Summary

  • Updates on Friday 16 December 2016

Live Reporting

Vanessa Pearce

  1. Man attacks worker in cheese shop robbery

    Allen Cook
    BBC Local Live

    A store worker's been attacked during a robbery at a cheese shop in Stratford.

    Warwickshire Police say it happened at Paxton and Whitfield on Monday morning on Wood Street. 

    Paxton and Whitfield on Wood StreetGoogle

    They say a man had got in through a fire escape and was in the process of taking bags of cash from the safe when a female member of staff challenged him. 

    Officers say he twisted her arm and pushed her to the ground before running off with some of the money.

  2. Watch: Rail strikes 'could spread' to West Midlands

    Peter Plisner
    BBC Midlands Today

    Rail unions are warning of strike action if a scheme to remove guards from trains is introduced in the West Midlands.   

    Ken Usher from the RMT Union

    Drivers and guards are currently on strike on the Southern Rail network in a dispute over who should operate train doors.

    The RMT Union says the same thing could happen in the West Midlands and Ken Usher from the union says they don't believe the change would be safe for passengers.

    On Tuesday, the government said it may consider banning strikes on the railways.  

  3. Sniffer dogs discover thousands of illegal cigarettes

    Sniffer dogs discovered over 44,000 illegal cigarettes during raids on shops in Nuneaton, Rugby and Leamington, Warwickshire Trading Standards says.

    Sniffer dogsWarwickshire Trading Standards

    It has also revealed that a secret compartment was discovered behind the counter of small corner shop in Nuneaton, containing 600 suspected counterfiet cigarettes and 300g of hand rolling tobacco. 

    The raids took place last week.

  4. Counterfeit goods thought to be worth more than £3m seized

    Suspected counterfeit goods with a value of more than £3m were seized in an operation at Wellesbourne market last weekend, Warwickshire Police says.

    A 19-year-old man and a 16-year-old boy, both from Birmingham were arrested on suspicion of fraud by false representation and have been released on police bail next February. 

    The joint operation also involved the Anti Counterfeiting Group and the National Markets Group.

  5. You need a licence to fish....

  6. Watch: What will the weather be like later?

    BBC Weather

    Dry and fairly cloudy this morning but a little brighter this afternoon. Highs of 11C (52F).  

    Cloudy and mostly dry tonight some mist in places. Lows of 7C (45F).

    Alex Hamilton with the West Midlands weather forecast.

  7. Your photos: Super moon returns for final time in 2016

    BBC Weather Watchers

    The super moon is back, and while it's not quite as big as it was last month, it will appear to be 14% bigger than usual at the moment.

    And some of the BBC Weather Watchers in Warwickshire managed to take a photo of it, in the gaps between the cloud last night.

    Super moonBoatbirder
    Super moonDaveA

  8. Man jailed for historical rape

    New scientific techniques with DNA has led to man being jailed for the rape of a teenage girl in 1987, police say. 

    Mark Harrison, 45, who's already serving a sentence for the rape of a woman in 1992 and attempted rape in 2002, was jailed for 11 years at Warwick Crown Court.

    Mark HarrisonWarwickshire Police

    Warwickshire police say detectives reviewed this particular case using new techniques which were applied to the DNA found on the victim's clothing in 1987 and Harrison was identified as the offender.    

  9. Kenilworth primary school goes ‘way beyond’ to cheer up pupil whose mother fell ill

    Warwick Courier

    A Kenilworth woman who fell ill unexpectedly has praised staff at a primary school for going ‘way beyond’ what she would expect to keep her daughter’s spirits up while she was in hospital.

  10. Boy fighting cancer given £20,000 raised by police

    A nine-year-old boy who is fighting cancer has been presented with a cheque for £20,000 - the money was raised by Warwickshire Police and West Mercia Police.

    Alex Goodwin, who's the son of a Warwickshire officer, was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer, in June this year. 

    Alex GoodwinWarwickshire Police

    The money will be used to help send him for treatment in America, where he will be operated on in the new year.

    Not only has the financial support been unbelievable but the acts of kindness offered by people all over the UK and the world as been overwhelming. We can't thank you all enough."

