Summary

  • Live updates from Wednesday 20 June

  • Click on related stories for updates from your area

Live Reporting

  2. Joe Allen signs new four-year deal with Stoke City
    Breaking

    Matt Sandoz
    Stoke City commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

    Big news for Stoke City fans as the club's revealed midfielder and Welsh international Joe Allen's signed a new four-year contract with the club.

    Joe AllenGetty Images

    There'd been speculation about the 28-year-old's future after Stoke's relegation from the Premier League but he's now committed his future to the side until 2022.

  3. Jo Cox anniversary: Police 'much more aware' of threats

    Joanne Gallacher
    Political reporter, BBC Shropshire

    A friend of the murdered Labour MP Jo Cox says there's more protection now for politicians, as the police and political parties are "much more aware" when threats are made.

    Jo Cox by a sign welcoming people to BatleySWNS.com

    Julia Buckley, a Bridgnorth town councillor, is speaking out, two years after her former colleague was killed in 2016 by neo-Nazi Thomas Mair.

    A national celebration of Mrs Cox's life will take place next weekend, which will coincide with what would have been her 44th birthday.

    Ms Buckley stood for Labour in Ludlow in the last general election.

    When I stood as a candidate in the election, I also got some threats and I had to involve the police, who were fantastic, as was Labour. They take it really seriously now, the protection of candidates and protection of anyone in civic life, everyone is much more aware."

    Julia Buckley, Former Labour election candidate

  4. 'Rollercoaster' result leaves Worcs 'obviously gutted'

    BBC Hereford and Worcester

    Worcestershire's head coach says he's "very proud" of his team despite them losing their second home semi-final defeat in successive years.

    Ben Cox during his inningsALLSPORT/Getty Images

    Ben Cox's (pictured) brilliant unbeaten 122 enabled the home side to post a total of 306-6 after being 48-4 early on.

    But a century for Kent's Heino Kuhn saw them win by two wickets.

    I know we haven't quite won this one but two semi-finals in two years, maybe next time it will be a final. It has been a rollercoaster tournament. We're obviously gutted. The club has not been in a final for a while."

    Kevin Sharp, Worcestershire head coach

  5. Firefighters called to cut man free from child's swing

    A Warwickshire man had to be cut free after getting stuck in a child's swing, said the fire service.

    Crews were called to Victoria Road, Hartshill shortly before 21:45 yesterday.

    The 18-year-old man was treated for minor back injuries.

  6. Fight for Elgar archives sees petition launched

    Allen Cook
    BBC News

    A battle over where composer Sir Edward Elgar's archives are based has been stepped up with a petition launched calling for them to stay in Worcestershire.

    Earlier this month, the Elgar Foundation announced they would be sent to the British Library in London to ensure their "long-term future" and to meet the conditions of his daughter's will.

    Edward ElgarGetty Images

    The news sparked immediate protests in Worcestershire, his birthplace, which has held the archive since it was deposited in the county record office by his daughter in 1966.

    The county council says the area inspired most of his music and it wants the foundation to reverse its decision.

    Hundreds have already signed the petition since it was started three days ago by the authority's cabinet member for communities, councillor Lucy Hodgson.

  7. Roundabout to stay shut all day after lorry overturns

    BBC News Travel

    Bad news for drivers around the roundabout on the A50 in Stoke-on-Trent, where a lorry's overturned this morning.

    Staffordshire Police now says the Heron Cross junction in Fenton will have to be shut for the rest of today as it needs to be resurfaced after fuel was spilled.

    Earlier, the lorry driver had to be cut free with the ambulance service saying he was taken to hospital with suspected spinal injuries.

  8. Delays build after fuel spillage at A50 roundabout

    BBC News Travel

    The overturned lorryHighways England

    Drivers are being urged to avoid the area around a roundabout onto the A50 in Stoke-on-Trent this morning.

    It's after a lorry overturned, spilling fuel, at the Heron Cross Roundabout in Fenton and Highways England says it's partially closed while they clean-up.

