Summary

  • Updates from 4 - 10 October

  1. Man injured in van hit-and-runpublished at 17:24 British Summer Time 5 October 2021

    A 50-year-old pedestrian suffered a head injury after being hit by a white van in Worcestershire.

    West Mercia Police said the man was walking when he was struck on High Street in Bewdley, near to The Talbot pub, at 22:20 BST on Saturday.

    The van driver did not stop at the scene and the police's investigation is ongoing.

    The force appealed for any witnesses to come forward.

    Stock police imageImage source, Getty Images
  2. Abuser dangled woman by feet out of flat windowpublished at 17:23 British Summer Time 5 October 2021

    Rory Farrell has been jailed for a "campaign of torment" against his partner during lockdown.

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  3. Liberty Poole in Dancing On Ice line-uppublished at 17:14 British Summer Time 5 October 2021

    The line-up for the 2022 series of Dancing On Ice is gradually being unveiled.

    Liberty Poole, 22, fresh from appearing on Love Island, will be taking to the rink.

    The waitress and marketing student from Birmingham said: "I grew up watching Dancing On Ice and my mum actually used to be a figure skater."

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  4. Man in hospital after being hit by a buspublished at 16:23 British Summer Time 5 October 2021

    A man is in hospital in a critical condition after he was hit by a bus.

    It happened just before 19:50 BST on Monday on Bilston Street, in Wolverhampton, close to the police station, West Midlands Police said.

    he 70-year-old man suffered head injuries and was taken to hospital.

    The road was closed while collision investigators collected evidence.

    The force has asked anyone with information about the collision to come forward.

    Wolverhampton Police Station in WolverhamptonImage source, Google
  5. Chance to have a say on planned traffic calming extensionpublished at 15:53 British Summer Time 5 October 2021

    BBC Midlands Today

    Residents and business owners in Kings Heath, Birmingham, will get their first chance today to react to plans to extend a controversial traffic calming scheme.

    Parts of the area were made a Low Traffic Neighbourhood, funded by money from central government, which prevents cars going through the filters on nine local roads.

    And a pedestrianised area has been created on York Road.

    But some residents said it had turned to annoyance.

    Traffic image

    Birmingham City Council has revealed proposals to close more roads in the area to make it safer for cyclists and pedestrians.

    It is holding an online briefing on the plans at 18:00 BST.

  6. Travel agent welcomes scrapping of holiday traffic light systempublished at 15:38 British Summer Time 5 October 2021

    BBC Radio Stoke

    A Uttoxeter travel agent said scrapping the traffic light system would make it easier for people to go on holiday.

    Under new UK rules revealed on Monday, the system has been replaced with a single "red list" and testing rules are being eased for people travelling from non red-list destinations who have been vaccinated in the UK, the EU, the US or any of 18 other recognised countries.

    Stock holiday imageImage source, Getty Images

    Claire Bell, from Journeys a la Carte, said: "You've still got to think of your requirements to go into a country, just because we don't have to test to come home doesn't mean to say you might not have to test to go out there.

    "But of course, booking a package you get the full information.

    "And [the Canary Islands] for example aren't requesting that, so it makes it quite easy to go to."

  7. Women's Tour of Britain comes to Walsallpublished at 15:21 British Summer Time 5 October 2021

    The world's leading female cyclists compete as the race comes to the town for the first time.

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  8. Christmas market looks to recruit 200 peoplepublished at 15:10 British Summer Time 5 October 2021

    Birmingham’s Frankfurt Christmas Market is looking to recruit more than 200 people to support its stalls when it returns to the city centre next month.

    People are able to apply for the event online for customer-facing roles, including bar staff, catering assistants and salespeople on gift stalls, kitchen assistants and porters.

    There are a mix of part-time and full-time roles working alongside the German stallholders and their core team of staff.

    Birmingham's Frankfurt Christmas market on November 23, 2011 in BirminghamImage source, Getty Images

    Applications for all vacancies opened today.

