Summary

  • Updates from Monday 9 August to Sunday 15 August

  1. Plans to probe congestion before WBA home gamespublished at 21:31 British Summer Time 24 September 2021

    Baggies fans say problems started this season, but it is unclear what is to blame.

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  2. Police warn of traffic caused by petrol queuespublished at 20:20 British Summer Time 24 September 2021

    Police officers in a Shropshire town are warning of traffic disruption caused by queues for a petrol station.

    Officers in Newport say there are "significant" delays on Lower Bar and Salters Lane while drivers try to reach the Shell site.

    It comes as some petrol stations have closed due to supply issues.

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  3. Cycling and walking could be given on prescriptionpublished at 19:37 British Summer Time 24 September 2021

    Patients could be prescribed cycling or walking by their GP as part of a new social prescribing scheme.

    The plan hopes to help people in Birmingham and the Black Country get more active with free-to-access cycling and walking activities, such as walking groups and cycle training.

    The new scheme has been launched by the Active Wellbeing Society working with the West Midlands Combined Authority to try to tackle issues such as obesity, inactivity and loneliness, which have been a factor for those hardest hit by the Covid 19 pandemic.

    Stock bike imageImage source, Getty Images

    The scheme will initially run through eight surgeries and health centres, where patients may be referred to non-clinical activities to combat physical or mental health issues.

    Leila Yafai, senior social prescribing link worker, who works in Bordesley East, said: “Having witnessed the isolation and social, physical and mental impacts of the pandemic, social prescribing is a helping hand.”

    Dr Subeena Suleman, clinical director at Iridium Medical Practice, added: “These services open up opportunities for people to get more physically active, where in a supported environment they are able to build their confidence and ability and can see genuinely life-changing results, not just in their physical health but in a range of ways.”

  4. 'The conditions I lived in were tragic'published at 19:13 British Summer Time 24 September 2021

    A victim of modern slavery has said he will never forget the 'tragic' conditions he lived in.

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  5. Margaret Keenan gets booster jabpublished at 18:51 British Summer Time 24 September 2021

    The 91-year-old got her booster in Coventry alongside the matron who administrated her first dose.

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  6. Human trafficking ring gang members jailedpublished at 18:35 British Summer Time 24 September 2021

    One man earned £900,000 in two years by exploiting the workers and skimming off their wages.

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  7. Search for man lost in fire starts one month laterpublished at 18:24 British Summer Time 24 September 2021

    David Boswell has not been seen since flames broke out at a factory left too unsafe to access.

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  8. Upset over missing petrol and 'hectic' forecourtspublished at 18:00 British Summer Time 24 September 2021

    While some fuel stations report no petrol deliveries, others experience "panic buying".

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  9. Warwickshire win County Championshippublished at 17:57 British Summer Time 24 September 2021

    Warwickshire beat Somerset at Edgbaston to pip Lancashire and win their first County Championship title in nine years.

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  10. Ambulances diverted due to hospital pressurespublished at 17:36 British Summer Time 24 September 2021

    Patients normally treated in Worcester are instead being sent 18 miles away to Redditch.

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  11. Anger over councillor's autism commentspublished at 17:11 British Summer Time 24 September 2021

    Conservative councillor Angela Sandison steps down after criticism from parents and politicians.

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  12. Booster for first UK person to get the Covid jabpublished at 17:00 British Summer Time 24 September 2021

    The 91-year-old got her booster in Coventry alongside the matron who administered her first dose.

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  13. Anger over councillor's autism parenting commentspublished at 16:59 British Summer Time 24 September 2021

    Solihull council received more than 15 complaints following Angela Sandison's comments.

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  14. City of Culture to celebrate 'Sound System' culturepublished at 16:49 British Summer Time 24 September 2021

    Coventry is set to celebrate the "Sound System" culture that came to the city more than 50 years ago.

    Coventry City of Culture Trust is holding events this October and November to bring dub & roots and dancehall lovers together to celebrate the sounds of the city and the Caribbean.

    It will highlight how West Indian arrivals to the city in the 1950s built their own sound systems with huge speakers and amps, introducing new reggae and ska music to local audiences at parties.

    The music went on to inspire a wealth of art and culture, including 2-Tone.

    A Coventry sound systemImage source, Colin Bell

    Chenine Bhathena, creative director of Coventry City of Culture Trust, said: “Coventry is a music city. Jamaican reggae culture is part our city’s cultural heritage."

    Tickets for each event can be purchased online.

  15. Queues reported at petrol stations amid supply issuespublished at 15:55 British Summer Time 24 September 2021

    Queues are being reported at petrol stations across the West Midlands amid supply problems which have caused closures.

    A "handful" of BP stations, and a small number of Esso-owned Tesco Alliance stations, were closed nationally on Thursday because of a lack of delivery drivers.

    Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said people should carry on buying petrol as normal.

    Some stations, including those at Leamington Shopping Park in Leamington Spa, have seen queues of drivers trying to fill up.

    Leamington Shopping Park, Leamington Spa .
    Image caption,

    Leamington Shopping Park

    The Road Haulage Association's Rod McKenzie said issues were being caused by a shortage of HGV drivers, and called for the government to relax visa restrictions for foreign workers in the short term to ease the problem.

  16. Plan for 92 new homes on edge of city approvedpublished at 15:27 British Summer Time 24 September 2021

    The plans are backed despite concerns about the design of a three-storey apartment block.

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  17. Cheryl pulls out of show over Sarah Harding griefpublished at 15:03 British Summer Time 24 September 2021

    The singer says she is not emotionally able to perform after her ex-band mate's death.

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  18. Bus service to city saved after MP's campaignpublished at 15:01 British Summer Time 24 September 2021

    Merseytravel and Halton Council step in to save the Runcorn-to-Liverpool bus service.

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  19. 'The pressure on hospital staff is immense'published at 14:46 British Summer Time 24 September 2021

    A hospital consultant says colleagues "hang on by a thread" due to a raft of Covid and non-Covid issues.

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  20. NHS staff 'hanging on by a thread' as winter loomspublished at 14:43 British Summer Time 24 September 2021

    A hospital consultant says workers at the QE in Birmingham are already under "immense" pressure.

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