Midlands Live: Breaking news and local stories

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Updates from Monday 19 August to Monday 26 August
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Live Reporting

Listed building could be turned into homeless apartmentspublished at 17:43 British Summer Time 19 August 2019
Local Democracy Reporting Service
Carmelo Garcia
A few of the stories from the Local Democracy Reporting Service today in Herefordshire and Worcestershire:
- A plan to convert a Worcester city centre listed building into 25 flats for the homeless looks set to be approved. The grade II listed Georgian building in Shaw Street could be turned into a number of single-room apartments.
- Local drivers paid more than £4.5m in car parking charges to Herefordshire Council during the last financial year, a freedom of information request has revealed.
- A couple who converted a former village pub into a home, without securing planning permission, have been refused it retrospectively for a third time. Local residents objected to the scheme and the loss of the Newtown Inn in Newtown Cross.
Image source, Google
Wolves fans advised to plan ahead for tonight's matchpublished at 17:33 British Summer Time 19 August 2019
Heading to the Molineux Stadium tonight for Wolves v Man Utd? The advice is to plan ahead as your journey is likely to be disrupted due to an earlier crash on the Metro line.
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Network West Midlands said there would be no trams between The Royal and Wolverhampton St George's.
Five people were treated at the scene of the crash on the line this morning involving a tram and a car, the driver of which had to be taken to hospital.
Your photos: Showers arrivepublished at 17:13 British Summer Time 19 August 2019
BBC Weather Watchers
We promised you a mixture of sunshine and showers today and the rain's certainly arrived in parts of the West Midlands, as some pictures from our BBC Weather Watchers show.
These three are from users Di's walk in Sutton Coldfield, Outwiththedogs in Studley, Warwickshire and Rileyhev in Hereford:
Image source, Di's walk
Image source, Outwiththedogs
Image source, Rileyhev
In the papers: Town bid for railway statuspublished at 16:58 British Summer Time 19 August 2019
Oswestry & Border Counties Advertizer
From the Oswestry & Border Counties Advertizer:
Woman gets UK’s first in-heart microcomputer implantpublished at 16:42 British Summer Time 19 August 2019
A woman from Birmingham has become the first person in the UK to have a wireless microcomputer implanted into her heart.
The device, which was implanted into 75-year-old Margaret McDermott's heart, will provide accurate data about its performance, including blood pressure, to doctors in real time.
Image source, Vectorius Technologies
Image caption,
The device, known as a V-LAP, can be implanted in less than an hour
Mrs McDermott's doctor, Professor Francisco Leyva, said the implant "has the potential to combat three of the biggest problems relating to heart failure disease; low patient quality of life, repeat admissions to hospital and the astronomical cost to the healthcare system of readmissions due to acute heart failure."
Mrs McDermott, from Moseley, said she "felt honoured" to be the first person in the UK to have the operation.
Crewe Alex boss pleased with 'best scoreline in football'published at 16:32 British Summer Time 19 August 2019
Graham McGarry
Crewe Alexandra commentator, BBC Radio Stoke
Crewe Alexandra manager David Artell reckons his side has improved defensively after their first clean sheet of the season against Walsall.
Image source, Getty Images
The Alex have now recorded back-to-back wins in League Two with defender Eddie Nolan scoring the only goal in their 1-0 victory over the Saddlers.
Quote Message
If you win 1-0, some people say it's the best scoreline in football. I'd rather take 3-0 because I want to live beyond 60. It was a really pleasing afternoon off the ball and one or two bits to work on on the ball."
David Artell, Crewe Alexandra manager
Stephen Sutton's mum given Virgin train nameplatepublished at 16:14 British Summer Time 19 August 2019
Ben Godfrey
BBC Midlands Today
A train nameplate honouring teenage cancer fundraiser Stephen Sutton is going to be auctioned off for charity.
Image source, Sutton Family
Virgin Trains has replaced the cast iron sign, put on the train in 2015, with a newer vinyl sticker.
The 19-year-old from Burntwood, in Staffordshire, raised millions for Teenage Cancer Trust before his death in 14 May 2014.
His mum Jane took on the fundraising mantle and, with the overall total now nearing £6m, was presented with the metal sign.
Twenty other nameplates will be auctioned by Virgin Trains for the charity.
Salmon and eels to benefit from 'most complex fish pass'published at 15:59 British Summer Time 19 August 2019
BBC Hereford and Worcester
Work is under way on the "largest and most complex fish pass" an environmental charity's built on a river.
Image source, Wye and Usk Foundation
The Wye and Usk Foundation is spending £144,000 rebuilding Ballsgate Weir near Aymestrey, close to Leominster. , external
If all goes to plan, this autumn salmon, trout and eels should once again be able to reach their spawning grounds in the River Lugg.
Quote Message
Man's built a weir here which is basically stopping them doing what they're supposed to do. By making the weir passable for fish, the fish can do what they need to do."
Simon Evans, Chief executive, The Wye and Usk Foundation
In the papers: Closures start for city resurfacingpublished at 15:46 British Summer Time 19 August 2019
Hereford Times
The Hereford Times' headlines today include:
Plea for time as new signings thrown into the actionpublished at 15:29 British Summer Time 19 August 2019
BBC Shropshire
Shrewsbury Town fans need to give their side more time to gel, their manager says, after a raft of new signings.
