Summary

  • Updates from 21 - 27 June

  1. Plans for sculpture to honour 300 years of industrypublished at 08:58 British Summer Time 7 September 2021

    Local Democracy Reporting Service

    Plans are being put forward for a sculpture to honour 300 years of industry in the Ironbridge Gorge.

    The Coalbrookdale Foundry closed in 2017 after centuries of metal casting. The Coke Hearth Improvements Group is proposing to place an anvil, recovered from the site, on the nearby green.

    Casts of a jacket, visor and boots will be added to give the impression “a foundry worker has sat on the anvil, taken off his PPE and walked away”, the group says.

    The anvilImage source, Coke Hearth Improvements Group / Telford and Wrekin Council

    Plans for the sculpture will go before Telford & Wrekin Council on a date to be confirmed.

    Earlier this year, Shropshire Homes Ltd applied to build a 30-flat block and 48 new houses on the nine-acre Wellington Road foundry site, with a planning decision on the application still to be made.

  2. Your weather: Another warm day with plenty of sunshinepublished at 08:32 British Summer Time 7 September 2021

    BBC Weather

    Any early mist patches will clear leaving an unseasonably warm day with plenty of sunshine and highs of 29°C (84°F).

    This was the scene earlier in Oldbury as taken by BBC Weather Watcher dixtwenty.

    OldburyImage source, dixtwenty
  3. Foster carer approval 'like winning the lottery'published at 06:22 British Summer Time 7 September 2021

    Matt and Trish say they were initially terrified but "worries and fears" soon disappear.

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  4. PC charged with assault following Taser incidentpublished at 19:06 British Summer Time 6 September 2021

    Declan Jones is accused of the offence which is linked to an incident in Birmingham, the IOPC says.

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  5. Ex-England pair set Middlesex recordpublished at 18:33 British Summer Time 6 September 2021

    Sam Robson and Mark Stoneman share an opening stand of 376 against Sussex, while Essex retain control against Gloucestershire.

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  6. Paralympics: Lack of crowd 'tough' for Kare Adeneganpublished at 17:53 British Summer Time 6 September 2021

    BBC Radio CWR

    Double Paralympic silver-medallist Kare Adenegan said she found it tough to compete in the Tokyo Games with no international crowd support.

    Kare AdeneganImage source, PA Media

    The 20-year-old, from Coventry, came second in both the T34 100m and T34 800m.

    Organisers did not permit any international fans at the Games due to the coronavirus pandemic.

    Kara said not having her family there to support her "was definitely a struggle but I knew what I wanted to achieve".

    She added: "I had to really think 'why am I doing it' and knowing that I want to inspire the next generation."

    Having returned home, she said she was looking forward to two weeks off before returning to her studies at the University of Warwick.

  7. Barker's rearguard holds up Bearspublished at 17:48 British Summer Time 6 September 2021

    Keith Barker makes a stubborn 49 not out against his former county as Hampshire build a crucial lead against Warwickshire.

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  8. 'Enormous' rebuild of fire-hit manor house beginspublished at 17:48 British Summer Time 6 September 2021

    Exterior work on the 18th Century house will take another year, its owners say.

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  9. Tributes paid to 'dynamo' councillorpublished at 17:41 British Summer Time 6 September 2021

    Local Democracy Reporting Service

    Tributes have been paid to a "hugely respected" veteran councillor.

    Councillor Neil Eustace, 65, of Yardley East ward served as Birmingham city councillor for 35 years since being first elected in 1986. The Liberal Democrat died at the weekend.

    Mr Eustace was a long-standing member and former chair of the licensing and public protection committee and also served as deputy lead member of the West Midlands Fire and Rescue Authority.

    His sister, Julie Baum, 60 said: "We are very proud of him because of everything he has done.

    "He loved the area and devoted as much time as he could to try and make the area better for people."

    Cllr Neil EustaceImage source, Birmingham City Council

    Councillor Jon Hunt, leader of the Liberal Democrat group, said: "Neil was a dynamo, hugely respected in Yardley and within the Liberal Democrats.

    "His passing is unexpected and we will miss him hugely."

  10. Councils consult on merger planspublished at 17:26 British Summer Time 6 September 2021

    Stratford-on-Avon and Warwick District Councils are considering a proposal to merge, creating a new district council covering the whole of South Warwickshire.

    A public consultation on the plans starts today and runs until 24 October.

    The consultation document and online questionnaire can be viewed and completed online.

    Stratford upon avon

    Councillor Andrew Day, leader of Warwick District Council said: "As much as the pandemic has been a crisis for us, it has presented a challenge and an opportunity for us to re-imagine what local government services in South Warwickshire might be like in the future.

    "We need to hear your views – we need to listen and respond to what our residents want."

    Councillor Tony Jefferson, leader of Stratford-on-Avon District Council added: "Both Councils face significant financial challenges - the impact of dealing with the pandemic, when combined with the increased costs of delivering existing services, such as waste management, as well as responding to the climate emergency."

