Latest news with #Midlands
BBC News
an hour ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Ex-Tigers back row Rogerson joins Worcester
Former London Irish and Leicester Tigers forward Matt Rogerson has become the latest player to join Championship side Worcester 31-year-old back-rower is the second signing in 24 hours and fourth new arrival this moves to Sixways after two seasons with the Tigers, helping the East Midlands side reach the Premiership final in 2024-25, only to lose to treble-winning made 28 appearances for Leicester in total having joined from London Irish, where he captained the club in the top flight before financial problems led to the Exiles going into administration two years had suffered the same fate nearly a year earlier and a third Premiership club - Wasps - also went out of Irish, who hope to return to rugby next year, Worcester are part of the new-look 14-team Championship that gets underway next season. Head coach Matt Everard said Rogerson will bring "outstanding experience and leadership" and will "drive the highest standards" and set a "brilliant example to everyone at Warriors". Everard has helped oversee a huge recruitment drive to get the club ready for their comeback with former Gloucester and Northampton Saints wing Tom Seabrook signed on full-back Louis Brown, ex-England back Billy Twelvetrees, Uruguay back Juan Gonzalez, Leicester Tigers prop Tim Hoyt and Exeter Chiefs prop Billy Keast have former Wales scrum-half Lloyd Williams, Saracens prop Fraser Balmain and Dragons fly-half Will Reed have also signed up at Sixways.
BBC News
5 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
City feels like home, says new Bishop of Coventry Sophie Jelley
The new Bishop of Coventry has told how she wants to see congregations grow at churches in the area and how the city already feels like Right Reverend Sophie Jelley was officially installed as Coventry's first female bishop in February and moved to the Midlands in May. She began work two weeks ago."To see churches flourish and grow is something that I've been involved in since I became a Christian when I was a teenager." She said she had a strong commitment that all churches with the right support can grow," said Bishop Jelley. She took on the role after Dr Christopher Cocksworth left to become the Dean of Windsor. But Bishop Jelley added: "It's God who gives the growth and we can't always predict that."Speaking to BBC Radio CWR, she described how she was ordained in 1997 and in many of the roles she has taken on since, she has been the first woman in the post."I've been so warmly welcomed that it's been received as a good thing, I think, so far," she added: "Just the warmth of the people has been tremendous and I think that's not so much about gender but just the warmth of the Midlands people really." Before she became its bishop, she had been to Coventry once in her life, she 20th Century cathedral stands alongside the ruins of the original Cathedral of St Michael, which was built between the late 14th and 15th old cathedral was destroyed during the World War Two blitz, in said the first time she saw the cathedral, she was in "awe", adding: "Nothing can prepare you for the story as you walk through from the ruins to the new cathedral." Remembering how she stood in front of Coventry's brightly-coloured Baptistery Window, Bishop Jelley said it reminded her of a place of worship at Sussex University called The Meeting said her father, as a mature student, took her there regularly when she was aged five or six."I loved it in there and it had a similar feel," she said."It was very odd, as if God had been weaving the story of my life… As I stood in front of that window, I felt like I was home." Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Telegraph
5 hours ago
- Climate
- Telegraph
Yellow thunderstorm warning issued amid heatwave
The Met Office has issued a yellow thunderstorm warning for swathes of England amid rising temperatures. The forecaster is warning that lightning, heavy rain and flooding could occur in the East and West Midlands, the North East and North West, Yorkshire and Wales. The yellow warning is in place from 3pm on Saturday to 4am on Sunday. It comes amid predictions that the UK could break its record for the warmest day of the year for the second day in a row, with temperatures up to 33C forecast. Temperatures reached as high as 32.2C in Kew, west London, on Thursday, amid an amber heat health alert for all regions in England. The alert, issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) for the first time since September 2023, is in force until 9am on Monday. It warns that 'significant impacts are likely' across health and social care services because of high temperatures, including a rise in deaths, particularly among people aged 65 and