Our coverage across the daypublished at 18:06 British Summer Time 12 May 2016
That's all for today - we'll be back from 08:00 tomorrow with more news, sport, weather and travel as it happens.
Summary
Updates on Thursday 12 May
More news, sport, travel and weather from 08:00 Friday
Our coverage across the daypublished at 18:06 British Summer Time 12 May 2016
Lichfield and Burntwood honour teenage cancer patient Stephen Suttonpublished at 17:59 British Summer Time 12 May 2016
Image source, Lichfield MercuryRutter ready for Superstockpublished at 17:58 British Summer Time 12 May 2016
Mike Taylor
BBC WMThe Wordsley rider Michael Rutter will line up in second place on the grid for this evening's Superstock race at the North West 200 event in Northern Ireland.
Rutter's career total of 13 wins at the North West, which is the biggest-attended annual sporting event in Ireland, is two short of the all-time record.
Image source, Getty ImagesYou can see the race live on the BBC Sport website from 17.15.
Tamworth Herald: Front pagepublished at 17:51 British Summer Time 12 May 2016
The front page of the Tamworth Herald, external this week:
Image source, Tamworth HeraldBoxer bows out: 'I'm not the fighter I once was'published at 17:50 British Summer Time 12 May 2016
BBC SportRead more on BBC Sport as three-time world middleweight title challenger Matthew Macklin hangs up his gloves and retires from the ring.
Quote MessageIt's been a real rollercoaster - I've had a great career but I know now is the right time to bow out. Fifteen years is a long time in boxing and I'm not the fighter I once was.
Matthew Macklin, Boxer
Could trains stop at fewer stations to help improve services?published at 17:46 British Summer Time 12 May 2016
Peter Plisner
BBC Midlands TodayThe current franchise run by Virgin Trains is up for renewal and the Government is starting the process of inviting new bidders.
But cast your mind back more than three years and you might remember that the Government was forced to scrap the last renewal process after its assessment of bids was described as a shambles.
To get it right, there's a consultation exercise. It's wants views on converting more first class carriages into standard class to reduce overcrowding on the line.
It's also suggesting that trains stop at fewer stations to help improve capacity and speed up journey times.
Grealish gets England Under-21 callpublished at 17:36 British Summer Time 12 May 2016
BBC SportAston Villa midfielder Jack Grealish gets his first under-21 call since opting to play for England and not the Republic of Ireland.
Image source, Getty ImagesWatch: Head of flagship academy trust resignspublished at 17:31 British Summer Time 12 May 2016
Phil Mackie
Midlands correspondent, BBC NewsThe head of a flagship multi-academy trust praised by the prime minister has resigned, leaving its five schools with an uncertain future.
Chief executive of Birmingham's Perry Beeches Academy Trust Liam Nolan is stepping aside so it "can move forward", staff have been told.
Weather: Overnight forecast for the West Midlandspublished at 17:23 British Summer Time 12 May 2016
A fine evening to come for most with plenty of late sunshine.
Staying dry overnight, clear at first, but it'll cloud over from the east through the course of the night. Remaining mild with lows of 9C (48F).
Sports club treasurer gambles £200k takingspublished at 17:12 British Summer Time 12 May 2016
The treasurer of a sports club in Sutton Coldfield who gambled more than £200,000 of its takings has been jailed for fraud, police say, external.
Image source, West Midlands PoliceJeffrey Hampson was in charge of finances at Boldmere Sports and Social club. He admitted transferring the cash to his own trading account and squandering it on high risk stocks and shares. , external
Hampson, from Walmley, managed to repay some of it but he had lost £122,000 by the time he was caught.
He's been sentenced to two years and eight months in prison.
Blues director 'optimistic' about new ownerspublished at 17:05 British Summer Time 12 May 2016
Richard Wilford
BBC WM SportBirmingham City director Panos Pavlakis says he is optimistic that the club's potential new owners will be able to carry them forward.
Trillion Trophy Asia are the preferred bidders for parent company Birmingham International Holdings, and will likely complete a takeover once shares in BIH start trading again in Hong Kong.
