Summary

  • Click on Related Stories for updates from your area

  • Updates from 26 March to 3 April

Live Reporting

  1. Another reminder to check your Easter travel plans

    As well as disruption on the Chase Line there'll be no services in or out of London Euston on 1 April.

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  2. Train fault disrupts CrossCity

    BBC News Travel

    A fault on a train is causing disruption to services between Birmingham New Street and Longbridge.

    Tickets are being accepted on National Express buses and bus services will be in place to shuttle customers between Longbridge and Redditch.

  3. Worcester sign Dragons stand-off Jones

    Worcester Warriors sign Dragons stand-off Dorian Jones for the rest of the Premiership season.

    Read More

  5. Man charged after van crashes into restaurant

    A man has been charged with drink driving and driving without insurance after the van he was driving crashed into a restaurant in Leamington Spa.

    Officers were called to the scene on the Parade at around 17:00.

    No-one was hurt in the incident.

  7. Bungalow air conditioner fire 'was arson'

    Lee Thomas
    Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

    A fire at a bungalow in a village which fire crews say involved an air conditioning unit is being treated as arson.

    Remains of fireStaffordshire Fire Service

    Two fire crews were sent to Hghfield Close, Swynnerton last night and found the blaze had spread from the front of the house around the outside of the building.

    The fire service says they don't believe anyone was hurt but they now believe the fire was started deliberately.

  8. Two arrested in murder investigation

    Two men have been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder after a man was found in Coventry with shotgun injuries to his chest.

    Police said Daniel Shaw died at the scene in Copland Place, Tile Hill, to which officers were called at 23:15 on Sunday.

    Det Ch Insp Chris Mallett said: "Daniel’s family are devastated and we are keeping them fully updated with the latest developments."

  9. Mother jailed for at least 18 years for son's murder

    A woman who used a cushion and scarf to strangle and smother her seven-year-old son has been jailed for at least 18 years.

    Lesley Speed, 44, was sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court.

    Lucy SpeedWest Mercia Police

  10. Archie Spriggs: Officials 'missed chances' to stop murder

    Allen Cook
    BBC News

    A father's claimed authorities missed opportunities to stop the killing of his seven-year-old son by his mother.

    Lesley Speed, 44, was convicted yesterday of using a cushion and scarf to strangle and smother Archie Spriggs at her home in Wall-under-Heywood, Shropshire last September.

    Archie SpriggsFamily handout

    In a victim impact statement read to Birmingham Crown Court, Matthew Spriggs said those tasked with protecting his son favoured Speed during their custody battle.

    He claimed that concerns raised by himself were dismissed adding that he "did all I could to protect my son but was denied the support I needed to do so".

    Speed is due to be sentenced this afternoon.

  11. 'First ever' electric digger for JCB

    Liz Copper
    Reporter, BBC Midlands Today

    Digger maker JCB has become the latest company to "go electric" with the development of what it says is its first ever battery-powered vehicle.

    The Staffordshire-based firm says the mini excavator can be charged using domestic electricity supply and is said to work with the same speed and power as its diesel counterpart.

    The electric digger in actionJCB

  12. Police chief defends downloads of phone data

    Victoria Derbyshire

    A senior police officer has defended the way police can now access people's personal mobile phone data

    Campaign group Privacy International says they should be stopped from doing so without a search warrant.

    One of the devices used to extract data

    At least 26 police forces in England and Wales have begun using new technology to extract data from phones.

    Privacy International said there had been no public debate about the rapid rollout of this practice.

    Nick Baker, Staffordshire Police's Deputy Chief Constable and the national police lead for digital forensics, told the BBC he believes there are enough safety checks already.

    There is a lot of legislative framework around this to sort of control police's access to it. There is an element of, we just do not want to do a mass data trawl, we do not want that data. We want to be focused on the data that allows us to investigate crime and keep people safe."

    Nick Baker,, Staffordshire Police's Deputy Chief Constable

  13. Anger at delay in cancer diagnosis

    Gavin Kermack
    Reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester

    A man waited nearly a month for a bowel cancer screening only to later find out that he's got the disease.

    Worcestershire Royal HospitalPA

    Chris Lindsay, 25, from Worcester, was diagnosed almost a month after his initial appointment at the Worcestershire Royal Hospital was postponed due to a lack of beds.

    He added that the delay means he only knows so far that he has cancer, he hasn't yet been told how far it may have spread.

    The NHS trust running the hospital has apologised, calling the original postponement "deeply regrettable", saying procedures were cancelled due to high demand at its A&E unit.

    You can't help but feel angry because, at the moment, I know I have cancer but I don't know how far it's spread, I don't know how in danger my life is."

    Chris Lindsay, Diagnosed with bowel cancer

  14. Worcester's £62m bridge upgrade approved

    James Pearson
    Political reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester

    A £62m scheme to dual Worcester’s Carrington Bridge has been granted planning permission.

    Carrington Bridge, WorcesterGoogle

    Work is set to start next March and is due to finish in 2021, expanding the entire stretch of the A4440 from the M5 to Powick.

    A report before today's Worcestershire County Council planning committee said officers expect the work on the Southern Link Road will improve travel times by between a third and a half.

    Concerns were raised about severe disruption from the expansion work but councillors approved the proposals.

  15. Burst water main closes road

    BBC News Travel

    A burst water main has closed Green Street in Oldbury until 3 April.

    A diversion is in place via Birmingham Road, Oldbury Ringway and Stone Street.

  16. Norovirus infection affecting hospital wards

    Visitors are still being asked to stay away from wards at Walsall Manor Hospital to restrict the spread of the highly contagious norovirus infection.

    Walsall Manor HospitalGoogle

    It's resulted in the closure of one ward and areas across nine other wards.

    Maternity Services, Outpatients and Paediatrics are open as usual.

  18. Face injury forces defender's football retirement

    Lee Blakeman
    Port Vale commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

    Port Vale defender Adam Yates has announced his retirement from professional football.

    Adam YatesPort Vale FC

    The 34-year-old's been at the club for almost a decade but, following a facial injury suffered earlier this season, is unable to continue playing.

    He's made 248 appearances for the club since joining in 2009.

  19. Dog stolen after burglars use knife and pepper spray

    Gavin Kermack
    Reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester

    Three people were threatened with a knife and pepper sprayed in a burglary in which a dog was stolen.

    Portland Street, HerefordGoogle

    Three men entered a house in Portland Street, Hereford, yesterday evening, holding a knife to the throat of one of the occupants and punching him in the face.

    Police say the offenders made off with a handbag, electrical items and a French bulldog.

    Two others in the house were treated afterwards for the effects of the pepper spray.

    The stolen dogWest Mercia Police