Midlands Live: Breaking news and local stories

Summary

Live updates from Monday 16 September to Sunday 22 September

Live Reporting

Council meeting halted by environmental protesterspublished at 11:33 British Summer Time 19 September 2019
Environmental campaigners carrying placards and a coffin have disrupted a Shropshire Council meeting this morning.
They held a minute's silence for the planet and entered the council chamber to read a statement, but the chair of the meeting, councillor Vince Hunt, told the protesters "this is my meeting, I will talk over you".
Councillors left the chamber until the police asked the protesters to leave.
Power failure caused helicopter crashpublished at 11:17 British Summer Time 19 September 2019
An investigation has found an equipment failure caused a helicopter crash in Worcestershire.
It crash-landed in a field in Upton Snodsbury on 1 August 2018 and the report from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) found power was lost to the main rotor before the helicopter's tail hit the ground.
Image source, WMAS
The AAIB was not able to find what caused the power failure.
At the time, West Midlands Ambulance Service described the pilot and passenger as "incredibly lucky" to have walked away without serious injury.
Stoke top football league arrests tablepublished at 11:06 British Summer Time 19 September 2019
BBC Radio Stoke Sport
Stoke City topped the football league table for the greatest number of supporters arrested last season.
Figures released today show there were 80, with the most common offence being throwing missiles.
Image source, Getty Images
Leeds United had the second highest number of fans arrested, followed by Aston Villa.
Stoke City supporters were also issued the highest number of new football banning orders during last season - 46.
Man arrested on terrorism offencespublished at 10:51 British Summer Time 19 September 2019
Breaking
A man has been arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences.
The 21-year-old was detained at an address in Birmingham, police said.
The arrest was intelligence-led and there was no immediate threat to the public, said West Midlands Police.
He will be interviewed at a police station in the region on suspicion of possessing terrorism material.
Warwickshire look to wrap up Notts inningspublished at 10:39 British Summer Time 19 September 2019
BBC Sport
If Warwickshire can wrap up the Nottinghamshire innings this morning, they could snatch an unlikely win from their county championship match.
Both sides scored close to 500 runs in their first innings, but three wickets from Oliver Hannon-Dalby helped Warwickshire reduce their opponents to 105-5 in their second innings yesterday - a lead of just 115.
Image source, Getty Images
Joe Clarke has been the main obstacle so far - he resumes this morning on 59 not out.
Slavery suspect arrestedpublished at 10:30 British Summer Time 19 September 2019
A woman has been arrested on suspicion of modern slavery and human trafficking offences linked to an investigation in Birmingham.
The 51-year-old Romanian national was arrested after landing at Luton Airport earlier this morning, the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) said.
The arrest is linked to a previous investigation in May which saw two Romanian men and a woman questioned on suspicion of modern slavery and human trafficking, the GLAA said.
Two workers were safeguarded as part of that operation, it added.
HS2 archaeologists uncover the bodiespublished at 10:15 British Summer Time 19 September 2019
Coins, toys and figurines along with the remains of thousands of people have been found during an archaeological excavation of a site in Birmingham as part of the HS2 high-speed rail project.
Image source, HS2 Ltd
More than 6,500 sets of human remains were discovered at the Park Street site, which was opened in 1810 as an overflow cemetery for St Martin-in-the-Bullring.
Some included name plates and researchers are expected to cross reference those with parish records and wills.
Image source, HS2 Ltd
About 70 archaeologists took part in the 11-month dig at the site where HS2's Curzon Street station will be built.
Their work will be on display on Saturday at Eastside City Park in conjunction with the National Trust’s Heritage Open Days.
Image source, HS2 Ltd
In the papers: Ex Albion star shot deadpublished at 10:01 British Summer Time 19 September 2019
Birmingham Live
Some of the Birmingham Live headlines today include:
- Ex-Burton Albion star Kelvin Maynard shot dead in Amsterdam, external
- Man accused of raping stranger in Birmingham city centre, external
- Vulnerable women offered protection amid Soho Road rapist hunt, external
Council gets £3.7m to redevelop brownfield sitespublished at 09:52 British Summer Time 19 September 2019
Telford is getting £3.7m to help develop brownfield sites for housing.
Telford and Wrekin Council said it's getting the money from the Midlands Combined Authority and it will help bring 14 hectares of previously used land back into use - enough for 540 homes.
Image source, Google
The local authority said developers had been reluctant to build on these sites until now, because it was costly to clear them up and make them useable.
