R.E.S.P.E.C.T is the code that pupils at Great Wryley's Landywood Primary School learn by Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.comand on Freeview 262 or Freely 565 Landywood Primary School, on Holly Lane, Great Wyrley, is a school where students put respect and self-development above all else.  The school's pupils are taught to hold themselves to a high account via their R.E.S.P.E.C.T system, a set of seven traits that help develop a pupil's future of learning through showing respect and working as a team.  Resilience, Empathy, Self-Awareness, Positivity, Excellence, Communication and Teamwork, are the seven areas that make up the school's motto of 'Show Respect'. Headteacher, Mr Andrew Clewer told the Express & Star: "At Landywood, we place a large focus on personal development. To underpin this, we have just one school rule - 'Show respect'.  "This encompasses seven areas on an acronym of the word respect - resilience, empathy, self-awareness, positivity, excellence, communication and teamwork." The headteacher went on to say that students strive to meet the four criteria in each area, and when they do, they earn a special badge for that area. He added: "Here at Landywood, our school council worked with me to create four criteria for each area of Respect.  Dozens of people turned out for a special St George's Day procession in Great Wyrley on Saturday.  The Great Wyrley community surely came together this weekend to mark St George's Day with costumes, music, games, and a special carnival and procession.  St. George's Day is usually celebrated on April 23 each year to commemorate the death of the patron saint of England. This year, the South Staffordshire village went all out for its celebration which included a parade of drummers from the Brereton Corps of Drums, as well as floats that were decorated by the children from local schools and residences.  near Walsall.","thumbnailUrl":["https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/1920x1080/p0kk1dpb.jpg","https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/1232x1232/p0kk1dpb.jpg","https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/688xn/p0kk1dpb.jpg","https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/400xn/p0kk1dpb.jpg"],"uploadDate":"2025-01-17T06:03:53.482Z","duration":"PT1M11S"}Ivan's still loving his table tennis battles at 92This video can not be played CloseA 92-year-old table tennis player who plays every week says he has no plans to retire The club was created in 1964 and fields teams in the Walsall Table Tennis League where table tennis can be played seven days a week was opened in 1870 as an institute - and was designed to "draw working men from the temptations of drink" Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRead descriptionEditor's recommendationsIvan's still loving his table tennis battles at 92 00:01:11Ivan's still loving his table tennis battles at 92 1:11Up Next Watch: BBC reports from pier 33 - the gateway to Alcatraz 00:01:40Watch: BBC reports from pier 33 - the gateway to Alcatraz 1:40Watch: Prince Louis steals the show as royals mark VE Day 00:01:25Watch: Prince Louis steals the show as royals mark VE Day 1:25Watch: How Lady Gaga's record-breaking concert almost ended in disaster Video 00:01:21Watch: How Lady Gaga's record-breaking concert almost ended in disaster 1:21'Trump was the game-changer': Three things to know about the Australian election result 00:01:20'Trump was the game-changer': Three things to know about the Australian election result 1:20Prince Harry 'can't see a world' where his family will visit the UK 00:02:54Prince Harry 'can't see a world' where his family will visit the UK 2:54Watch: Key moments from the local elections.. 00:01:32Watch: Key moments from the local elections.. 1:32Watch: Reform by-election win raises questions for Labour and Tories 00:01:11Watch: Reform by-election win raises questions for Labour and Tories 1:11Russell Brand's court appearance explained.. 00:00:50Russell Brand's court appearance explained.. 0:50Ros Atkins on.. What's in the US-Ukraine resources deal 1:23Kamala Harris hits out at Trump in first major speech since losing election 00:01:18Kamala Harris hits out at Trump in first major speech since losing election 1:18Watch: Moment Columbia student Mohsen Mahdawi is released 00:00:46Watch: Moment Columbia student Mohsen Mahdawi is released Care Home Professional ‘state-of-the-art’ care home is set to open its doors in Great Wyrley in May – marking the fifteenth development by Midlands-business Macc Care Group will be the ‘largest Macc Care facility to date’ offering 90 bedrooms and an array of ‘premium amenities’ including a cafe located in Great Wyrley village near Walsall will provide nursing care alongside specialist dementia support and respite services Designed to address the growing demand for high quality local care Wyrley Rose will offer tailored support across a spectrum of clinical needs guided by senior management staff with ‘combined experience of over 30 years’ and fosters an ‘integrated community’ with access between the two This setup ‘promotes continuity of care ensuring residents benefit from a vibrant and supportive environment,’ according to the company Wyrley Rose is expected to help alleviate local healthcare pressures in the region a top 20 care group and one of the Financial Times’ 2025 ‘long-term growth champions’ said: “Wyrley Rose marks an exciting new chapter for Macc Care it reflects our ongoing commitment to delivering outstanding care within purpose-built environments that truly feel like home “We know communities across the Midlands are facing rising demand for high-quality particularly for individuals living with complex or evolving needs Wyrley Rose has been designed to help bridge that gap clinically informed care within a supportive and stimulating setting.” Care homes within the group feature ‘advanced digital systems’ to ‘enhance personalised care planning and clinical monitoring’ while ‘regular visits from specialists evidence-based support tailored to their evolving needs,’ according to the care group and website in this browser for the next time I comment ShareSaveEast of England weather forecastThe latest weather forecast for the East of England from BBC Look East. 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The Reform UK Party has pulled off a stunning victory in Staffordshire after gaining full control of the county council The Conservatives, who have controlled Staffordshire since 2009 have been ousted as Reform took to social media to declare the victory Reform won  49 out of 62 seats having previously never winning a single seat in the county The Tories won 10 after previously holding 53 Greens and Stafford Borough Independents won one seat each Reform's Staffordshire organiser Martin Murray said: "I thank each and every candidate for their willingness to stand up and take part in the democratic process and all those who have worked to make these elections happen "It is humbling to have voters place their trust in us and I can promise that we will work hard delivering essential services for residents while focusing on the future.” The county council's chief executive and returning officer Pat Flaherty said: "Staffordshire County Council’s annual budget is more than £700 million and our work touches everyone’s life in one way or another "It’s vital that local people debate local issues and determine how the county council goes about its business so I was very pleased to see every seat contested by multiple candidates and I thank them all for their time effort and commitment to the democratic process.” The swing towards Reform UK in the county is mirroring the national picture today - the party took the Runcorn and Helsby seat in a tight battle with Labour and  former Tory MP Dame Andrea Jenkyns becoming Reform UK's first mayor in Greater Lincolnshire The Conservatives claiming election victories in 2013 and entered this election holding 53 seats with five for Labour and four for independent councillors In total 298 candidates stood in the 62 Staffordshire divisions incorporating Stafford These are the results for the 2025 Staffordshire County Council election - this page will be updated as the results are declared  Neil Parton (Reform UK) has been elected as county councillor for Brereton and Ravenhill Martin Murray (Reform UK) has been elected as county councillor for Cannock Town Alex Hunt (Reform UK) has been elected as county councillor for Chadsmoor  Jon Pendelton (Reform UK) has been elected as county councillor for  Etching Hill & The Heath Rhys Mandry (Reform UK) has been elected as county councillor for Hawks Green Paul Jones (Reform UK) has been elected as county councillor for Hednesford North Daniel Cecil (Reform UK) has been elected as county councillor for Norton Canes Andrew Clissett (Reform UK) has been elected as county councillor for Burntwood North Robin Hall (Reform UK) has been elected as county councillor for Burntwood South Matthew Wallens (Reform UK) has been elected as county councillor for Lichfield City North Colin Greatorex (Conservative) has been elected as county councillors for Lichfield City South Tracey Dougherty (Reform UK) has been elected as county councillor for Lichfield Rural East Richard Holland (Conservatives) has been elected as county councillor for Lichfield Rural North Alexander Farrell (Conservative) has been elected as county councillor for Lichfield Rural South Janet Higgins (Reform UK) has been elected as county councillor for Lichfield Rural West The overall turnout for the Staffordshire County Council Elections Chris Large (Reform) has been elected as county councillor for South Staffordshire Thomas Baker (Reform)  has been elected as county councillor for Cheslyn Hay Village Val Chapman (Conservative) has been elected as county councillor for Codsall Michelle Woods (Reform) has been elected as county councillor for Great Wyrley and Essington Victoria Wilson (Conservative) has been elected as county councillor for Kinver Craig Humphreyson (Reform UK) has been elected as county councillor for Penkridge James Hodgson (Reform UK) has been elected as county councillor for Perton Marie Shortland (Reform UK) has been elected as county councillor for Wombourne Wayne Titley (Reform UK) has been elected as county councillor for Wombourne Paul Williams (Reform UK) has been elected as county councillor for Stafford Central Chris Gilbert (Reform UK) has been elected as county councillor for Stafford North Green Party:   DOOR Victoria Door (Grn) -258 Ann Edgeller (Conservative) has been elected as county councillor for Stafford South East Conservative Party:  CLARKE  Ray Clarke (Con) - 679 Antonia Orlandi-Fantini (Reform UK) has been elected as county councillor for Stafford South West Andrew Mynors (Reform UK) has been