Summary

  • Eight rescued from fire at flats

  • Industrial action over bins ramps up

  • Thug attacked man celebrating leukaemia recovery

  • Megson back at Baggies

  • Villa skipper's Harry Potter books

  • Man shot by police in critical but stable condition

  • 'Key witness' sought to machete attack

  • Updates from Friday 28 July 2017

  1. Man convicted of wife's murderpublished at 18:18 British Summer Time 26 July 2017

    Azad Singh killed Kulwinder Kaur after discovering her lover at their West Midlands flat.

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  2. Our coverage across the daypublished at 18:00 British Summer Time 26 July 2017

    We'll be back with our usual mix of news, sport, travel and weather from 08:00 on Thursday.

    Keep an eye out here for more updates before then.

  3. Football: New keeper starts for Bulls in friendlypublished at 17:57 British Summer Time 26 July 2017

    Hereford FC will have West Bromwich Albion keeper Ethan Ross playing for them in tonight's friendly against Cardiff.

    The Baggies have agreed that the 20-year-old can play two friendly games for the Bulls.

    Edgar StreetImage source, Getty Images

    He will play in tonight's game at Edgar Street and Monday’s game with Gloucester City at Evesham.

  4. Football: Walsall have biggest playing budget they've ever hadpublished at 17:49 British Summer Time 26 July 2017

    BBC WM Sport

    Walsall FC have issued a statement , externalreaffirming the clubs' financial commitment to the coming season.

    Walsall FC

    The Saddlers say this season's "playing budget" has been increased and that it is the biggest playing budget the club has ever had in League One.

    The statement goes on to say that funds are still available for manager John Whitney to bring more players to boost his squad.

  5. DIY SOS: Thieves used sophisticated equipment to break into vanspublished at 17:46 British Summer Time 26 July 2017

    Thieves who broke into vans belonging to tradespeople working on a DIY SOS build in West Bromwich used sophisticated equipment to get into the vehicles.

    A bricklayer had his van lock drilled to break it and a levelling laser was stolen. A local garage repaired the lock for free.

    A second van was broken into and police believe a scanner was used to overwrite the owner's key. A saw, screw driver and two angle grinders were taken.

    A third van was broken into last week but nothing was taken.

    Media caption,

    DIY SOS transforms grieving family's West Bromwich home

    The team are helping out a family whose lives were torn apart when Crystal Chambers found out aged 32 she had terminal cancer.

    She died in October 2015, leaving her two children in the care of their grandmother.

    The show's presenter Nick Knowles earlier condoned the thieves' actions.

  6. Cricket: Clarke to leave Warwickshire at end of seasonpublished at 17:42 British Summer Time 26 July 2017

    Warwickshire all-rounder Rikki Clarke is to leave Edgbaston at the end of the current season, external, the club has announced.

    Rikki ClarkeImage source, Getty Images

    The 35-year-old is to join Surrey on a two-year-deal following the expiry of his contract.

    He joined the Bears from Derbyshire in the 2008 season and has won all domestic competitions with the club.

    Quote Message

    I’ve had nine very good years at Warwickshire and would like to thank everyone there – but I’m really excited to be coming home to Surrey.

    Rikki Clarke, Outgoing Warwickshire all-rounder

  7. Man given life jail term for killing wifepublished at 17:36 British Summer Time 26 July 2017

    A man who stabbed his wife to death after finding her lover at their family home has been jailed for life after being convicted of her murder.

    Azad Singh, 46, of Gomer Street, killed mother-of-two Kulwinder Kaur after discovering the pair at his Willenhall flat in January.

    Azad SinghImage source, West Midlands Police/BBC

    A post mortem examination revealed that Mrs Kaur suffered a fatal wound to the neck after being stabbed three times.

    Singh admitted killing his 40-year-old wife to a friend but denied murder claiming he had lost his self-control after his wife had taunted him about his sexual prowess, a claim later rejected by the trial Judge.

    He was sentenced to life imprisonment to serve a minimum 14 years.

  8. Weather: A dry night, but more rain tomorrowpublished at 17:30 British Summer Time 26 July 2017

    Shefali Oza
    BBC Midlands Today

    Most of us will have a dry night, but we've got more rain forecast for tomorrow.

    Media caption,

    Weather forecast for the West Midlands

  9. Watch: Peanut the puppy finds a homepublished at 17:25 British Summer Time 26 July 2017

    Marian McNamee
    Reporter, BBC Coventry & Warwickshire

    A ten-week-old puppy has been rehomed after it was found abandoned by a roadside in Berkswell.

    The Dogs Trust charity in Kenilworth was alerted to Peanut's plight by a member of the public.

  10. Thieves target DIY SOS volunteerspublished at 17:21 British Summer Time 26 July 2017

    Vans used by builders helping transform the home of a family affected by cancer are targeted by thieves.

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  11. Man arrested in Featherstonepublished at 17:18 British Summer Time 26 July 2017

    A 48-year-old man is in custody after being arrested on suspicion of child sex offences in the Featherstone area.

