Summary

  • 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

Live Reporting

  1. Latest: Two arrests after stabbing; MEP may stand for leadership; traveller encampments figure revealed

    BBC WM

    Today's headlines include:

    - Two people have been arrested after a teenager from the West Midlands died following a stabbing in Cheltenham

    - West Midlands MEP Bill Etheridge says it's a "distinct possibility" that he'll stand for leadership of Ukip again

    - Sandwell Council says there have been 40 illegal traveller encampments on its parks and land so far this financial year

  2. Parts of month-long fire still burning

    Allen Cook
    BBC Local Live

    A month after 1,000 tonnes of waste caught fire on farmland in Staffordshire, parts of it are still on fire.

    Cannock Chase District Council say the site at Oak Tree Farm on Slitting Mill Road in Rugeley is still being monitored and "small areas of combustion remain".

    A JCB working at the site of the fireStaffordshire Fire and Rescue Service

    The authority says its staff, the county council and county's fire service are still regularly monitoring the fire which has been capped with soil.

    There has been anger from local residents, concerned there could be "something toxic" in the air but the council say there's "no cause for concern" and no trace of asbestos in the smoke.

  3. Football: Dicko 'has got better and better'

    Wolves under-21s coach Scott Sellars says Nouha Dicko (pictured below) has "got better and better" after he scored twice in the 3-2 win at Crewe.

    Nouha DickoEmpics

    The win boosted their chances of qualification for the next round of the Checkatrade Trophy. 

    Bright Enobakhare scored the winner with two minutes to go. 

    I hope he's [Dicko's] enjoyed it - he's been great with the lads, really looked after them, scored some good goals and... each game he's sort of got better and better."

    Scott Sellars, Wolves under-21s coach

  5. UK new car sales rise in September

    Sales of new cars in the UK rose in September, helped by strong purchases from fleet buyers and the new 66 number plate.  

    The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said 469,696 new cars were registered in the month, a rise of 1.6% from 462,517 last year.  

    CarsChristopher Furlong

    Jaguar Land Rover have manufacturing plants in Castle Bromwich and Solihull, and two advanced design and engineering centres at Gaydon and Whitley in Warwickshire.

  6. Appeal for witnesses following burglary in Bromsgrove

    A house in Bromsgrove is believed to have been targeted in an armed raid yesterday.

    Police say the home on Old Birmingham Road in Lickey End was broken into at about 17:00.

    Three offenders, one reported to be carrying a firearm, took a number of watches, including a Rolex, before making off on a black motorbike towards Rednal.

    Police are appealing for witnesses.

  7. HS2 construction 'will start next spring' says minister

    Kathryn Stanczyszyn
    Political Reporter, BBC WM

    Building work on the high-speed HS2 rail project will start next spring, a government minister has confirmed today. 

    The initial plan is for a new line from London to Birmingham, with later extensions to Manchester, through Staffordshire and via Crewe, and Leeds. 

    Artist impression of a high speed train

    In July, new Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said he had "no plans to back away" from HS2, despite criticism of the cost and the impact on people living along the route.  

    Today at an event at the Conservative Party Conference, Transport Minister Andrew Jones said Royal Assent for the project was expected by the end of December with construction to start next spring.

    Laura Shoaf, Managing Director of Transport for West Midlands, says it's the "equivalent of winning the Olympic bid for the region ".  

  8. BBC Midlands Today

    Nicola Beckford
    Reporter, BBC Midlands Today

    Cannock Chase Council has welcomed news that the online retailer Amazon is to take on more than 4,500 seasonal workers.   

    Brooke Blair

    Also on the programme, a girl aged just five has criticised the Prime Minister for not doing enough to help homeless people. 

    Brooke Blair says she was inspired to send a message to Theresa May after seeing people sleeping rough on the streets of her home town of Coventry. 

    You can find out more on BBC Midlands Today at 13:30 on BBC One.

  10. Football: Competition 'an education'

    West Bromwich Albion assistant head coach, Ben Garner, says the Checkatrade Trophy has been an "education" after the Under-21s went out of the competition.

