- A local name for the city is Brummagem, meaning "Bromwich-ham" which gives rise to the city's nickname of "Brum" and its population being known as "Brummies". Until the 18th century, Brummagem and variants such as Bromichan, were used almost interchangeably with the modern name. In the 17th century the city produced counterfeit money which led to the word brummagem being used as a word for a cheap knock off. While it's not a word heard in the UK these days you still might come across it in the USA or Australia.
- There are 56km/35 miles of canals in Birmingham. That's more than Venice.
- Birmingham is, however, Britain's most landlocked city. The nearest beach is 120 miles away.
- Some famous writers have been inspired here. It's said that Roald Dahl was inspired to write Charlie and the Chocolate Factory after visiting Cadbury's, while JRR Tolkien grew up in Birmingham and based The Shire on a village called Sarehole, now a suburb of the city, and the Two Towers were inspired by Edgbaston Waterworks and Perrot's folly. The Eye of Sauron was inspired by the glowing clock face of the Joseph Chamberlain Memorial Clock Tower on the university campus. Wilbert Awdrey wrote Thomas the Tank Engine here, too.
- More famous Brummies: Jasper Carrott, Simon Bates, Peter Powell, Neville Chamberlain, Alison Hammond, Ian Lavender, Nigel Mansell, Ozzy Osbourne, Roy Wood, Julie Walters and Toyah Wilcox. Bands hailing from Birmingham include UB40 and Duran Duran.
- Over 40% of the population is under 25, making it the youngest city in Europe. Around 73,000 students live here in term time.
- Birmingham has the UK's largest public library, busiest theatre (Birmingham Hippodrome) and third busiest airport.
- It also has more public parks and open spaces than any other city in Europe - 571 of them.
- Tennis was invented in Birmingham in the 1850s and the game of Cluedo was also invented here.
- In terms of food and drink, Birmingham is the home of Cadbury's Chocolate, Bird's custard, HP Sauce and Typhoo Tea. It's also where Brits first ate balti curries in the early 1970s.
NEW!
A Tale of Two Sisters
During a battle with supervillains, a horrific accident leaves the Warner family with no option but to believe their youngest daughter, Jessica, is dead. It doesn't occur to them that the bad guys could, or would, save her.
Jessica wakes up with no memory of who she is or how she came to be on a space station with two bionic legs, a bionic arm and a bionic eye. She is told her family abandoned her and is sent back to Earth with a mission - to kill them. While Jessica wants to kill her family, along with the twin boys who once rejected her, she knows what the Alliance of Supervillains are asking her to do is a suicide mission. She decides to get her revenge in her own way.
As Jessica puts the first part of her revenge plan in motion, she finds herself with an agonising decision to make. Before she can decide, the Alliance come for her, determined to make her do their bidding. This time, it's the Alliance who leave her, crippled and at the mercy of the Warner family, who have no idea who the Alliance's Black Rose really is.
Jessica finds herself having to re-think her decisions in light of what she now learns about her family, the Alliance, the twins, and herself. It would appear the Alliance have left her with an unwanted and permanent reminder of her time with them. Or have they?
Jessica's older sister, Jill, knows her destiny is to be a doctor and specialise in bionics and genetic variant medicine. She is also hopelessly in love with Christopher, Crown Prince of Galorvia. Can their romance survive the lies Christopher told her when they were both at school, an unplanned pregnancy and Sophie, the wannabe princess who comes between them?
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