Summary

  • Updates from Monday 26 May to Sunday 31 May

  1. Plans for £100m Midlands rail link announcedpublished at 06:18 British Summer Time 26 May 2021

    A government transport group calls for a direct link between Coventry, Leicester and Nottingham.

    Read More
  2. Royals visit to celebrate City of Culture statuspublished at 21:54 British Summer Time 25 May 2021

    The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall make a six-stop visit to Coventry.

    Read More
  3. Permit breaches found at smelly landfill sitepublished at 18:44 British Summer Time 25 May 2021

    Environment Agency orders Walleys Quarry Ltd to complete further works and tests.

    Read More
  4. Tributes to world's first man to receive Covid jabpublished at 18:17 British Summer Time 25 May 2021

    Bill Shakespeare's death was unrelated to the jab and his friend urges others to get vaccinated.

    Read More
  5. Jack and Michael Whitehallpublished at 16:56 British Summer Time 25 May 2021

    In a first for the series, father-and-son comedy double-act Jack and Michael Whitehall join forces to investigate their family tree. They discover the tragedy that left Jack’s great grandfather (Michael’s grandfather) an orphan. And tracing their line back to Wales in the 1830s, they find out about a Tory ancestor's role in opposing the Chartist movement for wider voting rights.

  6. Work completed on hospital drainspublished at 16:53 British Summer Time 25 May 2021

    The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital sign

    Earlier we told you people were being asked not to walk to Shrewsbury's A&E department because of problems with the drains.

    The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital said there was a very strong, unpleasant smell, meaning the drains needed chemical cleaning.

    The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust now says work has been completed and everything is back to normal.

  7. Warrington's Inglis out for two monthspublished at 16:42 British Summer Time 25 May 2021

    Warrington back Greg Inglis is out for up to two months after tearing his hamstring, says head coach Steve Price.

    Read More
  8. Force looks to recruit 40 new officerspublished at 16:37 British Summer Time 25 May 2021

    Warwickshire Police will be holding a series of events as it looks to recruit 40 new officers.

    The force is looking for people to join its three-year Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship, serving as a paid police constable while studying for a fully-funded university degree.

    Stock police imageImage source, Getty Images

    It will be holding online recruitment events on 2, 5 and 8 of June, with a face-to-face event being held at the Benn Hall in Rugby between 18:00-19:00 or 19:30-20:30 on 9 June.

  9. Woman bailed after racist abuse of pub doormanpublished at 15:01 British Summer Time 25 May 2021

    The 24-year-old is barred from entering Birmingham as part of her bail conditions.

    Read More
  10. Pantomime's 'magic' in May comebackpublished at 13:52 British Summer Time 25 May 2021

    Audiences are being asked to get their Christmas jumpers back on for a pantomime which has been re-scheduled for a May start.

    Sleeping Beauty is being performed at Studley Sports Centre, external in Studley, Warwickshire, between 28 May and 6 June.

    Sleeping Beauty castImage source, Aunty Jen Productions
    Photo for Sleeping BeautyImage source, Aunty Jen Productions

    Aunty Jen Productions says the socially-distanced show will still bring "the magic of this classic fairy-tale complete with songs, dances and some hilarious comedy routines".

    Some theatres and venues opened their doors for the first time in months on 17 May as lockdown restrictions eased.

  11. Drug bust team finds £6.5m cannabis farmpublished at 13:35 British Summer Time 25 May 2021

    A cannabis farm spread across 40 rooms has an estimated value of £6.5m, police say.

    Read More
  12. Pro-Palestinian drone factory protest endspublished at 13:16 British Summer Time 25 May 2021

    The last two protesters were arrested on Monday evening, police say.

    Read More
  13. Murder arrest after man found dead at housepublished at 12:28 British Summer Time 25 May 2021

    A 51-year-old man was confirmed dead at the house in Walsall on Monday, police say.

    Read More
  14. Fan bailed after Rio Ferdinand racially abusedpublished at 11:51 British Summer Time 25 May 2021

    A racist gesture was directed at the BT Sport pundit during Sunday's Wolves v Man Utd game.

    Read More
  15. PC shaves hair to raise £8k for charitiespublished at 11:32 British Summer Time 25 May 2021

    A policeman who said his "man bun" was a distinctive feature of his life, has had his long locks shaved off, raising more than £8,000 for charity.

    PC Richard Lymer, of Staffordshire Police's road policing unit, was inspired to raise money after seeing friends affected by cancer.

    PC Richard Lymer having his haircut at charity eventImage source, Staffordshire Police

    PC Lymer, who said his hairstyle "gained its own notoriety" when he appeared on TV show CopsUK: Bodycam Squad, had his 22in (55cm) locks shaved off at a community event on Saturday.

    He set up a JustGiving page and the funds will be split between Katharine House Hospice, StrongMen charity - which helps men cope with bereavement - and Mummy’s Star, which supports women diagnosed with cancer during or near pregnancy.

    "Through donations, social media shares or just kindness in attending my event to support me has meant I have achieved this amazing figure," he said.

  16. Pupils urged to get Covid test after India variant foundpublished at 08:30 British Summer Time 25 May 2021

    Sixth form students at a school in Lichfield are being asked to get a precautionary Covid-19 test, after cases of the Indian variant were identified.

    One case has been confirmed at the The Friary School, while a further two are deemed likely to have the variant.

    The cases have self-isolated, and close contacts in school have also been isolating in line with government guidelines.

    All Year 13 pupils have been asked by Staffordshire County Council and Public Health England to get a precautionary PCR test to check there are no additional cases of Covid-19.

    Friary SchoolImage source, Google

    Dr Richard Harling, Staffordshire County Council’s director for health and care, said: "With sixth form students at The Friary finishing their studies on Wednesday, it is sensible to ensure there are no further cases of Covid-19 in this particular group, which is why we have asked all students to get a precautionary PCR test."

  17. Wing-walking pals hit the heights for hospicepublished at 08:00 British Summer Time 25 May 2021

    Three Birmingham widowers raise more than £3,500 in memory of their wives.

    Read More
  18. PC's kicks 'could have left Atkinson unconscious'published at 18:22 British Summer Time 24 May 2021

    Bloodstains on PC Benjamin Monk's boots indicate he forcefully kicked Dalian Atkinson, a court hears.

    Read More
  19. Lorry driver caught texting by police HGVpublished at 17:52 British Summer Time 24 May 2021

    The driver caught swerving on the M40 was one of 21,000 incidents caught during a safety operation.

    Read More