A 22-year-old woman has appeared at Dudley Magistrates Court charged with making threatening calls to nurseries and schools across the West Midlands.

Rebecca Cooper, of Parkhill Street, Dixons Green in Dudley, is accused of making the calls yesterday. She was arrested shortly after they were reported to police and remanded in custody overnight.

She is charged with eight counts of malicious communications and a further charge of racially aggravated behaviour towards a police officer.