Birmingham Mail

Tv Man 'Lied to Save Skin' ; Court: Prosecutor Accuses Former Restaurant Owner

BBC newsreader Ashley Blake was accused of lying to the jury to "save his own skin" during a trial where he is accused of hitting a teenager with a wooden pole. Naomi Gilchrist, prosecuting, said Blake must have known he had hit 17-year-old Greg Jones during a disturbance at his former bar and restaurant The Place2B, in New Oscott.

Inside Today

Residents' Anger Over Parking Row

FAMILIES in Edgbaston have been threatened with a pounds 200 fine if they park outside their homes while the Ashes test match is on, it was revealed today. Hundreds of residents who live on Willows Road, about 500 metres from Warwickshire's cricket ground, received parking tickets during an early evening sting operation on Thursday night.

Raids Man Found Guilty

A BIRMINGHAM robber who used a knife, a pitchfork and a brick in a spate of raids across Warwickshire and the West Midlands has been brought to justice. Thomas Sidwell, 23, from Stirchley, was convicted of three counts of robbery and one of conspiracy to burgle at Warwick Crown Court.

6,000 Greet Imam

THOUSANDS of worshippers hailed the visit of a spiritual leader to their Birmingham mosque. Sheikh Abdur Rahman As-Sudais, Imam of the Grand Holy Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, led more than 6,000 worshipers in Friday prayers at the city's Green Lane Mosque.

Festival Bid in Pub Noise Row

A PUB at the centre of a noise row will be holding a festival tomorrow in a desperate bid to continue hosting live music at the venue. Last month the Rainbow, in Digbeth, Birmingham, was served a noise abatement order from city licensing bosses, following a complaint by a resident in newly-built apartments.

Smugglers Told to Pay Back Pounds 350k

THREE men who took part in a drug-smuggling ring involving vast quantities of cannabis being smuggled from Holland to the West Midlands hidden in heavy machinery have been ordered to pay back almost pounds 350,000. Officers who intercepted one load discovered 96 kilograms of the drug with a street value of around pounds 500,000.

Baggies in Match Tribute to Bobby ; Sport: Memorial Minute for Geordie Legend Who Served West Brom

WEST Bromwich Albion will affectionately honour the life and career of Sir Bobby Robson during next Saturday's visit of Newcastle United. A memorial minute will be held for one of the club's star performers before the opening game of the CocaCola Championship campaign, against the club Sir Bobby managed from 1999 to 2004.

Lotterynumbers

Soldiers in Freedom of City Parade

TWO Birmingham soldiers are set for a heroes' welcome when they take part in a homecoming parade. Rifleman Brendan Moran, 21, from Acocks Green and Rifleman Darren Smith, 20, from Kingshurst, of the 5th Battalion The Rifles, will be among hundreds of troops to take part in today's parade in Leeds to exercise the Freedom of the City.

Whittock

Silver for Fran As Records Tumble ; Swimming

FRAN Halsall burst out laughing after realising she had claimed the silver medal in the 100 metres freestyle at the World Championships in Rome. The 19-year-old was third at the halfway stage but then overhauled defending champion Libby Trickett to demolish her own British record in 52.87 seconds, making her only the third woman in history to dip below 53 seconds.

Matthews Is Out of Fire and Into Contention

A WEEK after escaping from a fire, Scotland's Catriona Matthew holed-in-one and gave herself another chance to win her first major title. The 39-year-old, who gave birth to her second child in May and did not return to action until last week, had two eagles and four birdies in the last eight holes to burst to three under par halfway through the Ricoh Women's British Open at Royal Lytham.

Storm's Targeting Big Czech Win ; Golf

GRAEME Storm, relieved to discover last week that he did not have swine flu, shares the lead with Midlander Steve Webster after two rounds of the Moravia Silesia Open in the Czech Republic. Having set himself a target of "three or four under" each day the Hartlepool golfer had his second successive 68 for an eight under total.

Heskey Off As Villa March On

Aston Villa 2 Porto 1 VILLA coasted into tomorrow night's showpiece final against Real Madrid or Juventus after a deserved victory over a niggly Porto.

A Letter From Malaga

COURTESY of the baking-hot Spanish sunshine, Martin O'Neill is enjoying topping up a tan, which, thankfully, is more brown than Phil Brown. While the Hull City gaffer is infamous for his orange colouring, Villa's boss has been sporting a more natural glow out here on the Costa Del Sol.

Heskey Left Seething by Play-Acting ; Final Spot Puts Pounds 1m in Coffers

EMILE Heskey last night warned his team-mates to prepare for a season of gamesmanship in Europe after becoming the victim of an ugly encounter with Porto. The pounds 3 million striker will miss tomorrow's showpiece Peace Cup final against Juventus after being red-carded for a face to face confrontation with Bruno Alves.

Villa Ready for Scheider Deal

VILLA are set for talks with Real Madrid over a sensational move for star midfielder Wesley Scheider. The 25-year-old Holland international and former Ajax ace is available after Madrid's summer spree.

Blues Closing in On Pounds 3m-Rated Spaniard [ ... ]

Fears of Debt in the Trillions ; Economy: 'Double Dip' Warning of 3.8m Unemployed

BRITAIN'S national debt could soar above pounds 2.3 trillion and unemployment could hit 3.8 million if the country suffers a "double dip" recession, an independent economic forecaster warned today. The Centre for Economics and Business Research warned of a "black hole in the public finances" if the UK economy does not recover as swiftly as predicted by Chancellor Alistair Darling in the Budget in April.