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  • Updates from Monday 30 April to Monday 7 May

  1. MP calls for theme park guidance after schoolgirl deathpublished at 16:55 British Summer Time 9 May 2018

    An MP is calling for tougher safety legislation for theme park water rides, one year on from the death of Leicestershire schoolgirl, Evha Jannath.

    The 11-year-old died after falling from a ride at Drayton Manor Park.

    Leicester East MP Keith Vaz says discussions are under way about new guidelines but the family were still "extremely emotionally distraught".

    Keith Vaz

    "They are very upset," he said. "Evha was so young so they feel it dramatically in their lives. I hope we can have an end to the inquiry process. Sadly, progress has been quite slow but it's been very thorough.

    "I would urge all the UK's theme parks to be extra vigilant, bearing in mind what has happened with Evha."

    A date for the inquest has been set for August and Staffordshire Police have confirmed their investigation remains ongoing, supported by the Health and Safety Executive.

  2. 'Record number of 999 calls' - say policepublished at 16:47 British Summer Time 9 May 2018

    Lee Thomas
    Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

    Staffordshire Police says it took almost 10,000 calls over the Bank Holiday weekend - a record number over a short period.

    The force says more than 3,600 of those were 999 calls - with a further 6,300 calls to the non emergency 101 number.

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  3. Hospital reorganisation plan stallspublished at 16:15 British Summer Time 9 May 2018

    Mark Elliott
    BBC News

    Plans to reorganise hospital services in Shropshire may face further delays.

    Telford and Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) met yesterday and were expected to sign off on plans for a public consultation, due to begin 30 May.

    However, they refused and raised concerns about the impact of possibly moving the women and children's unit from Telford's Princess Royal Hospital to Shrewsbury.

    NHS England and Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group have both given their backing for the consultation to begin.

    Telford CCG will meet again on Friday.

  4. £9m investment to help homelesspublished at 16:00 British Summer Time 9 May 2018

    Peter Wilson
    BBC Midlands Today Special Correspondent

    The government is spending £9m in the West Midlands over the next three years to help with the problem of rough sleepers .

    Rough sleeping has gone up by half since last summer in Birmingham alone.

    James Brokenshire MP at the Digbeth Homeless Centre speaking to homeless men
    Quote Message

    Rather than simply going to some sort of shelter or other support, it's about getting people into homes quickly and seeing the support is there to keep them there. Actually it's something that has shown to succeed and works in Europe."

    James Brokenshire MP, Housing secretary

    This was the first week for the new housing secretary, who visited Digbeth Centre today.

    People I've spoken to say they need support with housing, mental health services and addiction to succeed on their road to recovery.

    James Brokenshire MP at the Digbeth Homeless Centre
  5. Students suspended over hate postspublished at 15:51 British Summer Time 9 May 2018

    The University of Warwick is investigating after screen shots of the group conversation emerged.

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  6. Student editor 'shocked' at rape jokespublished at 15:45 British Summer Time 9 May 2018

    Eleven students are suspended from a university after jokes made in a Facebook group chat emerged.

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  7. Burton offer six players new contractspublished at 15:43 British Summer Time 9 May 2018

    Burton Albion offer six players new contracts to stay with the club following their relegation from the Championship.

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  8. Almost 600 ancient trees 'in danger' of being destroyedpublished at 15:40 British Summer Time 9 May 2018

    Almost 600 ancient trees are in danger of being destroyed in the West Midlands if a change in government policy goes unchallenged, The Woodland Trust says.

    It has 1,483 ancient trees recorded on its ancient tree inventory here with 582 are outside a designated area such as a national park meaning they have less protection.

    Ancient treesImage source, Getty Images

    The Trust said the planning policy protection for ancient and veteran trees could be lower than the protection given to ancient woodland.

    It is calling for irreplaceable habitats to be given equal protection from development.

    • In Herefordshire, 334 trees are outside a designated area
    • Shropshire has 123
    • Staffordshire has 25
    • Warwickshire has 15
    • West Midlands has 12
    • Worcestershire has 73.
  9. Ex-councillor must pay £140k legal costspublished at 15:35 British Summer Time 9 May 2018

    Mahboob Hussain, a former deputy leader, took the authority to court in a dispute about a report.

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  10. Memorial garden for bomb victim openspublished at 15:12 British Summer Time 9 May 2018

    Nell Jones was one of 22 people who died in the bomb attack at the Manchester Arena last year.

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  11. Crewe boss Artell releases four playerspublished at 14:56 British Summer Time 9 May 2018

    Crewe Alexandra manager David Artell releases four players from the League Two club.

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  12. Coach Sharps leaves League One Walsallpublished at 14:40 British Summer Time 9 May 2018

    Walsall first-team coach Ian Sharps has left the League One club after 18 months.

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  13. Knitted garden 'brings the outside in'published at 14:39 British Summer Time 9 May 2018

    Knitted garden flowers

    The world's first life-sized knitted garden will be on show at the Malvern Spring Festival over the next few days.

    It's been designed and largely created by Gloucester widow, Clare Young, in memory of her husband Ken, who died of cancer at Leckhampton Court Hospice, in Gloucestershire.

    The display is of a knitted hospice bed overflowing with knitted flowers and plants. Ms Young said it's so she could bring the outside in to him when he was ill.

  14. Shrewsbury are play-off underdogs - Hurstpublished at 14:23 British Summer Time 9 May 2018

    Shrewsbury boss Paul Hurst believes his low-budget promotion-chasing team are the underdogs in this year's League One play-offs.

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  15. Officers hold man over illegal wastepublished at 14:20 British Summer Time 9 May 2018

    Officers looking into the illegal dumping of waste across 17 sites in England have detained a 46-year-old man.

    The Environment Agency says the man was held this morning in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire

    The agency says it's working with the police under Operation Cesium as it's looking into illegally dumped baled waste, weighing up to 25,000 tonnes.

    Baled wasteImage source, Environment Agency
    Quote Message

    This investigation is complex, with waste being illegally dumped across many parts of the country, blighting those communities. Some of the sites have already caught fire causing a significant impact on communities, the environment and our emergency service partners.

    Michael Brown, Lead investigator, Environment Agency

    The investigation is focusing around eight sites in the Midlands including Staffordshire and Herefordshire, five in Merseyside, two in Lancashire and two in Yorkshire.

  16. Terror charge after homes evacuatedpublished at 13:48 British Summer Time 9 May 2018

    A 20-year-old man appears in court after eight homes were evacuated in Coventry.

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  17. Officers cleared over baton strike arrestpublished at 13:40 British Summer Time 9 May 2018

    A watchdog finds "reasonable" force was used on a man who was struck several times with a baton.

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  18. North West Weather: Rainy afternoon aheadpublished at 13:34 British Summer Time 9 May 2018

    BBC Weather

    This afternoon will become cloudy with outbreaks of rain, some heavy at times. Highs of 15C.

    A mainly dry evening is in store later though, ahead of a chilly night.

    More from BBC Weather

  19. Royal Wedding celebrated with 'Meghan Sparkle' waterpublished at 13:17 British Summer Time 9 May 2018

    BBC Hereford and Worcester

    The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle takes place in just under two weeks.

    You've probably spotted the commemorative mugs and Union Jack bunting and flags in the supermarkets as some of the country look to celebrate the day on Saturday 19 May.

    Worcestershire water firm, Holywell Spring Water, has come up with its own way of celebrating the Royal Wedding by creating two limited edition bottles "Still Harry" and 'Meghan Sparkle'.

    Royal wedding memorabiliaImage source, Getty Images