Summary

  • Live updates from Monday 17 September to Sunday 23 September

  • Click on related stories for updates from your area

  1. Police station set to closepublished at 17:31 British Summer Time 17 September 2018

    Phil McCann
    Cheshire Political Reporter, BBC News

    A police station could be shut and officers moved into a fire station instead, under plans being considered this week., external

    Crewe's police stationImage source, Google

    A report before Cheshire Fire Service's fire authority says the police buildings in Crewe's civic centre are too big and not fit for purpose.

    The proposals are up for approval on Wednesday, external, but the report warns the authority that it’ll be "challenging" and planning permission will be needed.

  2. Jaguar workers put on three-day weekpublished at 17:31 British Summer Time 17 September 2018

    The UK's largest carmaker is making "temporary adjustments" to shifts at its Castle Bromwich plant.

    Read More
  3. Suspended police chief 'known as Darth Vader' by staffpublished at 17:11 British Summer Time 17 September 2018

    Phil McCann
    Cheshire Political Reporter, BBC News

    A panel’s been told a chief constable "completely destroyed" some of those who worked under him.

    Simon Byrne, who was suspended from Cheshire Constabulary last year, is accused of bullying and humiliating staff between May 2014 and March 2017.

    Simon Byrne

    In closing submissions today the panel was told he was often childish and was known by some staff as Darth Vader.

    It was also claimed some people left the force because of his behaviour.

    Mr Byrne has denied any wrongdoing and his defence said he had an impeccable and unblemished record as a first-class officer with 35 years experience. It claimed the investigation into him had been unfair.

    The panel will now deliberate before reaching a verdict.

  4. Your photos: Autumn scenespublished at 17:02 British Summer Time 17 September 2018

    BBC Weather Watchers

    There's a real autumnal feel now in the photos we're getting from our local BBC Weather Watchers.

    These two are from users Postman Les in Bromyard, Herefordshire, and LuluB in Dawley, Shropshire:

    BromyardImage source, Postman Les
    DawleyImage source, LuluB
  5. Hospital expansion plans submittedpublished at 16:52 British Summer Time 17 September 2018

    Local Democracy Reporting Service
    Carl Jackson

    Plans have been lodged to expand a hospital, which would enable it cater for up to 4,000 additional patients a year.

    Royal Orthopedic Hospital NorthfieldImage source, Google

    The trust in charge of The Royal Orthopaedic in Northfield has submitted proposals to Birmingham City Council to build a two-storey extension.

    The facility, to be constructed on part of the premises demolished in 2016, would house four operating units on the ground floor and 24 beds on the first floor.

    The trust says the development will cater for current and future demand.

  6. The nation's favourite trees announcedpublished at 16:41 British Summer Time 17 September 2018

    A Shropshire tree's in the running to be named England's Tree of the Year., external

    Arbor TreeImage source, Rob Grange/WTML

    The Arbor tree in Aston on Clun is the successor to the original Arbor tree which dated back to the 18th Century but collapsed in a storm in 1995.

    The current one was grown from a cutting, taken 10 years before the collapse, and planted in the same site.

    The tree that wins the Woodland Trust's public vote - which has now started - will secure a £1,000 care package from the People's Postcode Lottery., external

  7. Street drinking ban comes into force in city centrepublished at 16:31 British Summer Time 17 September 2018

    BBC Hereford and Worcester

    A public drinking ban has come into force across the whole of the centre of Worcester, the city council says., external

    Bottle to lipsImage source, PA

    The new Public Spaces Protection Order means police officers can penalise and fine anyone breaking the order.

    The council says it follows a public consultation during which hundreds of people said street drinking was a "big" or "fairly big" issue in Worcester.

  8. Rape investigation launchedpublished at 16:21 British Summer Time 17 September 2018

    Police have launched an investigation after a woman was raped inside a Nuneaton property.

    The attack on the 18-year-old happened in a property on Tennant Street in the town in July, but only reported on Saturday , said Warwickshire Police., external

    Det Con Kate Williams said: "This was clearly a distressing incident for the victim and we have specially trained officers providing her support at this time.

    Officers are asking anyone with information to come forward.

  9. Pubs to stock bleed control bags in response to stabbingspublished at 15:55 British Summer Time 17 September 2018

    A brewery is hoping to help tackle knife crime by pledging to keep special bleed control kits in each of its 20 bars across the Midlands.

