Summary

  • Updates from Monday 25 to Friday 29 September

  1. Hants struggle after Sibley carries batpublished at 19:03 British Summer Time 26 September 2017

    Warwickshire's bowlers fight back after Hampshire bowl out the Bears for 188, in which Dom Sibley carried his bat.

    Read More
  2. Dalian Atkinson forensic tests delayedpublished at 18:31 British Summer Time 26 September 2017

    Toxicology samples are being re-tested after problems at a forensic testing firm, an inquest hears.

    Read More
  3. Our coverage across the daypublished at 18:00 British Summer Time 26 September 2017

    The Live team is back from 08:00 on Wednesday.

  4. Questions to Prime Minister Theresa Maypublished at 17:47 British Summer Time 26 September 2017

    Patrick Burns
    Political editor, Midlands

    This week I'm poised to speak to PM Thersea May.

    From Brexit to restless backbenchers, I'll be speaking to her about the important issues of the moment. Including Birmingham's bins.

    Inevitably this will form the basis of my conversation as she prepares for the Conservative conference.

    While Labour have been feeling the heat, the West Midlands Conservative mayor Andy Street has not been entirely fire-proof.

    Bin bags in BirminghamImage source, Getty Images

    As the strike wore on and the bin bags piled up, he came under attack on social media after telling Midlands Today that despite calls for him to get involved, he must not interfere in an issue for which he had no responsibility.

    Technically he was quite right.

    But there is a general perception that this new-style mayoral role is about much more than the sum of its parts, projecting a wider and more all-embracing style of leadership and political accountability.

    Read more on my blog.

  5. Velo Birmingham apologises over pit stop problemspublished at 17:39 British Summer Time 26 September 2017

    The organisers of Birmingham Velo have apologised to cyclists after some participants missed out on food and water at some of its pit-stops along the 100-mile route.

    A statement says: "No excuses, as organisers we hold our hands up and we will learn from the issues experienced and improve things for next year."

    Velo Birmingham ridersImage source, Velo Birmingham

    Riders have complained over long queues for water - and neither food or water at the halfway mark.

    Entrant Tom Wilson wrote on Facebook:, external "I was in the final wave to leave and the problems hit us HARD! I didn't get ANY water from any of the pit stops because of how long the queues were for the ONE tap and had to rely solely on the good graces of people lining the route to get me through it."

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’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 twitter post
  6. Weather: A mixture of sunshine and rain over the next few dayspublished at 17:30 British Summer Time 26 September 2017

    Alex Hamilton
    BBC Weather

    We're forecasting a mixture of sunshine, rain and cloud over the next few days, but it should be a dry night for most of us - lows of 14C (57F).

    Media caption,

    Weather forecast for the West Midlands

  7. Meet one of Walsall's brainiest kidspublished at 17:07 British Summer Time 26 September 2017

    Bob Hockenhull
    BBC Midlands Today

    At the age of 10, Toby Liu has just been accepted into the brainiest club in Britain.

    Media caption,

    Walsall boy, 10, joins Mensa elite with IQ of 160

    The Walsall schoolboy is one of the youngest to pass the Mensa test.

    Toby came out with an IQ of 160 which puts his smarts among the top 2% of the population - and all before he leaves primary school.

  8. Football: Brewers to welcome Villa to the Pirelli Stadiumpublished at 16:53 British Summer Time 26 September 2017

    BBC Sport

    Burton Albion hope to have defenders Jake Buxton and John Brayford fit after both suffered minor injuries in Saturday's draw with QPR.

    Tonight's game, against Aston Villa, kicks off at 19:45.

    Nigel CloughImage source, Rex Features
  9. Husband 'killed wife in murder-suicide'published at 16:35 British Summer Time 26 September 2017

    James Barnes updated his Facebook profile image hours before the bodies were found.

    Read More
  10. 'Murder-suicide' couple are James and Amy Barnes, BBC understandspublished at 16:24 British Summer Time 26 September 2017

    A husband and wife whose bodies were discovered in the early hours following a "murder-suicide" are James and Amy Barnes, the BBC understands.

    Police suspect Mr Barnes killed his wife before taking his own life.

    His body was discovered in the garden of a property in Streetly shortly after midnight, with hers found about 40 minutes later at a property in Rednal, Birmingham.

