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Birmingham: News Headlines February 2010

28.02.10 Pet Owner Recovers Puppy Stolen by Balsall Heath Mugger: A 17-year-old youth and two other muggers stole a Staffordshire Bull Terrier puppy from his owner at knifepoint in Calthorpe Park on 28 August 2009. Two weeks later, the owner forcibly reclaimed his dog after being tipped off as to its whereabouts and restrained the 17-year-old from Wedgewood Road in Quinton whom he handed over to the police. The youth has now been sentenced to two years detention and training for various robbery and burglary offences at Birmingham Crown Court.

27.02.10 Weoley Hill Road Traffic Crash: A car and lorry collided on Weoley Hill at around 7pm on Thursday 25 February. The driver of the car and his female passenger, who are both in their twenties, were subsequently treated at Selly Oak Hospital for back and neck injuries.

27.02.10 Handsworth Wife Who Set Fire To Husband Gets Life Sentence: A 36-year-old woman who poured petrol over her husband and then set him alight at their home on Church Hill Road in Handsworth on 6 February 2009 has been convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment at Birmingham Crown Court; she must serve a minimum of 17 years.

27.02.10 Overturned Car in West Heath Road Smash: A woman was taken to Selly Oak Hospital after her car overturned following a collision on Alvechurch Road in West Heath at around 7:45am on Friday 26 February.

27.02.10 Man Falls Between Carriages at Yardley Wood Station: A man fell between the carriages of a train at Yardley Wood Station on the Birmingham-Stratford Line at around 3pm on Tuesday 23 February. The man, believed to be in his fifties, sustained a head wound and was taken to Heartlands Hospital in Bordesley Green.

26.10.10 City Centre Crash in Queensway Tunnel: A female driver hit a pillar in the Queensway Tunnel, near the Mailbox, at around 8pm on Tuesday 23 February. The woman, believed to be in her 40's, was cut free by fire crews; her injuries were minor.

26.02.10 KES Replace A-Levels with International Baccalaureate: King Edward School in Edgbaston will teach a two year International Baccalaureate Diploma instead of A-levels from September 2010. The fee paying school will be the first in the country to completely scrap A-levels.

26.02.10 Living Room Blaze at Weoley Castle: There was a fire in the ground floor living room of a house on Burnel Road in Weoley Castle at around 11pm on Tuesday 23 February. Firefighters quickly controlled the blaze; nobody was injured.

25.02.10 Teenagers Forced to Kiss Train Muggers Feet: Two boys aged 16, and a third aged 17, were mugged by a gang of 8-10 Asian men, and at least one Asian girl, on a train travelling between Sutton Coldfield and New Street Station at around 6pm on 9 November 2009. The boys were also forced to kiss and lick the thieves' boots. Police have released CCTV footage from the train in an attempt to identify the gang.

25.02.10 Seven-year-old Handsworth Girl Starved to Death: A 7 year-old girl who lived on Leyton Road in Handsworth starved to death in May 2008. Her 35-year-old mother and 30-year-old stepfather today pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the ground of diminished responsibility at Birmingham Crown Court.

24.02.10 Handsworth Pubs Raided: The Barrels and the Cross Guns on the Soho Road in Handsworth were raided by police on Tuesday 23 February. Several people were searched on suspicion of having committed drugs-related offences and one man was arrested for possession of cannabis.

24.02.10 Tyseley House Fire: There was a fire at a mid-terrace house on Reddings Lane in Tyseley at around 6am this morning. Crews from Hay Mills and Billesley attended. The house was being renovated and was unoccupied at the time of the fire.

24.02.10 Burglars Steal War Medals in Rubery: Burglars stole war medals, a camcorder and wedding ring from a house on St Chads Road in Rubery during the night of Friday 12 February/Saturday 13 February.

24.02.10 Fighting Dogs Seized in Lozells and Small Heath: Three Pit Bull Terriers and one Staffordshire Bull Terrier have been seized by police following raids on three premises in Lozells and Small Heath. It is believed that the dogs were kept for fighting; one appeared to have open bite wounds.

