A shop thief described as a "prolific offender" has been put behind bars after pleading guilty to multiple shop thefts in Willenhall Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.comand on Freeview 262 or Freely 565 Matthew Smith was sentenced to 10 weeks in prison at Wolverhampton Magistrates Court on Tuesday after he pleaded guilty to four shop thefts at a convenience store on Lichfield Road between March 10 and April 27 was arrested on Darwall Street in Walsall on Monday by response and neighbourhood officers from West Midlands Police A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: "A prolific shop thief has been handed a 10 week jail sentence for targeting a convenience store in Willenhall appeared at Wolverhampton Magistrates Court on Tuesday (29 April) where he pleaded guilty to four shop thefts at a convenience store "The shop thefts took place between 10 March and 27 April this year "Response and neighbourhood officers arrested Smith on Darwall Street on Monday (28 April) where he was charged with the offences shortly after and remanded to appear before the courts." Sergeant Paul Smith, Willenhall neighbourhood policing manager, said: “Smith is a prolific offender who was targeting local shops and stores "He has a long history of theft related offences clearly has no regard for court orders and continues to offend "Such offending has a significant impact on our businesses and targeting shop thieves is a priority at Walsall LPA “This sentence sends out a clear message to shop thieves that if you commit shop theft crimes we will arrest you and place you before the courts and you will spend time behind bars "Combatting shop thefts is a priority at Walsall LPA and we launched Op Marigold in a bid to tackle shop thefts across the Walsall borough." For information about business crime go to Business crime prevention | West Midlands Police This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Your feedback helps us to improve our website The compulsory purchase of over 21,000 square meters of land in Willenhall was confirmed in November 2024 and the derelict building on Newhall Street is the first site that the council has acquired following the CPO process spanning from Villiers Street to Moat Street/Newhall Street and Stafford Street and Temple Bar includes a number of derelict and disused sites that pose a danger to the public and have been the centre of antisocial behaviour in recent years Willenhall has been identified as a key area of sustainable growth within the West Midlands Region due to the imminent arrival of a new train station in the town and opportunities to deliver housing growth Outline planning permission was granted on 16 July 2024 for the demolition of existing structures on land at Moat Street Willenhall and the development of up to 54 apartments 53 houses and retention of local listed building for residential purposes associated junction improvements and car parking the creation of new public open space and all associated ancillary works Acquisition of all the sites within the CPO area is expected to be complete in May and will enable Walsall Council to bring forward the sites for development into new housing and open space Walsall Council received funding from the Government through the former Levelling Up Fund, as well as funding from the West Midlands Combined Authority, to begin delivery of the Willenhall Framework Plan. Proud of our past our present and for our future The ad-free version is ready for purchase on iOS mobile app today we couldn't find that page";var n=e.querySelector("h2");return n&&n.remove(),{staticContent:e,title:t}},d=function(e){var t=document.createElement("button");return t.innerText=e,t.classList.add("error-page-button"),t},f=function(e){var t=document.createElement("div");t.id="recirculation-404",t.classList.add("brand-hint-bg");var n="\n \n \n Tick here if you would like us to send you the author’s response Our free email updates are the best way to get headlines direct to your inbox Thank you for subscribing!We have more newsletters A man has been named by police after he was charged over a knife incident in Coventry this week. Officers rushed to busy St James Lane amid school run chaos in Willenhall on Thursday morning As previously reported, while there they apprehended a 30-year-old man who was seen with a weapon near a primary school Police say he since been charged for offences and will now stay in custody before he appears in magistrates court in Wolverhampton Read more: YouTuber 'surrounded by gang of youths' when he visited Coventry A spokesman for Coventry Police said: "A man has been charged with possessing knives and making threats in a public place in Willenhall "It comes after a suspect was arrested following reports of a man with a knife in St James Lane at around 8.50am has been charged with three counts of possessing of a knife and one of threatening a person with a blade "After being held in police cells overnight he appeared at Coventry Magistrates Court yesterday At the hearing he was further remanded in custody to appear at Wolverhampton Magistrates Court on 9 May." Story SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right Buses have been forced to divert from their regular route following Walsall road closure due to a collision Buses have been diverted due to a collision on the A454 The Keyway, on the southbound route after Portobello Island, Willenhall The incident was reported by West Midlands Roads at around 7.25pm with the National Express West Midlands service 529 being forced to divert National Express West Midlands said: "The Keyway "529 diverting in both directions via: Moseley and Bilston Road West Midlands Roads said added: "A454 The Keyway southbound after Portobello Island Willenhall Emergency Services have been approached for more information The 1.2km route will comprise of a segregated cycleway and shared walking and cycling path between Pinson Road and the Rose Hill / Bilston Lane junction.  The scheme connects to the Noose Lane to Pinson Road Cycle scheme and aims to provide an onward dedicated cycle link between Wolverhampton and Walsall a temporary one-way system will be implemented on B4464 Somerford Place there will be a 24hr lane closure for westbound traffic along New Road with eastbound traffic being diverted along A454/Bilston Lane/Rose Hill towards Dale Island.  Temporary traffic management arrangements will be linked to the works for the Noose Lane to Pinson Road cycle scheme and the associated Section 278 highway works for the forthcoming Willenhall Railway Station Both schemes are already under construction with associated traffic management already in place the health and wellbeing of adults and children could be improved and encouraging more people to walk and cycle can help achieve this Providing the right infrastructure can help make cycling and walking for short trips an easy option for local residents The project is funded via the Active Travel Fund through the Department for Transport.  More information and diagrams of the scheme can be found here: https://walsallsays.commonplace.is/en-GB/proposals/pinsonroad-rosehill-cyclescheme/step1 A man has been banned from owning animals for life after admitting to 'losing his temper' and beating his puppy Matthew Houghton, 30, of Lewis Close, Willenhall pleaded guilty to an animal welfare offence following an investigation and prosecution by the RSPCA Officers from the animal welfare charity were called by police on April 11 to assist with a dog who was bleeding and had a head injury caused by a beating Ace, a six-month-old Staffordshire Bull Terrier had been seized by police after reports that Houghton had allegedly beaten the puppy Ace was taken to see a vet at RSPCA Birmingham Animal Hospital where he was found to have a cut to the top of his head a laceration across the top of his left ear bleeding behind both of his eyes and a fractured canine tooth Youngsters at a Willenhall school have been getting the chance to try a new and different sport as part of their school day The pupils from Beacon Primary School have been learning and playing the sport of crown green bowls under the expert training of Jay Holdcroft, a sports teacher at the school The school invested in installing a proper crown green bowls pitch three years ago with executive