Summary

  • Updates from Monday 6 January to Sunday 12 January

  1. Crate of beer thrown from bridge at vehiclespublished at 18:32 Greenwich Mean Time 10 January 2020

    This is the damage done to a windscreen after it was hit by a crate of beer that was thrown off a bridge in Burntwood last night.

    Staffordshire Police said it got a call at 21:40 to a report of teenagers throwing items off a bridge over the A5195, near Burntwood Rugby Club.

    Car damageImage source, Jayne Costello

    The police confirmed the window of a green VW Van was damaged and said it was looking for witnesses.

  2. Debenhams stores to close for last timepublished at 18:18 Greenwich Mean Time 10 January 2020

    Two Debenhams stores at The Mander Centre in Wolverhampton and The Fort shopping park in Erdington, Birmingham, are set to close their doors for the final time tomorrow.

    Debenhams storeImage source, Google

    The department store chain announced earlier this week that 19 stores across the country would shut this month in a bid to turn the high street brand around.

    Some 660 jobs are set to go in all.

    The company was rescued from administration by creditors in May, but said it was facing a "challenging retail environment".

  3. O'Neill wants Campbell to stay at Stoke Citypublished at 18:08 Greenwich Mean Time 10 January 2020

    BBC Radio Stoke Sport

    The Stoke City manager Michael O'Neill says he has told striker Tyrese Campbell he wants him to stay at the club.

    The 20-year-old has scored three goals in the last four games, but is out of contract at the end of the season.

    Tyrese CampbellImage source, Getty Images

    Celtic and Rangers are said to be monitoring his situation, but O'Neill said he would get more game-time at Stoke and added, "that's what Ty wants".

    Quote Message

    I believe that he's a big future here and over time we can develop him into a top-class number nine, which I think he has all the attributes to be."

    Michael O'Neill, Stoke City manager

  4. Your weather: A cloudy night with strong windspublished at 18:00 Greenwich Mean Time 10 January 2020

    It will be a cloudy night with strengthening winds and lows of 3C (37F).

    Tomorrow will be cloudy for much of the day with occasional showers and strong winds.

    Lower BroadheathImage source, BBC Weather Watchers/Mike Snapper

    You can find a detailed forecast for your area on the BBC Weather site.

  5. Body found in search for missing fishermanpublished at 17:47 Greenwich Mean Time 10 January 2020
    Breaking

    The search for a missing fisherman has been called off, after the discovery of a body in the River Dove this afternoon.

    Roger Wheat, who was 79, was last seen at Ellastone in Staffordshire on Tuesday and police divers have spent the week searching for him.

    Roger WheatImage source, Staffordshire Police

    Staffordshire Police said formal identification hasn't yet taken place, but his family had been informed and its thoughts were with them.

    The force said it did not believe there were any suspicious circumstances.

  6. School teacher jailed for child sex offencespublished at 17:47 Greenwich Mean Time 10 January 2020

    Nasser Khalil told a police officer posing as a 12-year-old girl he wanted to have sex with her.

    Read More
  7. Police seize crossbow and drugs in raidpublished at 17:32 Greenwich Mean Time 10 January 2020

    Police have seized cannabis, cash and weapons, including this crossbow after carrying out a raid in the Donnington area of Telford today.

    West Mercia Police said one person was arrested.

    Drugs and crossbowImage source, West Mercia Police
  8. Children 'not safe' at outdoor preschoolpublished at 17:26 Greenwich Mean Time 10 January 2020

    Inspectors find pupils washing their hands in muddy water and rotting fruit at the forest school.

    Read More
  9. Bin collectors call off industrial actionpublished at 17:16 Greenwich Mean Time 10 January 2020

    Bin collectors in Sandwell have called off their planned industrial action, after agreeing a last-ditch deal with the local council.

    Members of the GMB union employed by contractors Serco were unhappy over being asked to do extra work when two bin-rounds were scrapped and had voted to work to rule.

    bins

    The union now says it will be working with the company to address the concerns.

  10. Armoured vehicle shown off to troopspublished at 16:54 Greenwich Mean Time 10 January 2020

    BBC Shropshire

    The British Army's new Boxer armoured vehicle has been demonstrated to troops for the first time this week.

    The eight-wheeled troop transporters are being built in Telford in a joint venture between Rheinmetall and BAE Systems, with the first Boxer due to go into service in 2023.

