BBC Local Live: Birmingham & the Black Country on Friday 18 December 2015

Summary

Updates on Friday 18 December 2015
News, sport, travel and weather updates to resume at 08:00 on Monday

Live Reporting

Stephanie Barnard

Your photos: West Bromwich morningpublished at 13:48
Stephanie Barnard
BBC Local Live
Thanks to Jamie Whitehouse who tweeted us this photo, external of the sunrising over West Bromwich this morning.
Feeling almost spring-like today as temperatures are set to reach about 13C (55F).
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BBC One at 13:30 on Midlands Today - 'Right club, right time'published at 13:29
Amy Cole
BBC Midlands Today
"Right club, right time," says new head coach Sean O'Driscoll who is looking forward to his new job at the Saddlers.
Walsall Football Club replaces the manager they hired just a month ago with a new one - our reporter Ian Winter will have the latest from the press conference which has just taken place.
Join us for more on this story and others on BBC One at 13:30 this lunchtime.
O'Driscoll takes press questionpublished at 13:17
Mike Taylor
BBC WM Sport
Sean O'Driscoll has taken his seat at the press conference, with Stefan Gamble (left) and Dan Mole (right).
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There's a far larger turnout for today's Walsall FC press conference than usual.
M6 northbound delays after multi-vehicle crashpublished at 13:02
BBC Travel
Two lanes are closed on the M6 northbound between J8 M5 and J9, external, A461 (Wednesbury), because of an accident involving two cars and a lorry.
Drivers warned to expect severe delays - with tailbacks to J7, A34 (Great Barr) and on M5 to J1, A41 (West Bromwich).
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Temporary minor injuries unit to open for 'Mad Friday'published at 12:53
West Midlands Ambulance Service is opening a temporary minor injuries unit in Birmingham this evening.
For the ninth year running paramedics have set up a base just off Broad Street, to handle cases in the run up to Christmas.
It's designed to reduce pressure on Accident and Emergency services during the festive season.
Nationally, the last working Friday in December, is one of the biggest drinking night of the year.
'N'Zogbia could have given more', says Villa bosspublished at 12:37
BBC Sport
Aston Villa manager Remi Garde has questioned Charles N'Zogbia's commitment and indicated he may offload high-earning players in January.
Garde, whose side is bottom of the Premier League, has not picked the midfielder in his last three squads.
Image source, Getty Images
Live updates from the Walsall FC press conferencepublished at 12:19
Mike Taylor
BBC WM
The widely anticipated appointment of O'Driscoll, initially on an 18-month contract, is entirely logical.
His qualifications for the role are clear, having achieved promotion at this level with Bournemouth and Doncaster.
Although he is a local man, his playing and coaching career has seen him employed outside the West Midlands since his non-league days in the late 1970s, most recently as an assistant to Brendan Rodgers at Liverpool.
The existing staff who took care of the team after Dean Smith's departure are all retained. Jon Whitney is promoted to first team and performance coach, Neil Cutler remains as a coach with a focus on the goalkeepers, and John Ward will oversee development of the younger players.
Girl, 15, critical after hit-and-runpublished at 12:08
Jennifer Meierhans
BBC News Online
Read more on BBC News as a 15-year-old girl is critically ill in hospital after a hit-and-run crash in the Black Country.
Image source, Google
Quote Message
Clearly this is distressing at any time for the girl's family, but to happen just days before Christmas is truly heartbreaking.
Sgt Steve Newbury, West Midlands Police
Watch: Lunchtime weather forecastpublished at 11:55
Sara Blizzard
BBC Weather
A blustery day ahead and there's a chance of rain later. This afternoon will be cloudy but mild.
Walsall in good position for new bosspublished at 11:43
Dan Pallett
BBC Midlands Today Sport
Sean O’Driscoll is to take over at Walsall. The new manger’s press conference is at 12:30.
O’Driscoll is from the area which is a good start with the fans. We understand he had a recommendation of the previous coaching regime guided by Dean Smith.
He was successful at Doncaster Rovers and may be determined to prove a point after his spells at both Nottingham Forest and Bristol City were cut short.
