A BIRMINGHAM actress is looking forward to making her West End debut after going from ’hosiery to Hollywood’ in the pursuit of success. Natasha Wood, aged 37, used to help out on her parents’ ladies underwear stall at the city’s Bull Ring Rag Market.Read
BIRMINGHAM’S own Olympic hopefuls went ten rounds with Gordon Brown when they met the Prime Minister in the House of Commons. Khalid Yafai, aged 18, and Frankie Gavin, aged 22, are heading to China in August to represent Britain in the Olympic Games.Read
YOUNG offenders in Birmingham are helping disadvantaged people in Africa after repairing a Land Rover. The budding mechanics who attend a vehicle repair project run by Birmingham City Council’s Youth Offending Team in Hockley, spent more than two years restoring the off-roader to its former glory.Read
BIRMINGHAM’S seven rundown and poorly attended municipal golf courses are to get new fairways, greens, paths and facilities under a new £850,000 improvement programme announced today. Council leisure boss Ray Hassall has stumped up the cash in a bid to bring the city’s under-used courses up to scratch.Read
A TEAM of jobless young people are celebrating after clinching an award for transforming a vandal-hit city World War II memorial and cemetery. Two years ago, the unemployed five were struggling to find a vocation in life until they were given a helping hand from the Prince’s Trust, a charity set up by the Prince of Wales.Read
THE Prime Minister has defended funding arrangements which divert money to Scotland and away from regions like the West Midlands. Gordon Brown claimed Scotland received the funding because it needed it more.Read
TRADERS in a Birmingham suburb have joined forces with the city council in a bid to stop graffiti vandals from blighting their shops. Firms in Acocks Green have signed up to a scheme, which sees graffiti being scrubbed off windows, doors and metal shutters on shops and being replaced with a special anti-graffiti paint.Read
AN IRISH county's colours were missing from Birmingham’s St Patrick’s Day Parade – because of clampers. The banner for County Cork was in the boot of a Honda Accord towed away as clamping firms preyed on festival-goers last weekend.Read
A BIRMINGHAM firm has won approval for a new screen to protect minicab drivers from attack. The polycarbonate screen, made by Handsworth based Cab Safe, can now be installed in private hire vehicles, shielding drivers from troublemakers in the back, after winning the backing of city licensing chiefs.Read
SICK and vulnerable children across Birmingham were given a little cheer when they were delivered chocolate Easter eggs – thanks to shoppers and businesses.Read
A BURKHA-wearing armed robber pushing a pram carried out a violent raid at a jewellers. The terrifying attack happened when the man, who police say was impersonating a mother browsing for gifts, entered Friends Jewellers in Cape Hill.Read
Last week, Mail columnist Maureen Messent questioned whether there's real child poverty in Britain. Here Martin Narey, chief executive of the Barnardo's charity, makes his reply.Read
THESE are the two men police want to trace in connection with violence which marred a Premiership football clash between Manchester City and Blues.Read
