Safety fears over drain thefts

Metal thieves have stolen 23 drain covers in Sandwell a matter of days, including 10 stolen from streets close to schools in a spate of overnight thefts.

Drain covers have been stolen near Wood Green Junior School, on Hobs Road, and Albert Pritchard Infant School, on Crew Road, both in Wednesbury.

A total of 10 covers were stolen overnight on Tuesday from a cluster of roads including Darlaston Road, Myvod Road, Bilston Road, Churchfields Road and Delville Road.

The council's highways department said there had been a further 13 thefts across the borough, mostly in Tipton and West Bromwich, since the weekend. And thieves had already taken 19 covers over the May Bank holiday weekend.

Resident Dawn Craddock, of nearby Old Park Road, said: "The cover stolen on Churchfields Road is really dangerous because it's just by Wood Green school."

Ward councillor Elaine Costigan said the thefts had risked the safety of children walking to schools and drivers using the roads.

Temporary covers were being put over the drains today.