Jogger punched into canal by thug escaped by speaking Arabic

A jogger has told how he was almost drowned by a canal-path thug – and only escaped by speaking to them in Arabic. Dad-of-two Lee Skinner, 38, from Olton, was punched in the face and knocked into the freezing water as he ran past five hooded youths in Acocks Green. As he struggled to get…

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Jaguar Land Rover fined £900,000 after worker crushed

Jaguar Land Rover has been fined £900,000 after one of its workers was crushed between two cars at its Solihull plant. Victim Mark Widnall suffered serious injuries and lost a leg as a result of the incident. The car giant was also ordered to pay £49,864 costs after a jury at Birmingham Crown Court convicted…

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Armed burglar convinced girlfriend to lie about robbery at Chelmsley Wood house

An armed burglar forced a family to flee their Chelmsley Wood home in a terrifying robbery – before convincing his girlfriend to help him hide his crime. Calvin Hunt was jailed for 12 years after being found guilty of the robbery at a property on Longley Walk in July 2014. The 29-year-old broke into the…

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Solihull air ambulance doctor committed suicide after death of patient given wrong drug dose

A Solihull air ambulance doctor took his own life after a drug blunder that contributed to the death of a father-of-four, an inquest heard. Dr Carl McQueen, 34, was devastated after being told an investigation was to be launched into the death of car worker Lee Hanstock. He kiiled himself in the garage of his…

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Young man who died in Solihull collision named

A young man who sadly died following a road traffic collision in Solihull on Friday (13th January) has been named as Syed Ahmed Shah. Syed was driving his Renault Clio along Eastcote Lane in Hampton-in-Arden when he was involved in a collision with another car that was travelling in the opposite direction. He was treated…

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Suspected car thief flees into Asda’s Chelmsley Wood store after police chase

A suspected car thief fled into Asda’s Chelmsley Wood store after leading police and the force helicopter on a five-mile chase. Officers tailed a black Ford Kuga seen being driven erratically around Alum Rock at just after 9pm on Friday 13th January – but it refused to stop and the patrol car was joined by…

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Teenager is first biker prosecuted over ‘Halloween Ride Out’ on Birmingham and Solihull streets

A teenager has become the first biker prosecuted over a ‘Halloween Ride Out’ which saw motorcyclists bring chaos and terror to Birmingham and Solihull streets. Police were forced to use stingers to burst the tyres of some lawless riders who set out to ‘shut down’ Birmingham. Christopher Blake, 18, was caught after falling off his…

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Fatal RTC in Hampton-in-Arden

A 20-year-old man has sadly died and a woman was taken to hospital after a collision during this morning’s rush hour in Hampton-in-Arden (13th January). Emergency services were called at 8.45am to a road traffic collision involving two cars on Eastcote Lane. A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “Ambulance staff arrived to find one…

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Author escapes jail sentence after campaign of harassment against married lover’s wife

An author who sent her married lover’s wife steamy extracts from a novel based on their affair has received a suspended jail sentence. Birmingham magistrates heard Jackie Preuss, 43, handed Debra Michael, from Solihull, pages from “Simon’s Saga” – the name of her husband Simon Cragg. And during a campaign of harassment the novelist told…

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Solihull is most in demand area for property in the UK

Solihull has been named as the most in demand area for property in the last quarter of 2016. Research by eMoov.co.uk suggests that the town has seen the biggest percentage of houses sold compared to any other area. eMoov.co.uk attributes a percentage score based on the level of housing stock available compared to the amount…

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