    Booms around spilled fuelHighways England

  10. Trains running after breakdown disruption

    Heather Burman
    Journalist, BBC News Online

    Good news from East Midlands Trains.

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  11. Domestic abuse strategy launched

    A new strategy to tackle domestic abuse has been launched in Coventry.

    Figures show there 2,700 incidents in the city recorded by police April 2016 to July 2017 - higher than the national average.

    Coventry Council House

    The council is focusing on encouraging victims to come forward, improving support and improving awareness.

    It says it will also support perpetrators to change their behaviour, while holding them to account.

    The strategy also focuses on honour-based violence and forced marriage.

  12. Thousands of organ transplants carried out after campaign

    More than 18,000 organ transplants have been carried out after one family's campaign to create the organ donor register.

    The register was launched in 1994 after a successful five-year campaign by the Cox family, from Wolverhampton.

    Christine and Rosemary CoxPA

    Christine Cox (pictured left) and her mother Rosemary, campaigned for the register in memory of Christine's brother Peter after he died in 1989.

    The NHS, which has paid tribute to the family ahead of its 70th anniversary, said Peter's parents found that although patients in need of a transplant were listed on a central database, there was no equivalent register for potential donors.

    When he knew he was dying, he told us that he wanted to donate his organs and it was up to us to make it happen. He is still an inspiration and he is still giving so much to so many people."

    Christine Cox

  14. Woman seriously injured in hit-and-run crash

    A woman was seriously injured when she was hit by a car in Birmingham on Saturday night.

    Officers were called to Stratford Road, Sparkhill just before 23:30 after reports of a crash involving a car and pedestrian.

    Police are appealing for the driver of the vehicle to come forward.

  15. Singing may hold clue to World Cup winners

    Researchers have concluded football teams (not fans) who sing their national anthem with the most passion are more likely to win the World Cup.

    Dr Matthew Slater, Senior Lecturer in Sports and Exercise Psychology at Staffordshire University, led the study, which focused on teams' pre-match behaviours at Euro 2016.

    Brazil teamGetty Images

    The study found that football teams who collectively sang their national anthem with more passion went on to concede fewer goals and were more likely to win matches in the knockout rounds.

    Dr Slater said the anthems provided an indication of the "togetherness of the team – of being connected to the people around you and to your country”.

    We know that if there is that strong level of togetherness, we are more likely to put in more effort for one another, to be more committed and therefore perform better."

    Dr Matthew Slater

  16. Life-saving cat up for award

    A cat from Redditch has been shortlisted for a national award after being credited with saving the life of his owner.

    Theo

    Theo kept his owner awake when she was suffering from an undetected blood clot.

    A paramedic later told her that it had saved her life.

    He's is now one of three finalists for the Purina Better Together award.

  17. Motorway police take over the A500

    Motorway police will begin patrolling the A500 through Stoke-on-Trent from today.

    Police mototbike

    The Central Motorway Police Group is taking over enforcement of the road from Staffordshire Police.

    The move means officers will be able to use the road as an alternative to the M6 in a bid to respond to emergencies and crime more quickly.

  19. Crash closes road

    BBC News Travel

    Birmingham Road, in Blackminster, near Evesham, has been closed due to a crash.

    Road closureEvesham Police

    Police are redirecting traffic, including parents on the school run to nearby Blackminster Middle School.

  20. River warning after scrap metal blaze

    Dog walkers and farmers are being urged to keep livestock and pets away from the River Avon downstream of a huge fire at a scrap metal recycling plant.

    Environment Agency officersEnvironment Agency

    The river may have been affected by a huge fire that started on Friday at Whites of Coventry near Ryton-on-Dunsmore, the Environment Agency said.

    Officers tweeted they were still "checking the quality of the water".

    At its height, 70 firefighters were at the scene and they finally left the scene on Sunday morning

    Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service said it was not yet clear how the fire started.