Midlands Live: Breaking news and local stories

Summary

Updates from Monday 22 July to Sunday 28 July
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Live Reporting

Who's got the coolest office?published at 14:20 British Summer Time 25 July 2019
Coventry Blaze ice hockey side seems to be trolling the rest of us.
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Sun great news for city beach barpublished at 14:13 British Summer Time 25 July 2019
Jessica Labhart
BBC News
A beach bar in Birmingham is expecting a deluge of drinkers.
"We get very popular because I think we remind people of their holidays," says Paul, who runs the bar near the Bullring.
"We're a bit scared today to be honest because it only takes one or two drinks for people to get drunk in this heat."
Men deny murder of woman who went missingpublished at 14:08 British Summer Time 25 July 2019
The not-guilty pleas come after the discovery of Julia Rawson's body in June.
Read More
Police show CCTV shots of man after bank card fraudpublished at 14:06 British Summer Time 25 July 2019
Police say they have now obtained CCTV images of a man who may be involved in a fraud using bank cards stolen from a hotel in Grange, on the shores of Morecambe Bay, and then used in Stoke.
Image source, Cumbrian Police
Officers say the cards were stolen in a break in at the Grange Hotel at the end of May, and the PIN was then obtained by someone purporting to be from the bank's fraud unit.
A large amount of cash was then withdrawn at Barclays in Hanley, soon after the burglary.
In the papers: Splash zone closedpublished at 14:00 British Summer Time 25 July 2019
Coventry Live
Some of the Coventry Live headlines today are:
- Why was War Memorial splash zone closed and will it open today, external?
- Teen calls for action on city centre groping and harassment, external
- What next to remove the ugly green escalator?, external
Funeral for student paramedic who died in ambulance crashpublished at 13:50 British Summer Time 25 July 2019
Ambulance staff, family and friends have been attending the funeral of a student paramedic who died following an ambulance crash in Staffordshire.
Tammy Minshall, who was 31 and from Stretton, passed away in hospital after the collision near Burton upon Trent earlier this month.
Image source, WMAS
West Midlands Ambulance Service said at the time it was "tragic that someone died doing the job they loved".
And today it tweeted to say, external: "We are reminded of someone who was highly thought of as a student paramedic and had an amazing career ahead of her. Rest in Peace Tammy."
Image source, WMAS
Overhead power line problem halts tram servicespublished at 13:43 British Summer Time 25 July 2019
BBC News Travel
Tram services across the Metro network have been temporarily halted due to problems with the overhead power lines.
Tickets are being accepted on local bus services.
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Men deny murdering woman who went missingpublished at 13:32 British Summer Time 25 July 2019
Two men have denied murdering a woman whose body was found a month after she went missing.
Image source, West Midlands Police
Julia Rawson, 42, from Dudley, was last seen on 12 May and her body was found in Mission Drive on 12 June.
At Wolverhampton Crown Court today Nathan Maynard-Ellis, 28, from Tipton, and David Leesley, 23, of Russells Hall, entertered not guilty pleas to a charge of murder.
They were both remanded in custody until a further hearing in October.
Boats on fire at marinapublished at 13:27 British Summer Time 25 July 2019
A fire involving at least three boats is being tackled by firefighters at Upton marina in Worcestershire.
They were called out at 12:20 to reports one boat was on fire, but it has since spread and at least one of the affected boats is believed to have gas cylinders on board.
Image source, Google
Nobody has been hurt, but people are being advised to avoid the area.
Overhead cable damage delays trainspublished at 13:20 British Summer Time 25 July 2019
BBC News Travel
Damage to overhead cables between Aston and Walsall is expected to disrupt rail services until 15:00.
Services may be delayed, cancelled or revised, said National Rail.
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LDRS: Waste recycling site given permission to continuepublished at 13:14 British Summer Time 25 July 2019
