Nick Humphreys

Retired policeman William Richardson Hughes died on August 4, nearly two weeks after accidentally setting fire to his trousers and shoes while using a gas-powered weed burner in his Telford garden. He suffered full-thickness burns covering 12% of his left leg and deteriorated after hospital treatment. A Shropshire inquest recorded a conclusion of accidental death, with his next of kin raising no further issues for the coroner to investigate.

Construction worker Nathan Edwards, 44, pleaded guilty at Telford Magistrates Court to possessing an offensive weapon in a public place after being seen chasing someone with a baseball bat in a B&M car park in Newport. Police found the bat at his nearby home, and CCTV supported the account. Magistrates fined him £769, ordered £85 in costs and a £308 victim surcharge, for a total of £1,162 payable at £100 per month, and ordered the bat destroyed.

Former RAF soldier Richard Turner pleaded guilty to five counts of theft in a dwelling after stealing £29,806.30 of jewellery, watches, electronics, cash and other belongings from five customers whose homes he cleaned through KR Domestic Cleaners. The victims included a 10-year-old boy, a girl whose bedroom was searched and a Telford widow whose late husband's pocket-watch chain was taken. Turner admitted the offences after CCTV showed him leaving one home with bulging pockets. Shrewsbury Crown Court heard that the thefts caused significant financial and emotional harm, including feelings of violation and loss of trust. Turner, who has PTSD and a history of alcohol problems but no previous convictions, was sentenced to two years and four months in prison suspended for two years, along with rehabilitation and alcohol treatment requirements and £150 in prosecution costs.

Leanne Vaughan is organizing LilyFest at Cookley Village Hall on September 5 to mark what would have been her daughter Lily-May Vaughan’s 21st birthday. Lily-May died aged 17 in a 2023 crash in Shawbury caused by her boyfriend, Logan Addison, who was jailed for dangerous driving. The event will feature live music, a memorial song, and a raffle, with proceeds supporting Road to Change C.I.C., which helps families affected by fatal road collisions. Tickets cost £10.

Curtis White, 27, from Walsall, was banned from driving for 12 months after pleading guilty at Telford Magistrates Court to driving a Skoda Fabia with ketamine above the legal limit. Testing found 40 micrograms of ketamine per litre of blood, twice the permitted limit. He was fined £320 and ordered to pay £85 in prosecution costs and a £128 victim surcharge, bringing the total financial penalties to £533.

Seventeen-year-old Millie Edwards from Telford organised a track day at Stafford Car Driving Centre to raise money for a volunteering trip to Zanzibar with My African Adventures. The event featured BMWs, a Mazda MX-5, a Honda Civic and a Ford Fiesta ST, giving car enthusiasts a legal and safer place to drive while police target car cruises and antisocial driving. Edwards hopes to organise more track days in the future.

Amar Sekhon, 29, of Bilston, was convicted at Telford Magistrates Court after failing to provide police with a breath sample in Telford on Christmas Eve last year. He was banned from driving for 16 months, fined £180, and ordered to pay £650 in prosecution costs plus a £72 victim surcharge, resulting in total financial penalties of £902.

Claire Evans was sentenced to 16 months in prison at Shrewsbury Crown Court after pleading guilty to four offences involving the delivery of cocaine, synthetic cannabinoids, cannabis resin and buprenorphine into HMP Stoke Heath. The drugs, concealed in a chocolate-bar wrapper, were intended for her son Rehman Stanton, who is serving an eight-year sentence for gang violence in Walsall. The judge rejected mitigation based on Evans's remorse, drug recovery and childcare responsibilities, stressing the harmful role of drugs in prison and the need for deterrent sentences.

Residents are outraged that the decomposing remains of a headless horse and a dead foal were left for several days near High Street in Claverley during hot weather. The RSPCA found the remains in poor condition, including an apparently underweight mare with long hooves, but could not identify a microchip or determine how the animals died. The charity is investigating the circumstances, while Shropshire Council has been asked to comment on the removal of carcasses from public land.

Four men appeared at Telford Magistrates Court accused of involvement in alleged theft and concealment of plant machinery following simultaneous police raids across Shropshire on June 25. Alfie Price, Grant Hill and Alfie Oliver face charges including conspiracy to steal, conspiracy to handle criminal property and arranging or facilitating travel for exploitation, while Jason Maddox also faces five burglary charges. No pleas were entered. The case was sent to Shrewsbury Crown Court for a hearing on August 25, and all four defendants were granted conditional bail. Billy Langford and Dean Rogerson are also due to appear, with Rogerson additionally charged over alleged cocaine and cannabis supply.

