Toddler-carrying suspect image releasedpublished at 17:37 British Summer Time 6 October 2016
Police release a picture of a man suspected of carrying a toddler to help trick his way into the home of a partially-sighted woman.
Read MoreSummary
Birmingham top destination for migrating Londoners
Schools chief 'told to go if pregnant'
Reduced capacity for Blues-Villa derby
Baby died from 'catastrophic' injuries
Star Trek celebration beams down to Brum
Edgbaston to host first day-night test to be played in England
Updates from Friday 7 October 2016
Toddler-carrying suspect image releasedpublished at 17:37 British Summer Time 6 October 2016
Wolverhampton's Civic Halls to re-openpublished at 17:30 British Summer Time 6 October 2016
Wolverhampton's Civic Halls will temporarily re-open, external to host a series of headline acts and events for three months from Saturday.
It will then close again for full refurbishment works that start in the new year.
Preparation work, though, is now complete, meaning the venue can again receive visitors.
Image source, GoogleBirmingham City Council misses bin collectionspublished at 17:17 British Summer Time 6 October 2016
The city council has apologised for missing bin collections today, saying they aim to collect tomorrow.
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End of twitter postLatest: NSPCC says Sandwell children's services left kids 'at risk of harm'; woman driven over in 'sour' drug deal; Villa yet to hold manager interviewspublished at 17:09 British Summer Time 6 October 2016
Corinne Wheatley
BBC WM, JournalistThis evening's headlines for Birmingham and the Black Country are:
- The NSPCC say despite "progress" by Sandwell children's services, children were still at "risk of harm"
- A man who repeatedly drove over a woman in his 4x4 has been jailed for 13-and-a-half years
- Aston Villa have yet to interview for the vacant manager's job and none are planned until next week
Teenage Wolves fan jailed over attackpublished at 16:47 British Summer Time 6 October 2016
A teenager who was part of a group that left a rival football fan with a life-changing brain injury is sentenced to two years in prison.
Read MoreTwo people hurt after car crashpublished at 16:39 British Summer Time 6 October 2016
Two pedestrians have been taken to hospital after a crash outside the University of Birmingham.
West Midlands Ambulance Service said, external it happened at the junction of Dartmouth Middleway and Lister Street at about 08:15.
A woman in her 20s suffered "serious injuries" and a man sustained a suspected head injury.
The collision involved two cars.
'I don't consider you to be a Wolves supporter': Final Nic Cruwys attacker locked up for two yearspublished at 16:17 British Summer Time 6 October 2016
The final teenage thug who attacked a football fan and left him for dead after a Wolves match, external last year has been locked up for two years.
Your pictures: Sumptuous Solihullpublished at 15:57 British Summer Time 6 October 2016
BBC Weather Watcher Elle Niño sent in this lovely picture from Solihull.
If you've got a photo you're proud of and want to share, you can send it to us over email, Twitter, external or our Facebook page, external.
Image source, Elle NiñoJail for driver who deliberately ran over woman and 'crushed' herpublished at 15:42 British Summer Time 6 October 2016
A driver who deliberately ran over a woman in Birmingham, external, leaving her with "catastrophic" leg injuries, has been jailed for more than 13 years.
West Midlands Police said Andrew Benain, 40, was looking to buy drugs in Ladywood in the early hours of 25 September last year when he approached a man and woman walking in Duchess Road.
According to the force, a "deal" turned sour when the man, claiming to be a dealer, fled with £80 cash that Benain, who was in a car, had handed over. Benain flew into a rage, police said, and followed the pair across parkland - when the woman slipped and fell, he drove the 4x4 over her.
Image source, West Midlands PoliceBenain admitted wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, plus dangerous driving. He was sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court on Tuesday and jailed for 13-and-a-half years.
Investigating officer Detective Constable Sarah Evans said of the victim today: "She suffered awful crush injuries and was lucky to survive."
Woman punched and robbed in Wednesfieldpublished at 15:19 British Summer Time 6 October 2016
Monica Rimmer
Journalist, BBC OnlineA 52-year-old woman was punched and robbed as she walked along Bickford Road in Wednesfield, external.
She was returning to her car when she was approached by her attacker.
The man punched the woman in the face, before pushing her to the ground, dragging her along the pavement and stealing her bag.
Police are appealing for information about the incident which happened last Friday.
Woman driven over in 'sour' drug dealpublished at 15:06 British Summer Time 6 October 2016
A man who repeatedly drove over a woman in his 4x4 when a "drug deal turned sour" is jailed for 13-and-a-half years.
