BBC Local Live: Birmingham and the Black Country

Summary

Birmingham bin strike resumes
Lost Crossroads episodes discovered
Kidnapped estate agent Stephanie Slater dies
Callum Lees death: Man charged with murder
Boy, 11, killed by lorry
Man shot in leg
Updates from Friday 1 September 2017

Live Reporting

'Significant' oil spillage being cleared on motorwaypublished at 17:22 British Summer Time 31 August 2017
Traffic held on the M6 southbound between M6 Toll and J3 for Coventry following an oil spillage has been released, Highways England says.
An operation to clean up the spillage, which was caused by a crash, means one lane is currently closed and causing delays.
This X post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on X
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Skip X post
Allow X content?
This article contains content provided by X. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read X’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
End of X post
Man in coma after city centre assaultpublished at 17:10 British Summer Time 31 August 2017
A man is in a coma with a life-threatening head injury after he was seriously assaulted in Birmingham, police say.
The West Midlands force believes the 20-year-old was struck before falling and hitting his head during a "confrontation" between two groups of men on Ladywell Walk at about 04:15 on Monday.
Police say his condition has deteriorated and he has been placed in an induced coma.
Image source, Google
Image caption,
Ladywell Walk
Quote Message
We've already spoken to a number of witnesses, but I know there are many more who haven’t yet come forward and I’d urge them to do so as soon as possible. This is a very serious incident where a young man has been left with severe head injuries."
DI Tom Hadley, West Midlands Police
Exeter sign Boateng and Stockleypublished at 16:59 British Summer Time 31 August 2017
Exeter City sign Jayden Stockley and Hiram Boateng, while West Brom duo Kane Wilson and Kyle Edwards join on loan.
Read More
Teacher sent pupil indecent emoji photospublished at 16:56 British Summer Time 31 August 2017
Chemistry teacher Christopher Wood was jailed for 15 months at Birmingham Crown Court.
Read More
Seven-vehicle accident on M42published at 16:48 British Summer Time 31 August 2017
There's been an accident on the M42 northbound at junction four for Birmingham.
Solihull Fire said , externalsix cars and one van were involved but no one was seriously injured.
Image source, Solihull Fire
Your pictures: Sunny Solihull and dazzling Delphpublished at 16:34 British Summer Time 31 August 2017
BBC Weather
Here's a couple of our favourite BBC Weather Watcher pictures.
This first one was taken in sunny Solihull by Elle Niño.
Image source, Elle Niño.
Laura and Glenn snapped this picture in Delph.
Image source, Laura and Glenn
If you have a weather photo you'd like to share, you can send them in to us here.
Teacher used emojis to cover his genitals in photos sent to schoolgirlpublished at 16:02 British Summer Time 31 August 2017
A chemistry teacher who sent a schoolgirl indecent photographs of himself with his genitals covered by smiley face emojis has been jailed for 15 months.
Christopher Wood, who taught at a school in Solihull, sent the youngster images of himself having sex.
The 33-year-old, formerly of Dorridge, was convicted of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity after a trial heard how he used emojis to censor the images.
Image source, West Midlands Police
Ambrose hits ton but Lancs beat Bearspublished at 15:59 British Summer Time 31 August 2017
Lancashire beat the rain to clinch an eight-wicket win over Division One bottom side Warwickshire at Old Trafford.
Read More
MEP calls on councils to open transit sites for travellerspublished at 15:44 British Summer Time 31 August 2017
BBC WM
A West Midlands MEP is urging councils to open transit sites to help tackle unauthorised travellers camps.
The first in the region has just opened in Sandwell.
UKIP's Jim Carver claims using spare pieces of land could save local authorities hundred of thousands of pounds of taxpayers' cash.
Quote Message
If we can actually make these provisions available it makes it far easier to enforce...let's actually address this."
Jim Carver, MEP
Cricket: Warwickshire lose to Lancashirepublished at 15:26 British Summer Time 31 August 2017
BBC Sport
Warwickshire have lost their county championship match against Lancashire by eight wickets.
It was a low-key ending at Old Trafford as a ball from Jeetan Patel to Dane Vilas runs away for four byes.
Warwickshire now face up to the task of probably having to win at least three of their four remaining games to have a chance of beating the drop into Division two for 2018.
Cricket: Lancashire heading for victorypublished at 14:59 British Summer Time 31 August 2017
BBC Sport
Kyle Jarvis cleans up Warwickshire's number 11 for match figures of 8-144.
A good effort by the Lancashire paceman and they need just 41 runs for what will be their fourth Championship win of the season and one which will cement them in second place in the Division One table.
