Latest updates for Friday 4 December 2015
News, sport, travel and weather updates to resume at 08:00 on Monday
The mother of a Wolverhampton man says she wants justice for her son who was stabbed to death three years ago.
Tom Kirwan, 23,was stabbed near the Uberra Club on 8 July 2012 after a fight broke out.
Emer Kirwan, who has spoken publicly about her son's death for the first time, is offering a £15k reward to catch his killer.
Amy Cole
BBC Midlands Today
On BBC Midlands Today this lunchtime we look at what’s been happening on the official launch day of the so-called "Midlands Engine for Growth".
And the defence has started in the case of a man accused of putting four pigs heads outside a Muslim community centre in Solihull.
Carl Stephens from Sheldon denies committing a racially aggravated offence at Birmingham Crown Court.
Join us for those stories and more on BBC One at 13:30.
A taxi driver sexually assaulted a passenger, external after stopping in a deserted lane as he drove her to Sutton Coldfield after a night out in Tamworth.
Dan Pallett
BBC Midlands Today Sport
Just when you thought there was no reason for Villa fans to have hope – a former captain arrives with a glimmer of optimism.
Stiliyan Petrov’s brave battle with cancer puts all football matters into context. And when he talks it’s usually worth a listen.
Image source, Getty ImagesSo why does he think Villa can still escape trouble at the bottom of the Premier League?
Well having seen them quite a few times this season he says they do have good qualities, that they been very unlucky this season and he’s impressed by the new manager Remi Garde.
Stephanie Barnard
BBC Local Live
The top stories in the newsroom this lunchtime include:
- The mother of a Wolverhampton man appeals for help to find the person who killed her son three years ago
- The people behind plans to bring more money and jobs into the Midlands insist they have got the backing of the government
- The Met Police says it would be inappropriate to comment on claims one of the gunmen involved in the Paris terror attacks called a number in Birmingham several times beforehand
What happens to your recycling once it has left your house? 5 live reporters went across the country to find out how our plastic milk bottles are recycled at three different plants.
The journey started in Birmingham at the Suez MRF recycling plant, where the bottles are delivered to be sorted and turned into bales.
There are three stages involved in recycling plastic milk bottles
Everyone from nurses to kitchen staff, volunteers to Wolves players are involved in the clip, external, which features them miming along to the Black Country's festive anthem, Slade's Merry Christmas Everybody.
Chris Blakemore
BBC WM, news editor
"Tom loved life and someone must know something. Six hundred people saw what happened and I just want one of those to come forward."
On BBC WM this morning we've heard an emotional appeal from Emer Kirwan whose son Tom was murdered outside a nightclub in Wolverhampton in July 2012.
Emer spoke to Adrian Goldberg in a passionate and emotional way about her fight to get justice for her son.
He was stabbed and a reward of £15,000 is being offered for information to help find whoever did it.
Sutton Coldfield Local
What do Sutton Coldfield’s Trinity Players, the BBC and the National Trust have in common? The answer is Ben Field – actor, director, producer and founder of Holomedia. , external
Amy Cole
BBC Midlands Today
The Foundation Trust that runs the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in Birmingham (pictured) has been told it must continue to improve the quality of some of its services.
Eighteen months ago the outpatients department and critical care were classed as inadequate by the Care Quality Commission.
The watchdog says things have got better since then, but the hospital's overall rating means it still requires improvement.
These undercover pictures show 71-year-old Paramjit Randhawa working out at a Black Country gym, external at the same time he was illegally pocketing thousands in benefits.
Image source, Express and StarA £65m project to widen an M6 motorway junctionin the West Midlands is to start in 2018.
The roundabout at junction 10 at Walsall will be revamped in a scheme expected to take two years to complete, according to Highways England.
Image source, Walsall CouncilIt said it was sharing the funding with the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership.
A consultation for the public to comment on proposals starts on Friday and will last until 24 January.
BBC WM
Plans to bring more money and jobs into the Midlands will be revealed later.
The business groups are getting together at Birmingham University to speak about their ambitions to boost growth, jobs and tourism in the region.
They'll be given a £5m trade and investment package from the government to help promotion overseas.
It's claimed by the end of this parliament there could be as many as 300,000 extra jobs.
The Dudley-born actor and comedian Lenny Henry is due to receive his knighthood at Windsor Castle today.
The 56-year-old is receiving the honour in recognition for services to charity following his long connection with Comic Relief.
BBC WM
With the BBC Music Awards in Birmingham less than a week away, BBC WM is giving you the chance to win a pair of tickets to the star-studded event.
One Direction, Rod Stewart, Ellie Goulding and Mumford & Sons are among the acts taking part next Thursday at the Genting Arena.
To find out how to get your hands on the tickets tune in to BBC WM. You can visit our website for full terms and conditions.
Stephanie Barnard
BBC Local Live
Good morning from the BBC WM newsroom - the top stories that we're looking at right now include:
- There are reports in the newspapers that one of the terrorist gunmen involved in the terror attacks in Paris called a number in Birmingham several times beforehand
- Plans to bring more money and jobs into the Midlands will be revealed later
- The Foundation Trust which runs the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in Birmingham has been told it must continue to improve the quality of some of its services
One of the terrorist gunmen who brought terror to Paris is believed to have called a number in Birmingham, external several times before launching the sickening attack.
Read more on BBC News as Dudley Hippodrome, which once hosted famous acts including comedy duo Laurel and Hardy, will be demolished.
Bulldozers will move in despite a 35,000-strong petition to save the theatre.
There'll be some sunny spells around this morning but cloud will be increasing through the day, although it will stay dry with highs of 11C (52F).
Here's Alex Hamilton with your 50-second forecast.
Latest weather for the West Midlands
BBC Travel
One lane is blocked on the A4041 Queslett Road eastbound in Great Barr at the B4149 King's Road junction because of a broken down lorry.