But he inherits a side chasing promotion in League One and with an FA Cup tie against the old boss when they play Brentford next month.
There are certainly worse starting places.
Police appeal to trace machete-wielding burglarspublished at 11:37
Walsall Advertiser
Detectives are appealing for witnesses to come forward, external after a couple were attacked in their Walsall home.
O'Driscoll 'ticks all the boxes', says Walsallpublished at 11:22
Sean O’Driscoll is the new head coach of Walsall FC., external
Signed on a 18-month contract the former Bournemouth, Doncaster and Nottingham Forest manager will be assisted by Jon Whitney.
Image source, Getty Images
Quote Message
Sean ticks all the boxes in terms of the identity, blueprint and ethos that we work towards. We believe in his ability to advance the football club, enhance our growing reputation as a progressive, forward-thinking organisation and we look forward to working closely with him, in what we hope will be an exciting new chapter at the club.
Jeff Bonser, Walsall chairman
Sean O'Driscoll new manager of Walsallpublished at 11:12
Breaking
Sean O'Driscoll is the new manager of Walsall, the club announces on Twitter, external
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'Plebgate' police officer guilty of misconductpublished at 11:00
A police officer has been found guilty of misconduct for his role in the "plebgate" affair, involving former chief whip Andrew Mitchell.
West Mercia inspector Ken Mackaill, a former Police Federation official, was accused of giving misleading accounts of a meeting with the Sutton Coldfield MP in 2012.
Image source, Getty Images
The meeting followed claims the Tory MP called police "plebs", which he denied.
An independent panel ruled on Thursday Insp Mackaill had breached the standards of professional behaviour.
Walsall press conference: Today we find out who the new manager will bepublished at 10:39
Chris Blakemore
BBC WM
Walsall are set to appoint their new manager this lunchtime, with Sean O'Driscoll the overwhelming bookies' favourite.
Our reporter Mike Taylor will be at the press conference at the Banks's stadium which is due to start at 12:30.
We'll bringing you latest from there on BBC Local Live and BBC WM.
Image source, Getty Images
Protest to support Royal Marine, jailed after executing Taliban memberpublished at 10:27
Birmingham Eastside
Hundreds of people turned out on Wednesday in Birmingham’s Eastside, external in support of SergeantAlexander Blackman, also known as Marine A, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for allegedly murdering a member of the Taliban in a battle in Afghanistan.
Police appeal for dash cam footage following fatal M6 crashpublished at 10:16
Police are continuing to appeal for witnesses to a crash on the M6 yesterday in which two men died.
The pair were travelling in a van which was in collision with a lorry at about 05:30 between junctions two and one.
Media caption,
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Quote Message
Our thoughts are with the families at the very sad time. We are urging anyone who may have witnessed the collision or have may have seen either vehicle to make contact. We are also keen to hear from anyone with a dash cam in their vehicle, who may have drove past the road closure following the collision.
Sgt Dom Martin, Warwickshire Police
New chief for troubled children's teampublished at 09:55
Read more on BBC News about a new commissioner who has been appointed to run Birmingham's struggling children's services department.
Image source, Westminster City Council
Wolves 2-3 Leeds Utdpublished at 09:34
BBC Sport
The pressure's building on Wolves boss Kenny Jackett after a sixth home game without a win.
Leeds produced a fine fightback to beat Wolves and leave the Molineux team without a Championship home win since 3 October.
Image source, Rex Features
Latest headlines: Girl in hospital after suspected hit-and-run in Dudley and Walsall set to announce new managerpublished at 09:18
Stephanie Barnard
BBC Local Live
The top stories for Birmingham and the Black Country in the newsroom this morning include:
- A 15-year-old girl is in a critical condition after a hit-and-run in Dudley, external
- From next year people living in Walsall will have their rubbish collected every fortnight instead of every week.
- Walsall are set to appoint their new manager this lunchtime, with Sean O'Driscoll the overwhelming bookies' favourite