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of twitter post

    It follows a campaign, launched by the family of stabbing victim Dan Baird calling for people to be better protected on a night out.

    The kit, which includes a gauze bandage, tourniquet and scissors, is designed to keep a stabbing victim alive until an ambulance arrives on the scene.

    You can see more on Inside Out West Midlands on BBC One at 19:30, or afterwards on the iPlayer.

  10. Brexit 'protections for car makers'published at 15:45 British Summer Time 17 September 2018

    A spokesman for the prime minister said the Chequers Brexit proposals included protections for the car industry and others that depend on the swift import and export of products.

    The comments last week were in response to warnings from JLR Chief Executive Ralph Speth that jobs and its profits were under threat as Britian prepares to leave the EU.

    The PM's spokesperson said the "common rule book would help ensure frictionless trade with the EU and would see our car sector continue to flourish."

    He added the government had been "engaged with the automotive industry throughout this process... We're working to secure a good deal and the PM is confident that we will succeed in this."

    The chequers deal is under the spotlight in a special edition of Panorama tonight at 20:30 on BBC One.

  11. Girl, 14, leads police on car chasepublished at 15:39 British Summer Time 17 September 2018

    Traffic police pursuing a car say they were "shocked" to find a 14-year-old girl behind the wheel.

    Read More
  12. 'Crisis' jail plan focuses on safetypublished at 15:38 British Summer Time 17 September 2018

    HMP Birmingham was described as the "worst prison" the Chief Inspector of Prisons had ever been to.

    Read More
  13. JLR cuts due to 'chaotic mismanagement of Brexit'published at 15:37 British Summer Time 17 September 2018

    The Unite trade union has hit out at plans to move workers at Castle Bromwich on to a three-day week until Christmas.

    It blamed Brexit negotiations and the transition away from diesel engines for damaging "the jewel in the crown of UK manufacturing – our automotive industry".

    Speaking last week, a government spokesperson said the Chequers plan included protection for the automotive industry.

    JLR workers
    Quote Message

    This is the continuing effect of the chaotic mismanagement of the Brexit negotiations by the government which has created uncertainty across the UK's automotive industry and the manufacturing sector generally. It is also the result of the mishandling of how the UK makes a just transition from diesel and combustion engines to electric vehicles."

    Tony Burke, Unite union

    Unite's assistant general secretary also said comments made by Brexiteer MP Sir Bernard Jenkin, who accused Ralf Speth of "making it up" when it comes to Brexit and the car industry, "highly irresponsible and misinformed".

  14. Giant giraffes taken off city streetspublished at 15:25 British Summer Time 17 September 2018

    Allen Cook
    BBC News

    About 60 giraffe sculptures will go on display for one final time before half of them are auctioned off for charity.

    One of the giraffes being removedImage source, Worcestershire County Council

    The public art's formed a trail across the streets of Worcester since July, but the county council's now removed them. , external

    The collection, made up of 30 giant (8ft/2.4m) giraffes and 27 smaller ones, will be displayed at the city's cathedral for four days from 4 October. , external

    Then the 30 giant ones will be auctioned off in aid of a local hospice and the "calves" returned to the schools and groups that decorated them.

  15. Officers attacked during 'boy racer' crackdownpublished at 14:57 British Summer Time 17 September 2018

    Two police officers were attacked during a crackdown on "boy racers" in Birmingham, police said.

    Car cruisersImage source, West Midlands Police
    Car cruisersImage source, West Midlands Police

    West Midlands Police tweeted, external that four people had been arrested for breaching a court injunction banning street racing.

    Drones were used to collect evidence of the incident, which happened in the Nechells area of the city, it said.

  16. More police patrols after laughing gas found near schoolpublished at 14:43 British Summer Time 17 September 2018

    Tom Edwards
    Reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester

    An increasing number of small canisters of nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas or Hippy Crack, are being found in Worcestershire, police say.

    A hand with some of the latest canisters found in Worcestershire

    The force says it's increasing street patrols to try and tackle the problem after the latest discoveries near Nunnery Wood Primary School, Worcester, and in Rubery, near Bromsgrove.

    The gas is taken by hundreds of thousands of people every year as a recreational drug but it is illegal to sell for human consumption.

    As well as the police taking action, the county council says it's now written to National Trading Standards to try and get help to tackle the problem.