    Interviews are due to take place week commencing 1 November, for an immediate start when the market opens on 4 November.

    The market will run until 23 December, with the caveat of change or cancellation, should Covid restrictions come back into effect during the winter.

  9. Knitter makes 'trauma teddies' for young victims of firepublished at 14:32 British Summer Time 5 October 2021

    A woman has been knitting "trauma teddies" for firefighters to give to young children to comfort them during frightening incidents.

    The toys, made by Sheila Allies, 73, are now part of Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service's call out equipment.

    The project was inspired by Watch Commander Jayne Collins, from Redditch fire station, after speaking to colleagues from other fire service and appealed on Facebook for volunteers.

    Ms Allies, from Pershore, made contact as she’d already made some and was wondering who could benefit in her area and quickly sent a boxful to the station.

    Shelia Allies and Jayne CollinsImage source, Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service

    Ms Collins said the service is "so grateful" to Ms Allies.

    "The very first day I got the green light to start using them, there was a nasty road traffic collision right in front of the station – although we hadn't even started duty we heard the crash and rushed out to help," she said.

    “A six-year-old little boy whose mum was injured was struggling to be brave but was very shaken, so he was thrilled to be given a teddy. He thought it gave him superpowers to be brave for his mum and it worked a treat.

    “The teddies, as well as some hedgehogs, are Sheila's handiwork and her friends have also knitted mice which go down well.

    "I now have about 90 in total and plan to distribute them across the service area, in plastic bags to keep them clean."

    Ms Alles added: "I am so glad they are being put to good use.”

  10. How will climate change impact our woodlands?published at 14:01 British Summer Time 5 October 2021

    A patch of Staffordshire oak is giving insight into the impact of climate change on woodlands.

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  11. Man killed at business park was shot in headpublished at 14:01 British Summer Time 5 October 2021

    Tamba Momodu, 20, was unlawfully killed in Telford, an inquest into his death concludes.

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  12. Arrest after man shot in leg by policepublished at 13:45 British Summer Time 5 October 2021

    BBC Radio Hereford and Worcester

    A man who was shot by police in Worcester has been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and possession of a firearm.

    The incident in Ronkswood Hill on Saturday morning has been referred to the police watchdog.

    West Mercia Police says a 31-year-old man remains in police custody, while currently in hospital.

  13. Flood risk in Coleshill after heavy rainpublished at 12:52 British Summer Time 5 October 2021

    The Environment Agency is warning of a risk of flooding at the River Cole in Coleshill after heavy rainfall overnight and this morning.

    River levels have risen at the Swans Barn river gauge and further rain and showers are forecast for later today.

    The agency said it is closely monitoring the situation and incident response staff are checking river levels and the weather forecast.

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  14. Tanker driver tailed by petrol-seeking driverspublished at 12:16 British Summer Time 5 October 2021

    BBC Radio WM

    A tanker driver said he was tailed by about 20 drivers who were angry after discovering he was not transporting petrol.

    Johnny Anderson, who drives for Weaver Haulage, was trying to transport building materials from Bilston to Northamptonshire last week.

    The tankerImage source, Johnny Anderson

    He said one driver had wound down his window to ask where he was taking his trailer of petrol to, when Mr Anderson told him he was carrying cement.

    "He looked at me despondent," he said.

    "He said 'You haven't got fuel on board' quite aggressively and I said 'No I'm not carrying fuel' and he said 'Well you could have stopped and let us know.

    "How on earth would I know what you're about and what you're doing? I'm just going ahead doing my daily delivery."

  15. 'Substantial damage' caused by water main burstpublished at 11:51 British Summer Time 5 October 2021

    BBC Radio Hereford and Worcester

    There are big problems on the roads in Kidderminster this morning because of a burst water main.

    It's affecting the Comberton Hill area and repair work is under way.