head teacher Paul Drew saying that Mr Holdcroft had spoken to him about introducing the sport at the school He said: "Jay is heavily into crown green bowls and talked to me for years about getting children to play it as it's very much perceived as an older person's sport and he's only in his 30s and national youth coach fencing it off and making sure it has all the ditches and bits like that they absolutely love it and it's different from just playing football and cricket and netball plus the staff have started playing it as well Mr Drew said that the school might be the only one in the UK with its own crown green bowls pitch and said that as a member school of the Lighthouse Federation he had wanted other schools within the federation to come and try the sport out He said: "We just wanted to get it out there to other schools so we've had a two-day event where we've had four schools in today doing taster sessions which has been a good way to just get them to try it and see if they are interested "It's just another option for kids as we find that boys gravitate towards football and girls towards netball as well as being very calming and fun for the kids." A Willenhall pub is set to reopen after undergoing a substantial refurbishment with a number of events planned to mark the opening The United Kingdom in Willenhall is set to reopen on Thursday following an investment of almost £340,000 by Proper Pubs the community wet-led operator division of Admiral Taverns Get the latest headlines delivered straight to your inbox with the Express & Star’s free newsletter The pub on Bloxwich Road North has been completely transformed with brand new flooring as part of the refurbishment the pub is going to receive a brand new sports area complete with two dartboards a pool table and five flat screen television screens featuring Sky The United Kingdom has a spacious beer garden and will feature a large stage for live entertainment/special events as well as one outdoor television so visitors can enjoy live sport as well as brand new lighting and signage to greet visitors whilst The United Kingdom itself doesn’t host its own food menu there is a permanent food truck stationed in the pub’s car park offering breakfasts the pub will be reopen at 6pm on Thursday and will host a special ‘music through the decades’ themed evening with a live performance at 8pm from Caroline Crystal This will be followed by a bank holiday weekend of entertainment including live music karaoke and a bouncy castle for children on Monday The pub will offer a wide range of drinks promotions offering customers a bottle of fizz for £10 operator of The United Kingdom alongside her partner Neil said: “I am delighted to be taking over The United Kingdom and it’s been fantastic to see the transformation come to life over the last few weeks "The pub already looks fantastic but I can’t wait to see all the final finishing touches in place in time to show off its brand new look to the community and everything it has to offer.” Ms Darcy said she is hoping to host a busy schedule of entertainment throughout the week including regular cheese and wine nights DJ nights as well as a local pool team and more to ensure she’s catering to the needs of the community she said she will be implementing a ‘suggestions box’ over the first few weeks after reopening to give residents the opportunity to put forward their ideas for regular entertainment The pub will also be supporting all aspects of community life by collecting food to donate to the local foodbank as well as raising money to have a lifesaving defibrillator installed said: "It’s  a real pleasure to welcome Sarah and Neil to The United Kingdom and it’s great to see how well the refurbishment is coming along energy and dedication to the pub so I have no doubt they will be able to create a fantastic community pillar that sits at the heart of Willenhall "On behalf of myself and the whole Proper Pubs team we would like to wish Sarah and her brilliant team the very best of luck for the big reopening next Thursday.” business-owners and church-goers about why this Black Country town is a great place to live I was joined by Councillor Simran Cheema who represents Willenhall South she said hello to residents and showed us some points of interest - of which there are many Councillor Cheema has represented her constituency for three years and said it's the people that make Willenhall such a great place to live and work "The community spirit here is just immense," she said "The Willenhall people have got our own strong sense of identity and our own heritage that we frequently like to champion and I like to champion too at Walsall Council to make sure that we are not the forgotten town." She also admires the town's history and heritage - it is home to what is believed to be the oldest building in the town There are all sorts of stories I could tell you about the clock "There are rumours that there is a tunnel underneath the clock in Market Place that leads to St Giles' Church - but don't quote me on that one Road closures are planned in Walsall as residents come together to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day to remember the lives lost during the conflict Walsall Council has listed all the road closures across the borough due to street parties taking place 12-26 Beddows Road & 15-29 Beddows Road (Arbury Grove to Rutland Street) 10am to 4pm (car park at Railway Inn car park to Victoria Road) Stewart Road (junction of Salters Road & Coronation Road) Sunday said: “I’m very proud of the fact we have waived the usual fees for road closures to help our communities mark a poignant event “VE Day is an important occasion for our nation providing us the opportunity to come together and celebrate our shared history.” A number of activities and events are taking place across the borough including a flag raising ceremony outside the Council House in Walsall at 9am on Thursday May The council has also funded or part-funded 22 VE events across the borough over the coming days Birchills Agenda 21 – VE Day celebration (Saturday 3 May 2025 Willenhall Royal British Legion – VE Day anniversary (Sunday 4 May 2025 Darlaston Sons of Rest – VE Day Celebration (Tuesday 6 May 2025 Holy Ascension Place of Welcome – Community Coffee Morning VE Day 80 Celebration (Wednesday 7 May 2025 9.30am to 11.30am at Holy Ascension Community Church Bloxwich Community Partnership – “Songs that Won the War” – Funtime Theatre Singalong Show, performed by the Funtime Theatre Company (Wednesday 7 May 2025, 11am to 12 noon at Stan Ball Centre, Abbotts Street, Bloxwich Moxley Peoples Centre – 80 Years of Remembrance’ (Wednesday 7 May 2025 Collingwood Centre Ltd – VE Day lunch followed by entertainment (Wednesday 7 May 2025 Darlaston All Active – VE Day Celebration; community event with live 1940s entertainment afternoon tea and raffle (Thursday 8 May 2025 Preservation of Pelsall Remembrance – VE Day Celebrations with service/gathering at the Cenotaph at 9.15pm (Thursday 8 May 2025 all day celebration at Pelsall Village Centre The Hothouse – VE Day Celebrations (Thursday 8 May 2025 Aaina Community Hub – WW2 Memorial Day (Thursday 8 May 2025 Old Hall Peoples Partnership – VE Day Celebration (Thursday 8 May 2025 Mossley Community Connections CIC – VE Day Celebration (Thursday 8 May 2025 Aldridge Community Centre – VE Day – Entertainment and Afternoon Tea (Thursday 8 May 2025 Walsall for All CIC – VE Day – Celebration in the Garden (Thursday 8 May 2025 Willenhall CHART – VE Day Celebration Afternoon (Thursday 8 May 2025 Rotary Club of Aldridge – VE Day Commemoration (Thursday 8 May 2025 Short Heath Lest We Forget CIC – Lamp of Peace Evening (Thursday 8th May 2025 Aldridge Royal British Legion – VE Day Gathering (Saturday 10 May 2025 Streetly Dementia Support Group – Streetly VE 80 celebration (Saturday 10 May 2025 Ryecroft Neighbourhood Resource Centre – Street Party (Saturday 10 May 2025 St Michaels and All Angels Church – Celebration Remembrance and Thanksgiving (Saturday 10 May 2025 said: “VE Day is a reminder of our nation’s resilience and courage and honour and pay tribute to those whose sacrifices made peace possible “The council will be flying the official VE Day 80 flag outside the Council House and I’m sure the raising of the flag will be a moving start to the day.” A