James Cartledge

Jane Bedenham has taken her family to Whitemead Forest Park in the Forest of Dean every year since 1999, creating a tradition spanning three generations and involving more than 40 relatives and friends. The annual gathering helps scattered family members stay connected, including her son Oliver, who works as cabin crew but never misses the trip. Jane values the park’s unreliable phone reception and nostalgic atmosphere, which allow the family to disconnect and spend time together. She is considering installing a memorial bench for Graham and Cath, whose original invitation sparked the tradition, and hopes future generations will continue returning.

One-year-old Florence Wilde was diagnosed with metastatic neuroblastoma after her increasingly swollen stomach and illness were repeatedly attributed to constipation by GPs. Her family says the diagnosis was delayed for around three weeks and that she endured severe pain before a blood test led to an urgent referral. Florence underwent surgery, chemotherapy and immunotherapy, with the tumour later stopping progression, but her parents are raising £100,000 for DFMO, an anti-relapse treatment no longer available through the NHS.

Police raided an underground cannabis cultivation operation estimated to be worth £500,000 near Wolston, outside Coventry. The facility was concealed beneath a shipping container fitted out with makeshift accommodation, including bunk beds and a cooking area. Five people were arrested on suspicion of producing cannabis after three allegedly attempted to flee the scene.

Clair Birch, 59, faces an order to demolish or modify a £170,000 two-storey annexe built in the garden of her Worcester home for her disabled daughter. Worcester City Council rejected a retrospective planning application, and the Planning Inspectorate dismissed an appeal seeking 18 months to comply, ruling that six months was sufficient. Birch says she believed the proper paperwork had been submitted and that the building was designed to meet her daughter’s needs. Neighbours objected to the structure’s size, position near the boundary and alleged damage to their property. The inspector said the daughter’s personal circumstances did not change the development’s planning status, while noting that the council could extend the deadline if necessary.

Luke Cowan was diagnosed with stage-four anaplastic T-cell lymphoma at age 26 after initially assuming pain and swelling in his leg were symptoms of a cold. He suffered organ failure, underwent eight rounds of chemotherapy and was given a 30% chance of survival before entering complete remission in May 2021. Supported by the Teenage Cancer Trust, he rebuilt his strength and has since completed several half-marathons, including Birmingham’s, while aiming to progress to full marathons and other endurance challenges.

Warwick Crown Court heard that Jowad Haji allegedly raped and sexually assaulted a woman in the back room of a Stratford-upon-Avon barbershop after offering her work. Prosecutor Simon Hunka said Haji made sexual comments, restrained the woman, strangled her, and attacked her until her friend returned. The woman later reported the incident to police. Haji denies rape, attempted rape, sexual assault, assault by penetration and intentional strangulation, saying that he and the woman had previously kissed consensually and that their relationship never went beyond kissing.

A disciplinary panel found that former Staffordshire Police chief constable Christopher Noble committed gross misconduct and would have been dismissed had he not resigned shortly before the hearing. Reporting restrictions prevent disclosure of the allegations, while the Independent Office for Police Conduct continues investigating other claims. Noble will be placed on the College of Policing’s barred list. Police and oversight leaders described the case as deeply concerning and called for stronger accountability, earlier reporting of misconduct, and more robust standards for senior police appointments.

Four teenage boys, reportedly aged between 12 and 15, were filmed laughing, stamping on and kicking flowers in a Sutton Coldfield town-centre flower bed near the Gracechurch Shopping Centre. A bystander said the group had earlier attempted to damage a bus shelter and resumed wrecking the flower bed after West Midlands Police officers spoke to them and left. The footage prompted public condemnation, while police and the Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield Town Council were contacted for comment.

Birmingham’s grade II-listed Methodist Central Hall, formerly home to the Q nightclub, has been acquired by the US-based Civis Foundation after years of vacancy and deterioration. The foundation plans to restore the 1904 building as a civic and cultural institution offering performances, exhibitions, education, hospitality, studios and community events under a public-benefit model. Earlier plans by Ciel Capital to convert the site into a hotel-led leisure complex failed to progress, leaving the building’s future uncertain.

A jury at Birmingham Crown Court was discharged after failing to reach a verdict in the attempted-murder trial of Emma Jane Williams, 41, of Pype Hayes, Erdington. Prosecutors alleged that Williams tampered with a child’s medication by adding a substance with a syringe in January, while she denied the charge. After six hours and 44 minutes of deliberation, jurors said they could not reach the required majority verdict. A further hearing is scheduled for July 30.

University student Holly Murray has accumulated £28,000 by saving much of her earnings from bar work, selling clothing on Vinted, switching bank accounts for bonuses and investing regularly. She holds £12,000 in a Lifetime ISA, £13,000 in a stocks and shares ISA and £3,000 in an instant-access Chip account. Murray says her investments have returned about 20%, and she hopes to reach a £100,000 portfolio within five years by continuing to live at home after graduation and invest £200 a month.

Maisie Wilson, a 21-year-old economics apprentice from Devon living and dining in London, has shared ways to reduce the cost of meals, drinks and coffee during the cost-of-living crisis. Her suggestions include using the Eat Club, TheFork and First Table apps for restaurant discounts, signing up for promotional mailing lists from chains such as Pizza Express and Bella Italia, converting Tesco Clubcard vouchers into restaurant rewards worth three times their face value, using Greene King's student discount, and claiming free drinks through Dusk and discounts through Paace. She says these techniques allow her to eat out roughly twice a month, while examples of her savings include discounts of up to £23.50 on individual restaurant bills.

