A piece of chewing gum has helped convict the partner of a woman killed in 1981.

England manager Gareth Southgate managed to take some time out from his preparations for this week's internationals to visit the Burton Albion Community Trust, external and find out about grassroots football schemes.

If you want to find out about how to get into football read our Get Inspired guide.

Peter Wilson
BBC Midlands Today Special Correspondent

The former boyfriend of a woman found dead more than 30 years ago has been found guilty of her killing - thanks to a piece of chewing gum and DNA technology.

I'll have more on the case on the Midlands Today on BBC One from 13:30.

The UK's first car factory dedicated to making nothing but electric vehicles will transform air quality across the country, according to its owners.

The London Taxi Company's plant, at Ansty, has been built by Geely at a cost of £300m. 

It'll eventually make 5,000 black cabs a year by 2019.  

A three-year-old was hit at a pedestrian crossing weeks after a motorist was told not to drive.

Peter Wilson
BBC Midlands Today Special Correspondent

The case of Nova Welsh's killing was initially reopened six years ago by West Midlands Police.

Advances in technology meant officers discovered the DNA of her ex-partner Osmond Bell on chewing gum used to secure a lock on a cupboard at her home in Ladywood where her body was found, jurors heard.

The 60-year-old Bell had denied murdering the mother of his two children in August 1981, and he was cleared of that charge but found guilty of manslaughter.

Peter Wilson
BBC Midlands Today Special Correspondent

A man has been found guilty of killing the mother of his children 35 years ago.

Image source, West Midlands Police

Nova Welsh was found dead in a cupboard at her home in Ladywood, Birmingham, on 18 August, 1981.

Her ex-partner Osmond Bell, 60, was found guilty of manslaughter by majority verdict by jurors.

They had deliberated for more than a week.

A paramedic said the 18-year-old driver was "so, so lucky" to escape with just a broken wrist.

Express and Star

Parking outside a school has been described as ‘chaotic’ with parents parking on junctions and incidents of road rage, external .

Birmingham Mail

The Bournville-based chocolate maker was forced to spend hours upon hours fielding questions, external about its chocolate from customers demanding to know whether it was Halal.  

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

A teenage van driver was "so, so lucky" to suffer relatively minor injuries despite the huge damage to his vehicle in a crash on the M6,  , external say paramedics . , external

West Midlands Ambulance Service says it happened last night on the southbound side just before junction 10a, near Essington.  

It says the van was "embedded" under the back of a lorry and it took fire crews an hour to cut away enough so the two people inside could get out. 

Paramedics say the 18-year-old driver, from Warwickshire, suffered a broken wrist and the man's eight-year-old sister, who was a passenger, wasn't hurt - the lorry driver was left shaken but wasn't injured.  

Rob Mayor
Black Country Political Reporter, BBC WM

Three colleges in Birmingham and Solihull are at risk of losing out on millions of pounds of funding after being left off a list of the government's approved providers of apprenticeships. 

Birmingham Metropolitan College, South and City College and Solihull College say they are disappointed by the move.

British wrestler Chinu Sandhu, who won Commonwealth bronze in 2014, is banned for four years after failing a drugs test.

Louise Hancock
Newsreader, BBC WM

The man behind Peaky Blinders has told us he has not spoken to Hollywood actor Samuel L Jackson about a part in the period drama set in Birmingham, but there are "opportunities and possibilities" for an actor of his calibre.

Image source, Getty Images

It is after reports the star of films such as Jurassic Park, Pulp Fiction and Captain America said he was keen for a role in the series, which returns later this year. 

Its creator Steven Knight says he is "open to the possibility".   

BBC News Education

Individual schools will lose or gain hundreds of thousands of pounds in the first year of the biggest shake-up of school funding in England for decades .

Image source, calvste

Official figures released as the part of consultation on the changes show 9,045 schools will lose money while 10,653 will get more.

There will be  less money for urban areas  including inner London, Birmingham, Manchester, Nottingham and Coventry.  

In Birmingham, the largest education authority, 15 out of 386 schools, 4% of the total, will see funding increase. 

Great Barr School will see a rise of about 3% - more than £200,000.

Louise Hancock
Newsreader, BBC WM

Police found a man who had been assaulted and dragged from a car when they were called out to reports of gun fire in Lozells in the early hours.

Hamstead Road has been cordoned off while forensic experts comb the scene for evidence after reports of shots being fired and disorder at 01:10 GMT.

Anyone with information is urged to contact police on 101.

Alex Lester
Presenter, BBC WM

Grieving parents are calling for a change in the law after a three-year-old girl was killed by a driver with poor eyesight.

Image source, Family handout

Rachel Clarke was crossing Chester Road in Boldmere, Sutton Coldfield, last July with her daughter Poppy-Arabella when they were both hit by a car being driven by John Place. 

The 72-year-old was jailed for four years earlier this week for causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving to Rachel Clarke.

Just weeks earlier Place had been told to stop driving because of his failing eyesight. 

Poppy-Arabella's parents have told us they want medical professionals to be legally required to report people who are unfit to drive directly to the DVLA, rather than for it to be the responsibility of the individual.

Officers were called to the scene following reports of "gunshots" being fired and "disorder".

Charlie Slater
BBC Weather presenter

A band of locally heavy rain will move north-eastwards affecting all parts , possibly turning wintry at times over the hills. 

Brighter, showery conditions will follow later, with the risk of hail and thunder. Feeling cold, especially in the brisk wind - highs of 9C (48F).

Alex Homer
BBC Local Live

Welcome back to our updates on Wednesday.

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