elected as county councillor for Stafford Trent Valley Jack Rose (Green Party) has been elected as county councillor for Stafford West & Rural Sean Bagguley (Reform UK) has been elected as county councillor for Stone Rural North Jordan Turnock (Reform UK) has been elected as county councillor for Stone Urban Great Wyrley Carnival may be over three months away but the organising committee are already raising funds to help put it on with a number of events planned between now and the actual day on June 29 One of these was a craft fair on Saturday held at Harrisons Sports & Social Club in the village where hundreds of people came to see what was on offer Gifts for the forthcoming Mother's Day and Easter proved popular along with Tracey's Treasures stall which was taking orders for both events and beyond Police have issued a fresh appeal to find a Great Wyrley man with a distinctive tattoo who is wanted over an aggravated burglary offence Staffordshire Police has asked for information on the whereabouts of 39-year-old Mark Openshaw He is wanted by officers in connection to an aggravated burglary offence which took place in September Openshaw – who has a tattoo which reads “Athena” on the right-hand side of his neck – is said to have connections in Great Wyrley, Cannock The force first appealed for the public's help in tracking him down on September 7 and again a few days later Staffordshire Police said: "We are continuing to appeal to the public to let us know if they have any information on the whereabouts of Mark Openshaw "If you've seen him, call 101 or use Live Chat." A book seven years in the making has been launched telling the stories of soldiers from Great Wyrley and Cheslyn Hay who lost their lives in the First World War 'Great Wyrley & Cheslyn Hay Great War' chronicles life in the two villages in the run-up to the conflict followed by extensive information on those who lost their lives before moving on to further community tales Soldiers that survived the war are also given a mention Written by historian Paul Ford, with contributions from Helen Ralphs and Andy Parsons, as well as help from Soeli Thomas, it was launched by Great Wyrley Local History Society It is the fifth book to be published by the society Two enterprising school pupils from Great Wyrley are closing in on their goal to provide new football equipment for future generations of students Landywood Primary School Year six pupils Harry Fanning and Jude Stanley have been leading a fundraising campaign to purchase new goal posts for their school's football pitches and are now calling on the local community to help them reach the finish line who both play for one of the school teams and Ace Academy on weekends have already raised a substantial portion of their £1,040 target With just months remaining before they move on to secondary school in July they said they are determined to leave a lasting legacy for younger pupils The boys explained in their fundraising appeal: "Football is a huge part of our school and we want to leave the younger children with a better set of equipment than we had during our time at school."  After being diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes two years ago as I'm just focused on enjoying the game and scoring goals." The boys were handed two cheques from local community groups the Great Wyrley Carnival Committee and one from the Great Wyrley Senior Citizen’s Centre “it’s wonderful to see young people making a difference to the community and the members of Great Wyrley Senior Citizens Centre and The Carnival Committee are delighted to support the boys with their fantastic cause” Landywood’s Football Coach and class teacher “We are very proud of Jude and Harry for taking on this challenge and we are overwhelmed by the support we have received from the local community "The new goal posts will make a positive impact on football at Landywood and Jude and Harry’s legacy will benefit children for many years to come.” Walsh Funerals and Memorials and Cloudy2Clear Anyone wishing to support Harry and Jude's initiative can donate via their GoFundMe page at gofundme.com/f/landywood-primary-new-football-goals-project A man was left seriously injured after suffering a suspected gunshot wound to his back Armed officers from Staffordshire Police and a crew from West Midlands Ambulance Service were called to Field Lane in Great Wyrley on Monday evening after reports of a gunshot being heard They discovered a man in his 20s with a wound to his back which they said was consistent with a gunshot and he was taken to hospital with injuries believed to be serious Detectives from the force have now begun an investigation into the incident reviewing CCTV and carrying out door-to-door enquiries It said that it believed four people who left in a black car to be responsible and asked for anyone with any information to get in touch as soon as possible A spokesman for Staffordshire Police said: "We are appealing for information after a man suffered a suspected gunshot wound in Great Wyrley we were called to Field Lane after someone heard a suspected gunshot "Armed officers went to the scene and found an injured man He had a wound to his back consistent with a gunshot "He was taken to hospital by paramedics from West Midlands Ambulance Service His injuries are thought to be serious at this time "Detectives have been investigating what happened reviewing CCTV and carrying out door-to-door enquiries in the area We believe four suspects left the area in a black car after it happened "Officers are patrolling the area and providing extra reassurance to local residents while we continue to progress our enquiries "If you’ve got any information that can help us A spokeswoman for West Midlands Ambulance Service said: “We were called at 8.31pm to reports of a shooting on Wardles Lane in Great Wyrley in Walsall a paramedic officer and a MERIT trauma doctor and critical care paramedic attended the scene "He received advanced trauma care at the scene before being conveyed to hospital for further treatment.” Police are hunting a gunman who shot dead a swan in a Staffordshire village The swan was found fatally shot behind the Star Pub in Great Wyrley last week Staffordshire Police's Rural and Wildlife Crime team are appealing for information concerning the swan's shooting The team posted on Facebook: "We're appealing for information after a swan was recently found dead in the water behind the Star Pub in Great Wyrley we believe the Swan was killed on either on February 8 or 9 and that an air rifle was used to fatally wound it  "It was then found and taken home by a member of public who then rang the Police." Animal lovers and villagers were shocked at the crime and branded the killers "scumbags" and the 2 on that lake have babies every year a few weeks ago someone shot and killed the magnificent stag that came all the time to the same land." Jacqui Holford added: "Someone saw two lads walking down Hazel Lane Great Wyrley with air rifles either the day of or the day before the incident filming scenes for the new Peaky Blinders movie But you wouldn't want to be in the shoes of the signwriter who painted his narrowboat Filming for the new Peaky Blinders movie has been taking place along the canals of both Dudley and Wrexham in recent weeks and Cillian Murphy who plays the West Midlands gang boss has been spotted sitting aboard a narrowboat whoever painted the sign on it is not too hot with either local geography or spelling and has managed to get the name of the Wyrley & Essington Canal wrong The boat that Tommy has been using bears the legend 'Wyrely & Essington' which would surely bring shame on the Shelby name will appear on Netflix and is set to be released either late 2025 or early 2026 The BBC drama series ran from 2013 to 2022 and followed the rise of the Shelby gangster family following the First World War The film is now expected to pick up the family's fortunes a few years later entering the Second World War years Given that Tommy is not known to be one who suffers fools gladly you hate to think what punishment he will be mete out when he catches up with the lax signwriter We'll probably have to wait for the movie to find out A Staffordshire road is expected to close to make way for planned roadworks Staffordshire County Council has given notice to close Shaws Lane to allow gas main replacement works and development access works Shaws Lane will be closed from November 18 with the works expected to be completed by November 29 The council said the order may remain in force for a maximum period of 18 months or until the gas main replacement works have been completed More information on access arrangements, timings and diversion routes, can be found on the One Network website travel experts at The Telegraph have ranked the UK's 35 World Heritage Sites Aiming to help preserve places of "outstanding universal value", Unesco began creating World Heritage Sites in 1978 including the Galápagos Islands and Yellowstone National Park Today there are more than 1,000 sites across 191 countries on what is now the most recognisable and lauded preservation lists The UK is home to 31 of them (35 including overseas territories) with two - Ironbridge Gorge and Pontcysyllte Aqueduct - here on home turf And marking World Heritage Day on April 18, travel experts at The Telegraph have ranked them all the experts’ ratings "consider the visiting experience how each site compares with others around the UK and the world the site’s preservation and the heritage it represents" low end "in terms of tourism experience" were the remote Gough and Inaccessible Islands in the South Atlantic and Henderson Island in the South Pacific Given their incredibly remote location "visitor experience is non-existent" journalist Chris Leadbeater gave them 0/10 At the other end of the scale came Stonehenge the Frontiers of the Roman Empire and St Kilda For our own Ironbridge Gorge - which was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1986 - travel journalist Greg Dickinson gave it a ranking of 7/10 and called a trip "essential" for anyone remotely interested in the Industrial Revolution is a rite of passage for day-tripping schoolchildren across the country," Greg wrote you could (and probably should) spend much longer than a day exploring its many sites – the tile museum "If Ironbridge tells the story of the Industrial Revolution then the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct brings it to life like a low-octane rollercoaster," he wrote "The entire stretch of canal listed by Unesco spans 11 miles but for 1,000ft or so you are quite literally floating in mid-air The whole list is available to view online at: telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/united-kingdom/best-worst-world-heritage-sites-ranked A recent study has found one West Midlands park in particular to be the best in the region for dog walkers and their four-legged friends A new study by online pet shop Rover.com has revealed the top dog-walking destinations across the country, and one of them is right here in the West Midlands.  