busy Willenhall town centre road will be partially closed for five months for railway improvement work From this Friday(21) until August the B4484 Bilston Street will be shut between the New Road mini island to its junction with Rosehill for the work to be carried out by Transport for West Midlands contractors traffic will be able to travel in a northerly direction The town's new railway station off Bilston Street is due to be built by 2026 despite contractors being forced to amend the timetable over an ‘unauthorised’ building being constructed next to the site last year Two trains per hour will call at the new station and at Darlaston when the long-awaited schemes are completed Communities are set to come together across the region to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe the day that Nazi Germany surrendered to the allied forces in 1945 being 80 years since the end of the war in Europe communities are being encouraged to mark the occasion with street parties and other events while councils have been putting together their own plans to mark the anniversary residents and organisations have taken advantage of fees being waived by Stafford Council to close roads for street parties marking Victory in Europe and Victory over Japan A VE Day themed children’s workshop is taking place at the Ancient High House in Stafford town centre with the venue also holding an exhibition on the lives of local men telling their stories through medals and historical artefacts Izaak Walton Cottage will be holding a traditional afternoon tea set against the backdrop of wartime music on Sunday and Stafford Castle will be lit up red Victoria Park will be the venue for an afternoon of live music June 21 at St Mary’s Church in the centre of the county town to mark VE and VJ Days and pay tribute to those who gave their lives and made sacrifices in World War 2 said: “We know how much our residents respect and appreciate the sacrifices made to protect the freedoms that we enjoy today “It is great to see communities paying their own tributes - and I’m pleased we were able to help remove some of the costs and administration to enable commemorations with family friends and neighbours to go ahead safely.” the 80th anniversary of VE Day is set to be celebrated with a civic service a Fabulous 40s event and street parties to honour the Second World War generation Sandwell Council has organised events to remember the end of the Second World War in Europe and pay tribute to the bravery and sacrifices of all those who served The main civic event will take place on VE Day 80 next Thursday  outside Sandwell Council House in Oldbury Civic Square Starting with a live brass band from 10.30am the event will then have a service from 11am to 12pm led by Rev The event is free to attend and everyone is invited with a temporary road closure in place in Freeth Street for this event the annual Fabulous 40s event at Haden Hill House and Park in Cradley Heath will have a special VE Day 80 theme on Bank Holiday Monday The Mayor of Sandwell Councillor Syeda Khatun MBE said: “Five years ago we marked VE Day 75 from our homes during the first lockdown of the Covid-19 pandemic we have an opportunity to meet again in our streets and communities “We will reflect on the sacrifices made by the Second World War generation to honour them for what they achieved and to celebrate their legacy “We will pay tribute to all those who gave so much to liberate Europe as well as Japan later in 1945 This includes everyone who fought overseas including people from around the Commonwealth everyone who served their country on the home front and all those who sadly never came home “We also wish everyone holding street parties and street meets a wonderful time celebrating with their families Lichfield City Council is hosting a VE Day event on Market Square on May 8 traditional fish and chips and ice cream on offer and people also invited to bring their own picnics and enjoy the entertainment from 1pm to 4pm The day will also feature a craft fayre on Minster Pool Walk from 10am to 4pm, while a photo exhibition with images from the period will be on display at the same time in Lichfield Guildhall There will also be information about the Lichfield Spitfire aircraft which was funded through subscriptions from the city’s residents It served during the Second World War before being shot down over Calais on February 3 1943 there will be a special weekend of celebrations at the National Memorial Arboretum taking inspiration from the street parties of 1945 with other activities include local services a pop-up event at the Staffordshire History Centre and activities in local libraries May 10 can see a flypast of Lancaster B1 PA474 part of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight is one of the only two remaining airworthy Lancaster Bombers out of the 7,377 that were built and the flypast is due around 1.30pm Libraries and Arts Manager at Staffordshire Council said: “It’s great that our libraries are joining in the celebrations with a whole host of family activities and entertainment There were a few clues in the quiet corner of Willenhall of the car crash which was the culmination of a Good Friday which will live long in the memory of Walsall police officers A hole where a lamppost had stood until being crashed into and glass surrounding another lamppost where the car came to rest was all to show for the huge police operation 24 hours before Coppice Lane and part of Cannock Road had been closed by the police who swamped the area after the wanted driver had lost control of the car whilst being chased. said: "I just missed it all because I was out walking the dog I heard the bang from the other side of the park If I'd left the house later than I did both me and the dog could have been brown bread "When I got back there was a crashed Mini and loads of police and ambulances One lamppost had been flattened but thankfully it must have taken all the force because the second one was still standing If that had been knocked over it could have fell into the flats." The nearby Amery Private Members Club was ordered by the police to close early Patrons were ordered out of the bar just before 9pm with management apologising to members today with a sign on the notice board were forced to abandon their game due to the closure One patron said: "No-one was hurt which was the most important thing Everyone was inside when the crash happened If it had happened a few hours later when everyone leaves together then it could have been very nasty." told the Express & Star: "Nothing this exciting has happened round here for years I always wait for the bus right where it happened After knocking down a cyclist in the afternoon and driving off officers across the Black Country were told to look out for a silver Mini Metro A few hours later the car was spotted and a pursuit began the 17-year-old driver was no match for the trained police drivers and soon lost control on the junction of Coppice Lane and Cannock Road He was taken to hospital for treatment and arrested soon after He remains in custody being questioned concerning charges of wounding with intent Walsall Council’s compulsory purchase order (CPO) for Willenhall has been confirmed giving the local authority the power to acquire swathes of land and derelict sites without requiring permission from the landowners in order to develop the sites for a housing-led scheme.  