:00:07. > :00:07.Good evening. BBC
:00:08. > :00:10.The biggest cold calling scam in Britain has come to an end.
:00:11. > :00:12.John Rivers, from Coleshill in Warwickshire ran Wyvern media.
:00:13. > :00:15.The company miss-sold advertising space, conning people out
:00:16. > :00:24.Kiera Byrne, from Coventry, was the last of those involved
:00:25. > :00:29.Today, she was given a 23 month suspended jail sentence.
:00:30. > :00:32.The fraud was uncovered by BBC Inside Out six years ago.
:00:33. > :00:38.For years Jonathan Rivers from Coleshill in Warwickshire
:00:39. > :00:41.masqueraded as a legitimate businessman - employing 250 people
:00:42. > :00:48.His company, Wyvern Media, cold-called customers offering them
:00:49. > :00:54.advertising space in local newspapers.
:00:55. > :01:01.What happened to my parents is just astonishing,
:01:02. > :01:04.and seven years on, it still keeps me awake at night.
:01:05. > :01:07.Franny Moyle's father Jon - one of hundreds conned by Rivers
:01:08. > :01:09.who used his businesses to rip people off.
:01:10. > :01:11.Back in 2010, Mr Moyles from Shropshire was
:01:12. > :01:21.When Wyvern Media spotted he wanted to rent out an apartment,
:01:22. > :01:23.they cold-called him relentlessly, pressuring him into
:01:24. > :01:26.Over a two year period, they took nearly ?25,000.
:01:27. > :01:34.I just wanted to get rid of it all because I had
:01:35. > :01:38.In reality, the adverts Wyvern Media pressured customers into buying
:01:39. > :01:47.Most were in free newspapers with tiny circulations.
:01:48. > :01:50.This is the rest of the property that we seized from Derby.
:01:51. > :01:54.The five year-long investigation by Trading Standards,
:01:55. > :01:56.led by Steve Wyatt, became the biggest in their history -
:01:57. > :02:07.unpicking the elaborate web of companies that Jonathan Rivers
:02:08. > :02:09.Jonathan Rivers used to conceal his fraudulent activities.
:02:10. > :02:11.We knew it was going to be complicated, but certainly,
:02:12. > :02:18.we didn't have any idea of just how big this was going to get.
:02:19. > :02:23.But justice came too late for victim Jon Moyle, who died in 2015.
:02:24. > :02:26.The brutal, honest, awful truth is that this cost them their house.
:02:27. > :02:31.They were in debt aged 80 on a pension.
:02:32. > :02:37.and she put the house on the market with my dad.
:02:38. > :02:41.But within about a month of the house going on the market,
:02:42. > :02:49.In October, nine former Wyvern Media employees were convicted of fraud.
:02:50. > :02:55.And Jonathan Rivers is currently serving a six year sentence.
:02:56. > :03:02.The headteacher of a Birmingham school has written to parents,
:03:03. > :03:04.warning them not to allow their children out in
:03:05. > :03:10.It follows a series of attacks - one of them on a group of pupils
:03:11. > :03:18.but describe the incidents as isolated.
:03:19. > :03:24.A group of youths outside a store in Frankley -
:03:25. > :03:26.the shopkeeper, tired of repeated robberies, confronts them.
:03:27. > :03:28.But was struck with a hammer and taken to hospital.
:03:29. > :03:31.It was the first in a series of violent incidents last Friday night.
:03:32. > :03:33.Along this stretch, a cyclist was assaulted.
:03:34. > :03:36.Further along, a number of pupils from the school were attacked,
:03:37. > :03:42.Though fortunately, the injury was superficial.
:03:43. > :03:44.The boy, a Year 10 pupil at this school,
:03:45. > :03:52.But the headteacher's written to parents asking them
:03:53. > :03:54.to prevent their children from being in a public place
:03:55. > :03:57.during the hours of darkness. Advice some locals applaud.
:03:58. > :04:01.Up to 13, yes, I'd say that's very good.
