Health bosses back hospital reorganisation plans
Shrewsbury Flower Show gets under way
Pair arrested in Telford arson investigation are released on bail
Rare pine marten colony flourishing
Updates on Friday 11 August 2017
BBC Midlands Today
On Midlands Today this lunchtime, we'll have more on an urgent appeal which has been launched for more people across the West Midlands to sell poppies.
The Royal British Legion says it desperately needs more volunteers as some are no longer able to help due to poor health or because they're simply too old.
We'll have more from 13:30 on BBC One.
The investigation into the death of former Aston Villa footballer Dalian Atkinson is nearing completion, the Independent Police Complaints Commission has said.
He died after being shot by a police Taser in Telford last August and the IPCC has interviewed three West Mercia Police officers under criminal caution.
Image source, PAThe IPCC said it had also spoken to 15 other officers and another 15 people who witnessed the event, along with paramedics.
The report is now waiting on pathology and toxicology reports and the IPCC said that once the investigation is published it will consider whether misconduct proceedings against the three officers are appropriate and the Crown Prosecution Service will be asked to make a decision on possible criminal charges.
The taxi company Go Carz says it is "assisting the police with their investigations" following the death of one of its drivers in a crash in Telford on Monday night.
Detectives are investigating reports the man in his 50s "may have been involved in an altercation with the occupants of an unknown vehicle" before his car hit a tree on Ironbridge Road in Madeley.
Go Carz wouldn't comment on that line of investigation, but said its operations director Graham Hoof said everyone's thoughts "are very much with the driver's family and the passenger who was injured".
The decision to close a drop-in surgery and GP practice at Telford's Princess Royal Hospital was made because it wasn't working as intended, not for financial reasons, the chair of Telford's clinincal commissioning group has said.
Dr Jo Leahy explained that most of the slots at the practice, run by contractors Malling Health, were being taken up by people registered with the practice and that meant there weren't enough slots for people turning up on the day.
Image source, GoogleShe said that this was resulting in people being on the hospital site and walking over to accident and emergency for treatment out of frustration - and putting more pressure on A&E.
Dr Leahy said the CCG had been able to find new practices for for all the people registered with the Malling House practice.
Quote MessageMost people really wanted to be able see their own doctors, if they needed to see someone the same day, not to go to a walk-in centre."
Dr Jo Leahy, Telford and Wrekin CCG
Rachel Webb is among 100 relatives of knife crime victims who want the Knife Angel sculpture on the Fourth Plinth.
Read MoreThe Royal British Legion is appealing for more volunteers in Shropshire to sell poppies.
The charity says some people are leaving because of poor health, or because they’re simply too old.
The areas in most need of help are Shrewsbury, Wem, Wellington and Telford Central.
Telford Magistrates' Court is losing its admin department next week, with the work being moved to Stafford.
The Ministry of Justice says it is to make room for Telford County Court, which is due to be moved into the building later this year and that courtroom staff would be unaffected.
Telford is the last remaining magistrates' court in the county, following the closure of Shrewsbury Magistrates' Court last year.
About a dozen staff are believed to be moving to other sites as a result, but the Ministry of Justice wouldn't say exactly how many are affected.
The county's out-of-hours GP service Shropdoc says its current financial difficulties shouldn't affect services for patients.
It has had to cut a number of staff and is training up paramedics, nurses and other medical staff to take the place of GPs on the advice line.
Shropdoc is looking to renegotiate its contracts and its chairman, Dr Russell Muirhead, said it would also look to reorganise its own operations to "make ends meet".
Quote MessageThey'll get a responsive service from people who are skilled and trained to a level to meet their needs and if the first person they come across isn't quite the right person, then there's immediate back-up."
Dr Russell Muirhead, Shropdoc chairman
BBC Sport
The AFC Telford manager Rob Edwards has praised his side for their second-half fight-back after going 3-0 down at home to Brackley last night.
They ended up losing the match 3-1, but Edwards said it could have been a different game if they had pulled a second goal back.
Telford are at home to Salford this weekend and Edwards said his side would learn from their mistakes.
