Summary

  • Updates from Monday 9 - Sunday 15 April

  • Click on Related Stories to view stories from your area

Live Reporting

  1. French firm abandons attempt to buy Bullring owner

    BBC Business News

    France's Klepierre has abandoned an effort to buy shopping centre giant Hammerson.

    Earlier this week, the owner of the Birmingham Bullring and Grand Central rejected an improved £5.04bn takeover offer from the French company.

    BullringGetty Images

    This morning, Klepierre issued a statement saying it wouldn't make another offer, saying Hammerson's board "did not provide any meaningful engagement with respect to the increased proposal".

  2. Giant mechanical puppet to visit Victorian museum

    A giant mechanical puppet is coming to Shropshire's Blists Hill Victorian museum this weekend.

    Man Engine puppet on displayMan Engine

    The Man Engine stands 11.2m (37ft) tall and weighs nearly 40 tonnes and will be the highlight of events tomorrow at the site, one of the 10 Ironbridge Gorge Museums in Shropshire.

    It was built in Cornwall to mark the 10th anniversary of the county’s World Heritage status and is touring venues across the UK to celebrate Britain’s industrial heritage.

    Man Engine puppet on displayMan Engine

  3. Grave of police hero to be rededicated

    Vicky Breakwell
    BBC Hereford and Worcester

    A service of rededication is to take place this weekend for the grave of a hero police officer kiilled saving the life of a child.

    The grave before being restored

    The grave before being restored

    PC Howard Overton was killed in Malvern in 1928, saving the life of a child who had run into the road.

    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 it'll be rededicated tomorrow afternoon.

    They've done a huge renovation on the grave site and the grave itself and it looks beautiful. I went and had a look a couple of weeks ago and it was very overgrown and you could just about read the lettering on the gravestone."

    Sam Connells, Relative of PC Overton

  5. Birmingham prepares for Commonwealth Games handover

    BBC Midlands Today

    Birmingham is just 48-hours away from becoming the custodian of the Commonwealth Games.

    Opening Ceremony for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth GamesALLSPORT/Getty Images

    During the closing ceremony of the games on Australia's Gold Coast on Sunday, the flag will be handed to the Lord Mayor of Birmingham.

    It's in preparation for the games coming to the West Midlands in 2022.

    Celebrations to mark the occasion on Sunday in Birmingham include a city centre performance by a dance group accompanied by a 200-strong choir

  6. Monorail link to airport 'out-of-service'

    BBC News Travel

    Passengers heading by train to Birmingham Airport are being warned the Air-Rail Link monorail system from Birmingham International is out of operation this morning:

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  8. Batman road safety footage to get first screening

    Allen Cook
    BBC News

    Footage of a Batman road safety campaign will be screened in Birmingham for the first time in more than 50 years.

    Actor Adam West as Batman (left) and Burt Ward as Robin, pictured with the BatmobilePA

    The clip, from May 1967 and featuring Adam West, is part of a search by company Kaleidoscope for 100 missing television clips.

    It says it recently found the clip which shows Batman teaching road safety to children on streets in London and which was never shown outside the UK.

    The footage will be shown tomorrow at Birmingham City University as the firm launches its search which includes hunting for early episodes of Doctor Who, Top of the Pops and The Avengers.

  9. Cricket season starts for Warwickshire and Worcestershire

    Allen Cook
    BBC News

    The County Championship cricket season,gets underway from 11:00 with both Warwickshire and Worcestershire in action - weather permitting.

    Cricket being played at New Road, WorcesterGetty Images

    Worcestershire won promotion to Division One last season and start off away at Hampshire.

    While Warwickshire are in Division Two after getting relegated last year and host Sussex.

    There'll be commentary on both games on BBC local radio and updates on the BBC Sport website.

  10. Bridge hit by lorry - avoid this weekend

    Gibralter Lane in Leamington Hastings is expected to be shut for the next fre days.

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  11. Shrewsbury Town draw at Bradford

    BBC Sport

    Shrewsbury Town failed to significantly cut down the points deficit on their promotion rivals in League One after a goalless draw last night at Bradford.

    Jon Nolan had Shrewsbury's best chances but Town had to play the final 30 minutes with ten men after Omar Beckles was sent off for two bookings.

    The results leaves Shrewsbury four points behind Blackburn in second place with five games to go.

  12. More police patrols as murder inquiry continues

    Nicola Beckford
    Reporter, BBC Midlands Today

    Extra police patrols are being carried out in part of Wolverhampton where the body of a teenage girl was found yesterday morning.

    Part of West Park with police officers inside tapeExpress and Star

    A murder investigation has been launched following the discovery in West Park early yesterday.

    Detectives say they're appealing for information from anyone who was in the area in the hours before.

    The victim has not been yet formally identified and a post mortem examination is due to be carried out.

  13. BBC weather: A wet start but what about later?

    Alex Hamilton
    BBC Weather

    A cloudy, wet start for lots of us but there may be better ahead today - here's Friday's full weather forecast:

    Alex Hamilton

    Keep up-to-date with the latest forecast for your area by heading to the BBC Weather website.

  14. Live updates for the West Midlands

    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 and Facebook.

  15. Bradford City 0-0 Shrewsbury Town

    Bradford City recover from their defeat at Blackpool as they play out a goalless draw with 10-man Shrewsbury Town.

    Read More

  16. Teenage girl found dead in park

    A murder investigation is launched following the discovery of a body in West Park, Wolverhampton.

    Read More

  17. Man crushed to death between lorries

    The victim, in his 60s, was pronounced dead at the scene at the Birmingham recycling plant.

    Read More

  18. Soldier cleared of terrorism offence

    The charge related to a manual by the Norwegian mass murderer and terrorist Anders Breivik.

    Read More

  19. Soggy Spring means headache for farmers

    From livestock to arable our soggy Spring is causing a real headache for farmers.

    Read More

  20. Our live coverage across the day

    Stephanie Barnard
    BBC News

    That's it for us this evening. We'll be back with more live news, sport, travel and weather updates from 07:00 on Friday.

    In the meantime, keep an eye on the page for more stories being published through the night and into the morning.