31.03.10 Four Car Crash in Walmley: There was a traffic accident involving two moving vehicles and two stationary vehicles on Penns Lane in Walmley during the early hours of Tuesday 30 March. Two men and a woman were taken to Good Hope Hospital with minor injuries.

31.03.10 Small Heath Man Kept Stun Gun In Shed: A 26-year-old man from Small Heath kept a stun gun capable of firing 500,000 volts in a shed at his home on Monica Road in Small Heath. The man, who works as a security guard, was placed under a one year supervision order and sentenced to 200 hours community service at Wolverhampton Crown Court.

31.03.10 Bus Company Diverts Weekend Services from Broad Street: National Express West Midlands will divert some bus services from Broad Street after 8pm at weekends due to congestion. Passengers wishing to catch the diverted buses will have to walk from Broad Street to Sandpits Parade or Ladywood Middleway. The services being diverted include numbers 21, 21A, 22, 23, 24, 29 and 29A.

30.03.10 Punch Taverns Wants to Demolish Cross Guns in Washwood Heath: Punch Taverns wants to demolish the Cross Guns Pub on Washwood Heath Road and build 13 houses on the site. It claims that the pub is no longer a viable business and has not been profitable since it reopened two years ago. Update 01.04.10 Permission has been granted for the demolition of the Cross Guns.

30.03.10 Head-On Collison on the Stratford Road in Hall Green: There was a head-on collision involving two cars on the Stratford Road in Hall Green at around 11.30am on Monday 29 March. Two women from one of the vehicles, and four men in their twenties from the other, were taken to hospital with neck, chest and spinal injuries.

30.03.10 Man Stabbed at Bulls Head in Hall Green: A man was repeatedly stabbed in the shoulder during a brawl at the Bulls Head on Stratford Road in Hall Green on the evening of Sunday 28th March.

29.03.10 Will Jaguar Survive in Birmingham?: Mumbai-based Tata Motors who now own the Jaguar car plant in Birmingham issued a warning in September 2009 that it could close; indeed, a final decision was expected in June this year; however, it now appears that the site could remain open thanks to a recent  increase in sales which has restored the plant to profitability following several years of losses.

28.03.10 Jewellery Quarter Shopkeepers Get Police Radio Link: On Tuesday 23rd March, police issued shops in the Jewellery Quarter with a direct radio link to officers enabling the instant reporting of thefts. In particular, details of thieves who pretend to be customers, and run off with jewellery, can immediately be transmitted to police patrols, increasing the probability of their arrest.

27.03.10 Pub Brawl at the Goose in Kings Heath: A man in his fifties was taken to Selly Oak Hospital following a pub brawl at the Goose on Kings Heath High Street at around 7pm yesterday evening. The police arrested a second man.

27.03.10 Cube Developers in Administration: BDC and Buildability, the developers behind the Cube - a hotel, office, residential and retail development next to the Mailbox - have entered into administration. However, the project will be completed thanks to emergency funding secured by the administrators which will cover the remaining 4 months of construction.

27.03.10 Doctor Stabbed Bus Passenger with Kitchen Knife: A 43-year-old Nigerian doctor from Erdington, who worked as a locum GP, has been convicted of wounding with intent at Birmingham Crown Court. The doctor, who stabbed a 23-year-old man on the upper deck of a Birmingham bus, appears to have acted under the delusion that his victim was sending malicious text messages.

Update 29/04/10: The defendant has been sentenced to an indeterminate term of imprisonment and must serve at least 3.5 years before he can be considered for release.

26.03.10 Fatal Crash in Ladywood: A Ford Focus travelling through Ladywood towards the city centre on the Dudley Road crashed into a lamppost and overturned at around 5am this morning. One man died at the scene and four others were severely injured; two were taken to Selly Oak Hospital and two to City Hospital in Winson Green.

26.03.10 Police Arrest Drugs Dealers in Handsworth: Police hidden in the back of an unmarked furniture removals van observed dealers openly selling drugs on the streets of Handsworth. They arrested 8 men, some of whom tried to hide in the Tote betting shop on the Soho Road.

25.03.10 Woman Seriously Injured on Wake Green Road: A 28-year-old female pedestrian was hit by a car which mounted the pavement on Wake Green Road in Moseley, yesterday at around 7am. The driver has been arrested; the woman, whose condition is critical, was taken to Selly Oak Hospital.

