Summary

  • Updates from Monday 15 to Sunday 21 January

  • Click on Related Stories to view stories from your area

  1. Ice warningpublished at 13:05 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018

    Allen Cook
    BBC News

    A new weather warning has been issued for parts of the West Midlands, this time for ice, external.

    Area covered by weather warningImage source, Met Office

    The Met Office says it's expecting freezing patches to form from 19:00 and into Friday morning until 10:00.

    The main areas set to be affected are in Staffordshire, Shropshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

  2. GP jailed for sexually assaulting patientspublished at 12:58 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018

    Jaswant Rathore is sent to prison for 12 years for sexual assaults on four female patients.

    Read More
  3. Schoolboy's cycling death 'accidental', inquest concludespublished at 12:55 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018

    BBC Shropshire

    The death of a schoolboy who was hit by a bus while cycling has been ruled an accident.

    Haybridge RoadImage source, Google

    Christian Chandler, 13, died in hospital after the crash on Haybridge Road in Hadley, Telford, in October.

    An inquest at Shropshire Coroner's Court ruled accidental death on Wednesday.

  4. Mystery memorial names frustrate history grouppublished at 12:52 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018

    Andy Giddings
    BBC News

    A history group telling the stories of men listed on a World War One memorial says it is stumped by three of the names.

    The Lychgate at Wellington in Shropshire was erected in the 1920s to remember local people killed in the conflict - plaques carry the names of 184 people.

    Media caption,

    Group wants help with mystery names on WW1 memorial

    The Wellington Remembers group is collecting photos, as well as the men's stories, and wants to include them in a book.

    It is appealing for help in identifying the mystery men.

  5. Home of killed man ransacked by thievespublished at 12:42 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018

    Jordan Howell's flat was raided less than 24 hours after his death, police say.

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  6. Man in assisted dying court fight says 'public opinion on my side'published at 12:29 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018

    Allen Cook
    BBC News

    Noel Conway, the terminally ill man who wants to be helped to die, says he believes he has public opinion behind him.

    The 68-year-old from Garmston, near the Wrekin, Shropshire, has been granted permission to take his case to appeal after the High Court rejected his challenge to the Suicide Act in October.

    Noel Conway with his familyImage source, PA
    Image caption,

    Noel Conway with his family

    Today, two judges from the Court of Appeal said there should be a full hearing of the retired lecturer's case.

    Afterwards, Mr Conway, who has motor neurone disease, said he and his family had an "outpouring of support and well wishes from the public".

    Quote Message

    To me, this proves beyond doubt that this is an issue close to the hearts of thousands of people across the country. I now look forward to the next stage in my case, knowing I have the strength of public opinion behind me."

    Noel Conway, Teminally ill man

  7. Rail services still affected by fallen treespublished at 12:17 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018

    BBC News Travel

    Fallen trees have been cleared from rail lines around Birmingham New Street, but some services are still affected.

    Services are suspended between Redditch and Birmingham, but trains are now able to run normally from Bromsgrove into New Street station.

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  8. Bird flu zone extended across Englandpublished at 12:17 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018

    The move follows the death of 13 birds in Warwickshire but does not involve bringing poultry inside.

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  9. 'Taskforce needed to stem Carillion domino effect'published at 12:16 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018

    BBC Business News

    The TUC has called for the government to assemble a national task force to deal with the fallout from the collapse of the Wolverhampton-based construction firm Carillion.

    Paul Nowak, the assistant general secretary of the TUC, says support will be needed by businesses and workers for some time:

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  10. Terminally ill man granted court appealpublished at 12:03 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018

    Noel Conway wins the right to challenge a High Court decision against changing the law on assisted dying.

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  11. Wall and fencing fall into road in strong windspublished at 11:59 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018

    Allen Cook
    BBC News

    We're still getting reports of damage from last night's strong winds - in Stoke-on-Trent, this wall and fencing was blown into a road., external

    Fencing and wall after falling into roadImage source, Stoke-on-Trent City Council

    The city council said it happened in Longton, with the spot cordoned off so repairs could be made.

  12. GP jailed for sex assaults on patientspublished at 11:47 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018

    A GP has been sentenced to 12 years in prison after being convicted of sexually assaulting four female patients.

    Jaswant RathoreImage source, West Midlands Police

    Jaswant Rathore, 60, of Ploughman's Walk, Wall Heath, was sentenced at Wolverhampton Crown Court earlier.

    On Wednesday, Rathore, who was the primary care lead for Dudley Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), was convicted of eight charges of sexual assault and two counts of assault by penetration but cleared of a further eight allegations relating to four other patients.

  13. Bird flu confirmed in Warwickshirepublished at 11:44 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018

    Bird flu has been detected in Warwickshire where 13 dead, wild birds have been confirmed with the virus.

    Scientists examining birdsImage source, Getty

    A prevention zone has been declared across the whole of England, with a total of 31 infected birds now identified.

    Testing of the birds in Warwickshire is ongoing but it is thought they had the H5N6 strain of the virus circulating in wild populations in Europe in recent months.

    The prevention zone means all poultry and bird keepers in England have to follow strict measures to protect their livestock from the disease.

  14. Terminally ill man wins right to appeal assisted dying rulingpublished at 11:33 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018
    Breaking

    Faith Page
    Reporter, BBC Shropshire

    A terminally ill Shropshire man has won an appeal to challenge a court ruling over his wish for assisted dying.

    Noel Conway, 68, who lives near the Wrekin, has motor neurone disease and wants a doctor to be allowed to prescribe a lethal dose when his health deteriorates.

    Noel Conway

    Currently any doctor helping him to die would face up to 14 years in prison.

    In October, he lost a High Court challenge against the law on assisted dying. Judges rejected his case that the Suicide Act 1961 - which lays out the law on the issue - was incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights.

    But today he took his case to the Court of Appeal which has allowed him to challenge last year's ruling.

  15. Advice for Carillion workerspublished at 11:01 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018

    Citizens Advice says it is ready to provide guidance on redundancy, benefits, debt and housing to Carillion employees and subcontractors affected by the company's collapse.

    Carillion headquartersImage source, Getty Images

    The fate of 400 people who worked at the company's headquarters in Wolverhampton, as well as contractors employed in the region, remains uncertain.

    Citizens Advice is urging those affected to visit staff in Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell and Walsall.

  16. Our farming productivity puzzlepublished at 10:46 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018

    Our farmers are less productive and less efficient than those in some other countries and that is a big worry.

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  17. Question Time from Herefordpublished at 10:39 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018

    BBC One

    Question Time comes from Hereford tonight.

    David Dimbleby

    The BBC One show is on from 22:45 and includes Conservative culture minister Margot James MP and the mayor of Greater Manchester and former Labour MP, Andy Burnham.

    Also on the panel is the Oscar-winning screenwriter, Dustin Lance Black.

    You can see the full line-up on the website here.

  18. Flood alerts as 'saturated' rivers risepublished at 10:22 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018

    Allen Cook
    BBC News

    The overnight rain has pushed up water levels in parts of the West Midlands, leading to four flood alerts being issued this morning.

    River Wye in HerefordImage source, Google
    Image caption,

    River Wye in Hereford

    The Environment Agency is warning of possible flooding in these areas:

    Dave Throup from the agency says even though it's the first heavy rain for a little while, the catchment areas are already saturated from rain earlier this winter., external