Summary

  • Updates from Monday 26 May to Sunday 31 May

  1. Man charged with murder of woman, 83, in firepublished at 14:55 British Summer Time 6 May 2021

    Great-grandmother Peggy Wright died after jumping from the window of her burning home in Birmingham.

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  2. Man denies killing two-week-old baby in pram crashpublished at 13:26 British Summer Time 6 May 2021

    Ciaran Morris was struck as he was being pushed by his parents on Easter Sunday.

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  3. New parents' thanks after surprise arrivalpublished at 13:15 British Summer Time 6 May 2021

    A couple have thanked midwives who helped deliver their surprise baby.

    Richard and Jo Bennett, from Dawley Bank in Telford said they had no idea they were expecting, when Mrs Bennett started feeling stomach pains during a regular quiz night.

    "After a couple of hours, and with Jo now in constant pain, we attended A&E.

    "A short time later we were told that the stomach pains were in fact contractions and that Jo was in labour," Mr Bennett said.

    "[Sixteen] hours later she gave birth to our son, Jacob at a weight of 9lb."

    Richard, Jacob and Jo BennettImage source, Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust

    "Our world has been flipped upside down," he said.

    Mr Bennet said the couple wanted to thank all the staff at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust who helped with baby Jacob's delivery.

  4. Serial rapist attacked sex workers with bike chainpublished at 11:04 British Summer Time 6 May 2021

    Esa Juwara raped five women, punching one so hard during an attack she lost a tooth.

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  5. New technology to aid faster cancer diagnosispublished at 10:15 British Summer Time 6 May 2021

    New technology being introduced in hospital labs is expected to help patients with certain form of cancers to get a faster diagnosis.

    Wye Valley NHS Trust is one of the first hospitals in the region to introduce this latest technology which will assist in the more rapid detection of cancers including breast, kidney and colon.

    Andrea Johnson, histopathology manager at Wye Valley NHS Trust, demonstrating the machineImage source, Wye Valley NHS Trust

    It will allow the hospitals’ laboratories to process patient tissue samples within 14 hours, half the time of the traditional method.

    Andrea Johnson, histopathology manager a the trust, said: “This processing technology is significantly advanced for use in histopathology and we are delighted to secure this for the benefit of our patients to provide a quicker diagnosis."

  6. Weather: A sunny start with a risk of showerspublished at 08:23 British Summer Time 6 May 2021

    BBC Weather

    Things are looking a lot drier today than they have done so far this week.

    Weather 06.05.21

    We will have some showers today, mainly towards the east of our region, but it will be mainly dry with some sunshine.

    Temperatures are expected to reach a high of 12C, so still a bit cold for this time of year.

  7. Voters head to the polls for bumper election daypublished at 08:15 British Summer Time 6 May 2021

    It's election day across England, Wales and Scotland and voters are heading to the polls with thousands of council seats in England up for grabs. Elections are also taking place for mayors, including in the West Midlands, and police and crime commissioners.

    Polling stationImage source, PA Media

    Polling stations will be open from 07:00 - 22:00 BST and voters are being asked to take their own pencils as a Covid safety measure.

    So, where are votes being cast?

    Councils

    County councils:

    • Staffordshire
    • Warwickshire
    • Worcestershire

    Metropolitan councils:

    • Coventry
    • Dudley
    • Sandwell
    • Solihull
    • Walsall
    • Wolverhampton

    District councils:

    • Nuneaton & Bedworth
    • Cannock Chase
    • Redditch
    • Rugby
    • Tamworth
    • Worcester
    • Wyre Forest

    All the seats in Shropshire Council, a unitary authority, are also up for election.

    Voting graphic

    Police and crime commissioners

    Read more about the candidates by tapping the links.

    Police carImage source, Staffordshire Police

    West Midlands Mayor

    The combined authority mayor, covering the seven metropolitan boroughs, is responsible for planning and strategy for regional transport, skills training and local economic development. Click here to see the candidates.

    For a reminder of all the candidates standing in your area and information about what they will do, use our handy look-up tool.

  8. 'We're not going back to the office'published at 08:00 British Summer Time 6 May 2021

    Tara Tomes of East Village PR firm in Birmingham explains why she's ditching the office.

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  9. Details of Clean Air Zone exemptions revealedpublished at 19:46 British Summer Time 5 May 2021

    Classic cars, military vehicles and showman's vehicles are among those eligible for exemptions.

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  10. PCs 'colluded' after ex-footballer's deathpublished at 19:32 British Summer Time 5 May 2021

    The trial hears former Aston Villa star Dalian Atkinson was Tasered, kicked and hit with a baton.

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  11. Husband stabbed wife 49 times while she sleptpublished at 19:00 British Summer Time 5 May 2021

    Ronald Mowbray died while in prison ahead of standing trial for his wife's murder.