It's been a fluent start by Alex Davies, with two boundaries in keith Barker's opening over. Just 31 more needed as Haseeb Hameed takes strike against Jeetan Patel at the other end.
Wolves captain sets up charity to help homelesspublished at 14:44 British Summer Time 31 August 2017
BBC WM
Wolverhampton Wanderers Captain Danny Batth has started a charity to help homeless people in the Black Country as well as young women in India.
Foundation DB is going to work with the YMCA as well as supporting girls who might find themselves in a forced marriage.
Danny told BBC WM that after a visit to India, it's a cause that's close to his heart.
Image source, PA
Quote Message
A lot of the girls out there go without education and without any form of goals or aspirations and are often married off at the age of 13 and that was one of the turning points that made me want to do more."
Danny Batth, Footballer
On this week's front page: Anger as club set to reopenpublished at 14:14 British Summer Time 31 August 2017
Stourbridge News
On this week's front page: Heartbroken relatives of Ryan Passey, external who was fatally stabbed at Chicago's say they are "extremely disappointed" the Stourbridge nightspot is to re-open before the popular footballer has even been laid to rest and they are urging pub bosses to rethink their decision.
Image source, Stourbridge News
Cricket: Play under way at Old Traffordpublished at 13:41 British Summer Time 31 August 2017
Following a wash-out at Old Trafford this morning, play is finally under way on day four of Warwickshire's match against Lancashire.
Image source, Getty Images
You can listen to live ball-by-ball coverage via the BBC Sport website.
Coming up on BBC Midlands Today: Pressure mounts over bin disputepublished at 13:29 British Summer Time 31 August 2017
BBC Midlands Today
A union is stepping up pressure on Birmingham City Council to agree terms on a deal to end the bin dispute.
After two months of disrupted collections, not to mention anger from taxpayers, strike action by Unite members is currently suspended ahead of a crucial meeting of councillors tomorrow.
The union has warned there'll be more walkouts if agreement on terms and conditions isn't reached.
Our reporter Giles Latcham will have more on BBC One at 13:30.
'Legal high' law yields 26 convictionspublished at 13:06 British Summer Time 31 August 2017
Twenty-six people have been convicted under "psychoactive substances" laws in the first six months since they were introduced - but none involve West Midlands Police proceedings.
It follows almost 500 arrests over the same period following a ban on new drugs like Spice.
An addiction charity says laws alone will not tackle the problems of people in "zombie-like" states.
The Home Office said over 300 retailers across the UK had closed or stopped selling psychoactive substances.
Tributes paid to shop worker killed in horror crashpublished at 13:03 British Summer Time 31 August 2017
Express and Star
"He was a nice guy who had a private life and few friends but my mother was very happy with him." The words of a family member of Iana Dumitru, who was killed on Sunday following a horror smash in Penn, Wolverhampton., external
Cricket: Morning wash-out at Old Traffordpublished at 12:40 British Summer Time 31 August 2017
Umpires Russell Evans and David Millns have decided there will be no play between Warwickshire and Lancashire before lunch.
Let's hope the weather above Old Trafford eases later on.
Man pulls 'gun' on firefighterspublished at 12:20 British Summer Time 31 August 2017
A man pointed what appeared to be a handgun at firefighters attending a blaze in Birmingham last night.
West Midlands Fire Service said crews were called to Gregory Avenue, Weoley Castle, at 19:00 after smoke was seen coming from an electricity supply box, with a mains cable traced to a terrace house where 300 cannabis plants were found.
As firefighters dealt with flames at the suspected drugs factory, a man walked past and pointed a fake gun at two of them.
Image source, @SnapperSK
Image caption,
A police officer recovers material from a suspected cannabis factory
A passing PCSO on patrol detained the man until colleagues arrived.
A man aged 20, arrested on suspicion of possessing an imitation firearm - with intent to cause fear of violence - is in police custody.
Princess Diana remembered 20 years onpublished at 12:15 British Summer Time 31 August 2017
Alex Lester
Presenter, BBC WM
It's 20 years today since Princess Diana died in a car crash in Paris and some of you have been telling me about your memories of meeting her.
The Princess of Wales came to Selly Oak in December 1988 to open the Acorns children's hospice.
Hardev Notta is the South Asian communities advisor for Acorns and was there on the day.
Media caption,
Remembering Diana
Quote Message
She could get to the level of everybody so whether it's a child with a disability, or parents who have lost loved ones...she had that knack to support and have empathy.
Hardev Notta, Advisor for Acorns