A prolific burglar has been sentenced to five years behind bars after officers linked him to a Solihull crime scene – thanks to a plaster. Lee Brewster of Warwick Road, Acocks Green, smashed a window and broke into a house in St Bernard’s Road, Olton while the owners were on holiday between 27th December last…

Owners of Blythe Valley Park in Shirley, IM Properties, has teamed up with Marie Curie’s West Midlands Hospice in Solihull to help fundraise for the charity during 2017. With the aim of initially raising £7,300 – which is the amount needed to keep the hospice running for 24 hours – IM Properties, which also owns…

The start date for the planned extension of Touchwood Shopping Centre in Solihull has been delayed until the early part of 2018, it has been announced. Solihull Council has issued a statement saying they have been informed that ‘the investors of the Lend Lease Retail Partnership are not in a position to commit to the…

A disabled man had his Motability car stolen from his driveway in Chelmsley Wood, within a few seconds, after a thief struck as he cleaned its steamed-up windows. Mark Cordiner, had put the keys in the ignition and got out to wipe the windows on his drive when the passing crook jumped in – and…

A worker at Jaguar Land Rover’s Solihull factory has allegedly been sacked and another suspended after a brawl left a man and woman needing hospital treatment. The incident began when two men working for sub-contractors at the plant are said to have begun fighting with each other near the assembly line. Sources claim two women…

A former Heartlands Hospital doctor from Solihull has been struck off after accessing more than 11,000 indecent images of children. Consultant anaesthetist Emil Guirguis, 59, was convicted of possessing the images in October at Stoke Crown Court – but managed to avoid jail. He pleaded guilty to three offences of possessing indecent images of children;…

Shirley Advance, the developer responsible for the recent Parkgate development in Shirley, has confirmed that work on the former Powergen site on Stratford Road/Haslucks Green Road will start in the next few weeks. The majority of the site will be transformed into an ExtraCare retirement village, as well as new homes. Robert Birch of Shirley…

Fighter jets were scrambled to intercept a plane and escort it to Birmingham Airport this morning. The drama unfolded after a flight from Bucharest was reported to have been encountering communication issues. The Saab 340 aircraft, which left the Romanian capital at around 1.30am, was intercepted by Belgian F-16 fighter jets over the North Sea….

Local budding bakers, from across the borough, gathered at Solihull’s Fairtrade Cake Off on Saturday 4th March to put their talents to the test. There were categories for adults and children. The prizes on offer to the best bakers included afternoon tea at Hampton Manor, with the Mayor in the Mayor’s Parlour and at Encore;…

Local bus passengers can now get their show on the road – literally. National Express West Midlands has launched the UK’s first on-bus infotainment system, offering blockbuster films, TV, news and magazines online completely free of charge. The National Express VUER (View, Unwind, Enjoy, Relax) app allows customers to enjoy hours of free entertainment, as…