Summary

  • Another maternity unit is forced to close overnight

  • Phone boxes to be saved after objections raised

  • Severn Valley Railway sees increase in passenger numbers

  • Updates on Friday 17 February 2017

  1. Illegal alcohol seized across West Midlandspublished at 16:47 Greenwich Mean Time 14 February 2017

    More than 10,000 litres of illegal alcohol have been found during an operation across the West Midlands, HMRC says. 

    Fifty officers from HMRC, Trading Standards and the police visited 24 retail premises last week in Birmingham, Dudley, Worcester, Telford, Stoke, Coventry and Wolverhampton. 

    Seized alcoholImage source, HMRC

    Products were seized from 18 premises and included 13 litres of spirits, 1,580 litres of wine and 18,100 cans of beer.

    HMRC said around £20,000 had been evaded in duty costs and VAT. 

  2. Police describe Shrewsbury house as 'illegal garden centre'published at 16:29 Greenwich Mean Time 14 February 2017

    Police have described a house in Shrewsbury as an "illegal garden centre" after finding large numbers of cannabis plants in pots.

    Cannabis plantsImage source, @ShrewsburyCops

    Two men have been arrested in connection with the discovery on Moston Road.

  3. Your photos: Churches under grey Shropshire skiespublished at 16:09 Greenwich Mean Time 14 February 2017

    BBC Weather Watchers

    It's remained pretty grey today and the BBC Weather Watchers have been out to photograph the county.

    These photos of churches were taken in Oswestry (top) and Oakengates (below).

    ChurchImage source, Bingoswestry
    ChurchImage source, Ray
  4. Football: Shrewsbury's opponents have defensive issuespublished at 15:49 Greenwich Mean Time 14 February 2017

    BBC Sport

    While Shrewsbury Town have been keeping it tight at the back, tonight's opponents, Peterborough, have shipped 17 goals since the start of the year.

    And despite sitting in ninth place in the table, they have lost four of their last seven.

    Peterborough United stadiumImage source, Getty Images

    Victory for Shrewsbury tonight could see them climb to 16th in the table, level on points with two other sides.

  5. Marcus Willis's Wimbledon ambitionspublished at 15:31 Greenwich Mean Time 14 February 2017

    Last year's unlikely Wimbledon hero is back on court dreaming of more tennis headlines. 

    Media caption,

    Tennis coach Marcus Willis has more Wimbledon ambitions

    The club coach from Warwick has been in action in Shrewsbury on Tuesday in the Aegon Pro Series.

    At Wimbledon last summer, Willis, then ranked 722 in the world, played Roger Federer on Centre Court.

    Willis came through six rounds of qualifying and the first-round proper before being beaten 6-0 6-3 6-4 by the Swiss in round two.    

  6. Newly installed speed bumps are too bigpublished at 15:13 Greenwich Mean Time 14 February 2017

    Andrew Hewkin
    Newsreader, BBC Shropshire

    Three newly installed speed-humps on Oteley Road in Shrewsbury are having to be lowered after a flurry of complaints.

    Oteley RoadImage source, Google

    Shropshire Council called developers to a meeting to ask them to explain why they appear to be higher than agreed. 

    The developers have promised to put things right as soon as they can.

  7. Tourism in Telford gets funding boostpublished at 14:54 Greenwich Mean Time 14 February 2017

    Telford has been given £74,220 by the government to boost the local tourist industry.

    The money will be used by Telford and Wrekin Council to fund leisure campaigns which promote outdoor activities, food and drink events, rural tourism and the local market towns.

    iron bridge

    The council says it supports around 200 tourism and hospitality companies, but there could be another 400 out there that could benefit.

  8. Football: Shropshire Premier Cup semi finalpublished at 14:33 Greenwich Mean Time 14 February 2017

    James Bond
    Sports Producer, BBC Shropshire

    It's the first semi-final tonight in the Shropshire Premier Cup. 

    Market Drayton Town take on Whitchurch Alport at the Ellesmere Rangers ground. 

    The winners will play Newport Town or Shawbury United in the final.

  9. Football: Shrewsbury defender pleased with improved performancespublished at 14:11 Greenwich Mean Time 14 February 2017

    James Bond
    Sports Producer, BBC Shropshire

    Shrewsbury Town's defence has made huge strides in 2017 and the team have kept three clean sheets in the seven games played so far this year, conceding just four goals.