25.03.10 Bromford Towers Demolition: Two 20-storey residential towers, Bayley and Stoneycroft, which overlook the M6 in the Bromford area of Hodge Hill, will be demolished. The towers, which were built in the 1960's, contain a total of 200 council flats which have been vacant since 2005. The council has abandoned plans to refurbish the towers but the cost of keeping them empty and secure has been running at £17,000 per month. The cost of demolition will be around £1.6 million. The Birmingham Municipal Housing Trust has recently been building low-rise homes on Drylea Grove in Hodge Hill. The site currently occupied by the towers will also be redeveloped as low-rise homes for rent and sale.

24.03.10 MS Simply Food Will Open Store At Birmingham Airport: The retailer MS Simply Food will shortly open a new store at Birmingham International Airport.

24.03.10 Former Typhoo Factory For Sale: The former site of the Typhoo Tea Factory at the junction of Bordesley Street and New Canal Street in Digbeth is being offered for sale; it has planning permission for 350 flats, commercial space, a gym and parking.

24.03.10 Pedestrian Hit by Car on Harborne Road: A 35-year-old man was hit by a car that mounted the kerb on Harborne Road in the Chad Valley area of Edgbaston at around 1pm on Monday 22 March. The incident happened near the junction with Greenfield Crescent; the driver had swerved to avoid a collision with another vehicle but in doing so hit the pedestrian who suffered two broken legs.

24.03.10 Raid on Quinton Cannabis Factory: Police found 670 cannabis plants when they raided a three-bedroom semi-detached house on Blandford Road in the Welsh Farm area of Quinton, yesterday at around 4am. The search warrant was obtained after thermal imaging from the air confirmed the extensive use of high-energy lamps normally associated with cannabis farming.

23.03.10 Handsworth Man Jailed for Firearms Offence: A 27-year-old IT worker has been sentenced to 5 years imprisonment for possession of an illegally-converted imitation pistol. The police searched the man's home on Lansdowne Road in Handsworth after he had posted a picture of himself, posing with the gun, on Facebook. The police have removed 67 guns from the streets of Handsworth, Lozells and Newtown during the past 12 months.

23.03.10 Factory Workers Kidnapped by Armed Robbers: Two employees of the tile company Euro Cladding on South Road in Sparkbrook were kidnapped and locked in the back of a van whilst robbers armed with machetes stole the company safe; the incident occurred at around 6pm on Thursday 11 March.

23.03.10 Student Drug Smuggler Jailed: A 19-year-old student who attempted to smuggle cocaine with a street value of £119,000 through Birmingham International Airport has been sentenced to 5 years imprisonment. The student travelled to Birmingham from Brazil via Amsterdam; the drugs were sewn into the lining of his suitcase.

23.03.10 Handsworth Jewellery Robbers Still At Large: Two masked robbers who raided Babber Jewellers on the Soho Road in Handsworth on 20 October 2009 are still at large. The men escaped with around £500,000 of gold jewellery.

23.03.10 Student Death at Edgbaston Halls of Residence: A 19-year-old astrophysics student who attended the University of Birmingham was found dead at his hall of residence on Pershore Road in Edgbaston on Sunday 21 March. The police are not treating his death as suspicious.

22.03.10: Stechford Mosque Approved For 150 Worshippers: The Jamia Masjid & Madressa Faiz-ul-Quran Ghousia on Albert Road in Stechford has been granted planning permission subject to a limit of 150 worshippers at any one time. The mosque, which opened in 1998, had previously operated under temporary and/or limited permits.

22.03.10 Laundry Worker Crushed in Saltley: An inquest at Birmingham Coroners Court has been told that a 36-year-old male laundry worker died 12 days after being trapped in machinery at City Linen Services on Arden Road in Saltley on 7 April 2009.

21.03.10 Walmley House Blaze on Eachelhurst Road: A five bedroom detached house on Eachelhurst Road in Walmley caught fire at around 9am on Friday 19 March; the blaze, which was caused by an electrical fault, severely damaged the roof and upstairs; nobody was injured.

20.03.10 Pan Fire In Ladywood: A 28-year-old woman was treated for smoke inhalation after a pan caught fire in the kitchen of her home on Knoll Croft in Ladywood at around 8.00pm on Thursday 18 March.

20.03.10 New Oscott Murderers Sentenced to Life:  A 33 year-old man from Perry Common who deliberately drove into a group of people, killing one of them, following an argument outside the Place2B in New Oscott has been convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment at Birmingham Crown Court. A second 30-year-old man from Erdington, who was riding in the defendant's car, was also convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment; both must serve a minimum of 18 years.