over or those with health conditions. Meanwhile, temperatures are forecast to reach the low 30s and could potentially hit 33C on Friday, the Met Office said. By Friday afternoon, a number of areas are expected to have passed the heatwave criteria, Dan Stroud, a Met Office forecaster, said. An official heatwave is recorded when areas reach a certain temperature for three consecutive days, with thresholds varying from 25C to 28C in different parts of the UK. Mr Stroud said: 'We're expecting the hot and dry conditions to continue. It does turn a little bit hazier in the west during the course of Friday, but we're still expecting temperatures to reach the low 30s – 31C, 32C – fairly widely, maybe seeing 33C.' Increasing amounts of cloud will move in from the west on Saturday, with a chance of showers, some of which could be thundery in north Wales and north-west England, while eastern areas will see another dry and hot day, he added. In what will probably be the peak of the hot spell on Saturday, 34C is possible – still below the June record of 35.6C, set in 1976. Sunday will be another very warm day in the South and East, probably in the late 20s. Elsewhere, however, it will be cooler, with temperatures in the mid 20s, said Mr Stroud. Firefighters have responded to more than 500 wildfires across England and Wales so far this year, and the National Fire Chiefs Council is urging people to take precautions to prevent further incidents. As of Thursday, 564 wildfire incidents had been responded to by English and Welsh fire and rescue services so far this year, a 717 per cent increase on the same period last year and more than double the number seen in 2022, which went on to be the worst year on record for wildfires, said the NFCC.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
UK weather: Yellow warning for thunderstorms as heatwave intensifies
A yellow warning for thunderstorms has been issued by the Met Office - as a nationwide heatwave intensifies. The Met Office alert is in force from 3pm on Saturday until 4am on Sunday. Forecasters said: "The most intense thunderstorms could produce frequent lightning, large hail and gusty winds, along with some heavy downpours for a time." The warning covers parts of the East and West Midlands, North East and North West of England, Wales and Yorkshire. Check the weather forecast where you are Travel disruption is possible - with a "small chance" of power cuts and some communities being cut off by flooded roads. It comes as high temperatures continue to dominate, with the UK potentially on track to break records for the warmest day of the year so far for the second day in a row. An amber heat health alert is currently in force across England, and highs of 32.2C (90F) were recorded in Kew Gardens, west London, on Thursday. Temperatures are forecast to widely reach the low 30s today - with 33C (91F) possible in places. Sky News weather producer Jo Wheeler said: "Temperatures will peak on Saturday with the potential for 34C (93F) somewhere in the Midlands or South East, but fresher conditions will already be moving into the West." She added that some places will miss this weekend's thunderstorms altogether - but where they hit, driving conditions will be "challenging" because of surface water. "As we go into the coming week, it'll be cooler, fresher and more unsettled." The record for the highest-ever June temperature is 35.6C (96F) and was set all the way back in 1976. Read more UK news:Chris Brown pleads not guilty to attempting to cause GBH Meanwhile, firefighters are warning that the dry and hot conditions have resulted in them responding to 564 wildfires across England and Wales so far this year - a 717% increase compared with the same period a year ago. This is also more than double the number seen in 2022, which went on to be the worst year in history for wildfires. The National Fire Chiefs Council is urging Britons to be cautious when enjoying the outdoors. Chairman Phil Garrigan said: "We are deeply concerned about the escalating threat of wildfires this summer, which have the potential to become more frequent, intense, and dangerous - particularly in areas where communities border the countryside."
Sky News
8 hours ago
- Climate
- Sky News
UK weather: Yellow warning for thunderstorms as heatwave intensifies
A yellow warning for thunderstorms has been issued by the Met Office - as a nationwide heatwave intensifies. The Met Office alert is in force from 3pm on Saturday until 4am on Sunday. Forecasters said: "The most intense thunderstorms could produce frequent lightning, large hail and gusty winds, along with some heavy downpours for a time." The warning covers parts of the East and West Midlands, North East and North West of England, Wales and Yorkshire. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
