In the papers: Car-key burglarypublished at 14:59 British Summer Time 12 June 2018
Coventry Live
Coventry Live
These are some of the main stories on the Coventry Live website today:
Summary
Huge scrap metal fire shuts airport
Halloween pumpkin started fire that killed boy
Husband accused of murder denies anger 'uncontrollable'
Police summit over town centre vandalism
Plans to put shops on car park get approval
Haircuts for Muslim men as Ramadan ends
Government asked to reconsider West Brom's safe-standing proposal
World Cup apologies after Robbie Williams gives finger
Euromillions winner still works at Asda
'Lucky boy' kitten rescued from car's engine
Click on related stories to read updates from your area
Live updates on Friday 15 June
In the papers: Car-key burglarypublished at 14:59 British Summer Time 12 June 2018
Disagreement over cost of bypasspublished at 14:41 British Summer Time 12 June 2018
Local Democracy Reporting ServiceThe cost of building Hereford's western bypass will be more than double the £132m estimated by Herefordshire Council, the leader of the authority's independent group has claimed.
Bob Matthews said he estimated the cost to be closer to £300m, and also told a cabinet meeting he'd heard of seven companies who aren't moving to the city because of concerns about the proposed roads.
Image source, Herefordshire CouncilConservative councillor Philip Price, who is the cabinet member responsible for infrastructure, replied: "Att this moment in time we have no reason to suppose the cost of the road is going to be an overspend of well over £100m."
He added consultation responses he had seen suggested people were supporting the road plans.
Quote MessageLarge companies are not moving to Hereford because they have little or no confidence in the proposed infrastructure program we’ve put in place."
Councillor Bob Matthews
Man jailed for sex attacks on young girlpublished at 14:22 British Summer Time 12 June 2018
A 65-year-old man has been jailed for 11 years for sexually assaulting a young girl.
David Felton, from Edge View Walk in Kinver, had previously been found guilty by a jury at Stafford Crown Court of three offences of assault which police described as "a despicable offence committed against a young, vulnerable girl".
Image source, Staffordshire PoliceThe force, which said the offences took place between May 2016 and May 2017, also praised the victim's bravery in coming forward to give evidence.
Felton has been told he will serve a further year on licence and will be added to the sex offenders' register for life.
Unemployment up in regionpublished at 14:11 British Summer Time 12 June 2018
The latest unemployment figures show an increase of 7,000 across the West Midlands between February and April.
The number of people out of work went up to 148,000.
Nationally, the number of jobless fell by 38,000 to 1.42 million out of work, the Office for National Statistics says.
M6 reopens after coach crashpublished at 14:03 British Summer Time 12 June 2018
BBC News TravelTraffic has been released on the M6 in the West Midlands after a coach crashed into the central barrier, closing the northbound carriageway.
One lane remains shut on the slip road into Corley Services between J3 and J3A, said Highways England.
Drivers are being warned of severe delays in the area.
Coach crash closes M6 carriagewaypublished at 13:54 British Summer Time 12 June 2018
Two people are being treated for minor injuries after a National Express coach crashed into the central barrier of the M6 in the West Midlands.
Traffic is being held on the northbound carriageway close to Corley services where the crash happened shortly before 13:00.
About 40 passengers on the coach have been safely taken off the vehicle, said the ambulance service.
Charges dropped in diet pill deathpublished at 13:52 British Summer Time 12 June 2018
Eloise Parry died at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital after taking a slimming supplement.
Read MorePhotos: Goodbye England - Hello Russiapublished at 13:29 British Summer Time 12 June 2018
Chocs away! The plane carrying the England players has left Birmingham Airport for Russia.
Here's a few pics, including one of manager Gareth Southgate.
Image source, PAThe team are heading to their base camp in Repino, a resort near the Gulf of Finland to prepare for the World Cup.
Eric Dier and Danny Rose strolled across the tarmac to board the flight.
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End of twitter postAnd they're off...
Image source, PASome charges dropped in diet pill death casepublished at 13:19 British Summer Time 12 June 2018
BreakingA number of charges have been dropped against a man and woman over the death of a student who bought slimming pills containing the chemical Dinitrophenol (DNP).
Albert Huynh, Bernard Rebelo and Mary Roberts were each charged with two counts of manslaughter over the death of 21-year-old Shrewsbury student Eloise Parry.
They were also charged with supplying an unsafe food supplement containing DNP between February 24 2014 and February 24 2016.
Those charges against Mr Huynh and Ms Roberts were dropped because of insufficient evidence.
Image source, West Mercia PoliceA jury at Inner London Crown Court formally returned not-guilty verdicts on today and Mr Huynh, 33, from Northolt, north-west London, was discharged.
Ms Roberts, 32, from Gosport in Hampshire, faces a remaining count of money laundering after allegedly transferring £20,000 for and on behalf of Rebelo.
Mr Rebelo, 30, also from Gosport, still faces two counts of manslaughter and one of supplying an unsafe food supplement. He denies all the charges.
Ms Parry, who was studying in Wrexham, died in April 2015 after taking eight diet pills containing dinitrophenol (DNP).
Unite wants job assurances from JLRpublished at 13:05 British Summer Time 12 June 2018
The Unite union says it will press Jaguar Land Rover to protect jobs when it moves production of the Discovery model to Slovakia.