    BoxerImage source, MOD

    The Boxer has a top speed of 67mph (108km/h) and is designed to be modular, so it can be altered to suit different roles.

  11. Man wanted over meat cleaver attack found in cupboardpublished at 16:41 Greenwich Mean Time 10 January 2020

    A man who was wanted over an attack on a woman with a meat cleaver has been arrested after police officers found him hiding in a kitchen cupboard.

    West Midlands Police said the 42-year-old was arrested at a property in Balsall Heath, at 13:30 after a two-week search.

    PoliceImage source, West Midlands Police

    The force said it was believed the 42-year-old victim was dragged from her car in Handsworth on 30 December and repeatedly struck with a cleaver, leaving her with cuts to her head and another wound to her hand.

    A 21-year-old woman who was also in the car suffered a cut hand.

    A 35-year-old woman was also arrested in Balsall Heath, on suspicion of assisting an offender.

  12. Brougham joins Blues Women from Evertonpublished at 16:30 Greenwich Mean Time 10 January 2020

    Birmingham City sign defender Georgia Brougham on loan from Women's Super League rivals Everton.

    Read More
  13. Bobsleighers to get new medals because of typopublished at 16:28 Greenwich Mean Time 10 January 2020

    After waiting six years to get hold of the bronze medals to win at the Sochi Winter Olympics, two West Midlands bobsleighers have had to return them - because they had a typo on them.

    Joel Fearon from Coventry and Stuart Benson from Shifnal were part of Great Britain's four-man team which was promoted to a medal position after two Russian teams were disqualified for doping offences.

    But, instead of reading "Bobsleigh four-man event", the medals were engraved with "bobsleigh 4 men event".

    Medal

    The British team are expecting to receive replacement bronze medals in the next couple of weeks.

  14. Signalling problems causing rail delayspublished at 16:15 Greenwich Mean Time 10 January 2020

    BBC News Travel

    A fault with the signalling system at Birmingham New Street is causing rail disruption in the area.

    There's also a signalling problem in the Crewe area.

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  15. Jake Taylor in demandpublished at 16:00 Greenwich Mean Time 10 January 2020

    BBC Radio Stoke Sport

    The Port Vale manager John Askey has given up hope of signing midfielder Jake Taylor on a permanent deal from Nottingham Forest.

    He said they made a "decent offer" for the player, who has been on loan with them since the summer, but that Forest "now can see a value to him" and might think of introducing him to their own team.

    Jake TaylorImage source, Getty Images

    Taylor has impressed since arriving at Port Vale and Askey hopes to keep him on loan until the end of the season, but he will be out for three to four weeks with a knee injury which he picked up over Christmas.

  16. 'I don't know how conmen can do it'published at 15:54 Greenwich Mean Time 10 January 2020

    How a rogue trader conned an 81-year-old out of £2,000 on a shoddy drive.

    Read More
  17. Two women struck by van seriously injuredpublished at 15:46 Greenwich Mean Time 10 January 2020

    Two pedestrians have been taken to hospital suffering serious injuries after being hit by a van in Dudley earlier.

    The women were struck near the Burnt Tree junction on Birmingham New road at 13:51, said the ambulance service.

    “Ambulance crews administered specialist trauma care at the scene before they were both transported to Queen Elizabeth Hospital on land ambulances," it added.

    Both are described as being in a serious condition.

    The driver of the van was assessed and discharged at the scene.

    Motorists are being advised to avoid the area.

  18. Incident closes road at Peterstowpublished at 15:40 Greenwich Mean Time 10 January 2020

    BBC News Travel

    An incident is blocking the A4137 near Glewstone in Herefordshire.

    Traffic data firm Inrix is reporting a broken down vehicle following an earlier crash.

    There's very slow traffic in the area.

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  19. Watch: Lion cubs set for public viewingpublished at 15:36 Greenwich Mean Time 10 January 2020

    BBC Hereford and Worcester

    Seven lion cubs will go on show to the public at West Midland Safari Park next month.

    Media caption,

    The lion cubs

    Now four months old, they were born last summer at the Bewdley site in Worcestershire.

    The park says they were fathered by five-year-old Tsavo from two lionesses, Scar and Amber.

    All seven have been given names beginning with H, including Heracles and Hunter, and will first seen by visitors from 15 February.