The CPO for Willenhall comprises of over 21,000 square meters of land spanning the area from Villiers Street to Moat Street/Newhall Street and Stafford Street and Temple Bar Significant parts of the land within the area to be acquired contain vacant/derelict buildings and disused land which have seen ongoing occurrences of vandalism and antisocial behaviour “ I am delighted with the decision to grant compulsory purchase powers for Willenhall We will now follow the legal process to acquire the land but this is a positive step forward in our transformative plans for Willenhall More information about the plans for Willenhall can be found on the council website Work will start tomorrow on a new cycle scheme in Willenhall which will 'increase accessibility for people in the area' The Rose Hill to Pinson Road work is due to get underway on Monday (April 28) The 1.2km route will comprise of a segregated cycleway and shared walking and cycling path between Pinson Road and the Rose Hill and Bilston Lane junction It is part of an integrated scheme which was first announced as part of the Government's Active Travel fund distributed by the Department for Transport with Walsall getting £2.85m as its share of the money The scheme will connect to the Noose Lane to Pinson Road cycle scheme associate leader of Walsall Council said: “With the construction of the new Willenhall Station now is the right time to increase accessibility in Willenhall for local people along with the other transport schemes currently being delivered in Willenhall Improving our connectivity across the borough and the wider Black Country means more opportunities for local people to travel for work and leisure.” there will be a 24-hour lane closure for westbound traffic along New Road with eastbound traffic being diverted along A454/Bilston Lane/Rose Hill towards Dale Island Temporary traffic management arrangements will be linked to the works for the Noose Lane to Pinson Road cycle scheme and the associated Section 278 highway works for the forthcoming Willenhall Railway Station "Providing the right infrastructure can help make cycling and walking for short trips an easy option for local residents." An RSPCA investigation has been launched after the remains of two dogs were found dumped in a lay-by in Willenhall The animal welfare charity responded to concerns after a member of the public discovered the bodies of the two dogs - a dachshund and a cavalier - were found in a layby off Moseley Road in Willenhall on April 16 RSPCA Animal Rescue Officer Katey Freckelton said: “Both dogs were sadly already dead when they were found One on the grass and the other in a bag hung up on a barbed wire fence “It’s incredibly sad  these dogs were dumped in this way and suspicious that their remains have been found in the location The dogs both had microchips but the information wasn’t up to date “They were discovered on April 16 and taken straight to a vet although the person who found them thinks they may have been there for around a week before they were found  “If anyone has any information about where these dogs may have come from or who is responsible for dumping them here please call our appeal line on 0300 123 8018 The grandfather was surrounded by flames as he tried to save his family minutes after an arsonist set fire to their Wolverhampton home The heartbroken parents of Akashdeep Singh have told a jury of their despair realising their son was trapped inside their home amid a raging inferno are on trial for the murder of Akashdeep Singh  at Wolverhampton Crown Court as well as the attempted murder of three other people in the house Three generations of the family were having a late dinner on June 25 due to Akashdeeep Singh returning late from his shift at JD's Grill in Bilston Some got ready for bed but those still enjoying their post-midnight banquet they were interrupted by their front room windows being smashed In a statement read to the court yesterday (Friday) Akashdeep's father Gurdeet Singh said: "There was a loud banging and when we looked we saw the front window and it was smashed my wife and the others got scared and heard the bang and ran upstairs into the bedrooms It was spreading and there was smoke everywhere All the rooms were filled with fire and smoke He added: "I saw another broken window and saw a man who was not the one who smashed the front window and I shouted for him to help me but he could not hear me." "I have lived in this road for over ten years and we have had no problems with anyone on the street After slumping outside the back of the house Gurdeet watched as firemen carry out his wife and Akashdeep and presumed they had both died However, his wife would be saved on the night at Accident and Emergency but her recovery would see her contract sepsis and have part of her leg amputated. She would not be told about her son's death until October. Another family member told the court: "I saw the fire in the front room I got a jug of water to try and put the fire out At the end of the night Akashdeep would die in hospital after having 50 per cent burns to his body and smoke inhalation his mother would be starting a recovery which would take over six months and see part of her leg being amputated Aksashdeep's brother and son would also be needing emergency care Prosecutor Mark Heywood KC said: "It was sheer luck and good fortune more members of this family did not die that night The defendants are lucky they are not facing multiple murder charges." A group of pubs across the Black Country and Staffordshire are inviting the public to come and enjoy bank holiday weekend events across May are hosting special parties to celebrate the May Bank Holidays with special themed parties to bring local communities together A spokesman for Proper Pubs said: "Across this weekend all Proper Pubs will host a 'Country & Western Rodeo' themed party to bring in the Early May Bank Holiday weekend in style "Customers can look forward to great music themed decor and an unmissable tequila offer of three shots from up to just £5 Proper Pubs will be hosting a nostalgic '80s 90s & 00's' themed party from May 23 to 26 with classic old school bangers and a fantastic five shots for £5 deal on Corky’s." Pubs across the region taking part in the May Bank Holiday events include Ashmore Inn in Wolverhampton, Ashwood Inn in Stourbridge, Bear in Stafford White Swan in Warley and Wonder in Tividale said: “Moments like this show just how important our pubs are to local communities "We’re proud to bring people together with events that are fun welcoming and truly reflect the Proper Pubs spirit "We can’t wait to see all the amazing costumes and a big thank you to our pub operators in bringing these events to life.” To find out more about the promotion and to find your nearest Proper Pubs pub, go to the Proper Pubs website City of Wolverhampton Council and Walsall Council are working together to create a cycle route from Noose Lane to Pinson Road along the A454 Willenhall Road and Somerford Place The two-way cycle lane will be built along the central reservation of the A454 Willenhall Road separating cyclists from pedestrians and vehicles and off the carriageway on the B4464 Somerford Place in Willenhall It is the first stage in creating a dedicated cycle lane between Wolverhampton and Walsall and will link to other City East Gateway active travel projects along the A454 Pedestrian crossings along the route will also be upgraded as part of the scheme City of Wolverhampton Council has secured £2.5m in funding through the Active Travel Fund provided by the Department for Transport and the Further City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements (CRSTS) - specifically outlined for transport schemes such as this A joined-up approach between City of Wolverhampton Council Transport for West Midlands and neighbouring local authorities will deliver about 135km  of cycle routes under the Black Country Walking “ This new cycle route is another piece of the puzzle that will help improve active travel and connectivity for local people across Walsall and the wider region Creating better opportunities for people to walk and cycle safely is key to achieving our ambitions for Walsall to make it a cleaner As part of the work a short priority bus lane measuring 154 metres on Somerford Place will be removed to accommodate the new cycleway It is being delivered by Taylor Woodrow and follows a public consultation Traffic flows and pedestrian routes will be maintained throughout the period of construction food and clothes bank has been launched in Walsall this weekend The new project is being run by The Village Fellowship and is responding to families and individuals struggling financially in the area The project opened yesterday (Saturday) and served individuals and families in need across the Walsall area The Village Fellowship is launching this vital community service as part of its ongoing outreach efforts Food and Clothes Bank will continue to operate on the third Saturday of every month offering essential support and a welcoming environment to all Would-be street racers are being warned that they could face jail if they breach a High Court injunction in place across the Black