In the papers: Traffic halted by celebrating England fanspublished at 10:07 British Summer Time 4 July 2018
Birmingham Live
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In the papers: Traffic halted by celebrating England fanspublished at 10:07 British Summer Time 4 July 2018
England kitman says dressing room 'buzzing' after winpublished at 09:50 British Summer Time 4 July 2018
Pat Frost from Telford was where every England fan wanted to be after last night's game - in the dressing room with the players.
The West Brom fan is one of the national team's kitmen and tweeted this morning to say "I am very lucky".
He'll now be preparing the kit for the quarter final against Sweden, but said he won't know which colours they'll be playing in until this afternoon.
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End of twitter postA&Es have 'busiest week of the year' thanks to heatwavepublished at 09:38 British Summer Time 4 July 2018
Shropshire's two accident and emergency departments have had their busiest week of the year, with hot weather being blamed by the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust.
The departments in the two towns saw about 400 patients a day.
The trust's chief executive, Simon Wright, said staff were seeing more elderly people come in with trouble breathing, plus "people out in the gardens doing silly things" and children hurting themselves while out playing.
Quote MessageThe beautiful weather and the humid conditions is affecting us pretty much the same way as when we had all that snow."
Simon Wright, Chief executive, Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust
Northern Ireland talks for pub bombings familiespublished at 09:29 British Summer Time 4 July 2018
BBC Midlands TodaySome of the relatives of the Birmingham pub bombing victims are travelling to Belfast today to meet with leaders from Northern Ireland's main political parties, the DUP and Sinn Fein at Stormont.
Justice4the21, the main campaign group representing many of the relatives, says it's part of their campaign for justice, legal aid and answers to who killed their relatives in November 1974.
Twenty-one people died when two bombs exploded in the city centre.
They're due at the Court of Appeal later this month, where arguments continue over what will be included in new inquests into the 21 deaths.
DIY SOS transforms home for disabled womanpublished at 09:18 British Summer Time 4 July 2018
BBC TV show DIY SOS is in Bromsgrove this week, external helping to adapt a home for a disabled woman.
Image source, DIY SOSKaris Lane, who's 27, has cerebral palsy and would have had to move into residential care had the team of builders not stepped in to transform the house in Lickey End.
The project means she will be able to live with her sister Johanna, and Karis says she can't wait to see what the house looks like.
Quote MessageI'm excited, but very nervous. I'm sure it's going to be amazing, but I also know in the short-term it's going to be quite a challenge."
Karis Lane
In the papers: Several fires near primary schoolpublished at 09:09 British Summer Time 4 July 2018
Stoke-on-Trent LiveThese are among the top stories on the Stoke-on-Trent Live website today:
'Rollercoaster' for England fans during shootout winpublished at 08:59 British Summer Time 4 July 2018
Allen Cook
BBC NewsEngland fans are still celebrating this morning after their side beat Colombia on penalties to set up a World Cup quarter-final against Sweden.
It was their first shootout victory in a World Cup after defeats in 1990, 1998 and 2006.
Image source, ALLSPORT/Getty ImagesCrewe Alexandra supporter Dave Tomlinson was at the game and told BBC Radio Stoke it was an "enjoyable night" and the supporters "had a little bit of a party last night".
The match swung back and forth as Harry Kane put England ahead only for Columbia to equalise in stoppage time and take the game into extra time and then to penalties.
Dave Mills from Coventry was another fan at the game and told BBC Coventry and Warwickshire it was "a wave of emotion in the stand".
He added: "We went through the penalty shootout and it was just a rollercoaster of emotions."
Gavin Williamson interrupted by Siri during Commons statementpublished at 08:47 British Summer Time 4 July 2018
BBC PoliticsDefence Secretary and South Staffordshire MP Gavin Williamson appeared to be interrupted by Siri on his iPhone as he addressed MPs in the Commons about Syria.
Media caption, Gavin Williamson interrupted by Siri
It led him to pause his statement on the fight against Islamic State as Speaker John Bercow remarked on the "very rum business".
Mr Williamson apologised for the "intervention", adding: "It is very rare that you're heckled by your own mobile phone."
A source close to the minister later denied that having the voice recognition software switched on posed a security risk, saying he did not carry that phone during confidential and sensitive meetings.
