Summary

  • Click on Related Stories for updates from your area

  • Updates from 26 March to 3 April

Live Reporting

  1. Spielberg: 'Birmingham fit the bill'

    Steven Spielberg's latest film, Ready Player One, which was part shot in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter will be in cinemas this week.

    Set in a dystopian 2044, the story follows Wade Watts on his search for an Easter egg in a worldwide virtual reality game.

    Spielberg explained why he chose the city as his set.

    A still from the filmWARNER BROS

    Birmingham had a kind of anonymity on some of the streets that looked a lot like Columbus, Ohio...we needed somewhere that resembled the states and Birmingham fit the bill."

    Steven Spielberg

    We took a look at why film directors are coming to Birmingham.

  2. Teen set up terror channel on bail

    The 16-year-old boy has admitted further terrorism offences, after trying to join an extremist group.

    Read More

  3. Boy died when father ran over him

    Sophie Madden
    BBC News

    An inquest into the death of a toddler who died in Minsterley last year has heard he was killed when he was run over by his father.

    An inquest heard Stelios Andrew Karsas, who was 19 months, died of traumatic brain injuries following the incident at Minsterley Garage on Station Road, Minsterley, Shropshire, on 21 December.

    The coroner recorded a conclusion that the boy died as a result of a road traffic collision.

    Stelios Andrew KarsasOther

  4. Footage shows woman entering smoke-filled home

    BBC Midlands Today

    Footage of a woman who died after going into her smoke-filled flat has been released.

    When fire crews arrived they were unable to save her.

    CCTV imageStaffordshire Fire

    Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service are showing the film as part of their 'Get Out - Stay Out' campaign.

    Her family wanted it to be released, but did not wish to identify her.

  6. Plans to restructure hospitals reaches next stage

    BBC Midlands Today

    The latest stage of the plan to restructure Shropshire's two main hospitals has been reached.

    The Royal Shrewsbury and Princess Royal Hospitals in Telford are to receive funding for a £300m scheme to build a new Emergency Department, Accident and Urgent Care Centres and place more beds on new wards.

    The plan will go to a public consultation.

    Hospital sign

  7. M6 reopens but delays of up to an hour remain

    Severe delays through Cheshire.

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  8. YouTube channel set up to fight 'gun gangs'

    Caroline Gall
    BBC News

    A group of fathers once linked to Birmingham's crime gangs have set up a YouTube channel to try to counter what they see as gangster culture.

    Young people are effectively being trained by violent video games into how to steal, deal drugs and stab people, they say.

    Gun being fired

    Gun crime in the West Midlands is more than twice the national average, while police figures show knife crime last year almost doubled.

  9. Travel: Power cable on carriageway shuts motorway

    BBC News Travel

    The M6 is closed in both directions between J18 for Holmes Chapel and J17 for Sandbach and Congleton.

    It's due to a power cable that has come down on the carriageway, Highways England says.

  10. Watch: A chilly start for most

    BBC Weather

    A cloudy and chilly start with a few showers that may be briefly sleety through this morning.

    The showers will merge into longer spells of rain through the day. Highs of 7C/45F.

    Latest weather for the West Midlands

  11. Live updates for the West Midlands

    Monica Rimmer
    BBC News

    Welcome to our live service for Wednesday.

    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 and Facebook.

  12. Rail works add to Easter traffic jams

    Most roadworks will be lifted but 30 will stay, while 400 sets of rail engineering take place.

    Read More

  13. The story of one town's high street crisis

    As towns see the loss of big retailers and fewer shoppers, how are businesses in Nuneaton faring?

    Read More

  14. Toddler died after he was run over by dad

    An inquest hears 19-month-old Stelios Andrew Karsas died of traumatic brain injuries.

    Read More

  15. Custody battle mum jailed for son murder

    Lesley Speed strangled and smothered seven-year-old Archie Spriggs during a wrangle for his custody.

    Read More

  16. Our live coverage across the day

    We'll be back with our usual mix of news, sport, travel and weather from 07:00 tomorrow, but keep an eye out here for more updates this evening and into the morning.

  17. Watch: Belgrade Theatre celebrates 60 years

    BBC Coventry & Warwickshire

    Sixty years of one of the West Midlands' biggest theatres have been celebrated today.

    Coventry's Belgrade Theatre celebrates its 60th birthday

    Coventry' Belgrade Theatre, the UK’s first civic theatre to open after World War II, marked its 60th birthday.

    It was opened in 1958 by Princess Alexandra and will hold a Diamond Anniversary Gala later this year.

  18. Grave of police hero set to be rededicated

    Gavin Kermack
    Reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester

    The grave of a hero police officer who died in Malvern in the 1920s will be rededicated next month.

    The grave

    PC Howard Overton was killed in the town saving a child who had run into the road in 1928.

    He pushed the boy to safety but was killed when he was hit by two cars.

    A group of serving West Mercia Police officers started raising money to have the now overgrown grave restored and say work will be done in the next month.

    A couple of stonemasons contacted us and offered to do the restoration of PC Overton's grave completely free, which is unbelievably good news, it's fantastic. So that process is under way now

    Sgt Alex Denny, West Mercia Police

  19. Arson arrest after bungalow fire

    Lee Thomas
    Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

    A man's been arrested after a bungalow fire in a village last night.

    Police say the 35-year-old from the Stone area was arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life in connection with the blaze on Highfield Close, Swynnerton.

    Officers said no-one was injured and an investigation was under way.