Of all 12 regions, one in five Brits agree the best area for dog walking is the South-West.  Home to the South West Coast Path and Dartmoor National Park, the picturesque region was praised for its breathtaking views, dog-friendly terrain and scenic features and atmosphere. Other commended features include streams where dogs can cool off, secure off-lead areas, and a wide choice of dog-friendly pubs where owners can enjoy a pint after a long walk. The study showed that 43 per cent of dog owners plan to take their dogs on an Easter getaway this year, with Cornwall and the Lake District emerging as the most popular destinations for dog owners in 2025. However, the West Midlands is home to one of the top-rated dog walking spots in the country - Sutton Park. This was closely followed by the Shropshire Hills and Cannock Chase.  Voted best in the region, Sutton Park ticks all the boxes for breathtaking views, dog-friendly trails and post-walk pubs.  So if you're looking for a change of scenery for you and your four-legged friend, give Sutton Park a go.  Here are all the best dog-friendly walks in each region.  South West – South West Coast Path, Cornwall (44%) North West – Derwentwater Walk, Lake District (23%) Yorkshire – Yorkshire Dales National Park (44%) South East – The New Forest National Park, Hampshire (28%) Scotland – Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park (43%) East of England – Norfolk Coast Path (25%) North East – Northumberland National Park (27%) West Midlands – Birmingham’s Sutton Park (50%) Northern Ireland – Tollymore Forest park (40%) “To combat boredom, consider your dog’s breed, energy level, personality, and what motivates them. Choose routes and activities that tap into those natural instincts. Bringing treats or a favourite toy can help reinforce good behaviour and keep your dog focused, especially when practicing skills like recall or loose lead walking. “When choosing where to walk, look for dog-friendly routes with varied terrain, space to explore safely, and minimal hazards. Always respect local guidance - keep dogs on leads where required, avoid disturbing wildlife, and be extra mindful during nesting seasons.” A new luxury retirement village for the over-55s, Wyrley Court, will be opening its doors for an official launch event on January 23 next year, offering exclusive private apartments in the heart of Staffordshire. Located in Great Wyrley, Wyrley Court has been transformed into a vibrant close-care community, featuring a bistro and with access to gym, cinema, and more. In January the apartments will be open to view, and place reservations.  The village is managed by Macc Retirement, part of the Macc Group - one of the UK’s leading retirement and care developers - Wyrley Court offers 32 one- and two-bedroom apartments, with several already reserved. Bhav Amlani from Macc Retirement stated: “At Wyrley Court, we aim to provide luxurious living within a vibrant and supportive community, fostering independence and well-being for all residents. From comfortable living spaces to engaging activities, every detail has been thoughtfully designed to enhance the happiness of our residents.” The grand opening on January 23 next year will feature a ribbon-cutting ceremony with local dignitaries and an open house weekend, inviting the community to explore the development. Guided tours will showcase the apartments’ elegant designs, exceptional facilities, and the outstanding care and support provided by the dedicated team. Reservations can be taken at this time.  Apartments at Wyrley Court are designed with comfort and elegance, offering en-suite bedrooms, spacious communal areas, beautifully landscaped gardens, and premium amenities including a bistro. Additional services are accessible, including a gym and salon.  Each development reflects Macc Group's dedication to creating thoughtfully designed spaces that align with their successful close-care community model, offering the perfect balance of independence, support, and lifestyle. For more information about Great Wyrley Court and its services, please visit wyrleycourt.co.uk. South Staffs Water reported a burst main on Stafford Road on Monday 4 November, which it says is affecting water supplies in Norton Canes, Great Wyrley, Bloxwich and Cannock South Staffs Water said: "There has been a burst main on Stafford Road which is causing low pressure and interrupting water supply for customers located in WS3 "We have received reports of localised flooding and understand that properties will have their supply impacted in Norton Canes, Great Wyrley, Bloxwich and Cannock. West Midlands Fire Service are on the scene and assisting us with the response "Our teams are on site working to repair the burst and aim to restore all supplies as quickly as possible "We're sorry for any inconvenience caused and thank you for your patience Watch this website and follow our social channels for updates." South Staffs Water have set up a water collection point at the McArthur Glen outlet in Cannock (Car Park E) to help customers without water This point will serve people in Norton Canes Bloxwich and Cannock who are without water teams are continuing to carry out repairs on a water main which burst in Wednesbury at the weekend West Midlands Fire Service sent several fire crews at the scene on Saturday 2 November including Tech Rescue vehicles and a High Volume Pump on Leabrook Road North The road was completely flooded and people were advised to avoid the area South Staffs Water has said: "We are still responding to a burst main on Leabrook Road "The burst main has been isolated and the next step is to fix the problem. Our team are working with West Midlands Police and West Midlands Fire Service in a multi-agency incident response." The A41 Black Country New Road was closed in both directions from A461 (Navigation Roundabout South Staffs Water says it continues to work to resolve the issue and has apologised for any inconvenience caused The water company says the burst main has now been isolated and the next step is fixing the problem A separate main which burst in Dick Sheppard Avenue in Tipton at the weekend has been repaired South Staffs Water said: "We have repaired the burst and are working directly with a small number of customers who have reported that their supply has not yet returned to normal "We apologise for the inconvenience and thank you for bearing with us." Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.. fun and frolicks at the growing in popularity Great Wyrley Carnival near Cannock on Saturday A total of seven colourful floats decorated in themes based on movies animation films and the West End took part in the grand procession led by the carnival king and queen who were Mikey Joyce-Leach They were joined by carnival princess Chloe Banks The procession set off from Hazel Lane led by Wolverhampton's St Gregory's Marching Band Attractions included Paws for Thought Dog Display food and gymnastics team Platinum Gym Club says: "It was great day and a very good turn out by the community Everybody enjoyed themselves and the weather was superb "The main act was Paws for Thought Dog Display from Hereford who appeared on TV and at Crufts The annual show was officiallly opened by former South Staffordshire MP Sir Gavin Williamson Float winner was Foundations Nursery with Lion King; second place was Landywood Primary School with Shrek and third place was Little Professor's Nursery with Frozen Best dressed stall was Great Wyrley Townswomen's Guild with Pirates of Penzance Fancy dress adult category were the Gardiner Kendrick and Jones families with Little Mermaid and runner up was Dawn Boulton as Ursula the sea witch Children's category winner was 1st Great Wyrley Scouts with Mary Poppins and runner up was Mia Forrester as Elsa from Disney animation Frozen The best in show from the fun dog show winners pedigree category was 'Bear' and handler Ronnie Harris novelty category winner was 'Bailey' and handler Lucy Kendrick and winning puppy was 'Winnie' and handler Amy Lawrence Participating groups included Cheslyn Hay Boys' Brigade based at Salem Methodist Church in Cheslyn Hay; Great Wyrley Royal British Legion branch which brought a team of motorcyclists who took part in the procession There were also performances by Great Wyrley Concert Band on the field "I'd like to thank the community and the groups for turning out to support the event plus our hard working committee and helpers on the day Sir Gavin is now the Conservative candidate for Stone Great Wyrley and Penkridge for the general election on Thursday Police have appealed for the public's help to find a man who is missing from his home in Staffordshire Officers are searching for Philip, aged 38, who is from Great Wyrley. The missing man was last seen at 4.25am on Sunday (November 17), Staffordshire Police said He is described as being 6ft tall and is of a slim to medium build with short brown hair and a slight stubble He has brown eyes and is said to be missing a front tooth Anyone who sees him should contact the force by calling 101 and quoting incident 461 of November 17 Full plans have been lodged for the construction of more than 100 new homes on land near Cannock The scheme is for 130 dwellings, public open space, allotments, linear park and groundworks and infrastructure on land south of Landywood Lane between Cheslyn Hay and Great Wyrley Details of the latest application by developer Cameron Homes can be viewed at South Staffordshire Council (reference number 25/00170/FULM) The deadline for comments is April 16 online via sstaffs.gov.uk/planning or via email to planning@sstaffs.gov.uk The notice also states: "All representations will be made publicly available In the event of an appeal that proceeds by way of the expedited procedure any representations made about the application will be passed to the Secretary of State and there will be no opportunity to make further representations." state-of-the-art care home is set to open its doors in Great Wyrley in May - marking the fifteenth development by Midlands-business Macc Care Group will be the largest Macc Care facility to date offering 90 bedrooms and an array of premium amenities including a cafe located on Walsall Road in Great Wyrley village near Walsall will provide high-quality nursing care alongside specialist dementia support and respite services guided by an experienced manager and senior management staff with a combined experience of over 30 years and fosters an integrated community with seamless access between the two This unique setup