Birmingham Post

Thousands of New Homes Face Flooding Threat

Thousands of new homes in the West Midlands are being built on flood plains and are in danger of ending up "unsaleable, uninhabitable and uninsurable", it was claimed last night. The Countryside Alliance claimed the region faces a "flooding time-bomb" after discovering 3,655 new homes are earmarked to be constructed on floodplains or flood risk areas.

Insurer Endsleigh Axing 1,500 Jobs

Up to 1,500 jobs in the financial services sector were in jeopardy last night as Endsleigh Insurance and Goldfish said they were planning to close centres. Endsleigh said it was considering closing its 119 retail outlets before the end of the year, following a strategic review, and would concentrate on internet business.

Spaghetti Junction Repairs Warning

Motorists have been warned to watch out for new road changes as a pounds 4.1 million scheme of essential repair work at Spaghetti Junction begins on Monday. The 17-month project to reinforce eight bridge deck supports, repair columns and supporting crossbeams at junction six of the M6, has been described as "essential" to maintain Birmingham's iconic motorway interchange.

Defendants Deny Double Murder ; Courts

A jury retired to consider its verdicts yesterday on two defendants accused of murdering two men as they walked home from a night out. The jury, at Wolverhampton Crown Court, has been told Neil Williams, 41, was killed in Telford, Shropshire, ten days before 42- year-old Andrew Owen died in Sedgley, West Midlands.

Water Fight Trashes Garden ; Internet

A council yesterday said an awardwinning garden was trashed after hundreds of people responded to a Facebook listing and took part in a mass water fight. Leeds City Council claim 350 people armed with water pistols and buckets trashed the city's Millennium Square garden.

Body Found ; Police

Fatal Stabbing ; Police

Historic Home Which Hosted Dickens Goes On Sale

A historic stately home which hosted writers Charles Dickens and William Thackeray went on sale yesterday for around pounds 3 million. Sherborne House, which features a mural by court painter Sir James Thornhill, has a Tudor wing built some time after 1570 but the principal building dates from 1720.

Now the Region's Luxury House Prices Start to Fall

Midlands estate agents are coming under pressure as prices begin to drop in the luxury homes market, it has been claimed. Upmarket property firm Savills yesterday said the credit crunch had seen prices at the top of the market drop by 0.5 per cent in the first three months of the year.

Kennedy's Bow Fires Artistic Arrows at Classical Brits 'Old Farts'

Nigel Kennedy has been ousted from tonight's Classical Brits. The maverick violinist, 51, who lashed out yesterday at the showpiece musical event for being run by "old farts", was one of the biggest draws of the televised awards ceremony.

Bright Ideas Set to Banish Dark Days with Charity Funds in View

Workers in Birmingham will throw off their dark suits and don the most garish, brightly-coloured outfits they own tomorrow to mark Wear Bright for Sight Day. As part of the annual fund-raising day in aid of Birmingham Focus, they will join thousands of others across the region to raise money for local people with sight impairments, by pledging pounds 2 to wear their most outrageously-bright clothes.

Goals of Pounds 20m Football Centre for Rising Stars Revealed by Fa

The long-awaited National Football Centre in the Midlands will be completed by 2010, the Football Association has said. Outlining their vision for the next four years, FA chairman Lord Triesman and chief executive Brian Barwick said the centre at Rangemore, near Burton on Trent, was one of its priorities.

1876 England Picture Unearthed

The oldest known photograph of an England football team has been unearthed in a provincial library. Dating back to 1876, it depicts an England team of 10 players ahead of their match against arch-rivals Scotland.

Former Villa Player Birch Is Battling Disease

Former Aston Villa player Paul Birch has fallen seriously ill with cancer. The 45-year-old former midfielder, who played more than 200 times for Villa and also had five years with Wolves, is receiving chemotherapy.

Murder Charge Man Jealous of Girlfriend's Baby, Court Is Told

A Coventry man accused of murdering his girlfriend's baby son told hospital staff he had shaken him "gently", a court heard yesterday. Ryan Ledger (20), is alleged to have murdered 10- month-old Cameron Wootton in May last year.

Ferry for Trial After Hunt Film Incidents

Countryside campaigner Otis Ferry will stand trial this year charged with attacking one woman hunt monitor and robbing another, while they were trying to film him at his sport. Ferry, 25, of Eaton Mascot, Shropshire, the son of Roxy Music singer Bryan Ferry, entered no pleas to the allegations when he appeared at Cheltenham Magistrates' Court yesterday morning.

Councillor Is Cleared of Being Rude and Abusive ; Politics

A leading Birmingham city councillor has been cleared by the local government ethics watchdog over allegations that he behaved disrespectfully to members of a local business association. The Standards Board for England found Martin Mullaney expressed his views on the A34 Stratford Road Red Route parking restrictions in a "frank and robust manner", but was not rude or abusive.

Mp Hemming Condemns Tougher Cannabis Stance ; Politics

Tougher restrictions on cannabis have been condemned by a Birmingham MP. John Hemming (Lib Dem Yardley) attacked plans to re-classify cannabis as a class B drug, so that users face prison sentences of up to five years for possession.

Poor State Schools 'Failing Pupils' ; Politics

Independent schools condemned the "very poor" quality of state education yesterday for forcing thousands of parents to pay to go private. Chris Parry, the new chief executive of the Independent Schools Council, said inadequate state education was "offensive" to parents who pay their taxes.

Parent Evenings Consultation ; Politics

Traditional parents' evenings are declining in popularity and schools should consider other ways to communicate with families, Children's Secretary Ed Balls said yesterday. Parents increasingly value informal discussions and like to receive information on their children's progress online, Government research found.