Summary

  • Updates for Monday 8 February 2016

  • News, sport, travel and weather updates to resume at 08:00 on Tuesday

Live Reporting

Stephanie Barnard

  1. Office fire in Birmingham city centre

    Stephanie Barnard
    BBC Local Live

    Firefighters are tackling a blaze on Bristol Road in Birmingham.

    A spokesman for West Midlands Fire Service says four crews are at the scene alongside paramedics after a fire broke out in a three-storey building used as an office block.

    Three people are being treated for smoke Inhalation.

    Fire on Bristol Street in Birmingham
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  2. Trains delayed in the Cradley Heather area

    Train operator London Midland warns of delays in the Cradley Heath area after a vehicle hit a bridge.

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  3. Petition to increase police patrol in Selly Oak

    More than 4,000 people have signed a petition demanding more police patrols in Selly Oak to tackle gangs of muggers surrounding the Birmingham University campus. 

    Students were targeted four times in just one week at the end of last month, with some victims reporting that they had been threatened at knife-point.

  5. Old Koran has connection to Paris museum

    BBC Inside Out

    Fragments of an ancient Koran found in Birmingham, believed to be the world's oldest, are from the same copy as pages found in the Bibliothèque Nationale de France in Paris, according to the former student who made the discovery. 

    Quran

    The connection adds weight to claims the papers are part of the first Koran ever assembled. 

    You can see more on this story on Inside Out on BBC One from 19:30.

  7. Avoid the ford in Hall Green, warns police

    Motorists are being warned to drive with care as a number of the floods have flooded in the West Midlands.

    Parts of Britain have been lashed by heavy rain and winds of up to 96mph after Storm Imogen swept in overnight.  

    Solihull Police warn motorists to avoid Green Road in Hall Green - this was the scene yesterday.

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  8. Extra bin crews after recycling complaints

    Two extra bin crews are going to be operating in Edgbaston from today after complaints recycling hadn't been collected at all since a new system was brought in last year. 

    The city council's issued an apology and says they're going to make sure everything's collected from now on. 

  10. Man's body discovered in Sutton Coldfield

    David Lumb
    BBC Midlands Today

    The body of a 53-year-old man has been discovered at a property in Sutton Coldfield last night.

    West Midlands Police say the man's body was found at about 20:15 on Whitehouse Common Road and is being treated as unexplained.

    A post-mortem test is due to take place shortly.

  11. Is Gabby Agbonlahor Villa's only hope?

    BBC WM Sport

    Gabby Agbonlahor is being backed to possibly be Villa's saviour after his first goal for 11 months secured only their third win of the season. 

    Villa are still eight points from safety with 13 games to go but boss Remi Garde says Agbonlahor "could be the one to help the team fight until the end".

    Aston Villa v NorwichGetty Images

    We are still a way away from where we would like to be but we still believe. The way the players fought on the field today means a lot to me.

    Remi Garde, Aston Villa boss

  12. Chinese New Year: Year of the monkey

    BBC Midlands Today

    Hundreds of millions of people around the world have been celebrating the Lunar New Year.  

    Organisers of this year's Chinese New Year Festival in Birmingham believe it'll bring more investment to the city from the Far East. 

    Chinese New Year Festival in Birmingham

    For the first time this year, the Chinese community raised the £30,000 needed so it could go ahead, after the council withdrew its funding. 

    They want it to be a showcase to help attract Chinese interest to Birmingham.

  13. Latest headlines: Funding for Sandwell leisure centres considered and Chinese New Year 'could bring in more invesment'

    Stephanie Barnard
    BBC Local Live

    The top stories in the BBC WM newsroom this morning include:

    - Sandwell Council wants to cut the funding of a trust which runs nine leisure centres in the borough by more than 75%

    - Organisers of this year's Chinese New Year Festival in Birmingham believe it'll bring more investment to the city from the Far East

    - Gabby Agbonlahor is being backed to possibly be Villa's saviour after his first goal for 11 months secured their third win of the season

  14. Car overturns and smashes into bollards outside shops

    Express and Star

    The driver of this car was lucky to escape serious injury after it overturned.  

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  15. Fears raised over the future of trust which runs leisure centres

    BBC WM

    Sandwell Council wants to cut the funding of a trust which runs nine leisure centres in the borough by more than 75%, the BBC has learnt. 

    The chair of Sandwell Leisure Trust (SLT) says he's asked for an urgent meeting with the leader of the council after their latest business plan to save £2.5m a year was rejected. 

    More than 1,000 people have signed a petition to keep the trust in place which manages places including Tipton Leisure Centre and Hadley Stadium (pictured).

    Hadley StadiumGoogle

    Council Leader Darren Cooper said the authority was considering the trust's proposal and it was hoping to secure a "sustainable and affordable future for sports and leisure in the borough".

    A report will be submitted to a council cabinet meeting in due course, however no decision has been taken on the future of the SLT contract at this time.

    Darren Cooper, Leader of Sandwell Council

  16. Watch: Windy day ahead with scattered showers

    A very windy day with strong to gale force winds, the strongest in the south, gradually easing later in the day. 

    Rather cloudy and feeling colder with showery rain, locally heavy, becoming less frequent later with highs of 8C (46F).

  18. Good morning: Live updates for Birmingham and the Black Country

    Stephanie Barnard
    BBC Local Live

    I'm in the BBC WM newsroom bringing you the latest news, sport, travel and weather updates for Birmingham and the Black Country.

    If you'd like to get in touch with the BBC Local Live team today, email or tweet @BBCWM.