News in Atherstone

Fast food lovers from Atherstone have been served up a glimmer of hope for a 'click and collect' version of McDonald's at today's opening of a new drive-thru restaurant less than 10 minutes from the town.

Hundreds of diners tucked straight into their favourite Double Quarter Pounder mains and a Flake McFlurry for afters at the launch of the 160-seat eatery just off the A5 at Dodwells Island where the Warwickshire and Leicestershire boundaries cross over.

Civic leaders in Atherstone have been sent the strongest possible message yet on where the town sits on the Goldie Bench saga.

The majority of comments on where the next resting places should be for the popular town-centre benches show residents stand emphatically in favour of "putting them back where they belong".

A town's generosity has helped break through the £5,000 barrier of a support fund for critically-ill Atherstone Ball Game steward Martyn Kellegher-Burton.

Atherstone woke this morning to the news the JustGiving page is now showing £5,015 – thanks to a £20 donation from Lynn Jacob tipping it over its revised target.

Two teammates of Atherstone Adders' championship-chasing Men's Firsts are hoping to help England hockey bring home the World Cup – at the double.

Skipper Martin Webb and playing pal Simon Thompson have been called up for the national side in the World Masters Hockey events for over 35s and over 40s in Nottingham later in the summer.

Residents have failed to stop "urbanisation" of their village in what they believe to be the only four-storey housing development in Atherstone and district.

Town planners approved a 'high-rise' scheme for 27 new homes for Mancetter – despite objections over the "out-of-keeping" proposals for flats that "are not needed".

Architectural features of a planned HS2 interchange station have been designed "more as a statement" than for ease of use for rail passengers, town planners in Atherstone heard last night.

Digital impressions of the high speed rail development – not due to be operational until 2035 – reminded North Warwickshire Borough Council's planning overlord of a scene from H G Wells's The Time Machine.

FA Vase underdogs Atherstone Town now know the road to Wembley has to be navigated through a "mad March" dash with five games in the space of 12 days.

For the first time in their history, the Town CFC has its name in the draw for the Buildbase-sponsored cup semis.

Political parties found themselves in at the deep end of recriminations over the fate of a "crumbling" iconic swimming pool built for the benefit of Atherstone and surrounding villages.

Labour and Tory councillors blamed each other for lacking vision and the courage to invest over the last five years in facilities that needed "more than TLC to paper over the cracks".

Atherstone and district will get its "fair share" of an 8,000 uplift of Tasers on the streets of England and Wales as part of a £6.5 million Home Office investment in the stun guns.

Some 41 forces, including Warwickshire, "got what they asked for", according to Police Federation chairman John Apter.

Atherstone can push ahead in policing terms thanks to a "good news story" from a new working collaboration between Britain's smallest and largest regional forces, rank-and-file officers have been told.

Assurances for the town and district were made to Nub News today as Warwickshire Police engages in an "exciting working partnership" with neighbours West Midlands Police.