Midlands Live: Breaking news and local stories

Summary

Live updates from Monday 9 July to Sunday 15 July
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Live Reporting

More fish rescued as river continues to dry outpublished at 13:15 British Summer Time 9 July 2018
Allen Cook
BBC News
More fish are being rescued from a river in Herefordshire which is continuing to dry out in the heatwave., external
Image source, Environment Agency
Over the past couple of weeks, the Environment Agency says stretches of the upper River Teme have completely dried out.
Today, they say more of the waterway's drying out near Leintwardine and they've been rescuing lamprey, salmon and trout this morning.
Image source, Environment Agency
Another burst main affecting citypublished at 13:05 British Summer Time 9 July 2018
At least three water main pipes are known to have now burst in Birmingham during the last few days.
Water engineers are working to mend a burst water main on the A5127, Lichfield Road in Aston, Birmingham.
Image source, West Midlands Police
One lane remains closed between Cuckoo Road and the M6, just after the turn-off for Star City.
The road is expected to remain partially closed until Wednesday.
Severn Trent said it also had engineers working on another burst pipe on Cornwall Street, in the city centre.
About 100 properties were affected after a major water main burst on Wheeler Street in the Newtown area on Saturday.
Sheds wrecked in garden firepublished at 12:50 British Summer Time 9 July 2018
Allen Cook
BBC News
Three sheds and several fence panels have been destroyed in a fire this morning.
Image source, Staffordshire Fire Service
It happened on Bank Walk, Burton upon Trent and the fire service says they were called just after 09:40.
They say the fire also spread to gas canisters and a motorbike and it took them until just after 11:10 to put it out, external.
A man and a woman had to be given oxygen after breathing in smoke from the accidentally started fire.
In the papers: Boost for pubs from England successpublished at 12:39 British Summer Time 9 July 2018
Shropshire Star
The Shropshire Star has these headlines:
Your photos: Fields of straw under blue skiespublished at 12:26 British Summer Time 9 July 2018
BBC Weather Watchers
Here are three photos from our BBC Weather Watchers of fields in the hot weather.
They were taken by Peter Steggles in Longnor, Ice Queen in Norton and Red Robin in Kenilworth:
Image source, Peter Steggles
Image source, Ice Queen
Image source, Red Robin
Glass bottle warning after 30 grass firespublished at 12:16 British Summer Time 9 July 2018
Allen Cook
BBC News
Almost 30 grass fires have been tackled by fire crews in Shropshire, external this weekend.
With no rain for several weeks, the fire service says the ground is very dry.
Image source, West Mercia Police
On Friday, three crews had to be sent to a large fire on Lilleshall Hill near Newport. , external
Crews said they found "lots of empty bottles littering the hillside" which can ignite fires when sunlight shines through the glass.
Image source, West Mercia Police
In the papers: Budget consultation beginspublished at 12:00 British Summer Time 9 July 2018
Hereford Times
These are some of the top stories from the Hereford Times:
Warning issued over lake during 'precautionary' testspublished at 11:52 British Summer Time 9 July 2018
Water safety tests are being carried out at West Park Lake in Wolverhampton.
Image source, Wolverhampton Council
Members of the public are being asked not to make contact with the water, keep pets away and not to feed the waterfowl at the site.
The tests are being done as a "precautionary" measure, said City of Wolverhampton Council.
Calls to tackle student rubbishpublished at 11:50 British Summer Time 9 July 2018
Residents are complaining that students are just dumping their rubbish when they leave for the holidays.
Read More
Hundreds back 'splash pad' idea after lake deathpublished at 11:43 British Summer Time 9 July 2018
John Acres
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke
Thousands of people have backed a petition calling for somewhere safe for children to cool off in hot weather.
Gill Potts says she started the petiton after the death of Ryan Evans, 13, at Westport Lake, Stoke-on-Trent.
Image source, Staffordshire Police
His body was found last month, two days after he was seen "in distress" while swimming.
The petition, which has been signed by more than 3,000 people, calls for a splash pad or paddling pool in the city, similar to ones in Stafford, external and Congleton, external.
Quote Message
We've got so many beautiful parks Stoke-on-Trent but the one thing that's actually really missing is a splash pad and then, with the awful events of a couple of weeks ago with Ryan, it really brought home how much we are missing that facility in Stoke-on-Trent."
Gill Potts, Behind petition
Invictus Games: Driver makes team for competitionpublished at 11:19 British Summer Time 9 July 2018
A former Warwickshire soldier who suffers post-traumatic stress disorder has made it onto the team for this year's Invictus Games.
