'Charity' Collectors
There have been a number of questions phoned in to us recently from members about a group of people collecting for a 'Deaf and Dumb Childrens Centre'. These incidents have mainly been in the Fielding Road area of the village.
We have made efforts to check the details of these collectors, but have drawn a blank.

• The telephone number given is never answered and BT have reported 'they do not recognize it'.
• Charnwood Borough Council have not issued a licence for such collections.

Please be aware that door-step collections can be a scam and if you are suspicious, report it to the police on (0116) 2222222.

Genuine collectors will never object to providing details and you checking them out.

- posted by allan @ 6:21 PM

 
Girl attacked as crowd watches - Windmill/Acacia
A 14-year-old girl was kicked in the head in a "horrifying" attack while people in a crowd of onlookers took pictures on their mobile phones.

Nearly 40 teenagers watched as the victim was thrown to the ground by another girl, who then kicked her in the head, stomach and back.

Witnesses said the girl was left "delirious" by the assault, which happened on the corner of Windmill Avenue and Acacia Avenue, in Birstall, at about 1pm yesterday.

Several onlookers tried to help the girl, but were held back by the crowd.

Witnesses said the assault only stopped when a doorman who lives nearby intervened and the attacker fled with a small group of friends.

Police arrived a short time later, and the victim, who is understood to be a pupil at Stonehill High School, Birstall, was taken to Leicester Royal Infirmary for treatment. Officers said the girl suffered several cuts to her head and face. One 55-year-old woman, who asked to be named only as Jenny, said she tried to keep the victim conscious after the attack. She said: "I came round the corner and I could hear screaming and shouting from a lot of people."There were a couple of other women right in the thick of it, trying to get in and help.

"All of sudden, one girl got the other one down on the floor and was kicking her in the head and stomach. She must have kicked her five times."I managed to get in as somebody pulled her off. I got down on the floor, kneeling next to the girl. "She was delirious, with blood all over her face. I was trying to talk to her, keep her conscious. "Her brother came along and tried to pick her up, but she was quite floppy.

"He picked her up in his arms and put her in a car to keep her out of the crowd. "Before her brother arrived, the gang with the girl responsible had gone. "Then the police arrived with the ambulance and she was taken to hospital.

"It was incredibly nasty, something you expect to see in footage of lager louts having a brawl."

One witness, who did not wish to be named, said she had tried to reach the girl, but had been pushed back. She said: "I tried to stop it, but you just couldn't get to her. It was horrifying, absolutely horrifying. I've never seen anything like it.

"A spokeswoman for Leicestershire police said officers estimated there were 40 people in the crowd. She said: "We are investigating and, as we do not yet know the reason for this attack, we are a keeping an open mind. "If anyone did see it being recorded on mobile phones or recorded it themselves, we'd like them to come forward and hand it over."

Anyone with information should call police 0116 222 2222.

From the Leicester Mercury
http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=132384&command=displayContent&sourceNode=132384&contentPK=17832087&folderPk=77465
- posted by Shreekant @ 10:23 AM

 
Burglar - Jailed
A 26 yr old man, Carl Christopher Bailey, has been sentenced to 2 yrs and 3 months for burglaries in Gwendolen Avenue, Birstall and Church Road, Wanlip during December 2006. He was arrested at the scene of the Wanlip incident.
Bailey, a drug addict of no fixed address, was originally bailed to live in a hostel in Peterborough, where he then carried out a further burglary in April 2007. Other offences were also admitted in court.

(The above information has been taken from a report in the Leicester Mercury 4th July 2007)
- posted by allan @ 10:10 PM

 
Found - Ladies watch.
On Monday 2nd July, a ladies watch was found in Spinney Rise.

If you think that this ladies watch might be yours, please contact the Birstall Village Watch on (0116) 2676397.
- posted by allan @ 9:49 PM