A song about a homeless Wolverhampton man who lived next to the ring road for more than 30 years has been re-released to mark the date of his passing.
The remake features the voices of Tessa Thompson and Justin Theroux.
The remake features the voices of Tessa Thompson and Justin Theroux.
The Good Omens actor shared a story of mistaken identity.
The Good Omens actor shared a story of mistaken identity.
The vast majority of Express & Star readers have backed a young mother who was called a tramp on a social networking site for breastfeeding her daughter in public.
Young mother Emily Slough thought nothing of taking a break during a shopping trip to breastfeed her daughter.
He was famous for his long white beard and dirty overcoat and was often seen sweeping up the leaves on Wolverhampton's ring road. Now Fred the tramp could be making a sought-after return to the spot in which he called home - two years after his death.
The truth about the secret life of Wolverhampton's famous ring road tramp can today be revealed for the first time.
The tramp who has famously lived in a tent on Wolverhampton's ring road for more than 30 years has died. The tramp who has famously lived in a tent on Wolverhampton's ring road for more than 30 years has died. The body of 87-year-old Josef Stawinoga, who was affectionately known in the city as Fred, was discovered just before 5pm yesterday. A police cordon was placed around his green tent on Ring Road St John's and officers today confirmed his death was not being treated as suspicious. It is not known who made the grim discovery. Council leader Roger Lawrence described it as "very sad news". "Mr Stawinoga was someone the community took to their hearts and provided with a lot of support, even though it was extremely difficult given his circumstances and background," he said. Read the full story in the Express & Star.
Meals on Wheels worker Manni Uppal has delivered a hearty dinner to the Black Country's ring road tramp every day for a year without a word of thanks.Meals on Wheels worker Manni Uppal has delivered a hearty dinner to the Black Country's ring road tramp every day for a year without a word of thanks. But that is not surprising since Josef Stawinoga, who is affectionately known as Fred, has never once spoken to her during the bizarre routine. She simply leaves the food on a plastic tray at the same spot by a slit in the tent which serves as his home on the central reservation of the Wolverhampton ring road. The 37-year-old mother-of-two, from Pendeford, said today: "I have not even seen him face-to-face, although I have occasionally spotted a shadow moving around inside the tent while making the delivery. "I'm not offended by the fact he never says thank-you. In some ways it's perfect because he never complains either." Read the full story in the Express & Star
The fan club for Wolverhampton's renowned ring road tramp is attracting a new member every 10 minutes.The fan club for Wolverhampton's renowned ring road tramp is attracting a new member every 10 minutes. Almost 500 new members have signed up to a website tribute page in honour of Josef Stawinoga since its existence was reported in the Express & Star on Monday. Mr Stawinoga, who has lived on Ring Road St John's for more than 30 years, has become a phenomenon on social networking site Facebook. On Monday the group, entitled We Love U the Wolverhampton Ring Road Tramp, had just over 4,000 members. This morning it had 4,504. View the group here. Read the full story in the Express & Star
A Black Country's renowned ring road tramp has become a surprise hit on the internet after a website was set up in his honour.
Under-age drinking in a Shropshire town is thought to have been fuelled by a tramp who is buying alcohol for teenagers, police have today revealed.
Bridgnorth residents are being urged not to offer money or food to a tramp who is wandering the town, police said today. Constable Ram Aston says pointing him in the right direction of a hostel would be the best thing for residents to do.Bridgnorth residents are being urged not to offer money or food to a tramp who is wandering the town, police said today. Constable Ram Aston says pointing him in the right direction of a hostel would be the best thing for residents to do in order to get him off the streets. He said police believed the man was staying in the Bridgnorth area because people were providing him with provisions. "We believe he is only hanging around Bridgnorth because people are giving him food and money," he said. "We would prefer it if he was pointed in the direction of a hostel." Police think the man is living somewhere between Bridgnorth and Much Wenlock as he is frequently spotted walking along the A458. Read the full story in the Shropshire Star