23.02.10 Hamstead Pensioner Terrorised by Burglar: The home of an 82-year-old woman was raided by burglars who knocked on her door at around 9pm on Friday 19th February. The woman, who lives on Appleton Avenue in the Hamstead area of Great Barr, was pushed to the ground by the thieves who stole jewellery, a laptop computer and mobile phone.

23.02.10 Heist in Jewellery Quarter: Masked robbers stole a package believed to contain valuable jewellery from two Royal Mail staff on Vittoria Street in the Jewellery Quarter at around 5.30pm on Friday 19 February.

23.02.10 Quinborne Centre will be Substitute Gym: Gym Equipment from the Harborne Pool and Fitness Centre, which is currently being rebuilt, will be temporarily moved to the Quinborne Community Centre on Ridgeacre Road. The bar and private members club at the Quinborne will close in May and the equipment will be assembled in the space left vacant.

23.02.10 Tyseley Fire Rescue: A 63-year-old woman and four young children were rescued from a house fire on Weston Lane in Tyseley on Saturday 20 February at around 10am.

22.01.10 Sheep Evacuated From Highgate Abattoir Blaze: 200 sheep were evacuated from Mr Meats Wholesale on Adelaide Street in Highgate after the building caught fire at around 8pm on Saturday 20 February. 19 fire crews attended from 11 stations; 30% of the abattoir was destroyed.

21.02.10 Tragic Death of Harborne Toddler: A 2-year-old girl from Harborne collapsed at home and subsequently died at the City Hospital in Winson Green on Monday 15 February. The girl was scalded by hot water less than two weeks before her death; Her father, aged 47, and mother, aged 23, have been arrested on suspicion of neglect.

20.02.10 Man Caught with Machine Gun in Aston Gets 14 Years: A 27-year-old man from Handsworth, who was convicted of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life in December 2009, has been jailed for 14 years. Police found a loaded Mac 10 machine gun in his car following a disturbance on Burlington Street in Aston on 30 December 2008.

20.02.10 Bartley Green Man Attacked by Street Gang: A 20-year-old male was attacked on Middle Acre Road in Bartley Green by a gang of up to three men at around 10.30pm on Thursday 18 February. The victim sustained facial injuries; police are appealing for witnesses.

19.02.10 Explosion on Heathfield Road in Handsworth: An aerosol exploded in the bathroom of a ground floor flat on Heathfield Road in Handsworth at around 8pm on Thursday 18 February. Fire crews from Handsworth attended. It is believed that the aerosol, which contained deodorant, had been placed too near a tealight candle. Nobody was injured.

19.02.10 Tesco Will Redevelop Swan Shopping Centre: Government inspectors have upheld the right of Birmingham City Council to compulsorily purchase land so that Tesco might redevelop the Swan Shopping Centre at Yardley. The landowner had refused to sell to Tesco, having supported an alternative proposal for a traditional shopping centre with community facilities.

19.02.10 Bull Street Bus Fire: The wheel of a bus caught fire on Bull Street in Birmingham city centre at around 10.15pm on Wednesday 17 February. Fire crews from Ladywood attended; nobody was injured.

19.02.10 Will Shard End Get a New Town Centre?: Barratts Homes wishes to build a new town centre for Shard End consisting of 195 homes centred on a new library, market square and retail boulevard. A formal planning application is being prepared.

18.02.10 Young Drivers use Landor Street as Racing Track: Landor Street in Bordesley has long been used by young (mainly male) drivers as an unofficial racing track. The street is in a largely industrial area next to the Proof House Railway Junction; it provides a straight of around three-quarters of a mile on which youngsters often drive at speeds of over 100 mph. However, the council has now obtained a court injunction that forbids speeding and other types of anti-social or dangerous driving; a judge will be able to fine and/or imprison anyone who breaches the injunction.

18.02.10 Yardley Church Spire will be Rebuilt: The 30-metre spire of Saint Edburghas Church in Yardley, which is at risk of collapse through disrepair, will be rebuilt in 2011. The grade-1-listed church dates back to the 13th century; the tower & spire were first built in 1468; the spire was last restored in 1898.