Quote MessageFull credit to the lads, they kept going. It would have been easy to go under, but they didn't, they got one back and they huffed an puffed and then had one or two more chances of half chances after that as well."
Rob Edwards, AFC Telford United manager
A Telford man has found an added extra to a property he bought earlier this year.
Shaun Ashford was worried about rising damp in his 19th Century cottage, so he thought he'd check under the kitchen floor.
Instead of the cellar he was expecting, he found a hole 15 ft deep.
Image source, Shaun Ashford
Image source, Shaun AshfordHe's still trying to find out exactly what it is.
Various suggestions include a water holding tank and a well.
Shropshire's out-of-hours GP service Shropdoc is to meet the county's community health trust next week to discuss its plans to renegotiate its contract.
In a letter, Shropdoc chairman Russell Muirhead says the service is facing the "most serious" financial challenges in 21 years and that some staff have already been made redundant.
Image source, ShropdocShropshire's Community Health Trust says it does not anticipate any immediate withdrawal of services and that patients using the community hospitals should be reassured that the service is safe.
Shropshire's out-of-hours GP service, Shropdoc, is planning to renegotiate its contracts with the county's community health trusts because of what's described as the "most serious" financial challenges it's faced in 21 years.
In a letter to GPs, Shropdoc's chairman Russell Muirhead says providing the service is costing far more than the money coming in.
Image source, Science Photo LibraryThe letter also says a number of posts have been lost and the chief executive has left by mutual consent.
The service is planning to use trained medics called "urgent care practitioners" to support GPs in providing out-of-hours cover, as it's reliant on a small number of doctors doing a large amount of shifts to sustain the service.
A £188m valuation, external of Shropshire’s council houses “does not reflect” the price the authority would receive for their sale, an official has said according to the organisation.
Image source, Shropshire StarBBC Sport
Shrewsbury Town have been beaten in the League Cup, losing 2-1 at Nottingham Forest.
Forest went ahead before half-time, later making it 2-0, before Shaun Whalley scored a late penalty for the Town.
Shrewsbury's manager Paul Hurst was disappointed his side couldn't get a better foothold in the game.
Quote MessageWe've only got ourselves to blame for the first goal... and then we dive in and give a penalty away."
Paul Hurst, Manager, Shrewsbury Town
Rich Davis
BBC Weather presenter
A wet start for most parts of the West Midlands but it could improve for a lot of us as the day goes on, here's the full forecast.
Plus you can keep up to date with the latest forecasts for your part of the region with the BBC Weather website.
Rich Davis
Alex Seftel
BBC Local Live
Good morning from the BBC Shropshire newsroom.
Our team will be bringing you updates on the latest news, sport, travel and weather.
If you'd like to get in touch you can email, tweet, external or comment on our Facebook , externalpage.
Mustapha Carayol scores a penalty and sets up Jason Cummings' debut strike as Nottingham Forest beat Shrewsbury in the EFL Cup.
Read MoreWe'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.
A national wheelchair tennis tournament is taking place in Shrewsbury this week.
The Shrewsbury Summer Open forms part of the National Wheelchair Tennis Series and will involve local player Kevin Drake, who is due to represent Britain at the Invictus Games in Toronto next month.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe event is being held at the Shrewsbury Club on Sundorne Road, starting on Friday and will be the first of two wheelchair tennis tournaments held there this year.
It is due to host the National Series final in December.
A lonely nightjar scoured parts of Shropshire during a 600 mile (965 km) search for a mate, researchers from the University of York have discovered.
They fitted a tracking device to the bird, who they've named Marcel after Love Island contestant Marcel Somerville, and plotted his route from Yorkshire, through East Anglia and the Midlands and then back to Yorkshire again.
Image source, University of YorkSo far, he's been unlucky in love, but the researchers are still hoping he'll find that special nightjar.
Quote MessageWe checked and double-checked that there was no malfunction with the tag or error with the satellites - but the data is correct. After all that, he still hasn't found a mate, but the breeding season still has another three weeks to go."
Dr Kathryn Arnold, University of York