:04:02. > :04:05.There's a lot of trouble, yeah, since that college
:04:06. > :04:11.Because you get all the gangs and kids coming from the other side
:04:12. > :04:16.If you come onto Morrisons car park at 10 o'clock at night,
:04:17. > :04:18.you're just seeing nothing but gangs and cars,
:04:19. > :04:20.so where's the safety for the public around here?
:04:21. > :04:26.Lord Mayor, this is very concerning to me...
:04:27. > :04:28.The incidents have been raised in the council chamber.
:04:29. > :04:30.It's up to parents, says a local councillor.
:04:31. > :04:33.I think they have to assess what activities their children
:04:34. > :04:35.are going to be undertaking and have confidence in the community,
:04:36. > :04:37.these are isolated incidents, it would seem.
:04:38. > :04:39.And certainly, I've got confidence in the area that this
:04:40. > :04:41.is not representative of the local community.
:04:42. > :04:47.The headteacher at Colmers says he will liaise with other schools
:04:48. > :04:54.Giles Latcham, BBC Midlands Today, Rednal.
:04:55. > :04:57.An entire lorry load of old fridges and freezers have been dumped
:04:58. > :05:03.The 21 appliances were pushed off the back of a truck
:05:04. > :05:09.The lorry was caught on CCTV, but had no number plates.
:05:10. > :05:11.The fridges have since been disposed of.
:05:12. > :05:13.Walsall Council say it's the latest in a catalogue
:05:14. > :05:19.of flytipping problems, which cost the taxpayers ?400,000 last year.
:05:20. > :05:23.We want them to prosper, to look good.
:05:24. > :05:29.Nobody, at the end of the day, wants to turn down a road
:05:30. > :05:32.and see such a dangerous site of fly-tipping without a care
:05:33. > :05:40.That's the plea from businesses near an abattoir in Birmingham,
:05:41. > :05:43.who say the sight and stench of animal waste is unbearable.
:05:44. > :05:47.Midlands Today has been shown images of what appears to be blood outside
:05:48. > :05:54.It previously traded as 'Mr Meats', but lost its licence
:05:55. > :05:56.following an investigation by the Food Standards Agency
:05:57. > :05:59.The abattoir now has a new license to operate.
:06:00. > :06:05.You may find some of the images in Ben Godfrey's report distressing.
:06:06. > :06:07.These images appear to show animal blood in the yard
:06:08. > :06:12.of AJ Meats in Digbeth, an abbatoir supplying halal meat.
:06:13. > :06:15.We're told they were taken this morning.
:06:16. > :06:18.When we arrived trade was continuing, from the roadside
:06:19. > :06:20.there were no visible signs of waste.
:06:21. > :06:27.But surrounding firms have had enough.
:06:28. > :06:30.It is so bad, the smell is pungent and strong
:06:31. > :06:32.All the businesses are generally suffering.
:06:33. > :06:35.We to the problems last time they would sort it out
:06:36. > :06:38.and there will be more stringent rules in place that would stop
:06:39. > :06:44.2015, and piles of sheep carcasses and offal appeared in the same yard,
:06:45. > :06:48.discarded and exposed to the elements.
:06:49. > :06:51.At that time, it was run by different company,
:06:52. > :06:53.known as Mr Meats, who were eventually
:06:54. > :06:57.So what did the new owners have to say?
:06:58. > :07:05.We have tried on several occasions to get an answer from the company,
:07:06. > :07:07.but as you can see, no one's responding.
:07:08. > :07:09.A short time later, we were approached by a worker.
:07:10. > :07:12.He told us they were a clean operation but added that
:07:13. > :07:14.occasionally there may be some spillage of waste
:07:15. > :07:19.Tonight, the Food Standards Agency told us following complaints
:07:20. > :07:21.they have stationed an official there this week
:07:22. > :07:42.Local businessman Peter Hughes says the authorities must be tougher.
:07:43. > :07:45.When the ambient temperature increases, what is the smell
:07:46. > :07:51.They would say this is an abattoir, there will be
:07:52. > :07:55.That is fine and we understand the kind of animal smells that
:07:56. > :07:59.The real issues here are the poor controls.
