Have a good weekend from Local Live for Birmingham and the Black Countrypublished at 18:00 British Summer Time 15 April 2016
That's all from us on Friday. Join us from 08:00 on Monday for more news, sport, travel and weather.
Summary
Updates on Friday 15 April 2016
More news, sport, weather and travel from 08:00 on Monday
Have a good weekend from Local Live for Birmingham and the Black Countrypublished at 18:00 British Summer Time 15 April 2016
North-south divide 'stark' in Solihull over university take-uppublished at 17:55 British Summer Time 15 April 2016
BBC WMThe difference between the proportion of young people going to university from the north of Solihull compared to the south has been described as "stark".
About 70% of young people from areas such as Dorridge are taking up places, compared to just 10% in Smiths' Wood and Chelmsley Wood, despite figures showing educational results at age 14 in the two areas are broadly the same.
Ion Anghel jailed for £23,000 Grantham NatWest distraction theftpublished at 17:46 British Summer Time 15 April 2016
A man who stole £23,000 from a 93-year-old after taking his card at a Lincolnshire cash machine has been jailed for three years.
Ion Anghel, 48, of Sherwood Street, Wolverhampton, admitted the theft at an earlier hearing at Lincoln Crown Court.
Image source, police issueThe victim had his card stolen after being distracted by three men while withdrawing cash from a NatWest bank in Grantham on 14 December.
Coming up on TVpublished at 17:40 British Summer Time 15 April 2016
Nick Owen
Presenter, BBC Midlands TodayOur lead story tonight: Police are questioning five people from Birmingham on suspicion of terrorism as part of an investigation that was launched after the recent attacks in Paris and Brussels.
We will also report how scientists in Birmingham have created a more accurate blood test for prostate cancer.
And West Bromwich Albion have agreed a deal to send coaching staff into more than 1,000 schools in Delhi in a partnership with one of India's top clubs.
More on these stories with us on BBC One from 18:30.
Watch: Latest weather forecast for the West Midlandspublished at 17:35 British Summer Time 15 April 2016
Shefali Oza
BBC Midlands TodayThe rain gets worse tonight with some sleet possible. Lows of 2C (36F).
Find out what else is in store for us tonight and the weekend.
Media caption, Shefali Oza with the afternoon weather forecast for the West Midlands
Baggies boing all the way to Indiapublished at 17:30 British Summer Time 15 April 2016
Louise Brierley
Reporter, BBC Midlands TodayWest Bromwich Albion is taking its coaching programme to more than 1,000 schools in Delhi.
It is hoped to build links between the Baggies and the growing football fan base in India.
Media caption, West Bromwich Albion are to coach children at more than 1,000 schools in India.
Latest: Father to face murder trial over newborn son's death; Syrian refugees helped; motorway drivers caught texting and steering with elbowspublished at 17:19 British Summer Time 15 April 2016
Alex Homer
BBC Local LiveHere is a recap of our top stories this afternoon:
- A Wolverhampton father charged with murdering his newborn son will face trial in October, a court hears
- Birmingham will re-home 500 more Syrian refugees, the city council leader has pledged
- Drivers have been filmed watching TV, texting and eating at the wheel during an undercover operation on our motorways
Plan for Birmingham to take more refugees from Syriapublished at 17:11 British Summer Time 15 April 2016
Kathryn Stanczyszyn
Political Reporter, BBC WMAfter telling BBC WM back in January he would like to to see Birmingham take in 500 Syrian refugees, the leader of Birmingham City Council has pledged to do it.
John Clancy made the promise at a rally last night and it was backed by the Conservative opposition leader, Robert Alden.
The plan is to bring 100 refugees a year for the next five years to the city; 50 have already been homed from UN-designated camps.
Football: Saddlers' Lalkovic happy to be out of 'the cage'published at 17:00 British Summer Time 15 April 2016
BBC SportWinger Milan Lalkovic says there is plenty more to come from him now he has been let out of "the cage" at Walsall.
Image source, Rex FeaturesState of Chasetown High Street dubbed 'despicable and dangerous'published at 16:44 British Summer Time 15 April 2016
Staffordshire County Council has been slammed for failing to make repairs, external to Chasetown's "deteriorating" High Street.
