Teams from all over the world compete to build the agricultural robot to rule them all.

BBC Midlands Today

The West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner has echoed calls from the West Midlands force's chief constable for more funding and protection of front line policing.

David Jamieson said "you cannot do as the government's been doing - cutting police resources, expect us to take on this enhanced terrorism threat and do the local policing; something has to give.

"Anybody can see there is a threat in this country from terrorism.

"What we want to see now is the home secretary to tell us just what she is going to do about it."

Birmingham Mail

Lye High street was closed after a man, external was attacked with a 'machete' on Friday morning.

A two-year-old boy suffered injuries including a fractured skull and ribs at the hands of his mother's partner who murdered him.

Image source, West Midlands Police

Chevaze McGregor has today been jailed for life for murdering Jeremiah Regis-Ngawah at the toddler's Wolverhampton home.

McGregor used his fists, a belt and a rod to discipline Jeremiah, West Midlands Police said earlier this month.

Image source, West Midlands Police

The father of Jeremiah Regis-Ngaujah was in court today to see his son's murderer jailed.

In a statement read in court, Sahr Ngaujah said he had "many hopes and dreams" for Jeremiah Regis-Ngawah to whom Chevaze McGregor subjected to violence that left the boy, the court heard, "broken and battered".

Jeremiah's mother Sindyann Regis has been jailed after admitting allowing the death of her son.

Image source, West Midlands Police

Mr Ngaujah said he regretted that he would "never know what [Jeremiah] may have become as a young man".

A court heard how a man jailed today for murdering his partner's two-year-old son believed it was his "job" to punish the child.

Chevaze McGregor has been handed a life sentence for inflicting more than 100 injuries on Jeremiah Regis-Ngaujah at the boy's Wolverhampton home.

The court heard McGregor had written in a letter it was the job of the parent to correct children and "God" created pain "so we know to do the right thing".

A church-goer who admitted murdering his partner's two-year-old son at the boy's Wolverhampton home has been jailed for life.

Image source, West Midlands Police

Chevaze McGregor will serve a minimum of 21 years for inflicting a string of injuries on Jeremiah Regis-Ngaujah before a heavy blow ruptured his intestines which led to his death.

Birmingham Crown Court heard 27-year-old McGregor repeatedly struck London-born Jeremiah with a rod and a belt at the toddler's home in Wednesfield.

Jeremiah's mother Sindyann Regis has been jailed for three years and four months after pleading guilty to allowing the death of her son.

Chevaze McGregor who has been handed a life prison sentence for murdering his partner's two-year-old son had admitted his guilt at an earlier hearing.

Jeremiah Regis-Ngawah suffered more than 100 injuries including a fractured skull and ribs.

McGregor believed in physical chastisement to "toughen children up" and used his fists and items such as a belt and a rod to discipline Jeremiah, West Midlands Police said earlier this month.

Chevaze McGregor, who murdered his partner's two-year-old son in Wolverhampton after causing him a skull fracture and a bite wound, has been jailed at Birmingham Crown Court for life with a minimum term of 21 years.

A man was attacked with a machete at a shop in Lye near Dudley this morning, police say.

Officers were alerted to the incident in High Street at about 09:30 and think it was a targeted attack, with no risk to the wider public.

A 36-year-old man was taken to hospital with what police - who shut High Street - described as "serious" but not life-threatening head injuries.

Enquiries are under way to identify those responsible.

A Wolverhampton man who tortured a three-year-old boy over 11 days has had his prison sentence increased at the Court of Appeal.

Kuzivakwasha Chigariro, 23, caused at least 28 injuries including a serious arm fracture, burns and numerous bites all over the child's body.

He pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent and was jailed for five years and four months in April.

But the appeal judges have today ruled that the sentence was unduly lenient and increased it to eight years.

Hugh Grant offers £1,000 for the "safe return" of blind WW2 veteran Alfred Barlow's medals.

A senior West Midlands Police figure says sickness and mental health problems are rife in the force.

It comes as the chief constable of the West Midlands force called on the government to increase funding, external to offset operational pressures.

DI Warren Hines warns that a heavy workload is affecting wellbeing.

Birmingham Mail

Officers seized 30,000 illegal cigarettes, external in a series of raids on Birmingham shops.

Simon Glover
BBC Online

The Interim Chair of West Midlands Police Federation has written an open letter, external to MPs in the region urging them to support a funding boost for the force.

Image source, West Midlands Police Federation

Tom Cuddeford says the government needs to act on the party pledges that were made during the election campaign to keep the nation "safe and secure" by recruiting more police officers.

The force's chief constable Dave Thompson has said of budget cuts the "strain is showing".

Mark Regan
BBC WM Sport

West Bromwich Albion has told the Premier League that it remains ready to carry out a pilot scheme for "safe standing".

Image source, Getty Images

It's after league bosses sent a letter to all 20 clubs in the top flight asking whether they would be willing to reintroduce standing sections in their grounds on a test basis.

The Baggies' director of operations Mark Miles has indicated that the home and away sections at the Smethwick End would be the most likely site if the club were to go ahead with a pilot.

The squeeze on police funding has left police and crime commissioners needing to increase local taxation "to the maximum" while many forces are using "considerable reserves to maintain current staff numbers," says the chief constable of West Midlands Police.

In a blog, he warns counter-terror policing is "in no place to deliver efficiency savings" and also calls on the Government to cut red tape as a means to ease pressures.

"It's also time to ask why a growing proportion of the police budget is being allocated to managing complaints or non-policing spend at a time when our core role is under strain," he said.

Mr Thompson said extra spending should target the growing cyber threat and urged policymakers "to think very carefully about the need for enhanced protection for our officers who run towards the terrorists".

The Liberal Democrat Equalities spokesperson has urged engineering firms, external to make use of the "incredible" talent pool of women workers across the UK.

Baroness Burt of Solihull says leaders within the industry need to seize advantage of the benefits that diversity can provide as well as encouraging female leaders within the sector to "blaze a trail" for future generations of female engineers.

Walsall sign goalkeeper Mark Gillespie on a two-year contract from Carlisle United on a free transfer.

Britain's tennis star Johanna Konta has insisted her second round exit at the Aegon Classic in Birmingham isn't a blow.

Image source, Getty Images

It follows her defeat to Coco Vandewegh in straight sets at the Edgbaston Priory Club yesterday.