Summary

  • Updates from Monday 5 August to Sunday 11 August

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  1. Birmingham Bears sign Australian all-rounder Greenpublished at 11:43 British Summer Time 9 August 2019

    Birmingham Bears sign Australian all-rounder Chris Green to replace the injured Ashton Agar in this season's T20 Blast.

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  2. Fly-tipping vans crushedpublished at 11:43 British Summer Time 9 August 2019

    Four vehicles caught on CCTV illegally dumping rubbish in Wolverhampton have been crushed by the city council.

    The fly-tippers were caught dumping fridges and household waste on a number of occasions, less than 10 minutes away from two local tips.

    Van being crushed

    The local authority said it had decided to take action in a bid to clamp down on fly-tippers across the city.

  3. 'We just went in, kicking doors open'published at 11:35 British Summer Time 9 August 2019

    Jennie Aitken
    Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

    A man says he went into the retirement complex and kicked down doors to rescue elderly residents after the huge blaze broke out.

    Lee

    Fire crews have been at the site since yesterday afternoon battling the fire at the Beechmere supported living complex in Rolls Avenue, Crewe, Cheshire.

    Lee told BBC Radio Stoke he was called at 16:00 to say the place was on fire and he was initially told by fire crews that everyone in the building had to stay inside.

    "I was like, 'my nan's in there, I'm going in' so we just went in, got a couple of other lads, we were just going in with police officers, kicking doors open, helping people out", he said.

    "There were quite a few bed-bound people, we picked three or four, maybe five bed-bound people up. Me, couple of officers had to carry them out."

  4. 'The sky was orange, ash falling and glass cracking'published at 11:21 British Summer Time 9 August 2019

    Lee Thomas
    Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

    I was the first BBC Radio Stoke reporter at the scene of the fire last night and it looked like a scene of devastation, the sky was orange and ash was falling from the sky.

    The fireImage source, Cheshire Fire Service

    I've never seen so many firefighters in one place, there were crowds on the streets with everyone looking at the sky.

    The area around the retirement complex in Crewe is pretty tightly packed with houses and there was a lot of concern from locals about people in the building.

    As I spoke to residents, I could hear parts of the building falling away, glass cracking and floors failing.

  5. Barry set to sign new West Brom contractpublished at 11:12 British Summer Time 9 August 2019

    Gareth Barry is set to re-sign for West Bromwich Albion just weeks after his deal ended at the Championship club.

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  6. Council pauses bypass plans for £120K reviewpublished at 11:10 British Summer Time 9 August 2019

    Work on the Hereford bypass and southern link road is being paused to allow the new administration at Herefordshire Council to look at alternative options.

    The local authority has agreed to spend £120,000 on a review of the two projects and a decision is expected to be made later this year.

    Herefordshire CouncilImage source, Google

    Hereford's MP Jesse Norman has warned that the council could miss out on £180m from Westminster if it doesn't go ahead with the Western bypass and cancelling the bypass could see them having to repay £10m already spent.

    Since the May elections, the council has been run by a coalition of independents, It's Our County and the Greens.

  7. Two people taken to hospitalpublished at 11:07 British Summer Time 9 August 2019

    Two people were taken to hospital suffering injuries not thought to be serious, said the ambulance service.

    Media caption,

    Fire destroys residential complex

    One was suffering chest pains and another an eye injury.

    Residents living near the scene of the fire are continuing to be advised to keeping their windows and doors closed as there is a lot of smoke in the area, police said.

  8. Flash floods cause travel problemspublished at 10:53 British Summer Time 9 August 2019

    BBC News Travel

    There's queuing traffic on Newport Road in Albrighton, Shropshire due to flooding under the railway bridge.

    Although the road is not officially closed, the fire service is reporting the water is deep in the area, close to the Wyevale Garden Centre.

    And the Enginuity museum in Coalbrookdale has been forced to close because of flooding.

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  9. Residents rally with donations after firepublished at 10:47 British Summer Time 9 August 2019

    Collection points are being set up across Crewe as people donate clothes, bedding and more to help residents of a retirement complex in Crewe after the devastating fire.

    FireImage source, Cheshire Fire Service

    Cheshire East Council's Communities Facebook page, external is co-ordinating a list of places where residents can give items.

    The Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust tweeted, external that it's looking into a staff appeal to help.

  10. Girl hit by car seriously injuredpublished at 10:35 British Summer Time 9 August 2019

    A girl is in hospital with serious injuries after being hit by a car in the Sparkhill area of Birmingham yesterday afternoon.

    West Midlands Ambulance Service said it was called to Leominster Road at 16:35 and she was taken to Birmingham Children’s Hospital where her condition was described as critical.

    Ambulance
  11. Photos: Retirement complex engulfed in flamespublished at 10:34 British Summer Time 9 August 2019

    Allen Cook
    BBC News

    These photographs of the blaze last night in Crewe have been released by Cheshire Fire Service this morning.

