Evening news round-up for the Black Country and north Worcestershire

A NETHERTON drug addict who robbed a pensioner after barging into his home with a knife has been jailed for eight years.

"Give me money. I don't want to use this," Steven Davis told the vulnerable man as he produced the weapon.

The 44-year-old pushed the man into his home after he had answered the door and during a short struggle he nicked him on the chin with the weapon, said Caroline Harris, prosecuting.

She told Wolverhampton Crown Court that Davis - who had 170 previous crimes on his record - took £110 money from the wallet of the man, who has restricted mobility and lives alone.

Hill, of Cole Street, admitted robbery and he was told by Recorder Michelle Heeley QC he had committed a "nasty" offence.

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A HEDGEHOG was killed after it was kicked around like a football by a group of youths in Stourport, according to the RSPCA.

The animal welfare charity is appealing for information following the incident in Kylemilne Way on Sunday, July 16, at around 1.30am.

A member of the public contacted the RSPCA after witnessing two males, who are thought to be in their late teens, kicking the hedgehog in the street as they walked past with a group of six or seven people.

RSPCA Inspector Mark Lewis said: "It is hard to imagine why anyone would want to deliberately attack an animal in this horrific and callous way."

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WEST Mercia Police is reminding people to remain vigilant, after receiving a number of reports of scam telephone calls from residents in Bromsgrove and Redditch.

People have received calls claiming to be from HMRC, informing them that they owe several thousand pounds and face legal action if they do not pay.

The caller has then asked for personal details such as dates of birth and National Insurance numbers, before instructing people to buy hundreds of pounds worth of iTunes vouchers to settle their outstanding fees.

If you receive a call of this type, police advise that people hang up immediately and report it on 101 using another phone.

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DUDLEY Police are investigating an incident which saw a man running down Stourbridge High Street with an axe.

The incident happened in the early hours of Sunday April 23 as revellers were leaving town pubs but police have now issued an image of a man they want to trace in connection with the drama.

West Midlands Police have issued the photograph which was reportedly taken inside a pub in the town a short time before a fight broke out outside at around 12.50am.

Police believe someone was assaulted with the axe, which has since been recovered, although a spokesman said no-one reported being attacked that evening.

The full story can be found here.

MULTI-million pound work to repair and waterproof the Oldbury viaduct is set to get under way in the next few weeks.

The improvement scheme, which is valued at more than £100 million, is expected to finish in autumn 2018 but some minor work will continue into spring 2019.

To keep the M5 open during the work, a contraflow system is being put in place between junctions 1 and 2. From the end of July all traffic will be diverted onto the northbound carriageway, with two lanes operating in each direction, along with a 30mph speed limit.

Highways England said slip roads will be kept open throughout the work to ease the effects on the local network, but drivers are advised to expect long delays.

More details can be found here.