aldridgeresidents News

Aldridge boy wins E & S Local Hero Award

Dusan Popratnjak — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 19:41:57 GMT

Schoolboy Ben wins E&S Local Hero title

Brave Walsall schoolboy Ben Sambrook, who battled back from a brain tumour and has now inspired fundraising to help others, was today named the latest Express & Star Local Hero.

The 10-year-old Cooper and Jordan School pupil fought off a grade four malignant tumour. He was first diagnosed two years ago.

The experience led his mother Sharon to launch the Ben Sambrook Trust, which now stands at £63,000. Ben, from Aldridge, has been given the all-clear, although still returns to Birmingham Children’s Hospital for check-ups on a regular basis.

He was presented with his award at school and has been invited along with his parents Sharon and Steven as well as younger sister Emily to Molineux on December 7 for an award-winners’ meal, attended by Wolves players and other celebrities.

Sharon said: “We are very proud of Ben and to receive this award is special. He is really well now, doing all things 10-year-olds do, playing football and going out on his bike with friends. The Trust has also taken off beyond all of our expectations.”

Local Heroes, now in its sixth year, is jointly organised by the Express & Star, Wolves and Birmingham Midshires.

Ben said: “I’m really chuffed with the award. I’m looking forward to going to Molineux even though I’m a Birmingham City fan.”

Just this week the Trust has received £1,300 from Thomson Airways, which announced in April it was to support the charity with a percentage of all donations. Ben’s school has also launched its own mobile phone recycling initiative.

The money from the Trust specifically funds research projects to improve diagnosis and treatment off high grade glioma.

Pupils drink lab chemical

Dusan Popratnjak — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:57:20 GMT

Pupils drink lab chemical

Six school pupils drank ethanol they had taken from the science lab of their West Midlands school while apparently mimicking a storyline from a BBC drama.

The teenagers were rushed to hospital after drinking the pure alcohol they took during a lesson at Aldridge School, allegedly copying a storyline from Waterloo Road.

The five girls and a boy, aged 14 and 15, were today said to have escaped any lasting health problems.

Education bosses in Walsall today said the BBC had “taken a risk” with the TV ethanol plot.

Councillor Rachel Walker, portfolio holder of children’s services for Walsall Council said: “It’s unfortunate that the young people had access to the chemicals involved and did not take on board the further content of the programme. The BBC has taken a risk with their programming as they do with lots of their gritty storylines.”

Warnings are now being sent out to other borough schools about securing chemicals following the drama, at 2pm yesterday.

Wednesday’s episode of Waterloo Road showed characters making ethanol cocktails. But it also featured a nurse repeatedly telling the pupils they could die from drinking ethanol. A BBC spokesman today said the show had tackled the issue in a “responsible manner”. He said: “The episode clearly showed the dangers of using ethanol and did not glamourise it in any way.”

The pupils from the Tynings Lane school were taken to Walsall Manor Hospital but were allowed to leave with their parents yesterday evening.

A letter to parents from school head teacher David Mountney today said a probe had been launched. “There are no concerns about their health and well-being and all of them are fully engaged in their GCSE exams at school today, as normal,” he added.

Aldridge cash plotter is jailed

Dusan Popratnjak — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:16:37 GMT

Cash plotter faces jail

An Aldridge businessman was facing jail today after using his town centre shop as a front for money laundering.

Richard Williams, who ran Aldridge Interiors, was being sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court.

The 45-year-old, of Marshall Close, Aldridge was found guilty of two charges of money laundering for using his business to conceal large sums of money made by a nationwide drugs smuggling ring.

Williams was also to be sentenced for his part in smuggling over 2.2 million counterfeit cigarettes.

Kitchen firm boss from Aldridge is jailed

Dusan Popratnjak — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:13:21 GMT

48 years in jail for gang of smugglers

A gang of smugglers who shipped pure cocaine with a street value of £300,000 into the country have been jailed for a total of more than 48 years.

Mastermind Paul Price, of Weeford, near Lichfield, was sentenced to 10 years and nine months after admitting to conspiring to bring 4.2kg of the drug into the UK.