    Fire crews from across Cheshire and Staffordshire were called to fight the blaze.

    BBC Radio Stoke's Lee Thomas who was covering the fire yesterday said he watched part of the retirement complex collapse as flames engulfed the building.

    The fireImage source, Cheshire Fire Service
    The fireImage source, Cheshire Fire Service
    The fireImage source, Cheshire Fire Service
  12. Firefighters face 'significant challenges'published at 10:22 British Summer Time 9 August 2019

    Firefighters tackling the Beechmere complex blaze are facing "significant challenges" due to the size and severity of the fire.

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    Neil Griffiths, who is the fire commander in charge of the incident, said: “This is a substantial fire in a very large and complex building.

    "More than 70 firefighters have been at the scene overnight tackling the blaze – the response effort has been immense.

    “Our efforts have been hampered by the weather, the layout of the site and the access to it but I want to reassure everyone that we are doing all that we can to bring the fire under control as quickly as possible."

  13. Ruscoe deflated after heavy Europa League defeatpublished at 10:14 British Summer Time 9 August 2019

    BBC Radio Shropshire Sport

    The New Saints manager Scott Ruscoe has been left feeling deflated after last night's 5-0 away defeat to Ludogorets in their Europa League qualifier.

    They fell behind in the 10th minute and were 3-0 down at half time. Afterwards Ruscoe said: "We're saying we've made good strides, we're trying to improve in everything we do and then we come off with a defeat like that."

    Scott Ruscoe

    TNS play the home leg at Wrexham next Thursday and Ruscoe said they would remember last season's Champions League qualifier against KF Shkëndija of Macedonia when they trailed 5-0 from the first leg.

    They almost pulled off a shock in that tie, after winning the home leg 4-0.

  14. In the papers: Neighbours rushed to help elderly evacuatepublished at 10:06 British Summer Time 9 August 2019

    The Crewe retirement complex fire's dominating local newspaper coverage this morning:

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  15. In pictures: Retirement complex firepublished at 09:51 British Summer Time 9 August 2019

    Firefighters are likely to remain at the Beechmere complex throughout the day and into the weekend, police say.

    FireImage source, Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service
    FireImage source, Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service

    The building has sustained significant damage and has partially collapsed.

    Efforts to fight the fire were hampered by the weather, the layout of the site and access to it said the fire service.

    FireImage source, Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service
    FireImage source, Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service

    A number of road closures remain in place, including at Minshull New Road, Bradfield Road, Parkers Road and Underwood Lane.

  16. Community response to fire 'nothing short of remarkable'published at 09:33 British Summer Time 9 August 2019

    The response by residents supporting those affected by the Beechmere complex fire has been "nothing short of remarkable," police said.

    Local residents have been offering support by donating items and providing lifts to residents who had to be moved.

    FirefightersImage source, Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service

    Residents were evacuated following the incident and initially taken to nearby rest centres.

    “Your kind-hearted gesture will have been very much appreciated by everyone involved and I’m sure will have brought some comfort to the residents affected by the fire," said Supt Pete Crowcroft, from Cheshire police.

    The Salvation Army and British Red Cross has also provided support at the site throughout the night into the morning – for both residents affected by the incident and firefighters who remain at the scene.

  17. Fire engulfs retirement homespublished at 09:00 British Summer Time 9 August 2019

    One hundred and fifty people are evacuated as a fire destroys the building in Crewe.

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  18. Retirement complex fire: View from the scenepublished at 08:53 British Summer Time 9 August 2019

    Jennie Aitken
    Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

    I can still see the flames licking up into the sky at the Beechmere complex.

    It's a very busy scene here, the firefighters are being handed water and bacon sandwiches, because they have been working tirelessly through the night to tackle this fire.

    FirefightersImage source, Cheshire Fire and Rescue
    FirefightersImage source, Cheshire Fire and Rescue

    The structure itself is skeletal, it looks like scaffolding.

    It's completely blackened, charred, there is the bare bones of brickwork left and I can see the iron balcony and railings that have just about stayed intact.

    In the time that I've been here I've seen several of those balconies collapse, as this fire has just taken hold completely.

    It's a real shock to look at.

  19. Resident left 'with only the clothes she stood up in'published at 08:20 British Summer Time 9 August 2019

    The daughter of one resident moved from the Beechmere complex after a severe fire said her mum had been left with "only the clothes she was stood up in".

    Media caption,

    Fire engulfs a retirement complex

    Claire Bagnall told BBC Radio Stoke that mum Nora, 85, had spent the night in temporary accommodation.

    "She's just all disorientated," she said. "I don't think she realises just how serious it is, she seems to think she could go back today, she could just go back in and get her things, but that's not going to be the case. "

    She also thanked emergency services and nearby residents who had helped.

    "They were brilliant, they got everybody out and everybody rehoused."

    "People were just donating clothes, food and drink - Crewe really did pull together last night."