Summary

  • Murder-accused in court over bus stabbing

  • Pub bombings: legal aid breakthrough

  • Woman appears in court in connection with teen's shooting

  • Schools close after water main bursts

  • Aston Villa hint at more signings

  • Updates from Friday 27 January 2017

  1. CCTV captures Asda van ramming carpublished at 12:43 Greenwich Mean Time 26 January 2017

    An Asda delivery van has been caught on CCTV moving a parked car along the road before driving off.

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  2. Tunisia inquest: Lives 'torn apart'published at 12:11 Greenwich Mean Time 26 January 2017

    Sarah Campbell
    BBC News

    The family of Denis and Elaine Thwaites have said their lives have been "torn apart" after the couple were killed in the Tunisia terror attack. 

    Denis Thwaites, 70, played for Birmingham City from 1962 to 1972, before moving with his family to Blackpool.  

    Denis ThwaitesImage source, BCFC

    The son-in-law of Denis and Elaine Thwaites, speaking on behalf of the family, said they were "made for each other".

    Mr Thwaites and his wife Elaine, 69, were among 30 British tourists killed in Sousse on 26 June 2015.  

  3. Villa sign Barnsley captain Hourihanepublished at 11:56 Greenwich Mean Time 26 January 2017

    Aston Villa sign Barnsley midfielder and captain Conor Hourihane for an undisclosed fee on a three-and-a-half-year deal.

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  4. Wolverhampton fire 'under control'published at 11:11 Greenwich Mean Time 26 January 2017

    West Midlands Fire say the fire at the unit on Wobaston Road, Fordhouses is now "under control".

    About 100 firefighters and 20 fire engines were called to the blaze in Wolverhampton, which started shortly after midnight. 

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    The fire service say the cause of the fire has yet to be established.  

    Quote Message

    Our crews faced significant challenges, including a damaged gas main which was burning in two places inside the affected building.

    Steve Taylor, Area Commander

  5. Travel: Signalling problems between Droitwich Spa and Birminghampublished at 11:04 Greenwich Mean Time 26 January 2017

    BBC Travel

    Problems on the trains between Droitwich Spa and Birmingham Snow Hill.

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  6. Tunisia inquests: Evidence to be heard on former Birmingham City playerpublished at 10:14 Greenwich Mean Time 26 January 2017

    Monica Rimmer
    Journalist, BBC Online

    Evidence relating to the death of a former Birmingham City footballer in the Tunisia beach terror attack will be heard at the inquests later. 

    Dennis Thwaites, who played for Blues in the sixties and seventies, and his wife Elaine,  were among the 30 British victims in Sousse in June 2015.

    Denis and Elaine ThwaitesImage source, PA
  7. Your questions: Where did the phrase 'Yam Yam' come from and what does it mean?published at 09:47 Greenwich Mean Time 26 January 2017

    Alex Homer
    BBC Local Live

    Over the past few months we've been inviting our readers to ask us to investigate the subjects in which they are interested.

    Shaun Harrison asked us where the phrase "Yam Yam" came from "referring to people from the Black Country".

    Media caption,

    Where did the phrase Yam Yam come from?

    The Urban Dictionary website said, external it derived from the Black Country dialect for "you are" - "yam".

    Terry Price, a historian born in Great Bridge in West Bromwich, said the pronunciation in dialect was nearer to "y'owm" or "yo am" instead of "you are".

    "I'd never heard of that expression in my youth," said 78-year-old Mr Price. "I think it's a relatively recent thing."

    Birmingham historian Carl Chinn said he believed the phrase may have been introduced in the 1970s or 1980s but said he had not researched it so could not say so with certainty.

    This editor of the Black Country Society's magazine The Blackcountryman, Michael Pearson, said when he worked in the police in the 1980s they used the phrase to distinguish Black Country folk from Brummies, who they called Lardi’s (as in la-di-dah).

    He said it came from a take on the Black Country accent in phrases like “y’am alright”.