Read MoreChina plans Shakespeare's Stratfordpublished at 14:50 British Summer Time 6 October 2016
William Shakespeare may be celebrated in China with a development attempting to replicate his hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon.
Read MoreNSPCC says Sandwell children's services left kids "at risk of harm"published at 14:29 British Summer Time 6 October 2016
Sandwell Council's children's services are to be run by a government trust.
Following this morning's announcement, the NSPCC said that despite "progress" by the authority, children were still at "risk of harm".
The charity said procedure for protecting potential victims of child sexual exploitation were flawed and management of case files was cause for concern.
A statement said: "Although the findings of Ofsted’s recent monitoring visit show progress towards better outcomes for children, the working arrangements of Sandwell children’s services are still leaving children at risk of harm.
"Identification, management and intervention procedures for children and young people at risk of child sexual exploitation are still not as effective as they should be."
"Meanwhile, the management of case files remains a concern. Any changes in structure and operation must address pressing issues such as these."
West Midlands UKIP MEP sends best wishes to Steven Woolfepublished at 14:16 British Summer Time 6 October 2016
Allen Cook
BBC Local LiveThe West Midlands UKIP MEP, Bill Etheridge, says he's wishing "all the best" to his fellow party MEP Steven Woolfe (pictured) who's in hospital after an apparent "altercation" at a meeting of the party's MEPs.
Image source, PANigel Farage says Mr Woolfe is in a "serious" condition following the incident in Strasbourg.
Mr Woolfe, MEP for the North West, was taken to hospital in Strasbourg for tests.
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End of twitter postAston Villa: Yet to hold manager interviewspublished at 14:15 British Summer Time 6 October 2016
Pat Murphy
BBC Midlands football reporterAston Villa have yet to interview for the vacant manager's job and none are planned until next week.
Background checks and due diligence are still being done on the favoured candidates and Villa have to consider whether an approach should be made to clubs employing any of those. Money is no object in terms of compensation but Villa realise an approach may be knocked back.
I understand Burnley's Sean Dyche and Huddersfield's David Wagner attract Villa, while free agent Steve Bruce remains the bookies' favourite. Eventually a shortlist of three will be drawn up and owner Dr Tony Xia will take the final decision after consultations with the recruiting panel - chief executive Keith Wyness, technical director Steve Round and former Villa manager and player Brian Little.
Caretaker Steve Clarke is also being considered and Villa are relaxed about the possibility of Clarke being in charge for the next league match - at home to Wolves a week on Saturday.
'Pigs on the line' turn out not to existpublished at 14:01 British Summer Time 6 October 2016
Allen Cook
BBC Local LiveWe've heard more from London Midland on the report of pigs on the line between Rugeley and Hednesford which they tweeted, external before midday.
They say a driver on one of their services "thought he'd seen pigs on the line" but when officials went to check it out they didn't find anything.
Services on the line are now back to normal., external
'Affordable' funeral options from Sandwell Councilpublished at 13:47 British Summer Time 6 October 2016
Sandwell Council says it's giving bereaved families the option of an 'affordable funeral' to cut down on so-called 'funeral poverty.'
According to the Funeral Poverty Alliance, external, the number of people unable to afford the cost of their loved one's service has increased by 50% in the last three years.
The deputy leader of Sandwell Council Syeda Khatun said: "The council’s new affordable funeral service gives people the option of a dignified funeral that won’t leave their loved ones in thousands upon thousands of pounds of debt."
Latest: Trust to run council's children's services; Snow Hill Square plans revealed; Drayton Manor handed top zoo awardpublished at 13:29 British Summer Time 6 October 2016
Corinne Wheatley
BBC WM, JournalistHere are some of the stories making the news in Birmingham and the Black Country:
- Children's services in Sandwell are to be taken over by a government-appointed trust
- Details of a £3m project to transform Snow Hill Square in Birmingham city centre have been released today
- Drayton Manor Zoo in Tamworth has been rated as one of Europe's best
Stourbridge teacher realises book dream after shock brain tumour diagnosispublished at 13:08 British Summer Time 6 October 2016
A Stourbridge teacher hit with a devastating brain tumour diagnosis shortly after marrying has realised her dream of seeing her debut book in print, external.
Image source, Dudley NewsWatch: Latest weather for the West Midlandspublished at 12:50 British Summer Time 6 October 2016
There will be variable amounts of cloud today with some bright and occasionally sunny intervals. It’ll be cooler and a little breezy at times with highs of 13C (55F).
Things will be cloudy for much of the night, with the chance of occasional, isolated showers. Lows of 7C (45F).
Media caption, Weather for the West Midlands.
