Birmingham Post

Going Up in Smoke ; Lack of Sprinklers Leaves Firefighters Helpless

A senior fire officer last night said emergency crews were helpless as a massive blaze which caused 1,000 people to be evacuated from their homes destroyed a Birmingham retail store. West Midlands Assistant Chief Fire Officer Robert Hulland said firefighters could only watch the Matalan store in Stechford Retail Park being destroyed as the building did not have the added protection of a sprinkler system.

Chamber in Casino Poll Row

Supporters of rival super-casino bids were engaged in a furious war of words today after business leaders vowed to press ahead with a controversial ballot. Birmingham Chamber of Commerce is to poll members of its governing council to discover whether they back plans for a casino at the NEC or Birmingham City Football Club's proposed stadium complex in Saltley. But it has ruled that anyone who fails to vote will be counted as backing the NEC proposal - because that is the preferred option of t...

Midland: That's the Way Pounds 1.7m Crumbles

Crumbling churches and chapels in the West Midlands h a v e b e e n a w a r d e d pounds 1.7 million in a bid to repair and retain their historical features. The grants, awarded by English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund, form part of a national package of pounds 17.5 million to repair 147 Grade I and II* listed religious buildings across England.

Midland: How Some of the Region's Church Cash Will Be Spent

St James's Church, Wigmore, Herefordshire: pounds 42,000. A Grade I church founded as a collegiate by the Mortimer family on the site of an earlier Saxon building. It dates back to the 11th century and a substantial amount of the characteristic herringbone masonry of that period survives in the north wall of the nave.

Midland: Electronic Post Proves Popular with Overseas Readers

More than 350 readers have already signed up for The Birmingham Post's new electronic edition. The Birmingham Post epaper, launched yesterday, is a page-for- page reconstruction of the newspaper which subscribers can access through an internet web browser.

Midland: Security Review On Nec Shooting

The NEC Arena is to review its security arrangements after two stewards were shot during a concert by US rapper Kanye West. A 45-year-old security guard - who was shot at least three times in his neck, lower stomach and foot - remained in a critical condition in Heartlands Hospital last night after two operations.

Midland: Pennant Thrown Out of Broad Street Nightclub

Birmingham City footballer Jermaine Pennant was thrown out of a nightclub party for US rapper Kanye West following the NEC Arena concert. The 23-year-old winger reportedly brawled with doormen at The Works, in Broad Street, in the early hours of yesterday after being asked to leave.

Midland: Cuts to Cross City Line Averted in New Deal

Local transport bosses have saved the West Midlands' busiest rail line from Government cutbacks. Last year, the Department for Transport asked Central Trains to calculate the savings that would be made if the Cross City Line was cut from six trains an hour to four.

Health Matters: Unfit and Fat - the 21 St Century Brummie ; the West Midlands has the Highest Rate of Infant Mortality and Obesity in Women in the Country, According to a New Report Published Today. Health Reporter Emma Brady Spoke to the Region's Director of Public Health Dr Rashmi Shukla to Find Out Why

Seven out of every 1,000 babies born in the West Midlands will die before they reach their first birthday - a higher proportion than in any other part of England. Of those, nearly 60 per cent will die within their first week of life, or be stillborn.

Health Matters: Senior Civil Servant Gets Pounds 138,000 Pay-Off

HM Revenue and Customs agreed to pay a former employee pounds 138,000 in compensation for the stress he experienced while working at the Government department, it was disclosed yesterday. Stephen Mellor, aged 58, who worked as a senior manager in what was HM Customs & Excise VAT office in Droitwich, Worcestershire, fears he may never be able to work again because of the "mental harm" he experienced while working in the office.

Midland: Investing in the Past Is Key to Britain's Tourism Future

Charles Spencer yesterday urged the Government to invest in Britain's heritage to boost the country's tourism industry. Speaking as guest of honour at the British Travel Trade Fair 2006 at the National Exhibition Centre, Lord Spencer said Britain's heritage was the life-blood of the burgeoning UK tourism industry.

Midland: Sir Bernard Makes a Point

Former Birmingham city councillor Sir Bernard Ziss-man is to be the new chairman of Millennium Point. Sir Bernard will succeed Bob Jordan, who is standing down at the end of the month.

Midland: New Research Calls Cull Into Question

Thousands of animals culled in the foot-and-mouth outbreak could have been saved if the Government had chosen to vaccinate, researchers claimed today. Scientists at Warwick University said if Ministers had opted for vaccination and prompt culling it could have led to a ten-fold reduction in the amount of farms that lost livestock.

Midland: Religious Leaders Condemn Bnp Move

Faith leaders from all backgrounds gathered yesterday to protest against the circulation of BNP leaflets featuring controversial cartoons. The Bishop of Stafford, the Rt Rev Gordon Mursell, joined Islamic and Jewish leaders at the site of a proposed mosque in Stoke-on- Trent to condemn the group's attempts to stir up racial disharmony.

Midland: Three Killed As Car Hits Tree in Late-Night Crash

Three people died when a car crashed into a tree. It happened at about midnight on a stretch of the Birmingham New Road in Lanesfield, Wolver-hampton, near its junction with Lawnswood Avenue.

Midland: Bomb Experts Explode Farm Munitions

Army bomb disposal officers were called in to explode rusty Second World War munitions found on farm land in Warwickshire. Twelve unexploded bullet-shaped devices were discovered by a farmer in Honington, near Shipston-on-Stour, on Tuesday morning.

Midland: Man Arrested Over Cab Death

A man has been arrested in connection with the death of a teenage pedestrian who was knocked down and dragged by the underside of a car for about a mile. The 44-year-old man handed himself in to officers at West Bromwich police station yesterday and was being interviewed by West Midlands Police officers investigating the death of Scott Poll. The 17-year-old, from Wednesbury, was walking home with two friends after a night out when he was hit by what police believe was a black Hackney cab in t...

Midland: Mp Short in Banned Group Row

Clare Short was under fire again yesterday after she invited an "extremist" Muslim group into the Commons. The Birmingham MP hosted a meeting for Hizb ut-Tahrir, which Tony Blair has announced is to be banned under anti-terror laws.

Midland: Litterbugs Are Not Paying Their Fines

Nearly a third of all fines handed out in the Midlands for environmental crimes such as littering and dog fouling are unpaid, according to figures. The statistics also show that for the whole of last year only 893 fines were served throughout the entire region.

Midland: Charlotte Starts to Improve

The condition of Charlotte Wyatt, who is at the centre of a legal row over her treatment, has improved, the hospital treating her said yesterday. A spokeswoman at St Mary's Hospital in Portsmouth said: "She remains stable but has shown encouraging early signs of improvement. We are very pleased."