The RSPCA is investigating after a decapitated bay horse and a dead foal were found covered by a tarpaulin near a bridleway off High Street in Claverley, near Bridgnorth. The horse was found in three pieces, appeared underweight and had long hooves, while the animals may have died before they were reportedly dumped on July 25 or 26. West Mercia Police is conducting enquiries, and the RSPCA is asking anyone with first-hand information to contact the charity.

Daniel Moore, 32, pleaded guilty at Telford Magistrates Court to driving near Bridgnorth with seven micrograms of Delta-9 THC per litre of blood, above the legal limit of two micrograms. He was banned from driving for 17 months, ordered to complete 50 hours of unpaid work under a 12-month community order, and required to pay £199 in costs and surcharge.

Hundreds attended the annual Will Rogers Memorial Day at Bridgnorth Rugby Club on July 25, honouring the 26-year-old farm worker and sheep shearer who died in a 2022 road collision. Organised by his mother, Mandy Oliver, the rugby tournament and family activities have raised about £8,000 for charities over the years, with this year's proceeds going to men's mental health charity Tough Enough To Care. Friends and community members are also fundraising for Shropshire Rural Support, while a sheep-shearing competition will be held in Rogers's memory.

Seventeen-year-old Millie Edwards from Muxton is organising a July 31 track day at Stafford Driving Centre to give car enthusiasts a safe place to display and race their vehicles while raising money for a volunteering trip to Africa with African Adventures. The event comes as police pursue action against anti-social car cruising, including a possible injunction against car meets. Edwards argues that responsible petrolheads are unfairly associated with reckless driving and may organise further events if the track day is successful.

Paul McDermott, 55, pleaded guilty at Telford Magistrates Court to driving on the M54 near Cosford with cannabis levels above the legal limit. Testing found 4.4 micrograms of THC per litre of blood, compared with the 2 microgram limit. He was banned from driving for 12 months and ordered to pay £925 in fines, costs and a victim surcharge.

Daniel White, 35, of Walsall, pleaded guilty at Telford Magistrates Court to driving a Renault Megane on the M54 near Wolverhampton while over the legal alcohol limit. A breath test recorded 42 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath against the England and Wales limit of 35. He was banned from driving for 12 months, fined £120, and ordered to pay £85 in prosecution costs and a £48 victim surcharge.

Bridgnorth Rugby Club will host the annual Will Rogers Memorial Day on July 25, commemorating the 26-year-old farming worker and sheep shearer who died after being hit by a van near Diddlebury in 2022. The event includes junior and senior rugby, family activities and refreshments, with proceeds supporting men's mental health charity Tough Enough To Care. Will's childhood friend Lee Firmstone is also raising money for Shropshire Rural Support by completing local races while carrying a hay bale.

Seven people—six men and one woman—appeared separately at Telford Magistrates Court accused of involvement in a conspiracy that allegedly stole £140,000 in cryptocurrency from a Shrewsbury woman through account hacking and SIM swapping. No pleas were entered. District Judge Joseph O’Connor ruled the case too serious for the magistrates court and committed it to Shrewsbury Crown Court, where the defendants are due to attend a plea and trial preparation hearing on August 18.

Ian Powell, 62, of Prees near Whitchurch, pleaded guilty at Telford Magistrates Court to causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal after engaging in a sexual act with a calf in Shrewsbury on June 16, 2025. Magistrates adjourned sentencing until September 23 to allow a pre-sentence report to be prepared and granted Powell bail in the meantime.

Daniel Purcell, 31, pleaded guilty at Shrewsbury Crown Court to stealing a £120 red-and-black Nike training shoe from a Bridgnorth home by reaching through a cat flap. Judge Deni Mathews granted bail, warned that custody remained possible, and scheduled sentencing for September 1 after a pre-sentence report.

Shrewsbury artist Gary Matthews died from COVID-19 on January 13, 2021, aged 46, after reportedly rejecting the virus’s existence, refusing to wear a mask and becoming immersed in conspiracy theories. His cousin Tristan Copeland has made the documentary What About Gary? to examine Matthews’s beliefs, the role of internet echo chambers and the wider conditions of distrust and isolation during the pandemic. Copeland plans a private screening in Shrewsbury before seeking festival opportunities, including the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam.

