DARK SECRETS: Telford | Rare Historical Photos

UK woman claimed hip pain stopped her working, but ran piercing business

A UK woman who claimed that hip pain left her unable to walk, drive or work has been ordered to pay more than £6,000 after admitting to fraudulently claiming Statutory Sick Pay while working for other clients and running her own body-piercing business. Claire Hopkinson, a resident of Telford, Shropshire,…

The Times of India · Oct 30

Dyslexic campaigner wins national award after 25 years of helping vulnerable families in England

Andy Willis received the Community Shining Star Award at the Dyslexia Awards 2026 held in Telford. He has been a community campaigner for 25 years, supporting vulnerable individuals and families in Banburyshire. Known as the 'People’s Champion', he founded the Banburyshire Advice Centre to help residents navigate support systems. His…

The Times of India · Oct 27

Race to rearm: Telford gun hall brings tank barrel production back to the UK

Defence secretary says Britain must manufacture at scale as Germany’s Rheinmetall opens Midlands factory

The Guardian - UK · Oct 22

The UK’s 15-year-scandal no government has gripped: grooming gangs explained

Stretching back to 2012, the government investigation into grooming gangs has a controversial history

The Guardian - UK · Oct 25, 2025

Man jailed for threatening police with ‘gun’ made from Primark bag

CCTV footage shows the man chase a police car and point a fake gun at the officers in Telford

The Independent UK · Aug 4, 2025

Grooming gang survivors say political ‘tug of war’ must stop before inquiry

Exclusive: Telford survivors say people are ‘exploiting the exploited’ and push for women to shape new investigation

The Guardian - UK · Jun 19, 2025

Barrister: I asked Home Office ‘do you still want me?’ on grooming inquiries

Tom Crowther was named in January as someone who would help the Government with their work to tackle child sex abuse and grooming gangs.

Evening Standard · Apr 1, 2025

Steve Coogan spared driving ban after using The Trip filming as excuse

The actor and comedian was caught travelling at 97mph on the M6 near Telford, Staffordshire, in July last year.

The Independent UK · Feb 6, 2025

Elon Musk and the phoney far-right narrative of ‘protecting’ women

Across the 2000s, a series of child sex exploitation cases affected British towns, including Telford, Rochdale, Oxford and Rotherham, scarring the lives of hundreds of children. In 2011, Times journalist Andrew Norfolk reported that networks – so-called “grooming gangs” – of largely British Asian men of Pakistani heritage had trafficked…

The Conversation · Jan 14, 2025

‘Telford model’ is more effective for child abuse inquiries, says former chair

Tom Crowther KC says public inquiries seen as ‘Rolls-Royce solution’ but local review in Shropshire led to real progress

The Guardian - UK · Jan 10, 2025