Birmingham Mail

Pigeon Gets a Taste of the Orient

A RACING pigeon found 70 miles from its West Midlands loft was treated to Thai cuisine before hitching a lift back home in a sports car and a lorry. The young pigeon, one of 58 let out by its owners Roy and Chris Jones of Woodgreen Road, Oldbury, lost its way in a storm and ended up in Mold, near Wrexham in North Wales.

Pounds 9m 'Fat' Plan Fury ; Health: Obesity-Busting Scheme Slammed

A pounds 9 MILLION scheme aimed at cutting obesity levels in Birmingham has been slammed as a waste of money. Councillor Nigel Dawkins, who hopes to become Selly Oak MP at the next general election, believes that the health service and council could find better uses for the cash being spent on the Be Active project.

Farewell to Cleaner Ann

A CLEANER who has chalked up 40 years at the same Birmingham school and is the longest serving member of staff was bid a fond farewell by teachers and pupils. Ann Tierney had to stop working at St Mary and St John's, in Gravelly Hill, Erdington, to have her knee replaced.

School Meals Cash Warning ; Recession: Over a Third of City Pupils On Free Dinners

COUNCIL budgets in Birmingham are being put under severe strain as more hard-up parents qualify for free school meals due to the recession and rising unemployment. The number of city pupils eligible for free dinners is now more than double the national average and that has led to the head of children's services in Birmingham going cap in hand to the Government for more money to help ease the funding crisis.

Send in Fun Run Money ; Charity: Sponsorship Cash Needed by Macmillan

THE race is on for people to send in the last of their sponsorship money from this year's Birmingham Mail Fun Run. Organisers are hoping for a final surge in donations to contribute to a fundraising total which currently stands at almost pounds 62,000.

Helping Students Get Up to Speed

STUDENTS hoping to beat the recession by launching their own business are set to benefit from a pounds 5.2 million scheme. The Student Placements for Entrepreneurs in Education West Midlands (SPEED WM) programme gives Wolverhampton University students the opportunity to set up their own business while they are still studying.

Taking the Latin Dance Path to Fitness

A NEW Latin-inspired dance class has been launched in Acocks Green. Zumba Fitness, which brings together dance including salsa, merengue and reggae, is taking place on Wednesdays at 6.30pm at the gym in Archbishop Ilsley School in Victoria Road.

Revamped Roundabout

A ROUNDABOUT is to be transformed in a pounds 12.3 million revamp due to start next month. The joint project between Dudley and Sandwell councils and construction partner, Carillion, will see Burnt Tree island transformed from a five-arm roundabout into a four-arm traffic signal controlled crossroads.

Hospital Gives Up Records ; Order: Patient's Care Probed

A BIRMINGHAM hospital has been ordered to relinquish details of an investigation into an elderly woman's care to her relatives by Britain's top information tzar. Heartlands Hospital bosses had refused to give out details of the inquiry to relatives of the elderly woman in a Freedom of Information inquiry, claiming "formal statements were not taken".

Biker Paramedic On Lookout for Riders Eager to Raise Cash for Midland Air Ambulance

A BIKER paramedic will take part in a 110-mile charity bike ride this weekend to help keep a lifesaving service in the air. Mark Hayes from West Midlands Ambulance Service will take part in the vital fundraising event to boost the coffers of Midlands Air Ambulance in Redditch this Sunday and is urging more bikers to join him.

University's Alzheimer's Test Boost

RESEARCHERS at the University of Warwick have been awarded part of a pounds 4.5 million fund to test drugs used to treat Alzheimer's Disease on fruit flies. The project, led by Dr Kevin Moffat and Professor Bruno Frenguelli from the Department of Biological Sciences, is one of 13 new schemes that aim to replace, reduce or refine the use of animals in research and testing.

Deaf School Charity Ride

A TEAM of drivers swapped their trucks for two wheels to take part in a 100-mile charity bikeathon. Workers from Birmingham-based drinks distribution company Tradeteam and DHL Supply Chain used pedal power to raise more than pounds 6,000 for Turkish deaf school Tuzla Ozel.

Garden Tips for Families

GREEN-fingered families can learn how to make the most of their garden from the experts tomorrow. Visitors to the Unnatural Selection exhibition at Rea Garden near the Custard Factory, will be shown how to encourage wildlife.

Pupils Raise Cash to Buy Laptops for Patients

CHILDREN touched by their teacher's battle against cancer have raised more than pounds 2,000 to help a hospital buy laptops for other patients. Youngsters from Greenholm Primary School, in Great Barr, where teacher Serena Caine works, have funded six computers for Cancer Ward 19 at Heartlands Hospital, in Bordesley Green.

Raising the Roof to Tell City History ; Council House: Bid for Lottery Millions

AN EIGHT-year project to repair the corroded, leaky roof of Birmingham's landmark Council House will be completed to win almost pounds 5 million of Lottery funding for a new 'history of Birmingham' exhibition. The council has been fixing the Council House extension roof since 2001 and has now approved an extra pounds 1.5m towards the sixth and final phase. This will include the restoration of architectural features destroyed during Second World War bombing raids.

Euro Pop Silenced

A RESIDENT who plagued his neighbours' eardrums with "loud, cheesy Euro pop" has been silenced. Dariusz Wierbicki saw his X-Box console and television confiscated after he ignored orders to turn the noise down.

Cannabis Grower Gets Two Years' Jail ; Court: 'Gardener' Held in Raid

AN ILLEGAL immigrant who answered an advert posted on the internet offering a job as a "gardener" at a cannabis factory in Birmingham, has been jailed for two years. Judge Phillip Parker QC said, because of his illegal status, Jian He had been left "vulnerable to be used by those who commit crime in this country".

Extra S-Pecial ; New Jaguar Xf Diesel Boasts More Power and Impressive Economy Levels New Diesel Xf Raises the Bar

WHEN Jaguar launched the XF at the beginning of last year it marked a dramatic change of direction for the Midland car company, both in terms of design and innovation. The new car won critical acclaim all over the world, with the 2.7- litre diesel - the best-selling model - singled out for its performance, economy and driver enjoyment.

Youth Can Be in the Race

The Skoda Yetiwon't Be On [ ... ]

THE Skoda Yeti won't be on sale until September 19 but this week potential customers were given a sneak preview of the car when one went on display for a few hours at All Electric Skoda garage, in Kings Heath. Yeti, the fifth and newest member of the koda family, is a true crossover vehicle.