Dozens of people have gathered at a Sikh temple to attend an emergency meeting after police in the West Midlands said they are investigating the rape of a woman as a “racially motivated attack”.

The victim, reported to be a British-born Sikh aged in her 20s, told officers a racist remark was made to her during the attack in Oldbury, which was reported to police just before 8.30am on Tuesday.

The Sikh Federation (UK) said the perpetrators allegedly told the woman during the attack: “You don’t belong in this country, get out.”

Jas Singh, principal advisor to the Sikh Federation (UK), was among the group of faith and community leaders responsible for holding the meeting at the Guru Nanak Gurdwara temple in Smethwick, a few miles from Oldbury, following concerns within the community.

“I think if you look at it in the context of the climate, it makes it even more worrying because there is a trend of hatred… the targeting of migrants,” he said.

“Ultimately, what that means is the targeting of people’s skin colour, and as Sikhs we have the most distinct, unique identity,” he added.

“We bear the brunt of all prejudice and ignorance, and hate.”

Similar sentiments were raised at the meeting, with many horrified by the reports of the sexual assault as well as concerns about their own safety.

“People are trying to divide us,” said a woman in her 30s, who did not want to be named but said, as a Sikh woman, she wanted to be present to have her voice heard.

She was not only referencing the sexual assault but also what she believes has been an increase in overt discrimination.

“Let’s call it what it is, this is racism,” she told the meeting, as she broke down in tears.

Reverend Nick Ross, from Smethwick’s Holy Trinity Church, was also in attendance at the emergency meeting.

He commented on “offensive” graffiti that had been left on the side of the wall of the Sikh temple, while saying his Anglican church had also been defaced.

“We cannot just ignore it, it will go on and it will build, and there will be incidents like this,” he said, referencing racial tensions across the country.

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Police are still trying to identify the perpetrators of the attack and want to speak to anyone who may have seen two white men in the area.

The first is described as having a shaved head and a heavy build, and was wearing a dark sweatshirt with gloves on, and the second was reportedly wearing a grey top with a silver zip.

Chief Superintendent Kim Madill, of Sandwell Police, said: “We are working really hard to identify those responsible, with CCTV, forensic and other inquiries well under way.

“We fully understand the anger and worry that this has caused, and I am speaking to people in the community today to reassure them that we are doing everything we can to identify and arrest those responsible.

“Incidents like this are incredibly rare, but people can expect to see extra patrols in the area.”

The number of roadworks in Britain has more than doubled in the past two years – and frustrated drivers are more likely than ever to get stuck behind temporary traffic lights.

Exclusive data obtained by Sky News reveals there were 425,524 miles of roadworks across the UK last year. That’s enough to stretch around the world a whopping 17 times.

It marks a 110% increase compared to 2023, when there were 203,000 miles of lane closures.

Part of the reason for the surge is the 2019 pledge by then prime minister Boris Johnson to roll out full fibre broadband to every corner of the nation as part of his “levelling up” agenda.

Causeway Technologies infrastructure director Nick Smee told Sky News: “It’s absolutely true that the rollout of super-fast fibre has caused a huge spike because we all want those facilities.

“The problem is you can’t do it without digging up the roads.”

The original deadline for Johnson’s ‘Project Gigabit’ was this year, but this has been delayed to 2032, meaning drivers could face at least another six years of disruptions.

Meanwhile, the government is hoping another 100,000 public electric vehicle charging points will be installed by the end of the decade, which will inevitably lead to more asphalt being ripped up for the cables to be laid.

Roadworks are now a regular occurrence in large parts of the country, with emergency repairs often needed for leaking Victorian water pipes and other utilities.

In some cases, the same streets are repeatedly dug up in quick succession, leading to misery for motorists and an increased risk of potholes.

Drivers in London trundled through 490,893 roadworks in 2024, the highest number nationwide, averaging more than 1,300 sites across the capital every day.

Kent recorded 134,430 projects, and Surrey had 132,291. Essex and Hampshire complete the list of the top five roadwork hotspots.

In January 2024, the then Conservative government said it would crack down on disruptive street works.

The Labour government stood by the pledge and said it would start charging firms that unnecessarily leave roads closed over weekends, which hadn’t previously been possible.

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Officials also planned to double fines for delayed roadworks by this summer. However, the Department for Transport has now told Sky News that won’t happen until next year at the earliest “due to other high priority legislative work pushing it back”.

Clive Bairsto, chief executive of the trade association Street Works UK, said: “If you overfine people, the industry will be forced to use firms of less integrity and you’ll end up with the poor performers being used to do jobs rather than the good performers, which is what we want to encourage.”

The leader of a self-styled African tribe living in a Scottish woodland has vowed his group will stay put despite a court order stating the encampment should be removed.

A sheriff on Friday issued a warrant for the removal of the so-called Kingdom of Kubala, which has been camped near Jedburgh in the Scottish Borders for the past few weeks.

The three members of the self-proclaimed kingdom have said they’re reclaiming land that was stolen from their ancestors 400 years ago.

Kofi Offeh, 36, is the leader of the group and the self-proclaimed King Atehene. The other two members are his wife Jean Gasho, 43, who calls herself Queen Nandi, and “handmaiden” Kaura Taylor, who calls herself Asnat.

After the warrant was issued on Friday, they showed no inclination to leave.

Speaking at the campsite, Mr Offeh said: “The creator of the heavens and the Earth is the one with us.

“We are not afraid of whatever the court – the so-called court – has granted.”

Asked if they plan to move, he replied: “If the creator of the heavens and the Earth wants us to move from this land, he shall find us a place to go.”

Issuing the order at Jedburgh Sheriff Court on Friday morning, Sheriff Peter Paterson said it would come into effect immediately.

None of the members of the so-called kingdom were in court and they did not have legal representation.

The civil action was brought after the trio ignored a previous eviction notice, which said they had to leave by 5pm on Monday.

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Earlier, Jedburgh councillor Scott Hamilton said the landowner had been left with “no option” but to take legal action.

He said: “The council will be supporting the landowner through the next steps and all the additional safety measures will remain in place until this situation is resolved.

“Whilst this next stage of the eviction process plays out, please can I remind people not to engage with this group.”