in the Park for War Veterans

Birmingham's Cannon Hill Park will be the focus of a series of special celebrations this weekend to mark the 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. War veterans and their families are expected to turn out to watch a spectacular fireworks display and take part in other events in the park.

How Super Mario Helped Little Josh

If Birmingham City star Mario Melchiot suffers an injury during the coming season, there is one six-year-old boy he will think of to help him get through it. Joshua Mulvenna has spent most of his young life in and out of hospital but is a big football fan and got to meet the Dutch international defender at the club's training ground.

Suspected Grave Robbers Released

Four people held in connection with the theft of a pensioner's body from a graveyard have been released from police bail. The four - two men aged 35 and 38 from Wolverhampton, a 36-year- old man from Birmingham and a 30-year-old woman from Gloucester - were all arrested in March by officers investigating the desecration of a grave in Yoxall, Staffordshire. The remains of 82-year-old Gladys Hammond were stolen from the grounds of St Peter's Church in Yoxall in October last year.

Fraud Ring Smashed

Police have smashed a Midlands-based fraud ring as part of an investigation which recovered stolen goods worth more than pounds 500,000. Officers from West Midlands Police Economic Crime Unit arrested seven people, following raids in the West Midlands and Leicester.

Gang Jailed After 50 Million Cigarette Smuggling Plot Goes Up in Smoke

A gang of men who illegally tried to smuggle 50 million cigarettes into Britain have been jailed. The six-strong smuggling ring organised shipments of cigarettes from the Far East hidden inside containers of flat-pack furniture.

Graduates' Degree of Swinging Success

The first 20 students to enrol on the country's first honours degree course in golf at the University of Birmingham were celebrating yesterday after graduating. The Bachelor of Arts degree in Applied Golf Management Studies was launched at the university in 2002 together with the Professional Golfers' Association. It is thought to have been the first partnership of its kind in the world and is designed to give would-be professionals the chance to combine undergraduate-level academic studies w...

Tv Ads Target 'Social' Speeders

Young adults with responsible jobs are the drivers being targeted in a new hard-hitting TV and billboard campaign aimed at cutting road accidents. The new offensive is directed at people - mainly males - aged between 25 and 34 who feel compelled to exceed the speed limit because of heavy work and social commitments.

London Bombs : Help Us Find Our Loved Ones, Plead Families

Relatives and friends of people missing since Thursday's bomb blasts yesterday told of their desperate attempts to find their loved ones. Some feared the worst having heard nothing of them following the horrific explosions in the centre of London.

London Bombs : Hotels 'Put Up Prices' After Blasts

The hotel industry yesterday reacted with disbelief to claims that London hotels hiked up prices following the terror attacks. Some hotels in the capital more than doubled their costs after transport chaos left people in need of beds, claimed a BBC website.