    Worcestershire County Council's head of highways Jon Fraser has told BBC Radio Hereford and Worcester there's a lot of damage.

    "There's substantial damage to Comberton Hill and that remains closed," he said. "You can get down as far as Hoo Road, but below that there's not much left of the road I'm afraid, it's been damaged in several locations so the road and the footways are closed."

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  16. Fatal raid robber restrained for 17 minutespublished at 11:46 British Summer Time 5 October 2021

    Shane Bryant died after being confronted by a group during a robbery at a convenience store in 2017.

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  17. Appeal lodged over refused plans for ex council officepublished at 11:26 British Summer Time 5 October 2021

    Local Democracy Reporting Service

    A developer has lodged an appeal after its plans to demolish a derelict council office block for housing were rejected.

    Housing Plus Group had put forward proposals to knock down the former Bridgnorth District Council headquarters at Westgate and build 30 properties, but the scheme was refused by Shropshire Council’s southern planning committee earlier this year.

    It has now taken its case to the planning inspectorate, after the committee said the development would have an unacceptable impact on road safety and the layout lacked cohesion and failed to reflect local context and character.

    How the development could look.Image source, Housing Plus Group

    A hearing date has been set for next month

    Councillor Andy Boddington said: “The southern planning committee had no objection to redevelopment of the former Shropshire Council offices.

    “We were happy for it to be used for housing. The problem lies in the proposed layout. “

    The Westgate building was the home of Bridgnorth District Council until Shropshire Council was formed in 2009, after which its use diminished and it eventually closed. In 2015.

  18. Man suffers life-changing injuries in tree crashpublished at 11:09 British Summer Time 5 October 2021

    A man suffered life changing injuries when a car hit a tree in Wolverley, Worcestershire.

    The blue Kia Optima crossed the carriageway in Shatterford Lane before hitting the tree at 17:45 BST on Friday.

    A 46-year-old man was taken by ambulance to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.

    West Mercia Police has asked anyone who witnessed the crash to come forward.

  19. Sarah Everard murder: 'Bad apple narrative is wrong'published at 10:32 British Summer Time 5 October 2021

    The chief constable of West Midlands Police says describing Wayne Couzens, the Metropolitan Police officer who kidnapped, raped and murdered 33-year-old Sarah Everard in London, as a "bad apple" is to view the crime through "the wrong lens".

    It follows questions as to whether police forces do enough to vet officers or whether, as Conservative MP George Eustice said on Question Time, Couzens was simply "one bad apple".

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    Addressing his male colleagues, Chief Constable Dave Thompson wrote "an act like this is seen at the end of a continuance of a curve of misogynistic behaviour that women experience".

    "There is a deep concern, highlighted through media coverage, that colleagues did not challenge and concerns may not have been acted upon," he wrote. "This case indicates that misogynistic attitudes to women are tolerated in policing."

    Chief Constable Dave ThompsonImage source, West Midlands Police

    He also wrote about incidents where the force had "sacked officers in the last few years for misogynistic WhatsApp messages and abusing their position for sexual gain".

    In September, PC James Ankrett admitted striking up a relationship with a domestic abuse victim, and in January former officer, Emerson Estridge, was jailed for having sex with victims while on duty.

    "Some individuals are attracted to policing because it gives them power, access to vulnerable people, an ability to coerce others to get their own way," Mr Thompson said. "There is no place for them and we all have an obligation to identify, challenge and report concerns where we see them."

    He called on his officers to be more alert to "more mainstream behaviour" that "shows the wrong attitudes" and set out four key actions "to make policing an exemplar for the right attitudes and approaches to women".

    "Ultimately this is all about how men behave to women," he wrote. "So let’s be the change we need to see in society."

  20. Tributes to man killed in stabbingpublished at 10:16 British Summer Time 5 October 2021

    Twenty-year-old Amin Talea had a "pure soul and contagious energy", his family says.

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