Local Democracy Reporting Service
Here are three of the stories being covered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service in the West Midlands today:
- A waste recycling site in Tunstall has been allowed to continue operating close to a residential street, despite families raising concerns over dirty roads and trucks causing congestion.
- Plans for seven homes on the site of a fire-damaged derelict pub in Walsall can still go ahead, planners decide.
- Fundraisers are hoping to collect £10,000 to pay for CCTV at a children's play area that was set alight by vandals.
Ice lollies and bath toys to help big cats stay coolpublished at 13:05 British Summer Time 25 July 2019
Andy Giddings
BBC News
The big cats at West Midland Safari Park are keeping cool today with the help of specially made ice lollies and inflatable toys, provided by the staff.
The lollies are a mixture of meat frozen in water and blood and have been hidden around their habitats, so they can discover them.
Image source, West Midland Safari Park
The inflatable toys have been placed around pools, to encourage the lions and tigers to take a dip.
Image source, West Midland Safari Park
Police chief responds to PM's officers pledgepublished at 12:59 British Summer Time 25 July 2019
Boris Johnson has promised 20,000 extra police officers, but how do the numbers work for the West Midlands?
Read More
Man stabbed 'in fight outside pub'published at 12:58 British Summer Time 25 July 2019
A 21-year-old has been arrested over the incident on Wednesday night.
Read More
Temperatures rise in food vanspublished at 12:54 British Summer Time 25 July 2019
Jessica Labhart
BBC News
And it's not just spuds...
It's proving hot in snack vans up and down the land.
Anne has been working in one such van in Birmingham since 06:00 and said the thermometer was showing 32C even before 10:00.
"I think I'm going to die! The cold drinks will sell really well though," she said.
"The water will just fly off the shelf."
'Not the weather to sell hot potatoes'published at 12:44 British Summer Time 25 July 2019
Allen Cook
BBC News
Spare a thought in today's heatwave for those having to slave over a hot plate for their business.
In the middle of Stoke-on-Trent, Andrea, known locally as 'the potato lady' has been in her cabin in Hanley since 06:30 and it was 28C inside at 07:00.
"Don't think we'll sell many hot potatoes today," she said, "but drinks and hot dogs are selling."
There's no fan in the cabin but Andrea's making good use of her door.
"There's at least a bit of a breeze around this morning."
In the papers: Teenagers storm supermarketpublished at 12:33 British Summer Time 25 July 2019
Birmingham Live
Some of the Birmingham Live headlines today are:
Too hot for hot potatoespublished at 12:23 British Summer Time 25 July 2019
Andy Giddings
BBC News
You know it's hot when cafes have to stop serving hot potatoes.
One of the BBC Weather Watchers spotted this sign in a window in Streetly this morning.
Image source, Summer Walks
Ice creams sales 'not like they used to be'published at 12:11 British Summer Time 25 July 2019
Allen Cook
BBC News
Who wouldn't want an ice cream on a day like today?
But in his van in the middle of Stoke-on-Trent, Joe Lewis is pretty glum.
"People aren't stopping like they used to," he says.
He's been on his spot in Hanley since 09:15.
Joe says it's "not the business it used to be in Stoke-on-Trent, not like past decades" but he's hopeful it might turn around later today.
Your comments: Bromsgrove MP becomes Chancellorpublished at 12:02 British Summer Time 25 July 2019
Facebook
The appointment of the the Bromsgrove MP, Sajid Javid, as Chancellor of the Exchequer has met with some caution on BBC Hereford and Worcester's Facebook page., external
Danny W. Gill wrote: "Another remainer as Chancellor. I'm not sure about that, but will give him the benifit of the doubt for now."
And Graham Palmer warned: "He will have to support Boris or he is gone."
Image source, Getty Images
Lorraine Pironnet also seemed prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt, writing: "Hope that isn't Boris' first mistake. He's a Remoaner, so have my doubts about him. But, to be fair, he does bring a certain energy to his ministerial positions."