promotes continuity of care ensuring residents benefit from a vibrant and supportive environment Wyrley Rose is expected to play a vital role in elderly care provision in the region helping to alleviate local healthcare pressures and offer reassurance to families seeking trusted a top 20 care group and one of the Financial Times 2025 long-term Growth Champions Macc Care takes a forward-thinking approach to care integrating innovative technology with expert-led multidisciplinary collaboration Homes within the group feature advanced digital systems to enhance personalized care planning and clinical monitoring evidence-based support tailored to their evolving needs This commitment to best practices leads to positive health outcomes and an enriched quality of life For more information about Macc Care Group visit macccare.com The well-loved local spent years dedicated to the Great Wryley area after a long career in finance passed away peacefully at home after decades of serving the local community - particularly with a local history society which he joined in his later years The history writer is survived by his wife Jan who said he was a 'proper family man' who was 'always' there for them when called upon The father-of-two always had a love of athletics and sport, was a life-long supporter of Walsall FC played basketball and football in his youth and jogged twice a week right up until his passing After spending most of the time in his professional life working in finance Trevor joined the Cheslyn Hay & District Local History Society creating videos and publishing several sell-out books whatever we needed he sorted out and always prioritised his role as a husband "He was a big Walsall FC fan and he often went to the games with his son and his son's friends they once went to Wembley during a Johnsons Paint fixture which was a memorable day for all of them he loved athletics and cricket and jogged twice each week - he still did that when he was 86." Following his retirement Trevor got involved with the Cheslyn Hay & District Local History Society he originally would make videos for them but ended up publishing books about the local area Jan said: "He was involved with the society until he passed away he was the chairman before taking a step back and focussing on writing He wrote books about the local area and several of them did really well and after a short fight he passed away at home which Jan said was a shock because of how fit he was Jan said: "He was diagnosed at New Cross Hospital it was a shock because we did not know he was poorly and he was always so active." Amongst the sadness Jan said he'll always be remembered as the responsible looked after his children and grandchildren Jan said: "He was a family man through and through he had active and full life and we're all really proud of him." The sawn-off shotgun used to kill Connor Brookes was found in a Great Wyrley hedge a month after the drive-by shooting Julian Falconer and Byron Sellick, both aged 20; and Jake Sanbrook, aged 23, are standing trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court for the murder of Mr Brookes who was shot to death on Well Lane The jury heard on August 3, last year, West Midlands Police were tipped off the gun had been hidden in the Staffordshire village of Great Wyrley A Staffordshire Police armed response unit officer was instructed to recover the weapon whilst keeping the forensic integrity of the piece of evidence In a statement, read to the jury, he said: "Upon arrival at the junction of Gorsey Lane and Wryley Lane in Great Wyrley I was met by a West Midlands Police detective and a dog handler Community campaigners spoke of their anger after a controversial battery storage base in Great Barr was approved despite objections The application was initially rejected by Walsall Council but that decision was overturned following a public inquiry late last year It means a battery energy storage system will be constructed at a site off Chapel Lane in Great Barr questioned how such a development could be allowed He said: “Our members and the many thousands of residents who live or pass through Chapel Lane and who enjoy the open countryside Great Barr village has to offer are appalled to receive this decision by the Planning Inspector sat through the public inquiry for three weeks “We listened intently to the evidence from both sides and it was clear the vast amount of evidence produced by the council was clear and robust and the opposition presented a much weaker case late and at times occasionally unprofessionally presented “We are outraged by this decision and extremely concerned for the future of our green and precious land On behalf of residents who will live by this plant we are currently talking to Walsall Council members and officers to ascertain how this came about but understand this has presented a difficult case for them “Rest assured we will continue to resist insensitive development in the Green Belt and if anything this has strengthened our resolve to do so.” The council previously refused permission for the 3.2 hectare development It listed reasons including fire safety risks noise and industrial appearance for the decision But developer Anesco Ltd appealed and a planning inspector ruled the benefits of the proposed development outweighed any harm and granted permission for the development to go ahead A spokesperson from Anesco said: “Climate change and energy security are two of the greatest challenges we face today If we are to successfully transition to clean energy then we must have the right renewable infrastructure in place as the UK moves away from fossil fuels and towards cleaner These types of storage facilities are needed to help maximise the benefit of power sources while providing the vital flexibility needed to balance the grid.” Students at Great Wyrley Academy are celebrating today after receiving their GCSE results After much hard work studying and preparing are collecting a set of strong GCSE results and getting ready to take their next steps in their educational journey Subjects that saw particular success included English literature In technical and vocational courses students did especially well in Enterprise and Child Development Great Wyrley Academy students are now looking forward to progressing onto their chosen further education institutions with many remaining at the school’s Aspire Sixth Form to study for A Levels and vocational qualifications While all pupils have done incredibly well there are some standout individual achievements said: “I am really pleased with my results and I am so grateful for all the help that the teachers have given me over the years I can now go on to do the A levels that I want to do.” said: I am incredibly proud to announce that our students have achieved exceptional GCSE results this year combined with the unwavering support of our dedicated staff have led to significant improvements in both progress and attainment These outstanding results are a testament to the quality of education we provide and the bright futures that await our students." Chief Executive Officer at Windsor Academy Trust said: “I am delighted to see students from across the Windsor Academy Trust family achieve such strong results in their GCSEs today I couldn’t be prouder of our students and our staff who have worked so hard for these successes.” For more information about Great Wyrley Academy Gavin Williamson managed to avoid the Conservative bloodbath by taking the newly formed Stone The former education secretary and chief whip moved from South Staffordshire to Stone to replace Sir Bill Cash who announced his retirement prior to the election Despite the Tories losing 22 per cent of the vote in the area since the last election Six candidates contested the seat which was created using parts of the former Stone and South Staffordshire constituencies and Stafford Alexander Bramham - Social Democratic Party: 650 Sam Harper-Wallis - Liberal Democrats: 2,952 Thousands of families still are without water after the Bloxwich burst main as residents count cost of the damage More than 9,000 in Walsall and Staffordshire lost their water supply today and more than half are still experiencing problems this evening burst South Staffordshire Water main came just two weeks after a similar problem nearby less than two weeks ago and after a weekend of flooding in Wednesbury due to another failure of the company's infrastructure near King Charles V Playing Fields burst causing flooding around the area Great Wyrley and Cannock were without a water supply throughout the day as engineers tried to fix the problem into the evening Speaking from the Stafford Road this afternoon the company's Director of Environment and Quality Natalie Akroyd said: "Around 3.30am our 24 inch water main burst that left 9,000 homes without water supply We have made some changes to our network and the way water flows through it we have managed to get about water supply to 4,000 people and we are working on opportunities to get more customers back on supply "A repair of this size is really complex and we have to be really careful of the other pipes and cables underground." She added: "We have delivered bottled water to our most medically vulnerable customers and set up an alternative water supply at McArthur Glen in Cannock which is open to anyone affected.""Thank you for your patients at this time and we apologise for any inconvenience at this time." Walsall Council cancelled its Bonfire Night fireworks show which was being held at the playing fields tonight due to the flooding and Landywood Primary School was forced to close for the day Stafford Road resident Adam Wedgbury's drive He told the Express & Star: "The doorbell rang at 4.30am and when we looked there was a fireman outside When we opened the door there was water everywhere and it seemed to be rising Our garage was flooded which has wrecked our washing machine coaches the under 14 Wyrley Panthers girls football team at Wyrley Juniors Football Club and revealed kits and equipment have been ruined kits and equipment have been destroyed because of the flooding in the garage "We have had people from South Staffs Water around the house taking videos and we expect them to compensate us for the loss especially the kits and booths which we need replacing as quickly as possible our kitchen door is above a step because it would have been a lot worse if it was not there." He added: "There was a burst water main last Sunday further up the Stafford Road especially what has happened in Wednesbury this weekend our South Staffordshire Water bill has gone up again this year." said: "Our water bill has rocketed this year from South Staffordshire Water they and their shareholders have made millions from us customers over the last few years but they have not bothered