HERE'S the ultimate definition of optimism. The Emirates Beach at Chamberlain Square is going to stay open until Sunday, October 5 in the hope that we can string a few days of summer sunshine together before winter sets in.

IT might be Britain's most landlocked city, but hundreds of families hit the beach in Birmingham today as the summer finally arrived. After weeks of rain, thousands of people flocked to the city's two beaches, the BMI Beach in Chamberlain Square and the Bullring Beach in St Martin's Square.

By Jane Tyler BRUMMIES will be spoilt for choice if they want to sun themselves on a beach this summer without having to get in their cars and head down the motorway.

By Ben Goldby It was first blood to the Bullring in the battle of Birmingham's beaches yesterday as 65 tonnes of sand were dumped into St Martin's Square. Workers spent six hours installing the huge sandpit to prepare for the launch of the summer-long "Bullring Beach".

By Paul Dale Brum's battle of the beaches has claimed its first casualty. Civic Society planning committee chairman Stephen Hart la nd has been shot down by the withering fire of council snipers, metaphorically speaking of course.