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  12. Labour leader supports Birmingham mayoral candidatepublished at 18:05 British Summer Time 5 May 2021

    The Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has been in Birmingham today, supporting the party's candidate in the West Midlands mayoral election, Liam Byrne.

    He spoke to students and asked them how they'd been coping with the pandemic.

    Liam Byrne and Sir Keir StarmerImage source, Reuters

    Local elections, including those for directly elected mayors take place tomorrow and a full list of the candidates standing to be West Midlands Mayor can be found here.

  13. Arrests after shots fired in Walsallpublished at 17:42 British Summer Time 5 May 2021

    Earlier we told you about a number of people who were injured in an incident where shots were fired in a Walsall street, after a crash involving two cars.

    West Midlands Police said it believed the incident was a "targeted attack".

    The force said four people had been arrested as detectives continued to establish what happened on Cobden Street on Tuesday.

    Picture from the scene

    A man, 33, was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender while another man, 26, was arrested on suspicion of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life - both remain in police custody.

    A 20-year-old man was arrested for possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and a woman, 34, was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder.

    They are both being treated for their injuries in hospital and will be questioned at a later stage, the force said.

    The man has a bullet wound and is in a serious but stable condition.

    The woman has injuries to her legs which are not thought to be life-threatening.

    Police have also recovered a VW Polo, which it believes was involved.

    It will be forensically examined and the force said it is still working to trace its occupants.

  14. Station to be illuminated in honour of the NHSpublished at 17:26 British Summer Time 5 May 2021

    Shrewsbury Railway Station is to be lit up in honour of the work being carried out by the NHS.

    The station will be lit up in blue on 5, 12 and 14 May.

    Shrewsbury railway stationImage source, Shropshire Council

    It marks three dates set up to celebrate medical professionals - 5 May is International Day of the Midwife, 12 May is International Nurses Day and 14 May is National Operating Department Practitioners Day.

    Julia Clarke, Director of Corporate Services at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, said: “Lighting up the railway station in blue is a great way of paying tribute to the hard work that these, and all the other professions within the NHS, are continuing to deliver as we come out of the latest lockdown, and certainly the worst wave of the pandemic.”

  15. Health secretary's concerns over quarry smellpublished at 16:43 British Summer Time 5 May 2021

    Matt Hancock calls on the Environment Agency to "urgently" resolve problems at Walleys Quarry.

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  16. Charging order sets out clean air zone planpublished at 16:40 British Summer Time 5 May 2021

    Birmingham City Council has published its Clean Air Zone Charging Order which sets out how the scheme will operate.

    After 1 June 2021, specified vehicles that do not meet emissions standards set out in the order, external will be required to pay a charge to drive in the Birmingham Clean Air Zone, within the A4540 Middleway.

    Birmingham roadsImage source, Getty Images

    The order also sets out the exemptions available, how the council will approach any enforcement associated with non-payment of fees and how it intends to use any income generated from the zone.

  17. Pub refused extra seating after wolf whistle claimpublished at 16:34 British Summer Time 5 May 2021

    A Stoke-on-Trent beauty salon says its customers were made to feel uncomfortable by drinkers.

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  18. Man jailed for attack on mother and babypublished at 15:29 British Summer Time 5 May 2021

    Aamer Araf repeatedly stabbed the woman until she lost consciousness, police say.

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  19. Prime minister visits region in final push for votespublished at 14:58 British Summer Time 5 May 2021

    Boris Johnson has arrived in the West Midlands to show his support for the region's Conservative mayoral candidate, Andy Street.

    Boris Johnson on a bikeImage source, PA Media

    Mr Johnson joined the current mayor, who is seeking re-election, on one of the region's cycle-for-hire bikes which he said "looked very familiar".

    Polls for the West Midlands mayor, as well as police and crime commissioners and local councils open tomorrow.

    Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is due to arrive in the region later to join the campaign for his party's mayoral candidate Liam Byrne.

  20. Ricoh Arena to be renamedpublished at 14:19 British Summer Time 5 May 2021

    The Ricoh Arena in Coventry is to be renamed the Coventry Building Society Arena, after a new deal.

    Wasps Group, which owns the site, has agreed a new naming rights deal, which means the venue will take on the new name for the next 10 years.

    The Coventry-based venue is the home of Wasps Rugby and Wasps Netball – and will welcome back Coventry City Football Club in August.

    General view of the Ricoh Arena, home of Wasps RugbyImage source, Getty Images

    Stephen Vaughan, Wasps Group Chief Executive, said: “We are thrilled to be joining forces with Coventry Building Society as we embark on a hugely exciting period for the venue with the imminent return of Wasps and Coventry City supporters, along with the reopening of our conferencing, event facilities and hotel.

    “Coventry Building Society, like our venue, has strong local roots and a national reach, and we are looking forward to supporting each other over the coming years."

    Steve Hughes, CEO of Coventry Building Society, added: “This is a fantastic partnership for us, for Wasps and for the city of Coventry."