    They suffered their second defeat, going down 2-0 at Luton. 

    It's difficult when you get a group that's a mix [of] obviously the first-team players with younger players [who] you only have a day to work with it... It’s very worthwhile in terms of [being] an education for them."

    Ben Garner, Albion assistant head coach

  11. Latest: MEP may stand for leadership; apology for breastfeeding 'confusion'; plea after surgery

    Louise Hancock
    Newsreader, BBC WM

    Here are the latest headlines for Birmingham and the Black Country:

    - West Midlands MEP Bill Etheridge says it's a "distinct possibility" that he'll stand for leadership of Ukip again

     - City of Wolverhampton Council has apologised for confusion caused by a breastfeeding leaflet which said nursing mums couldn't feed their babies in part of the Central Baths

    - A mother from Streetly, who raised £180,000 for surgery in the USA to prevent her skull collapsing into her neck, calls for surgeons in the UK to train in the procedure

  12. Clarke in charge as Villa begin search

    Aston Villa caretaker boss Steve Clarke is on an initial list of 10 candidates to succeed the sacked Roberto di Matteo as the Championship side's manager.

    Read More

  13. Watch: Weather for the West Midlands

    Alexandra Hamilton
    BBC Weather

    It will be a fine afternoon with plenty of sunshine, although a little cooler than yesterday especially in the breeze. Highs of 16C (61F). 

  15. Woman calls for surgeons in UK to train in procedure

    BBC WM

    A mother from Streetly who raised £180,000 for surgery in the USA to prevent her skull collapsing into her neck is calling for surgeons in the UK to train in the procedure. 

    Jessica Kill

    Jessica Kill, who's 38 and has Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, returned last month after having the procedure in New York. 

    She says despite the extreme pain, she's already feeling the benefits and people like her should be able to have the operation here.

    We've got currently in the UK about 16 people who are either fundraising or are on the verge of to get over to America to have this done to save their own life."

    Jessica Kill, Patient

  16. Football: Whitney praises competition

    BBC WM Sport

    Walsall boss Jon Whitney (pictured below) says the Checkatrade Trophy has been "nothing but a plus" after they reached the second round following a 2-1 win at Sheffield United. 

    Jon Whitney

    The Saddlers secured the victory thanks to goals from Scott Laird and Amadou Bakayoko. 

    I know it's had a lot of negative press but for me it's been nothing but a plus when you look at the two games and the confidence it builds as well."

    Jon Whitney, Walsall boss

  17. Council welcomes 4,500 seasonal Amazon jobs

    BBC Midlands Today

    Cannock Chase Council has welcomed news that the online retailer Amazon is to take on more than 4,500 seasonal workers. 

    Worker in Amazon centre

    They're being recruited for its warehouse in Rugeley, Staffordshire. 

    The council's Deputy Leader Councillor Gordon Alcott says he hopes that some of the people taken on are local and that Amazon will consider taking some of them on as full-time employees. 

  19. Bill Etheridge may stand for UKIP leadership

    BBC WM

    West Midlands MEP Bill Etheridge says it's a "distinct possibility" that he'll stand for leadership of UKIP again. 

    Diane James

    Diane James (pictured above) has announced she is resigning after 18 days in the job, blaming a lack of support. 

    Her predecessor, Nigel Farage, stood down after the Brexit vote in June.  

    West Midlands UKIP MEP, Jim Carver, says the party will be able to work through its issues.

    Obviously we'll have another leadership election and I think after that leadership election's sorted out, as you've seen very much with the Conservative party and the Labour party and indeed with our recent leadership election, things should settle down."

    Jim Carver, West Midlands UKIP MEP

  20. Football: Double hat-trick

    BBC WM Sport

    Akwasi Asante scored his second hat-trick in four days as Solihull Moors won again in the Vanarama Premier.

    They beat Southport 4-0 at Damson Park. Omari Sterling-James scored Solihull's second goal.

    Halesowen Town are out of the FA Cup after losing 2-1 against Nantwich in the third qualifying round.