Listen to the interview in full., external
Video: New cancer treatment takes breath awaypublished at 16:58 British Summer Time 12 May 2016
Scientists in Birmingham say they have proved cancer patients can be trained to hold their breath for more than five minutes to allow for more effective treatment.
Dr Mike Parkes, from the University of Birmingham, called it a "great success".
Media caption, The average breath-hold for patients was more than five minutes
What does it take to win the play-offs?published at 16:45 British Summer Time 12 May 2016
BBC SportWalsall FC clinched a play-off spot, but what chance do they have?
BBC Sport looks through 26 years of statistics to find out what it takes to be promoted via the Football League play-offs.
Image source, Getty ImagesWatch: 'Downgrade first class train carriages to ease overcrowding', says governmentpublished at 16:28 British Summer Time 12 May 2016
Peter Plisner
BBC Midlands TodayThe Department for Transport is suggesting more first class carriages should be converted to standard to ease overcrowding on the West Coast Mainline, which runs through the West Midlands en route from London to Edinburgh.
The Government is also proposing trains stop at fewer stations. It's all part of a consultation on a future 'InterCity' rail franchise.
Media caption, West Coast franchise
MP calls for power station jobs helppublished at 16:15 British Summer Time 12 May 2016
The government's being urged to help workers who'll lose their jobs if, as expected, Rugeley B power station shuts in the summer.
The plant's owners are blaming what they call the "deterioration in market conditions" for coal-fired power stations in the UK.
The Conservative MP for Cannock Chase, Amanda Milling, is urging ministers to intervene to help the workers being laid off.
Mayor of the West Midlands election could take place in May next yearpublished at 15:57 British Summer Time 12 May 2016
Rob Mayor
Black Country Political Reporter, BBC WMA draft of the law for an election for a Mayor of the West Midlands next year has been released., external
It was expected that polling would have been on the same day as local elections, but this document appears to confirm a date of 4 May.
At the moment, it hasn’t been decided whether the first holder of the office will serve a three or four-year term.
The Mayor will preside over a combined authority including Birmingham, Coventry and the Black Country councils, and is likely to have powers over things like transport, housing, skills and jobs.
Walsall schoolgirl's design to feature in Caldmore road safety campaignpublished at 15:41 British Summer Time 12 May 2016
A creative Walsall school pupil has proved she is streets ahead, external after her design was chosen to feature in a road safety campaign.
Image source, Walsall AdvertiserDoctors train patients to hold breath for cancer treatmentspublished at 15:24 British Summer Time 12 May 2016
BBC Midlands TodayDoctors in the Midlands say they've proved breast cancer patients can be trained to hold their breath for more than five minutes.
Health professionals say it enables medics to administer radiotherapy treatment in a single daily dose.
Researchers found if patients kept still then doctors could target the cancer with a radiotherapy beam without harming nearby healthy tissue.
At the moment, most radiotherapy sessions are delivered while patients breath normally.
BBC Birmingham to expand: 'Bursting with pride'published at 15:02 British Summer Time 12 May 2016
Joe Godwin
Director, BBC Academy and BBC BirminghamLast Wednesday, Birmingham hosted a premiere for BBC Two's worldwide hit drama series Peaky Blinders.
I was bursting with pride watching the hordes of fans lining the canal outside The Mailbox to catch a glimpse of the cast led by star Cillian Murphy and writer Steven Knight.
Media caption, Hundreds gather for a red carpet screening of Peaky Blinders in Birmingham
For BBC Birmingham to host an event for a series that has touched the hearts of people in the Midlands really was very special.
After such a special moment last week I wasn't sure how this week could compare, but today we have announced a package of measures that will build on the Corporation’s existing £125m investment in Birmingham. Read the full blog post online.
Macklin retires from boxingpublished at 14:36 British Summer Time 12 May 2016
Richard Wilford
BBC WMThe Birmingham boxer Matthew Macklin has announced his retirement, two days short of his 34th birthday.
Macklin won 35 of his 41 professional fights, 22 of them by knockout. He had three shots at World Middleweight titles, missing out on a split decision to Felix Sturm in 2011.
His final bout was a victory over Brian Rose in London only last month.
Image source, Getty Images