Mirror warning after house badly damaged by firepublished at 08:36 British Summer Time 4 July 2018
Allen Cook
BBC NewsPeople are getting a fresh warning not to leave make-up or shaving mirrors near windows after a house fire in Staffordshire., external
Image source, Staffordshire Fire ServiceFirefighters were called to the home in Barton-under-Needwood yesterday and say it's been seriously damaged, although no-one was hurt.
Following an inspection, crews say they found the fire had been caused by sunlight shining on to a mirror which had then set fire to nearby items.
House visited in baby deaths probepublished at 08:24 British Summer Time 4 July 2018
Vicky Breakwell
BBC Hereford and WorcesterPolice investigating the deaths of babies at a hospital in Chester have visited a house in Hereford.
Image source, Dennis Turner/GeographYesterday, a healthcare professional was arrested on suspicion of murdering eight babies and attempting to kill six others at the Countess of Chester Hospital.
Officers have been investigating the deaths of 17 newborns at the neonatal unit between March 2015 and July 2016.
Later in the day, officers were also seen searching a house in Hereford as part of their investigation.
More police patrols after attempted rape of girl, 11published at 08:13 British Summer Time 4 July 2018
Louise Hancock
Newsreader, BBC WMIncreased patrols are continuing around a park after the attempted rape of an 11-year-old girl.
Image source, GoogleThe girl was knocked to the ground and suffered a knife wound to her neck in the attack in Babbs Mill Park, Solihull, on Friday.
Yesterday, police arrested and then released a man without charge and say investigations are continuing.
The force is appealing for witnesses to contact them.
In the papers: Homeless trek to land jobpublished at 08:04 British Summer Time 4 July 2018
The Express and Star's covering these stories this morning:
Allotments fire devastates sitepublished at 07:54 British Summer Time 4 July 2018
Lee Blakeman
Newsreader, BBC Radio StokeSheds have been destroyed in a fire at an allotments which raged for several hours.
Three fire crews battled the blaze at the site in Trent Vale, Stoke-on-Trent, from around 18:00 and left three hours later.
Image source, Hayley HarrisonDecision on medical cannabis within weekspublished at 07:44 British Summer Time 4 July 2018
A government review of the law on using cannabis-based drugs for medical purposes gets under way.
Read MoreHundreds lose power in citypublished at 07:35 British Summer Time 4 July 2018
Allen Cook
BBC NewsThere are almost 700 homes and businesses without power in Hereford this morning., external
Western Power Distribution says electricity's currently off in the HR1 and HR4 postcode areas.
It says it's working to get power restored by 08:30.
The school with 300 holes in the roofpublished at 07:23 British Summer Time 4 July 2018
Sean Coughlan
BBC News, education correspondentA West Midlands head teacher says he is "extremely angry" that budget shortages have led to the cutting of 14 staff - in a school with 300 holes in the roof.
Media caption, School struggles with holes in roof
James Ludlow, head of the King's Church of England school, Wolverhampton, has also had to cancel music lessons and art events.
Heads' leader Geoff Barton has warned the education secretary any further budget pressures on schools would be "catastrophic" and risk "insolvencies".
The Department for Education says school funding has been protected.
'Extremely difficult' as Moorlands' fires still burningpublished at 07:13 British Summer Time 4 July 2018
Lee Blakeman
Newsreader, BBC Radio StokeChanging winds and the heat mean firefighters have been facing "extremely difficult circumstances, external" fighting Staffordshire Moorlands fires.
Image source, Staffordshire Fire ServiceThe fire service says it still doesn't know how long it'll take to fully put out the fires near Leek and Alton.
The first of the blazes started on Saturday and the service says many of its retained fire crews have worked beyond their hours alongside their regular jobs.
They're urging drivers, joggers, and dog walkers to stick to road closures for safety and to allow the firefighters to continue their work.
Here's how Wednesday's weather is lookingpublished at 07:06 British Summer Time 4 July 2018
Alex Hamilton
BBC WeatherIt's another fine and dry start for the West Midlands, here's how the rest of today's set to pan out:
Media caption, Alex Hamilton
You can get a forecast for your part of the region at any other time by heading to the BBC Weather website.
Live updates today for the West Midlandspublished at 07:02 British Summer Time 4 July 2018
Allen Cook
BBC NewsWelcome to our live service for Wednesday.
BBC Weather Watcher Julie Yates took this today in Upper Arley, Worcestershire:
Image source, Julie YatesWe'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, external and Facebook, external.
Accused denies mystery man lies chargepublished at 19:06 British Summer Time 3 July 2018
US citizen Roger Curry was found in a confused state in a bus station in Hereford in 2015.
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