Tamworth Blog

BTP are looking to question this man

British Transport Police are appealing for any witnesses who may have seen two mean who had a Knife on a train service between Nottingham and Birmingham New Street.

A male passenger on the service on Friday 29 Jan, feared the two men were going to rob him of his ipod after boarding in Burton upon Trent.

The victim told the Police that he over heard the two men discussing stealing his ipod and noticed one of the men was carrying a flick knife.  Fearing for his safety, the passenger locked himself in the toilet of the train until the trains arrival at New Street, where he notified the British Transport Police at around 10pm.

It is believed the two men also got off the train at Birmingham New Street, but despite a search of the area, the men couldn’t be found.

BTP are also looking for this man

British Transport Police today released CCTV images of the two men they wish to talk to in relation to the incident.  They are both described as white, in their early 20s, of proportionate build, about 5ft 9in and wearing tracksuits.  Both men were carrying holdalls and one was also carrying a snooker cue holder.

Anyone who recognises either man, or who knows their whereabouts, is asked to contact British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40, quoting incident number 610 of 29/01/2010.

Tamworth Police Station - Photo: Paulette Francessca Sedgwick

Staffordshire Police are warning Tamworth residents of a bogus trader after a builder caused damage to a home after not completing his first job.

The rogue builder targetted the same home in Glascote twice. On Saturday Feb 13, he offered to paint the outside of his home for £580. The 37 year old victim handed the builder the £580 in cash. The paintwork was then primed but not actually completed.

The ofender returned to the same house on Tuesday February 23 and offered to complete the work. Whilst completing the work and without the homeowners permission he removed removed roof tiles, damaged wooden beams and a bedroom ceiling.

The rogue builder then demanded over £1,250 deposit to fix the damage, he only left the property when the victim contacted the Police, threatning to cause more damage to the property.

The rogue builder is described as as white, aged in his 50s or 60s, 5ft 6ins tall, chubby with short grey/white hair. He was clean shaven, spoke with an Irish accent and wore a zipped navy blue fleece and jeans. He turned up at the home, with other workmen, in a white van.

PC Alison Pearson, from Tamworth police, said:

“This rogue trader claimed to be from a legitimate roofing company, and handed over leaflets containing these details about it.

“We’d urge anyone who is approached by him not to hand over any money but to contact police straight away.”

Anyone with information should ring PC Pearson on 0300 123 4455 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.  Tamworth Police are working with Staffordshire County Council Trading Standards.

Fire Engine - Photo: SaltGeorge

A fire in Fazeley has caused traffic chaos around Tamworth this evening (Friday March 5) after much of Watling Street and Coleshill Road being closed as the fire raged in the vicinity of the Old Victoria pub and Jet Garage.

Whilst we don’t have all the information yet, we will keep you posted on the blog over the weekend.

Simon Downer

A 33 year old man has today been jailed for life after being found guilty for murdering his wife back in June 2009. (Read the original article here)

Simon Downer was found guilty at Birmingham Crown Court after a two week trial.

Simon Downer stabbed Tracey Downer in the chest on the night of Saturday 20 June 2009.  The single knife wound proved fatal as Tracey Downer died shortly after being admitted to Good Hope Hospital.

The pair who had recently married had an eight year old daughter who alerted the Police after finding her mum injured on the sofa at their home in Wilnecote.

Downer was arrested at the scene but denied the murder, but today was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Tracey, with a minimum of 20 years to be served before being considered for parole.

Detective Chief Inspector Steff Lungrin, who led the investigation, said:

“Despite overwhelming evidence that he killed his wife, Downer refused to own up to this horrific crime. Our thoughts remain with Tracey’s family, including her young daughter, as they continue to mourn her tragic loss.”

Tracey’s mother, speaking on behalf of her family, said:

“Justice has been done.  It won’t bring our daughter back to us, but could hopefully save another family going through what we have since last June. Thank you to all the Staffordshire Police team who have helped our family so much through such a difficult time.”

Sport Relief Mile

It’s that time of year again, Sport Relief is just around the corner and the Sainsbury’s sponsored Sport Relief Mile is back at the Castle Grounds.

On Sunday March 21 the Castle Grounds will play host to a 6, 3 and 1 mile run all in aid of the Sport Relief charity.  The 6 mile run will begin at 11am with the 3 mile run starting at 12 noon and the 1 mile runs starting at 1pm and 2pm.  The event is part of the Sport Relief weekend which takes place the weekend of 19 March thru to March 21.

Councillor Jeremy Oates said:

“The Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Mile in Tamworth is here and it’s your time to shine.  From teeny-tots with their mums and dads, to super sprinters up against the clock there’s something for everyone on the big day – whether you do 1, 3 or 6 miles.  Best of all, the money you raise by getting sponsored will be used to transform lives forever.  So come on Tamworth, rise to the challenge!”

