Summary

  • Driver jailed for nine years for brothers' hit-and-run deaths

  • Sports coach convicted of child sex offences

  • Mosque hit-and-run 'may be terror-related'

  • GP jailed for assaulting patient

  • Labour expels activist over remarks to MP

  • Wolves reveal details of promotion celebrations

  • Taxi driver fined for refusing to pick up disabled passenger

  • Jackknifed lorry blocks M5 for several hours

  • Click on Related Stories for more from your area

  • Updates from Friday 27 April

  1. Closure of last bank in town 'put on hold'published at 16:46 British Summer Time 26 April 2018

    James Pearson
    Political reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester

    A planned closure of the last remaining bank in Upton upon Severn has been put on hold., external

    The Lloyds branch in UptonImage source, Google

    Lloyds has confirmed in a letter to West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin that it is reviewing a proposal to shut the branch in the town, along with Upton's only 24-hour cash machine.

    It follows concerns raised to BBC Hereford and Worcester about the impact of the closure on residents and businesses as well as the thousand of tourists who visit every summer.

  2. Flooded road to be closed 'for a few days'published at 16:34 British Summer Time 26 April 2018

    The A41 Black Country New Road, between Steel roundabout to Parkway roundabout, is to be closed for a few days, police say, external, due to the flooding at Wednesbury.

    The burst water main has left debris and caused damage to the road.

    Flooded road
  3. Your photos: Rainbow and sunshinepublished at 16:23 British Summer Time 26 April 2018

    BBC Weather Watchers

    There's been sunshine around and even the odd rainbow in the photos uploaded by our local BBC Weather Watchers.

    These three are from users Pol in Belbroughton, Terry Eyre in Rugeley and Marguerite in Ellesmere:

    BelbroughtonImage source, Pol
    RugeleyImage source, Terry Eyre
    EllesmereImage source, Marguerite
  4. Day care centre looks to cut opening timespublished at 16:17 British Summer Time 26 April 2018

    Rob Trigg
    BBC Shropshire

    A day care centre for adults with disabilities is consulting on plans to cut its opening days from five to three.

    Wellington Cottage Care TrustImage source, Google

    It's because of a drop in the number of people going to the Wellington Cottage Care Trust, external in Shropshire, down by half in just a few months.

    The charitable trust blames changes to the way it's funded by the council which means clients now choose where they want to spend their time and money.

    Telford and Wrekin Council told BBC Shropshire they are due to meet representatives from the day centre next month to discuss any support they can provide.

  5. Cathedral is next stop on poppy tourpublished at 16:04 British Summer Time 26 April 2018

    The ceramic poppies are from a World War One-themed arts installation at the Tower of London in 2014.

    Read More
  6. Rail company turns landmarks orangepublished at 15:57 British Summer Time 26 April 2018

    Landmarks across the West Midlands will be turning orange today to highlight planned improvements to rail services.

    BullImage source, West Midlands Railway

    West Midlands Railway said the move was to highlight its commitment to "fuelling railway connectivity across the region".

    Among the pledges that it was required to take on when it won the franchise, was space for an extra 20,000 passengers on rush-hour services in Birmingham and £700m for new and refurbished trains.

  7. Burst water main turns street into riverpublished at 15:53 British Summer Time 26 April 2018

    One woman had to be rescued and pupils from several schools in the area were sent home for the day.

    Read More
  8. Force recruits first Staffordshire bull terrierpublished at 15:40 British Summer Time 26 April 2018

    Allen Cook
    BBC News

    Staffordshire Police has recruited its first-ever Staffordshire bull terrier, external.

    The three qualified police dogs with their handlersImage source, Staffordshire Police

    PD Cooper has just finished six weeks of training along with two others and all three are now qualified police dogs.

    The force says it wants to show there's more to Staffies than an "unfair reputation" of just being aggressive and vicious.

