Summary

  • Updates from Monday 26 May to Sunday 31 May

  1. TSB offers safe spaces for domestic abuse victimspublished at 12:14 British Summer Time 12 May 2021

    Simon Read
    Business Reporter

    Domestic abuse victims will be able to use "safe spaces" in nearly 300 TSB branches to get specialist support, the bank has said.

    People will be able to get help as lockdown restrictions ease, TSB said.

    A woman with her sonImage source, Laura Dodsworth

    The scheme has been trialled in branches in Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Shropshire.

    The initiative, run by domestic abuse charity Hestia, is already in place in more than 5,300 pharmacies across the country.

  2. Banned driver pretended to be twin brotherpublished at 10:01 British Summer Time 12 May 2021

    Lee Roberts is jailed for duping the DVLA to obtain a licence in his twin brother's name.

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  3. Council set to invest £3.25m on regenerationpublished at 09:52 British Summer Time 12 May 2021

    Stoke-on-Trent City Council is set to invest a further £3.25m to regenerate part of the city centre.

    Meigh Street car park will be demolished as will the adjoining Goodson building.

    Goodson BuildingImage source, Google

    "This site is the single, largest regeneration opportunity in council ownership which we have power over, and we want to make sure that whatever we do on the site connects and benefits the whole city, and isn’t just about he city centre.

    "This additional funding is absolutely vital to make sure the site’s full potential can be unlocked and make sure we get the best outcome for Stoke-on-Trent through its regeneration."

    In its 10-15 year vision for the site, the council has said it wants to include a "transport hub" in the site's redevelopment, which would connect it by ultra-light rail trams to other parts of the city, designed to improve air quality.

    The money is subject to agreement from the council's cabinet.

  4. Police 'daunted' by taking on terror offenderspublished at 08:55 British Summer Time 12 May 2021

    Staffordshire Police took responsibility for managing convicted terrorist Usman Khan after his release.

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  5. Sunshine and showerspublished at 08:20 British Summer Time 12 May 2021

    BBC Weather

    Today will see patchy cloud and scattered showers throughout.

    Showers may turn locally heavy, but there will be plenty of sunshine in between, particularly in the afternoon. Highs of 12C to 15C (54F to 59F).

    Tonight showers will clear, but cloud will build in and it will become overcast. A few outbreaks of rain may push in during the early hours of Thursday. Lows of 8C to 11C (46F to 52F).

  6. Lady Godivas to help launch culture yearpublished at 07:38 British Summer Time 12 May 2021

    The Godivas have been selected for their "unique stories" to help celebrate the women of Coventry.

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  7. 'As my diet became healthier so did my mind'published at 06:55 British Summer Time 12 May 2021

    Sunni Patel experienced bulimia as a teenager and noticed a link between gut health and mental health.

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  8. The low traffic scheme dividing a communitypublished at 06:38 British Summer Time 12 May 2021

    Implemented eight months ago, the scheme has sparked a "divisive conversation" in Kings Heath.

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  9. PC saw colleague with foot on ex-footballer's headpublished at 16:39 British Summer Time 11 May 2021

    Murder-accused PC Benjamin Monk was seen standing above Dalian Atkinson in a Telford street in 2016.

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  10. Abandoned street house offer 'still not enough'published at 15:20 British Summer Time 11 May 2021

    Carl Harris is the last resident on a Birmingham street that is earmarked for redevelopment.

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  11. Man denies murder after stabbingpublished at 13:35 British Summer Time 11 May 2021

    A trial is due in September following the death of father-of-one Nathan Burton.

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  12. University campus to move to town centre complexpublished at 13:02 British Summer Time 11 May 2021

    The University of Chester's site in Warrington town centre will be fully operational by September.

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  13. Police artist-in-residence to tackle youth crimepublished at 12:35 British Summer Time 11 May 2021

    Poet and playwright Kay Rufai will work with young people and West Midlands Police.

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  14. Baby death review reaches out to hospital staffpublished at 11:10 British Summer Time 11 May 2021

    Maternity services at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust are under review after babies died.

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  15. Teen attacker who hid in loft admits murderpublished at 10:55 British Summer Time 11 May 2021

    Jack Sumner suffered a fractured skull in an attack in Newcastle-under-Lyme in June 2020.

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  16. Hot tub stolen from house in Stoke-on-Trentpublished at 10:40 British Summer Time 11 May 2021

    BBC Radio Stoke

    An inflatable hot tub has been stolen from a garden in Stoke-on-Trent.

    It was taken from Hamil Road in Burslem over the weekend.

    Staffordshire Police said the theft would have taken some time, as the perpetrators had to take out a garden fence panel, drain and deflate the tub.

  17. Couple to marry after losing partners to dementiapublished at 10:07 British Summer Time 11 May 2021

    Heather Brown and Paul Dowler both lost their spouses to dementia but are now set to marry.

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  18. Tories urged to deliver on promises after election winspublished at 08:47 British Summer Time 11 May 2021

    BBC Midlands Today

    Conservative councillors who won seats and control of councils in Staffordshire in this month's elections need to deliver on their promises, the leader of county council said.

    Woman wearing Conservative ribbon

    The Tories took control of Cannock Chase District Council for the first time and increased their majorities on Tamworth Borough Council and the county council.

    Alan White, leader of the county council, said the results had taken them by surprise but they now had to work on their pledges.

    "The state of the roads is something we need to be addressing, we need to be making sure our social services are being run efficiently, our children's services are being run efficiently," he said.

    Alan Pearson, a former Labour councillor, was one of those swept away by the Tory success, losing his Hednesford North seat.

    He said his party had to be clearer on their policies: "If you put 'vote Tory' and a blue badge on anybody who walks by, they would have got in."