Police officer denies rape and sexual assaultpublished at 15:01 British Summer Time 3 August 2020
Michael Darbyshire is currently suspended by West Mercia Police.
Read MoreSummary
Updates from Monday 3 August to Sunday 9 August
Police officer denies rape and sexual assaultpublished at 15:01 British Summer Time 3 August 2020
Drink driving charge after car ends up in ditchpublished at 14:53 British Summer Time 3 August 2020
A man has been charged with drink driving after a car ended up in a ditch.
The vehicle left the road in Billesley Road, Wilmcote in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The 28-year-old will appear at Warwickshire Magistrates’ Court on 12 October
Image source, Warwickshire PoliceCat rescued travelling 28 miles stuck in car enginepublished at 14:34 British Summer Time 3 August 2020
A cat had to be rescued on Sunday after it was found stuck in a car engine.
Firefighters from Kington in Herefordshire said he'd travelled 28 miles before the driver heard his cries for help.
Image source, Hereford & Worcester Fire and RescueThey assisted a vet in removing the animal from deep in the engine bar.
The pet had a broken leg so was sent for x-rays and an operation.
Burglars who targeted football star's home jailedpublished at 14:22 British Summer Time 3 August 2020
Three men admitted a string of break-ins, including at the home of England star Raheem Sterling.
Read MoreAppeal over steam railway arson attackpublished at 14:03 British Summer Time 3 August 2020
Sophie Madden
BBC NewsAn arson attack at a stop on a heritage railway has been described as "mindless vandalism".
Police are appealing for information after the roof of the Country Park Halt at Highley, Shropshire, on the Severn Valley Railway, was badly damaged on Sunday.
The railway, which resumed services on Saturday for the first time in more than four months due to the coronavirus pandemic, said services were not affected.
The fire at the request-stop was started when a wooden fence panel was set alight, a spokeswoman for Severn Valley Railway said.
Image source, Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service"It's just so disappointing that this happened just as we are trying to get back on our feet. It's just so selfish and mindless," Helen Smith said.
West Mercia Police and Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service have both appealed for anyone with information about the attack to come forward.
A visitor centre at the country park was also vandalised at around the same time and police are thought to be linking the two incidents, Ms Smith said.
Huge cannabis factory found in Grade II listed buildingpublished at 13:44 British Summer Time 3 August 2020
A huge cannabis factory has been found hidden inside a Grade II listed building, police have revealed.
The haul includes thousands of plants with an estimated street value of £3m.
Image source, GoogleThe discovery was made at Haliburton House in Hall Street South, West Bromwich, on 14 July, West Midlands Police said., external
However the force said the construction of the factory had disturbed asbestos in the building and officers had to wait to make the area safe.
It's believed the cannabis factory was linked to organised crime.
Two coronavirus cases at police custody blockpublished at 13:20 British Summer Time 3 August 2020
Two staff members have tested positive for coronavirus at a West Midlands Police custody suite in Oldbury, Sandwell.
The personnel are self-isolating for 10 days and contact tracing is ongoing to find any other members of staff who may have been in contact with them.
No members of the public detained in the block were assessed to have had significant contact with the infected individuals, the force said.
Image source, West Midlands PoliceOn Friday, Sandwell was named as an "area of concern" by Public Health England, although Oldbury has been less seriously affected than Smethwick and West Bromwich.
Supt Martin Hurcomb said: "We understand the anxiety and impact this virus has had and continues to have on people and assure you we have done everything necessary to minimise the risk."
Dr Lisa McNally, director of public health for Sandwell, added: "West Midlands Police sought public health advice in good time and all appropriate preventative actions have been taken.
"Their quick response will have served to minimise the risk of onward infection."
Around the web: Shotgun shooting at party probedpublished at 12:57 British Summer Time 3 August 2020
Birmingham LiveThe Birmingham Live website's headlines today include:
Shotgun fired at large street partypublished at 12:37 British Summer Time 3 August 2020
Monica Rimmer
BBC NewsSeveral people have been injured when a shotgun was fired at a large street party in Birmingham, police said, external.
Armed officers were deployed to Dudley Road, Winson Green at 01:45 this morning, West Midlands Police said.
One man was found with multiple pellet wounds to his legs while four others - two men and two women - also suffered minor pellet injuries.
The road has been sealed off as forensics officers comb the area and detectives say they are in the process of reviewing CCTV footage.
Quote MessageThis is a hugely reckless act, discharging a shotgun in a crowded space, and it is lucky no-one was seriously hurt."
Quote MessageWe understand there may have been in excess of 100 people gathered for this street party. They were causing concern among residents and major traffic disruption."
Pervez Mohammed, Ch Insp
West Midland Police said it was still encouraging people to be mindful of social distancing and warned large gatherings were still banned.
It described parties such as this, during the pandemic, as "completely unacceptable and dangerous".
Woman sexually assaulted in Leamingtonpublished at 12:13 British Summer Time 3 August 2020
A woman's been sexually assaulted in Leamington Spa.
The victim, in her 40s, was attacked on Saturday night in Dormer Place, near the Pump Rooms at the junction with Parade, Warwickshire Police said. , external
Officers said they're searching for a suspect described as a clean shaven black man with short hair who wore glasses.
