Summary

  • Updates on Monday 21 March 2016

  • More news, sport, travel and weather from 08:00 on Tuesday

  1. Our live coverage from across the daypublished at 18:00 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2016

    That's it from Local Live on Monday. Join us again from 08:00 on Tuesday for more news, sport, travel and weather updates.

  2. Cricket: England could field three spinners against Afghanistan - Moeenpublished at 17:56 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2016

    BBC Sport

    England could play three spinners in their World Twenty20 match against Afghanistan in Delhi on Wednesday, according to Worcestershire spinner and Birmingham-born Moeen Ali.

    If conditions in Delhi favour slow bowling, uncapped left-armer Liam Dawson would be an option to join Moeen and Adil Rashid in the England line-up.

    Moeen AliImage source, AFP

    "It's definitely a possibility," Moeen told BBC Sport. "We have to look at the wicket and adapt to conditions. If there's spin there, why not?"

  3. Rebecca Kandare serious case review: 'Missed' opportunities to save babypublished at 17:52 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2016

    Ben Godfrey
    BBC Midlands Today

    Opportunities to save the life of an eight-month-old baby were missed because her parents' religious beliefs were not challenged. 

    A serious case review published by Wolverhampton Safeguarding Children Board has recommended changes to ensure professionals have a better understanding of how religious beliefs may impact upon a child’s health and development.

    Media caption,

    Officials 'missed' opportunities to save life of baby

    Rebecca Kandare died in January 2014. She was suffering from malnourishment, pneumonia and rickets. 

    Alan Coe, board chairman, said the baby was deliberately kept away from officials by her parents, who have since been jailed.

  4. Watch: Latest weather forecast for the West Midlandspublished at 17:41 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2016

    Charlie Slater
    BBC Weather presenter

    A dry but dull afternoon and it's looking similar tomorrow. Lows of 3C (37F).

    Find out more about tomorrow morning.

    Media caption,

    Afternoon weather forecast for the West Midlands

  5. Latest: Review into Wolverhampton baby's death and 'decorating row' that saw a man set his wife on firepublished at 17:35 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2016

    Alex Homer
    BBC Local Live

    Here are the stories we've been covering in the past few hours:

    - An eight-month-old malnourished baby who died of pneumonia was not registered with a GP, a report has found

    - A man has been jailed for at least 25 years for setting his wife alight during a row while they were decorating the bathroom, say police

    - An attempt to fly boltcutters into a jail by using a drone was foiled, it has emerged

  6. Travel: Small Heath delays warningpublished at 17:25 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2016

    BBC Travel

    Small Heath Highway in Small Heath is blocked and there is queuing traffic eastbound at the junction with Coventry Road because of a crash, drivers are warned.

  7. 'Decorating row' led to husband setting his wife on firepublished at 17:07 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2016

    A man who set his wife on fire during a row while decorating the bathroom has been jailed for her murder for a minimum of 25 years, police say. 

    Muhammed Hammad, aged 30, poured white spirit over his wife Nazia Aktar during an argument at their home in Fox Hollies Road, Acocks Green, Birmingham, in April last year, said the West Midlands force.

    Nazia Aktar and Muhammed HammedImage source, West Midlands Police

    In a bid to cover his actions, the force said he also set himself on fire and claimed the flames were sparked by a cigarette coming into contact with some white spirit that had spilled.

    Nazia suffered 60% burns and died of her injuries in hospital on 12 June, 2015.

  8. Motorcyclist hit by a car in Castle Bromwich named by policepublished at 16:07 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2016

    A motorcyclist who died after being hit by a car in Castle Bromwich has been named by police.

    Christopher Clarke from Yardley was travelling on a blue Yamaha which was in collision with a black Toyota Auris on the A452 Collector Road at around 15:50 on Sunday, according to the West Midlands force.

    Christopher ClarkeImage source, West Midlands Police

    The 32-year-old was confirmed dead at the scene of the crash; near to the junction with Auckland Drive. Two people in the car suffered minor injuries.

    Officers are appealing for information.

