Gill Sutherland

James Dean Harrison, 51, of Coventry, was sentenced to six and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to requiring a vulnerable man to perform forced labour. Between November 2022 and February 2026, Harrison housed the homeless victim, his partner and a dog in a garden shed, confiscated the victim’s bank cards, and took £63,625.44 from his Universal Credit and pension payments. The victim was forced to undertake manual work at Harrison’s scrapyard and was allegedly subjected to physical and verbal abuse. Harrison was also ordered to pay £10,000 in reparation. The case came to light after a local councillor raised concerns with police.

A 62-year-old woman has died after her Ford Puma collided with a black Audi A3 being pursued by Warwickshire Police on Warwick Road in Stratford-upon-Avon on 24 August. The Audi driver died at the scene. The Independent Office for Police Conduct confirmed the woman's death and said both families have requested privacy.

Jo-Anne Wilson, who has managed the Royal British Legion’s Galanos House care home in Southam for more than 20 years, explains that high-quality dementia care depends on understanding residents’ life histories, keeping them active and supporting their families. She backs cross-party reform of social care, arguing that better funding and community services could reduce unnecessary NHS hospital admissions and give people more choice over end-of-life care. Wilson also calls for greater recognition, training and respect for care workers, while defending fees as necessary to cover round-the-clock staffing and operating costs. She supports effective regulation, welcomes local authority engagement during planned government changes in Warwickshire, and advocates fully funded community services, dementia leadership and increased research.

Frank Owens, a 73-year-old gardener and former lorry driver, died while trying to contain a bonfire that spread across fields in Chipping Campden. His family has invited the public to his funeral on 14 September, which will feature a low-loader carrying his coffin in recognition of his lorry-driving career. The cortege will travel through the town before the service at St James’s Church, followed by burial at Stretton-on-Fosse Cemetery and a wake at the Noel Arms Hotel. His wife Mandy and son Patrick have spoken about their loss and the community’s support.

Luminarium, a giant walk-through inflatable installation by Architects of Air, is being presented at Compton Verney for one week through 31 August. The review describes its maze-like interiors, natural light effects, coloured fabrics, ambient soundtrack and ethereal atmosphere, praising its ability to create a shared, inclusive experience for visitors of all ages. The installation, designed by Alan Parkinson and represented at Compton Verney by Flo Guerin, is wheelchair accessible and offers a quieter SEN session. Tickets also include access to the venue’s galleries, park and family activities.

A 19-year-old man died after failing to stop for Warwickshire Police and being pursued for about six minutes before his black Audi A3 collided with a Ford Puma and several other vehicles on Warwick Road in Stratford-upon-Avon. The Ford’s driver, a woman in her 60s, remains in critical condition, while her passenger and another driver suffered less serious injuries. Warwickshire Police referred the incident to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, which is investigating the pursuit and appealing for dashcam footage. The crash prompted anger among local residents, renewed debate about reckless driving by young people and social-media filming, and scrutiny of police pursuit standards.

A man died and a woman was critically injured after a black Audi allegedly fled a Warwickshire Police stop and collided with a white Ford Puma on the A439 Warwick Road near Stratford-upon-Avon. A passenger in the Ford sustained potentially serious injuries. Warwickshire Police referred the death following police contact to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, which opened an independent investigation, while emergency crews treated and transported the injured. Several other vehicles were also damaged.

The A439 Warwick Road near Stratford remains closed after a serious multi-vehicle collision on 24 August 2026. Emergency services, including two air ambulances, attended the scene, and Warwickshire Police closed the road between the Marraway roundabout, Ingon Lane and Sandbanks Lane. Witnesses claimed that police had been chasing the car that caused the crash, but the force had not confirmed the circumstances. The AA reported the collision at 4:54pm, shortly before an air ambulance arrived.

Warwickshire Police reported a week of dangerous-driving incidents, including a Leamington Spa driver using a cloned number plate who fled officers, crashed into a hedge and tree, and was arrested. A 48-year-old Wellesbourne woman who crashed into a hedge recorded an evidential breath reading of 144 microgrammes, more than four times the legal limit, and was charged with driving over the prescribed alcohol limit. Three other men were also arrested or charged over suspected drink- or drug-driving offences, including failing to provide an evidential sample. Police warned that impaired driving contributes significantly to fatal collisions and casualties.

More than 6,700 students across Warwickshire received GCSE or equivalent results, with early indications showing positive outcomes across the county. Stratford Girls’ Grammar School, Stratford-upon-Avon School, Alcester Grammar School and King Edward VI School reported particularly strong or record-level performances, while other schools highlighted student progress, resilience and progression to sixth forms, colleges, apprenticeships and employment. School leaders attributed the results to students’ effort and the support of staff and families, while Warwickshire County Council advised students who were disappointed to seek guidance from their schools, colleges, Shaw Trust or the National Careers Service.

At 83, actor Michael Elwyn is making his long-awaited Royal Shakespeare Company debut as Firs in Tamara Harvey’s production of Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard, appearing alongside Bill Pullman and Kenneth Branagh. Elwyn recalls growing up near Stratford-upon-Avon, watching celebrated RSC performances and developing his ambition to work at the company. He discusses his parents’ influence, his extensive career, the play’s themes of aging and social change, and the pleasure of working with a younger ensemble. The role fulfills an ambition delayed for decades and allows him to reconnect with the town and theatrical tradition that shaped him.