Kitchen firm boss Richard Williams was jailed for five years for using his business Aldridge Interiors to laun-der more than £1million made from the operation.

The five-strong gang was sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court yesterday.

The court heard that Price, aged 39, of Hungry Lane, was “deeply involved” in the operation.

Williams, 46, of Marshall Close, Aldridge, became embroiled in the network by associate Price.

He was convicted of two counts of concealing criminal property relating to money laundering in July after it emerged that £1million had passed through the shop in Portland Road.

He was also convicted at a separate trial for smuggling 2.2million counterfeit cigarettes.

Mr Adrian Maxwell, defending Price, said his motivation was to clear a £20,000 debt he had built up with a £100-a-day crack cocaine habit.

Aldridge Mail firm

Dusan Popratnjak — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:07:36 GMT

Mail firm on the up thanks to post strike

A private mail company is snapping up scores of business customers from strike-hit Royal Mail – and most say they won’t be going back.

Send Marketing is now handling up to 50,000 letters a day at its base on Aldridge Fields Business Park. Managing director Guy Chatburn said: “About half have only just come to us in the last two or three months, in the run-up to the strike action. A survey of our customers found eight out of 10 said they would not go back to using Royal Mail for their business post.”

The five-year-old company has 15 staff handling business mail at its Aldridge base, such as promotional letters from Wolverhampton’s Grand Theatre, Symphony Hall in Birmingham and Birmingham Rep as well as Nationwide Autocentres and Fujifilm.

“We handle letters, not parcels, and we use independent postal companies like Secured Mail, TNT and City Link,” said Mr Chatburn. “They handle the mail until it is delivered to a Royal Mail delivery centre – effectively Royal Mail only handles the last mile of the process, pushing it through the letter box.

“Because we handle mail in bulk, we can print and deliver a letter for just 27p, 3p per letter cheaper than a Royal Mail stamp.

“And we have also found that, despite the strike action, 94 per cent of our customers have been unaffected because we are largely by-passing the disruption of the Royal Mail’s collection and sorting network.”

Swoop nets 6m fake cigarettes

Dusan Popratnjak — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:03:52 GMT

Swoop nets 6m fake cigarettes

Six million fake cigarettes have been seized from an Aldridge industrial unit, it was revealed today.

The haul of counterfeit goods was hidden in boxes labelled as mixed vegetables and would have cost the public purse around £500,000 in lost tax revenue.

Keith Morgan, detection manager for HM Revenue & Customs, said no arrests had yet been made but that investigations were under way. He would not reveal which unit had been targeted in Friday’s raid.

Plan for extension to supermarket blocked

Dusan Popratnjak — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:57:05 GMT

Plan for extension to supermarket blocked

A plan to expand a West Midland supermarket by demolishing a neighbouring ambulance station has been thwarted after councillors turned them down on road safety and noise grounds.

Morrisons wanted to knock down Aldridge Ambulance Station and build a bigger store in a move that would have created 100 jobs. It would have also paved the way for a reshuffle of paramedic bases across Walsall with plans for a smaller base in Aldridge, next to the supermarket’s proposed new service yard.

But elderly residents who live in Croxalls Court sheltered flats directly opposite the proposed development in Anchor Road said they were unhappy with the plans due to current noise nuisance.

Eileen Turner told Walsall Council’s development control meeting last night: “We object to the service yard as it will be 40m nearer and immediately opposite our apartments.”

She said some residents were being disturbed at night by current 24-hour loading activity at the supermarket and there were concerns over the number of delivery lorries visiting.

Ashley Turner, of architect’s WECC which designed the scheme, said his firm worked closely with the council and West Midlands Ambulance Trust, which was in favour of the plans saying its Aldridge base was to large for its purpose.

The council’s planning officers had recommended the plans for approval.

Councillor John Rochelle, of Aldridge, said: “I am appalled by this application. We were promised a reasonable facility for the ambulances. I think the people of Aldridge will lose out.”

Councillors refused the application on grounds it would adversely affect the amenities of the neighbours at Croxalls Court, increase the traffic on the Aldridge Bypass, the access to the new ambulance base was inadequate and dangerous and an increase in noise levels.