18.02.10 Martineau Centre Could be Sold by Cash-Strapped Council: The Martineau Centre on Balden Road in Harborne could be sold-off by the council. This red-brick Edwardian building is currently occupied by the city education department; 500 staff work there. However, they will soon be transferred to new offices, leaving a question mark over the future of the building. The Martineau Centre contains a swimming pool and might possibly serve as a community hall and sports centre.

17.02.10 Too Many Cabs at New Street Station?: Queues of up to 200 black cabs at New Street Station are causing severe congestion as drivers compete for fares. There are almost 300 taxi ranks in Birmingham, but the richest pickings are at New Street where many passengers travel from the city centre to the airport. The number of cabs permitted to wait outside the station could be restricted but this is unlikely to happen until the Gateway Plus refurbishment is completed in 2014.

17.02.10 Airport Cannabis Smuggler Jailed: A 37-year-old man from Warrington, who attempted to smuggle 14.9 kilos of cannabis on a flight from Montego Bay to Birmingham Airport last July, has been sentenced to 2 years 10 months imprisonment at Coventry Crown Court.

16.02.10 Three Car Smash in Bordesley: Fire crews had to cut 3 women from their vehicles, yesterday at around 5.30pm, after a three car smash on the Coventry Road in Bordesley.

16.02.10 Suspected Child Murder in Erdington: A woman in her twenties has been arrested in connection with the suspicious death of her 3 year-old daughter. The police discovered the girl's body at a terraced house on Milverton Road in Erdington at around 5pm on Sunday 14 February.

Update 17.02.10: The mother has been charged with murder.

15.02.10 West Heath Man Terrorised by Burglars: A 45-year-old man disturbed three burglars on returning to his flat on Edgehill Road in West Heath at around midnight on Friday 5th February. The man, who was assaulted by one of the burglars, suffered a broken nose. The intruders fled with valuables.

14.02.10 Handsworth Man Jailed for Phishing: A 35-year-old man from Whateley Road in Handsworth has been jailed for four and a half years for conspiracy to defraud; he illegally obtained bank details over the internet as part of a phishing scam.

14.02.10 Dogs Perish in Northfield Blaze: Two dogs died in a house fire in Northfield at around 2pm yesterday; the occupants were out; nobody else was injured.

13.02.10 Ladywood Man Threw Stones from Tower Block Balcony: A 31-year-old drunken man threw stones, bottles and footwear from the balcony of his high-rise flat in August last year. The man, who lived in Truro Tower on Ledbury Close in Ladywood, has been sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court to 12 months supervision for criminal damage and causing a public nuisance.

13.02.10 Football Violence Outside Villa Park: Two men in their 40's were attacked on Wenlock Road off Aston Lane yesterday evening. The assault is being treated as racially aggravated; it occurred after a cup match at Villa Park between Aston Villa Youth and Millwall Youth. Thirteen men, believed to be from east London, were subsequently arrested outside Aston Villa Coach Park in Witton Lane.

13.02.10 Erdington Woman Suspicious Death: Police discovered the body of a 54-year-old woman at an address on Court Lane in Erdington, yesterday at around 9pm. They are treating her death as suspicious.

12.02.10 Four Oaks Mansion Gutted: A 5-bedroom mansion on Four Oaks Road in Sutton Coldfield was gutted by fire at around 3am yesterday morning; fire-fighters could not prevent the roof from collapsing; nobody was injured.

11.02.10 Castle Vale Purple Bus Saved: The purple bus run by Merlin Venture, which circles the Castle Vale housing estate every 20 minutes, will continue to operate thanks to a £5,000 subsidy from the Sainsbury superstore on Castle Vale Retail Park.

11.02.10 Frankley Boy Killed in Road Traffic Accident: The Assistant Deputy Coroner sitting at Birmingham Coroners Court has recorded a verdict of accidental death in respect of an 8 year old boy who was hit by a car on Holly Hill Road in Frankley at around 7pm on 14 November 2008. 

10.02.10 Will Digbeth Factory Club Close: The Factory Club in Digbeth may soon close as the owners of the building want to attract more retail units and galleries. However the adjoining venue, Space 2, will remain open. The Factory is a legendary club and a campaign has been launched to keep it open.

10.02.10 Spinal Boards for Stechford Crash Victims: Two vehicles collided on Audley Road in Stechford at around 12.30 pm today. The driver and rear seat passenger of one of the vehicles, both men in their 20's, were fitted with neck collars and spinal boards before being taken to Heartlands Hospital.