Image source, Lichfield MercuryCricket: Bears trio signs new Warwickshire contractspublished at 16:23 British Summer Time 15 April 2016
England all-rounder Chris Woakes, wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose and fast bowler Chris Wright sign new contracts at Warwickshire.
Image source, Rex FeaturesDead 3ft long lizard found dumped in parkpublished at 16:02 British Summer Time 15 April 2016
A dead 3ft long lizard has been found dumped next to a park in Small Heath.
Enforcement officers working in the area were alerted to the dead animal by a member of the public, who spotted it on the edge of Hay Barn Recreation Ground, off Hob Moor Road, at about 14:30 on Thursday.
The Bosc monitor lizard, which is believed to have been kept as an exotic pet, bore no signs of injury and was not micro-chipped. Officers took the animal away and its body was incinerated, as required by law.
Image source, Birmingham City CouncilYoung boy, 6, dies after falling into Tamworth canalpublished at 15:43 British Summer Time 15 April 2016
A six-year-old boy who fell into a canal in Glascote, external has died.
Image source, Tamworth HeraldWatch: Drivers filmed texting at the wheel snared by undercover policepublished at 15:24 British Summer Time 15 April 2016
PC Tony McKenzie from the Central Motorway Policing Group says he has also seen a lorry driver steering with his elbows while eating a packet of crisps.
Media caption, Drivers filmed eating and using mobiles by undercover police
Crackdown on dangerous bikers continues in Solihullpublished at 14:59 British Summer Time 15 April 2016
Police in Solihull have raided three homes in a crackdown on dangerous bikers.
They seized four off-road bikes and made four arrests yesterday.
It comes after dozens of reports of people using motorbikes, scramblers and quad bikes in an anti-social manner in various parts of the borough. Inspector Alan Green says it is a serious issue.
BBC sitcom Citizen Khan 'Islamophobic', says MPpublished at 14:33 British Summer Time 15 April 2016
A BBC sitcom set in Birmingham has been criticised as "Islamophobic" during a Commons debate about whether the BBC's programmes and staff reflect UK diversity.
Labour's Rupa Huq criticised Citizen Khan's depiction of a "quite backward" family of Muslims.
The show was accused of stereotyping Muslims when it started in 2012 and its creator, Adil Ray, has told the Radio Times he had received death threats.
The BBC said the award-winning show had received much positive feedback.
CCTV appeal: Dad assaulted in front of his young childrenpublished at 14:16 British Summer Time 15 April 2016
Police want to speak to these men after a father was punched and kicked in front of his two children, external at Merry Hill.
Image source, West Midlands PoliceWatch: Rangers hope a safety experiment will save lives of hundreds of deerpublished at 13:58 British Summer Time 15 April 2016
Emma Thomas
Journalist, BBC Radio StokeRangers say they hope a safety experiment borrowed from the United States could save the lives of hundreds of deer in Staffordshire each year.
On average three a week are killed in crashes on Cannock Chase, external, with county council staff having to shoot any seriously injured ones for their welfare.
Father charged with murdering his baby son to face trial with the mother in Octoberpublished at 13:49 British Summer Time 15 April 2016
A father charged with murdering his baby son will face trial in October, a court has heard.
Daniel Sanzone, aged 22, and the infant's mother Zoe Howell, 18, both of Whitburn Close, Wolverhampton, were not required to enter pleas during a brief appearance at Wolverhampton Crown Court.
Howell, who faces charges of child cruelty and causing or allowing death, held a small teddy bear throughout the hearing and was allowed to sit in the well of the court. Sanzone is also accused of causing or allowing death and a cruelty offence alleged to have been committed on October 24 last year.
His son Joshua, then aged two weeks old, was taken to hospital with serious injuries on October 24 but died in November after spending almost a month in intensive care.
Coming up on TVpublished at 13:30
Sarah Falkland
BBC Midlands TodayFive people from Birmingham have been arrested in connection with the attacks on Paris and Brussels. We will have all the latest.
Watching television, eating a meal, and using a phone - three things drivers have been caught doing on the Midlands motorway network in the past week.
Join us for more on these stories and others in the Midlands Today on BBC One at 13:30.