Families in Birmingham estimate that they waste £277 a year on uneaten food, according to a Censuswide survey commissioned by Bernard Matthews. The figure is higher than Bristol’s £198 but lower than Glasgow’s £369. The survey of more than 2,000 UK parents found that 60% said their children refused a served meal at least weekly, while half believed allowing children to play with food could ease mealtime pressure and reduce waste.

Louise Houston bought a derelict public toilet block near Cheltenham for £35,000 in 2011 and overcame several planning setbacks to convert it into a two-bedroom holiday home. After spending around £5,000 on legal and planning fees and £45,000–£50,000 on construction, she completed the property in 2019. It became a popular Airbnb rental for walkers, hikers and dog owners, generating about £120 per night during the summer. Houston is now selling it for offers around £300,000 because managing the property remotely from Cornwall has become difficult and she wants to focus on building a home there.

Wychavon District Council has backed a motion calling for tougher fly-tipping penalties, better recognition of cleanup costs in sentencing, and greater use of community payback schemes. Councillors cited resident concerns, environmental damage and the low average court fine of £539 in 2024/25. The motion also called for mobile CCTV to target dumping hotspots. The UK Government has separately announced that the maximum fly-tipping penalty will rise from £1,000 to £5,000, while the maximum street-littering fine will increase to £750.

Worcestershire County Council and its six districts are due to be replaced by two unitary authorities in April 2028: one covering Worcester, Wychavon and Malvern Hills, and another covering Wyre Forest, Bromsgrove and Redditch. The UK Government says the division reflects the county’s more industrial north and rural south and will support tailored services and future devolution. Local leaders warn the restructuring could increase taxes because major services would have to be divided, while former council member Mike Rouse suggests it may eventually lead to north Worcestershire being absorbed into Birmingham.

A yellow heat health alert covered the West Midlands and several other English regions from Friday morning until Sunday morning, with temperatures potentially reaching 30C. The warning came amid exceptionally dry conditions, with England receiving only 3% of its average July rainfall, drought declared in North Wales and the Upper Severn, hosepipe bans affecting 23 million customers, and wildfires in parts of the UK and Ireland. Cooler, wetter conditions were expected to spread south from Saturday, while millions of motorists prepared for summer travel and the Port of Dover anticipated a busy weekend.

Micah Richards learned of his father Lincoln’s unexpected death just before going on air for the BBC’s coverage of England’s World Cup semi-final against Argentina but chose to continue the broadcast, later paying tribute to his father in an Instagram post. Support messages followed, including from Jamie Carragher. England’s defeat prompted discussion of manager Thomas Tuchel’s future, though the Football Association retains confidence in him as he continues toward Euro 2028 under his extended contract.

Two people died when a red Seat car left the A46 near Coventry early on July 1, prompting an eight-hour closure of the southbound carriageway. Warwickshire Police reported the deaths of a man in his 30s and a woman in her 20s at the scene and appealed for witnesses or dashcam footage. Information can be provided directly to police or anonymously through Crimestoppers.

A former West Midlands Police superintendent, Syed Hussain, pleaded not guilty to charges of fraud and transferring criminal property linked to an alleged £720,000 investment scam. Co-defendant Farah Ullah gave no plea indication to related fraud and money‑transfer charges. Prosecutors allege Ullah falsely claimed to possess £198 million to induce payments, while Hussain allegedly misrepresented his authority over a bank account to facilitate fund release. The case, covering alleged offences between November 2022 and April 2023, has been sent to Southwark Crown Court for a preliminary hearing on July 29.

Pass rates for the driving theory test at major Midlands centres remain below 41 percent, with Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Dudley among the lowest in the region. Data from the DVSA shows significant variation between busy urban and smaller rural test sites. AA Driving School’s managing director highlights the importance of updated Highway Code knowledge and thorough preparation, noting that many drivers feel less confident about theory than practical skills. The school promotes its test‑prep app as a tool to improve readiness and boost success.

A major upgrade scheme for junctions on the A38 between Birmingham and the M1 may be cancelled after government departments were asked to contribute part of their capital budgets to support an expanded defence investment plan. MPs Jonathan Davies and Hamish Falconer warned of the economic and strategic impact of halting the A38 and A46 projects, while Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis said the government must reprioritise resources to ensure national security. Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed that the Department for Transport will provide up to £700 million in savings toward the defence initiative.

Avanti West Coast train drivers represented by Aslef will be balloted for potential strike action after the union rejected the company’s 2026 pay offer. Union leaders criticised the Department for Transport for withholding approval for an agreement they believed had been reached, warning that its involvement is harming industrial relations and could disrupt passenger services. Avanti expressed disappointment over the ballot decision and said it remains willing to negotiate.

Prince Harry plans to bring his children Archie and Lilibet to visit Princess Diana’s grave at Althorp House during a UK trip tied to next year’s Invictus Games in Birmingham. The visit is expected shortly after what would have been Diana’s 65th birthday. The trip also includes engagements with the charities WellChild and Scotty’s Little Soldiers. Security concerns, central to Harry’s ongoing dispute with the Home Office, appear to have eased, though officials stressed decisions were made solely by the department. The visit will mark the children’s first meeting with King Charles in four years, following the family’s departure from Frogmore Cottage after the publication of Harry’s memoir.