Summary

  • Updates from Monday 4 - Sunday 10 December

  • Click on Related Stories to view stories from your area

  1. Teenager remains critical after disorderpublished at 14:21 Greenwich Mean Time 4 December 2017

    A teenage girl remains in a critical condition with multiple head injuries after disorder involving up to 20 people, police said.

    Police are investigating the disturbance on the Woodside housing estate in Wigmores, Telford, on Friday.

    Five people have now been arrested in connection with the incident, and all released under investigation.

    Police have stepped-up patrols of the area and reassured residents the force was taking the incident "very seriously".

  2. Five arrested after 20-person 'affray'published at 14:14 Greenwich Mean Time 4 December 2017

    A teenage girl sustained serious head injuries and remains in a critical condition in hospital.

    Read More
  3. Teenager dies after motorbike crashes with carpublished at 14:11 Greenwich Mean Time 4 December 2017

    A teenager has died following a serious crash in Wolverhampton last week, police say.

    Kian Buckler suffered serious injuries when the motorbike he was on crashed with a car just before 19:00 on Wednesday 29 November at the junction of Lunt Road and Boswell Road, Bilston.

    Kian BucklerImage source, West Midlands Police

    The 15-year-old died in hospital on Friday afternoon.

    A 16-year-old, also travelling on the bike, has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving, driving without a licence or insurance and failing to provide a sample.

  4. Travel: Rail delays on London servicespublished at 14:02 Greenwich Mean Time 4 December 2017

    BBC News Travel

    There are delays on rail services between Birmingham New Street and London Euston due to a train hitting an obstruction on the line between Rugby and Northampton, says London Midland.

    Services are being cancelled or delayed until at least 15:30 with tickets being accepted on Virgin Trains between Milton Keynes Central and Birmingham New Street.

  5. Operation clampdown - badly parked cars get towedpublished at 13:53 Greenwich Mean Time 4 December 2017

    Bob Hockenhull
    BBC Midlands Today

    Park it properly or lose it... Police in Birmingham are clamping down on illegal parking in the city.

    Pavements are being blocked and in some cases parking in a bus shelter.

    This car is being towed away today after parking on a double yellow line on a corner.

    Illegally parked car being towed away

    The force says it will prosecute the worst offenders.

    See my report on Midlands Today at 18:30 on BBC One.

  6. Music teacher on trial for child pornography chargespublished at 13:43 Greenwich Mean Time 4 December 2017

    Kalpana Boodhoo
    BBC Hereford and Worcester

    A former music teacher from Hereford, charged with a number of offences against under-aged girls has started giving evidence.

    Nicholas Fisher, 43, from Bartestree is standing trial at Worcester Crown Court charged with making indecent images of a child and possessing what's been described as a "paedophile manual".

    He pleaded guilty to downloading a file called Jazz Guides from the so-called dark web which contained indecent images, but says he had no idea they were part of the music guide and attempted to delete the folder immediately.

    He went on to say he didn't know how other other "manuals" ended upon his computer .

    Mr Fisher says he accessed the dark web purely to download expensive music software for free and described himself as "naive".

    The trial continues.

  7. Loo roll 'now always in school toilets'published at 13:42 Greenwich Mean Time 4 December 2017

    The head teacher says the school in Stoke-on-Trent never meant to harm its pupils.

    Read More
  8. All aboard the Santa Specialpublished at 13:34 Greenwich Mean Time 4 December 2017

    John Bray
    BBC News

    A heritage railway has started running its Santa Specials, drawing large crowds.

    The Severn Valley Railway, which runs between Kidderminster and Bridgnorth, has been counting down to Christmas with the special services for 45 years.

    Media caption,

    Passengers alight at Arley Station to meet Father Christmas, and a BBC Midlands Today camera crew was at the Worcestershire station on Sunday.

  9. Woman found dead in fire was 92 years oldpublished at 13:19 Greenwich Mean Time 4 December 2017

    A woman found dead in a house fire in Bridgnorth at the weekend was 92 years old, police say.

    She hasn't yet been formally identified.

    Fire crews were called to a property on Cricket Meadow at about 08:30 yesterday.

    It isn't being treated as suspicious.

  10. In the papers: Police continue search for missing womanpublished at 13:12 Greenwich Mean Time 4 December 2017

    Worcester News

    Here are some of the stories making the headliens on the Worcester News website today:

  11. Ex police officer to stand trialpublished at 12:58 Greenwich Mean Time 4 December 2017

    Chris King
    Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

    A former Cheshire police officer has pleaded guilty to encouraging a teenage girl to send him naked photos of herself.

