Summary

  • Laser pen shone at RAF Shawbury helicopter

  • Telford man appears in court charged with ten sex offences against girls

  • Wrekin MP to meet health secretary over hospital proposals

  • Updates on Friday 9 December

  1. Midwife units see 25% of mums transferredpublished at 09:21 Greenwich Mean Time 8 December 2016

    One in four women are transferred from midwife-led units to consultants after facing complications when giving birth, a BBC investigation finds.

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  2. Labour transfer times: 'I was trying not to have my baby'published at 09:03 Greenwich Mean Time 8 December 2016

    It should have taken 15 minutes to transfer Catherine Buckley from a midwife-led unit to the care of a doctor.

    Instead, it took almost an hour to travel the 18 miles from Shrewsbury to Telford as the 35-year-old tried not to have her baby in the back of an ambulance. Her husband, Jack, 32, arrived half an hour before her.

    Catherine BuckleyImage source, Catherine Buckley

    Eight months on, Ralph is a happy, healthy baby, but his mother said she would not choose again to have a child at a freestanding midwife-led unit, with no doctors present.

    She chose to use the midwife-led unit at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, because it is the closest to her home, but was transferred during labour to the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford after experiencing complications.

    Quote Message

    On the way to the hospital I was going against every instinct at that point and trying desperately not to push."

    Catherine Buckley

  3. Shropshire women face long journey if transferred to give birthpublished at 08:46 Greenwich Mean Time 8 December 2016

    Women in Shropshire who opt to give birth locally, but are transferred because of possible complications, have to travel some of the longest distances in the country, research by the BBC has found

    About one in four women end up being transferred from midwife-led units to sites staffed by consultants, like the one in Telford. 

    BBC FOI request to hospital trusts
    Image caption,

    Source: BBC FOI request to hospital trusts

    NHS bosses say stand-alone midwife-led units are just as safe as doctor-led hospital care for low-risk deliveries.

    BBC England's data unit contacted 139 hospital trusts, receiving information back about 128 midwife-led units in England under the Freedom of Information Act.  

  4. Headlines: Council back plans for legal challenge; long transfers for women in labour; college rating to be upgradedpublished at 08:28 Greenwich Mean Time 8 December 2016

    Carlie Swain
    BBC Local Live

    Here are some of the stories we're looking at this morning:

    - Telford and Wrekin councillors agree to start a legal challenge if proposed hospital changes go ahead

    - Women from Shropshire who are transferred during labour have to travel some of the longest distances in the country, a Freedom of Information request by the BBC shows

    - North Shropshire College is to get an upgrade from its inadequate Ofsted rating

  5. Weather: A very wet start to the daypublished at 08:14 Greenwich Mean Time 8 December 2016

    BBC Weather

    A cloudy start with outbreaks of rain this morning, but it should clear up later. Sara has all the details

    Media caption,

    Latest weather for the West Midlands

  6. Latest updates from BBC Shropshirepublished at 08:01 Greenwich Mean Time 8 December 2016

    Carlie Swain
    BBC Local Live

    Good morning from the BBC Shropshire newsroom. I'm taking a look at the latest news, sport, travel and weather. 

    You can get in touch via email, Facebook , externaland Twitter, external

  7. Three-quarters of MPs reveal abusepublished at 19:55 Greenwich Mean Time 7 December 2016

    At least three-quarters of West Midlands MPs have been abused or threatened while doing their job, a BBC investigation finds.

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  8. Our live coverage across the daypublished at 18:00 Greenwich Mean Time 7 December 2016

    We'll be back with our usual mix of news, sport, travel and weather from 08:00 tomorrow, but keep an eye out here for more updates this evening and into the morning.

  9. Weather: Cloudy with some rain overnightpublished at 17:54 Greenwich Mean Time 7 December 2016

    Shefali Oza
    BBC Midlands Today

    It's going to remain cloudy and there's the chance of some showers overnight.

    Media caption,

    BBC Midlands Today's Shefali Oza has your forecast

  10. Councils say leaked NHS letter backs up their concernspublished at 17:46 Greenwich Mean Time 7 December 2016

    The leaked NHS England letter which criticises progress on Shropshire's future healthcare plan has been welcomed by both Telford and Wrekin and Shropshire Council.

    Two council headquartersImage source, Google/BBC

    Both authorities raised concerns about the Sustainability and Transformation Plan when it was published last week, saying it lacked detail and had flaws with its financial projections.

    The letter from NHS England raises similar concerns.

    Quote Message

    NHS England’s concerns echo those that both councils made, particularly around a financial model that bears little resemblance to reality. I am sure everyone will agrees this is a work in progress and that a considerable amount of further work is needed and this will take some time."

    Councillor Shaun Davies, Leader of Telford and Wrekin Council

  11. Collection for Syrian refugeespublished at 17:35 Greenwich Mean Time 7 December 2016

    Alex Seftel
    Journalist, BBC Shropshire

    Campaigners raising money for Shropshire's Syrian refugees are holding two collections in Shrewsbury.

