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Tony Collins

Tony Collins

Winds bring down scaffolding

STRONG winds brought havoc to the Birmingham area today, bringing down trees and scaffolding. Read

Birmingham blind students in saddle to help African kids

DELIGHTED youngsters in Africa have received reconditioned bikes restored by blind and partially-sighted students at a specialist college in Birmingham. Read

School strikes a deal with Aston Villa

ASTON Villa are planning to use the "power of football" in a ground-breaking scheme to raise achievement among pupils at a Birmingham secondary school. Read

Archbishop Grimshaw Catholic School loses 'failing' tag

PUPILS, parents and staff at a Solihull secondary school have been given the ideal early Christmas present - the removal of its "failing" tag. Read

UB40 NEC gig review

LEGENDARY reggae boys UB40 made a triumphant homecoming as they performed in front of thousands of familiar faces in their native Birmingham. Read

NICE youngsters have a wizard time

CHILDREN at the National Institute of Conductive Education in Birmingham produced a wizard show to help spread Christmas cheer. Read

Man dies in Birmingham flyover hit and run

A MAN has been killed in a hit and run road accident which closed Hockley flyover, one of the main routes into the centre of Birmingham today. Read

Education

City academies sponsorship details in Birmingham are unveiled

THE leading King Edward VI Foundation was today revealed as the sponsor of one of Birmingham's school academies. Read

William Cowper Primary School in Newtown, Birmingham.

'Cheat' scandal at William Cowper School in Birmingham

PRESSURE was mounting today on "failing" Birmingham school William Cowpper Primary after it was stripped of its national test results in English following allegations of cheating. Read

Birmingham teacher caught driving while banned gets job warning

TEACHER Karim Noorani from Birmingham, who was caught driving to work while banned, has been told he could be suspended or struck off from the teaching profession if he commits any type of motoring offence in the next five years. Read

Fire and rescue.

Staffordshire fire engines to carry CCTV cameras to deter yobs

STAFFORDSHIRE fire service is planning to equip all its appliances with security cameras to protect its firefighters from violence and aggression. Read

A fan's despair as England lose to Croatia.

Misery of England fans in Birmingham as Euro dreams turn to ashes

THE faces said it all - despondent England fans across Birmingham were stunned into shocked silence as the nation crashed out of the Euro 2008 Championships. Read

exams

Birmingham GCSE results at a record high

PUPILS in schools across Birmingham were sitting pretty today after achieving further record improvements in GCSE exam results. Read

The hole in Richmond Hill Road caused by the burst main.

Families hit by flood misery in Birmingham

DOZENS of families were cleaning up today after Farquahar Road in leafy Edgbaston turned into a river in seconds, sending a torrent of water into their homes. Read

Colin Bick

Birmingham teacher banned for making dirty films

A BIRMINGHAM PE teacher with more than 30 years' experience has been banned from the classroom for life after making "totally inappropriate" videos of himself on school premises during school hours. Read

The Poppy Appeal

Birmingham funeral director comes to the aid of Poppy Appeal collector

FUNERAL director Stephanie Mason has come to the aid of life-long Poppy Appeal collector Janet Hope after a heartless thief stole one of her collecting tins from a Birmingham pub. Read

Birmingham dad killed in Iraq bomb blast

A FATHER-of-three from Sutton Coldfield has died in a roadside bomb attack in Iraq. Read

Coach hits back over school boxing lessons

A LEADING boxing coach has backed a pilot scheme among Birmingham secondary schools which teaches exercise and discipline of the sport - but without the punches. Read

Richard Turner

Tributes to Birmingham lad found hanged in park

TRIBUTES have been pouring in for a Birmingham teenager who was found dead in Sutton Park. Read

The Poppy Appeal

Thief snatches poppy tin from Birmingham pub

A HEARTLESS thief walked off with a poppy tin from a Birmingham pub on the eve of Remembrance Day. Read

Author Profile

Tony Collins joined the Birmingham Mail in 1980.After working in a couple of the Mail's district offices, he became Education Correspondent in 1994. Being regarded as something of a Groucho Marx lookalike, it is no surprise that he is also the Mail's 'Mr Comedy', responsible for interviews with many of our top comics.

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