Local Democracy Reporting Service

The Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust are likely to be spared a fine of £148,500 for breaking rules on placing patients in mixed-sex wards.

Since April 2011, trusts have been fined £250 when a patient is placed on a mixed-sex ward and the trust, which runs the hospitals in Redditch, Kidderminster and Worcester, breached the rule 594 times in the last 12 months.

NHS England introduced the guidance to "ensure safety, privacy and dignity for patients".

The Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said: "under the current contractual arrangement with our Worcestershire CCGs, these penalties are not imposed on us by them."

But it added: "This does not in any way lessen our commitment to reducing mixed sex breaches" and said it meant the money could be spent on patient care instead.

Police investigating the street attacks have released CCTV footage in connection with their investigation.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Plans to build 160 homes on land just outside Worcester have been withdrawn after attracting more than 100 objections.

Developers Lovell Partnerships and Walsall Housing Group had applied to build the homes near Station Road in Fernhill Heath, but concerns were raised about the development of the countryside and pressure on local services.

Image source, Google

Birmingham Live

Some of the Birmingham Live headlines this morning include:

• Terror as arsonist throws petrol bombs at two cars on successive nights, external
• Major water main bursts and huge flood hits street, external
• Two hurt in street fight on one of Birmingham's busiest roads, external

Crewe go top of League Two with two late goals to thwart Carlisle United's fightback at Brunton Park.

A closer alliance between the fire service for Shropshire and the Hereford and Worcester fire service could be agreed today.

They're been sharing computer systems, fire control and risk management for the last year and now want to work together on procurement too.

Shropshire's fire authority approved the move last week and Hereford and Worcester's fire authority will be asked to do the same today.

MEP Ellie Chowns has tweeted she was arrested in Trafalgar Square on Monday while defending the right to peaceful public protest.

Police have banned climate change protests in London by the activist group Extinction Rebellion, after more than a week of disruption.

Extinction Rebellion said the London-wide ban was an outrage and the Green Party MEP has called it a "completely unjustified and disproportionate measure".

Once Upon A Time In Birmingham: Women Who Dared To Dream is a book commissioned to mark the centenary of women getting the vote and which was published 12 months ago.

Funds from sales are being used to , externalhelp girls achieve their academic or career goals in a scheme run by the Lord Mayor of Birmingham's Charity.

Applications can be made for individual grants of up to £250 to support academic or career dreams – be it an activity, course, books, equipment or accessing work experience, said the city council.

Fourteen people have been arrested in a week-long drugs operation.

Police targeted county lines gangs in Shropshire and raided five homes and stopped 75 vehicles.

The force said it seized "large quantities" of Class A and B drugs, firearms, machetes, knives and £14,500 in cash.

A conservationist will be given a special award, for his work to protect rare British wildlife.

Image source, Stuart Edmunds

Stuart Edmunds, from Shropshire, started a research survey on pine martens, which were thought to be extinct - but by using camera traps he was able to film them in the wild.

The International Fund for Animal Welfare will honour his dedication to conservation at the House of Lords later.

It described him as "a great example of animal welfare in action".

BBC News Travel

A crash involving two lorries has closed the A46 Stratford Road westbound in Longbridge, Warwickshire.

There's an oil spillage on the westbround carriageway from J15 of the M40 to B4463, Warwick bypass.

There's severe congestion in the area with queuing on all approaches to the M40 roundabout.

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Alex Moore

Two hundred homes and a primary school will be built on the site of a former sugar beet factory, if plans are approved.

Image source, SJ Roberts Construction Ltd

The former British Sugar factory in Allscott, Shropshire, has been dormant since 2007.

Outline planning permission was given in 2014 for 470 homes on the land along with the school, a health centre, sports facilities and shops.

Developer SJ Roberts Construction Ltd has now revealed its plans for the first part of the development which, if agreed by Telford and Wrekin Council, would span the B4394 between Allscott and Walcot.

Express and Star

Some of the Express and Star headlines today include:

• Flood clean-up after burst main chaos, external
• Kids hit back against crime with help from boxing club, external
• Primary school doubling in size to cope with pupil demand, external

A minor earthquake was felt in Shropshire on Monday.

The British Geological Survey (BGS) confirmed a magnitude of 2.3 was felt in Bishop's Castle at 16:51 BST.

A 1.6 tremor was also felt in Newport on 5 October.

Image source, British Geological Survey

A number of people posted on BBC Radio Shropshire's Facebook page, external they'd felt the quake.

Veronica Pryce in Cross Houses said she'd heard a "big boom" before the house shook and upset the dog.

Debbie Holland in Cantlop said "so glad I wasn't imagining it!"

Vicky Royce-Pagett from Midlands Storm Chasers said she initially thought the quake was a tractor going past the house.

"I was so surprised to see an alert come up and tell me that indeed there was a tremor pretty much down the road."

The area around the scene in Tipton has been flooded, with homes, schools and businesses affected.

BBC Sport

England defender and Aston Villa player Tyrone Mings said he could hear racist abuse "as clear as day" but "everybody made the decision" to continue the Euro 2020 qualifier against Bulgaria in Sofia.

Image source, PA Media

Play was halted twice in the first half because of abuse from supporters.

In line with Uefa protocol, England had the option to walk off the pitch but played the full 90 minutes and won 6-0.

"I am very proud of everyone for the decisions we made," Mings told BBC Radio 5 Live after his England debut.

Abuse, including Nazi salutes and monkey chanting, were aimed at Mings and his teammates and the Aston Villa defender was shown on TV to turn towards the linesman and ask: "Did you hear that?"

A home has partially collapsed due to a burst water main, with about 20 properties damaged in total.

Park Lane West in Tipton remains closed for emergency repairs on a burst water main that saw a side of a house fall away, scattering debris as water flooded the street.

The road was closed between Bush Road and Hill Street after the burst on Monday afternoon.

About 20 properties have been damaged, says South Staffs Water.

The area could be affected for up to a week, said West Midlands Fire Service.

BBC News Travel

A crash has closed three lanes of the M6 southbound between J6 and J5 in Birmingham.

Work has continued overnight to repair a burst water main in Tipton that partially collapsed a house and damaged 20 properties in total.

Image source, South Staffs Water

It happened on Park Lane West in Tipton, Sandwell, shortly before 14:00 on Monday.

South Staffs Water says some customers are without service as a safety precaution.

The water company also warned people in Tipton, Wednesbury, West Bromwich and Oldbury their water pressure may be low or their water discoloured.

Image source, West Midlands Fire Service

Sandwell Council said Tipton Green Junior School would be closed to children and staff on Tuesday.