Sunday Mercury Special Report: Premier League soccer stars go from hero to zero

IT is the jetset lifestyle young lads dream of – playing football for a Premiership club, with the adulation, the cash and the WAGS that come with soccer success.Read

Revealed: Why there is a 1 in 48,000 chance of the earth being wiped out by Apophis

THE bad news: it weighs 20 million tons and is hurtling through space at 23,000 miles an hour on a possible collision course with Earth.Read

I was raped in broad daylight by sex fiend under police surveillance says Birmingham youngster

A TEENAGER has told how she was viciously raped in broad daylight by a sex fiend who was supposed to be under police surveillance.Read

Sutton Coldfield librarian works as a naked butler

HE’S a dedicated librarian by day and a NAKED butler by night.Read

Police fear sex traffickers will target Midland women during the Olympic Games

POLICE fear the Midlands could be targeted by ruthless gangs of sex traffickers during the Olympic Games this summer.Read

Taking the P... Shropshire couple charge walkers £1 to relieve themselves

WALKERS hoping to spend a penny while roaming through a Midland beauty spot are being caught short by a leg-crossing £1 charge.Read

Dave Spikey reveals the truth about his fall-out with Peter Kay and Phoenix Nights movie

COMEDIAN Dave Spikey has shot down talk of a Phoenix Nights movie – and says that he hasn’t spoken to former pal Peter Kay for TWO YEARS.Read

Murder victim's friends quizzed over their whereabouts when she died

FRIENDS of murdered ex-school teacher Betty Yates are being quizzed by police about where they were when she died.Read

Suspected drug dealer escapes police custody in Birmingham

A SUSPECTED drug dealer escaped from police custody when he was escorted to a Midland hospital by a special constable.Read

Bankrupt former Aston Villa star Lee Hendrie owed £200,000

FORMER England and Aston Villa footballer Lee Hendrie is officially penniless after racking up debts of £200,000.Read

Chelmsley Wood killer who dumped best friend's body jailed for 11 years

A KILLER who dumped his best friend’s body in a drain after bashing him to death with a scaffold pole has begun his 11 year jail sentence – after the Sunday Mercury revealed how the victim’s family had to wait 25 years for justice.Read

Deadly drug-resistant strain of Tuberculosis could hit Britain says Birmingham consultant

HEALTH chiefs have told how the deadly drug-resistant strain of Tuberculosis which has claimed three lives in India could strike in the Midlands.Read

West Brom funnyman Frank Skinner to be a dad at 55

COMEDIAN Frank Skinner has revealed that he is becoming a dad – at the age of 55.Read

Richard Deakin murder suspect John Anslow still at large

MIDLAND murder suspect John Anslow who was sprung from a prison van on his way to court remained at large last night.Read

M6 Toll charges to rise again

CHARGES on the M6 Toll motorway will rise again from March 1, bosses revealed last night.Read

Staffordshire: Man charged with murder of toddler

A man has been charged with the murder of a toddler, police have said.Read

Two arrested after sudden death of Staffordshire toddler

Two people have been arrested in connection with the sudden death of an 18-month-old boy, police said.Read

New leads in hunt for Richard Deakin murder suspect John Anslow after Crimewatch appeal

DETECTIVES hunting murder suspect John Anslow were today following up several calls from the public after appealing for information on BBC1’s Crimewatch.Read

Carson Yeung

Birmingham City owner Carson Yeung summoned over alleged loan default

Birmingham City owner Carson Yeung has been summoned to appear in court in Hong Kong on February 28 because of alleged loan default secured on a multi-million pound apartment in one of the world’s most exclusive residential areas.Read

John Anslow

Man arrested in hunt for John Anslow is released on bail by Staffordshire Police

A MAN arrested by detectives hunting escaped murder suspect John Anslow was last night released from custody by police.Read