Birmingham Post

Top Prize for Author Catherine

Former postwoman turned novelist and Birmingham Post columnist Catherine O'Flynn has started the new year on a high by winning a prestigious national literary prize. She won the First Novel Award for What Was Lost - which was rejected 15 times by publishers - at the Costas, formerly the Whitbread Prize.

Birmingham's Reputation 'at Stake' After Railway Chaos

Birmingham's reputation as a national business centre is being seriously damaged by Network Rail, officials said last night. With passengers facing another day of disruption as engineering works on the West Coast Main Line continue today, fears were voiced that the delays are costing the region's economy millions of pound.

Councillor 'Offered Cash Bribe'

A senior Labour Birmingham City Councillor offered a cash bribe in an attempt to overturn an election petition - threatening violence if the offer of money was not accepted, a court heard yesterday. Muhammed Afzal recruited two cousins of council cabinet member Ayoub Khan to act as intermediaries, offering to give "anything" if the Liberal Democrats were prepared to drop legal action contesting Coun Afzal's victory in Aston ward at the 2007 local elections, it is claimed.

Opera Company Faces Closure

Birmingham Opera Company, which presented a co-production of La Traviata to almost 10,000 people at the National Indoor Arena in October, could face closure after losing its Arts Council grant. The company is one of a number across the country facing the axe following an Arts Council review. It has until the middle of January to lodge an appeal.

It Took Award Winner 15 Attempts to Get an Agent

It was finally picked up by Birmingham-based Tindall Street Press and went on to be nominated for every award going, including the Man Booker Prize and the Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction. Ms Flynn, who lives in Hall Green and still works part-time at the Midland Arts Centre, said: "It took 15 attempts for me to get an agent with this book, but I'd read somewhere it could take as many as 150 rejections, so I actually thought this was quite quick.

More Misery Lies Ahead for Train Commuters

Network Rail launched an investigation and offered an apology as rail passengers faced at least another day of travel misery today after its failure to complete major engineering work on the West Coast Main Line. The work in the Rugby area should have been finished in time for the start of services on Monday this week.

Passengers Arriving at Snow Hill Tell of Their Frustration

Passengers arriving at Snow Hill station in Birmingham yesterday spoke of their frustration following the disruption to their journeys from London to the city centre. Having purchased tickets for the Virgin London Euston to Birmingham New Street service, many faced longer trips with Chiltern Railways.

Forced to Sell After a Millennium

A Staffordshire aristocrat and his wife are being forced to leave their family's ancestral home of 1,000 years. According to Sir Charles and Lady Imogen Wolseley, financial problems now mean they must move out of their Georgian mansion and into rented accommodation.

Chinese Market Plan for City

A little piece of China will soon be setting up in the heart of the city, following the success of Birmingham's annual German market. A Chinese market is part of Birmingham City Council's plans for 2008 - as outlined by council leader Mike Whitby today.

Petrol Prices Hit New High As Oil Soars to Eur100 a Barrel

Motorists face more misery on the forecourt as petrol prices soared to a new high and the price of oil touched the 100 US dollars a barrel mark for the first time yesterday. The cost of a litre of petrol at the pumps is now 103.3p - beating the previous record of 102.92p set on Boxing Day.

Children Earning Pounds 700m a Year

Britain's children are collectively earning nearly pounds 700 million a year carrying out odd jobs and running errands, a survey showed yesterday. Around 27 per cent of young people aged between 11 and 18 regularly earn money doing odd jobs, bringing in an average of pounds 45.60 a month each, according to high street bank Abbey. Girls are more likely to be earning money from carrying out chores than boys, with 30 per cent of girls earning money in this way, compared with 24 per cent of boys.

Health Expert's Warning On Hospital Fines Proposal

Tory plans to fine hospitals if patients fall prey to superbugs like MRSA or clostridium difficile could lead to the fabrication of data by NHS staff, according to a Midland health expert. David Cameron spoke out during a visit to Trafford General Hospital in Manchester yesterday, claiming "money should attend success, not failure."

Dozens of Patients Are Evacuated in Hospital Fire

Fire swept through the world famous Royal Marsden Hospital yesterday, wrecking parts of the historic building. Dozens of patients were evacuated to escape the flames, which tore across sections of the roof of the world-class specialist cancer hospital in Fulham Road, central London.

Scientists Fear New Wave of Human 'Mad Cow Disease' Deaths

Fears of a new wave of deaths caused by the human form of mad cow disease have been raised by a type of variant CJD not seen before. Scientists who examined the brain of a 39-year-old woman killed by the disease found unusual patterns of damage.

Inheritance Disputes On the Up

Disputes between families over inheritance are on the increase, it emerged yesterday. Experts say there has been a significant rise in the number of wills being contested with one law firm estimating a 200 per cent rise in such cases in the last three years.

Police Chief in Ecstasy Claim Row

A controversial police chief was facing calls to quit yesterday after claiming ecstasy is safer than aspirin. Anti-drugs campaigners condemned the comments by Richard Brunstrom, the chief constable of North Wales police who advocates the legalisation of all drugs.

Males Clear Debts Soonest

Politics: Brown Meets New Deal Job Successes On Anniversary

The Prime Minister heard yesterday about the problems faced by job seekers as he marked the 10th anniversary of the New Deal employment programme by pledging a new approach to welfare. Gordon Brown was told that housing and childcare costs are the biggest barriers to work, especially in cities such as London.

Politics: Anti-Poverty Drive Failing Working Parents

Efforts to eradicate youth poverty in the UK are failing to do enough to help the "forgotten children" of working parents on low incomes, a leading thinktank warned. While progress has been made in lifting 600,000 children overall out of poverty since Labour came to power, the benefits have been felt most by "workless households" said the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR).

Politics: Prostitutes Face Jail If They Refuse Counselling

Thousands of prostitutes face the prospect of jail for up to 72 hours if they fail to comply with counselling sessions under proposed new legislation, it was claimed yesterday. Under the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill, women convicted of loitering and soliciting could be ordered to attend three one- hour counselling sessions with a named supervisor or face up to three days in detention if they fail to comply.