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Tuesday, February 9, 2010

5 day forecast


Stories about dudley

Workers move in for end of baths

Condemned Coseley baths entered its final chapter today as contractors appointed to demolish the building moved onto the site.


£50,000 council bill over worker tragedy

A Black Country council has been ordered to pay £50,000 in fines and costs after a worker was killed when he was hit by a loading bucket at its road maintenance depot.


Taxpayers will foot £10bn hospitals bill

The cost to taxpayers of building new hospitals in the West Midlands will come to £10 billion – four times what they are worth, it has emerged.


Hundreds gather to fight plan for mast

Hundreds of anxious residents packed into a public meeting vowing to fight plans for a 41ft phone mast near their Black Country homes.


Council cleared over baths threat

An investigation has cleared Dudley Council of blame over claims it started demolition work at Coseley baths before permission to reduce the building to rubble had been granted.


Woman’s leg impaled on fence spike

A woman became impaled on a spiked fence after trying to take a shortcut through the yard of a Black Country car sales garage.


Blazers and bags ban for children at Tesco

Schoolchildren are being banned from wearing blazers and taking bags into a Tesco store in the Black Country.


Jobs risk at Ethel Austin

Thousands of jobs were at risk today after administrators were called in at budget retailer Ethel Austin and the chain’s sister company, home interiors specialist Au Naturale.


More than a fifth of town’s shops empty

More than a fifth of the shops in an ailing Black Country town centre are lying empty, new figures have revealed.


Here comes the bride in a 44-tonner

It was a weight off his mind when Black Country bridegroom Richard Palmer hitched a ride in a lorry to his big day.


The Sun & Slipper, Mamble, near Bewdley

Our mystery diner, The Insider, takes a trip to a little gem of a pub in a Midlands village.


Blackout at 1,000 homes

More than 1,000 homes were left without electricity after a power cut hit Halesowen.


Heathens fans find sites for new stadium

Fans fighting to bring back the Heathens to speedway in the Black Country have put forward 64 suggested sites for a new stadium, it was revealed today.


Freeze sparks a rush for grit bins

The big freeze has sparked hundreds of requests for new grit bins across the West Midlands and Staffordshire, it emerged today.


Cap on rent hits council coffers

A move to slash rent increases for tenants in Dudley will leave the council £450,000 out of pocket, it was revealed today.


One-way road closure is extended

Another stretch of road will be closed next week as part of the Black Country’s £12.3 million Burnt Tree Island roadworks.


Canal trip prices cut

Dudley Canal Trust has slashed some of its boat trip prices in a trial run which could continue all year if popular.


Council homes not up to standard

More than 1,000 council homes in Dudley do not meet basic standards.


Compton nuisance neighbour evicted

A nuisance neighbour who made life hell for residents of a Wolverhampton suburb has been evicted.


Argos employee was threatened, jury told

A part-time Argos worker accused of using fake wage slips to get her hands on a £10,000 bank loan claims she was forced into it by “threats” and “blackmail”, a court heard.


New bobbies not on the beat

Hundreds of would-be police officers in the Midlands are still waiting for jobs despite having passed entrance exams, it emerged today.


Stairlift maker buyout by firm

Kingswinford stairlift manufacturer Minivator has been bought by a Norwegian company in a multi-million pound takeover deal.


Move to list baths is being assessed

Heritage bosses are considering whether to grant condemned Coseley baths listed status, a move which could block council plans to demolish the building.


Horses by hospital spur fear

Four horses spent the weekend grazing on land outside a Midland hospital sparking fresh concerns for motorists’ safety.


Drivers are caught out in big freeze

Thousands of motorists faced a nightmare journey to work today as overnight snow and ice caught councils on the hop.


Sickness bug keeps wards closed

Two wards remained closed at Sandwell General Hospital today due to an outbreak of the winter vomiting bug, norovirus.


Snow returns to the West Midlands

Wintry weather returned to the West Midlands today – causing travel problems across the region.


Firefighter tells of miracle rescue in Haiti

Pulling a two-year-old girl from the rubble of the Haiti earthquake is a “miracle moment” a Black Country firefighter will never forget.


Police target sellers of stolen scrap metal

Rogue scrap merchants were at the centre of a swoop by police cracking down on the sale of stolen metal in the Black Country.


Binman crushed by lorry

A binman was crushed by a lorry while on his rounds in Kingswinford.

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