Summary

  • Boy dies after being hit by car

  • Murder accused in court over shooting

  • Rail disruption following train fire in Warwickshire

  • Investigation into burglary at home of 91-year-old

  • Second £5 note 'worth £50,000' is found

  • Updates from Friday 30 December

Live Reporting

  1. Puppy put down after being found shivering alone with a broken leg

    A three-month-old puppy had to be put down after she was found shivering with a broken leg in playing fields in Stourbridge, the RSPCA has revealed.

    The female Staffie-type dog's condition deteriorated after she was found in playing fields off Vicarage Road on Boxing Day, the charity said.

    Ali the dogRSPCA

    The dog, which the RSPCA named Alli, was first put in front of a fire to warm up but was "shivering uncontrollably and was clearly in a lot of pain", according to a spokeswoman.

    A visit to the animal hospital in Birmingham revealed she had puncture wounds as well as her broken leg, the RSPCA said as it launched an appeal for information.

  2. 'I was petrified' – Great Barr woman's horror as iPhone explodes and bursts into flames

    Great Barr Observer

    A Great Barr woman has told of her terror after her iPhone 'exploded' in her pocket and burst into a ball of flames.

  3. Lichfield-based senior GP voices fears for services

    BBC News Health

    Britain's leading GP, Staffordshire-based Helen Stokes-Lampard, says she is "profoundly concerned" about how doctors will cope with demand over the busy winter period. 

    Dr Stokes-Lampard, chair of the Royal College of GPs Council and a GP in Lichfield, said general practice was "skating on thin ice", warning "something has to give".

    Helen Stokes-LampardPA

    Some people wait weeks to see a doctor, with potentially serious results, she said. 

    NHS England said GPs would be getting extra funding to extend services.

    With lumps or bleeding problems or things that could be signs of serious disease, my profound concern is that people will delay seeking help for things that could potentially be life-threatening or life-changing if they are not tackled swiftly

    Helen Stokes-Lampard, Chair of the Royal College of GPs Council and a GP in Lichfield

  4. The McDonald's drive-thru at 30: A journey back to an exotic experience

    It is 30 years since McDonald's opened its first UK drive-thru, quickly followed by another in Dudley before the end of the year; the brand now has 1,200 restaurants across Britain. 

    The figures show consumers really are "lovin' it", yet the concept is also ubiquitous - a familiar, disposable and repeatable experience.

    McDonald's restaurant in the 1980sMCDONALD'S

    So how was it for customers when McDonald's was still new, when "Big Mac" just meant an oversized anorak? Was what is now commonplace ever thought a thrill?  

  5. West Bromwich murder: Two accused due before magistrates today

    The two murder-accused men are due to appear before Dudley Magistrates Court today, police say.

    Investigating officers have also revealed a grey Audi Q5 believed to have been involved in the shooting was recovered in Kiniths Crescent, West Bromwich. 

    Detectives continue to appeal for anyone with information about the shooting to come forward.

    The man was shot in the head while he was a passenger in the car

    The alleged victim was a passenger in this car recovered from the scene

  6. Two men charged with murder in West Bromwich are from the town, police say

    The two men charged with murder are 19-year-old Mohammed Humza and 24-year-old Vikesh Chauhan, both of whom police say are from the West Bromwich area.

    The alleged victim, a 33-year-old man, was shot in the head and pronounced dead at the scene on High Street just after 14:30 on Tuesday.

    The police cordon at the scene of the shooting

  7. Two charged with murder over West Bromwich shooting
    Breaking

    Two men have been charged with the murder of a man who was shot dead in a stationary car in West Bromwich on Tuesday, police have said.

  8. West Bromwich murder: Tributes paid as victim named locally

    Express and Star

    Witnesses have described the dramatic moment police caught two men suspected of shooting a man dead in West Bromwich - as the murder victim was named locally as Carl Campbell.

  9. Birmingham missing sisters found 'safe and well'

    Louise Hancock
    Newsreader, BBC WM

    Two young sisters who went missing from their Aston home on Tuesday evening have been found safe and well.

    West Midlands police had said they were "very concerned" for the welfare of Naiyesha Murrain, 10, and Ashanti Marshall, 11, before they were located.

  10. Drivers warned of icy conditions on Wolverhampton roads

    Firefighters in Wolverhampton are warning drivers to watch out for slippery, icy conditions on the roads after a crash on Cannock Road.

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  11. Weather warning for fog issued

    BBC Weather

    A weather warning for freezing fog is in place until 12:00, which may make driving conditions difficult says the Met Office.

    The fog patches are expected to slowly thin during the day, although some may persist throughout the day.

    Weather warning mapMet office

  12. Travel: Road closed after crash

    BBC Travel

    Muntz Street in Small Heath, Birmingham, is closed in both directions between its junction with Green Lane and its junction with Coventry Road because of an accident, drivers are warned.

  13. Watch: Latest weather forecast for Birmingham and the Black Country

    Kay Crewdson
    BBC weather presenter

    It's a cold and a frosty start to the day so watch out for ice on the roads.

    Highs of 3C (37F) this morning.

    Find out more.

    Latest weather for the West Midlands

  15. Lovin' it? McDonald's drive-thrus at 30

    The UK's first McDonald's drive-thru is 30 years old, prompting memories of those who visited restaurants in the 1980s when the brand was still new in the UK.

    Read More

  16. Missing sisters found 'safe and well'

    Two young sisters who went missing from their home on Tuesday evening are found safe and well.

    Read More

  17. Our coverage across the day

    That's it for today's updates.

    We'll be back from 08:00 on Thursday.

    Have a great evening.

  19. Kodjia could be out of sight for Villa

    BBC WM Sport

    Jonathan Kodjia looks set to miss up to six weeks of football for Aston Villa. 

    The front man's been called up to the Ivory Coast squad for the forthcoming African Cup of Nations (AFCON). 

    The squad meets for the first time in Abu Dhabi on 2 January which means tomorrow's match at home to Leeds could be his last until February.

    The AFCON final takes place on 5 February. 

    Jonathan Kodjia scores a goal against QPRGetty Images