Bristol Rovers sign Coventry's Westbrookepublished at 11:53 British Summer Time 3 August 2020
Coventry City midfielder Zain Westbrooke signs for League One side Bristol Rovers for an undisclosed fee.
Read MoreTesting increased as Covid-19 cases fall in Sandwellpublished at 11:47 British Summer Time 3 August 2020
BBC Radio WMPeople in Sandwell are still being urged not to go inside the homes of other people even as there's been a decline in the rate of new coronavirus cases.
On Friday, the area was officially named an "area of concern" by the government after a surge of cases in recent weeks.
Image source, ReutersSmethwick and West Bromwich saw rates soar to more than 40 per 100,000 people last week, even though numbers in other parts of Sandwell remained fairly low.
The latest figures from the government for the seven days up to 30 July show 21.7 new cases per 100,000 people for Sandwell as a whole, compared with 28.7 for the week before.
The council said it was still ramping up testing , externalwith mobile units in the communities most affected and had started a community swabbing team which can test over 100 people a day.
Man seriously injured after being trapped under HGVpublished at 11:33 British Summer Time 3 August 2020
A man suffered serious injuries after becoming trapped under a HGV.
West Midlands Ambulance Service said it was called to Keats Road in Willenhall at 14:31 on Sunday.
Image source, GoogleA Midlands Air Ambulance paramedic and doctor gave the man pain relief while the fire service freed him, it said.
After he was treated at the scene, the man was taken by land ambulance to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.
Human remains 'not linked to ongoing investigations'published at 11:15 British Summer Time 3 August 2020
Human remains found in Droitwich are "generations old" according to police.
Officers from the West Mercia Force were called to an area near the River Salwarpe at about 21:00 on Friday after bones were discovered.
It said most of the bones have now been identified as animal except for one which is believed to be human and generations old, but further tests are being carried out, the force said
"We would like to reassure residents the human bone is not believed to be linked to any ongoing investigations but enquiries are ongoing to determine the nature of findings," it added.
Task force demanded after Stone Covid-19 outbreakpublished at 10:55 British Summer Time 3 August 2020
BBC Radio StokeThe coronavirus outbreak in Stone, Staffordshire, has prompted calls for a task force to be set up.
Image source, ReutersNineteen people have tested positive after cases had been linked to the Crown and Anchor, Stone, between 16-18 July, Staffordshire County Council said.
Footage emerged online last week of a packed beer garden.
County councillor for Stone Rural, Ian Parry, said a task force was needed from the local authority to protect residents and restore confidence.
He said it would "enable visits to be made to premises causing concern to remind owners and managers of their responsibilities and provide advice where necessary".
Image source, ReutersSeveral pubs in the town said they would voluntarily close at the weekend to keep customers safe.
While those that did open told BBC Radio Stoke they saw a drop in trade, including Viv Bradford, from The Borehole pub, who said fewer people came in.
"We've been much quieter than we would normally be and talking to people in and around Stone, I'm told Stone itself was also quiet and I know one of the local restaurants had a massive number of no shows on Saturday night."
Scheme offering UK diners 50% off beginspublished at 10:33 British Summer Time 3 August 2020
BBC Business NewsPeople can get a government-backed discount at thousands of restaurants, pubs and cafes from today.
The Eat Out To Help Out scheme is aimed at encouraging people to eat out more and boost the ailing hospitality sector.
Some 72,000 venues are included, external and the 50% discount, which is capped at £10 per person.
Image source, HM TreasuryAlcohol is not included and it is not available in areas subject to local lockdowns, such as parts of the north of England.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak said: "Our 'eat out to help out' scheme's number one aim is to help protect the jobs of 1.8 million chefs, waiters and restaurateurs by boosting demand and getting customers through the door."
Fire crews scaled back at woodlandpublished at 10:10 British Summer Time 3 August 2020
The number of firefighters tackling a blaze in a woodland in Staffordshire has been scaled back.
Image source, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue ServiceAbout 8.5 acres (3.4 hectares) have been affected by the fire near Enville, between Bridgnorth and Stourbridge, which began on Friday afternoon, and was still not under control at Sunday lunchtime.
This morning, the fire service wouldn't say if it was out but said it had reduced the number of fire engines at the site from five to one.
Man badly hurt in attackpublished at 09:50 British Summer Time 3 August 2020
A man's in hospital with "significant" head injuries after being attacked in Telford.
Image source, GoogleThe victim, aged in his 40s, was assaulted on Hills Lane Drive, Madeley, on Saturday night, West Mercia Police said.
The attack was carried out by two men with a weapon.
Barbecue blamed for garden firepublished at 09:29 British Summer Time 3 August 2020
A garden fire which spread to a shed and neighbouring gardens was caused by a barbecue which had been left to cool down.
Image source, West Midlands Fire ServiceWest Midlands Fire Service said, external they were called to the scene in Coventry earlier.
They warned barbecues should not be left unattended until they have fully cooled down.
Image source, West Midlands Fire ServiceAround the web: Call for help to tackle 'dangerous' roadspublished at 09:07 British Summer Time 3 August 2020
The Express and Star's headlines today include:
