☕ Midlands Morning No. 15 · Tuesday 14 July 2026 · West Midlands |
Good morning 👋 Morning! Three stories worth your time today, no filler. We're leading with a fatal collision on Wolverhampton's Ring Road last night that police need help solving, followed by a sawn-off shotgun found in a Kitts Green loft after a stolen car turned up on cloned plates. Then a appeal from Kings Heath, where police want to identify two men after a bus driver was racially abused on the Number 27. And don't forget — England play Argentina tomorrow night. No pressure. 🌤️ Warm and mostly dry, up to 27°C, with light winds and barely a chance of rain — a proper settled summer day. |
💡 DAILY FUN FACT Ever looked at the two odd towers near Edgbaston reservoir and thought they looked a bit Middle-earth? You're not imagining it. Perrott's Folly and the Edgbaston Waterworks Tower are widely believed to have inspired Minas Morgul and Minas Tirith — the actual "Two Towers" of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien lived nearby on Stirling Road as a boy and would have seen both towers on his daily walks. Perrott's Folly, built in 1758, is one of the oldest structures in the city; the Waterworks Tower went up over a century later, in around 1870. A young Tolkien clocking both on his way to school, decades before Middle-earth existed even in his head — not bad for a couple of Edgbaston landmarks most of us walk past without a second glance. |
🚨 APPEAL |
Man in His 60s Dies After Being Hit by Car in Wolverhampton, Police Appeal for Dashcam Footage
A man has died after being hit by a car in Wolverhampton city centre last night. Officers were called to the junction of the Ring Road and Stafford Street at around 6.15pm yesterday, 13 July.
Despite the best efforts of emergency services, the man, believed to be in his 60s, was sadly declared dead at the scene. The driver of the car remained there to help officers with their enquiries.
West Midlands Police are now appealing for anyone who was in the area at the time to come forward, particularly anyone with dashcam footage that might help their investigation.
Stafford Street and the Ring Road form one of the main routes through Wolverhampton city centre, used daily by thousands of commuters and shoppers.
Anyone with information is asked to get in touch via Live Chat on the West Midlands Police website, or by calling 101 and quoting log 5114 of 13 July.
Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this.
🔫 CRIME |
Sawn-Off Shotgun Found in Loft After Stolen Car on Cloned Plates Spotted in Kitts Green
A sawn-off shotgun has been seized and a man arrested after a suspected stolen car was spotted in east Birmingham. Officers from West Midlands Police's Road Crime Team were on a mobile patrol when they noticed a vehicle on cloned number plates parked on Honiley Road, in Kitts Green, on the afternoon of Wednesday 8 July.
Checks revealed the car had been reported stolen from Worcester back in May. A man was arrested on suspicion of vehicle theft. During further searches at a nearby property, officers found a sawn-off shotgun hidden in the loft and seized it on the spot.
The man, aged 41, was further arrested on suspicion of possessing a firearm. He has since been bailed with conditions while enquiries continue.
West Midlands Police say the investigation remains ongoing. It's a reminder of how a routine stop — in this case, a set of number plates that didn't add up — can lead somewhere far more serious.
Anyone with information that could help the investigation can contact West Midlands Police via 101 or Live Chat, or speak to Crimestoppers anonymously.
🚌 APPEAL |
Police Want to Speak to Two Men After Kings Heath Bus Driver Racially Abused
West Midlands Police are appealing for help identifying two men after a bus driver was assaulted and racially abused in south Birmingham last month.
The incident happened at around 4.30pm on Tuesday 23 June, near Brandwood Road in Kings Heath, on board a Number 27 bus heading to Rubery. The driver was thankfully not seriously injured, and police say they have stayed in contact with him throughout the investigation.
Officers have now released images of two men they believe could help their enquiries and are asking anyone who recognises them to come forward.
Anyone with information is asked to call 101 or contact West Midlands Police via Live Chat, quoting crime reference 20/297233/26.
No one should have to face abuse simply for doing their job — we'll follow up if there's a further update from police.
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📅 WHAT'S ON THIS WEEK |
England vs Argentina — World Cup semi-final
Tomorrow, Wed 15 July, 8pm kick-off · Atlanta (watch locally — fan park TBC)Birmingham Indian Film Festival
Until Sun 19 July · mac BirminghamTitanic Exhibition
Until Sun 19 July · NEC CampusGladiators Experience
Until Mon 31 August · NEC Campus
✅ TO-DO AROUND THE PATCH |
☐ BIRMINGHAMCatch a screening at the Birmingham Indian Film Festival, running at mac until 19 July
☐ COVENTRYWander round Coventry Cathedral and the bombed-out ruins right next door
☐ DUDLEYTake the family to Dudley Zoo & Castle
☐ WALSALLCool off with a walk — or a paddle — at Walsall Arboretum
☐ WOLVERHAMPTONHave a look round Bilston's rebuilt outdoor market, now trading daily
☐ SANDWELLTake a lakeside walk at Sandwell Valley Country Park
🧠 DAILY QUIZ Birmingham likes to boast it has more miles of canal than which world-famous canal city? |
A) Amsterdam
B) Venice
C) Bangkok
👉 Hit reply with A, B or C — get it right and your name goes up on the leaderboard in tomorrow's edition.
✅ YESTERDAY'S ANSWER
Yesterday we asked: Coventry City's finest hour: what year did the Sky Blues win their only major trophy, beating Tottenham Hotspur 3-2 in the FA Cup final?
The answer: B) 1987.
No correct replies landed in time for today's edition — get yours in and be first on the board.
🏆 LEADERBOARD — JULY 2026
The board is empty — be the first name on it!
That's your lot for today — three stories, no filler. Hit reply and tell us what we missed, and get your Wednesday evening cleared for Argentina. |
Midlands Morning · your daily West Midlands briefing. |