Summary

  • Click on Related Stories to read updates from your area

  • Updates from Monday 14 May to Friday 18 May

  1. Wolves star not chosen for Portugal World Cup squadpublished at 13:46 British Summer Time 18 May 2018

    Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves has been left out of Portugal's squad for the World Cup.

    The club's record signing, who helped them to promotion this season, was included in a provisional 35-man squad by manager Fernando Santos, but was cut when it was trimmed down to the final 23.

    Reuben NevesImage source, Getty Images

    Neves was thought to have a good chance of going to Russia after starting the 2-1 friendly win over Egypt in March.

  2. Union reaches university staff recognition agreementpublished at 13:35 British Summer Time 18 May 2018

    An agreement has been reached to allow a college union to represent staff employed by Coventry University Group (CU).

    Coventry UniversityImage source, Coventry University

    The University and College Union (UCU) said staff employed at the university had been denied trade union representation at the organisation since it was set up five years ago.

    The agreement will allow staff to be represented by the UCU on issues including pay and working conditions, it said.

  3. Jockey jailed for drink drivingpublished at 13:29 British Summer Time 18 May 2018

    A jockey trained by Herefordshire's Venetia Williams has been jailed for 10 months after pleading guilty to drink-driving.

    Charlie Deutsch, 21, also pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and escaping police custody.

    Charlie DeutschImage source, Getty Images

    He was banned from driving for 17 months by Gloucester Crown Court.

  4. Royal wedding party for patriotic penguinspublished at 13:14 British Summer Time 18 May 2018

    Penguins at the National Sea Life Centre in Birmingham have been joining in the royal wedding celebrations, with a street party inside their aquarium.

    They were fed an afternoon tea of "fishy treats" including an fish-filled ice cake.

    Penguins street partyImage source, National Sea Life Centre

    Staff at the centre said the penguins had been showing an interest in photos of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, so they decided they should get them involved.

    Underwater street partyImage source, National Sea Life Centre
  5. Speeding motorists at fatal crash sitepublished at 13:03 British Summer Time 18 May 2018

    The highest speed clocked was a biker travelling at 91 mph and a motorist travelling at 85 mph.

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  6. Colleagues pay tribute to 'genuine' Bill Longmorepublished at 12:56 British Summer Time 18 May 2018

    Colleagues of the former Police and Crime Commissioner Bill Longmore have been paying tribute to him after his death, following a long battle with cancer.

    He was the first person to take up the post with the West Mercia force, being elected in 2012 after pledging to give away part of his salary to victims groups, charities and others.

    Bill LongmoreImage source, West Mercia PCC

    Warwickshire PCC, Philip Seccombe said his counterpart faced the tough task of establishing the role with effectively a "blank sheet of paper" and that his family should be proud of his "remarkable life of achievement".

    Former Warwickshire PCC Ron Ball, who was elected at the same time as Mr Longmore, said he was "saddened and really surprised" to hear of his death and had always thought if him as "indestructible".

    Mr Ball went on to describe him as a "very genuine, warm and sincere man".

  7. Ex-police boss dies after cancer battlepublished at 12:40 British Summer Time 18 May 2018

    He was also known for his dedication to sport in the community, receiving an Unsung Hero award.

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  8. Justin Timberlake apologises for cancelled gigspublished at 12:25 British Summer Time 18 May 2018

    Justin Timberlake has apologised to fans after cancelling three UK shows, including Birmingham Arena on 28 June.

    Justin TimberlakeImage source, Getty Images

    Another city date, scheduled for 27 June will now be honoured at the new date of 27 August.

    The singer has delayed the start of the European leg of his The Man Of The Woods tour, Live Nation announced.

    A statement from Live Nation said: "Justin Timberlake and Live Nation apologise for any inconvenience to fans."

  9. Ever felt like you're being watched?published at 12:15 British Summer Time 18 May 2018

    Sarah Portlock
    BBC News

    Lego giraffe

    This Lego giraffe was peering over the wall as I made my way into work earlier.

    It looks like preparations for the new Legoland Discovery Centre at Arena Birmingham are in full swing.

    The attraction is due to open this summer although a date has not yet been announced.