    Defender Joe Riley has been a part of that and has been speaking about the improved performances.

    Media caption,

    Shrewsbury Town's Joe Riley is pleased with the improvements made

  10. 60 Shropshire jobs at risk in Budgens stores crisispublished at 13:48 Greenwich Mean Time 14 February 2017

    Shropshire Star

    More than 60 jobs are under threat, external after a supermarket business with stores in Shropshire collapsed into administration.

  11. Your photos: Snowdrops and deer in the mistpublished at 13:27 Greenwich Mean Time 14 February 2017

    BBC Weather Watchers

    It's been another hazy start to the day, as you can see from this photo taken near Ludlow by one of the BBC Weather Watchers.

    Deer in fogImage source, Foggy

    We've also has this photo shared by a Weather Watcher near Norton.

    SnowdropsImage source, Ice Queen
  12. Teenager in court for murder trialpublished at 13:06 Greenwich Mean Time 14 February 2017

    Alex Seftel
    Journalist, BBC Shropshire

    A 19-year-old from Liverpool has denied murdering another teenager in Shrewsbury last August. 

    Michael Warham, who was 16 and also from Merseyside, was stabbed in Meole Brace and died three days later.

    Stafford Crown Court

    Declan Graves, from Speke, is on trial at Stafford Crown Court.   

  13. Wartime gay love letters bought by museumpublished at 12:46 Greenwich Mean Time 14 February 2017

    A collection of love letters between two soldiers during World War Two have been bought by Oswestry Town Museum.

    The letters lift the lid on a relationship which had to be kept secret at the time.

    Media caption,

    A collection of war letters has lifted the lid on a relationship between two gay soldiers

  14. Marcus Willis wins in straight setspublished at 12:19 Greenwich Mean Time 14 February 2017

    Marcus Willis (pictured in green here) has won his first round match in the Aegon GB Pro-Series tournament in Shrewsbury.

    The Warwick tennis coach, seeded five for the tournament, beat the french player Ronan Joncour in straight sets.

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  15. Teenager arrested after cannabis discoverypublished at 11:44 Greenwich Mean Time 14 February 2017

    A teenager has been arrested by police in Shrewsbury following the discovery of hundreds of cannabis plants in Sundorne. 

    The 19-year-old is being questioned about the haul found in a building on Moston Road this morning.

  16. Cannabis plants found in Shrewsbury raidpublished at 11:13 Greenwich Mean Time 14 February 2017

    Police in Shrewsbury found these cannabis plants during a raid in the Sundorne area this morning. 

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  17. Valentines sepsis message from hospitalspublished at 10:57 Greenwich Mean Time 14 February 2017

    The hospitals in Shrewsbury and Telford are using Valentines Day as a way to raise awareness of sepsis.

    The medical director at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust, Dr Edwin Borman (pictured below), says the symptoms of sepsis are "remarkably similar to some of the things we associate with being in love", such as a fast heartbeat and fast breathing.

    Nurse and doctor with cardsImage source, SaTH

    Mr Borman is taking cards around the hospitals to educate people about the condition, which can lead to shock, multiple organ failure and death, especially if not caught quickly enough.  

    Quote Message

    Sadly, in our hospitals, around six patients a month die from sepsis, along with other cases where the patient does not reach us in time. We want to reduce that number by at least half and believe that we can do so by increasing awareness of the condition and improving treatment."

    Dr Edwin Borman, Medical Director at SaTH

  18. Football: Town looking to extend their six-game unbeaten runpublished at 10:35 Greenwich Mean Time 14 February 2017

    BBC Sport

    Shrewsbury Town are looking to pull further away from the League One relegation zone tonight. 

    Straight off the back of their excellent win at high-flying Scunthorpe at the weekend, they're away again to Peterborough. 

    Paul Hurst
    Quote Message

    I think a lot of teams coming up against us, not to long ago, would've thought that's three points. Now they'll be a bit more respectful of us going into the game."

    Paul Hurst, Manager, Shrewsbury Town FC

  19. Community bus needs more helppublished at 10:14 Greenwich Mean Time 14 February 2017

    A Shifnal man needs your help to keep his community bus on the road. 

    The Shifnal Shuttle is a ring-and-ride service designed to help older people stay independent by providing transport into the town from their doorstep. 

    ShifnalImage source, Google

    Len Powell, who runs it, needs a volunteer to help him drive the bus for a couple of hours a week when he's not available.