  11. Village pub collapses sending rubble across streetpublished at 17:24 British Summer Time 6 September 2021

    The crumbling begins after the school run, with one onlooker saying "it could have been so much worse".

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  12. City of Culture: Ribbons hung at places of worshippublished at 16:59 British Summer Time 6 September 2021

    Preparations have started on a faith-themed event as part of Coventry's year as City of Culture.

    The event on 10 and 11 September - which has Faith as its title - will see theatre productions transferring to the streets and the city centre becoming a "tapestry of lights".

    In the meantime, designer Tom Piper, who created the poppy memorial at the Tower of London, has started to create a "visual representation" of the ties between faith groups in the city.

    InstallationImage source, Coventry City of Culture Trust

    Blue ribbons are being installed at faith sites, with city-based composer Sayan Kent creating an original score to accompany the project.

    The event is set to end with a ceremony in which people will be invited to Millennium Square to light one of 500 flames.

    InstallationImage source, Coventry City of Culture Trust
    InstallationImage source, Coventry City of Culture Trust
  13. Open water warning ahead of hot spellpublished at 15:56 British Summer Time 6 September 2021

    With hot weather expected over the next few days, people in Staffordshire are being reminded of the dangers of swimming in open water.

    Even the strongest swimmers, it said, can find themselves at risk from the sudden change between air and water temperature and hidden hazards beneath the surface.

    ChasewaterImage source, Staffordshire County Council

    Victoria Wilson, Staffordshire County Council’s communities leader, said: "Unfortunately we hear far too often about people getting into difficulties swimming in reservoirs, lakes and quarries.

    "Our message is very much enjoy being near the water and the supervised activities on offer when it comes to places such as Chasewater reservoir, but when it comes to swimming be safe and go to public, supervised pools."

  14. Trust apologises after healthy twin terminated in errorpublished at 15:06 British Summer Time 6 September 2021

    A Birmingham hospital has apologised after an error led to a healthy twin being terminated in error.

    The Sunday Express said, external a pregnant mother made the decision to abort one of her twins, which was suffering from restrictive growth, raising the chances of stillbirth and putting the healthy baby at risk.

    But during the procedure at Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust, the healthy twin was targeted and both died.

    It said the case was among 700 incidents, detailed in a Freedom of Information request, from NHS hospitals in England where basic errors caused deaths.

    Pregnant woman stock imageImage source, Getty Images

    Dr Fiona Reynolds, Chief Medical Officer at Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust, said: "Sadly, during a highly specialised fetal procedure in 2019 that involved operating within the womb to separate and potentially save the life of a single twin that shared a placenta, a fatal error occurred.

    "A full and comprehensive investigation was carried out swiftly after this tragic case and the findings were shared with the family, along with our sincere apologies and condolences.

    "The outcome of that thorough review has led to a new protocol being developed to decrease the likelihood of such an incident happening again.

    "This has been shared with centres that carry out this complex procedure."

  15. Motorcyclist dies in early morning crashpublished at 14:36 British Summer Time 6 September 2021

    A man has died after coming off his motorbike in the early hours of Sunday.

    The crash happened on Aldridge Road, Oscott, Birmingham, at about 03:00, said West Midlands Police.

    The force, which said the victim was 38, asked for any witnesses to come forward.

  16. Chelsea Flower Show garden revealedpublished at 13:52 British Summer Time 6 September 2021

    Designs for Birmingham City Council's 2021 RHS Chelsea Flower display have been revealed.

    The display, following on from Baroness Floella Benjamin's 2019 garden, gives examples of how to make a positive environmental difference in your own home, garden or the community you live in, the city council said.

    Entitled Floella's Future Generation, it is sponsored by Veolia.

    Garden designImage source, Birmingham City Council

    Councillor John O'Shea said: "The nurseries team always put together a visually stunning and thought-provoking display for the Chelsea Flower Show and I am sure the judges will be impressed again this year."

  17. Headline act Sister Sledge rescued by taxipublished at 13:29 British Summer Time 6 September 2021

    Tour manager Bernard Young says the band faced difficulty with a "messed up car".

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  18. Park overhaul sees foundry-forged gates restoredpublished at 13:15 British Summer Time 6 September 2021

    Improvements began at Cromwell Crescent Park in Worcester on Monday.

    The city council says all-weather paths are to be introduced, along with more bins, park benches, cycle hoops, picnic tables and natural play features in the play area.

    The iron entrance gate and posts - originally manufactured at a Worcester foundry - will be restored, and new railings installed next to Cromwell Crescent.

    Map of improvementsImage source, Worcester City Council

    Councillor Andy Stafford, chairman of Worcester City Council’s environment committee, said: “This investment will really improve the experience of visitors to this much-loved park."

    The site will remain open while improvements are being made but the entrance on Cromwell Crescent will be closed for two months, with alternative access offered from Foxwell Street.