A Shrewsbury retro sports shop reports strong demand for classic England football shirts as local fans prepare for the World Cup semi-final against Argentina, with Argentina kits also drawing interest from rival supporters. Shop owner Shaun Owen highlights popular vintage designs and expresses confidence in England’s chances, predicting a comfortable win. His business has expanded with a new High Street store offering a broader range of classic sports apparel.

A Birmingham drug dealer, Lueque Charles‑Gumbs, was jailed for seven years for perverting the course of justice and drug‑related offences after paying Emma Green £100 to give false evidence under a fake identity during his trial. The deception was uncovered when police recognised Green, leading to the trial’s collapse and a subsequent retrial that resulted in his conviction. Green, who has an extensive criminal history, admitted her role but failed to appear for sentencing, prompting a warrant for her arrest. Police recovered heroin, crack cocaine, cannabis, and phones linked to drug dealing, all of which were ordered for destruction.

A plan to house 121 asylum seekers in newly built homes on Dutton Close in Stoke Heath, Shropshire, is under review by the Home Office. Mark Pritchard MP told residents at a public meeting that the review was under way, which local opponents viewed as a positive development. Residents Kevin Plews and Jason Scott described the proposal as unsuitable and chaotic, citing concerns about safety, community tensions, media attention and the area’s limited size.

A planned scheme to place asylum seekers in newly built homes in Stoke Heath is being reviewed by the Home Office, according to MP Mark Pritchard. The announcement followed strong local opposition and a public meeting where residents expressed safety concerns and frustration over the proposal. Community members reported stress caused by media attention and argued the small estate is unsuitable for housing large numbers of new arrivals. Pritchard said the review offered reassurance to residents who opposed the plan.

A historic C-47 Dakota operated by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight flew over Newport and the wider West Midlands as part of continuing Armed Forces Day celebrations. Built in 1935, it is described as the last Dakota of its type still serving with the Royal Air Force and one of the most recognisable aircraft from the Second World War. Further celebrations were taking place at venues including Himley Hall.

Brody Leach, 22, was found dead in the River Severn in Shrewsbury during the early hours of June 27 after reportedly getting into difficulty in the water the previous day. West Mercia Police said his death is not being treated as suspicious, his family has been informed, and the riverside area has reopened while reassurance patrols continue.

Lacon Childe School in Cleobury Mortimer postponed its Year 11 prom from June 25 to July 2 because temperatures were forecast to exceed 35°C and the venue lacked air conditioning. Some parents are angry after spending money on formalwear and transport, with several unable to attend the rearranged date. The Four Stones Gateway Trust, which runs the school, said the decision was necessary to protect students' and staff's health, safety and wellbeing, while parents have discussed arranging a separate event.

Residents of Stoke Heath in rural Shropshire are protesting plans to house 121 asylum seekers on a nearby housing estate. They say the area lacks amenities and public transport, worry about the safety of women and children, and are frustrated that the homes will not be available to local families, homeless people or veterans. Some residents stress that their opposition is not racially motivated and express sympathy for people fleeing war, but argue that the location is unsuitable. A petition is being organized, with a community meeting planned at Stoke on Tern Parish Hall, while Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard has criticized the decision in Parliament.

Firefighters rescued a sheep from the River Severn area at Danesford in Bridgnorth after being called to the incident at about 11:50 p.m. An incident support unit from Bridgnorth fire station carried out the rescue.

The sold-out 2026 RAF Cosford Air Show can still be viewed from several nearby locations, including public footpaths along the A464, Cosford Railway Station, The Albrighton Trust’s Moat and Gardens, and Wildwood Alpacas. The article outlines parking restrictions, admission prices, facilities, booking details and site rules, while highlighting opportunities to see historic aircraft and the Red Arrows.

Community nurse Jason Carter, 55, was jailed for 13 months and banned from driving for five years and five-and-a-half months after pleading guilty to causing the death of 77-year-old Barry Russell by careless driving on the A458 near Much Wenlock in October 2023. Carter swerved into the opposite lane and collided with Russell’s Nissan Micra; investigators found no vehicle, road, weather, alcohol or drug-related explanation for the manoeuvre. Russell never regained consciousness and died weeks later, leaving his wife Stella and son Ian unable to say goodbye. Shrewsbury Crown Court heard of Russell’s long career, community contributions and nearly 50-year marriage. The judge said an immediate custodial sentence was necessary for punishment, deterrence and public confidence.