19.03.10 University Funding Cuts: The Higher Education Funding Council will reduce its grant allocations for University College and the University of Birmingham. Funding for University College will be reduced by 1.8% to £12.8 million and funding for the University of Birmingham will be cut by 1.2% to £126.3 million.

19.03.10 Application for Innovation Village at Aston Science Park: Aston Science Park has submitted an application for an Innovation Village, consisting of four new buildings; the plans are costed at £40 million.

19.03.10 Application To Redevelop HP Site in Aston: The former site of the HP factory in Aston has been vacant since Heinz transferred production to Holland in 2007; however, plans have now been submitted for the construction of a 150-room Hilton hotel and a cash-and-carry warehouse.

19.03.10 Afternoon Assault on Quinton High Street: An 18-year-old man sustained serious injuries following an assault yesterday afternoon on Quinton High Street; the victim has been hospitalised and remains in a critical condition; three men have been arrested.

Update 20.03.10: The victim has died; the police have launched a murder investigation.

18.03.10 Initial Approval for Midland Metro Extension: The Dept of Transport has initially approved funding for a 1 kilometre extension to the Midland Metro which currently runs for 12 kilometres between Wolverhampton and Snow Hill Station. The extension will run from Snow Hill to New Street Station via Upper Bull Street, Corporation Street and Stephenson Street. A viaduct has already been built at Snow Hill Station at a cost of £9milion. The total cost of the extension will be £127 million.

18.03.10 Jewellery Theft at the NEC: A jeweller who had been exhibiting at the NEC Wedding Show was loading his car outside Hall 20 at around 5:30pm on Sunday 7th March when he was approached by a man who told him that the front of his car had been hit. Whilst the jeweller was investigating the fictitious damage, a second man stole a bag which contained 500 rings worth £50,000.

17.03.10 SpanAir Will Fly From Birmingham Airport: SpanAir will operate scheduled passenger flights from Birmingham International to Barcelona and Madrid from May this year. Flights to Barcelona will depart on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday; flights to Madrid will depart on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Passengers will be carried in a 168-seat airbus A320.

17.03.10 Fatal Screwdriver Stabbing in Sparkbrook: A 24-year-old man was stabbed in the head with a screwdriver on Long Street in Sparkbrook at around 11:45pm on Friday 12 March; he died yesterday.

16.03.10 Shard End Police Presence Increased: The police team responsible for patrolling Shard End will shortly be increased from 1 sergeant, 8 PC's and 3 support staff to 2 sergeants, 18 PC's and 7 PCSO's.

16.03.10 Kitchen Blaze in Woodgate: A man in his twenties fell asleep whilst cooking food in the kitchen of his maisonette at Simcox Gardens in Woodgate during the early hours of Sunday 14 March. Neighbours heard his smoke alarm and called fire-fighters; they broke in and rescued the man who required treatment for smoke inhalation.

16.03.10 Car Collides with Bus in Handsworth: A car collided with a double-decker bus and two other vehicles on Rookery Road in Handsworth at around 6:30pm on Sunday 14 March. Two people were injured; they were treated at City Hospital in Bordesley Green.

15.03.10 Fatal Stabbing in Small Heath: A man was found with fatal stab wounds on Oldknow Road in Small Heath at around 2am on Sunday morning; he later died in hospital. A 29-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder.

15.03.10 New Indian Restaurant in Kings Heath: A new Indian Restaurant, Masala Works, has opened on Kings Heath High Street.

14.03.10 Assault Victim Found Unconscious in Sparkbrook: A 24-year-old man lost consciousness in Sparkbrook after suffering serious head injuries in a street attack. He was found at around 11pm on Friday 12 March and taken to hospital; his condition remains critical.

13.03.10 Motorist Not Guilty of Walmley Pensioner Road Death: A 47-year-old male motorist who collided with a 91-year-old pensioner has been found not guilty of causing his death by careless driving at Birmingham Crown Court. The accident occurred on Eachelhurst Road in the Walmley area of Sutton Coldfield on 2 January 2009.

13.03.10 Man Hospitalised After Kitchen Fire in Erdington: A man was taken to hospital yesterday after inhaling smoke from a pan that accidentally caught fire in the kitchen of his home on Elmfield Avenue in Erdington.

