Summary

  • M54 body: Fresh plea for info

  • Pulis confirms bid for Schneiderlin

  • Three teens questioned over carjackings

  • Updates from Friday 23 December 2016

  1. Man attacked on driveway by carjackerspublished at 13:28 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2016

    Police release footage of the moment a group of carjackers attack a man outside his home, raining down blows until he hands over the keys.

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  2. Find out Birmingham's most expensive addresspublished at 13:27 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2016

    A road near the city centre of Birmingham is the most expensive addresses in the West Midlands.

    Research by Lloyds Bank shows the most expensive address in the West Midlands is on Farquhar Road, with an average property price of £1,434,000.

    Farquhar Road, near the University of BirminghamImage source, Google

    London's Eaton Square has been named the most expensive place to buy property in Britain, with a home costing an average of nearly £17m. 

  3. West Brom bid £15m for Schneiderlinpublished at 13:05 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2016

    West Brom make an offer of about £15m for Morgan Schneiderlin, who will be allowed to leave Manchester United for "the right offer".

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  4. Fake Christmas: £30k worth of lookalike designer goods seizedpublished at 12:38 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2016

    Fake perfume, make up and handbags worth more than £30,000 have been seized from a market in Walsall, just days before Christmas. 

    Walsall Trading Standards and police recovered the fake goods branded as Calvin Klein, Jimmy Choo and Miss Dior from Bescot Market.

    Fake goods seized in WalsallImage source, Walsall Council

    The raid followed a tip off that counterfeit goods were regularly being sold there.    

  5. Man attacked by carjackers on drivewaypublished at 12:22 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2016

    Police release footage of the moment a group of carjackers attack a man outside his home, raining down blows until he hands over keys.

    Read More
  6. 'I was told he left with another woman'published at 12:12 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2016

    The family of a man whose skeletal remains were found by a motorway have said they need justice and answers.

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  7. Academy players catch Lambert's eyepublished at 11:53 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2016

    BBC WM Sport

    Wolves boss Paul Lambert says he won't hesitate to put his academy youngsters into the starting 11 if they're up to the job. 

    Bright Enobakhare and debutant Connor Ronan who are both aged 18 impressed in Saturday's win at Nottingham Forest.

    Bright Enobakhare and debutant Connor RonanImage source, Getty Images / REX Features
  8. Villa players visit children's hospitalpublished at 11:31 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2016

    Aston Villa players brought Christmas cheer to young patients at Birmingham Children's Hospital earlier this week.

    Villa players visit Birmingham Children's Hospital
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  9. Fresh appeal over M54 skull discoverypublished at 10:51 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2016

    The family of a man who disappeared eight years ago issue a fresh plea for information.

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  10. football

    Pulis confirms bid for Schneiderlinpublished at 10:16 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2016

    Pat Murphy
    BBC Midlands football reporter

    Morgan SchneiderlinImage source, Reuters

    West Brom's head coach Tony Pulis has confirmed the club has tabled a bid for Manchester United's French international midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin.

    The offer is around £13m, which is close to West Brom's record fee paid out on Nacer Chadli in the last transfer window.

    Pulis said: "I don't want to say anymore other than confirm our bid. We have to be fair to Manchester United and the player."

    Everton are also interested in the Frenchman,who worked with their manager,Ronald Koeman when he was at Southampton.

  11. Four things you wanted to knowpublished at 10:16 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2016

    All week you have been using Your Questions to ask about the West Midlands. Here are some of our answers.

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  12. 'Always lovely beating a top team'published at 10:12 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2016

    Arsenal v West Brom (Monday, 15:00 GMT)

    West Bromwich Albion

    West Brom players celebrate in 2010Image source, Getty Images

    It is six years since West Brom last won at Arsenal but Tony Pulis is confident his players can cause a Boxing Day upset at the Emirates.

    The Gunners have lost their last two Premier League games, and Pulis says: "It's always lovely beating one of the top teams and it would be great if we could go to Arsenal on Boxing Day and do that.

    "We need things to go our way at Arsenal. Sometimes they do. It's always a really tough test going down to Arsenal. You have to be at your best and they have to have an off day."

  13. Baggies bid for 'four or five'published at 10:12 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2016

    Arsenal v West Brom (Monday, 15:00 GMT)

    West Bromwich Albion

    Tony Pulis gesturesImage source, PA

    It looks like it's going to be another busy transfer window at West Bromwich Albion.

    Tony Pulis says: "We have made bids for about four or five players. 

    "We aren't going to try and do everything in one window. It might take a couple of windows to get the quality in that we want.

    "All transfer windows are important. This is the most important one though because it's about to happen."

    The Baggies are eighth in the Premier League table.

  14. 'Arsenal can win Premier League'published at 10:11 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2016

    Arsenal v West Brom (Monday, 15:00 GMT)

    West Bromwich Albion

    Tony PulisImage source, Getty Images

    Tony Pulis arrives bang on time for his West Brom news conference. He's a busy man but he is set to give his players most of Christmas Day off despite a Boxing Day game at Arsenal.

    "We will train on Christmas Eve, and then the players will have Christmas Day with their families," he says.

    "Arsenal have a wonderful squad that's capable of winning the Premier League this year. 

    "They have players to come back too."

  15. Brexit six months on: How do Birmingham's Polish expats feel now?published at 09:48 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2016

    Rebecca Woods
    BBC News Online, Journalist

    In the aftermath of the vote that signalled the end of Britain's membership of the EU, the BBC visited Erdington, which has been described as a "Little Poland". 

    The voters of the Birmingham suburb emphatically rejected the status quo, causing Poles to react with shock and fear for what the future might hold. Six months on how does the expat community feel now?

    People line the high street in ErdingtonImage source, GORDON SNELGROVE

    "They're here purely for money. They're not here for the social aspects of life. They don't contribute to the community spirit."

    Gerard Goshawk, a minister of Erdington Six Ways Baptist Church for over 10 years, was watching TV at home when he heard this withering verdict given by a Leave voter from Erdington to the BBC's Panorama programme.

  16. M54 body: Family want answers into the death of missing fatherpublished at 08:39 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2016

    The family of a Black Country man who disappeared eight years ago have issued a fresh plea for information. 

    Surjit Takhar

    Surjit Takhar, 37, was last seen at his home in Oldbury in October 2008 but his remains were found 18 months ago next to the M54 near Telford.

    Police identified him using his dental records but they still don't know how he died.

    Lavina Sohl and her daughters
    Quote Message

    We need answers. We need a funeral. We need to say goodbye properly. We just want to say goodbye and lay him to rest.

    Lavina Sohl, Surjit Takhar's ex-wife

  17. Weather: Will it be windy later?published at 08:21 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2016

    BBC Weather

    It will be breezy but dry this morning with sunny spells. However, heavy rain and very strong gusty winds will sweep in this afternoon, bringing difficult driving conditions. 

    Gusts of 40mph will affect exposed spots - highs of 11C (52F).

    Friday weather forecast