Summary

  • Live updates from Monday 2 July to Sunday 8 July

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  1. Strawberry season 'lot shorter' in hot weatherpublished at 18:38 British Summer Time 2 July 2018

    Vicky Breakwell
    BBC Hereford and Worcester

    The hot weather is not just making us wilt and the countryside dry out - it's also causing problems for fruit and vegetable growers.

    At the weekend, lettuce producers warned of a shortage due to the heat causing the UK crop to stop growing.

    Strawberry growingImage source, Getty Images

    Now, a Worcestershire strawberry grower says all its strawberries have ripened at the same time.

    Bell's Farm near Stourport-on-Severn says it's having to sell the fruit far more quickly, because this year's season has turned into a very short one.

    Quote Message

    We actually grow 14 varieties of strawberries. Varieties should follow on from each other but they're all coming at once this year, due to the hot weather."

    Penny Colwill, Works at Bell's Farm

  2. Walkers urged to avoid area around huge hill firepublished at 18:30 British Summer Time 2 July 2018

    Allen Cook
    BBC News

    Roads are being shut around a huge fire on the Malvern Hills this evening.

    Hereford and Worcester Fire Service says it has six fire crews trying to break up the blaze which covers 400 sq m (478 sq yds)., external

    Smoke from the fireImage source, Chris Winstanley

    Smoke's been drifting across the area, visible from several miles away.

    Hill walkers are being urged not to try to cross the area as the fire is fought.

  3. 'Fast spreading' woodland blaze near Alton Towerspublished at 18:09 British Summer Time 2 July 2018

    Allen Cook
    BBC News

    A large woodland fire's broken out near Alton Towers, external and is spreading fast, the fire service says.

    Five fire crews were sent to the blaze off Red Road, Alton, Staffordshire, just after 15:30 and said it was in a valley near a disused railway line.

    They say the hot weather's given them "challenging circumstances" but they're working with the Forestry Commission to deal with it.

    The service adds that walkers, joggers and dog walkers should not use the area as they could be cut off., external

  4. Men seriously injured in street fightpublished at 18:01 British Summer Time 2 July 2018

    Two men were taken to hospital with serious injuries after being attacked in a Telford street.

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  5. Smoke from Malvern Hills fire seen for milespublished at 18:00 British Summer Time 2 July 2018

    Allen Cook
    BBC News

    The smoke from the fire on the Malvern Hills, external can be seen for many miles around the area.

    Ness Lancett says this photo was taken in Ledbury, to the west of the blaze.

    Smoke off the Malvern HillsImage source, Ness Lancett
  6. Disabled access changes pledged after complaintspublished at 17:54 British Summer Time 2 July 2018

    Vicky Breakwell
    BBC Hereford and Worcester

    Managers at the Royal Worcester Porcelain Works say they will be replacing dropped kerbs which allow wheelchair access to their site on Severn Street.

    The new Henry Sandon Hall opened at the weekend having been vacant since the factory shut in 2008 and features a new arts centre and studio gallery., external

    The new Henry Sandon HallImage source, Henry Sandon Hall

    But wheelchair users contacted BBC Hereford and Worcester to say they were being forced to risk the road to get in because they couldn't get on the pavement.

    The architect behind the development has apologised for what's happened and promised changes will be made.

    Quote Message

    To get the site up and running on Saturday for the opening, we got a temporary ramp in there alongside and that'll stay in place until we get a second temporary and then, as the site gradually opens, the drop kerbs that give access to the whole site will gradually reopen so it's very much a temporary situation."

    Vincent Clark, Architect behind Henry Sandon Hall revamp

  7. Man Utd close to signing Stoke City keeperpublished at 17:40 British Summer Time 2 July 2018

    BBC Sport

    Manchester United are close to signing goalkeeper Lee Grant for about £1.5m from Championship side Stoke City.

    United boss Jose Mourinho wants to let Portugal Under-21 international Joel Pereira go out on loan for the season.

    Lee GrantImage source, Getty Images

    Grant, 35, has played moer than 500 professional games in spells at Derby, Sheffield Wednesday and Burnley.

    He joined Stoke in 2016, but only made five first-team appearances last season, his last coming in a 3-0 Premier League home defeat by Liverpool on 29 November.

  8. Drivers' lucky escape after lorries crashpublished at 17:30 British Summer Time 2 July 2018

    Two drivers have escaped without serious injury after their lorries were involved in a crash in Warwickshire today.

    Crash sceneImage source, Warwickshire Police

    It happened on the A46 in Budbrooke, near Warwick, shortly after 14:20.

