Summary

  • Updates from Monday 22 January to Sunday 28 January

  • Click on Related Stories to view stories from your area

Live Reporting

  1. Travel: Police incident blocking M6 J10-10A ended

    BBC News Travel

    The police incident on the M6, which blocked it both ways from J10 to 10A, is over, says Highways England:

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  3. West Midlands unemployment rises to 155,000

    Allen Cook
    BBC News

    The number of unemployed people in the West Midlands region rose by 6,000 to 155,000 in the three months to November, official figures show.

    Job Centre signGetty Images

    The Office for National Statistics said the region's unemployment rate for the period is 5.5%, compared to 4.3% for the whole of the UK.

    But, compared to the same period in 2016, the number of jobless in the West Midlands fell by 6,000.

  4. Historic house restored in £5m project

    The restoration includes a new play area, sports courts, water fountains and pathways.

    Read More

  5. Football: Harriers put four past FC United of Manchester

    BBC Sport

    Kidderminster Harriers beat FC United of Manchester 4-0 at Aggborough last night.

    All four goals came in a 25-minute spell in the second half and their opponents ended the match with 10 men.

    AggboroughGetty Images

    They are up to sixth place in the National League North table, four points off the play-off places.

  6. Mother says council mistake 'will make her homeless'

    Alec Blackman
    BBC Coventry & Warwickshire

    A mother from Coventry says a mistake by the city council's led to her becoming homeless.

    Sara Brown told BBC Coventry and Warwickshire the authority stopped paying her housing benefit, thinking she'd moved out of her home.

    She says she was told it started with a prank phone call claiming she'd relocated.

    Coventry City CouncilGoogle

    Sara says she hadn't but has now been given notice to quit by her landlord because the rent's not been paid.

    The city council says it's aware of the issue and looking at it as a matter of urgency, adding it will do all it can to help.

    If I stay to the end of the contract when I have to leave, which would be on the 23rd of February, I have to wait until either the bailiffs come and forcibly move me out of the property or I leave on my own accord and be homeless

    Sara Brown, Coventry mother

  8. Tree blocks railway lines between Worcester and Oxford

    BBC News Travel

    A fallen tree's blocking the train line this morning between Worcester's Shrub Hill station and Oxford:

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  9. Search for missing man continues after fire

    Andy Giddings
    BBC News

    The search is resuming this morning for a man who has been missing since a serious house fire in Shropshire on Monday night.

    The house at Oreton, near Cleobury Mortimer, was seriously damaged and Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service says it fears the shell of the building could collapse - it may call in a structural engineer later.

    Fire engine

    West Mercia Police says the cause of the fire is currently unknown, but is not being treated as suspicious at this time.

  10. Chip shop competes for national crown

    A Worcestershire fish and chip shop owner is competing in the final of the Fish and Chip Shop of the Year competition in London.

    Theo Ellinas, from the Golden Carp in Redditch, is in the national final representing the Midlands and has to give a presentation in front of judges today, to explain why he thinks his chippy is the best.

    Fish and chipsGetty Images

    The award winners are due to be announced at a ceremony tomorrow.

    There's nine other, really good finalists and whatever the outcome, it's been a great road

    Theo Ellinas, The Golden Carp

  11. Three flood warnings for Hereford

    Vicky Breakwell
    BBC Hereford and Worcester

    Three flood warnings are still in place for Hereford this morning with the Environment Agency saying flooding is expected in the area.

    River Wye this week in HerefordEnvironment Agency / Dave Throup

    They're all for the River Wye and the water level is expected to peak later today.

    The agency's also issued a number of flood alerts - meaning flooding is possible - for parts of the West Midlands and you can see a full list here.

  12. Overturned lorry sheds cheese load

    The A5 southbound was closed at Chirk, near Wrexham, for about eight hours but has now reopened.

    Read More

  13. Watch: Heavy rain sweeps across region

    It's been a very wet start for many of us in the West Midlands, with a band of heavy rain passing over the region.

    BBC Midlands Today's Joanne Malin captured the scene at about 08:30 in Bromsgrove:

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  14. Writer 'very euphoric' at getting Oscar nomination

    Liz Ellis
    Presenter, BBC Radio Stoke

    The Stoke-on-Trent-born writer of The Silent Child film says the news it's been nominated for an Oscar still hasn't sunk in.

    Rachel ShentonGetty Images

    Rachel Shenton co-wrote the movie with fellow former Hollyoaks actor Chris Overton and it's one of five to be shortlisted for the Live Action Short award.

    Their film tells the story of a profoundly deaf four-year-old girl Libby.

    It just felt like it went in slow-motion when they were announcing them. It felt like all the other categories, they were whizzing through and then it got to that one and it felt so long and then they called the name and it was very euphoric in my living room

    Rachel Shenton, Co-writer of The Silent Child

  16. 'Knife crime is now sweeping through our communities'

    Louise Hancock
    Newsreader, BBC WM

    The mother of a man who was stabbed to death in Birmingham has told BBC WM she will continue her fight against knife crime.

    Alex Leonard, 22, was killed in Woodgate Gardens last year after confronting Cameron Martin-Leon, 17, who was drunk.

    Alex LeonardFamily handout

    Police said Martin-Leon, from Bartley Green, had stabbed him in the chest after a "minor disagreement escalated". He died later in hospital.

    At Birmingham Crown Court, Martin-Leon was convicted of murder and sentenced a minimum of 14 years in prison.

    I've been thrust into a situation that is totally out of...I can't even explain what universe I'm in at the moment because it isn't the universe I used to live in or the reality I lived in. That lady, Cameron's mother, she didn't raise a murderer. Knife crime is now sweeping through our communities

    Debbie Leonard, Mother of murder victim

  17. Travel: Shed load of cheese causes problems on A5 near Oswestry

    BBC News Travel

    Part of the A5 on the Shropshire/Wales border is still closed this morning after a lorry load of cheese overturned, police say.

    It's happened on the southbound side which is closed between the A483 and the Gledrid roundabout.

    Police say the load of cheese was shed by the lorry at about 01:00 but it's now been removed - however the road may need to be repaired.

  18. Shrewsbury Town reach EFL Trophy semi-finals

    James Bond
    Sports Producer, BBC Shropshire

    Shrewsbury Town are within 90 minutes of a Wembley final after beating Oldham last night in the quarter-finals of the EFL Trophy.

    Stefan PayneGetty Images

    Stefan Payne (pictured) fired Shrewsbury ahead after just 16 seconds with his 11th goal of the season.

    Oldham equalized midway through the second-half but Alex Rodman won the game with a curling effort in the dying minutes.

  19. Trio of 'worst areas' for child poverty in Birmingham

    BBC Midlands Today

    Three of the 10 worst areas in the UK for child poverty are in Birmingham, according to a report published this morning by the End Child Poverty Coalition.

    Child sitting in doorway

    It says in Ladywood and Hodge Hill, more than half of all children there live in poverty.

    Its definition of poverty is households with an income below 60% of the UK's average.

    In contrast in the research, neighbouring Sutton Coldfield has one of the lowest rates in the country.

  20. Girl, 11, given bravery award for chasing burglar

    BBC Midlands Today

    An 11-year-old girl who chased a burglar out of her family home has been presented with a bravery award by West Midlands Police.

    Robyn Birdsell being presented with her award last night

    The force says Robyn Birdsell found him filling a rucksack with valuables at her home in Sutton Coldfield in June and chased him into the garden.

    The audience at last night's ceremony heard how he escaped, but because of her evidence, the force says he was later jailed.