A 17-year-old from Telford received a 12-month youth referral order after pleading guilty to stealing wheelie bins, causing criminal damage that recklessly endangered life and endangering road users. He and 20-year-old Daniel Hodnett threw a bin from a footbridge onto a police car travelling along the A442 in dark, rainy conditions. The judge considered custody but took the teenager’s ADHD and depression into account. Hodnett received a two-year suspended prison sentence and 150 hours of unpaid work, with both defendants told they were fortunate to avoid immediate custody.

A teenager who crashed an uninsured moped into an Audi on the B4373 near Bridgnorth on March 5, 2026, suffered serious injuries and pleaded guilty to riding without a licence and insurance. Telford Magistrates Court fined him £120, ordered £85 in costs and a £26 victim surcharge, and endorsed his licence with six penalty points. He will repay the £231 total at £10 per week.

A metal detectorist found a complete, partially misshapen late Bronze Age gold penannular bracelet in a field at Cheswardine near Market Drayton, Shropshire. The bracelet weighs 97.25 grams, is about 3,200 to 2,800 years old, and has a rich, butter-like colour with no visible decoration. Archaeological experts identified minor surface damage and possible test marks on its interior. Following an assessment by finds liaison officer Peter Carey, Shropshire senior coroner John Ellery declared the bracelet treasure.

Visitors without tickets to the sold-out 2026 RAF Cosford Air Show can watch the displays from several nearby locations, including footpaths along the A464, Cosford Railway Station, the Albrighton Trust, Moat and Gardens, and Wildwood Alpacas. The article notes parking restrictions near the airfield, crowding at the railway station, entry prices and facilities at the Albrighton Trust, and booking details for both paid viewing options.

Jaja Thompson, 27, pleaded guilty at Telford Magistrates Court to driving a BMW 2 Series while over the legal alcohol limit on the A442 near Bridgnorth. A breath test recorded 67 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, compared with the 35-microgram limit. Thompson was banned from driving for 12 months and ordered to pay £1,065, including a £700 fine, a £280 victim surcharge and £85 in prosecution costs.

Daniel Round, 34, of Ash Green, Dudley, pleaded guilty at Telford Magistrates Court to driving a Ford Transit on the M54 with 4.9 micrograms of Delta-9 THC per litre of blood, above the legal limit of 2 micrograms. He was banned from driving for 12 months, fined £120 and ordered to pay £85 in prosecution costs.

Toby Wilson, 44, of Moseley, Birmingham, pleaded guilty at Telford Magistrates Court to driving a Toyota Hiace on the M54 with 43 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, above England and Wales’ legal limit of 35 micrograms. He was banned from driving for 12 months, fined £120, and ordered to pay £85 in prosecution costs plus a £48 victim surcharge, totalling £253.

James Barton, 45, pleaded guilty at Telford Magistrates Court to driving a Volvo V40 in Bridgnorth with 9.8 micrograms of delta-9-THC per litre of blood, nearly five times the legal limit. He was banned from driving for 12 months and ordered to pay £285 in fines, costs and a victim surcharge.

A planned Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Dakota flypast over RAF Cosford has been cancelled and replaced by a Spitfire appearance 47 minutes earlier, at 2:08pm rather than 2:55pm. The Royal Air Force Museum apologised for the late change. The report also outlines the Dakota’s wartime roles and the Spitfire’s importance during the 1940 Battle of Britain, noting that both aircraft are among 11 historic planes maintained by the BBMF.

Raise The Flags Shrewsbury held a peaceful protest walk in Shrewsbury over its campaign to hang England and UK flags from lamp posts, while Hope Not Hate organized a counter-protest. The flag campaign says it is about national pride and opposition to the Labour government, while opponents characterize it as intimidating and linked to anti-immigration sentiment. Lower The Flags Shrewsbury has been removing the flags, and Shropshire Council says it intends to prosecute those responsible and recover thousands of pounds spent taking them down.

Michael Ashley, 49, was sentenced to 14 months in prison at Shrewsbury Crown Court after stealing about £18,000 worth of robot controllers and related equipment from Magna International’s Telford site in 2024 and selling some of it on eBay. He pleaded guilty and cited his wife’s health and his changed circumstances in asking to avoid prison, but Judge Anthony Lowe rejected the plea because of Ashley’s extensive record of fraud and theft dating back to 2006. Ashley is expected to serve 40–50% of the sentence in custody before release on licence.