    West Midlands Ambulance Service said one driver was assessed by paramedics, but he was uninjured and discharged at the scene.

    Traffic is being diverted via the exit and entry slip roads at the A4177 junction.

  9. 'Turbulent winds' hamper efforts to fight hills blazepublished at 17:24 British Summer Time 2 July 2018

    Allen Cook
    BBC News

    Fire crews say they are battling to make fire breaks in the blaze on the Malvern Hills as they're facing "turbulent winds".

    Hereford and Worcester Fire Service says it was called at 15:22 to the area around Earnslaw Quarry. , external

    It says six fire engines were sent and the fire covers 400 sq m (478 sq yds).

  10. Carlsberg blast victim death 'accidental'published at 17:20 British Summer Time 2 July 2018

    Engineer David Chandler died after inhaling the gas at a brewery, an inquest hears.

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  11. Three arrests as police probe attempted murderpublished at 17:19 British Summer Time 2 July 2018

    Allen Cook
    BBC News

    Violence in Telford which saw two men seriously hurt is being treated by police as attempted murder., external

    Bank WayImage source, Google

    On Friday evening, officers were called to Bank Way, Ketley Bank to reports of men fighting in the street.

    They found two men seriously hurt and say both, one aged 20, the other in his 40s, remain in hospital - although their wounds aren't thought to be life-threatening.

    The older man suffered a slash wound while the other suffered a serious injury to his face.

    The force says two men, 21 and 17, have been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and violent disorder while a third, aged 37, was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder.

  12. 'Student fly-tipping' condemned during move-outpublished at 17:08 British Summer Time 2 July 2018

    Fly-tipped rubbish in the Bournbrook area of Birmingham has been branded a "fire and health hazard" by firefighters.

    rubbishImage source, West Midlands Fire Service

    @Bournbrookfire tweeted, external a call to students to "dispose of rubbish properly when you move out".

    Selly Oak resident, Natalia Hurst tweeted: "The annual student move out, shouldn't be allowed to graduate leaving our community like this."

    She thanked Birmingham bin men who just "cleared my entire street of the huge pile up of student fly-tipping".

  13. Dashcam owners urged to expose bad driverspublished at 16:55 British Summer Time 2 July 2018

    BBC Technology

    A new way to allow motorists and cyclists to submit footage of dangerous driving to police has been described as "groundbreaking" by the West Mercia force.

    Set up by a dashcam manufacturer, the website allows visitors to upload videos before sending footage to the right police force.

    A dashcamImage source, Nextbase

    It also redirects visitors to those forces with their own submission websites.

    If you film an incident in Stoke, for example, you can now fill out details online but will still need to submit the report via email to Staffordshire Police.

    If you are in Worcester, however, you can submit your video directly through the platform to West Mercia Police as it is a partner.

    Quote Message

    While the benefits to motorists of this groundbreaking portal are clear, this convenience extends to police forces. A process which previously took hours can now be reduced to a matter of minutes."

    Supt Paul Moxley, West Mercia Police

  14. Coventry sign defender Williamspublished at 16:45 British Summer Time 2 July 2018

    Coventry City sign Mickleover Sports defender Morgan Williams for an undisclosed fee on a two-year deal.

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  15. Car stolen after owners 'confronted in street'published at 16:40 British Summer Time 2 July 2018

    A car has been stolen after thieves confronted the owners in the street and took the keys to the vehicle.

    Victoria Road, BridgnorthImage source, Google

    Police say it happened last night on Victoria Road, Bridgnorth, , externaland the owners were left shaken but unhurt.

    They add that two teenagers, aged 19 and 16, and a 40-year-old man have been arrested and are in custody.

  16. Drone footage captures moorland blazepublished at 16:30 British Summer Time 2 July 2018

    The fire near Leek in Staffordshire has been burning since Saturday afternoon.

    Read More
  17. Heatwave delays trainspublished at 16:28 British Summer Time 2 July 2018

    BBC News Travel

    Rail delays caused by a signalling fault between Lichfield Trent Valley and Birmingham New Street are expected to last until at least 18:00.

    Due to a speed restriction, because of high track temperatures between Hartlebury and Droitwich Spa, services between these stations are also delayed, said West Midlands Railway.

  18. Season ticket sales reach 6,000published at 16:23 British Summer Time 2 July 2018

    More than 6,000 season tickets have been sold for Coventry City's new campaign in League One.

    It's the first day of training today, after winning promotion last season.

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