    Ian Naude, 29, from Market Drayton also admitted sending the 13-year-old naked pictures of himself.

    The former officer pleaded not guilty to one count of rape, and two counts of sexual assault.

    He’s due to stand trial at Chester Crown Court next April.

    Chester Crown Court
  12. Santa's grotto hangs in the balancepublished at 12:49 Greenwich Mean Time 4 December 2017

    Stephanie Barnard
    BBC News

    A Christmas grotto event held at a school may not go ahead this year after vandals smashed and stole decorations.

    Greenwood Academy in Castle Vale has held Santa on the Vale since 2012, which promises "live performance, fun activities, food and drink and a Christmas market" all for free, as well as the £3 grotto visit.

    Poster advertising Santa on the Vale

    Trevor Evans, from the school, says a community fundraising page has been set-up with the aim of raising £1,000 before the end of the week. So far almost £500 has been pledged.

    Will the event go ahead as planned on 20 December? The school say a decision will be made later this week.

  13. Delayed housing blueprint set to be approvedpublished at 12:38 Greenwich Mean Time 4 December 2017

    Telford and Wrekin councillors are expected to approve a document that outlines how many homes could be built, between now and 2031.

    The long-delayed Local Plan is due to be adopted early next year, after an inspector called for a string of modifications.

    HousebuilderImage source, Getty Images

    The blueprint suggests that some provision is made for overspill housing for people from Birmingham and the Black Country.

    It also predicts that, by 2031, Telford's population will have risen to about 200,000 - that's still 50,000 short of the figure talked-about when the new town was originally conceived in the 1960s.

  14. Man remanded in custody after firearms chargespublished at 12:25 Greenwich Mean Time 4 December 2017

    A man has been remanded in custody after appearing in court charged with drugs and firearms offences., external

    The 29-year-old, from Rugby, is accused of possessing a pump-action shotgun, as well as heroin, crack cocaine and cannabis.

    He'll next appear at Warwick Crown Court in January.

  15. Hereford FC fans enjoy grand day outpublished at 12:15 Greenwich Mean Time 4 December 2017

    John Bray
    BBC News

    Hereford FC fans had a day to remember as the non-league club held League One Fleetwood in the second round of the FA Cup.

    The Edgar Street side, from the seventh tier of English football, drew 1-1 on the Fylde Coast to secure a place in Monday night's third-round draw.

    Media caption,

    Hereford FC fans' grand day out in the FA Cup at Fleetwood

    It was a memorable day for the 977 travelling fans who were in fine voice throughout the game.

    The two sides will replay the tie in Hereford on Tuesday 12 December.

  16. Pensioners banned from putting up decorationspublished at 12:05 Greenwich Mean Time 4 December 2017

    The Sentinel

    Here are some of the stories making the headlines on The Sentinel website:

  17. Fire service cuts prompts law change pleapublished at 11:58 Greenwich Mean Time 4 December 2017

    Fire authority councillors want to be able to raise more from council tax without the need for a referendum.

    Read More
  18. City of Culture bid gets £4m pledgepublished at 11:52 Greenwich Mean Time 4 December 2017

    Funding worth £4m has been promised by the West Midlands Combined Authority if Coventry is successful in its bid to become the UK's City of Culture in 2021.

    Media caption,

    UK City of Culture: Five things about Coventry

    The city is up against Stoke-on-Trent, Paisley, Sunderland and Swansea, with the winner being announced on Thursday.

    The funding has been backed by the West Midlands Mayor, Andy Street, as well as councils across the region.

  19. Commonwealth swimmer to face rape trialpublished at 11:42 Greenwich Mean Time 4 December 2017

    A Commonwealth Games swimmer is to stand trial next year accused of raping two women.

    Otto Putland

    Otto Putland, 24, from Dinedor near Hereford, appeared at Cardiff Crown Court to deny the two charges against him.

    He is alleged to have raped one woman in April 2015, and another in July 2015.

    His trial, expected to last a week, will start on 3 April 2018.

  20. Santa's grotto 'smashed and stolen' at schoolpublished at 11:32 Greenwich Mean Time 4 December 2017

    Alex Lester
    Presenter, BBC WM

    Thousands of pounds of Christmas decorations have been stolen or damaged at a Birmingham school.

    Staff at Greenwood Academy in Castle Vale converted the main hall into a Santa's grotto but discovered all of the decorations had been smashed or taken from a nearby storage container.

    Photos of school Santa's grotto in Castle ValeImage source, Trevor Evans
    Quote Message

    People are gutted in school and there's a real glumness. People rally round in Castle Vale and as a community people are doing what they can."

    Trevor Evans, Community manager, Greenwood Academy in Castle Vale