Country The warning comes after a man from Smethwick admitted being in contempt of court following an incident of street racing, also known as car cruising, in Bearwood in Smethwick in late March Qamar Hussain, of William Road in Smethwick, appeared before the High Court in Birmingham on Thursday April 25 and admitted racing against another vehicle along the Hagley Road between Wolverhampton Road and Bearwood Road led by Wolverhampton Council on behalf of Dudley Council Sandwell Council and Walsall Council and supported by West Midlands Police organising or publicising gatherings; or from participating as a spectator The injunction covers the whole of the boroughs of Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell and Walsall and anyone found to be breaching it will be in contempt of court and may be imprisoned They may also be ordered to pay the council's legal costs of any hearing Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for Digital and Community said: "The existence of the street racing injunction is widely known across the Black Country but we are still seeing occasional incidents such as the one which occurred in Smethwick in March the court will not hesitate to take tough action against anyone who breaches the injunction "We know that street racing activity typically increases with the lighter nights and warmer weather of spring and summer and anyone who is thinking of taking part in this wholly anti-social activity should recognise the severe consequences that they will face." Sandwell Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Community said: “Street racing puts people’s lives at risk and can lead to tragedies on our roads “This is the 10th person we have taken to court for breaching the injunction by racing on Sandwell’s roads and we will continue to work in partnership with the police and other Black Country councils to respond to people’s concerns and protect our communities.” West Midlands Police is inviting members of the public to submit dash cam or mobile phone footage of street racing events or dangerous driving via its Op Snap website The Positive Outcomes Project (also known as POP) launched Hub 4 at Willenhall Pavillion in Willenhall Memorial Park on Thursday 7 November 2024 The launch took part during Youth Work Week (4-10 November) and was attended by representatives from the council health and other local organisations.  Funded by Walsall Council Public Health and led by Bloxwich Community Partnership POP aims to support young people as they transition into adulthood through one-to-one mentoring The service aims to help young people identify and achieve their goals particularly around mental health and wellbeing The service is run by mentoring staff at each hub and voluntary buddies – young people who have accessed the service previously and help new service users to join in and integrate in group activities The service also has strong links with partner organisations WISH (Walsall Integrated Sexual Health) and Walsall College over 400 young people have accessed the service for a range of health and wellbeing needs The service already has three hubs offering face to face support in Blakenall (Bloxwich Community Partnership) the Saddlers Centre (Manor Farm Community Association) and Pleck Youth Centre (Youth Connect) Hub four will be operated by Midland Langar Seva Society Support is also available via the POP website and the mobile hub which travels to locations across the borough The council would like to hear young people’s thoughts about the POP service. Visit POP user Survey 2024 to complete the survey The Prince of Wales has arrived in the Black Country to attend referee training course as part of a campaign to recruit more people from black Asian and mixed heritage backgrounds into refereeing roles William, who is patron of the Football Association, is visiting Sporting Khalsa FC in Willenhall, in the West Midlands The visit is a part of the FA’s Reflective and Representative Campaign William was met with enthusiastic crowds as he arrived in Willenhall giving out high fives to children from Fibbersley Park Primary Academy William was meeting representatives from the FA and Sporting Khalsa to hear about the importance of opening up opportunities in football to young people from diverse backgrounds He also poke to British Army Lieutenant Levi Gray a professional referee and trainer on the course The prince was today finishing his visit by being taken on to the pitch to engage with different stations teaching refereeing skills such as whistle tone and flag signals He also had opportunity to practise being a referee in a mini football game alongside participants on the programme The course started in July 2023 and combines theory and practical training to support those taking their first steps into officiating Participants will be taught key skills needed to referee grassroots football matches safely and effectively It is aimed at people aged 14 and over who wish to referee mini football Business owners in Willenhall have spoken about how a road closure on a major road for the new Willenhall railway station has caused them to lose business and could cause further issues over the next five months The businesses on Bilston Street had reported a severe drop in customers on Monday compared to a normal day since the start of the major works, which has seen a southbound closure of Bilston Street and Rose Hill Gardens in Willenhall starts with temporary lights in place Bilston Street, the B4484, is already closed to southbound traffic for development work on the town's new railway station, which is due to be in operation from March 2026, and is due to be closed until August 11 between the New Road mini island to its junction with Rosehill The first day of the works saw heavier than usual traffic in the areas with a long line visible from Bilston Street down to Rose Hill Gardens and building traffic at the mini-roundabout during the school run at around 3.30pm owner of Rose Hill Wines and Mediterranean Cafe the road closure and disruption had had a hugely detrimental effect on his business and said he might have to take drastic action if things stayed that way we've probably lost about 60 per cent of our business as people have just been unable to stop and unable to get into the shop when they get on and off the bus and come in or stop on the side of the road "I don't feel like we got any warning from Walsall Council about this and only really got a warning about what was coming when they put the signs up for the road closure will impact everyone around here as people are taking longer to drive in while other shops are going to be affected and there's far more traffic than there should be "I also don't think that we can survive like this if we have to work like this and I might have to close the shop for the next five months which will effectively leave me and my staff redundant and will probably cost me about £10,000 owner Gobind Singh was also counting the cost of the first day of traffic we are facing issues with customers being able to get into the shop and I think we've probably lost about 60 per cent of our usual business "We did try to contact the council about this but they didn't respond to any of my emails so I am still unclear about what impact this will have on me and my business "I do think it's going to be very difficult particularly with serving customers as they are facing difficulty with getting here and we will be taking longer to get orders out going from six minutes to more than 30 minutes." Sukhjeet Basra said the works were going to cause a lot of disruption in the town and said it had contributed to a drop in customers He said: "There's too much traffic around here and with no parking on the streets people aren't likely to come out as much as they need to plus the fact that they can't park on the bridge any more "It's just going to cause problems as all the traffic is going down one lane so everyone is going to have a hard time in the morning and the evening so I can only hope that things will improve going forwards." In addition, there was work going on at nearby Somerford Place up to Keyway Island, and engineers from Severn Trent Water were carrying out repairs following reports of a leak in Birchtree Hollow off Stroud Avenue The road reopened in late afternoon and while there was a new leak in Hazelwood Grove later on A spokesperson for Severn Trent Water said: "We’re sorry for the disruption caused on Birchtree Hollow "This issue has been fixed and the road has been reopened Our teams are dealing with a separate leak on Hazelwood Grove The pathway is due to be reinstated tomorrow."  