House and van targeted during burglary in Cannockpublished at 14:10
Cash and a mobile phone were stolen after a house and van were targeted, external by offenders following a burglary in one area of Cannock.
Summary
Updates for Wednesday 6 January 2016
News, sport, travel and weather updates to resume on Thursday
House and van targeted during burglary in Cannockpublished at 14:10
'Trojan Horse' maths teacher found guilty of professional misconductpublished at 14:00
A maths teacher who taught at one of the schools caught up in the so-called Trojan Horse affair has been found guilty of professional misconduct.
Wakass Haruf, who worked at Golden Hillock Academy in Birmingham, was accused of telling pupils "Islam is the true religion, not like those Christians and Jews".
Image source, PAHe was alleged to have made the comments at a school prayer meeting in July 2013.
A disciplinary panel is meeting today.
Joe Cole set to leave Villapublished at 13:37
Mikey Burrows
BBC WM SportJoe Cole looks set to leave Aston Villa by the end of this week.
Image source, Getty ImagesCoventry boss Tony Mowbray has confirmed a deal is in place to sign the midfielder permanently but it's dependent on Cole agreeing a pay-off from Villa Park.
Villa have allowed striker Callum Robinson to join Preston on a season loan.
Coming up on BBC One at 13:30published at 13:30
Amy Cole
BBC Midlands TodayOur top story this lunchtime: An investigation is continuing today into the exact cause of an explosion and fire at a house in Wolverhampton in which a man was killed.
Our reporter Giles Latcham is there for us with the latest. Join us on BBC One for more on this story.
Covert police 'foil jihadi trio bid'published at 13:07
An undercover officer infiltrated a jihadi group and scuppered their plan to join so-called Islamic State in Syria, the Old Bailey heard.
Anas Abdalla, Mahamuud Diini and Gabriel Rasmus from Birmingham wanted to join the group, a jury was told.
But they were arrested after being discovered hiding in the back of a lorry at Dover port in April 2015.
Image source, PAHednesford road closed as lorry loses load and ends up in gardenpublished at 12:48
A road in Hednesford has been closed, external after a skip lorry left the carriageway and ended up in the front garden of a neighbouring property.
Image source, Cannock MercuryVideo: Aftermath of Wolverhampton house explosionpublished at 12:30
Giles Latcham
BBC Midlands TodayI'm in Wolverhampton filming a piece for BBC Midlands Today after a man died in an explosion in Penn.
The man has been named locally as father-of-three Avtar Dhensa.
As you can see, the front door has been boarded up. See my report on BBC One at 13:30 on Midlands Today
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End of twitter postWolverhampton explosion 'not suspicious'published at 12:04
Chris Blakemore
BBC WMBBC WM’s been told that the cause of the fire in Wolverhampton isn’t suspicious.
What we have been told is that the family were doing DIY on the house.
Man found dead after house explosion in Wolverhamptonpublished at 11:46
Read more on BBC News as a man's body has been discovered following an explosion and fire at a house in Wolverhampton.
The fire affected a bedroom and spread to loft space, fire crews said.
A cordon of about 100m was set up, with neighbours unable to return to their homes until late on Tuesday.
Cat-astrophe: Kitten rescued by emergency services after head gets stuck in binpublished at 11:24
Stephanie Barnard
BBC Local LiveA five-week-old kitten had to be rescued from a bin in Wolverhampton yesterday after getting its head trapped in a drainage pipe.
RSPCA inspector Steve Morrall says the kitten's head was poking out - "it was so unusual and I have never seen anything like it before".
Image source, RSPCAThe kitten, who has been named Dusty, is alive and well and will hopefully be rehomed by the animal charity soon.
Youths in Walsall spotted throwing stones at motoristspublished at 11:11
Police patrols have been increased after reports of youths throwing stones at passing motorists in an area of Walsall, external.
Morning meeting: Stories we're working onpublished at 10:52
BBC Midlands Today
Anthony Bartram, ProducerThere’s a lot going on already for the Midlands Today team. We’re in Wolverhampton where investigations continue into the yesterday’s fatal house explosion.
Parking tickets are always a talking point so we have been interested to hear from a Redditch mum who got a £60 ticket for parking outside a fast food restaurant eight minutes before it opened.
As flooding continues to affect a large part of the region, we’re taking an aerial view of the flood plains in Worcestershire and our cameras are out with the Stafford-based River Canal Rescue team.
Wolverhampton explosion: Neighbourpublished at 10:34
Chris Blakemore
BBC WMA neighbour has told BBC WM there was an almighty bang after a man died in an explosion at a house in Wolverhampton.
The woman, who does not want to be named, says thick smoke was billowing out of the house in Penn and all the windows were smashed.
She says she was the first to call 999 and told our reporter Daz Hale that she was asked to stay on the phone to describe what was happening, knowing that there was a man trapped inside.
Accident in Smethwickpublished at 10:26
BBC TravelThere's slow traffic on the A457 Oldbury Road in both directions in Smethwick at the A457 Tollhouse Way junction because of an earlier accident.
All lanes have been re-opened but drivers are warned to expect delays in the surrounding area.
Wolverhampton MP McFadden reshuffled from shadow cabinetpublished at 10:10
BBC PoliticsJeremy Corbyn has completed a reshuffle of his shadow cabinet by sacking his Europe spokesman.
After more than 30 hours of talks, it emerged Pat McFadden (pictured) would be removed from the Europe brief for what Labour sources called "disloyalty".
Image source, Getty ImagesThe Wolverhampton South East MP said: "Tonight Mr Corbyn has told me he does not want me to continue to serve on his front bench, in particular because of questions I asked about terrorism and national security in the Commons statement following the Paris terrorist attacks."
Microchips in bins 'to help make waste savings'published at 09:44
Birmingham's bins boss has pledged to use microchips installed in the city’s 400,000 wheelie bins to help towards a £3m a year saving on the costs of collection, external.
Gun crime concerns: BBC WM live in Lozellspublished at 09:24
BBC WMConcerns are being raised about gun crime in Birmingham after a number of recent shootings in Handsworth, Lozells and in Hockley.
Figures show in 2014 there were 357 firearm offences across the West Midlands force area.
This morning Adrian Goldberg was broadcasting from Lozells on BBC WM talking about gun crime in inner city Birmingham.
Watch: Latest forecast for the West Midlandspublished at 09:04
It will be a drier day than yesterday with just a few showers around.
It'll be bright with some sunny spells possible. Winds will be light and temperatures will be slightly above average for the time of year with highs of 7C (45F).
Investigations into house explosion continuepublished at 08:46
Investigations will continue this morning after a man died in a house explosion in Wolverhampton.
Emergency services were called to Rylands Drive in Penn yesterday at about 15:15.
Four fire crews tackled a severe blaze at the property and it was confirmed that the explosion was not caused by a gas leak.
Latest headlines: House explosion death investigation continues and Wolverhampton MP loses shadow cabinet postpublished at 08:31
Stephanie Barnard
BBC Local LiveThe top stories in the BBC WM newsroom this morning include:
- Investigations will continue this morning after a man died in a house explosion in Wolverhampton
- Pat McFadden, the Wolverhampton South East MP has lost his job as Labour's Europe spokesman
- Joe Cole looks set to leave Aston Villa by the end of this week
