New measures to end the blight of nuisance calls have come into force. People will now be given the choice to opt in to receiving such calls, which could be about personal injury claims or PPI. Cold calls offering to settle personal injury claims or sell payment protection insurance will be banned if the claimant…

A prolific burglar has been jailed after pleading guilty to three burglaries and two attempted burglaries. Lewis Tracey, from Rea Street, Birmingham, was seen forcing entry into a property in White House Common Road, Sutton Coldfield in December last year, where cash and jewellery was taken. A day later, the 24-year-old was seen on CCTV…

A controversial housing scheme in Solihull has been given the go-ahead despite flooding fears and anger over ‘Lord of the Rings’ style destruction at the site. Councillors lined-up to condemn the fact that trees had been cut down prior to the application being submitted for land in Birchy Leasowes Lane. But despite their outrage, the…

Solihull Council has secured a new substance misuse service for residents, existing provider Solihull Integrated Addictions Service (SIAS) has won a four year contract worth nearly £2m a year. The new contract will start on 1st April 2019. SIAS is an innovative partnership between Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (BSMHFT) and community…

An elderly cyclist has sadly died after reports of an incident involving a car. It happened at around noon today (4th September) on Fen End Road West in Knowle. An off-duty paramedic started resuscitation at the scene while two ambulances, a paramedic officer and the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance were en-route. A West Midlands…

A man with a foot sex fetish was caught filming girls as young as eight in the Aldi store on Stratford Road in Shirley. Kristian Stephan, 38, also made recordings in Solihull town centre. He escaped jail after pleading guilty to two counts of outraging public decency and was hit with a three-year community order…

West Midlands Police has applauded the bravery of two women after their evidence helped convict an 18-year-old man of rape and sexual assault. Thomas Hampson, from Yorkminster Drive, Chelmsley Wood, was jailed on Friday (31/08) for 12 years after raping one woman and sexually assaulting another in Chelmsley Wood last year. Hampson was just 17…

Shots were fired outside a Pizza Hut takeaway as a 4×4 smashed into traffic lights on Coventry Road in Sheldon. The gunfire came from two men on a scooter as a Land Rover Freelander crashed, West Midlands Police said. Bullets hit the takeaway just after 10pm on Friday (31 August). A West Midlands Police spokesman…

A 21-year-old man has appeared in court charged with murdering his ex-partner and her mother at home. Janbaz Tarin, of Evelyn Road, Sparkhill, is accused of killing Raneem Oudeh, 22, and 49-year-old Khaola Saleem. Both died of stab wounds outside mother-of-six Ms Saleem’s house in Northdown Road, Solihull, in the early hours of Bank Holiday…

Police searching for the suspect in the double murder in Solihull have arrested a man. The 21-year-old was detained in Sparkhill on Thursday evening (30 August) and will now be questioned by detectives on suspicion of the murders. Raneem Oudeh and her mother Khaola Saleem were fatally stabbed in Northdown Road in the early hours…