BBC Midlands Today

He's a twice Grammy Award winner and now he's to be honoured on a walk of fame.

Black Sabbath legend Geezer Butler will get his star at a presentation at the Aston Villa ground tomorrow before being honoured on Birmingham's Walk of Stars, external this weekend.

Image source, Getty Images

The bassist and lyricist was born in Aston in 1949 and went on to form the heavy metal band with Tony Iommi, Ozzy Osborne and Bill Ward.

BBC News England

A woman who believes she is a relative of a victim of a gruesome murder has called for a DNA test in a bid to end speculation about the victim's identity.

A headless torso was found in the River Severn near Gloucester in 1938.

The victim has never been officially identified because the head and hands were never found, but it is widely believed to be Capt William Butt.

Karen Drinkwater, from Strensham, wants a bone which has been held in a police archive to be tested to prove it was him.

Gloucestershire Police said it was "very unlikely" any new information would come to light, however any "new and compelling evidence" could change that.

Jack Dowling
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke

Nine derelict sites, including two former potteries, are to be cleaned up and used for housing., external

About 1,100 homes will be built on brownfield sites in Stoke-on-Trent after the city council was given £10m from the government to help the clearing process.

Image source, Google

The sites include the former Royal Doulton and Wade factories.

BBC Sport

Worcestershire's Moeen Ali and Warwickshire's Chris Woakes have been named in England's 15-man squad for the five-match one-day series against New Zealand.

Image source, Getty Images

The series starts on 25 February.

England will face New Zealand in two Tests in March following the ODI series.

More minor crimes will be dealt with over the phone, after what police say was a successful trial-run.

Staffordshire Police has dealt with 1,400 minor offences in this way since introducing the changes in December.

The force says that by the summer calls to the non-emergency 101 number will be put through to a resolution center which will gather audio and video evidence.

Chief Constable Gareth Morgan said it would allow him to put police officers to other uses but they would still be sent out to investigate crimes where necessary.

BBC Midlands Today

A mother whose son was killed in a knife attack five years ago is hosting a special awards ceremony tonight , externalfor children who aren't in mainstream education.

Joshua Ribera from Birmingham was a rising rap star when he was stabbed through the heart during a party in 2013.

His mother says he was excluded from school but still became successful.

Alison Cope says she wants to see children in alternative education rewarded for their efforts, external.

Express and Star

The Express and Star has these stories:

• How teenage killer was brought to justice despite no witnesses, no weapon and no CCTV, external
• Rogue roofers conned pensioner out of £1k, external
• Sandwell's £60 million Commonwealth Games aquatics centre moves a step closer, external

BBC Midlands Today

A teenager will be sentenced later for fatally stabbing a budding male model and entrepreneur who was walking home from a night out.

Image source, West Midlands Police

James Brindley, 26, was knifed in the heart close to his parents' home in Aldridge, Walsall.

The 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had denied murder claiming it was self defence, but was unanimously convicted by jurors yesterday at Birmingham Crown Court.

Charlie Slater
BBC Weather presenter

The cold weather's continued this morning but it has started dry for most of us - here's how the rest of today is looking.

You can also get a forecast for your part of the West Midlands by heading to the BBC Weather website.

Allen Cook
BBC News

Welcome to our live service for Friday.

We'll be bringing you all the news, sport, travel and weather for the West Midlands.

We love to hear from you so share your news, thoughts and photos of the area with us via email, Twitter , externaland Facebook., external

The Manchester United legend is remembered ahead of the 60th anniversary of the Munich air disaster.

A pioneering attempt to turn strangers into friends takes place in Birmingham.

A headless torso was found in the River Severn near Gloucester in February 1938.

The drivers, employed through company Engage Transport, said the firm "ruined Christmas".

Andy Giddings
BBC News

We'll be back with the latest news, sport, travel and weather from 07:00 on Friday, but keep an eye out here for more updates this evening and into the morning.

Graham McGarry
Crewe Alexandra commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

Crewe defender George Ray says he was worried that his playing career may have been cut short by injury.

The 24-year-old has been sidelined with a back problem since last April, but says he is now feeling well again.

Image source, crewealex.net

Ray is hoping to be fit to play on Saturday against Notts County.

BBC Business News

An industrial turnaround company which made a hostile bid for GKN has been making a direct appeal to the engineering firm's shareholders, explaining why it made the bid.

Image source, GKN

GKN has bases in Birmingham, Telford, Redditch and Leek and, last month, rejected a £7bn takeover bid by Melrose Industries.

Today, Melrose has published the formal offer document which details the reasons, external behind the offer for the aerospace and automotive group.

It says it will "simplify and declutter" GKN by selling off "certain smaller businesses" and is promising to put £150m into the firm's pension scheme within 12 months of a takeover completing.

GKN has dismissed Melrose's publication saying their offer for the firm is "derisory" and it is not the right owner because it lacks experience in running hi-tech businesses and investing for the long term.

Allen Cook
BBC News

A care home had to be evacuated today after a fire was started in the building by the sun shining on a make-up mirror., external

Image source, Staffordshire Fire Service

Staffordshire Fire Service says that started the blaze on the first floor of the building on Chaseley Road, Rugeley, this afternoon.

The alarm was raised by a cleaner smelling smoke and the service says no one was hurt.

BBC Business News

Birmingham's among eight cities across the UK which will be targeted by Openreach as part of a vow to introduce "ultrafast" internet connections.

Image source, Alamy

The BT-owned firm that manages the country's broadband infrastructure has made the pledge to get to three million premises by 2020.

The company said it was accelerating its plan to run fibre connections directly to homes and businesses and Birmingham is part of the first phase.

It will increase internet speeds from 24 megabits a second under superfast broadband to 100 megabits.

A Warwickshire author has tracked down the English teacher who supported him 40 years ago when his mother died thanks to a mass social media search.

Chris Young, from Ilmington, appealed on Twitter for help in finding Lynn Ward, who taught at Lodge Park School in Corby in 1978.

Image source, Chris Young

Miss Ward, who has since changed her name and wishes to remain anonymous, was found via Mr Young's former music teacher Gill Manning.

Mr Young, 52, said it was "like meeting one of your childhood heroes".