Man arrested for murder of Birmingham couple

Detectives were last night questioning a 24-year-old man in connection with the murder of a Birmingham couple battered to death in their home. West Midlands Police said officers arrested the man at a house in Birmingham on Friday. The arrest followed the discovery of the bodies of Avtar Kolar, 62, and his wife, Carole, 58, at their home in Handsworth Wood, Birmingham, by their policeman son on Wednesday. The couple had been married for 40 years.

Detective Superintendent Richard Baker said yesterday: "This was a horrendous attack. We thank those who have called us so far. We encourage anyone with information to speak to us, no matter how insignificant they feel the detail is." Police say they are looking at several inquiry lines, including the rise in burglaries and gold thefts in the area.