to fix their water mains "The exact same water main six years ago in Wednesbury and wrecked the church they should spend its cash on the infrastructure." Tipton and Wednesbury MP Anthonia Bance met with Environment Minister Emma Hardy MP today about South Staffordshire Water She said: "It is like Groundhog Day for Wednesbury residents the exact same main burst six years ago but it obviously has still not been fixed I am demanding answers about how this can happen." Headmaster of Landywood Primary School Andrew Clewer told parents they had no choice but to close the school He said: "Currently school has no running water at all The biggest concern is toilets - as after an hour of being open and them being unable to flush staffs and children’s health and hygiene would be below acceptable standards "I have been unable to get a timeframe from South Staffs which makes the decision even harder Given this has all happened at 5am this morning and after 2 and a half hours we still have no water Without running water we can’t prepare cooked meals in the kitchen." He added: "I am afraid we have no choice other than to close this morning The health and safety of everyone must be our number one priority and no working toilets or sinks causes major problems as I am sure you appreciate." Walsall Council cancelled its Bonfire Night Fireworks event at King Charles V Playing Fields due to a burst water main on Stafford Road in Bloxwich tomorrow night’s fireworks event at King George V Playing Fields has had to be cancelled "Full refunds will be issued to all those who purchased tickets Ticket purchasers will receive a notification of the refund process in a separate email in the next two working days We apologise for any inconvenience caused." The fantastic day is usually celebrated on April 23 Thousands of people have woken up this morning waving their St George's flags you might be surprised to find out that you have actually got the date wrong St George's Day is typically celebrated on April 23 of each year if you are one of many to celebrate the day today For the day, councils, community groups, charity organisations and neighbourhoods come together to celebrate the life of Saint George the shock shift in feast date this year is due to church rules dictating that any saint's day that falls on a Holy or Easter week is instead moved to the following week This means that St George's Day has been transferred from today to Monday The change in date comes after Downing Street held a reception yesterday evening to commemorate England's patron saint day A note issued by the Church of England states: "When St George's Day or St Mark's Day falls between Palm Sunday and the Second Sunday of Easter inclusive it is transferred to the Monday after the Second Sunday of Easter St George's Day is transferred to the Monday and St Mark's Day to the Tuesday." The last time the move occurred was in 2019 when the date was transferred again to the following Monday will you be celebrating St George's Day today - or will you be celebrating it on April 28 instead A popular chocolate brand has recalled two of its Easter egg products and two of its chocolate bars due to the potential 'health risk' Tony's Chocolonely has recalled four of its chocolate products this Easter as they may be contaminated with metal and stones Two of the products that have been recalled are the Tony’s Chocolonely Milk Chocolate Caramel Sea Salt Egg 242g and the Tony’s Chocolonely Milk Choc Egg 242G due to the potential presence of metal fragments The affected eggs have a best before date of June 2025 The batch codes that are being recalled are L0385D the Dutch chocolate manufacturer has also recalled two regular chocolate bars the Tony’s Dark Chocolate 51% Almond & Sea Salt 180g and the Tony’s Chocolonely Everything Bar 180g due to the potential presence of small stones The batches being recalled have a LOT code of 4332 and 163472 for the Almond and Sea Salt bars Anyone who has purchased a product with a batch code listed above is asked to return the product to the shop they bought it from A notice on the Tony's Chocolonely website read: "This recall only affects these specific products and lot codes All other Tony’s Chocolonely products remain safe to consume and are not impacted "Do you have a bar with the impacted lot number(s) we kindly ask you that you return the product to the store where you bought it for a refund or replacement A product recall notice from Sainsbury's read: "Sainsbury’s have been made aware that Tony’s Chocolonely are recalling the above chocolate eggs from Sainsbury’s stores due to the potential presence of metal fragments  Please carefully check the above lot codes to see if you have an affected product "If you have purchased the above product with the affected lot code please do not consume this product and instead return it to any Sainsbury’s store for a refund "For any further information, please visit www.tonyschocolonely.com and click the recall notice link on the landing page "All other Tony’s Easter products are unaffected by this issue We would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused." An MP has joined a campaign to save an under-threat theatre in Cannock Sir Gavin Williamson, the Member of Parliament for Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge, has become the latest high-profile name to join a campaign to save the Prince of Wales Theatre that is potentially earmarked for closure The proposal to close the theatre was announced by Cannock Chase District Council last month as "part of an effort to close a £1.5 million budget gap" for the years 2025/26 a four-week consultation period was launched for both the Prince of Wales Theatre and the Museum of Cannock Chase where it will be decided if both sites shall close the closure of the theatre would result in the loss of around 30 jobs as well as creating wider issues for culture in the Cannock area Sir Gavin Williamson said: "I am deeply concerned regarding the potential closure of such an important culture venue for not just Cannock "Theatres provide not just entertainment but are also educationally important as well as having significant benefits for the local economy "The frustration and anger that has been conveyed by residents "At a time when the public should be enjoying the pantomime season they can only do so against the backdrop of closure." Sir Gavin said that the closure would also affect many residents from areas including Great Wyrley Huntington and elsewhere that theatre fans visit Following the announcement of the potential closure an online petition was started calling for the reversal of the proposal Sir Gavin continued: “I have urged both the leader of Cannock District Chase Council as well as the Secretary of State for Digital and Sport to look at every viable option and ensure this theatre can be enjoyed by generations to come.” The online petition has so far been signed by over 17,000 people in just over one week For more information on the campaign, and to sign the online petition, visit the Change.org website A new luxury retirement village has been officially opened in Great Wyrley near Walsall by local Councillor Kathleen Perry MBE and members of the community alongside Cllr to celebrate the launch of the brand new development for the over-55s Perry shared her thoughts on the development saying: “Wyrley Court is very impressive - it is a truly beautiful place and I hope those who live here enjoy every moment and feel at home.” During the opening event of the new retirement village guests were treated to guided tours of the beautifully designed one- and two-bedroom apartments Attendees also explored the development’s outstanding amenities which form part of the innovative close-care community model designed to balance independence and support our aim is to offer not just a place to live but a community that enhances independence and supports well-being Every detail has been thoughtfully designed to provide a luxurious and fulfilling environment for our residents ensuring their later years are truly the best years.” Wyrley Court offers 32 stylish one- and two-bedroom private apartments for individuals aged 55 and over The development embodies Macc Retirement’s ethos of enhancing later life with thoughtfully designed environments and care options available as needs evolve the development also benefits from access to the neighbouring Wyrley Rose Care Home providing additional services and amenities including a gym and salon Wyrley Court is the latest addition to Macc Retirement’s portfolio joining developments across the East and West Midlands including retirement villages and care homes managed by Macc Care For further information on Wyrley Court or to book a viewing visit wyrleycourt.co.uk or call 01922 927459 Another burst water main in the Black Country Families have been left without water in Bloxwich due to the burst water main and there are reports of localised flooding around Cannock too A South Staffordshire Water spokesman said: "There has been a burst main on Stafford Road "We have received reports of localised flooding and understand that properties will have their supply impacted in Norton Canes West Midlands Fire Service are on the scene and assisting us with the response." The spokesman added: "Our teams are on site working to repair the burst "We're sorry for any inconvenience caused and thank you for your patience Watch this website and follow our social channels for updates." South Staffordshire Water have been forced to open a water distribution point at McArthur Glenn in Cannock this morning The company posted on social media: "We have set up a water distribution point at the McArthur Glen outlet in Cannock (Car Park E) for customers without water in Norton Canes Bloxwich and Cannock due to the burst main on Stafford Road in Bloxwich "This is open now and customers can come and collect bottled water throughout the day. Our phone lines are very busy so unless you are a customer on our priority services register (PSR), please keep an eye on our website and social channels for further updates "Water drops will be carried out throughout the day for our PSR customers in these affected areas Our teams are on-site continuing to work on repairing the main We will provide further updates when we are able to." Today's problems comes after two South Staffordshire Water mains burst in Wednesbury and Tipton on Saturday causing flooding 700 hundred houses without power and thousands without water South Staffordshire Water issued an update about the Bloxwich burst water main at midday They said: "Our team are on site digging to expose the underground burst main so we can begin the repair We expect customers’ water supply to start to be restored towards the end of the evening "If you live in a postcode starting with