Summary

  • Live updates from Monday 2 July to Sunday 8 July

  • Click on related stories for updates from your area

Live Reporting

  1. Coroner wants greater awareness of water dangers

    A coroner has said it is the "duty of all of us" to educate young people about the dangers of swimming in open water.

    Ian Smith was speaking at the opening of an inquest into the death of 13-year-old Ryan Evans from Stoke-on-Trent, whose body was found in Westport Lake last Wednesday.

    He had been spotted in distress with two friends two days before.

    Ryan EvansStaffordshire Police

    Mr Smith said Ryan's death was awful and he was sure his family and friends would hope such a death is not repeated.

    "Our inland waterways are beautiful and enticing but also dangerous," he said.

    Every year coroners receive reports of deaths of people, usually young and usually male, who drown after getting into difficulties in reservoirs, pools, rivers and canals. For obvious reasons they tend to happen in the summer and during periods of prolonged hot weather. Those who take to the water in these circumstances are frequently ignorant of the dangers involved."

    Ian Smith, Coroner

  2. Man killed by stolen car in hit-and-run

    West Midlands Police said it is examining CCTV in a bid to trace two suspects.

    Read More

  3. Speeding drivers caught doing over 100mph on M6 Toll

    Sixteen drivers were caught speeding on the M6 Toll road this morning, with "several" travelling at over 100mph, motorway police said.

    M6 motorwayCPMG

    It tweeted a team had been responding to complaints of "inappropriate speed" on the stretch of motorway this morning.

    It said the 16 had been "dealt with, several for offences over 100mph".

  4. Man arrested in connection with 11-year-old's attempted rape

    A man has been arrested in connection with an attempted rape of a 11-year-old girl.

    The reported attack took place on Fridaty afternoon as the girl walked through Babbs Mill Park in Solihull.

    The man will also be questioned about another similar incident in the area.

    Extra patrols will continue in the area to "offer reassurance" to the community, said West Midlands Police.

  6. Loss of service at rural maternity centres 'inevitable'

    It appears "inevitable" that Shropshire's three rural maternity units will remain closed to women wanting to give birth, the chief executive of the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust has said.

    Simon Wright said that the units in Oswestry, Bridgnorth and Ludlow, which have suffered a series of temporary closures over the past 12 months, will probably continue as centres for women wanting appointments.

    Simon WrightSATH

    A six-week discussion period about the sites' futures starts today, with a proposal to extend the current suspension of services until a new long-term plan can be agreed.

    I think the mums are voting with their feet aren't they. These days we're seeing more complex births, they're wanting to have those births on the main hospital sites."

    Simon Wright, Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust chief executive

  7. Lineside fire causing rail delays

    BBC News Travel

    The fire broke out at Henley-in-Arden.

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  8. Port Vale made to wait for players

    Lee Blakeman
    Port Vale commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

    The Port Vale manager Neil Aspin says he's being forced to wait to bring in new players, because the clubs aren't willing to let them go yet.

    He explained other managers want to assess their playing squads before making any cuts and added: "I've spoke to a couple of clubs about players, they want to have them training with them before they make that decision".

    Neil AspinGetty Images

    Aspin is believed to be looking for another striker, but has dismissed rumours he is close to signing Harry Smith from Millwall.

    He said it would probably be the end of July before he got a decision.

    It's a difficult position to bring anybody in. Ideally if I could get someone in, I'd like to get him in now, so he could work with us, so the pre seaason.

    Neil Aspin, Port Vale manager

  9. Elgar documents move to London despite opposition

    Documents which once belonged to composer Edward Elgar have been moved from his birthplace museum in Worcestershire to the British Museum in London.

    The Elgar Foundation said the move would allow the records to be documented online, allowing more people to access them.

    But those opposed to the move had said moving the archives, which includes research material; furniture; scores; photographs; scrapbooks; newspaper cuttings; and objects Elgar owned disregards his connection to his home county.

    Edward ElgarGetty Images

    More than 3,000 people signed a petition to keep the music manuscripts and letters at at Elgar's birthplace, The Firs, in Broadheath.

    Elgar was born in 1857 and died in 1934. Among his best known work was the Enigma Variations and the Pomp and Circumstance Marches.

  10. Man killed in hit-and-run incident

    A man has died after being hit by a car that failed to stop and had been stolen just minutes before, police said.

    Barras LaneGoogle

    The 38-year-old was walking along Barras Lane, in the Spon End area of Coventry, during the early hours when he was hit by a black Chevrolet Captiva.

    The car owner had earlier been assaulted and threatened at knife point when it was stolen by two men on Gordon Street.

  11. Campaign to save grave of 'lawn tennis pioneer'

    A funding campaign has been set up to restore and maintain the grave of Maj Harry Gem, a man credited with starting lawn tennis.

