Sutton Coldfield Local

It's been announced that former independent town councillor Louise Passey has joined the Conservative party, external, increasing the number of Tories on the council to 19 while reducing the number of independents to just three.

Image source, Sutton Coldfield Local

Stephanie Barnard
BBC Local Live

The top stories for Birmingham and the Black Country this morning include:

- A man who threw his ex-partner out of a second floor window and attacked police officers with a knife has been jailed for 24 years

- The First Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex church service in the Lichfield Diocese is being held in Walsall this evening

- Villa complete the signing of Ross McCormack from Fulham in a £12m deal

Follow live text and radio commentary as Yorkshire face Warwickshire in the County Championship.

Don't bury your head in the sand like an ostrich, watch BBC Sport's introduction to the new Championship bosses.

Aston Villa complete the signing of Scotland striker Ross McCormack for £12m from Championship rivals Fulham.

England will bowl at Pakistan at Edgbaston today, having been bowled out on the first day for 297.

Catch up on yesterday here.

Louise Hancock
Newsreader, BBC WM

Smokers and non smokers are being urged to take part in consultation about whether a smoke-free zone should be introduced around Birmingham Children's Hospital. 

Its already forbidden on site but bosses now want to stop people gathering outside for a cigarette. 

The public has until 16 September to share views on the proposals., external

Image source, BIRMINGHAM CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL NHS TRUST

Liam Barnes
BBC News Online

A man who threw his ex-partner out of a second floor window and attacked police officers with a knife has been jailed for 24 years.

Marlon Bills, 44, from Himley Road in Dudley, attacked the woman in December last year.

He was then involved in a "violent struggle" with officers who attended the scene, West Midlands Police said.

Image source, West Midlands Police

Bills was found guilty of causing gbh with intent, two counts of attempted wounding with attempt to resist lawful arrest and breaching a restraining order.

BBC Weather

Less windy than yesterday with plenty of dry and sunny weather around. 

There will be a few showers, locally heavy and possibly thundery through this afternoon, but for many it will stay dry. Feeling less humid with highs of 19C (66F).

BBC Travel

One lane is closed on the M6 northbound between J8 M5 and J9, A461 (Wednesbury), because of an accident.

BBC Travel reports queues back to to J7, A34 (Great Barr).  

Stephanie Barnard
BBC Local Live

I'm in the BBC WM newsroom bringing you the latest news, sport, travel and weather updates on Thursday 4 August.

Comment on our stories and share your pictures with us: Email, tweet @bbcwm, external or reach us on the BBC WM Facebook page, external.

We're back with more news, sport, travel and weather from 08:00 but keep an eye out here for more updates this evening and into the morning.

Mary Rhodes
Presenter, BBC Midlands Today

A supermarket price war is making filling your car up that little bit cheaper. But we've found at least a 25p per litre difference between the cheapest and most expensive forecourts in the Midlands.

And UKIP leadership contender and West Midlands MEP Bill Etheridge describes his own party as "a shambles."

Watch Midlands Today on BBC One at 18.30 for more details.

Adrian Goldberg
Presenter, BBC WM

Speaking after serving soldier Staff Sergeant Andrew Barnard was spared jail after helping sell cocaine, war veteran former army Major Andrew Sayers said: "Our entire culture would have us believe the book should have been thrown at this man.

"However as the judge made clear this was an exceptional case. I think he will only be staying in the army to get psychiatric treatment."  

The court heard Barnard helped a co-defendant sell cocaine to friends six times between September and December 2014.  

Rebecca Wood
BBC Midlands Today

Winds ease for a time on a slightly cooler night with the risk of a couple of showers and lows of 14C (57F).

An inquest has opened into the death of a toddler who fell from a block of flats in Birmingham last month.

The 18-month-old girl who fell from Ryland House, Newtown, was officially named at Leyan Habub Abdullah.

The inquest was adjourned ahead of a full one at a later date.

Great Barr Observer

Health bosses from NHS Sandwell and West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) are inviting local people to have their say on the potential co-location of three practices in Great Barr, external during a public consultation.

Newcastle United sign Senegal midfielder Mohamed Diame from Hull City and Republic of Ireland defender Ciaran Clark from Aston Villa.

Here is a quick recap of the stories we have been covering on Wednesday afternoon:

- Plans have been revealed for a smoke-free zone in the roads in the shadow of Birmingham Children's Hospital

- A West Midlands MEP and Dudley councillor has been shortlisted for the UKIP leadership contest

- A Walsall woman who went missing may have been murdered, police have revealed

A man who threw his ex-partner out of a second floor window and attacked police officers with a knife is jailed for 24 years.