WS3, WS6 and WS11, and have no water, a water collection point has been set up at the McArthur Glen outlet in Cannock (Car Park E). This is open all day. Water drops are being carried out throughout the day for our medically dependent PSR customers in these affected areas "We're sorry for any inconvenience this is causing If you are travelling around Stafford Road please be aware a diversion has been set up from Lichfield Road through to Walsall Road Walsall Council announced the Bonfire Night fireworks event tomorrow has been cancelled Landywood Primary School in Great Wyrley has been forced to close its doors due to the water problems Headmaster Andrew Clewer said: "As I am sure you will be aware which is affecting everyone’s water pressure in our area currently school has no running water at all "The biggest concern is toilets - as after an hour of being open and them being unable to flush I have been unable to get a timeframe from South Staffs which makes the decision even harder "Given this has all happened at 5am this morning and after 2 and a half hours we still have no water Without running water we can’t prepare cooked meals in the kitchen "I am afraid we have no choice other than to close this morning The health and safety of everyone must be our number one priority and no working toilets or sinks causes major problems as I am sure you appreciate We will monitor the situation and send a Weduc update when the water returns Hopefully we can open after lunch.I am so sorry for the difficulties this decision causes so would appreciate it if you could share this message with the school community." Residents have spoken of their fears for high demand on school and GP places after a developer lodged plans for almost 150 new homes near Cannock Cameron Homes wants to build 130 dwellings and create public open space carry out groundworks and install infrastructure on land south of Landywood Lane between the villages of Cheslyn Hay and Great Wyrley However, the housebuilder's latest proposal to South Staffordshire Council is attracting concerns among residents who claim the area is already bursting at the seams with health and education services under pressure  Pam Gregory, said:  "I've had a letter through my letterbox about the application. I live on Landywood Lane where there are already too many houses and they have two or three cars each. The schools and health services can't cater for it and the roads are too narrow." Pauline Kelsey, of Streets Lane also in Great Wyrley added: "This whole area is former mining land A community group founded to cut crime in Staffordshire has replaced a bleed control kit which was used to help a gunshot victim in Great Wyrley The Great Wyrley and Cheslyn Hay Community Group (GWCHCG) raised over £500 in 48 hours to replace the kit on the wall of a Co-op which was first installed in June last year After a man was shot in the village last Monday night those who found him rushed to the cabinet and used the special trauma bandages and kit to deliver care until the ambulance crew came. The Community Group opted to install bleed kits in the villages after several violent incidents on the railway line. The group contacted the Daniel Baird Foundation which has installed over 10,000 kits across the country in memory of Daniel who was stabbed to death in Digbeth in 2017 A stretch of the A5 in Staffordshire that was closed for several hours after a lorry caught fire has now reopened Soon after 1am on Friday, National Highways: West Midlands announced: "The A5 is closed in both directions between the M6 Toll (Great Wyrley) and the B4154 (Norton Canes) due to a lorry fire." A later update said: "Staffordshire Police are in attendance Delays are likely on approach to the closure and diversion routes." The A5 has since been cleared and is open in both directions between the M6 Toll Great Wyrley and the B4154 Norton Canes There are no significant delays in the area Britain’s oldest ping pong player is still batting off the competition at the age of 92 Retired toolmaker Ivan Pedley, from Walsall plays table tennis twice a week and says he has no plans to retire from the game he loves The grandad-of-three first took up the paddle sport as a 14-year-old boy in 1947 and is still going strong 78 years on Ivan plays around 14 games a week at Great Wyrley Table Tennis Club - often against much younger opponents And he says that although he may have slowed down in his old age he rarely gets knocked off the table and the trick is 'all in the technique' Ivan says the sport helps him stay fit and healthy and playing into old age is one of the best things he’s ever done Sitting on your backside is no help to anyone They do help me with my game and I appreciate it Sign up today to get all the latest news headlines from the West Midlands delivered straight to your inbox with the Express and Star’s free newsletter Crewe & Nantwich and Stoke-on-Trent Central Conservative deputy chairman Jonathan Gullis lost his seat in Stoke-on-Trent North and told the BBC he was "gutted" by the result Sir Michael Fabricant was another Tory heavyweight casualty in Lichfield Former education secretary Sir Gavin Williamson won the newly-created seat of Stone That's all for our live coverage today with additional contributions from Liz Copper There will be more coverage of the results nationally and what they mean for particularly Labour and the Conservatives here Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'We didn’t have a coherent enough offer'published at 08:53 British Summer Time 5 July 202408:53 BST 5 July 2024Matt WeigoldBBC Radio Stoke Losing Conservative candidate for Crewe and Nantwich put the party’s heavy defeats across the country down to two things.“We gave the impression that we didn’t take the business of governing seriously We didn’t have a coherent enough big offer," he said “I’m looking forward to a good night’s sleep and a gin and tonic." Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingLabour's Connor Naismith in the driving seatpublished at 08:47 British Summer Time 5 July 202408:47 BST 5 July 2024Matt WeigoldBBC Radio Stoke Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingNewcastle-under-Lyme Labour winner 'humbled' at victorypublished at 08:41 British Summer Time 5 July 202408:41 BST 5 July 2024This video can not be played Newcastle-under-Lyme Labour winner Adam Jogee 'humbled' at victory Newcastle-under-Lyme's new Labour MP-elect said he was "humbled" by his victory He won 15,992 votes with Conservative candidate Simon Tagg in second place with 10,923 votes he said he would work "every single day" to honour the trust placed in him by the voters "I'm going to go back to the house for a little bit of sleep and then I'll be back down at the office to start work," he added Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'People have had enough of the Conservatives'published at 08:09 British Summer Time 5 July 202408:09 BST 5 July 2024Matt WeigoldBBC Radio Stoke Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingSeats the Tories did winpublished at 07:58 British Summer Time 5 July 202407:58 BST 5 July 2024It wasn't all bad news for the Conservatives in our area: Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingThose results in fullpublished at 07:34 British Summer Time 5 July 202407:34 BST 5 July 2024If you want to check out the full results, we have a page for every constituency Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'Politics can change things for the better'published at 07:19 British Summer Time 5 July 202407:19 BST 5 July 2024Connor Naismith Labour's MP-elect for Crewe and Nantwich has said it is an "immense privilege" to represent his home in Parliament he said: "Politics can change things for the better I look forward to working with my Labour colleagues in parliament to deliver that change." The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Skip X postAllow X content This article contains content provided by X. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read X’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’ The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.End of X postShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'I will work with Labour MP to get things done'published at 07:05 British Summer Time 5 July 202407:05 BST 5 July 2024Simon Tagg the losing Conservative candidate in Newcastle-under-Lyme and leader of the borough council said he will work with Labour's MP-elect Adam Jogee “to get things done” He said “stopping the stink" [at Walley’s Quarry] and making sure the operators are held to account was a priority Mr Tagg also mentioned the regeneration of the town saying: “I’d like to see more money coming in so that we can really get this borough levelled up.” Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingLabour gains Congletonpublished at 06:51 British Summer Time 5 July 202406:51 BST 5 July 2024Matt WeigoldBBC Radio Stoke Labour has gained Congleton - one of the safest Tory seats in Cheshire who has represented the constituency since 2010 The seat had been held by the Tories since 1983 Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingLabour gains Stoke-on-Trent Southpublished at 06:35 British Summer Time 5 July 202406:35 BST 5 July 2024Another Labour gain from the Conservatives Allison Gardner has taken the seat from Jack Brereton who had represented the constituency since 2017 Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingConservatives win Kingswinford and South Staffordshirepublished at 06:16 British Summer Time 5 July 202406:16 BST 5 July 2024The Conservatives have won the newly-created seat of Kingswinford and South Staffordshire Mike Wood emerged victorious with 18,199 votes with Labour's Sally Benton second with 11,896 Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingHere's what you have missedpublished at 06:11 British Summer Time 5 July 202406:11 BST 5 July 2024Alex McIntyreBBC News It's been a long night/morning and a lot has happened Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingLabour's Connor Naismith wins Crewe and Nantwichpublished at 05:54 British Summer Time 5 July 202405:54 BST 5 July 2024Matt WeigoldBBC Radio Stoke Labour's Connor Naismith was declared the victor in the Crewe and Nantwich constituency The area was where Sir Keir Starmer launched the Labour Manifesto and is where Emily Thornberry kicked off her campaign the area's former Tory MP Dr Kieran Mullan won in Bexhill and Battle The former education secretary received 19,880 votes Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingAphra Brandreth wins Chester South and Eddisburypublished at 05:26 British Summer Time 5 July 202405:26 BST 5 July 2024Chester South and Eddisbury has been held by the Conservatives with Labour candidate Angeliki Stogia second on 16,848 Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingNewcastle-under-Lyme victor 'humbled' by people's trustpublished at 05:17 British Summer Time 5 July 202405:17 BST 5 July 2024Tracey HigginsBBC News said: “I’m humbled by the trust the people of Newcastle have placed in me "I will work every single day to honour that trust.” Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingJonathan Gullis 'gutted' at losing seatpublished at 05:11 British Summer Time 5 July 202405:11 BST 5 July 2024Anna WhittakerPolitical reporter Conservative deputy chairman Jonathan Gullis "I would love to have had the chance and the honour to continue to serve the fine people of Stoke-on-Trent North," he said "The voters are like Lord Sugar - they either hire me or they fire me He pointed to people's frustration with the rising cost of living and said there was a period in 2022 when the Conservative Party was "inward looking" at Westminster and not outward looking he said: "It's been an absolute honour." Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingLabour gains Stoke-on-Trent Centralpublished at 05:05 British Summer Time 5 July 202405:05 BST 5 July 2024Labour has gained Stoke-on-Trent Central from the Conservatives Gareth Snell has been elected to the seat he lost to Jo Gideon in 2019 he said: "Change has come to Stoke-on-Trent." Danni has lived in Staffordshire for 13 years and in her own words has “grown to love the area” did her Bachelors Degree in Cardiff and her Masters Degree in London spent 10 years working in Cardiff and then re-located to Staffordshire She works in finance and holds a senior position at a UK bank She has helped the Green Party in their campaigns in South Staffordshire for some time but Danni is excited to hear more from people right across the constituency and to speak out for the community on the issues that matter She is a keen runner and has run seven marathons (including London twice!) and will be running the Stone 10k in June She has previously run the Penkridge Fun Run and won a trophy for second female Danni is passionate about the environment and the NHS and wants to do all she can to support both “The Green Party has gone from strength to strength over the last few years we have strong policies which are fully costed and we are a credible contender in this election I am proud to be the candidate for the Green Party for Stone Great Wyrley and Penkridge and am looking forward to the next (almost!) 6 weeks” A Little Bit of Stone has been providing the latest jobs and more for our wonderful town!  Copyright © 2010 - 2025 • A Little Bit of Stone brings a wealth of local knowledge and experience to his candidacy Wellings has a deep understanding of the issues and concerns facing residents in the area His connection to the community is further strengthened by his previous service as a special constable for Staffordshire Police where he covered the boroughs included in the constituency he now aims to represent Wellings’ professional background adds another layer of credibility to his candidacy he possesses a keen understanding of the legal and regulatory frameworks that influence both local and national governance.  Wellings expressed his commitment to serving the people of Stone “I am honoured to be chosen as the Reform UK candidate for this constituency My roots in Penkridge and my professional journey have prepared me to address the unique challenges our community faces I look forward to engaging with residents and working tirelessly to represent their interests” Reform UK’s decision to field Wellings is seen as part of their broader strategy to bring fresh locally-informed perspectives to the political landscape The party has been vocal about its commitment to reforming various aspects of governance and Wellings’ background in law and community service aligns with these goals and Penkridge will be closely watched in the upcoming election as both major parties and smaller ones like Reform UK vie for voter support Reform UK is positioning itself as a serious contender in the race promising a campaign focused on practical solutions and community engagement Wellings has only six weeks to get his message out to the community “A July election is a bit sooner than I would’ve liked to have got my name out there and speak with residents I am very fortunate that I’ve lived in the area since birth and know of the issues that we currently face My main message to residents is to know you have a choice whilst the leader of our country is almost a certainty you have a unique opportunity to vote for someone who will focus on the area and not get caught up with party politics and I will be at the forefront if elected.” People could vote UKIP or SDP (who oppose immigration and are pro Brexit) in that constituency What a joke shows any one as a conservative is a snake in the grass you stupid man giving in to a conservative what did they bribe you with I will now intentionally give my vote to any party but tory UKIP’s paper candidate lives 300 miles away and did not attend any of the four hustings and was endorsed by Reform’s Deputy Leader at their last rally A vote for the SDP is a vote for Reform’s policies on immigration and heritage If you EVER dare to appear on my doorstep to tell me to vote for Williamson you’ll get an earful of invective the like of which you will never have heard before How dare you deny people the right for the party of their choosing There was only one party I was ever going to vote for this time around and you have denied me and others that right Lib Dem to make sure the Conservative ‘shoe in’ does not happen No party should be allowed to drop a failed politician into their constituency his reputation locally will always be questioned If there’s no Reform candidate then there’s no alternative to to the discredited “major parties” UKIP’s paper candidate lives 300 miles away and did not attend any of the four hustings and was endorsed by Reform’s Deputy Leader at their last rally A vote for the SDP is a vote for Reform’s policies on immigration and heritage You’re a disgrace to democracy – and you have literally robbed thousands of voters of the chance to vote for Reform Even if he had only been a paper candidate he would have had thousands of people giving him a pat on the back Now those thousands of people are going to hate him He now has to face people in his home town knowing that people think of him as lower than low You are a JOKE Tom Wellings – an absolute JOKE still… voters can hold their nose and vote Labour… that DOUBLES the effect I’d rather stick pins in my eyes than vote Labour The problem is that he can’t put himself forward and the conniving b*stard Wellings knew that when he withdraw I read with interest your wish to stand as a reform candidate in the election But why are you sending a negative message in your words ( the leader of the country is almost a certainty ) Shurely if you believe in Reform it is not a certainty We overturned the perception of the Brexit outcome and the people can do it again if we all vote Reform it looks like you were on to him before everybody else A public inquiry into a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in Walsall previously described as a ‘contained bomb’ At the centre of the proceedings is a controversial planning application on green belt land at Chapel Lane in Great Barr Walsall Council planning officers had previously refused permission for the project to go ahead The public inquiry was launched into the BESS development when the applicant submitted a non-determination appeal to the planning inspectorate Now proceedings have been brought to a close, the decision on whether to override the council’s refusal for the 49.35MW battery storage system now lies in the hands of the planning inspectorate A decision is likely to take several weeks Anesco’s proposals involve installing a 49.35MW battery storage system spanning 3.2 hectares The intended lifespan of the ‘temporary’ facility is 40 years with its primary function to store electricity from the grid during off-peak hours and release it during periods of high demand During the inquiry which started on November 5 and Anesco all put their cases before the inspector ‘danger’ and ‘risk to life’ were heard repeatedly by those opposing the development References were made to another BESS site in Liverpool which set fire in 2020 other concerns included how the ‘delicate’ country lane with a weight limit of 7.5 tonnes would handle the HGVs required for construction the ‘vibrations’ during the construction damaging nearby listed buildings the hum of the storage system and associated air conditioning units disturbing wildlife loss of land which could be cultivated and the aesthetic of the development Anesco said the site on Chapel Lane offered very little value to the conservation area and any harm caused by the development would be ‘entirely reversible’ It also said Walsall Council has ‘consistently overstated’ the risks of the levels of harm arising from the project describing it as a ‘modest and much-needed energy scheme with limited and temporary impacts’ A young entrepreneur and TikTok star will join former Wolves players influencers and other local stars in a charity football match Charlie Street, who is better known as for his TikTok videos about Wolverhampton Wanderers as Barber Charl, will step on to the pitch at the Guardians Warehousing Arena on Noose Lane in Willenhall as part of the charity match which is raising funds for the Downs Syndrome Association and Sporting Khalsa The 23-year-old from Cheslyn Hay will join the likes of rapper and Wolves Foundation ambassador Reepa WCR Radio hosts Robbie Meakin and Thomas Gibson and TikTok influencers Danny Bennett Liam inside the baller and Mr Miami in taking part in the event on Sunday He said it had been a surreal experience to be asked to be involved in the game and said he had been inspired by a young man with Downs Syndrome has got a son called Jack who has Downs Syndrome and he is one of the funniest characters you'll ever meet and I've been fortunate to meet him once so I'm ecstatic to be involved in this event because of this "I got involved because of Brandon Bethell mentioning to them that I'd be interested in playing in the game and I was told I was in and I've been buzzing since." Mr Street has also donated a signed Wolves shirt from Mario Lemina to the raffle which is taking place during the day which he said he hoped would shift a few more tickets and give more youngsters with disabilities the chance to get involved in football The involvement in the match caps a remarkable few years for Charlie Street who set up his own barber business at home during one of the Covid-19 lockdowns and then began filming matchday experiences at Wolves for his younger brother then discovered that people on social media