Basil Rawlinson from Leamington Spa is a driver for the racing team.
He suffered both mental and physical injuries and says he used to limit himself as a result.
The games, for people who've been injured while fighting for their country, are being held in Australia.
Quote Message
Getting involved with the games has given me the confidence back to say 'my injuries don't limit me, it's my mind that limits what I'm capable of'.
Basil Rawlinson, Invictus Games team member
Thousands of jobs could follow rail hub planpublished at 11:09 British Summer Time 9 July 2018
Creation of a Midlands Rail Hub could create 8,700 new jobs by 2037, rising to 12,000 by 2044, a new report states.
Image source, Midlands Connect
A new 20-year strategy is being launched today by Midlands Connect, the transport arm of the government's Midlands Engine.
The recommended improvements could see:
- Twice as many pervices per hour from Birmingham to Nottingham, Leicester and Hereford.
- The reinstatement of a direct service between Coventry and Leicester.
- A reduction in travel times on Birmingham services.
Why the long face? Too hot horse rescued from canalpublished at 10:51 British Summer Time 9 July 2018
A horse which decided to take a cooling dip in a nearby canal then had to be winched out.
Image source, West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service
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Firefighters said they left the animal "happy grazing in a field" after the incident, in Alderman's Green, Coventry, over the weekend.
Park suffers second 'arson' in a weekpublished at 10:40 British Summer Time 9 July 2018
Jodie Looker
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
A park bench has been torched in an arson attack,, external the fire service says.
Image source, Cheshire Fire Service
They say they were called to Milton Park, Alsager, Cheshire, early on Saturday morning.
The fire service says it's the second deliberate blaze at the site in the last week.
Hospital order for son who killed fatherpublished at 10:27 British Summer Time 9 July 2018
Sebert Mitchell, 87, died after being found with serious injuries at an address in Birmingham.
Read More
Joe Hart plays cricket during England gamepublished at 10:26 British Summer Time 9 July 2018
BBC Sport
While Jordan Pickford was picking up a man-of-the-match award for his performance in England's World Cup quarter-final against Sweden, the man he replaced as England's undisputed number one - Joe Hart - was turning out for his hometown cricket club, Shrewsbury.
Image source, Getty Images
The 31-year-old had been England's number one at the past three major tournaments but was left out of Gareth Southgate's 23-man squad for Russia.
Shrewsbury won the Birmingham League Premier Division match against Knowle and Dorridge after posting 250-8.
Batting at number nine, Hart scored six runs and took a catch as the visitors finished short on 203-9.
Firefighter at forefront of Thai rescue operationpublished at 10:18 British Summer Time 9 July 2018
The operation to rescue 12 young footballers and their coach from a flooded cave in Northern Thailand is continuing.
Four boys are already safely out but the mission was paused overnight for air tanks to be replaced.
West Midlands Fire Service tweeted yesterday that former Coventry firefighter Richard Stanton was among those leading the operation.
You can follow live updates on the operation here.
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In the papers: Gambling firm bids to keep using helicopterpublished at 10:08 British Summer Time 9 July 2018
Stoke-on-Trent Live
The Stoke-on-Trent Live page has these headlines:
In pictures: City celebrates RAF 100published at 09:58 British Summer Time 9 July 2018
Thousands of people took part in celebrations to mark the centenary of the RAF in Coventry this weekend, said organisers.
A Red Arrows Hawk jet was displayed in the city's Broadgate, along with an array of military vehicles.
Image source, Rigby Group
Image source, Rigby Group
The celebration, organised by the owners of Coventry Airport, the Rigby Group, included a memorial flight from a Dakota from the Battle of Britain.
Image source, Rigby Group
The weekend's celebrations ended with a service at Coventry Cathedral attended by the Lord Mayor.
Quote Message
“Our Cathedral and the Ruins alongside stand as a reminder of the horrors of war and the bravery of those who served, and today they are known around the world as a symbol of our work towards peace and reconciliation - work supported so well by the RAF.
John Blundell, Lord Mayor of Coventry
When the football is tutu good to miss...published at 09:42 British Summer Time 9 July 2018
Birmingham Royal Ballet dancers were snapped watching the England v Sweden World Cup match in the wings.
Image source, Lachlan Monaghan / Birmingham Royal Ballet
Image source, Lachlan Monaghan / Birmingham Royal Ballet
The dancers gathered round the screens as they performed a matinee of La Fille mal gardée at The Bristol Hippodrome.
England won the Saturday afternoon match against Sweden by two goals to nil.