Inquest into Tipton hit-and-run victim's death opened and adjourned

Darren Whitehouse died after being hit by a car in St Mark's Road at about 1.40pm on February 27.

No arrests were made in the days after Mr Whitehouse's death and his family spoke out to urge anyone with information to come forward.

Flowers, candles, notes, balloons and beer bottles were left at the scene in tribute to the 43-year-old.

The car believed to have hit him, a silver Infiniti, was found two miles away in Griffiths Street, Tipton, later the same day and was being examined by forensic specialists.

The car had been stolen in Rowley Regis and was using cloned plates at the time of the crash, police said.

Mr Whitehouse's inquest was opened this morning and adjourned until May 11.

West Midlands Police has been asked for an update on the investigation.

The hit-and-run was one of two serious incidents within an hour of each other on St Mark's Road on February 27.

As medics, including an air ambulance crew, were dealing with the hit-and-run, they were alerted to a stabbing at a shop 300 metres away at around 2.15pm and rushed to treat the victim.

The man had been seriously injured after an attack in Costcutter and was taken to hospital for further treatment.

The stabbing is not thought to be linked to Mr Whitehouse's death and the two incidents are being treated as separate incidents, West Midlands Police confirmed.

Two fundraising pages set up for Mr Whitehouse's family and his funeral had raised a combined total of more than £3,000 within days.