Midlands Live: Breaking news and local stories

Summary

Post-mortem test on boy, 7, 'inconclusive'
Birmingham could face rivals in bid to host Commonwealth Games
Husband jailed for life after admitting wife's murder
Girl found 'safe' after huge police hunt in Coventry park
Dance teacher, 72, guilty of child sex abuse
RBS to close 11 branches in the West Midlands
Hospital A&E to offer routine HIV test
Veterans protest over charity closure
Updates on Friday 1 December
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Live Reporting

Moeen Ali 'injury doubt' to bowl for England in next Ashes Testpublished at 07:53 Greenwich Mean Time 1 December 2017
Allen Cook
BBC News
Worcestershire and England spinner Moeen Ali will undergo a fitness test to see if he's able to bowl in the second Ashes Test which starts in Adelaide tomorrow.
Image source, Getty Images
Moeen suffered a split finger in the 10-wicket defeat at Brisbane and England admitted the extent of his injury is still causing concern.
However, they say he'll play as a specialist batsman at number six even if he can’t bowl.
Charities fear income will droppublished at 07:42 Greenwich Mean Time 1 December 2017
BBC Midlands Today
Charities in the West Midlands region are the least optimistic in the country about their ability to grow next year according to a report published today.
The survey by the Weston Charity Awards, external suggested 76% of charity leaders surveyed in the region feel their income will stagnate or decline over the next year compared with 64% nationally.
In spite of financial pressures, just over half of West Midlands charities expect to provide services to more local people in 2018.
Image source, PA
Fire service pushes for 5% rise in its share of council taxpublished at 07:32 Greenwich Mean Time 1 December 2017
Phil McCann
Cheshire Political Reporter, BBC News
The portion of council tax that funds Cheshire Fire Service could increase by 5% next year, under options due to be considered by councillors.
It would mean an extra £3.60 a year for the average Band D house.
However, at the moment, under government rules, the fire service can only increase its share of the bill by just under 2% unless it holds a referendum.
Officials at Cheshire Fire Service and councillors on the fire authority say they are hoping the government will change the law so they can increase council tax without asking people to vote for it.
'Dull man' fails to pique interest in crane calendarpublished at 07:20 Greenwich Mean Time 1 December 2017
A Redditch man, who has been labelled one of Britain's dullest men by the Dull Men's Club, has released a 2018 calendar featuring cranes.
Kevin Beresford said he had only sold two copies so far.
Image source, Getty Images
The 65-year-old has previously released calendars featuring photos of phone boxes, post boxes and roundabouts.
Frosty, icy but could it be about to get a little warmer?published at 07:07 Greenwich Mean Time 1 December 2017
Charlie Slater
BBC Weather presenter
Another frosty, icy start for us here in the West Midlands but it may be turning warmer, particularly over the weekend - here's today's forecast.
You can also keep up-to-date with the latest weather for your area by heading to the BBC Weather website.
Media caption,
Charlie Slater
Welcome to the start of Friday's live coveragepublished at 07:00 Greenwich Mean Time 1 December 2017
Allen Cook
BBC News
Good morning everyone, it's another cold and frosty one, so wrap up warm if you go out and we'll keep you updated through today.
There'll be the weather forecast for the region shortly and, through Friday, the latest news, sport, travel and more.
You can share your thoughts and photos of the area with us via email, Twitter, external and Facebook., external
Our live coverage across the daypublished at 19:00 Greenwich Mean Time 30 November 2017
Andy Giddings
BBC News
We'll be back with the news, sport, travel and weather from 07:00 tomorrow, but keep an eye out here for more updates this evening and into the morning.
'Options limited' for Port Vale bosspublished at 18:57 Greenwich Mean Time 30 November 2017
Lee Blakeman
Port Vale commentator, BBC Radio Stoke
Port Vale manager Neil Aspin says he doesn't have a strong enough squad to make wholesale changes for the upcoming cup and trophy games.
Vale have lost their last two matches, but despite having a squad of 35 players, he said he hasn't got many options.
Image source, Port Vale FC
Aspin also said that the players have proved "that when they play to their maximum they can get results".
Quote Message
You can only wring changes if there's people who are going to come in and improve the team. I haven't got a magic wand, you're working with the players and the players we've got to work with have got to do better."
Neil Aspin, Port Vale manager
Size matters for Lichfield ice skaterspublished at 18:54 Greenwich Mean Time 30 November 2017
An ice rink with space for 30 people a time has been getting complaints it is too small.
It was set up in a Lichfield car park outside the Three Spires Shopping centre.
The centre said the rink added to the Christmas experience.
Media caption,
Lichfield visitors complain Christmas ice rink is too small
In the papers: Optimism over speedway club's futurepublished at 18:49 Greenwich Mean Time 30 November 2017
Halesowen News
These are among the top stories on the Halesowen News website today:
Doctor sacked for eye operation mistakepublished at 18:44 Greenwich Mean Time 30 November 2017
A doctor working at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust has lost his job after making a mistake during an operation.
The locum was working in the opthalmology department when the incident happened and it led to the wrong kind of lens being inserted into a patient's eye.
The incident has been reported to NHS England as a "never event" - so called as they should never happen.