:08:00. > :08:01.The new owners have barely been operating two months.
:08:02. > :08:07.Whether they like it or not, all eyes are on them.
:08:08. > :08:10.A whistleblower has claimed that staff at the Alexandra Hospital
:08:11. > :08:12.in Redditch, were pressured into admitting patients
:08:13. > :08:15.to a "virtual ward", to avoid breaching the government's
:08:16. > :08:22.But the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Trust says while it's
:08:23. > :08:24.found cases of "poor recording" by staff,
:08:25. > :08:26.there is no evidence staff were trying to defraud the system.
:08:27. > :08:29.Police have released footage of a Walsall shopkeeper,
:08:30. > :08:38.The man attempted to raid Kobani Stores on West Bromwich Street
:08:39. > :08:40.using a hand gun just before midnight on 9th January.
:08:41. > :08:43.Police have praised the owner of the shop who sprayed mace
:08:44. > :08:46.in the face of the robber, who then ran off.
:08:47. > :08:47.Officers are asking anyone who recognises
:08:48. > :08:52.Archaeologists uncovered an intriguing animal mystery
:08:53. > :08:56.Experts have discovered remains of farm animals
:08:57. > :08:58.arranged near coffins, close to where building
:08:59. > :09:03.They have also unearthed a wooden door post, which they believe
:09:04. > :09:06.could be the key to proving that an Anglo Saxon church
:09:07. > :09:11.We're absolutely amazed and thrilled, and think that perhaps
:09:12. > :09:16.People will actually know we're here.
:09:17. > :09:19.I grew up around here, so it's lovely to know that the site
:09:20. > :09:24.is much richer than we ever thought when we were playing here.
:09:25. > :09:27.Everybody has thought, here'S this is a tiny little church,
:09:28. > :09:31.they've even referred to it as a shed.
:09:32. > :09:33.You know, totally inconsequential on the edge of Shrewsbury, and yet,
:09:34. > :09:36.once it was a much bigger church, much more important.
:09:37. > :09:39.That's all from me, I'll be back with Midlands Today
:09:40. > :09:53.Have a good night. I'll leave you with the forecast from Rebecca.
:09:54. > :09:56.It has certainly been a cold day today.
:09:57. > :09:59.Temperatures will continue to fall away as we head towards the weekend.
:10:00. > :10:03.It was a cloudy grey day, tomorrow is more of the same, I'm afraid.
:10:04. > :10:05.Temperatures pushing two or three today, but a touch
:10:06. > :10:08.And the added complication of possible snow flurries.
:10:09. > :10:10.We have seen a few of those heading through tonight.
:10:11. > :10:14.Thick enough to squeeze out the odd spot of rain.
:10:15. > :10:17.But as that falls, it is more likely to follow something a touch wintry
:10:18. > :10:20.Lows of a possible -1, perhaps staying above
:10:21. > :10:26.As for tomorrow, we still have the easterly breeze, continuing
:10:27. > :10:30.It is going to be very chilly through the day tomorrow,
:10:31. > :10:34.And we will continue to see the odd flurry of snow
:10:35. > :10:39.For most places, a dry and cloudy day.
:10:40. > :10:44.But a wintry mix just about anywhere.
:10:45. > :10:46.Temperatures ranging between one and three, the easterly
:10:47. > :10:52.As for Saturday, an organised area of showers pushing in,
:10:53. > :10:56.More information on that in the National forecast.
:10:57. > :10:58.I will leave you with an outlook for the next few days.
:10:59. > :11:02.sleet and snow. The outlook, Sunday will turn a bit less cold again. All
:11:03. > :11:14.the way up seven Celsius. At this time of year we can often
:11:15. > :11:16.get the weather stories that reflect the battle between winter and
:11:17. > :11:21.spring, and that's what's been happening in New York in the USA.
:11:22. > :11:25.Yesterday, 17 Celsius, but today, it's been bitterly cold, just a
:11:26. > :11:26.daytime maximum