    Shortly before he died, the profile picture on Mr Barnes' Facebook page was updated to a wedding photograph.

    James Barnes Facebook profile pictureImage source, Facebook

    Police remain at both scenes.

    Selfie of James and Amy BarnesImage source, Amy Barnes
  11. Meet The Apprentice's James - aka 'Del Boy'published at 15:56 British Summer Time 26 September 2017

    Stephanie Barnard
    BBC Local Live

    A 26-year-old from Birmingham is among the 18 career-hungry candidates in the new series of The Apprentice.

    James White, one of The Apprentice candidates

    Meet James White who runs his own IT recruitment firm and believes no one has ambition like him. Oh and he likes white collar boxing and used to have the nickname Del Boy.

    And here's the rest of Alan Sugar's candidates....

  12. Couple dead in 'murder suicide'published at 15:14 British Summer Time 26 September 2017

    West Midlands Police is investigating a suspected murder-suicide.

    Read More
  13. MP's office evacuated over white powderpublished at 14:39 British Summer Time 26 September 2017

    A caseworker was put in a hazard protection suit after handling the powder contained in an envelope.

    Read More
  14. Investigations into 'murder-suicide' continuepublished at 14:33 British Summer Time 26 September 2017

    Lindsay Doyle
    BBC Midlands Today

    Police remain at the scene of two properties at which the bodies of a husband and wife were found in the early hours.

    The West Midlands force suspects the man murdered her in Cofton Park Close, Rednal (pictured), before killing himself in the garden of a property in Linforth Drive, Streetly.

    Both are said to be in their 30s.

    Police in Rednal, Cofton Park Close

    Post mortems are due to be carried out in the coming days.

    Map of Birmingham showing where the two murder scenes are
  15. White powder sent to MP's office 'not harmful'published at 13:57 British Summer Time 26 September 2017

    Police say an investigation continues into the white powder sent in an envelope to an MP's office this morning, although they don't believe it to be hazardous.

    The West Midlands force says the staff member who came into contact with the mystery substance at the constituency base of Mike Wood - MP for Dudley South - suffered no ill-effects.

    Police attended High Street in Wordsley at about 10:30.

    The MP was not in the office at the time and it was evacuated, although people have returned.

    The staff member was quarantined in an ambulance and given a hazard protection suit.

  16. MP's office evacuated after white powder sent in postpublished at 13:35 British Summer Time 26 September 2017

    Rob Mayor
    Political reporter, BBC WM

    An MP's constituency office has been evacuated after a staff member opened an envelope with a suspicious white powdery substance inside.

    The worker was quarantined in an ambulance this morning and given a hazard protection suit, said Mike Wood, member for Dudley South.

    He says it is yet to be established whether the substance is hazardous, although people have been permitted to return to the office. He added the Fire service and police - who have been contacted by the BBC for comment - were investigating, and parliamentary authorities notified.

    Mike Wood, MP for Dudley SouthImage source, parliament.uk
    Quote Message

    It could have been a lot worse. We don’t know what the white powder was, whether talcum powder, or something more sinister."

    Mike Wood, MP for Dudley South

    Mr Wood was not in the office when the substance was discovered.

    A letter accompanying the powder, he said, contained an "anti-Islamic rant".

  17. Councillor in anti-Muslim tweet probe suspendedpublished at 13:02 British Summer Time 26 September 2017

    Clare Lissaman
    BBC News Online

    A Conservative councillor has been suspended by his party over allegations he shared anti-Muslim tweets.

    The Tories have also suspended Jeff Potts from Solihull Council's religious education committee.

    Jeff Potts and Solihull CouncilImage source, Solihull Council / Google

    Mr Potts, who represents the authority's Knowle ward, also asked is "anybody surprised?" while retweeting negative stories about immigrants on Twitter.

    Mr Potts declined to comment when contacted by the BBC.

  18. Take the Gareth Barry Baggies test - no really, there is onepublished at 12:33 British Summer Time 26 September 2017

    BBC Sport

    West Brom midfielder Gareth Barry made his 633rd Premier League appearance on Monday, breaking Ryan Giggs' record.

    From starting out in the Aston Villa back three to winning the title with Manchester City, Barry has racked up the miles and the milestones.

    But how well do you know his career? Take our quiz and find out.

    Gareth Barry BBC Sport quizImage source, BBC Sport