  9. Boro begin legal action against Bluespublished at 15:35 British Summer Time 26 April 2018

    Middlesbrough start legal action against fellow Championship club Birmingham City and four members of Blues' backroom staff.

    Read More
  10. Tiler 'lost £2,000' due to TSB chaospublished at 15:27 British Summer Time 26 April 2018

    BBC Hereford and Worcester

    A tradesman from Evesham says he's had staff walk out on him after he couldn't pay them because of problems with his TSB account.

    Media caption,

    TSB CEO Paul Pester told 5 live Breakfast he "hasn't had time to think" about resigning.

    About half of the bank's customers have been unable to access their online accounts after it started making changes to its banking system on Friday.

    TSB boss Paul Pester admitted they've been forced to call in outside help to fix the breakdown.

    Tiler Phil Rooney told BBC Hereford and Worcester that the chaos had already cost him thousands.

    Quote Message

    We've had staff walk out on us, sub-contractors, tilers, electricians, because we're not in a position to be able to pay them by the internet payments that we usually use so it's cost us so far £2,000 this week."

    Phil Rooney, Tiler

    When told of Mr Rooney's case, Mr Pester told the BBC people like him had a case for compensation and "we will work through what we think and he thinks is reasonable".

  11. Rest centre set up for flooded familiespublished at 15:15 British Summer Time 26 April 2018

    A rest centre has been organised for residents affected by the flood water at Wednesbury, as a precaution.

    Flood waters

    Sandwell Council said it had been helping with road closures and providing general support after high volumes of water damaged properties.

    Alan Caddick, from the council said: "We are now helping the emergency services and South Staffs Water with the recovery operation, including having social workers and housing officers on site to help any residents who need support."

  12. Men 'plastered campus with racist stickers'published at 15:10 British Summer Time 26 April 2018

    Five men, said to be members of far right group National Action, deny inciting racial hatred.

    Read More
  13. People return home after 'bomb' probepublished at 14:57 British Summer Time 26 April 2018

    A 20-year-old man held under the Explosives Act is bailed following the evacuations of eight homes.

    Read More
  14. Armed robbery at bank by masked manpublished at 14:51 British Summer Time 26 April 2018

    A masked man's robbed a bank in Coventry this morning.

    Barclays BankImage source, Google

    He threatened staff at the Barclays Bank on Fletchamstead Highway, police say, just after 11:45.

    They say he made off with cash, but haven't disclosed how much.

  15. Burst water main: High volume pump to deal with waterpublished at 14:43 British Summer Time 26 April 2018

    A high volume pump has been brought int to help clear flood water in Wednesbury.

    Sheldon Fire Station tweets they're not yet sure where to put it.

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  16. Burst water main: Safety of residents confirmedpublished at 14:29 British Summer Time 26 April 2018

    Emergency services have completed a sweep of the flooded area in Leabrook Road, Wednesbury, and confirmed the safety of everyone affected, said South Staffordshire Water.

    Media caption,

    Floods in Wednesbury were up to 3m deep

    The water company said it was working with them to clear flood water as soon as possible.

    floodImage source, South Staffordshire Water

    No customers should be without water now, it said, but some may be experiencing discolouration.

  17. Burst water main: Photos show impact of floodingpublished at 14:11 British Summer Time 26 April 2018

    Allen Cook
    BBC News

    These photos were taken by Belinda Owen in Wednesbury today of the flooding caused by the burst water main on Leabrook Road:

    FloodingImage source, Belinda Owen
    FloodingImage source, Belinda Owen
    FloodingImage source, Belinda Owen
  18. Burst water main: Substation 'made safe' from waterpublished at 14:02 British Summer Time 26 April 2018

    Allen Cook
    BBC News

    Water in Wednesbury is now receding, police say, after a burst water main flooded Leabrook Road today.

    Water around the burst mainImage source, West Midlands Police

    At one stage, the local fire service said water levels had reached 3m (10feet) and there were fears it could reach an electricity substation.

    But police say the water's been shut off and Western Power Distribution are making the substation safe., external