Family pay tribute to teenage girl found in Dickens Heath canal

The family of Sophie Leanne Drozdzik, who tragically drowned in Dickens Heath canal last month, have paid tribute to their ‘beautiful daughter’. The 18-year-old Warwickshire College student was found in the early hours of 3rd July after it is believed she fell in the canal after suffering from an epileptic seizure. Her tragic death came…

Continue reading »

Body of Solihull woman Suzanne Hughes who went missing in Norfolk found off the coast of Holland

The body of a Solihull woman who went missing on holiday in Norfolk has been found by police off the coast of Holland. 67-year-old Suzanne Hughes disappeared last month on the final day of her holiday at the seaside resort of Cromer. Norfolk Police have confirmed today (05/08) that the body of a woman found…

Continue reading »

Humanity on the highway: award for Castle Bromwich commuter who saved rough sleeper

Big-hearted Anthony Jeffs has been honoured by West Midlands Police for his benevolence in providing tea and sympathy to a man he encountered living rough on his daily commute. Anthony, from Castle Bromwich, noticed the man several times perched on a barrier as he cycled to work along the A47 Nechells Parkway last October. Initially…

Continue reading »

Solihull Magistrates’ Court faces closure

The government is consulting on plans to close 91 courts and tribunals in England and Wales – including Solihull Magistrates’ Court. The aim is to reduce what Justice Secretary Michael Gove has identified as “surplus capacity”. Courts under threat include 57 magistrates’ courts, 19 county courts, two crown courts, four tribunal hearing centres and nine…

Continue reading »

New Solihull motorway service station expected to attract 80,000 vehicles a week

Up to 80,000 vehicles a week are expected to use a £65 million motorway service station at Solihull – billed as one of the biggest boosts for the region’s transport network for nearly two decades. It has been revealed, Solihull Services – located to the west of the M42 and south of Solihull Road –…

Continue reading »

Plans submitted to expand Touchwood shopping centre

A planning application has been submitted to expand Touchwood shopping centre in Solihull. The expansion would see the addition of 30 new shops, restaurants and cafés and the creation of a new open street leading from the High Street to a new courtyard. The plans also include a covered arcade to link Touchwood’s existing Atrium…

Continue reading »

Solihull patients to receive treatment at home in final months of life as part of new pilot scheme

Cancer patients across the Solihull borough will be able to receive medical treatments usually only delivered in hospital or a hospice at home as part of a groundbreaking project to improve end of life care. It will mean that up to ten people across Solihull who are facing their last few months of life will…

Continue reading »

Body of woman found in Dickens Heath canal

A body of a woman has been found in the canal in Dickens Heath. Officers were called to the Waterside area at around 6:00am this morning (3rd July) after the body was discovered by a member of the public. Police are not currently treating the death as suspicious. A post mortem examination will take place…

Continue reading »

MP Caroline Spelman demands fix as ‘Solihull schools miss out on more than £9m’

Solihull schools are still missing out on more than £9 million because of a failure to fix an unfair funding system, an MP Caroline Spelman has warned. The Meriden MP urged Ministers to press ahead with long-awaited plans to change the way that some schools receive significantly more funding than others simply because of where…

Continue reading »

Judges throw out appeal by teen who killed grandfather in tragic Shirley high speed crash

A teenager who killed a man and caused serious injuries to a young boy when he ‘floored’ the accelerator of a brand new £105,000 Range Rover has had his appeal dismissed. Stephen Beckett was on his way to play cricket when then 19-year-old Kirpal Singh Sokhi ploughed into his van in Shirley, sending it careering…

Continue reading »