Man remanded over railway arson

A man accused of a string of attacks on the rail network in the West Midlands and surrounding areas has appeared before Birmingham magistrates.

Former rail worker Alan David Nicol, 46, of Yardley, Birmingham, has been charged with criminal damage and arson with intent of endangering life.

He is also charged with 10 counts of obstruction of a railway relating to a series of dates in 2004.

He was remanded in custody to appear at Birmingham Crown Court on 1 December.

The bulk of the attacks were on the Warwickshire and West Midlands boundaries, with others in Staffordshire and Worcestershire.