Summary

  • News and sport from Monday 30 October to Friday 3 November

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  1. How dog helps boy with autism feel safepublished at 02:28 Greenwich Mean Time 2 November 2017

    Autism assistance dog Rishi has enhanced 11-year-old Jake's life, his family says.

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  2. Preston North End 0-2 Aston Villapublished at 21:56 Greenwich Mean Time 1 November 2017

    Aston Villa climb back into the top six of the Championship as they inflict a third successive league defeat on Preston.

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  3. Birmingham City 0-2 Brentfordpublished at 21:44 Greenwich Mean Time 1 November 2017

    Dean Smith's Brentford stretch their unbeaten run in the Championship to eight games with victory at Birmingham City.

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  4. CCTV cameras in school toilets 'creepy'published at 19:53 Greenwich Mean Time 1 November 2017

    The school claims they are intended to combat bullying but parents say the surveillance is intrusive.

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  5. Legionnaires' family 'angry' over deathpublished at 19:09 Greenwich Mean Time 1 November 2017

    The family of Elaine Brown, who died after contracting Legionnaires' disease, say more could have been done to prevent her death.

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  6. Our live coverage across the daypublished at 19:00 Greenwich Mean Time 1 November 2017

    Andy Giddings
    BBC News

    We'll be back with the latest news, sport, travel and weather from 07:00 tomorrow.

  7. Leisure centre could be too expensive to reopenpublished at 18:55 Greenwich Mean Time 1 November 2017

    It could cost more than £2m to run Kidsgrove Leisure Centre over the next few years, according to a leisure company brought in to carry out a review.

    Kidsgrove Leisure CentreImage source, Google

    A community group wants to take over the running of the centre and operate it as a charity.

    But Jim Gordon Associates is recommending the centre should stay closed.

    Quote Message

    Unfortunately the building is over 42 years old and in its present condition I think you would only be throwing good money after bad. I think the only option is to stop operating it, as they have done, and then look at other options for that site

    Phil Gordon, Jim Gordon Associates

  8. Police officers threatened during arrestpublished at 18:50 Greenwich Mean Time 1 November 2017

    Two non-uniformed police officers in Leamington Spa have been threatened with what they believed to be an imitation firearm.

    It happened near the town`s pump rooms at 11:25 while the officers were detaining a man wanted for a recall to prison.

    Warwickshire Police said the item wasn't fired and there was no threat to people in the area.

  9. Wolves coach distances himself from Everton jobpublished at 18:43 Greenwich Mean Time 1 November 2017

    Rob Gurney
    BBC WM Sport

    The Wolves head coach Nuno Espirito Santo is distancing himself from speculation linking him with the vacant manager's job at Everton.

    He is third favourite with the bookies at the moment, behind Burnley boss Sean Dyche and Sam Allardyce.

    NunoImage source, Getty Images

    Wolves aren't commenting, but we believe there's been no approach from Everton and Nuno is happy at Molineux.

  10. Taxi-maker loses copyright appealpublished at 18:38 Greenwich Mean Time 1 November 2017

    Coventry`s London Taxi Company has lost a legal appeal to get the shape of the black cab registered as a trademark.

    Two appeal court judges upheld a decision by the High Court in 2016 that it wasn't distinctive enough.

    London taxisImage source, PA

    The London Taxi Company has indicated it may take the case to the Supreme Court.

  11. Driver and motorcyclist seriously injured in crashpublished at 18:30 Greenwich Mean Time 1 November 2017

    A car driver and motorcyclist are both in hospital with serious injuries after a crash in the Kings Norton area of Birmingham.

    West Midlands Ambulance Service said it was called to Uffculme Road at 11:00 and the driver of the car had to be freed from the wreckage.

    Ambulance
  12. Business leaders not happy with local development planpublished at 18:26 Greenwich Mean Time 1 November 2017

    Business leaders in Coventry say the city`s blueprint for future development doesn`t allocate enough land for economic growth.