Leigh Elliott, 41, pleaded guilty at Telford Magistrates Court to driving a Ford Transit on the A442 in Bridgnorth with 84 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, more than twice the legal limit of 35 micrograms. He was banned from driving for three years, fined £440 and ordered to pay £85 in prosecution costs.

Firefighters extinguished a blaze measuring approximately 30 metres by 10 metres on an embankment beside the Severn Valley Railway line at Eardington, near Bridgnorth, on May 25. Two fire engines from Bridgnorth and Tweedale attended, and the fire was put out using a fogging lance.

Ashley Owen, 40, of Morfe Road, Bridgnorth, pleaded guilty at Telford Magistrates Court to possessing cocaine. The offence occurred in Bridgnorth on September 20, 2025. Magistrates fined him £307 and ordered him to pay £85 in prosecution costs.

Jonathan Alcide, 35, has denied murdering fellow prisoner Neil Ashby at HMP Stoke Heath near Market Drayton. Alcide pleaded not guilty at Stafford Crown Court, which has set a new trial date of 1 September, with proceedings expected to last three weeks. Ashby, 46, was found dead in a prison cell on 1 July last year, and an inquest into his death has been adjourned.

Firefighters from Wellington attended Princess Royal Hospital in Telford after a small diesel leak from a vehicle’s engine compartment on May 19. Crews used an environmental grab pack to absorb the fuel, and one fire engine was dispatched. No injuries or significant damage were reported.

Naomi Wilson, 39, was sentenced to three years and two months in prison after pleading guilty to theft, attempted theft and breaching a criminal behaviour order. She left a 12-week residential rehabilitation placement at Willowdene after seven weeks, stating that she did not intend to stop using illicit substances, and days later stole alcohol from a Bridgnorth Sainsbury’s where she was banned from entering. Wilson has 45 convictions for 186 offences, including 128 thefts. The judge said she had repeatedly resisted attempts at rehabilitation and could not be dealt with except through imprisonment.

Firefighters from Bridgnorth rescued a baby locked inside a car on Stourbridge Road at around 11:13 a.m. on April 11. The crew used small tools and wire to access the rear of the vehicle and release the child.

Severn Valley Railway will host its Step Back to the 1940s event across June 27–28 and July 4–5, transforming stations along the line into wartime Britain settings. Visitors can expect steam-train travel, military displays, living-history scenes, vintage vehicles, performances, re-enactments and dance lessons. The programme includes appearances by actors portraying Winston Churchill and Bernard Montgomery, plus evening band concerts at Kidderminster featuring music associated with Glenn Miller and The Andrews Sisters. A dedicated steam-hauled train will connect Bridgnorth with the evening concerts, and tickets are available through the railway’s website.

Zachary Walker, 30, of Badger near Albrighton, pleaded guilty at Telford Magistrates Court to driving a Mitsubishi Colt with cocaine by-product benzoylecgonine in his blood above the legal limit. He had 270 micrograms per litre, compared with the 50-microgram limit. Magistrates banned him from driving for 12 months, fined him £369, and ordered him to pay £85 in costs and a £148 victim surcharge, bringing the total to £602.

Ryan Taylor, 33, pleaded guilty to burgling a Boots store on High Street in Newport, Shropshire, during a ram raid on October 23, 2024. A vehicle was used to break through the shopfront and steal a large quantity of perfume, much of which was later recovered by police. Taylor, who was already imprisoned for similar offending, was sentenced by Telford Magistrates Court to eight months in prison.

Shane Knowles, 41, and Jamie Knowles, 21, both of Sycamore Way, Highley, pleaded guilty to assaulting a man in Bridgnorth on September 6, 2024. Telford Magistrates Court sentenced each to eight months in prison, suspended for 18 months, and ordered them to pay the victim £500 compensation, complete 180 hours of unpaid work, and pay prosecution costs and a victim surcharge.

Daniel Marsden, 27, pleaded guilty at Telford Magistrates Court to driving on the A41 near Tong, close to Shifnal, with 3.3 micrograms of Delta-9 THC per litre of blood, above the 2-microgram legal limit. He was banned from driving for 12 months, fined £80, and ordered to pay £85 in prosecution costs and a £32 victim surcharge, totaling £197.