Local Democracy Reporting Service
George Makin

Dudley Council has banned sky lanterns after hearing how just one sparked a firestorm resulting in a 6,000ft smoke plume which could been seen 60 miles away.

Image source, Getty Images

Councillors overwhelmingly backed a call to prevent their sale and release from local authority land to help prevent massive fires and harm to farm animals and wildlife.

Councillor Adam Aston, moving the ban, said a paper lantern had caused the biggest blaze in the history of the West Midlands Fire Service when a recycling centre in Smethwick was set alight in June 2013.

A mother from Cradley has thanked fire fighters who rescued her dog when he got stuck in a fence at a playground.

Kimberley Angus, 38, had picked up her step-children Heath, six, and Beau, five, from school in Rubery and took them to a park on Eachway in Rednal on Monday for a picnic, along with son Harry, 12.

She tied up 18-month-old Shih Tzu-Yorkshire Terrier cross Chewy on the fence, while the children went on the swings.

She tried to release him, but realised they would need to call for assistance.

Image source, Kimberley Angus

Crews from Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue service arrived within minutes and used spreaders to release Chewy, who was his usual self in no time.

Scunthorpe United sign winger Alex Gilliead from Shrewsbury Town for an undisclosed fee on a two-year deal.

BBC Sport

Worcestershire will have to score 373 to beat Derbyshire at Kidderminster after finally bowling them out for 377.

Tom Lace has added 31 to his overnight score of 101 for the visitors, but tail-ender Tony Palladino was the star today with 58 off 101 balls after coming in to bat this morning.

Image source, Getty Images

No Worcestershire batsman scored more than 18 runs in their first innings of 113.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

The man leading the independent review of child sexual exploitation in Telford says it's going to focus on cases since 1995 because it would be "difficult to make meaningful conclusions for earlier periods of time".

In the draft terms of reference, the inquiry's chair Tom Crowther QC, says this is, "due to availability of documentation and the fact that practices will have moved on".

Mr Crowther said the inquiry would focus on cases with "some link to Telford" and it might not publish its final report until 2021.

It will look at the response of agencies including the local authority, the police and the NHS and also look at the licensing of the local taxi industry.

BBC News Travel

All the lanes have reopened on the M5 in Worcestershire, but long delays remain, Highways England has said.

It had to stop traffic heading south earlier while spilled cement was swept up, because of the dust being blown across the road.

Highways England says traffic between junctions five and six should return to normal soon.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

A community-run village store is looking to become a permanent fixture, after existing for seven years on a temporary licence.

Tibberton Village shop on Cherrington Road is run by 60 volunteers aged between 14 and 90 and won a Queens Award in 2017.

The application for permanent status is due to go before Telford and Wrekin councillors on 31 July.

Birmingham Live

These are some of the Birmingham Live headlines today:

• Doctor to take Government to court for being sacked over transgender remarks, external
• Massive fire breaks out in Redditch as people urged to stay away, external
• Birmingham homeowners are adding thousands to cost of their homes, external

BBC Radio Shropshire Sport

The New Saints start their Champions League qualifying campaign at home to Feronikeli of Kosovo this evening.

The Welsh champions, who are based in Oswestry, have strengthened their squad over the summer, bringing in players including Keston Davies and Adam Hughes.

The kick-off at Park Hall stadium is at 19:00, with the return leg in Kosovo on 16 July.

Feronikelli have already beaten the champions of Gibraltar and Andorra in the preliminary rounds to reach the first qualifying round.

BBC Weather Watchers

It feels warm outside, but the blue skies appear to have gone for now.

These photos were taken by BBC Weather Watchers in Kings Norton in Birmingham and Lydbury North in Shropshire.

Image source, Ken M

Image source, KarenJ

BBC News Travel

All lanes are at a standstill on the M5 southbound between junctions five for Droitwich and six for Worcester North, while the motorway is cleaned following a crash earlier.

Highways England is clearing spilled cement out of one of the lanes and says the dust is making visibility poor.

Image source, Highways England

A man is in a serious condition in hospital after being stabbed in Coventry last night.

Officers were called to reports of disorder on Stoney Stanton Road in the city centre shortly after 20:00.

The man, in his 20s, later presented himself at a walk-in clinic with stab wounds, said West Midlands Police.

CCTV taken in the area is being reviewed, it said.

An estate agent from Shropshire is hoping to complete his paramotor flight down the length of Britain today.

James Du Pavey is aiming to complete the journey in just two days - the current record is seven days.

He is raising money for a Staffordshire children's hospice and stopped off near his home in Market Drayton last night.

A woman and her baby have been taken to hospital in Telford to be checked over after a lorry collided with their car this morning.

West Midlands Ambulance Service said the crash happened at 08:46 on the A41 near Sheriffhales, at the junction with King Street, and the car suffered rear end damage.

The woman was able to get out of her car herself and neither she nor her baby are thought to be seriously hurt.

The lorry driver didn't need treatment

Manchester City sign former Birmingham City defender Aoife Mannion on a two-year deal.

People with rheumatoid arthritis could benefit from earlier diagnosis thanks to new technology pioneered by the University of Birmingham.

About 500,000 people in the UK suffer from the condition which causes painful inflammation and swelling.

The new technique will create a 3D image of a patient's blood inside their hand which could detect symptoms earlier.

A vehicle was clocked travelling at 140mph on the M5 last night, police say.

Eleven people were arrested in a cross-border crackdown on people driving dangerously.

Express and Star

Some of the early headlines on the Express and Star website are:

• Body found in quarry pool in search for missing teenager, external
• Deaths spark investigation at Walsall Manor Hospital, external
• Homes to be built in Wolverhampton and South Staffordshire, external

Warwickshire face a daunting task on the final day at Southampton after being set 404 to win by Hampshire.

Image source, Warwickshire Cricket Club

After resuming on 198-3, Sam Hain finished unbeaten on 129 after making his first Championship century for three years in the Bears' 307 all out.

Hampshire did not enforce the follow-on, building on a 232-run first-innings lead as Aneurin Donald (52) helped the hosts race to 171-8 in 35.5 overs.

But Kyle Abbott took three wickets in 11 balls as the Bears closed on 31-3.

A third of public requests to extend "lenient" sentences are rejected because the crimes committed are not eligible for review, data reveals.

The government launched the unduly lenient sentence scheme , externalin 1989 after a series of controversial court cases caused public outcry.

One of these cases came to be known as the "Ealing vicarage rape".

The incident, in 1986, involved a gang of burglars who raped Jill Saward - who died in 2017 - after breaking into the vicarage where she lived.

Ms Saward, who lived in Hednesford, Staffordshire, waived her right to anonymity in order to change attitudes towards victims and the support they receive.

One of the men was given a longer sentence for the burglary than the rape.

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