    Lego giraffe
  10. Dutch full back wants to stay with Stoke Citypublished at 12:05 British Summer Time 18 May 2018

    Matt Sandoz
    Stoke City commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

    Stoke City defender Erik Pieters says he has no plans to move clubs this summer.

    The full back has still got two years left on his contract, which he says he intends to see through.

    Erik PietersImage source, Getty Images

    The Netherlands international also said he would have to "go and clear my head" this summer, because relegation to the Championship was "hard to take".

    Quote Message

    Of course with football you never know what's going to happen, everyone knows that, but as long as nothing comes I'm still here."

    Erik Pieters, Stoke City defender

  11. Ex-football coach jailed for child sex offencespublished at 11:50 British Summer Time 18 May 2018
    Breaking

    A former Shropshire school football coach has been sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison after being found guilty of a number of child sex offences.

    Joe Hall, who is 26 and from Brands Farm Way in Randlay in Telford, will serve half of that sentence on licence. He was given a sexual harm prevention order for 14 years and prevented from working with children in the future.

    His victims were under the age of 15 and the offences included causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, sexual activity while in the presence of children and causing a child to watch an image of sexual activity.

  12. Workman hurt on hospital roofpublished at 11:43 British Summer Time 18 May 2018

    A workman at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital had to be rescued from a roof after injuring both his ankles.

    West Midlands Ambulance service said the man in his 30s slipped while walking on a plank and had to be brought down by firefighters with an aerial platform.

    Aerial ladderImage source, WMAS

    He was then put in an ambulance and driven the very short distance to the accident and emergency department.

  13. Tribute to hit-and-run death fatherpublished at 11:27 British Summer Time 18 May 2018

    Chelsea Platt-May described brother Reece as her "protector" and "friend".

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  14. Bed store owners 'not in administration'published at 11:18 British Summer Time 18 May 2018

    The owners of the In2beds stores say they haven't gone into administration, despite rumours circulating after the closure of its shops in Stoke-on-Trent and Taunton in Somerset.

    Its store on Etruria Road, Hanley, has been shut since the weekend with windows covered in whitewash and a sign claiming the store is "undergoing refurbishment".

    In2beds store

    But the business has now produced a statement to say it has decided to "take a step back and consider the viability of the business moving forward".

    It added: "we do not expect any of our customers to be out of pocket because of this situation" and apologised for the inconvenience the closures might cause.

  15. New centre to provide specialist care for veteranspublished at 11:08 British Summer Time 18 May 2018

    Shropshire's Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt hospital says its planned veterans' orthopaedic centre will provide a "full range of orthopaedic care to veterans and serving military personnel".

    And it will provide that "specialist care" in an "environment that is familiar to them" it added.

    RJAH signImage source, RJAH

    The centre will be overseen by a serving British officer and consultant orthopaedic surgeon, Lieutenant Colonel Carl Meyer, who said that it was his dream to open a dedicated centre like this.

    Quote Message

    There is no doubt that, as a country, we provide world class care to acutely injured service men and women – but on leaving the services there is no specific provision for them. I’ve felt for a long time that we should be doing more for veterans. It is very important to veterans that they are seen somewhere that is familiar to them, and where they feel welcome."

    Lieutenant Colonel Carl Meyer, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon

  16. Biker clocked doing 91mph at crash sitepublished at 10:54 British Summer Time 18 May 2018

    A motorcyclist has been clocked travelling at 91mph at the site of a crash in Birmingham that saw six people die.

    Officers with speed camerasImage source, West Midlands Police

    Speed enforcement officers said 101 people had been prosecuted this month for speeding at Belgrave Middleway, near Edgbaston.

    Cars have been clocked at 79mph and 85mph, the force tweeted, external, with 15 drivers caught doing 60mph in the 40mph zone.

    A petition with more than 28,000 signatures demanding safety measures at the scene has been handed to the city council.

  17. Teenager arrested on suspicion of murderpublished at 10:44 British Summer Time 18 May 2018
    Breaking

    A 17-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a teenager was stabbed to death in Sutton Coldfield yesterday.

    The teenager handed himself into a police station in the early hours of this morning, West Midlands Police said.

    scene of stabbing
  18. Tiny artworks mark royal weddingpublished at 10:35 British Summer Time 18 May 2018

    They will be put on the head of a pin and in the eye of a needle and auctioned off for charity.

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