    The city council's local plan suggests more than 40,000 homes could be built in the area by 2031 and it has been approved by a government inspector.

    House buildingImage source, PA

    The Coventry and Warwickshire chamber of commerce says the provision of employment land is woefully short of what`s needed to supply the jobs the region requires for the future.

  13. HS2 could bring new 'garden village'published at 18:18 Greenwich Mean Time 1 November 2017

    A new housing estate could be built near Stone, if an HS2 rail depot is built there.

    Stafford Borough Council said the development, which it describes as a garden village, could go on Ministry of Defence land at Cold Meece.

    Cold MeeceImage source, Google

    The council has previously opposed plans for high speed rail, but said it wants to have ideas in place to benefit from it.

  14. Watch the latest weather forecast for the West Midlandspublished at 18:02 Greenwich Mean Time 1 November 2017

    Shefali Oza
    BBC Midlands Today

    After a dry evening, cloud and patchy light rain will move into Shropshire and Staffordshire later.

    The cloud will gradually spread further south but the rain will die out. Minimum temperature 6C (43F).

    Media caption,

    Latest weather forecast for the West Midlands

  15. Sister of Hillsborough victim welcomes new reportpublished at 17:53 Greenwich Mean Time 1 November 2017

    A Bromsgrove woman, Louise Brookes, who lost her brother in the Hillsborough disaster says she is pleased with a report written by a former Bishop of Liverpool which looked at the experiences of families such as hers.

    Media caption,

    Hillsborough report praised by sister of victim

  16. The other Ryan Sidebottompublished at 17:46 Greenwich Mean Time 1 November 2017

    Australian fast bowler Ryan Sidebottom on his Warwickshire breakthrough and sharing a name with an English county stalwart.

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  17. Thieves strike building society, stealing thousandspublished at 17:42 Greenwich Mean Time 1 November 2017

    Kevin Lee
    BBC Coventry & Warwickshire

    Thousands of pounds is believed to have been taken when thieves stole money being delivered to a branch of Coventry Building Society earlier.

    Three cash boxes were snatched by robbers, external armed with crowbars as they were being delivered by security guards to the Coleshill High Street branch at 04:15.

    Coventry Building Society, ColeshillImage source, Google

    The four men, who were wearing black and wore masks, took the money as the guards were delivering the cash boxes from a security van.

    Police said nobody was injured during the attack.

  18. #BirminghamPoppyDay - city swells with military musicpublished at 17:34 Greenwich Mean Time 1 November 2017

    Sarah Bishop
    BBC Midlands Today

    Dozens of uniformed military personnel are out on the streets of of Birmingham for the city's annual Poppy Day.

    The aim is to raise more than £50,000 in 24 hours and to get people in the mood for giving as the city is surrounded by the sounds of military music.

    Poppy Day in Birmingham

    Some military wives have been out in force at New Street station singing to commuters and one of the West Midlands military bands has also been performing at Birmingham Airport.

    In Victoria Square this morning the Gurkhas played outside Birmingham's Council House and later they'll be heading to the city's main railway station as commuters pack into the station.

    Last year the charity raised more than £54,000 - today they said they'd like to exceed that target.

    Military wives singing in Birmingham
  19. Banned teacher was 'outstanding'published at 17:22 Greenwich Mean Time 1 November 2017

    A Herefordshire teacher who has been given an indefinite ban after cocaine was found in his home, external, appeared to be an "outstanding teacher", the teaching standards body has said.

    William Evans, who taught at the Queen Elizabeth Humanities College in Bromyard, had also admitted taking cocaine and received a police caution in October last year.

    CocaineImage source, Science Photo Library

    The National College for Teaching and Leadership found him guilty of conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute, but noted he'd had no previous history of criminal behaviour and his head teacher had described him as a "strong teacher with valuable skills".

    But the panel has decided "public interest considerations" should outweigh the interests of the teacher.