Shocking footage shows the moment a house was destroyed by a massive explosion Debris can be see being sent scattered across the street and a grass verge after a house exploded CCTV (click to play above) shows the impact of the blast and the immediate aftermath as flames tore through the two storey mid-terraced property Two men were captured on camera fleeing the scene on Shrewsbury Close in Bloxwich as concerned neighbours gathered outside in the street Emergency services were called to the scene at around 9.30pm  on Monday night and 65 firefighters battled to extinguish the blaze Paramedics were called two hours later to Lower Lichfield Street three miles away and found two men with serious burns The first man had suffered critical injuries while the second was treated for serious injuries and both were taken to Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital who said he rushed outside after hearing what he thought was a "bomb blast." He said: "We were in last night as a family my son was doing some university work for his dissertation "Then all of a sudden I heard what sounded like a bomb blast I knew it wasn't a normal sound so I ran outside and could see straight away these flames taking hold These two guys then ran away from the house and up the street - one was in a blue t-shirt "And then from then on it was just a case of the fire spreading and engulfing the house for about ten minutes before the fire service got here Only they will know what caused it but it all looks weird to me - for the whole of the top of the house to be destroyed like that while the downstairs is OK is not normal adding that his house has also suffered damage caused by the blast A spokesperson for West Midlands Fire Service said: “At 9.26pm on Monday 28 April Staffordshire and West Midlands Fire Control started to receive multiple 999 calls reporting an incident in Shrewsbury Close a hydraulic aerial platform and a drone were mobilised "Our first resources arrived within five minutes of being mobilised "They were met with a challenging scene – a severe fire involving an extensively damaged two-storey The fire had also affected neighbouring properties "Several residents had got themselves to safety before we arrived and others were evacuated by emergency services as a precaution "Firefighters led one man to safety from a property He is understood to have been assessed and discharged at the scene by the ambulance service and volunteers from the Red Cross also offered support "Firefighters wore breathing apparatus and used hose reels and main jets to tackle the fire which had been extinguished by around 11pm as well as the council and utility companies "Our investigators will be working to establish the cause." Thousands of Sikhs are making preparations for the annual Vaisahki Nagar Kirtan procession between Wednesfield and Willenhall on Sunday.(6) There will be road closures in both towns on Sunday morning for the colourful religious procession Walsall Council posted on Facebook: "It is expected that the procession will take place between 9.30am and 2pm with rolling road closures in operation as the parade passes  "Please be aware that delays to traffic are expected in the #Willenhall and #Wednesfield area Please note that existing temporary traffic management for highway improvements and the railway station scheme will remain in place "Wishing everyone celebrating a joyous and wonderful day." Other processions will be held in the region this month including Wolverhampton and Walsall on April 13 and in Smethwick on Easter Sunday(20) Police investigating shop thefts in Telford and Wrekin have appealed for the public's help Telford and Wrekin Police have released several CCTV images as officers look for people to help them with their investigations into shop thefts The incidents involved people targeting a number of shops A police spokesperson said: "Officers are appealing to identify the people pictured as they believe they could help with their enquiries into shop thefts in Telford." One image (crime reference: 22/13347/25) is from Morrisons in Wellington items worth around £70 were taken from the store Another image (crime reference: 22/16639/25) was taken at the COOP in Stirchley The next image (crime reference: 22/17905/25) was taken from H&M in Telford Shopping Centre Police say items work around £120 were taken from the store on February 25 at around 11.55am Another image (crime reference: 22/24525/25) is from Morrisons in Lawley when on March 16 between 11:20am and 12:30pm items worth over £135 were taken from the store The final image (crime reference: 22/25616/25) was taken at Asda in Malinsgate near Telford Shopping Centre Police say a number of items were taken from the store A spokesman for Telford and Wrekin Police added: "If you have any information that would help identify the five people pictured please e-mail RetailCrimeTelford@westmercia.police.uk "Alternatively, if you have information but don’t feel comfortable speaking to police, you can speak to the independent charity Crimestoppers and they cannot trace your call or IP address You can contact them online or by calling 0800 555111." Police are appealing for information after a man suffered injuries during an attempted robbery in Willenhall Police are appealing for information after a man suffered injuries during an attempted robbery in Willenhall They demanded he hand over his property before reaching into the man’s pocket The man fell to the floor where he was stabbed in the arm and leg with an unknown object He wasn't seriously injured and managed to run away towards Stringes Lane The first man was tall and wearing a black mask The second man was shorter with a black beard wearing a black hoodie with his hood up and dark grey tracksuit bottoms Witnesses or people with any information should contact police via Live Chat on their website or by calling 101 quoting crime number 20/185140/25 Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 Fire crews are tackling a blaze at a derelict building in Willenhall Firefighters were called to the scene in Moat Street at 4.13pm on Saturday (March 8) West Midlands Fire Service wrote to X, formerly Twitter, just after 4.30pm: "We have four number crews in attendance at Moat Street, Willenhall where they have responded to a building fire Elsewhere in the Black Country today (Saturday), fire crews have been tackling a scrap metal fire in Wolverhampton and are expected to remain at the scene throughout the night Emergency road works are causing diversions on the buses in Willenhall this morning They are taking place on Birchtree Hollow between Bentley Lane and Stroud Avenue The number 41 service from Walsall to Willenhall is diverting in both directions via Stroud Avenue and Sandbeds Road until further notice A spokesperson for National West Midladns said: "We apologise for any disruption to your journey." A woman has been arrested and taken into custody for recall to prison following multiple shop thefts The 31-year-old woman was arrested on Tuesday by officers from the Willenhall neighbourhood team after being wanted on recall to prison following multiple shop thefts in the Willenhall area A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: "We’ve arrested a woman who was wanted on recall to prison following multiple shop thefts in the Willenhall area was arrested yesterday (Tues) by officers from our Willenhall neighbourhood team She was taken into custody for recall to prison said: “This was an excellent arrest carried out by two members from my team "She was wanted on recall to prison for committing multiple shop theft offences "Offenders such as this have a drain on our resources and a big impact on local businesses.” For information about business crime, go to Business crime prevention | West Midlands Police There was a change in the air and a feeling of pride among Reform Party candidates and members at the Cannock local elections There was a change in the air and a feeling of pride among Reform Party candidates and members at the Cannock local election count.  