No one from Morrisons was today available for comment.

Worker threatened in armed raid at the Co-op

Dusan Popratnjak — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:20:26 GMT

Worker threatened in armed Co-op raid

Masked raiders forced their way into an Aldridge Co-op store, threatening a worker with a crowbar before making off with cash, stamps and cigarettes.

Two men burst into the Co-op in Walsall Wood Road through a back door, confronting a terrified 21-year-old male assistant who was in the building alone.

Ds Rob Bastin, of Walsall CID said: “This was a frightening incident and we are appealing for anyone who was in the area of the Co-op around 6.30am on Saturday or anyone who saw anyone suspicious or any suspicious vehicles in the area to contact the CID at Walsall.”

Clare Rajan, spokeswoman for The Co-operative, said: “The member of staff was unharmed but badly shaken. CCTV footage has been given to the police who are investigating.

“As with any incident such as this, The Co-operative is reviewing security measures at the store and we would appeal for anyone with information to come forward.”

No-one was hurt in the robbery. The offenders are both described as being white men, wearing black balaclavas and dark clothes.

Restaurant move at Champagne Harry's

Dusan Popratnjak — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 11:58:43 GMT

Former nightspot lined up to serve Cantonese meals upstairs.

A 180 - seater restaurant could be created in the middle of a parade of shops in Anchor Road,Aldridge,creating new jobs.Plans have been put before Walsall Council for the expansion of Cantonese Express currently sited in Anchor Road.

The takeaway at the former Champagne Harry's nightclub opened earlier this year,but it has now lodged a plan to create a restaurant upstairs withh 180 covers creating jobs for kitchen and waiting staff.Solihull based agent LG Design Associates has urged Walsall Council to approve the plan.

Joe O'Brien,the site supervisor for Aldridge Shopping Centre,said "We were always aware this was their plan and as far as I know every one is happy for it to go ahead.

We do not have a Cantonese restaurant currently in Aldridge so it seems it is a good addition.That unit would be a big one to have sitting empty.If the plan is approved by councillors it will allow for a kitchen on the ground floor with a restaurant on the first floor.A report to the council by LG Design Associates state the aim of the application is to have the ability to vary the usability of this property.The unit concerned starts at the end of a large parade of shops in Aldridge.

If the application is successful the unit will be the subject of some investment to improve its potential.The opening hoours of the restaurant are proposed to be 12.00pm to 14.00pm and 17.00pm to 11.00pm Monday to Thursday and 12.00pm to and 17.00pm to 11.30pm Friday to Saturday with opening hours 17.00pm to 10.30pm on a Sunday.

The LG Design report added of the proposal aims which is to capitalise on the opportunities presented in the provision of revitalised premises that will hopefully cater fully for the local needs of Aldridges wider community.

The former night club spot sits between a row of existing shops and takeaways with parking bays along its frontage.

Post office where boss stole over £5,000 goes on sale.

Dusan Popratnjak — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 11:46:07 GMT

Lazy hill Post office goes on sale.

A Aldridge post office where the boss stole thousands of pounds from customers accounts has now been put up for sale,and a search has been launced for a new post master.

A postmistress from the Black Country conned elderly customers out of thousands of pounds by tricking them into punching in debit card pin numbers twice.

Jasvinder Kaur Uppal helped herself to nearly £5,000 after her victims elderly customers unwittingly made double withdrawals from their accounts.

The village branch lease is now up for sale for £110,000 with a new postmaster needed to take over on a permanent basis.

Jackie Stenson,of RoyalMail said "its business as usual at Lazy Hill Post Office which is being run by a temporary sub - postmaster and the branch is being sold as a going concern.

Postmistress Uppal was found to have tricked customers into entering their PIN's twice and taking double transactions.

Uppal aged 37 living in Wilkes Avenue Bentley,Walsall admitted to 10 charges of theft totalling £1,840 and asked for a further 19 offences involving sums totalling £3,130 to be taken in to consideration during an appearance before Walsall Magistrates this week.She is to be sentenced on October 27th at Wolverhampton Crown Court.