were enjoying the videos He said: "The TikTok has become interlinked with my brand and with Wolves because all I was doing was matchday vlogs for my little brother who is 12 and could only come to certain matches and was always asking me what went on "I started doing the videos and realised that thousands of people wanted to see them online it's got me more of a social media presence and more customers as well "When you think that when you do have social media and you do try to build a platform it's important to remember who you are and try and give back when you can so I hope that I can give back and raise some much needed funds for the charity." July 21 at Guardians Warehousing Arena on Noose Lane in Willenhall with tickets costing £10 for adults and £8 for children go to my.weezevent.com/down-syndrome-awareness-fc-fundraiser It may take divine intervention to save a micro-pub which has closed unexpectedly The owners of the Olde Vicarage Ale House on Bilbrook Road Bilbrook announced on Facebook that it has closed immediately after they were unable to secure a long-term lease agreement on their premises The venue opened in June last year next to a church and the building it is in was once the vicar's residence a courtyard and up to 18 real ales and cider In October last year, regulars raised £3,600 at a charity event in aid of Jesse Small Andy Evans and Roy Draisey said they wished to pass on their huge thanks for the support our customers have given to us over the last 16 months The post continued: "We are very proud of such a successful venture culminating in us being included in the CAMRA 'Good Beer Guide 2025' we have now had the possibility to trade taken from us "We recognise this will come as a great disappointment to many of our customers who have helped us turn this micro pub into the friendly community hub we aimed for "But having tried so hard to secure the future of the micro pub we now have to vacate the premises with immediate effect Andy and Roy have also been involved in run the Codsall Beer Festival and Codfest event Investigations may be continuing into a huge landslip on its railway line but this won't stop the fun at Severn Valley Railway (SVR) when it welcomes Peter Rabbit for some special appearances next month Families can be transported into the world of Peter Rabbit on Saturday, March 29 and Sunday, March 30, by taking an exciting heritage train ride out to The Engine House at Highley, near Bridgnorth Children can see the much-loved character and listen to tales of his adventures at regular intervals throughout the day Visitors can pre-book train tickets to make their journey from Kidderminster Tickets include reserved seats on a heritage train and timed entry tickets to see Peter Rabbit Alongside seeing Peter Rabbit at The Engine House, the SVR is offering several other fun activities to keep everyone entertained Children can let off steam in the heritage site's outdoor play area or get hands-on sorting mail in the travelling post office and there will also be magic shows throughout the day Visitor engagement manager Lewis Maddox said: "We’re thrilled to welcome Peter Rabbit to the Severn Valley Railway This mischievous and adventurous character has delighted generations of children for more than 120 years "We’re offering the opportunity for parents and grandparents to create special memories with their young ones as they travel on board a heritage train to The Engine House Peter Rabbit will be appearing during their pre-booked story time session Don’t forget your camera as this is going to be an amazing photo opportunity." The Severn Valley Railway is celebrating its 60th anniversary throughout 2025 But last Wednesday, SVR staff discovered that a large landslip had occurred, leaving the line impassable It has affected a 30-metre section of embankment in Shropshire But the volunteer-run heritage railway line has assured passengers and visitors that it will be open to the public throughout February half-term on the 12-mile section of its line that is unaffected The Engine House at Highley - where Peter Rabbit will make his special appearance - is one of six beautifully-maintained stations along the route Visitors can enjoy interactive exhibits including up to eight steam locomotives a magnificent royal carriage and a ‘how the SVR works’ exhibition Further information and booking can be made at svr.co.uk New research suggests Sherlock Holmes creator got it wrong in celebrated case It is a historical crime conundrum which has hung over a village near Cannock and intrigued historians and authors The case was a cause celebre championed by the likes of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle as campaigners protested that there had been a miscarriage of justice But now a book called Get Edalji presents compelling new research using modern techniques and uncovering important clues - including the inadvertent role the Express and Star may have played in triggering those events in late Victorian and Edwardian Britain Edalji was the son of the vicar of St Mark's Church in Great Wyrley he was what would today be considered a nerd with a disconcerting manner and no friends He was suspected by police of being behind a longrunning campaign of poison pen letters in the village Then animals began to be mutilated in a series of sickening attacks Petra Weber has written the book under the pseudonym Rose H It's an anagram - we'll leave it to readers to do the elementary detective work to unravel of what - to reflect the international team of experts who have supported the project She said: "We researched the crime case of George Edalji who was convicted in 1903 for maiming and writing threatening letters in Great Wyrley This research was done in collaboration with forensic linguists who did analyses suggesting that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was mistaken in his case assessment "We have published our results in a crime case analysis titled Get Edalji the Express and Star archive has held the key to those complex and confusing events." Support for Reform UK is surging in Staffordshire according to a new poll – but could this help Labour win more seats here A new MRP poll – the first to be conducted since Nigel Farage returned as leader of Reform UK – suggests that Labour is now leading in all but one seat in Staffordshire with the increase in Reform’s support coming largely at the expense of the Conservatives MRP – which stands for multi-level regression and post-stratification – is a new type of poll which takes into account demographic data such as age and income levels to predict support for different parties in individual seats suggests that Labour is now leading in every seat in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire apart from Kingswinford and South Staffordshire – with Reform mostly taking votes away from the Conservatives the MRP estimates that Reform’s vote share in the Staffordshire Moorlands has risen to 25 per cent just behind the Conservatives who are on 27.7 per cent with Labour now well ahead on 38.4 per cent The poll says that Reform are also close to pushing the Tories into third place in Stoke-on-Trent Central the Staffordshire seat where Reform are closest to winning is Cannock Chase senior lecturer in politics at Keele University says the poll ought to be taken with a large pinch of salt – he rejects its prediction that Labour could win in such a safe Conservative seat as Stone But he believes that the main impact of the rise in support for Reform will be to make things more difficult for the embattled Conservative Party Dr Catney said: “Support for Reform UK has increased by around five per cent since Nigel Farage took over as leader But parties like Reform UK are punished by the current voting system so their votes aren’t going to translate into lots of seats in Parliament That’s why Mr Farage and Caroline Lucas of the Green Party were calling back electoral reform back in 2015 “In Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire the effect of Reform will be to make the Conservatives less competitive in some seats In a seat like Stoke-on-Trent Central it won’t make a difference – Labour should win there anyway [Conservative candidate] Jack Brereton would probably prefer it if Reform wasn’t standing it would be a lot more comfortable for Karen Bradley A lot of people might be saying that they will vote for Reform now but will they actually bother to turn up and vote on polling day?” Dr Catney explained that over the last two decades as Labour’s grip on the area has weakened – although this success has usually been shortlived He added: “I think a lot of voters have now crossed the Rubicon and realised that they can vote differently to how they’ve voted in previous elections “Reform might win one or two seats in the general election and they could come second in some seats locally I can’t see them breaking the duopoly of the two main parties the last time that happened was when Labour overtook the Liberals in the 1920s.” A married grandfather who had a secret past as a child abuser 30 years ago has been jailed for more than five years after three of his victims reported his crimes One of his victims bravely reported the crime to the police in 2021 and after further investigations detectives discovered more victims Burton pleaded guilty on the first day of a trial which would have seen his victims give evidence one of the victims stood in Stafford Crown Court and read out his victim impact statement before Burton He said: "This process has turned my life upside down I kept on imagining having to come face to face with Frank after all these years If he had pleaded guilty earlier I and the other victims would have been saved the ordeal My family noticed my severe mood swings and I had to have a very difficult conversation with my children explaining I was a victim of sexual abuse Staffordshire Police have asked for help in locating a man they want to talk to in connection with an aggravated burglary Investigating officers are looking for information on 39-year-old Mark Openshaw Openshaw is wanted in connection with an aggravated burglary that look place earlier this month The 39-year-old is known to have connections in Great Wyrley Cheslyn Hay and Hednesford and can be identified by his tattoo saying 'Athena' on the right-hand side of his neck is asked to get in touch with Staffordshire Police directly A Staffordshire Police spokesperson said: "We are renewing our appeal for the public to get in touch if they have seen "The 39-year-old is wanted for an aggravated burglary offence earlier this month "He has a tattoo saying “Athena” on the right-hand side of his neck." Anyone with information can contact Staffordshire Police via their 101 number, or alternatively via the Live Chat service on their website.