Summary

  • Updates from 14-20 June

  1. Operations cancelled amid Covid pressurespublished at 11:47 British Summer Time 9 September 2021

    A hospital trust says the problems are "more demanding than the most difficult winters".

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  2. Coventry to trial McDonald's vegan burgerpublished at 11:23 British Summer Time 9 September 2021

    Fast food giant McDonald's has announced its first ever vegan burger in the UK is to be trialled at 10 restaurants in Coventry.

    McPlantImage source, PA Media

    The McPlant, consisting of a plant-based patty, plus vegan sesame bun, salad, pickles, ketchup and a new vegan sauce, would be cooked separately from other food, the company said.

    It will be available in the restaurants from 29 September and a further 250 outlets from 13 October, with the aim of a nationwide roll-out next year.

    Meat-alternative producer Beyond Meat co-created the patty with McDonald's.

    The McPlant is fully accredited as vegan by the Vegetarian Society.

  3. Two teachers in England up for $1m global awardpublished at 11:01 British Summer Time 9 September 2021

    Teachers from Liverpool and Sevenoaks are in the last 50 in the hunt for the world's best teacher.

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  4. What's the weather got in store?published at 08:35 British Summer Time 9 September 2021

    BBC Weather

    After a dry start it will be an unsettled day with heavy and thundery showers throughout and highs of 22°C (72°F).

    A yellow weather warning for thunderstorms is in place from 10:00 until 20:00.

    Weather map
  5. Worcestershire sign Pollock from Bearspublished at 08:16 British Summer Time 9 September 2021

    Worcestershire sign Warwickshire's hard-hitting opener Ed Pollock on a two-year deal to play all three forms of the game.

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  6. People evacuated after 'significant' factory firepublished at 21:41 British Summer Time 8 September 2021

    The fire service advises people living in Kidderminster to keep windows closed.

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  7. Pub bombing campaigners cleared of lockdown breachpublished at 19:02 British Summer Time 8 September 2021

    After the verdict Julie Hambleton accused police of "re-traumatising" victims' families.

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  8. Fan admits abusing England stars after Euro losspublished at 18:12 British Summer Time 8 September 2021

    Scott McCluskey posted racist comments about black England players on social media.

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  9. Hampshire bowl out Warwickshire to winpublished at 18:11 British Summer Time 8 September 2021

    Hampshire bowl out Warwickshire for 235 to win by 60 runs and go level on points in joint second with Yorkshire.

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  10. BBC heritage marked at Pebble Mill with blue plaquepublished at 17:30 British Summer Time 8 September 2021

    BBC Midlands Today

    A blue plaque has been unveiled today on the site of the BBC's former Pebble Mill studios in Birmingham.

    Sign for Pebble Mill

    As well as being the home of Midlands Today for many years, Pebble Mill produced thousands of BBC programmes including Doctor Who and Gardeners' World.

    Pebble Mill opened in 1971 and was demolished in 2005 and the site is now occupied by the Birmingham Dental Hospital.

    In 2020, on another part of the site, a hospital was built for Circle Health.

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  11. Teen sought over attempted robberypublished at 17:11 British Summer Time 8 September 2021

    Police have released images of a person they want to speak to following an attempted robbery in Birmingham's Bullring Shopping Centre.

    West Midlands Police said the male, believed to be in his mid to late teens, is suspected of pulling a knife on a schoolboy and demanding his bag and money on 5 August.

    CCTV images of the boy being soughtImage source, West Midlands Police

    The victim ran off and was helped by a passer-by, but the offender made off from the scene with another teenager.

    One 14-year-old boy has already been arrested in connection with the incident.

    The force urged anyone with information about the offence to come forward.

  12. More events announced for City of Culturepublished at 16:54 British Summer Time 8 September 2021

    Further events have been announced as part of Coventry City of Culture.

    It includes a visit by puppet Little Amal, in October.

    The puppet will travel 8,000km across Europe, telling the story of shared humanity and the experience of displaced children, separated from their families.

    Coventry City of Culture is its first stop in the Midlands.

    EventsImage source, Coventry City of Culture

    Other events include Coventry Sound Systems a celebration of Coventry’s rich cultural links to its twin city of Kingston in Jamaica, while the Home: Art and Homelessness Festival will see an exhibition of works created by artists across Coventry with experience of homelessness.

    Chenine Bhethana, creative director of Coventry City of Culture said: "As we move into Autumn, there is a huge range of activity taking place across the city... Coventry truly has something for everyone."

  13. Man jailed over microwave 'bomb' firepublished at 16:33 British Summer Time 8 September 2021

    A man who started a fire, when he attempted to make a bomb in his microwave, has been jailed.

    The fire began when George Moore, 24, put aerosol cans into the microwave at his house in Cubbington Road in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire on 5 May.

    Warwickshire Police said another person who had been in the home at the time was able to escape uninjured.

    Moore, of no fixed abode, was jailed for 45 months at Warwick Crown Court on 3 September after admitting charges of arson with recklessness as to whether life was endangered and possession of a bladed article.

    George MooreImage source, Warwickshire Police

    Det Sgt Jen Baker said: "This was a reckless act that caused substantial damage to the house in which Moore lived.

    "His behaviour was quite clearly dangerous and his actions on the night could easily have resulted in more serious harm being caused.

    "We are fortunate that no-one was injured in the incident."

  14. Footage captures blaze at industrial unitpublished at 16:17 British Summer Time 8 September 2021

    Footage shared on social media captures the scale of an industrial fire in Kidderminster.

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  15. Legal action over sale of rare Tudor overmantelpublished at 15:58 British Summer Time 8 September 2021

    Stafford Borough Council says the artefact, valued at about £5m, was removed without proper consent.

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  16. Your photos: Sheltering sheep and brilliant blue skiespublished at 14:48 British Summer Time 8 September 2021

    BBC Weather Watchers

    This spell of hot weather draws to an end tonight but our local BBC Weather Watchers have been making the most of the warmth to snap photos.

    One, user Pea, took this of sheep getting in the shade in Broadway, Worcestershire.

    BroadwayImage source, Pea

    While elsewhere, it was a case of basking under blue skies and these two are from users in Walsall and Stratford-upon-Avon.

    WalsallImage source, Tippytoes
    Stratford-upon-AvonImage source, Graham's vista
  17. Farmer told to dump milk over HGV driver shortagepublished at 14:11 British Summer Time 8 September 2021

    A dairy farmer says the shortage of lorry drivers has hit milk collection and is a "constant worry".

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  18. New badger control areas despite cull phase-outpublished at 13:25 British Summer Time 8 September 2021

    Seven new control sites are approved as ministers confirm regular culling will end in 2025.

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  19. 9/11: 'All we could see was smoke in the distance'published at 12:39 British Summer Time 8 September 2021

    A couple reflect on how close they came to being caught up in the devastation of the 9/11 attacks.

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  20. Wheel factory workers call off strike actionpublished at 12:02 British Summer Time 8 September 2021

    Workers at a wheel factory in Telford have called off further strike action after reaching a pay deal with bosses.

    Unite the Union members at GKN Wheels and Auto Structures voted in favour of industrial action back in June when the firm refused to implement a pay rise, affecting about 200 workers.

    A two-year pay agreement was reached earlier following negotiations between unions and the employer.

    The factory is more than 100 years old and produced Spitfire planes during World War Two. It was bought by private equity firm Aurelius in 2020.

    GKN WheelsImage source, Google
    Quote Message

    Our members stood firm and following the threat of sustained collective action achieved a pay deal that reflected their hard work and dedication to the company."

    Jason Richards, Unite Regional Officer