10.02.10 Man Stabbed in Acocks Green: A 45-year-old man was stabbed on Gospel Lane in the Fox Hollies area of Acocks Green at around 1.30 this morning; his condition is critical. Update 14.02.10: the victim has died; the police have launched a murder enquiry.

10.02.10 Kings Norton Newsagent Raided: News Plus on Grange Farm Road in the West Heath area of Kings Norton was today robbed by 4 men who escaped with a cash register at around 12.30pm.

09.02.10 Will Acocks Green Ever Get a Conservation Area? A conservation area has been proposed for Acocks Green for almost two years. It would include the Victorian terraces on Sherbourne Road and Flint Green Road. However, some of these houses have already been replaced by flats and others have been substantially altered by porches, extensions and UPVC windows etc. The issue is therefore becoming increasingly urgent but little progress appears to have been made.

09.02.10 Fatal House Fire at Stirchley: A man has died in a fire at an end-of-terrace house in Harvest Close, Stirchley. Crews discovered his body when they attended the blaze at around 4 pm this afternoon.

09.02.10 Car Crashes into Front Room of Erdington House: A car crashed into the front room of a detached house on Moor End Lane in Erdington at around 2am on Monday 8 February.

09.02.10 Birchfield Tower Blocks to be Demolished: Workmen have started to demolish three 1960's tower blocks on the Birchfield Road. They are Calder House, Tweed House and Birchfield House. The council had planned to refurbish the towers in partnership with the developers Urban Splash but this option is no longer financially viable.

08.02.10 Fryer Sparks Lozells Kebab Blaze: A fryer at the Saqib Kebab House on the Lozells Road sparked a blaze yesterday morning at around 11am. Fire-fighters from Aston attended.

08.02.10: Harborne Pool to Close for Rebuilding: The Harborne Pool and Fitness Centre will close on February 22 until December 2011. The centre is being entirely rebuilt; the new facilities will include a 25-metre pool, a child's pool, an aerobics studio, a gym, cafe, community room and changing rooms.

08.02.10 Car Thieves are Burgling Homes to Steal Keys: It seems that car thieves in Birmingham are increasingly breaking into their victim's homes in order to steal their car keys because they can not hot wire modern vehicles. In the latest incident, a masked man tried to force his way into the bedroom of a 59-year old businessman and his 60-year old-wife after breaking into their Erdington home in order to hunt for the keys of a Skoda Fabia Turbo. The pair kept the intruder at bay whilst alerting their neighbours who called the police. The man fled empty-handed.

08.02.10 Handsworth Shooting Witness Appeal: The rear bumper of a vehicle being driven by a 44 year man was rammed by a black audi estate at the junction of Camp Lane and Park Lane in Handsworth on 20 December 2009. The motorist was then shot in the hand and stomach by someone in the black audi. Although seriously injured, he survived the attack; police are appealing for witnesses.

07.02.10 Sparkbrook Skiers Get Lottery Funding: The Midland Ski Club has been awarded additional lottery and government funding. The cash will be invested in new facilities so that more local people might have the opportunity to ski and snowboard. The club, which has over 400 members, is based at the artificial ski slope in the Ackers Adventure Park at Sparkbrook.

06.02.10: Midland Art Centre to Reopen on 1 May: The Midland Art Centre in Cannon Hill Park will reopen on 1 May after a programme of refurbishment that has lasted over 2 years. The core buildings, which date from the 1960's, have been been extended and improved and now contain several new facilities including a purpose designed art gallery, a 150-seat performing arts studio, a dedicated media studio and an education suite. The old arts theatre has been revamped and is now equipped with new retractable seating, sound and lighting systems.

06.02.10: Schoolgirl Abducted on Washwood Heath Road: A 13 year-old schoolgirl, who was standing at a bus stop on Washwood Heath Road, was forced into a car by two Asian men. She escaped when the car, possibly a Vauxhall, stopped at Ward End Park.

05.02.10: Small Heath Crash on Golden Hillock Road: A collision involving 3 vehicles occurred on Golden Hillock Road in Small Heath yesterday afternoon at around 3pm. A man and a woman, believed to be in their thirties, were taken to Heartlands Hospital in Bordesley Green.

05.02.10: New Sports Centre at Birmingham City University: Birmingham City University has opened its City North Sports Centre on the former site of the Ansells sports club on Wellhead Road in Perry Barr. The facilities, which include 8 badminton courts, a fitness suite, aerobics and dance studios, will be open to both students and the general public.

05.02.10: Artist Opens New Gallery in Moseley Village: The artist Reuben Colley will open a new gallery on Saint Mary's Row in Moseley Village on Sunday 7 February.

05.02.10 Corpse Found in Erdington Lake: A corpse was found in Brookvale Lake in the Stockland Green area of Erdington at around 9am on Thursday 5 February. The body has not been identified but may be that of a 43-year-old woman with mental health issues who disappeared on 5 January.

05.02.10 Sizzling Revamps the Vine on Harborne High Street: The Sizzling Pub Company, a budget chain owned by Mitchell & Butler, has taken over the Vine on Harborne High Street; the pub will be closed for refurbishment and will re-open in April. Update 08.02.10: The Vine will not be closed for refurbishment until 8 March.

04.02.10 Falling Death Rate Creates Revenue Shortfall: The revenue generated from Birmingham's three crematoria and eleven cemeteries will probably drop by £1.7 million this year due to the falling death rate. The council is attempting to replace lost revenue by offering enhanced services such as grave maintenance. Burial charges may also be increased.

04.02.10 Sixth Former Crashes Car into Mere Green House: A 6th form pupil from Arthur Terry School crashed his mini into the living room of a semi-detached house on Mere Green Road at 1.30pm on Wednesday 3rd February. The driver, who had recently passed his test, was carrying four other teenage students, one of whom was cut from the vehicle and airlifted to Selly Oak Hospital.

04.02.10 Saltley Crash Victim Cut From Car: A motorist was cut from his car after colliding with a lorry on Landor Street in Saltley at around 6am on Wednesday 3rd February. A fire crew from Highgate attended the scene. The motorist, who suffered head injuries, was taken to City Hospital.

03.02.10 Erdington MP will Stand Down at Election: The Labour MP for Erdington, Sion Simon, has announced that he will stand down at the next General Election. Mr Simon has been ordered to repay £21,000 of expenses that he claimed from the House of Commons for rent paid to his sister for the tenancy of a flat in Regents Park, London. Although the House of Commons initially approved the arrangement, the rules were later changed to prohibit MP's from claiming the reimbursement of rent paid to family members.

03.02.10 Newtown Bin Shoot Corpse was Heroin Addict: The Coroners Court has heard that a 30-year-old man whose corpse was found in the bin shoot room of Hodgson Tower in Newtown on 28 August 2009 was a heroin addict who had battled addiction since he was 18.

03.02.10 Acocks Green Burglary Witness Dies of Heart Attack: A 66-year-old woman died of a heart attack at her home on Liddon Road in the Fox Hollies area of Acocks Green on Thursday 28 January after witnessing a masked gang break into her neighbour's house.

02.02.10 Cadbury Now Kraft Subsidiary: Cadbury shareholders have accepted the Kraft takeover offer in sufficient numbers to enable the deal to be completed. Cadbury is now a subsidiary of the American food giant.

02.02.10 Teenagers Deny Back Seat Bus Arson: Three 14-year-olds have pleaded not guilty to arson at Birmingham Youth Court. They are accused of having started a fire on the back seat of the upper deck of a number 5 bus in Birmingham. The incident is alleged to have occurred in November 2009. Their trial will start on 25 March.

01.02.10 Digbeth Textiles Factory Blaze: A major fire broke out at the D&P textiles factory on Rea Street in Digbeth at around 8am on Sunday morning. Firefighters confined the blaze to the first floor. The cause is being investigated.

01.02.10 Six Child Casualties in Aston Road Crash: Two cars collided on Lichfield Road, near Aston Railway Station, at around 1 pm on Saturday 30 January. One of the vehicles contained six children: one sustained serious head injuries and the other five suffered minor injuries. All six were taken to Heartlands Hospital.