Caroline Gall

Friends Ryan Eddowes and Adam O'Hare are creating Wild West Midlands YouTube films to showcase lesser-known wildlife and green spaces across the region. They hope to encourage people to visit nearby nature during short breaks, challenge the perception that the West Midlands is mainly industrial, and demonstrate that outdoor spaces can be accessible to people with disabilities. Eddowes, who had a below-knee amputation in 2024, is particularly focused on showing that disability does not prevent people from enjoying nature.

Zahid Khan and Qazi Raziq pleaded guilty at Birmingham Crown Court to conspiracy offences linked to assisting unlawful immigration after 33 Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi migrants were found in a lorry intercepted at Dover before departure for France. Khan admitted two counts and remains in custody, while Raziq admitted one count and was granted conditional bail. Both are due to be sentenced on 1 October.

Twenty-five silver, pewter and brass antiques were stolen during a 30 July burglary at the National Trust’s Baddesley Clinton manor house in Warwickshire, temporarily forcing the property to close. The most notable missing item is a Georgian silver salver engraved with the Ferrers family coat of arms and bearing the mark of 18th-Century silversmith Dorothy Mills. The National Trust hopes the distinctive piece and other objects will be identified and returned.

Former Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond pleaded guilty to two speeding offences in Herefordshire after being recorded driving a Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo at 68mph in a 50mph zone and a Bentley Continental GT at 82mph in a 70mph zone in December. He was fined £999, ordered to pay £1,771 in total including costs and surcharges, and given seven penalty points. West Mercia Police withdrew separate charges alleging that he had ignored speeding notices and failed to identify himself as the driver.

David Jones, 34, has denied murdering a man whose body was found in a burnt-out garage on Surman Street in Worcester in February. He pleaded guilty to arson with reckless intent, assault with intent to commit robbery, assaults on an emergency worker and attempted robbery. Thomas Bowen, also 34, is separately charged with murder. Both men are due to appear at Worcester Crown Court on 9 October.

A Birmingham barber and former Erdington Academy student, Razwan Amin, is offering free haircuts to low‑income pupils to ease cost‑of‑living pressures and boost their confidence. Working with the school’s parent‑teacher association, he aims to inspire students by showing what alumni can achieve. Staff and pupils describe the initiative as empowering, with families expected to benefit especially during school holidays.

Birmingham will mark the anniversary of Ozzy Osbourne’s death with the first Ozzy Day, featuring live music, exhibitions and citywide events celebrating his legacy and Black Sabbath’s ties to the city. The programme includes performances across Birmingham, commemorative displays, guestbook contributions, and limited-edition merchandise. City leaders and cultural groups highlight the event as a tribute to one of Birmingham’s most influential cultural figures.

Two teenagers were arrested on suspicion of violent disorder after a large group fight broke out in Halesowen town centre. Police responded to reports of youths fighting on High Street around midday, issuing a dispersal order and deploying additional officers. The disturbance caused traffic disruption and affected bus services.

A Shropshire hospital warned dog owners not to bring pets to its site or leave them in cars after recent incidents of dogs being left in vehicles during hot weather. The hospital stressed the risk of rapid heatstroke and potential death, noting that even cloudy conditions can create dangerously high temperatures inside cars. It said future reports would be passed to police and the RSPCA. The alert coincides with amber heat-health warnings issued for much of England as temperatures are forecast to exceed 30C.

Parents at Lickey Hills Primary School in Worcestershire launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise £4,000 for air conditioning as classrooms reached temperatures above 30C during an amber heat-health alert. Pupils reported difficulty concentrating and discomfort, while the headteacher noted reduced attention spans and emotional regulation due to the heat. The school’s 1950s design with large windows and limited ventilation was cited as a key factor, and fans currently in use have offered limited relief.

Parents in Worcestershire have launched a crowdfund to install air conditioning at Lickey Hills Primary School, where classrooms built in the 1950s lack ventilation and temperatures have exceeded 30C during recent heat alerts. Pupils report struggling to concentrate, and the headteacher notes reduced attention spans and emotional regulation in the heat. The PTA is supporting the effort to raise £4,000 for cooling units to improve learning conditions.

Two men, Stephen Dale and Tyler Phythian, were jailed for a fatal arson attack that killed Daniel Gardner in his Birmingham flat. Dale, who had tensions with Gardner due to a shared connection with Gardner’s former partner, orchestrated the attack with Phythian after purchasing petrol shortly after midnight. CCTV captured the resulting blaze, which prevented Gardner from escaping. Dale received a 24-year sentence for manslaughter and arson with intent, while Phythian received four years for arson with intent. Police described the attack as cowardly and emphasized the impact on Gardner’s two children, as the pair were found to have acted together throughout the incident. Gardner’s family expressed profound grief following his death.