Updates on Monday 22 February 2016
News, sport, travel and weather updates to resume at 08:00 on Tuesday
British Transport Police officers are appealing, external for people to come forward after a train conductor was spat at.
Image source, British Transport Police
Daz Hale
BBC WM reporter
The parents of a Walsall boy who died from Meningitis B have published photos of him just minutes before his death, external as part of a push to get all children vaccinated against the disease.
Mason Timmins (pictured) from Bloxwich died a fortnight before Christmas in 2013.
This morning I spoke to his mum and dad, Clare and Mark, who decided to put the pictures on social media after the parents of Faye Burdett published photos of her shortly before she died on Valentine's Day.
Quote MessageIt's just something unbelievable to cope with. If we can do some good and prevent another family going through this then that's a positive and we want it to be done in his memory.
Clare Timmins, Mother of Mason
Noel Phillips
Journalist, BBC Inside Out
The West Midlands has been named the UK's gun capital, for the second year.
On tonight’s Inside Out, we hear from people who have been directly affected by gun crime, including Paul Smith (pictured), whose teenage son Connor was shot dead in Birmingham last year.
Father's gun horror
He’s still struggling to come to terms with losing his son.
In his first TV interview, he describes the moment his son died.
Royal Sutton Coldfield Observer
A heartless thief who is believed to have stolen a son's birthday cash, external after conning a woman outside an Erdington shop is being hunted by police.
Image source, Sutton Coldfield Observer
BBC Midlands Today
The demolition of Birmingham old Central Library is gathering pace.
Demolition work on building, lauded by some as an example of brutalist architecture, began in December.
Eventually a £500m shops and offices scheme will replace it.
Old Central Library demolition
A prisoner assaulted an officer at HMP Oakwood on Thursday, a report says.
HMP Oakwood is managed privately by G4S and opened in 2012.
It is one of the largest prisons in England and Wales, providing places for up to 1,605 Category C male prisoners.
Image source, PAIn June, the prison scored highly in a report by the National Offender Management Service which G4S said was "positive and encouraging".
Earlier reports had said HMP Oakwood was failing to tackle a drugs problem.
An armed police officer "unintentionally" fired a gun during a house search in Birmingham.
West Midlands Police has referred the "unintentional discharge" to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
It happened as officers arrested a 22-year-old man at an address in South Road, Hockley, for possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear or violence and drugs offences in the early hours of Sunday.
Ch Supt Dave Sturman, head of operations at the West Midlands force, said no-one was injured during the incident and "only minor damage" was caused to the inside of the house.
Joanne Malin
BBC Midlands Today
Coming up on Midlands Today this lunchtime – the fight to get antique weapons off the street.
We’ll speak to a Birmingham based ballistics expert who says old guns are linked to several murders.
Plus Charlie Slater will have your detailed weather forecast. Join me on BBC One this lunchtime for those stories and more.
A prison officer has been taken to hospital after being attacked by an inmate at HMP Oakwood.
A report says the officer was treated for a black eye and suspected broken ribs after the attack at the Category C prison near Wolverhampton, on Thursday afternoon.
The prisoner had been asking for a new television for his cell and attacked the custody officer after being ordered back to his cell, the report says.
Stephanie Barnard
BBC Local Live
The top stories in the BBC WM newsroom this lunchtime:
- A couple from Walsall have posted images on social media of their seven-year-old son just minutes before he died from meningitis to help raise awareness
- A legal loophole is allowing criminals to carry out dozens of shootings with lawfully obtained weapons, says West Midlands Police
- A new night shelter for homeless people opens in Wolverhampton this evening, following the death of a woman last month
An animal charity is offering a four-figure reward for information, external which leads to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for hanging a cat in Walsall last weekend.
Image source, Walsall AdvertiserFormer Birmingham City manager Freddie Goodwin has died at the age of 82, the club announces.
Blues write on Facebook, external: "Freddie managed Blues between 1970 - 1975 and during that exciting period led us to promotion to the old Division One and two FA Cup semi-finals."
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Midfielder Conor Coady held up his hands after another Wolves defeat, external on Saturday and declared 'this isn’t good enough.'
Noel Phillips
Journalist, BBC Inside Out
Over the past month we’ve been filming a special report on the availability of antique guns in the West Midlands.
Pistols and machine guns like the Mac Ten have been the weapon of choice for criminals. They still are - but as we’ve been finding out, many are now turning to antique weapons.
We’ve seen ourselves just how easily available they are to buy and this is why West Midlands Police is keen for laws to be tightened, so it’s harder for them to fall into the wrong hands.
Tonight at 19:30 on BBC Inside Out West Midlands we’ll be hearing from the officer in charge of trying to stop the shootings in Birmingham.
BBC Travel
New Birmingham Road in Tividale is closed northbound between the Lower City Road junction and the Trafalgar Court junction because of an accident involving three cars.
Diversions are in operation.
BBC WM Sport
Walsall are still without a home win this year after losing 2-1 to Wigan.
The Saddlers slipped to fourth after their third home defeat in four matches though boss Sean O'Driscoll says they can't afford to worry too much about home form.
Joanne Malin
BBC Midlands Today
A new night shelter for homeless people opens in Wolverhampton this evening.
It follows the death of a rough sleeper, Hayley, who was found in a shop doorway in the city last month.
The shelter, at The Church in Broad Street, external, has camp beds for 20 people and will be run by a team of 40 volunteers.
The British Heart Foundation shop in Rugeley is appealing to local people, external to give the gift of time and volunteer, in order to help fight against heart disease.
Image source, Cannock Mercury
Peter Wilson
BBC Midlands Today Special Correspondent
Birmingham has been rocked by a spate of shootings in the past 12 months, some linked to gangs.
The National Ballistics Intelligence Service has told the BBC a legal loophole is allowing criminals to carry out dozens of shootings, including murders, due to the availability of antique weapons.
A quick look online is all it takes to see how many antique guns are being sold, but it's not just on the internet, there are plenty of dealers, like antique gunmaker John Slough from Hereford (pictured), selling antique weapons.
He says the police have got it all wrong about criminals using antique firearms.
I'll have more on Inside Out at 19:30.
BBC WM
West Bromwich Albion's record goalscorer Tony "Bomber" Brown says the supporters' behaviour during the 3-1 FA Cup defeat at Reading was a "disgrace", after defender Chris Brunt was hit by a coin thrown by his own fans.
The Football Association is looking into crowd disturbances at the Baggies' end, after Saturday's match.
West Brom's Chris Brunt hit by coin
Brunt sustained a cut under his left eye and police are treating the incident as an assault.
The club have described it as "sickening, barbaric and criminal".
