Local News

Defence Secretary John Healey joined veterans, military personnel and members of the public in Normandy on Saturday to mark the 82nd anniversary of D-Day and pay tribute to the men who helped liberate Europe during the Second World War. Mr Healey attended commemorations at the British Normandy Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer, overlooking Gold Beach, where thousands of British troops came ashore on 6 June 1944 as part of the largest amphibious invasion in history. During the visit, he met surviving…

Sir Keir Starmer has told supporters he will stand and defend his position if a Labour leadership contest is triggered, amid growing speculation about his future following a turbulent period for the party. Until now, the Prime Minister and his allies had maintained that he would not step aside if a challenge emerged. However, questions remained over whether he would actively contest a leadership election should one take place. However, Sir Keir’s stance hardened this week after Greater Manchester…

Sir Keir Starmer’s Government is facing growing criticism after a cross-party group of MPs warned that delays to a key defence spending plan are harming Britain’s military readiness and undermining confidence among the nation’s allies. The Government’s long-awaited Defence Investment Plan was originally expected to be published last autumn but has still not appeared, prompting concern from Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee. The plan is intended to set out how Britain’s Armed Forces will be equipped and funded over the…

In a statement on social media, owners Laura, Felan and The Golden Cross Team said: “After many months of careful consideration and exploring every possible avenue to remain open, we have made the heartbreaking decision to close with Immediate effect.” “This has not been a decision taken lightly. The Golden Cross is not only our business but also our family home. “We have invested everything we could, both financially and personally, to keep it going. “We have worked tirelessly to…

CLEAR skies and sunshine delighted visitors as the Midlands Air Festival returned to Ragley Hall. Set in the historic estate near Alcester, this year’s festival started on Friday with a dazzling afternoon and evening nightfire show. There was more than 100 hot air balloons, an international air display and, as darkness fell, a pyrotechnic air display with aircraft trailing fireworks from their wing tips and the famous fireglow of balloons lit up by their burners, with 30ft flames adding…

REDDITCH’S Leo Fanthome boxed valiantly in a second round TKO defeat on his Sky Sports debut on Zuffa Boxing’s first-ever UK card. The Lionheart went into the bout with a 7-2 record in the pro ranks with opponent Alex MacMillan boasting an unbeaten 3-0 record with two wins by knockout. Fanthome took the fight as a late replacement and had less than a week to prepare for the biggest bout of his career to date. The Redditch boxer faced…

Some of Britain’s largest retailers reported a combined reduction of almost 18,000 employees over the past year, as businesses across the sector contend with rising labour costs and a challenging economic environment. Analysis of annual reports from leading retail groups shows workforce numbers declined across several major employers during the year to 2026, with companies citing a range of pressures including higher wage costs, increased employer National Insurance contributions and broader inflationary challenges. Tesco, the UK’s largest supermarket chain,…

A HOMECOMING event to celebrate the fundraising efforts of Redditch’s ‘FTD brothers’ sold out in a matter of hours. Jordan and Cian Adams have raised nearly £2million for dementia research in memory of their mum by running 33 marathons in 33 days. The brothers have the faulty microtubule-associated protein tau gene which leads to frontotemporal dementia (FTD), the disease their mum died of when she was just 52. Despite their devastating diagnosis, the brothers have dedicated themselves to raising…

The Government is facing renewed questions over one of its flagship education policies after official figures revealed there are fewer teachers in England’s state schools than a year ago, despite a pledge to recruit 6,500 additional teachers funded by VAT on private school fees. New school workforce data published by the Department for Education shows the number of full-time equivalent teachers in state-funded schools fell by around 1,900 over the past year. The figures have prompted criticism from opposition…

THE Wythall and Hollywood Fun Run returns to Wythall Park on Sunday, with runners gearing up to put their best foot forward. To help the event run smoothly a number of road closures will be in place on the day and the fun run team are keeping disruption to a minimum for drivers by closing the roads for a minimum time from 9am to 12.30pm. Roads affected are Baccabox Lane, Batemans Lane, Bell Green Lane, Dark Lane Headley Heath…