12.03.10 Handsworth Couple Jailed for Manslaughter of Seven-Year-Old: The 35-year-old mother and 31-year-old stepfather of a 7-year-old girl who starved to death at their home on Leyton Road in Handsworth were today jailed at Birmingham Crown Court. The mother was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment and the stepfather was jailed indefinitely and must serve at least 7 years 6 months.

12.03.10 Art Deco Cinemas in Harborne and Kings Heath Should be Preserved: The Royalty on Harborne High Street and the Kingsway on Kings Heath High Street are former cinemas built in 1925 and 1929 respectively; both feature splendid art deco interiors. The Royalty is now a bingo hall; the Kingsway is currently empty. The Conservation and Heritage Panel of Birmingham City Council has advised that both should be protected by a legal preservation order.

12.03.10 Suspected Arson Attack in Kings Norton: An empty house on Forth Grove in the Three Estates area of Kings Norton was the target of a suspected arson attack on Wednesday 10 March at around 11pm.

11.03.10 High Speed Rail Link Announced: A new high speed rail link will be built between London and Birmingham; work will probably begin in 2018 and might possibly be complete by 2030. Birmingham International, which serves the airport and NEC, will be included on the route; however, New Street Station will not; instead, a new purpose-built station will be constructed in the city centre.

11.03.10 Night Shift Nurses Harassed in City Centre: Lone Nurses walking between city centre car parks and their places of work at Birmingham Children's Hospital on Steelhouse Lane have been harassed. These incidents have occurred late at night; the nurses in question were working shifts.

11.03.10 Licensing Committee Closes Erdington Pub: The Licensing Committee has ordered that Rebecca's Sports Bar on Orphanage Road in Erdington be shut for 3 months; the bar has a troubled history of violence; there was, in particular, a drunken brawl there, involving up to 20 men, after closing time on Friday 16 January.

10.03.10 Will Brum Council Housing Meet Decent Homes Criteria?: There are around 68,000 council houses and flats in Birmingham. Only 30% met the Decent Homes Standard prescribed by the government in 2002; many lacked double glazing, central heating and even inside toilets; however, the modernisation programme, which was introduced in 2004, will hopefully ensure that all council homes in Birmingham will have reached the Decent Homes Standard by 2011.

10.03.10 Heartlands Hospital Burglar Escapes: A burglar who attempted to steal a laptop from the offices at Lincoln House on the campus of Heartlands Hospital in Bordesley Green fled after initially being restrained by hospital staff on Friday 26 February. Thieves have stolen at least ten computers from the hospital in the past few weeks.

09.03.10 Airport Cannabis Smuggler Jailed: A 43-year-old man who attempted to smuggle 17 kilos of cannabis worth £48,000 through Birmingham Airport on a flight from Jamaica in June last year has been sentenced to 21 months imprisonment at Warwick Crown Court.

09.03.10 Highgate Drug Raids Target Dealers: The police arrested five suspected drug dealers during a raid on a shop and bookmakers in the Gooch Street area of Highgate on Thursday 4 March.

08.03.10 Aston Smash on Victoria Road: A woman in her twenties was fitted with a spinal board and neck collar following a collision between two cars on Victoria Road in Aston on Sunday 7th March; she was taken to City Hospital in Winson Green.

08.03.10 Hall Green Crash on Stratford Road: A car overturned on the Stratford Road in Hall Green at around 10:30pm on Friday 4 March. Two men in their twenties were taken to Selly Oak Hospital; one had chest injuries and the other sustained a head injury.

07.03.10 David Cameron Revisits Balsall Heath: The Conservative Leader David Cameron stayed overnight with an Asian family living in a six bedroom house on Raglan Road in Balsall Heath in May 2007. Apparently, he did so in order to better appreciate the issues affecting inner city communities. He revisited the family on Friday 5 March.

06.03.10: Car Hits Bus in Alum Rock: A car collided with a single decker bus on Alum Rock Road at around 9am on Wednesday 3 March. Two people were taken to Heartlands Hospital in Bordesley Green.

06.03.10 Kings Norton Teenager Found Hanging From Tree: A 16-year-old from Broadmeadow Close in Kings Norton was found hanging from a tree on nearby Monyhull Hall Road. The unemployed youngster may have committed suicide because he was deeply distressed about gang violence towards his mother who had recently been assaulted. The police are not treating his death as suspicious.