    Officers were called to an address on Cannock Road just after 7:00 this morning following reports of a suspicious incident. No child was present.

    Police says a detailed investigation is now under way and are appealing for anyone with any information to step forward.

  12. Birmingham v Lancashirepublished at 17:16 British Summer Time 26 July 2017

    Listen to live BBC local radio commentary of Birmingham Bears v Lancashire Lightning in the T20 Blast.

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  13. Nick Knowles: 'Nasties' break into volunteers' vans at DIY SOS buildpublished at 17:15 British Summer Time 26 July 2017

    The presenter of DIY SOS has condemned thieves who broke into vans belonging to the workforce in West Bromwich while builders were tackling their latest life-changing project.

    Nick Knowles said volunteers, giving their time for free on the build, had tools stolen by "a few nasties", in tweets to his 100,000 followers earlier today, external.

    Mr Knowles said: "Really disappointed had two volunteer builders vans broken into on West Brom SOS - damage to Peugeot rear van door - can local dealer mend?"

    Nick Knowles

    That prompted a local Peugeot dealership to get in touch, with Mr Knowles later thanking them for their help - as well as another well-wisher who offered £30 to cover repairs.

    When one critic suggested the break-ins were typical of the area, Mr Knowles defended West Bromwich.

    He tweeted: "I don't believe it is - we've had amazing people here and I'm not going to change my mind because of a few nasties."

    He added: "It happens but you should see how many people are helping and baking cakes etc."

    Responding to another offer of help Mr Knowles said: "Thankyou, response means a lot to the guy who's worked free of charge for us for 9 days - need to replace his tools now."

  14. Birmingham pair join Solihull on loanpublished at 17:07 British Summer Time 26 July 2017

    Solihull Moors sign goalkeeper Connal Trueman and defender Dan Cleary on loan from Birmingham City until January 2018.

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  15. Parliamentary website mixes up images of women Muslim MPspublished at 17:04 British Summer Time 26 July 2017

    Parliamentary authorities have hastily edited a website displaying MPs' portraits after Shabana Mahmood's profile showed a photograph of the wrong female Muslim Labour MP.

    Birmingham Ladywood MP Ms Mahmood's page instead showed a picture of Rushanara Ali, who represents Bethnal Green and Bow.

    Responding to the mix-up, Ms Ali said: "These things happen. Sometimes I get confused between bald white male Cabinet ministers.

    "We shouldn't take these things too seriously."

    Shabana MahmoodImage source, Labour Party

    Parliamentary authorities quickly removed the photograph of Ms Ali from Ms Mahmood's profile, which currently does not display a picture.

    A disclaimer on the webpage declares "this is a test website, so may be inaccurate", but there did not appear to be any other mistakes.

    A House of Commons spokesman said: "As can happen with beta websites which are still in development, a technical error led to an incorrect photo of an MP being uploaded. The error was promptly identified and rectified."

  16. Teen suspects held over three car-jackingspublished at 16:54 British Summer Time 26 July 2017

    The teenagers arrested in a suspected stolen car have been quizzed over three car-jackings.

    Three men aged 18 and one 16-year-old were arrested on suspicion of robbery concerning recent car robberies in Jervoise Street, West Bromwich, where a Range Rover was taken and York Road, Handsworth, when a BMW was stolen by four masked offenders.

    They were also arrested in connection with a car-jacking in Erdington.

    They have been released while police investigate.

  17. Blackpool sign winger Solomon-Otaborpublished at 16:34 British Summer Time 26 July 2017

    Blackpool sign winger Viv Solomon-Otabor on loan from Championship side Birmingham City until January 2018.

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  18. West Midlands derby between Walsall and West Brompublished at 16:33 British Summer Time 26 July 2017

    Walsall stage the second and last of their high-profile pre-season friendlies against local opposition tonight.

    They welcome West Bromwich Albion to the Banks Stadium, having held Aston Villa to a goalless draw last week.

    The Baggies are also sending a squad to face Burton Albion.

    Banks StadiumImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Banks Stadium

  19. Shops are booming despite internet, insists Bullring bosspublished at 16:08 British Summer Time 26 July 2017

    BBC Business News

    Retailers will concentrate on their shops rather than online purchasing in the next few years, the boss of a chain of shopping centres says.

    David Atkins, the CEO of the firm which owns the Bullring in Birmingham told Radio 4's Today programme there was clear evidence stores are surviving against the threat of online shopping.

    "There has been an increased focus by retailers on real estate," he said.

    Bullring

    "There has been record leasing over the first half of the year and leasing volumes across our portfolio have gone up by 44%.

    "Eighty-five per cent of all retail sales happen in store and we know that another five to 10% is touched by the store.

    "The store is clearly still the dominant retail channel and that is why all the retailers we speak to and the research we do said that if the last five to 10 years have been about investing in online, in the next five to 10 years is about investing in store."