    Jeff Goodwin, Father

  11. Police hunt man who escaped custody

    Allen Cook
    BBC Local Live

    A man who's escaped from custody has connections to the Leamington area, police say. 

    Duane TaylorWarwickshire Police

    Warwickshire Police say Duane Taylor, 26 (pictured), is wanted on prison recall and escape from lawful custody.

  12. Nicola Payne: Reward offered by family for information

    Caroline Gall
    BBC News Online

    Family and friends of Nicola Payne are offering a £10,000 reward for information leading to finding the 18-year-old.

    Today is the 25th anniversary of the last time the mother-of-one was seen in Coventry, on 14 December 1991, on her way to her parents' house.

    Scott Payne

    Her parents John and Marilyn Payne, both 71, have said they will never give up hope of finding their daughter.

    Scott Payne (pictured), Nicola's brother, said he hoped the reward would "trigger someone" to come forward.

    Hopefully between that and the hurt that people can see my mum and dad are going through, it may just trigger with someone, you know? That that's enough. It's time Nicola did... get the burial that she deserves, because she was a good person."

    Scott Payne, Nicola Payne's brother

  13. Quarter of families 'planning to borrow' to fund Christmas

    BBC Coventry & Warwickshire

    Nearly a quarter of families in the West Midlands are planning to borrow money to cover the cost of Christmas, according to a charity.

    Christmas presents and cards

    The Children's Society says nationally, closer to one in ten families are taking out loans. 

    It says on average people spend £700 on presents, food, drink, decorations and travel.

  14. Rugby: Kurtley Beale comes through first Wasps game 'without any problems'

    Tom Cooke
    BBC Coventry & Warwickshire

    Wasps' marquee signing Kurtley Beale has come through his first match for the club without any problems, according to Director of Rugby Dai Young. 

    Kurtley Beale dives over for the first try against ConnachtDavid Rogers/Getty Images

    After being sidelined since the summer by injury, Beale made his Wasps debut against Connacht in Sunday's European Champions Cup game, scoring a try. 

    I thought he was great and he thoroughly enjoyed it and it was lovely to see him with a big smile on his face. I thought he had a lot of assists in tries as well so it was a great day for him."

    Dai Young, Wasps' Director of Rugby

  15. News: Reward offered in missing mum case; unemployment falls; fire in old swimming pool building

    Tom Cooke
    BBC Coventry & Warwickshire

    Our headlines this lunchtime include:

    - Family and friends of Nicola Payne are offering a £10,000 reward for information leading to finding the 18-year-old

    - Unemployment in the West Midlands fell by 25,000 to 151,000 in the three months to October, according to the Office for National Statistics

    - Firefighters spent two hours dealing with a fire in a building that used to house a swimming pool in Wolston during the early hours.

  17. Football: Coventry need to play 'as if we have nothing to lose'

    BBC Coventry & Warwickshire Sport

    The Sky Blues midfielder Gael Bigirimana says it's up to the players to get the team out of their current losing run.

    Gael BigirimanaPete Norton/Getty Images

    Coventry are at home to Sheffield United tomorrow night and will be trying to avoid a sixth consecutive league defeat.  

    We're going through a difficult period. But this is what makes footballers or breaks them. When you are going through a bad patch you lose confidence. We have to start playing as if we have nothing to lose."

    Gael Bigirimana, Coventry City midfielder

  18. Travel: M6 closed at J6-5

    BBC Travel

    The M6 is closed in both directions at J6-5 because of an overturned lorry. 

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  19. Fire in old swimming pool building

    BBC Coventry & Warwickshire

    Firefighters spent two hours dealing with a fire in a building that used to house a swimming pool in Wolston during the early hours.

    Two fire engines from Rugby attended and found the single-storey building on Warwick road completely ablaze. 

  20. Your pictures: Pink sky in the morning...

    BBC Weather Watchers

    You know what they say, a pink sky in the morning is a shepherd's warning. 

    BBC Weather Watcher Chela sent in this lovely picture of the sunrise in Stratford-upon-Avon.

    SunriseChela

    If you have a picture you'd like to share, sign up to become a BBC Weather Watcher here.