Birmingham Post

Murray Plays Match of His Life

Andy Murray won the match of his life to take his place in the quarter-finals of Wimbledon last night. The feisty Scot showed grit and guts and some astonishing shots to fight back from two sets down to beat Frenchman Richard Gasquet 5- 7 3-6 7-6 (7/3) 6-2 6-4 to earn a mouth-watering showdown with Spain's Rafael Nadal.

Farmland 'Is Put at Risk by Flood Plans'

Suburban housing estates are being over-protected against flooding at the expense of prime agricultural land, according to a study into emergency planning in the West Midlands. A report by the Institution of Civil Engineers accuses the Government, public agencies and councils of falsely raising expectations by suggesting all homes can be saved from freak weather conditions.

Byrne Bemoans Scarcity of Leaders From Ethnic Minorities

The Minister for the West Midlands yesterday said he was "gob- smacked" by the absence of ethnic minorities among the region's leaders, as he set out his plans for the year ahead. Liam Byrne (Lab Hodge Hill) called for the creation of new universities and a "revolution" in skills, with training for 250,000 low-skilled workers.

English Heritage May Scupper Plans to Replace Natwest Tower

Conservation watchdog English Heritage could step into the row over the future of a prominent Birmingham city centre site by asking the Government to include the NatWest Tower in Colmore Row on the statutory list of buildings of architectural importance. Approval to list the 1973 building would delay or even put paid to plans by British Land to demolish the tower and build a far taller 35-storey skyscraper in its place.

Families Feel the Pain of the Crunch

Families struggling with soaring fuel and food costs are more concerned about their financial future than at any time in 26 years, a poll revealed yesterday. The measure for the UK's economic situation in the last 12 months has also plunged below levels recorded during the last recession.

Rugby League Star Punched Drunken Fan to the Ground

Rugby League star Iafeta Paleaaesina was yesterday sentenced to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work after being convicted of punching a bus driver to the ground. The 17-stone prop, who plays for Wigan Warriors, left victim James Campbell with a broken jaw after the confrontation last October.

Permanent Memorial for Police Hero Knifed in Aston

A permanent memorial to a policeman stabbed through the heart as he tried to arrest an offender was unveiled yesterday. Detective Constable Michael Swindells, 44, died on May 21, 2004 after he was stabbed on a canal towpath underneath the M6 in Birmingham.

Couple Expecting Britain's First Breast Cancer-Screened Baby

A couple are expecting Britain's first baby screened to not have hereditary breast cancer in a move hailed yesterday as "an exciting technological development". They decided to screen her embryos and remove the inherited cancer-causing gene BRCA-1 because the baby's father, his sister, mother, grandmother and cousin all had the cancer.

Torrential Downpours in 2007 Had Lasting Legacy On West Midlands Crop

Last summer it was not only well publicised floods but the effects of the wet summer in broader terms that proved costly to farms in the West Midlands. This was illustrated by the losses experienced by the Coulter Lane Fruit Farm which, according to owner Phil Hodson Walker, amounted to "30 per cent of its regular annual turnover".

Premiership Thug Sentenced Today for Latest Violent Outburst

Premier League footballer Joey Barton will be sentenced today after pleading guilty to assaulting a former teammate. He punched Ousmane Dabo, a former colleague at Manchester City, knocking him unconscious, and continued to hit him as he lay on the ground.

Mckellen to Star in the Prisoner

ITV confirmed yesterday Sir Ian McKellen and Jim Caviezel will star in the network's remake of 1960s classic cult thriller, The Prisoner. American actor Caviezel will play Number Six while McKellen will appear as Number Two.

My Age Is Irrelevant, Says the City's Youngest Head Teacher, 32

Little over a decade ago, he was at school. Today, Stuart Guest is the youngest head teacher in Birmingham. He is in charge of 420 pupils, has a staff of 50 and controls a budget of pounds 1.5 million. And he's seeing his school - Colebourne Primary School in Hodge Hill - through a massive pounds 9.5 million co-location and merger with Beaufort Special School - a flagship project for the city.

Pupil Who Swore On Examination Paper Scored Two Marks for It

Students who write obscenities in their GCSE English exams can still be awarded marks, a chief examiner said yesterday. One pupil, who wrote "f*** off" on an examination paper, was given two points for spelling it correctly, and conveying a meaning.

You Must Foot the Bill in Switch to Renewable Energy, Says Minister

Consumers will have to foot the bill for the multi-billion pound switch to renewable energy, the Government warned last night . Business Secretary John Hutton said pounds 100 billion of private sector investment was needed to finance the change in electricity production.

Politics: Centre of Excellence Plans Could See Services Merged

Plans to concentrate West Midlands hospital services in "centres of excellence" were backed yesterday by Health Minister Lord Darzi. Setting out a 10-year plan for the NHS, Lord Darzi said patients needing emergency treatment were more likely to survive if sent to specialist centres.

Politics: Red Tape Bid Cuts Little Ice with Business

Three years into a cross-government drive to reduce the cost of regulation on businesses, three-quarters of companies expect red tape to increase, according to a report released today. The Government's Better Regulation Executive has set Whitehall departments and regulators the target of cutting administrative burdens by 25 per cent by 2010, with separate targets for HM Revenue and Customs of reducing the cost of tax forms by 10 per cent and audits and inspections by 15 per cent.

Politics: Scrap Regional Offices Abroad, Says Duncan

A network of offices to promote West Midlands industry overseas would be scrapped under a Conservative government, the shadow Trade Secretary has pledged. Alan Duncan said it was "baffling" to foreign business leaders when the West Midlands set up offices in Germany and America which competed with rival offices representing other English regions - at a cost of pounds 20 million to the taxpayer.

Politics: Race Relations and Child Obesity Head Council Concerns

West Midlands councils have named improving race relations and cutting child obesity as top priorities - ahead of improving school results and keeping streets clean. They pledged to cut child poverty, build more homes and reduce congestion.

Politics: 'Labour has Lost Identity by Stealing From Tories'

Voters no longer know what the Labour Party stands for because it has stolen too many policies from the Conservatives, a Labour backbencher has claimed. Wolverhampton MP Ken Purchase, who has announced plans to leave the Commons at the next election, launched a scathing criticism of his own party's policies on housing, health and education during a Commons debate.

Eco-Town Opponents Take Their Protest to Parliament

Midlands campaigners joined hundreds of protesters outside Parliament yesterday to voice opposition to Government plans to build eco-towns. The protesters, from across the country, accused the Government of building "rural ghettos of the future" and failing to consult local people.