Image source, Shrewsbury Town FC
Midfielders Sean Goss and Louis Thompson were thrown straight into Saturday's goalless draw against Rochdale, despite only signing for the club on Friday.
Shrewsbury have won, lost and drawn in their first three games in League One this season.
Quote Message
We're still learning and understanding each other. We're a completely new side, trying to get a slightly different way of playing, that will take time."
Sam Ricketts, Shrewsbury Town manager
Air ambulance at Alton Towers 'after guest falls ill'published at 15:09 British Summer Time 19 August 2019
Allen Cook
BBC News
The air ambulance has been called to Alton Towers this afternoon after a guest fell ill, the theme park's said.
It was called just before 14:00, the ambulance service said.
Row over job cuts plan to fund children's servicespublished at 14:55 British Summer Time 19 August 2019
Plans to cut 248 jobs at Stoke-on-Trent City Council to fund extra investment in children's services have been criticised as "robbing Peter to pay Paul" by trade union Unite.
The council announced the plans last week, saying job cuts would free up £5.5m to redirect to children's services for which there is "unprecedented demand".
Image source, Getty Images
Unite said it "should not be an either or decision" and called on councillors to reconsider the plans.
“We don’t believe that the residents of Stoke-on-Trent are best served by this unpalatable diet of cuts," the union's regional officer, Mick Stevens, said, adding that he had asked for a meeting with Labour councillors to discuss his concerns.
Conservative council leader Abi Brown previously said "investment in children is absolutely the right thing to do".
Pet dog Diesel's visit 'lifts spirits' of injured PCpublished at 14:42 British Summer Time 19 August 2019
PC Gareth Phillips suffered serious injuries in Birmingham when he was run over with his own car.
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Injured PC gets hospital visit from pet dogpublished at 14:36 British Summer Time 19 August 2019
PC Gareth Phillips, who is recovering in hospital after being run over by his own police vehicle when he stopped a suspected stolen car in Birmingham, has had a hospital visit from his pet dog Diesel.
Image source, West Midlands Police
After regaining consciousness, one of the first things that PC Phillips asked about was how Diesel was, West Midlands Police said.
His 13-year-old chocolate labrador was allowed to visit the hospital to say hello and lift his spirits.
“He’s got a shattered pelvis and is in pain, but is taking each day as it comes and is making small steps in his recovery," colleague Supt Dave Twyford said.
Mubashar Hussain, 29, formerly of Sherwood Road, Hall Green, appeared at Birmingham Magistrates' Court last week charged with Mr Phillips's attempted murder.
JLS star in 'good mental space' after cleared of rapepublished at 14:20 British Summer Time 19 August 2019
Former JLS star Oritse Williams is in "a good mental space" after being acquitted of rape earlier this year, his ex-band mate has said.
Mr Williams, 32, was cleared of raping a woman in a hotel room after a gig in Wolverhampton in December 2016 after a trial ending in May this year.
Image source, PA Media
Former band member JB Gill told ITV's Lorraine that the case had had a "profound effect on everything" and had affected Mr Williams.
He said that he and other band members, Marvin Williams and Aston Merrygold were "there for him" throughout the legal battle but they "didn't know the ins outs of everything that happened".
Quote Message
This is now time to build, so we're here for him, encouraging him in that, and whatever he decides to do next I'm sure will be a success."
JB Gill, JLS
Erdington shooting: Murder accused appear in courtpublished at 14:06 British Summer Time 19 August 2019
Two men charged with murdering 20-year-old James Teer in a drive-by shooting in Erdington have appeared in court.
Mr Teer died at the scene on Goosemoor Road on 8 August.
Image source, Family Handout
Ty Blake, 18, of Shustoke Road, Shard End and co-accused Sharn Miles, 19, of Gown Road in Alum Rock, appeared at Birmingham Crown Court earlier.
They were both remanded in custody and are next due to appear on 4 October.
Your photos: Blue sky start to the weekpublished at 13:56 British Summer Time 19 August 2019
BBC Weather Watchers
We have blue skies reported around the region from our local BBC Weather Watchers this morning.
These three are from users Sayers in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, Freckles in Meerbrook, Staffordshire and Dammo in Birmingham:
Image source, Sayers
Image source, Freckles
Image source, Dammo
Stray pig spotted on the loose in citypublished at 13:42 British Summer Time 19 August 2019
Police officers in Birmingham brought home the bacon last night after a stray pig was seen in the Shard End area of the city.
Image source, West Midlands Police
Officers responded to reports of the stray pig at about 23:00 on Sunday and are working with the RSPCA to find it a home.
The West Midlands Police officers said you "couldn't make it up" and asked anyone who may have lost the pig to get in touch.
Image source, West Midlands Police
Villa partners with Acorns Hospice and Birmingham Children'spublished at 13:34 British Summer Time 19 August 2019
Aston Villa has announced that Acorns Children's Hospice and Birmingham Children's Hospital will be the club's charity partners for the next two seasons.
Image source, Aston Villa FC
The club has supported Acorns since 2006 and has a long-standing relationship with the charity - its logo was on the team’s shirts between 2008-2010.
The children's hospice is currently fundraising to keep its Walsall centre open and has a target of £2m.
Chief Executive Toby Porter said it was "a proud moment" for the charity and that the partnership would have an "instrumental role" in the hospice's work.
Farmer's horror after slaves given workpublished at 13:22 British Summer Time 19 August 2019
Victims were employed by the farm unwittingly to pick vegetables destined for major supermarkets.
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