Image source, Getty Images
The chief executive of Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, Simon Wright, said the temporary stand-in "simply didn't follow the process and that was down to the personal judgement of that individual".
Quote Message
This is the challenge that we are facing when you're not substantively appointing people."
Simon Wright, Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust chief executive
Ebanks-Blake wants to be mentor at Telfordpublished at 18:36 Greenwich Mean Time 30 November 2017
Nick Southall
Journalist, BBC Shropshire
AFC Telford United striker Sylvan Ebanks-Blake says he wants to help with the development of younger players at the club.
The former Wolves player scored twice in a 4-2 win over Droylsden at the weekend.
Image source, Tim Roberts
The 31-year-old isn't ready to go into coaching full-time though, saying he still has a "burning desire" to play the game.
Quote Message
I've been lucky enough to have a good career and if I can offer something to the younger players here then that's good, whether it be locally or trying to lead by example."
Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, AFC Telford United striker
Talks agreed to examine local impact from HS2 constructionpublished at 18:31 Greenwich Mean Time 30 November 2017
Vicky Norton
BBC Radio Stoke
The government's agreed to hold talks over the effect of the proposed high-speed HS2 rail link across Staffordshire.
Image source, HS2
Council leaders have raised concerns over the scale of construction work due to take place, and the likely disruption on roads in the immediate area.
Quote Message
Would he meet with me and other Staffordshire MPs and indeed Staffordshire County Council and the city of Stoke-on-Trent and Highways England to ensure that adequate preparations or more than adequate preparations are put in place so that we don't see damage to regional and national businesses as a result of the construction of this railway, if it indeed goes ahead?"
Jeremy Lefroy, Stafford MP
The Rail Minister Paul Maynard said he'd be happy to discuss the matter, saying it was absolutely critical that the impact of local roads is understood.
Borough council leader to step downpublished at 18:26 Greenwich Mean Time 30 November 2017
The leader of Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council is stepping down next May after 31 years of service
Councillor Dennis Harvey said it was the right time to hand the baton on.
Image source, Google
More freezing temperatures forecastpublished at 18:20 Greenwich Mean Time 30 November 2017
Shefali Oza
BBC Midlands Today
We are in for another frosty night, with council gritting lorries taking to the roads.
Temperatures tomorrow will be only just above freezing.
Media caption,
BBC weather forecast for the West Midlands
'Tough start' to FA Cup a challenge for Crewe teampublished at 18:18 Greenwich Mean Time 30 November 2017
Graham McGarry
Crewe Alexandra commentator, BBC Radio Stoke
The Crewe manager David Artell says the draw for the opening two rounds of the FA Cup has not been kind to his club.
They go to Blackburn on Sunday after knocking fellow League One side Rotherham out in the first round.
Image source, Getty Images
Artell said it would be a "challenge" to make it through to the third round, but that they would go into the game with "no fear".
Quote Message
I'm not sure anyone else who is still in the competition has had two tougher draws that what we've had, unless they've drawn Wigan and Shrewsbury."
David Artell, Crewe Alexandra manager
Plans for new tower blocks backed by councilpublished at 18:08 Greenwich Mean Time 30 November 2017
Phil Bowers
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke
Plans for two new apartment blocks on the Smithfield site in Stoke-on-Trent , externalhave been recommended for approval by Stoke-on-Trent City Council.
The proposals are for two 11-storey blocks which will hold 277 flats, a gym and shops in Hanley.
A final decision on the proposals is expected next week by the authority's planning committee.
Births to stop at three rural unitspublished at 18:00 Greenwich Mean Time 30 November 2017
They will become maternity hubs under a planned shake-up of services in Shropshire.
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Proposal for no more births at rural maternity unitspublished at 17:59 Greenwich Mean Time 30 November 2017
Women will no longer be able to give birth at maternity units in Ludlow, Bridgnorth and Oswestry, under plans being put forward by Shropshire health commissioners.
Instead they will have to give birth in either Shrewsbury, Telford, or a hospital out of the county, or have a home birth.
The units will remain open for antenatal and postnatal care.
The three rural units stopped delivering babies in July, as a temporary measure, after a series of problems caused by staff shortages.
The Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Groups say the units aren't used enough and that basing their midwife teams in Shrewsbury and Telford would make it easier to cover absences.
Quote Message
Even though we want to offer choice and we are offering choice, we have to balance that against what we know about the levels of activity and the difficulties we have in staffing the current system."
Dr Jess Sokolov, Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group
George Best egg sells for £12,000published at 17:51 Greenwich Mean Time 30 November 2017
A Fabergé egg which opens up to reveal a model of George Best has sold at auction in Ludlow for £12,000.
Auctioneers Mullocks said they couldn't reveal the identity of the winning bidder.
Image source, Mullocks Auctions
The egg - decorated with gold, silver and diamonds - had been listed with a guide price of between £13,000 and £15,000.