It wants what it calls a "managed transition, after the car maker said it would be investing in new production at its Solihull plant and also at its Evoque production plant in Halewood, Merseyside.
Image source, ReutersThe union said it was in "advanced discussions" over the Castle Bromwich site, which works in tandem with both sites, and said workers would have questions about what the changes mean in the short term.
Quote MessageUnite will be working with Jaguar Land Rover over the coming weeks and months to ensure a managed transition that is as painless as possible and retains jobs and skills for the future.”
Des Quinn, Unite union
'Here's a nice note to say thank you'published at 12:48 British Summer Time 12 June 2018
Clare Lissaman
BBC NewsThank you cards and sweet treats have been left on ambulances in the West Midlands and staff are thankful.
Members of the public have been backing a #BlueLightHappy social media campaign to give workers a morale boost following physical attacks and verbal abuse thrown at West Midlands Ambulance Service workers.
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End of twitter postIn the papers: Care firm boss jailedpublished at 12:25 British Summer Time 12 June 2018
These are among the headlines in today's Shropshire Star:
- Care firm boss jailed for stealing £100,000 from elderly couple, external
- Dozens more jobs to go at troubled Aga, external
- Scaffolder calls for new laws after firm fined over worker's fall, external
TV appeal for hit-and-run driver launchedpublished at 12:09 British Summer Time 12 June 2018
Peter Wilson
BBC Midlands Today Special CorrespondentThe mother of a young girl who had to be revived four times after being hit by a car is issuing a fresh plea for information.
Myah Brown was knocked down on Birmingham Road in Great Barr on New Year's Eve 2017.
Her mother Natasha Brown said it breaks her heart to think that somebody can just do that and then think "never mind".
The case has been featured on the BBC's Crimewatch Roadshow in the hope new witnesses might come forward.
You can see my full report on Midlands Today at 13:30 on BBC One.
In the papers: Battle for psoriasis fundingpublished at 12:03 British Summer Time 12 June 2018
Here are three headlines from the Worcester News today:
- Man's desperate battle for psoriasis treatment funding, external
- Worcestershire is taking care of 23 child asylum-seekers, external
- Distinguished artist has died, external
World Cup squad ready for the offpublished at 11:48 British Summer Time 12 June 2018
The England team are due to fly out of Birmingham this afternoon to their base camp in Repino, a resort near the Gulf of Finland.
Image source, The Football AssociationSouthgate's squad wrapped up their St George's Park camp preparations by staging an internal match on the Sir Bobby Charlton Pitch, near Burton, in Staffordshire.
The team are off to the Fifa World Cup in Russia where manager Gareth Southgate hopes the squad entertain all football fans.
"We ask people to pay a lot of money to watch football," he said.
"In the end, we want to entertain where we possibly can".
Wyness to sue after leaving Aston Villapublished at 11:35 British Summer Time 12 June 2018
Aston Villa confirm the departure of chief executive Keith Wyness, who is taking legal action against the Championship club.
Read MoreMP challenges Russia to host safe World Cuppublished at 11:23 British Summer Time 12 June 2018
"It's very much in Russia's interest to have a successful World Cup,2 Harriet Baldwin, Minister of State at the Foreign Office said.
The West Worcestershire MP has been involved in talks to ensure the safety of England fans travelling to the tournament and said both countries had been working together on the issue.
It comes four days after a Foreign Affairs Committee report raised concerns that "England fans face the risk of "racist or homophobic intimidation, hooligan violence and anti-British hostility" at the World Cup.
The England team are due to fly to the World Cup from Birmingham Airport this afternoon.
Quote MessageIn terms of the UK's authorities, they've been working for the last two years, closely, with police and with fan groups. And of course there will be good representation in all the cities where England is planning to play."
Harriett Baldwin, MP for West Worcestershire
Diesel spill closes M42 link roadpublished at 11:13 British Summer Time 12 June 2018
BBC News TravelThe link road between the M42 J7 northbound and M6 J4 northbound remains closed due to a large diesel spill across the carriageway.
Image source, Highways EnglandDrivers are being warned of delays in the area with congestion back to J6, A45 (Birmingham Airport/Coventry).
Canoes to be used in river clear uppublished at 11:10 British Summer Time 12 June 2018
A three-day clean up of stretches of the river Severn is under way.
Volunteers are using canoes to gather up rubbish and debris in the Shrewsbury area followed by Ironbridge and then Bridgnorth.
The group, organised by the Shropshire Wildlife Trust, will be camping overnight between each session.
Can Metro Mayor take credit for region's achievements?published at 10:55 British Summer Time 12 June 2018
Patrick Burns
Political editor, MidlandsMetro Mayor Andy Street says he feels the West Midlands has made significant progress under his leadership, as he prepares to address investors about his first year in charge.
His successes, he will say, have ranged from acquiring £350m from the government for housing to helping the region to secure the Commonwealth Games and City of Culture titles.
Mr Street's Labour critics say these examples indicate something else he is also quite good at: taking credit for things for which he was not wholly, nor sometimes even partly, responsible.
Birmingham Erdington MP Jack Dromey points out it was the Labour councils in Birmingham and Coventry who put in the hard work securing the games and City of Culture.
I imagine Mr Street's party colleagues at Westminster might also argue that eight years of Conservative-led government could have something to do with whatever economic successes have come the Midlands' way.