  8. Jaguar Land Rover sees increase in productionpublished at 08:40 Greenwich Mean Time 26 January 2017

    BBC Midlands Today

    One of the biggest employers in the West Midlands has reported an increase in production of 11% in the last year. 

    Car manufacturing

    Jaguar Land Rover made 544,000 vehicles in 2016. 

    The news means JLR remains the largest car manufacturer in the UK for the second year running. 

    It comes as new figures show UK car manufacturing is at a 17-year high

  9. Watch: Fire crews tackle warehouse fire in Wolverhamptonpublished at 08:13 Greenwich Mean Time 26 January 2017

    Fire crews have tweeted this video of the huge warehouse fire they were called to in Wolverhampton.

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  10. Crews battle Wolverhampton firepublished at 08:03 Greenwich Mean Time 26 January 2017

    The fireImage source, West Midlands Fire Service

    About 100 firefighters have been battling a blaze at a warehouse in Wolverhampton.

    Crews were called to the unit on Wobaston Road, Fordhouses, which is believed to be vacant, at 00:10 this morning.

    Watch Commander Brian Worrallo, from Fallings Park Fire Station, said the building was full of what appeared to be wallpaper or rolls of paper.

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    He said crews were taking defensive action and the fire was expected to "burn out" over the next few days.

    A total of 20 crews were called initially, with around 20 firefighters remaining at the scene this morning.

  11. Well that didn't last longpublished at 19:18 Greenwich Mean Time 25 January 2017

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    A solitary 45 minute appearance was the whole of Storer's Yeovil Town career. 

    He joined the Glovers from Birmingham City at the start of January, but will now return to the West Midlands for personal reasons.

    Yeovil Town say they wish him the best for the future.

  12. City's social services chief to retirepublished at 18:21 Greenwich Mean Time 25 January 2017

    He worked at the council for 14 years and was in charge of children's and adults services from 2013.

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  13. Our live coverage across the daypublished at 18:00 Greenwich Mean Time 25 January 2017

    We'll be back with our usual mix of news, sport, travel and weather from 08:00 tomorrow, but keep an eye out here for more updates this evening and into the morning.

  14. Man fatally stabbed named by policepublished at 17:44 Greenwich Mean Time 25 January 2017

    A man fatally stabbed on a bus earlier this week has been named as 36-year-old Leon Barrett-Hazle.  

    It happened on 23 January on the top deck of a 11A bus. 

    Police say they have arrested a 25-year-old male on suspicion of murder. 

    Leon Barrett-HazleImage source, West Midlands Police
  15. Rock giants' vintage shop to closepublished at 17:32 Greenwich Mean Time 25 January 2017

    Rockers over the years from Slade to Guns N' Roses have shopped there and it's become something of a legend in its own right.

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  16. Man arrested over bus man killingpublished at 16:25 Greenwich Mean Time 25 January 2017

    A man is arrested on suspicion of stabbing to death another passenger on a bus in Birmingham.

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  17. Rough sleeping rises at 'appalling rate'published at 16:04 Greenwich Mean Time 25 January 2017

    More than 4,000 people a night have been sleeping rough on England's streets.

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  18. Murder arrest following fatal bus stabbingpublished at 15:47 Greenwich Mean Time 25 January 2017
    Breaking

    Monica Rimmer
    Journalist, BBC Online

    A 25-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder following the fatal stabbing of a passenger on a bus.

    West Midlands Police say the man handed himself into police following the release of CCTV footage this morning.  

  19. PCC and deputy's row over 'after payout'published at 15:04 Greenwich Mean Time 25 January 2017

    A row between a Police and Crime Commissioner and his deputy, who was found guilty of serious misconduct, has been resolved "amicably", a joint statement confirms.

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  20. Burst pipe repair works to beginpublished at 14:57 Greenwich Mean Time 25 January 2017

    The burst pipe saw thousands of gallons of water flood a road in Birmingham last year.

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