The money raised by the events off the weekend will be used to help those who are poor abnd vulnerable both in the UK and abroad.  To register for the Sport Relief mile simply visit the Sport Relief website and ensure to register for the Tamworth Mile.

QEMs High School, saved earlier in the year

Tamworth is to play host to the The Great Education Debate on Thursday 11 March 2010, giving the people of Tamworth a platform to ask questions about what is best for the children of Tamworth.

With a general election looming there is a renewed debate about what is best for our schools, with Tamworth being used as a test area for the new academy system the Government are proposing.

Are Free Schools or Academies the way to improve the childrens education in Tamworth?  With Landau Forte set to open a post 16 education centre in Tamworth at Woodhouse School, makes Tamworth a good area for debate.

There are arguments both for and against the proposals in Tamworth, arguments against have led to protests across the Tamworth area about the Landau Forte proposals. 

The debate will take place on Thursday March 11 at 7pm at the Tamworth Assembly Rooms, speakers include:

Ally Bird – Former Tamworth School Pupil
Jenny Pinkett - Lib Dem Candidate for Tamworth
Alasdair Smith – Anti Acadamies Alliance

The debate will be hosted by the Anti-academies Alliance.

Ambulance - Photo: PoliceBlue999

Two people were seriously injured after an accident on Saturday morning on the Marlborough Way island with the A5 at around 2.15am.

On arrival to the scene the ambulance crews found one person had been ejected from the car after it rolled onto it’s roof.  A spokesperson for West Midlands Ambulance Service said:

“On arrival at the scene, crews found a car that had rolled over.  One patient had been ejected from the vehicle and one was trapped.

“The man trapped was extricated by the fire service whilst receiving emergency treatment.  Both men, believed to be in their late 20’s, suffered serious head and chest injuries.  Both were transferred by ambulance to Good Hope Hospital for further emergency treatment.

“The hospital had been pre alerted to the patients arrival and their serious injuries.”

Alice in Wonderland

From Friday March 5th

BOOK NOW ON
0871 22 44 007
OR BOOK ONLINE AT
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Film Times
Fri 14:30 17:15 20:00
Sat-Sun 11:45 14:30 17:15 20:00
Mon-Thu 14:30 17:15 20:00

Who´s in it?
Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway

What´s the plot?
From Walt Disney Pictures, Tim Burton directs an epic 3D fantasy adventure ‘Alice in Wonderland’.

Featuring an all-star cast including Johnny Depp, Mia Wasikowska, Anne Hathaway and Helena Bonham Carter; Burton adds a magical, imaginative twist to this classic story.

When Alice returns to the world she encountered as a young girl, she embarks on a journey to discover her true destiny, and encounters some of the most fantastical, charismatic characters ever created.

Prepare to see the White Rabbit, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the Cheshire Cat and the Mad Hatter as you’ve never seen them before.

Marmion House, Tamworth Borough Council

Tamworth Borough Council are to hold an Open Coffee Morning this Thursday (25 Feb) to launch a new conifdential crime reporting service in Tamworth.

The Open Coffee morning which will run between 11am and 12 noon will launch the service devised by the council to ensure it plays an active and prominenant role in monitoring and reducing incidents throughout the town.

Tamworth Borough Council will be the first council in Staffordshire to record these incidents as part of the Trent Valley PACH (Partners Against Crime and Hate) initiative managed via the Community Safety Partnership.

Hate crimes and incidents, which can involve sexuality, disability, race, religion, age or gender, are a vastly under reported problem and the new reporting service is aimed at addressing the issue.  Anyone who has experienced, or is aware of incidents of this nature, is welcome to attend to see how it works. 

Councillor Robert Pritchard said,

“This important new service will provide valuable support to improve the lives of those affected by these issues and help towards our goal of making Tamworth an ideal place to live, work and raise a family.

“This service has been set up along the lines of our successful “Tell Us” scheme and in accordance with our corporate standards.  We offer a range of methods to report incidents  which include printed forms, by telephone, face to face and now electronically, widening the choice for our customers.  

“It’s important for us to know what residents think about this new service which can be found on our website www.tamworth.gov.uk  by clicking on the Report it button. Customer feedback plays a vital role in helping us improve and deliver the services we provide.”

The new site for reporting these crimes can be accessed here.

Tamworth is set to get a further dumping of snow if the weather men are to be believed, meaning a full three months of snow for the area, more than I can remember personally.

So be careful out there the next couple of days and if you’re travelling anywhere, allow some extra time for your journey and be safe