Thief electrocuted as he steals from substation

A man is in critical condition after being electrocuted as he tried to steal metal from an electricity substation.

The victim was admitted to Birmingham's City Hospital shortly after an explosion at a substation in nearby Oldbury, West Midlands, at 3.15am yesterday.

The blast, on the Granada Industrial Estate, disrupted local power supplies. It is thought to have happened after significant quantities of metal, including copper wiring, had been cut from the substation.

The injured man is thought to have been rushed to hospital in a private vehicle. Police have appealed to the driver and anyone with information to come forward.