BBC Local Live: Birmingham & the Black Country on Wednesday 6 April 2016

Summary

Updates on Wednesday 6 April 2016
News, sport, travel and weather updates to resume at 08:00 on Thursday

Live Reporting

Alex Homer

Ladywood house explosion: Hoses dousing the top floorpublished at 13:48 British Summer Time 6 April 2016
A hose is dousing the top floor of a house badly damaged in a suspected gas explosion in Birmingham - emergency services are at the scene, including the air ambulance, but we are yet to receive official clarification as to whether anyone has been injured.
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More pictures of the Ladywood 'gas explosion'published at 13:45 British Summer Time 6 April 2016
The fire service has tweeted more pictures, external of the suspected gas explosion in Ladywood - showing the extent of the damage at the rear of the house.
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One man thought to be in hospital after Ladywood 'gas blast'published at 13:38 British Summer Time 6 April 2016
Tom Turrell
BBC Midlands Today
I'm at the scene of the suspected gas explosion in Ladywood where one man is thought to be in hospital.
Air ambulance called to Ladywood house blastpublished at 13:33 British Summer Time 6 April 2016
The ambulance service confirms crews are at the scene of the suspected gas explosion in Ladywood.
Midlands Air Ambulance is also in attendance.
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Ladywood house blast: Emergency services briefingpublished at 13:28 British Summer Time 6 April 2016
Stephanie Barnard
BBC Local Live
I've just spoken to West Midlands Fire Service who says a briefing is taking place between emergency service teams after a suspected gas explosion at a house in Ladywood.
A hydraulic platform is being used to view the area.
A request has been made for a structural engineer from Birmingham City Council to attend.
It is still not clear whether anyone has been injured in the blast.
'Roof missing' after suspected gas explosion in Ladywoodpublished at 13:18 British Summer Time 6 April 2016
The fire service has tweeted a photo, external of the back of the house which has been involved in a suspected gas explosion in Ladywood.
The fire service says the roof on the property involved has been partially removed.
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A spokesman for the fire service says the police have been asked to attend the scene.
Firefighters at the scene of suspected 'gas explosion' in Ladywoodpublished at 13:07 British Summer Time 6 April 2016
Stephanie Barnard
BBC Local Live
Firefighters are tackling a blaze after what is believed to be a suspected gas explosion in Ladywood.
West Midlands Fire Service tell me that they received a 999 call to Wiggin Street at 12:20.
Four fire engines and an aerial platform are at the scene.
It is not yet known whether anyone was in the property or if there are any injuries.
We will bring you more details when we have them.
UPDATE: Possible gas explosionpublished at 12:56 British Summer Time 6 April 2016
The fire service has sent four appliances and an aerial platform to the scene.
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Fire service at scene of possible gas explosionpublished at 12:53 British Summer Time 6 April 2016
Four fire engines and an aerial platform are at the scene.
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Latest: Court appearance over 'false terrorist kidnap plot'; junior doctors strike; fatal Digbeth crashpublished at 12:40 British Summer Time 6 April 2016
Alex Homer
BBC Local Live
Here is a quick recap of the top stories on Wednesday:
- A West Midlands Police officer and two other men are due in court after an investigation into a "false and malicious" claim of a terrorist kidnap plot
- A fourth junior doctors' strike is taking place in their long-running contract dispute
- A Redditch man has died six days after a crash in Digbeth, Birmingham, say police
Impact of the junior doctors strike in Birmingham and the Black Countrypublished at 12:24 British Summer Time 6 April 2016
Michele Paduano
Health correspondent, BBC Midlands Today
This was the picket line outside Dudley's Russells Hall Hospital this morning as junior doctors went on strike for the fourth time in their ongoing contract dispute.
A total of 1,290 outpatient appointments have been cancelled today, as well as 50 inpatient operations, across Birmingham and the Black Country.
Watch: Latest weather forecast for the West Midlandspublished at 12:08 British Summer Time 6 April 2016
Sara Blizzard
BBC Weather
This afternoon there should be quite a few heavy, blustery showers with the chance of some thunder.
Highs of 10C (50F).
Here is some more information on the outlook over the next few hours.
Media caption,
Sara Blizzard with the morning weather forecast for the West Midlands
U-turn urged on plans to change non-urgent surgerypublished at 11:45 British Summer Time 6 April 2016
Michele Paduano
Health correspondent, BBC Midlands Today
Planned changes to some non-urgent surgery in Birmingham and the Black Country are under-fire from the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS).
The proposals include not giving hip or knee replacements to people under a certain body mass index and only operating on specific hernias.
The RCS has now written a letter to six Clinical Commissioning Groups - the groups of GPs responsible for commissioning local healthcare services - across the West Midlands, urging them to reconsider.
Football: Wolves come from behind to beat MK Donspublished at 11:22 British Summer Time 6 April 2016
BBC Sport
Goals from George Saville and Jack Price saw Wolves come from behind to beat MK Dons and increase the hosts' Championship relegation worries.
Image source, Empics
Pay £400 or walk! Village fury over school bus cutspublished at 11:07 British Summer Time 6 April 2016
Tamworth Herald
Angry parents in a village near Tamworth have vowed to fight council plans to make their children walk a five-mile-round trip to school – or pay almost £400 bus fare, external.
Image source, Tamworth Herald
Carer jailed after stealing £20,400 from the woman she was meant to look afterpublished at 10:52 British Summer Time 6 April 2016
A carer who stole £20,400 from the 87-year-old woman she was meant to be looking after has been jailed for two years.
The family of the victim, from Castle Vale, contacted officers after they found out £12,000 had been taken out of her account in cash, said West Midlands Police.
Image source, West Midlands Police
Image source, West Midlands Police
The force said its investigations later revealed carer Rachael Robinson, 30, from Davenport Drive, was captured on camera making withdrawals at various Post Offices on 5, 12, 15 and 17 July 2015.
Football: Blues' Championship play-off hopes all but overpublished at 10:32 British Summer Time 6 April 2016
BBC Sport
Brighton kept the pressure on their Championship automatic promotion rivals with a narrow victory at Birmingham, whose hopes of a play-off place are all but ended.
Redditch man dies six days after Digbeth crash, say policepublished at 10:10 British Summer Time 6 April 2016
A Redditch man has died six days after a crash in Digbeth, say West Midlands Police.
Nadeem Asghar, who was 31, was behind the wheel of a white Nissan Qashqai which collided with a red Toyota Corolla. He was taken to hospital but later died.
Image source, West Midlands Police
The collision happened just after 23:00 on Friday, 25 March, at the junction of Alcester Street and Bradford Street.
Police are appealing for information, external.
Travel: Halesowen delays warningpublished at 09:51 British Summer Time 6 April 2016
BBC Travel
The Queensway in Halesowen is just passable at its junction with Hagley Road because of a crash on the roundabout.
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Fourth junior doctors' strike hits NHSpublished at 09:36 British Summer Time 6 April 2016
Nick Triggle
Health Correspondent
Junior doctors in England are taking part in a fourth walkout in their long-running contract dispute.
The 48-hour strike started at 08:00 as the doctors prepare legal challenges to the government's decision to impose changes to their pay and conditions from this summer.
Image source, PA
Doctors are again providing emergency cover, but 5,000 operations and procedures have been postponed.
NHS England said the continued disruption was "deeply regrettable".