Cannock Chase Civic Centre After a night of huge success for the party the Reform candidates were looking confident ahead of the count at Cannock Chase Civic Centre – and they had every right to be The day ended with Reform firmly in control of Staffordshire Country Council Willenhall Police found multiple packets of meat when they arrested a man in the town on Sunday Police were called by shop staff who reported a man for stealing items and making off A social media post by Willenhall WMP read: "Wednesbury officers have today arrested this male after responding to reports of a theft the male was detained and will now enjoy a stay in custody over the weekend before facing court "We are committed to tackling shop theft in Wednesbury no matter the prince." A street in Willenhall is still shut for carriageway repairs after a water pipe burst Emergency roadworks are continuing in Birchtree Hollow between its junctions with Bentley Lane and Stroud Avenue with all traffic being diverted via Sandbeds Road Severn Trent stated: "Our team completed work on the repair to a leaking pipe and have reinstated the road surface Once the fresh tarmac is set and the road is safe to use “We know that road closures can be inconvenient and only request them when they’re absolutely necessary to keep our team and other road users safe We apologise for any inconvenience while we’ve been working on this repair.” Motorists and National Express number 41 bus passengers should expect rush hour delays of around 10 minutes in the vicinity Severn Trent Water engineers fixed the leaky pipe on Wednesday afternoon but have been carrying out road reinstatement work today 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 West Midlands Fire Service has said that a derelict property is now secure following a fire over the weekend Emergency services have revealed the cause of a fire in a derelict building in Walsall after they were called to a blaze on Moat Street, Willenhall on Saturday afternoon West Midlands Fire Service rushed to the scene of the blaze quickly finding a derelict factory unit on fire where the blaze had spread to the roof of the building A West Midlands Fire Service spokesperson said: "Shortly after 4.10pm on Saturday 8 March West Midlands Fire Service has said that the blaze was started by a 'rubbish fire' going on to say that due to the unstable structure of the building the service was forced to use a hydraulic aerial platform to remove unaffected tiles The spokesperson added: "A rubbish fire in a derelict factory building spread to the roof Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used four hose reels to extinguish the fire Drone operations supported them at the scene."  Moat Street was closed from the junctions with Gough Street and Stafford Street while crews worked at the scene Walsall Council arranged boarding up and securing of the property Firefighters left the incident at around 9.41pm returning twice overnight to check for hotspots but none were found Pictures from the scene show the extent of the blaze scorched walls and roadblocks in place well into the following day Motorists and bus passengers are facing severe delays on the first morning of major works on a busy Black Country town centre route which is set to be closed for five months A southbound closure of Bilston Street and Rose Hill Gardens in Willenhall starts today (Monday) is already closed to  southbound traffic for development work on the town's new railway station which is due to be in operation from March 2026 The road will remain closed until August 11 between the New Road mini island to its junction with Rosehill for the work to be carried out by Transport for West Midlands contractors In addition there is work going on at  nearby Somerford Place up to Keyway Island, and engineers from Severn Trent Water are currently carrying out repairs following reports of a leak in Birchtree Hollow off Stroud Avenue Today there was heavier than usual traffic seen in the areas around Bilston Street and Rose Hill Gardens Bus users will also face delays and diversions  with the Wolverhampton bound number 25 service from New Road and Walsall Street/Walsall Road now travelling via Crescent Road and Bilston Lane Here are the full details of closures and diversions on the buses From Monday 24 March to Monday 16 June• Phase 1 - Southbound closure on Bilston Street and Rose Hill From Tuesday 17 June to Monday 11 August• Phase 2 - Southbound closure on Bilston Street and Rose Hill From Friday 18 July to Monday 11 August• Phase 3 - Southbound closure (weekdays)• Full closure on Bilston Street (weekends only) The following bus services will be on a diversion from Sunday 23 March: National Express: Service 25 Towards Wolverhampton via New Road Diamond: Service 57 Towards Bilston via New Road Both services will use Willenhall Market Place bus stop instead of Bilston Street bus stop during these works Bilston Street Bridge will be closed to Southbound traffic but will remain open for cyclists and pedestrians A mass will be held in Willenhall to pray for the late Pope Francis A special mass will be held at St Mary's Catholic Church, in Leveson Street, Willenhall, in honour of the late Pope Francis The mass will be held at 7.30pm tonight (April 22) and will feature a fully sung requiem mass in honour of the late pope Similar remembrance services were held around the West Midlands, including a service at Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church, in Bilston In a service at St Joseph's Church in Stowheath Lane, Wolverhampton, around 50 worshippers turned up for a quickly organised and particularly sombre service that paid tribute to the late pontiff A combined 1,000 people attended Easter weekend services across the St John Henry Newman Parishes in Walsall and Wolverhampton The space was opened on 11 October 2024 by Sureena Brackenridge MP and the Council’s lead for education and skills The area is equipped with basketball courts and football grids so students can enjoy outdoor activities during the school day The unveiling follows a summer of improvements after E-ACT Academy Trust invested £500,000 into the school This included installing interactive whiteboards and blinds into every classroom plus new pavements and groundworks which make it easier for pupils to travel in and around school The academy has also recently appointed 26 additional specialist teachers following a recruitment drive Mrs Brackenridge and Councillor Kaur were joined by local councillors for a visit which included a school tour plus time to talk with students and staff about the learning environment.  A road will continue to be closed for around a week to make way for railway works in Willenhall Bilston Street, Willenhall will be closed in one direction to continue the Willenhall Railway Station development works that began on Friday The National Express West Midlands service 25 will be diverted, with buses heading towards Wolverhampton now following an alternative line of route A National Express West Midlands spokesperson said: "From Friday 21st March until Monday 11th August approximately Bilston Street will be closed one way whilst Willenhall Railway Station development works take place the service 25 heading towards Wolverhampton will be diverted from New Road via Walsall Street Crescent Road and Bilston Lane to rejoin the normal line of route buses will follow the normal line of route West Midlands Police are asking for help in locating two men they wish to talk to following an assault in Willenhall An appeal has been launched after a man in his 20s was left with a fractured jaw after being attacked in Spring Lane, Willenhall West Midlands Police also said that two other people in the area were also known to have been assaulted on the same night The incident took place following the Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk boxing match with police asking for anyone with information to come forward A West Midlands Police spokesperson said: "We want to speak to this pair following disorder in Walsall "A man in his 20s sustained a fractured jaw after being attacked in Spring Lane Two others were also known to have been assaulted."  