  9. Foiled attempt to fly boltcutters into prison using a dronepublished at 15:43 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2016

    Chris Blakemore
    BBC WM

    It has emerged an attempt to fly boltcutters into HMP Featherstone by using a drone was foiled by prison officers.

    Police are investigating the gambit that happened on 6 March. 

    The government has already introduced new legislation meaning anyone found using drones to smuggle items into a prison can be jailed for two years.

  10. Birmingham Children's Hospital admits to six never event blunders within 10 monthspublished at 15:26 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2016

    Birmingham Mail

    A Birmingham hospital has apologised to the families of six patients, external after they suffered “never events” - major medical blunders that should never happen.  

  11. Latest: 'Opportunities missed' to save Wolverhampton baby and a bid to fly boltcutters into jail foiledpublished at 15:08 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2016

    Alex Homer
    BBC Local Live

    If you are just catching up on Monday's news, here are the headlines:

    - Opportunities to save the life of an eight-month-old baby were missed because her parents' religious beliefs were not challenged, a serious case review has found

    - An attempt to fly boltcutters into a jail by using a drone was foiled, it has emerged

    - Birmingham City Council's efforts to improve are not having an impact quickly enough, says an independent panel after a critical report into how it's run

  12. Search at Burntwood building site where unexploded devices foundpublished at 14:41 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2016

    Daz Hale
    BBC WM

    A search of a building site in Burntwood is taking place after two unexploded bombs were found there. 

    Barrett Wimpey has confirmed all digging on the site, where 370 homes are being built near the rugby club, has now been suspended after we featured the story last Friday. 

    Neighbouring resident John Hayward said he was pleased action was being taken.

  13. Union blames cuts for rise in serious crimepublished at 14:14 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2016

    UNISON is blaming cuts to policing for a rise in serious crime. 

    It's citing recent figures showing that in the West Midlands sex offences rose by over a third and violent crime by over a quarter between 2014 and 2015. 

    The union is encouraging people to vote in May's police and crime commissioner elections.

  14. Rebecca Kandare serious case review: Parents were jailed last year over her deathpublished at 13:51 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2016

    We've been reporting the serious case review which found the death of Rebecca Kandare could have been prevented.

    Her parents, Brian Kandare, 29, and Precious Kandare, 37, of Wednesfield, Wolverhampton, previously admitted the manslaughter of the eight-month-old.

    Brian Kandare and Precious KandareImage source, West Midlands Police

    Rebecca was malnourished and had one of the worst cases of rickets seen in a UK infant, Nottingham Crown Court heard.

    Brian Kandare was jailed for nine and half years and his wife for eight, in November 2015.

  15. Coming up on TVpublished at 13:27 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2016

    Ben Godfrey
    BBC Midlands Today

    A serious case review into an eight-month-old baby from Wolverhampton has found that her death could have been prevented if health professionals had challenged her parent's religious beliefs.

    I will have more on this story on Midlands Today on BBC One at 13:30.

  16. Travel: M6 northbound delayspublished at 13:19 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2016

    BBC Travel

    One lane is blocked and there is very slow traffic on the M6 northbound between J4a for the M42 and J5 for Castle Bromwich because of a broken-down lorry, drivers are warned.

  17. Retiring police dogs get ready to put their paws uppublished at 13:06 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2016

    Two of West Midlands Police’s finest four-legged crime fighters are retiring.

    German shepherds Ska and Pride, both eight, "have been the scourge of countless crooks" in Birmingham and the Black Country, officers say, external.

    Police dogs Ska and PrideImage source, West Midlands Police

    Among Pride's career highlights was when he found a kidnapped teenager who had been bound, gagged and hidden behind a false wall in a cellar of a Wolverhampton shop. Ska was on duty for 16 days straight during the 2011 Birmingham riots.

    Both dogs in retirement are being taken on as pets by their handlers, such is the bond between them. 

  18. Cannock town centre regeneration project to bring shops, apartments and micro-pubpublished at 12:45 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2016

    Cannock Mercury

    A multi-million pound regeneration project is set to transform a former homeware store and snooker club in Cannock town centre into a brand new shopping and leisure facility, external.

    How the development could lookImage source, Cannock Mercury