Summary

  • Updates from Tuesday 2 to Sunday 7 January

  • Click on Related Stories to view updates from your area

  1. Leaving London for a love of beerpublished at 17:14 Greenwich Mean Time 4 January 2018

    A couple's love of beer has seen them leave London to set up a brewery in Worcestershire.

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  2. Video: Will the high winds continue?published at 17:12 Greenwich Mean Time 4 January 2018

    Shefali Oza
    BBC Midlands Today

    A largely cloudy night in store, with some showers in the early hours, and winds easing with lows of 3C (37F).

    Media caption,

    Latest weather for the West Midlands

  3. School to reopen tomorrow after wind rips off roofpublished at 16:55 Greenwich Mean Time 4 January 2018

    Genevieve Tudor
    Journalist, BBC Shropshire

    A Shropshire school which lost part of its roof this afternoon will open as usual tomorrow.

    An inspector has been to survey the damage to a six foot (2m) section of the roof which got ripped off by a gust of wind earlier.

    Mary Webb schoolImage source, Google

    The debris has been cleared and nobody was hurt, but two vehicles in the car park have been damaged.

  4. Funding to connect campus to city centrepublished at 16:45 Greenwich Mean Time 4 January 2018

    Funding worth £550,000 has been secured to help develop safer cycling and walking routes for students between the University of Wolverhampton's new Springfield campus and the city's transport interchange.

    CampusImage source, City of Wolverhampton Council

    The funding has come from the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership, the city council has announced., external

    The site is home to the new West Midlands University Technical College (UTC), which will be joined by an Elite Centre for Manufacturing (ECMS) and the university's School of Architecture and Built Environment.

  5. Roof blows off school buildingpublished at 16:35 Greenwich Mean Time 4 January 2018
    Breaking

    The roof of a room at the Mary Webb School at Pontesbury in Shropshire has blown off and landed on some cars in the car park, Shropshire Council has said.

    Contractors are on site to make the room housing the water tank safe and water-tight.

    They are due to return tomorrow to carry out repairs and we're waiting to hear how this will affect classes tomorrow.

  6. Hospitals working with universities to 'grow doctors'published at 16:35 Greenwich Mean Time 4 January 2018

    The hospitals in Shrewsbury and Telford say they want to work with local universities to develop more "home grown" doctors.

    The chief executive of the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust, Simon Wright, said the decision to postpone some operations and clinics this winter was partly down to a shortage of doctors.

    Simon Wright

    Mr Wright also said the hospitals rely on agency and locum staff to fill gaps in rotas.

    Quote Message

    We are looking to do some work with the local universities around a clinical fellowship programme, which help us to grow some of our own doctors."

    Simon Wright, Chief executive of Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust

  7. Ambulance service doesn't blame hospital staff for delayspublished at 16:15 Greenwich Mean Time 4 January 2018

    Andy Giddings
    BBC News

    West Midlands Ambulance Service says it doesn't blame hospital staff for delays to admissions at accident and emergency last month, saying they are "working incredibly hard to ensure patients are turned around as quickly as possible".

    Thousands of ambulances were delayed by over half an hour, before patients could be offloaded, with the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Trust seeing the largest number of hold-ups.

    Ambulance

    The ambulance service said it was talking to hospitals to try to reduce the problem, but added "every time an ambulance is delayed it means we find it more difficult to get to the next patient in a timely manner".

    Quote Message

    NHS England has said the biggest single safety risk to patients is an ambulance not being able to get to patients in time."

    West Midlands Ambulance Service

  8. Boxing returns to Guildhallpublished at 16:06 Greenwich Mean Time 4 January 2018

    Boxing is returning to the Guildhall in Worcester for the first time since World War Two

    A fundraising event, in which anyone can sign up to fight, will take place in March, to raise money for Birmingham Children's Hospital.

    GuildhallImage source, Google

    Adam Llewellyn, the organiser of the bouts, said taking part would be a good way to get fit.

  9. 'Inadequate' college now rated 'good'published at 15:50 Greenwich Mean Time 4 January 2018

    A Coventry college that was rated "inadequate" in 2016 has been given a rating of "good" in every category following an inspection by Ofsted in November.

    Hereward CollegeImage source, Google

    Leaders at Hereward College have been described as working "tirelessly" and with a "relentless focus" to improve the safety and success of students.

    At a previous inspection in 2016 concerns had been raised about significant weaknesses including ineffective safeguarding arrangements.

    Hereward is a specialist college for young people with disabilities and additional needs.

  10. Hospital had no beds availablepublished at 15:41 Greenwich Mean Time 4 January 2018

    Walsall Manor Hospital had no beds available for almost all of the Christmas week, new figures have revealed.

    Statistics shows released today by NHS England showed Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust had a 99.9% occupancy rate across the week 25-31 December - the worst in the country.

    Hospital ward generic

    On five of those days the hospital officially had 100% of beds occupied.

    Worcestershire Acute Hospitals was close behind on almost 98.8%.

    In a statement released last week, Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust said staff at the hospital and in the community "were working with partners to avoid people being unnecessarily admitted and to help patients to be discharged as promptly as possible".

  11. No FA action for Livermore, says Pardewpublished at 15:31 Greenwich Mean Time 4 January 2018

    West Brom boss Alan Pardew does not believe Jake Livermore will face action from the FA over a confrontation with a fan.

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  12. Who is behind green-eyed girl graffiti?published at 15:26 Greenwich Mean Time 4 January 2018

    Graffiti left around an estate undergoing regeneration in Wolverhampton has been attracting admirers.

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  13. Man in 90s in hospital after being hit by carpublished at 15:13 Greenwich Mean Time 4 January 2018

    A man in his 90s is in hospital after being hit by a car in Worcestershire.

    West Mercia Police said he was crossing at the junction of the A449 and Sinton Lane in Ombersley at 18:35 yesterday when the collision happened.

    junctionImage source, Google

    He was taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, suffering leg and head injuries, and is said to be in a stable condition.

  14. How to light a street lamp with dog poopublished at 15:07 Greenwich Mean Time 4 January 2018

    Inventor says ten bags of dog mess can provide two hours of light.

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  15. Fans create Paul Hurst Way sign in honour of managerpublished at 15:00 Greenwich Mean Time 4 January 2018

    James Bond
    Sports Producer, BBC Shropshire

    Shrewsbury Town fans have unofficially named a path across a roundabout Paul Hurst Way, in honour of the manager, and have erected a sign.

    Paul Hurst Way

    Shropshire Council responded by saying it was "brilliant to see Shrewsbury Town doing so well this season" and that it was happy for the sign to remain until the end of the season.

    Paul Hurst Way

    The authority said it hoped the club would be celebrating promotion by the time it is due to be removed, and is suggesting that if the fans want the name made permanent they make a formal application.

  16. Fatal stabbing scene cordoned off for forensicspublished at 14:50 Greenwich Mean Time 4 January 2018

    An area around Paddy Power in Handsworth remains cordoned off for forensic investigations to take place following a fatal stabbing.

    Scene of stabbingImage source, Desmond Jaddoo

    One man has been arrested after the incident, which happened at about 12:45.

    Buses are currently being diverted away from the area of the junction at Newcombe Road with Rookery Road.

    Scene of stabbingImage source, Desmond Jaddoo
  17. Man dead in stabbing at Paddy Powerpublished at 14:45 Greenwich Mean Time 4 January 2018

    The victim is pronounced dead at the bookmakers after sustaining "severe head injuries".

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