    The group called Shropshire Supports Refugees is looking for donations of clothes and household goods for families who've recently arrived in the county.

    Quaker Meeting RoomImage source, Google

    Collections are taking place between 19:00 and 21:00 tonight and 09:00 until 11:00 tomorrow at the Quaker Meeting Room on Coton Mount.

  12. Watch: North Shropshire MP suggests changes to immigration rulespublished at 17:25 Greenwich Mean Time 7 December 2016

    The North Shropshire MP, Owen Paterson has been suggesting changes to the UK's immigration rules.

    He was speaking in a parliamentary debate on the government's timetable for leaving the European Union.

    Media caption,

    The North Shropshire MP is suggesting a change in immigration rules after Brexit

  13. Theft of Christmas lights upsets villagepublished at 17:15 Greenwich Mean Time 7 December 2016

    Andy Giddings
    BBC Shropshire

    The theft of the Christmas lights in Sheriffhales appears to have upset a lot of people.

    Peter Young, the leader of the group which puts them up, said he found it hard to take after building the collection of lights through public donations over a number of years.

    Sheriffhales lightsImage source, Pippa Hodgetts

    Pippa Hodgetts, who lives opposite the display, said the lights bring a lot of joy to people living in the village and they were finding it hard to explain to the children what had happened.

    People have also been reacting on our Facebook page., external

    Quote Message

    It has been so upsetting for everybody. The community has saved up over the years for these lights and we all enjoy to see them over the Christmas period."

    Pippa Hodgetts

  14. Headlines: Health boss responds to critical letter; cash for police cameras; village has Christmas lights stolenpublished at 17:04 Greenwich Mean Time 7 December 2016

    Andy Giddings
    BBC Shropshire

    Our headlines this evening:

    - Shropshire health boss responds to critical leaked letter from NHS England

    - Funding found for police body cameras

    - A village that had its Christmas lights stolen gets an offer of replacements

  15. MP 'confident' over funding for Shrewsbury North West Relief Roadpublished at 16:49 Greenwich Mean Time 7 December 2016

    Shropshire Star

    There are "positive indications" from the government over the long-awaited Shrewsbury North West Relief Road, according to the town's MP., external

    Daniel KawczynskiImage source, Shropshire Star
  16. NHS chiefs criticise health shake-uppublished at 16:40 Greenwich Mean Time 7 December 2016

    Regional health bosses have "little confidence" in proposals for health services in Shropshire, a leaked letter reveals.

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  17. Shropshire health boss responds to leaked letterpublished at 16:32 Greenwich Mean Time 7 December 2016

    The man leading a review of healthcare in the county has responded to a leaked letter from NHS England which criticised its progress so far.

    Simon Wright said the Sustainability and Transformation Plan was a "working document and should not be seen as the finished article" and he welcomed the concerns raised by NHS England.

    Simon WrightImage source, SaTH

    Mr Wright said the leaked letter was an "initial response" from NHS England to an early draft of the plan and that detail would be added later.

    He also said the plan should be "seen in the context of a five-year plan that is still developing".

    The letter, dated 1 December and signed by regional NHS bosses, called for a revised plan by Christmas.

  18. Sheriffhales gets offer of replacement Christmas lightspublished at 16:14 Greenwich Mean Time 7 December 2016

    Andy Giddings
    BBC Shropshire

    Shifnal has offered to help out neighbouring Sheriffhales, after the village had some of its Christmas lights stolen.

    Shifnal lights

    Shifnal Town Council said it had some spares in storage and it is prepared to lend them, if Sheriffhales can get them safety-checked.

    Meanwhile, people in Sheriffhales are planning fundraising events for next year, to get them replaced permanently.

  19. Ice hockey: Tigers sign former Czech internationalpublished at 15:59 Greenwich Mean Time 7 December 2016

    BBC Sport

    Telford Tigers have signed the former Czech Republic international Lubomir Korhon.

    The 38-year-old forward has experience playing in this country after spending four years at Sheffield Steeldogs, scoring 270 points in 177 games, before leaving at the end of last season.

    Lubomir KorhonImage source, Peter Best

    The paperwork for Korhon won't be completed in time for him to play against Sheffield tonight, but he should be available to take to the ice at the weekend.

    Six players have left the club since being offered new contracts and Korhon is the first to join them.

    Quote Message

    Rather than taking a chance on a guy, we know exactly what we're getting with Lubo. I’ve met him several times and he’s in great shape. I have no doubt he will fit very well with this team and in the locker room. It is about adding a body to the team and we’ve got someone with real top-end ability. He’s a real quality player."

    Tom Watkins, Telford Tigers head coach

  20. Shropshire pair make Who’s Who 2017published at 15:39 Greenwich Mean Time 7 December 2016

    Oswestry and Borders Chronicle

    Two Shropshire people are among 930 new names in the newly published 2017 edition of Who’s Who., external