Anyone with information into the incident is asked to get in touch with West Midlands Police via their 101 number or alternatively via the Live Chat service on their website Wolverhampton police are hoping the public will help to find a man wanted for theft offences Anthony Smith, aged 38, is from Willenhall and police have issued a picture of him If you see him call 999 immediately quoting crime reference number 20/806845/24 A Black Country pub is aglow with around 60,000 lights after a festive transformation The Milestone in New Invention has well and truly embraced the Christmas spirit as bright colourful lights adorn the pub inside and out Manager Ryan Perrins has spent the last month putting up the festive decorations in time for a switch-on event held at the pub on Friday (November 29) the lights were officially turned on with the help of Santa and Mrs Claus while a Dolly Parton tribute act helped entertained the crowds A Short Heath man who used to make sure the clocks in Willenhall were kept to time celebrated his 100th birthday with up to five generations of his loving family Thomas Robinson and his wife Betty now live at Woodthorne Care Home in Willenhall and his family and friends helped him celebrate with an Elvis themed singalong and party complete with balloons and a cake In 2023 the arrival of a new baby meant the original Robinson family now spanned five generations and a family get together was covered by the Express & Star This time Thomas was the centre of attention and staff and residents of the care home joined in the party Willenhall railway station risks being delayed after an ‘unstable’ and ‘unauthorised’ building ‘popped up’ next to the site over a bank holiday weekend The West Midlands Rail Executive has had to adjust the project’s plans around this ‘crumbling’ building to deliver the much-anticipated station as scheduled Councillors at the economy and environment scrutiny committee were told the news in a general progress update for the Willenhall one of the speakers delivering the update from the West Midlands Rail Executive said: “It doesn’t have planning permission or building control from what we can work out We came back to work after the bank holiday weekend and it had appeared next to our construction site “Work was done on this building in September 2024 which was really uneven and unstable and in fact already started to crumble [The owner] had taken that down but then they’ve secured it a bit more and cladded it in the last couple of days.” added: “Because this building isn’t going away we’re looking at doing some mitigations and adjusting the design "It is far from ideal to be changing this at this stage but effectively we’ve got no choice but to keep the project moving and on schedule.” Councillor Cheema asked why an unstable building with no planning permission isn’t being torn down councillor Adrian Andrew said: “If the planning enforcement process was as easy as that we’d be doing it a hell of a lot more on a lot more sites “You know how difficult it’s been to tackle the derelict sites in Willenhall and how long it’s taken “Our building control people have been down there on a number of occasions We are looking at other ways of doing this but we need to act quickly so this project doesn’t go off track.” WMRE is still accessing the cost impact of the ‘pop-up’ building but suggested it wouldn’t affect the overall budget for both the Willenhall and Darlaston stations which currently sits at £85m – £30m over the approved 2021 budget of £55m Around £15m of the increase has been blamed on the bankruptcy of the original contractor for the project The failed company’s railway projects were bought out by Kier Transportation the contractor now delivering the railway stations the Willenhall and Darlaston stations connecting Walsall and Wolverhampton are still on track to be completed by late 2025 Now the ground remediation works at both sites have both been completed the next steps for the Willenhall station is to install a flooding attenuation tank and a sewer diversion upcoming works include laying a car park base layer and installing platform foundations The WMRE is planning to submit an amendment to the planning applications in order to include a lift at Willenhall to Bilston Street and a footpath at Darlaston station work is on-going at the new one-platform railway station which will provide a service to and from Walsall It was confirmed that the service will run half-hourly The study into car parking for passengers using the service is ongoing Currently 45 car parking spaces have been identified but full travel patterns and access arrangements will be considered in the coming months It was also confirmed that the railway station car parks will be free Roads in Willenhall and Walsall appeared to have flooded overnight - with some buses being diverted this morning (January 6) Buses travelling via Leamore Lane, Bloxwich have been forced to divert from their regular routes after the road became flooded National Express West Midlands alerted of the diversions at around 7.37am this morning with the Service 70 being affected in both directions The service will now instead be diverted via Fryers Road and Willenhall Lane The group announced on X: "Due to flooding on Leamore Lane Service 70 is diverting in both directions via: Fryers Road and Willenhall Lane Apologies for any disruption to your journey." The disruption appears to have been caused by a blocked drain Residential addresses in the area have also been subjected to flooding due to the bad weather with one road in Willenhall requiring a callout by Severn Trent Water teams Pictures, taken from the scene, show the level of water affecting residents of Redpine Crest, off Longwood Rise in Willenhall Severn Trent Water teams could be seen quickly working at the site to ease the amount of water on the road with residents having to navigate through it to continue their journeys Responding to the flood on Redpine Crescent Severn Trent Water apologised for any inconvenience caused saying that teams are on location to repair the burst water main A Severn Trent Water spokesperson said: "We'd like to apologise to customers in the WV12 area of Wolverhampton who have experienced lower than normal pressure or interruptions to their water supply this morning Our engineers are on-site and we are moving water around the network to minimise any customer impact "As soon as traffic management has arrived on the site our team will be able to dig down and make the repair We know that roadworks can be inconvenient and would like to thank everyone for their patience while we get this repair made."  Around 50 firefighters tackle derelict factory blaze in Willenhall Shortly before 5.40am on Tuesday (6 August) a 4×4 brigade response vehicle and a hydraulic aerial platform initially responded measuring around 30m was erected due to the building’s partial collapse and remains in place Five properties were evacuated as a precuation due to their proximity to the fire Three main jets have been in use as firefighters continue to work at the scene a high-volume water pumping unit and two hydraulic aerial platforms are at the scene Firefighters have been supported by drone operations A multi-agency briefing has taken place with Police Residents of Moat Street that had been evacuated are allowed back into their homes Good progress is being made with a visible reduction in smoke and fire Two hydraulic aerial platforms remain in use as we continue to damp down Three fire engines and two hydraulic platforms continue to damp down at this incident Newhall Street and Cemetery Road remain closed Two fire engines will remain at this incident overnight Hydraulic aerial platforms will be released from this incident shortly with crews having made good progress damping down the entire site Firefighters have remained at this incident overnight and this morning A thermal scan has been carried out this morning and no hotspots remain The site wasn’t structurally safe enough for our Fire Investigator to enter and thoroughly examine it is currently believed the fire was started deliberately To provide the best experience on our website we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information Consenting to these cookies and software will allow us to process data such as browsing behaviour may adversely affect certain features and functions.