    Cemetary

    The Birmingham man and Spanish-born Augurio Perera played their first outdoor rackets game, which anticipated lawn tennis, as early as 1859 at Perera's Edgbaston home, said historian Robert Holland.

    Was lawn tennis born in this Birmingham back garden?

    He's trying to raise £10,000 to bring the grave, in Birmingham's Warstone Lane Cemetery, "back to its original glory".

    Funding worth £8,000 has been raised from the Lawn Tennis Association, All-England Club and other bodies.

  13. Suspended Cheshire chief constable 'aggressive bully'

    A "bully" chief constable became aggressive and angry with officers after flooding made him late for work, a misconduct hearing was told yesterday.

    Simon Byrne

    Simon Byrne, who was suspended as chief constable of Cheshire Constabulary last year, is accused of bullying and humiliating staff.

    He denies the allegations, which date from between May 2014 and March 2017.

    The hearing at Warrington Town Hall, which continues today, was told he was "unable to contain personal emotion".

  14. Motorcyclist killed and boy severely injured in lorry crash

    A man has died and a boy left with serious injuries after the motorcycle they were riding was involved in a collision with a lorry.

    Purley Chase LaneGoog;e

    The accident happened on Purley Chase Lane near Mancetter quarry in Warwickshire yesterday evening, said the ambulance service.

    The boy, a pillion passenger, was treated for serious leg injuries.

  15. Video: Riot prison 'being run by prisoners'

    A former worker at a jail where six inmates have died this year said staffing numbers had been cut to unsafe levels since G4S took the prison over.

    Ex-prison officer blames stress of job for panic attacks

    Stuart Weddell, who worked at HMP Birmingham from 1995 until October last year, was dismissed by G4S on ill health grounds after being diagnosed with severe anxiety disorder and depression, which he said was due to his job.

    The 52-year-old from the West Midlands added: "It was absolutely horrendous."

    G4S has denied the claims saying it accepted there were challenges but it was in control and making improvements.

  16. Wood chipping and hill fire tackled

    Fire crews are still at the site of a blaze involving two tonnes of wood chippings on Birmingham Road, Evesham.

    Melvern FireHereford and Worcester Fire Service

    Hereford and Worcester firefighters also worked through the night to contain a fire on the Malvern Hills.

    Crews are back at the West of England Quarry this morning carrying out inspections.

    "We want to make sure there are no embers or hotspots left that we've not seen or catered-for" said George Sherry from the fire service.

  17. Brits help find missing Thai boys

    It's believed one of the rescue team that's helped to find 12 young Thai footballers trapped in a cave, is a firefighter from Coventry.

    (left to right) Richard Stanton, Robert Harper and John VolanthenGetty/AFP

    The trio have been named as (left to right) Richard Stanton, Robert Harper and John Volanthen

    Richard Stanton is thought to be part of the British Cave Rescue Council (BCRC) team called in by the Thai authorities.

    The BCRC said it does not name the cavers it sends on operations, but according to reports the team involved the firefighter, who was also involved in the rescue of 13 British cavers in Mexico in 2004.

    In a 2007 interview, he said he became interested in diving after watching a programme called "Underground Eiger" as a child. He joined caving and diving clubs at university.

    Thailand cave rescue: The moment divers find the boys

  18. Funeral for former England and Coventry rugby player

    Coventry will pay its last respects to Harry Walker, formerly the oldest living England rugby player.

    Harry Walker

    The former England and Coventry player died last month at the age of 103.

    A large crowd is expected to attend his funeral at Holy Trinity Church in Coventry later.

    Here, he recalls the "unbelievable" feeling of making his England debut at Twickenham in 1947, at the age of 32.

  19. 'Disposable bbq causes grass fire'

    A disposable barbecue was the cause of a large grass fire which affected several acres of the Malvern Hills, a senior firefighter said.

    Scene of FireHereford and Worcester Fire Service
    Burnt BBQHereford and Worcester Fire Service

    Station Commander Thom Morgan, from Hereford and Worcester Fire tweeted that ten pumps had "fought tirelessly" to bring the fire, near Earnslaw Quarry, under control.

    "The cause? A disposable BBQ".

    Crews said the fire had been in a difficult location and fighting it had been made more difficult by "turbulent wind conditions."

    People should be careful when using barbecues, they said, and issued safety advice.

  20. Paving slabs, paintings and model plane gifted to police

    Local Democracy Reporting Service
    Herbert Soden

    Sweets, two canvas paintings and eight paving slabs are among items given to a police force by members of the public.

    General view of paving slabs

    The confectionery worth a total of £389.50, was declared by various officers on Staffordshire Police’s Gifts and Hospitality register in the last financial year.

    Staff with the force are told not to accept gifts which could “compromise their impartiality”.

    One entry on the register shows a Police Community Support Officer was gifted two model aircraft, a pocket watch and a Captain Scarlet game to the total value of £20.