06.03.10 Car Overturns in Washwood Heath: A car hit traffic lights and overturned at the junction of Heartlands Parkway (A47) and Bromford Lane in Washwood Heath at around 3.30 am on Friday 5 March. A 23-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of drink driving; a male passenger was taken to hospital with head injuries.

05.03.10 Hamstead Petrol Station Hold Up: Three masked men raided the Total Colliery petrol station on the Hamstead Road at around 7:15 pm on Monday 22 February.

05.03.10 Bus Crash on Kings Heath High Street: A bus collided with a street-sweeping cart on Kings Heath High Street around 8:30am yesterday morning. A 16-year-old female passenger sustained back injuries and was taken to Selly Oak Hospital.

05.03.10 Handsworth Hitmen Still At Large: A 44-year-old businessman was driving on Rookery Road in Handsworth at around 8.00pm on 20 December 2007 when he was tailed and rammed by a black Audi and then shot in the hand and chest by one of its occupants. The victim says that he does not know the reason for the shooting; the hitmen have never been caught.

04.03.10 Asda Open New Store in Kings Heath: Asda will open a new store on Kings Heath High Street. The store, which will have a floor space of over 16,000 square feet, will be located in premises formerly occupied by the Co-op; it is expected to open before the end of this month.

04.03.10 Cumberland House on Broad Street will be Hotel: Cumberland House - a 64-metre, 18-storey tower at 200 Broad Street in Five Ways - will be converted into a 285-room hotel equipped with a conference centre, fitness suite and restaurant; the building, formerly an office block, was constructed in the mid-sixties.

04.03.10 Cyclist Collides with Car in Northfield: A cyclist was injured in a collision with a car on Bristol Road South in Northfield at around 7.30am yesterday morning.

04.03.10 Longbridge to be Rebranded as MG Birmingham: The former site of the Longbridge car factory will be renamed MG Birmingham by its current owner, the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation. The company, which will launch the MG6 later this year, intends to make Longbridge its gateway to Europe and will establish an MG Worldwide Design Studio there. The site will be managed by a British subsidiary called MG Motor UK. It is thought that annual production will be significantly scaled upwards.

03.03.10: Construction Starts on new Aston Triangle Office Block: The construction of a new office block for Birmingham City Council commenced today on Woodcock Street in the Gosta Green area of the Aston Triangle. The block will accommodate 2,700 staff; completion is scheduled for 2011.

03.03.10 Car Hits Lamppost on New Coventry Road in Sheldon: A car hit a lamppost on New Coventry Road (A45) in Sheldon at around 6am yesterday.

03.03.10 Car Hits Tree on Washwood Heath Road: A car hit a tree on the central reservation of Washwood Heath Road, yesterday morning at around 4am. The occupants, a man and woman, sustained spinal injuries and were taken to Heartlands Hospital in Bordesley Green.

03.03.10 Police Raid Acocks Green DVD Bootleggers: Police have raided a house on Alexander Road in Acocks Green which contained equipment capable of daily manufacturing 10,000 bootleg DVD's. It is thought that the DVD's were distributed in the city centre and that the bootleggers used a flat on Bromsgrove Street for this purpose; four suspects were arrested.

02.03.10 Microsoft Games Studio Moves to Digbeth: Rare Games, which is owned by Microsoft, will move to Fazeley Studios in Digbeth, creating 90 new jobs. Fazeley Studios provides space for the creative industries and is now fully let. Other tenants include Substrakt, Maverick Television, Big Button, First Light Movies and Birmingham Jazz.

02.03.10: Will Yardley Tennis Club Survive?: Yardley Tennis Club was formed in 1884 but its four courts are overgrown with weeds, its Victorian pavilion has been vandalised and there are now only 10 members remaining. A local coach is attempting to raise funds to keep the club open.

01.03.10 Man Dies in Bordesley Green Road Smash: Three cars collided on Bordesley Green Road, near the Victoria Pub, at around 3am this morning. One man died and another two were seriously injured.

01.03.10 Police Raid Alum Rock Cannabis Factory: Police raided a three-storey terraced house on Alum Rock Road in the early hours of Thursday 25 February. They discovered around 1000 maturing cannabis plants and bags of soil and fertiliser. Virtually the entire floor space was used for cannabis cultivation.

01.03.10: Man Plunges to Death from City Centre Car Park: A man fell from the upper floor of the Albert Street multi-storey car park in the Dale End area of Birmingham city centre at around 5pm on Thursday 25 February. He died shortly afterwards; police are investigating.

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