The money will be used to pay for this work, to make these sites more attractive for development.
It comes just days after West Midlands Mayor Andy Street promoted the use of brownfield sites - often old industrial or commercial sites - for housing, to protect green spaces.
BBC Bitesize has this handy guide to brownfield versus greenfield development.
Custody sergeant 'overstepped the mark' with strip searchpublished at 09:40 British Summer Time 19 September 2019
Local Democracy Reporting Service
A West Mercia custody sergeant "overstepped the mark" with an unauthorised "intimate" strip search of a drug dealer, a police watchdog has found.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct said the incident, which took place last October, was referred to it by the force "due to concerns that the techniques used by the custody sergeant may not have been acceptable”.
It concluded the custody sergeant overstepped the boundaries unwittingly, but that he may have a case to answer for misconduct.
The IOPC said West Mercia Police "proposed to deal with this through management action”.
More than £133k seized under Proceeds of Crime Actpublished at 09:26 British Summer Time 19 September 2019
More than £130,000 has been taken from criminals who've been convicted or suspected of being concerned in the supply of drugs in Staffordshire.
Image source, Getty Images
Financial investigators at Staffordshire Police have got the money under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
The biggest haul was nearly £120,000 that was seized by officers from a van on the M6 at Stafford.
The cash will be sent to the Home Office and if there aren't any appeals, half of it will be returned to the force.
Building destroyed in firepublished at 09:10 British Summer Time 19 September 2019
Three crews remain at the scene of a large fire at a commercial premises in Leominster.
Image source, Hereford and Worcester Fire Service
Image source, Hereford and Worcester Fire Service
An outbuilding has been destroyed, with crews also fighting a fire in an adjoining two-storey building containing storage units.
At its height, more than 40 firefighters were dealing with the fire on North Road.
One man was treated at the scene for minor injuries, said the fire service.
Image source, Hereford and Worcester Fire Service
In the papers: Man injured in shootingpublished at 08:50 British Summer Time 19 September 2019
Express and Star
From the Express and Star:
- Man, 21, injured in street shooting, external
- Arrest after loaded gun found in Wolverhampton, external
- Teenage car thief locked up after reversing into police during chase, external
Edward Elgar medals theft reconstructedpublished at 08:30 British Summer Time 19 September 2019
Medals awarded to Sir Edward Elgar and stolen from his birthplace in Worcestershire are to feature in a TV reconstruction of the burglary.
Image source, National Trust
The items, including Elgar's Grand Cross of The Royal Victorian Order, were taken from a cottage in The Firs in Lower Broadheath on 27 June.
The items are described as being of national significance.
Image source, National Trust
A reconstruction of the burglary will be shown on Crimewatch Roadshow Live at 09:15 on BBC One.
Ten tonnes of hay ablazepublished at 08:15 British Summer Time 19 September 2019
Fire crews are still at the scene of a blaze involving 10 tonnes of hay in Worcestershire.
Image source, Hereford and Worcester Fire Service
Crews were called to Ryden Lane near Charlton shortly after 23:30 last night.
Image source, Hereford and Worcester Fire Service
Firefighters are using forks and beaters to damp down the fire with nearby residents being warned about smoke in the area.
Street shooting investigatedpublished at 07:51 British Summer Time 19 September 2019
Investigations are continuing this morning after a man was shot in Smethwick.
Image source, SnapperSK
Image source, SnapperSK
Paramedics were called to Barrett Street just before 16:45 on Thursday.
Image source, SnapperSK
The 21-year-old victim was taken to hospital with injuries which aren't believed to be life-threatening.
The road was cordoned off while forensic officers carried out their investigation.
Broken-down vehicle causing M6 delayspublished at 07:29 British Summer Time 19 September 2019
A broken-down vehicle is blocking one lane of the M6 close to Castle Bromwich.
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Video: Your 50-second weather forecastpublished at 07:27 British Summer Time 19 September 2019
Rich Davis
BBC Weather presenter
Early mist and fog patches will clear, leaving a dry day with highs of 17C (63F).
Media caption,
Latest weather for the West Midlands
Live updates for the West Midlandspublished at 07:10 British Summer Time 19 September 2019
Vanessa Pearce
BBC News
Welcome to our live service for Thursday.
We'll be bringing you all the news, sport, travel and weather for the West Midlands.
We love to hear from you so share your news, thoughts and photos of the area with us via email, Twitter, external and Facebook., external
Our live coverage across the daypublished at 19:00 British Summer Time 18 September 2019
Andy Giddings
BBC News
We'll be back with the news, sport, travel and weather from 07:00 tomorrow.