Midlands Live: Breaking news and local stories

Summary

Live updates from Monday 10 September to Sunday 16 September
Click on related stories for updates from your area

Live Reporting

Councillors 'working too hard'published at 13:48 British Summer Time 10 September 2018
Local Democracy Reporting Service
Carl Jackson
Birmingham city councillors are working too hard and should earn more money or have fewer responsibilities, the deputy leader has claimed.
Labour councillor Brigid Jones has called for a "radical" national reform of their roles arguing the "tremendous" pressure is deterring working-age people from standing to be a councillor.
Addressing the coordinating overview and scrutiny committee on Friday she said: “These are roles that were designed over 100 years ago and the modern way of running a council, even in the last 10 years, has changed quite drastically."
The basic annual allowance for Birmingham councillors – who are already among the highest earning in the West Midlands – was increased by 2% to £16,592 earlier this year on the back of recommendations from the Independent Remuneration Panel.
Aston Martin appoints former RBS director as chairmanpublished at 13:34 British Summer Time 10 September 2018
A former Royal Bank of Scotland director has been appointed as Aston Martin's new chairman, ahead of plans for a London stock market listing.
Image source, Reuters
Penny Highes will join the company's board of directors after working on the boards of FTSE 100 firms including Vodafone and Coca-Cola.
The Warwickshire-based luxury car company is expected to float on the London Stock Exchange in October.
Her appointment was among a raft of new directorships announced by the luxury car manufacturer on Monday.
Car stuck up M6 embankmentpublished at 13:24 British Summer Time 10 September 2018
Allen Cook
BBC News
A car's ended some distance up an embankment after coming off the M6 this morning.
Highways England says a lane's shut on the motorway between J14 and J15 near Stoke-on-Trent on the northbound side., external
Police say no-one's been hurt., external
Image source, Highways England
Image source, Highways England
Girl 'stable' in hospital after being hit by carpublished at 13:10 British Summer Time 10 September 2018
Allen Cook
BBC News
A nine-year-old girl who suffered potentially life-threatening injuries , externalafter being hit by a car is now in a stable condition in hospital,, external police say.
Image source, Google
The crash happened on Lower Milehouse Lane, Newcastle-under-Lyme, yesterday afternoon and officers say she was initially airlifted to the Royal Stoke University Hospital.
She was later flown to Alder Hey Hospital in Liverpool.
Staffordshire Police says the road is still shut around one of the junctions with Wilmot Drive as they investigate and they're appealing for dashcam footage.
In the papers: Man in hospital after cliff discoverypublished at 12:55 British Summer Time 10 September 2018
Shropshire Star
These stories are being covered by the Shropshire Star today:
Man convicted of Charlotte Teeling murderpublished at 12:32 British Summer Time 10 September 2018
Breaking
Allen Cook
BBC News
A man's been found guilty of the murder of a woman found dead in a flat.
Richard Bailey, 41, had denied murder and claimed during the trial that Charlotte Teeling, from Worcester, died accidentally during "rough sex" at his Birmingham flat.
But today, the jury delivered a unanimous verdict of guilty and Bailey, of Cooksey Lane, Kingstanding, will be sentenced on Wednesday at Birmingham Crown Court.
Reports of fire on M50published at 12:20 British Summer Time 10 September 2018
Breaking
BBC News Travel
There are reports of a fire on the M50 in Worcestershire this afternoon.
Highways England says the blaze is said to be on the motorway between J2 and J1, not far from Upton upon Severn., external
Image source, Highways England
Your photos: Sunsetspublished at 12:17 British Summer Time 10 September 2018
BBC Weather Watchers
There were some gorgeous photos taken last night by our local BBC Weather Watchers of the colours in the sky caused by the sunset.
These three are from Stormchaser Al in Halesowen, Matthew Wheeler in Stoke-on-Trent and Liam Ball in Dawley:
Image source, Stormchaser Al
Image source, Matthew Wheeler
Image source, Liam Ball
Charges after man puts out cigarette with petrol pumppublished at 12:06 British Summer Time 10 September 2018
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
A man's been charged after someone tried to put out a lit cigarette with a petrol pump, police say.
Image source, Staffordshire Police
Officers were called to a petrol station on Waterloo Road, Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, on Sunday.
They praised staff at the garage for their "brave" action after they tried to stop the man.
Today, police say the 47-year-old, of no fixed address, has been charged with assault by beating, and two counts of attempted arson with intent to endanger life.
Delays after lorry hits bridge on A50published at 11:56 British Summer Time 10 September 2018
Allen Cook
BBC News
Drivers are being warned of long delays on the A50 on the Staffordshire/Derbyshire border this afternoon., external
Police say they were called to the crash on the eastbound side near Foston at about 07:20, which was close to the turn off for the A5111 to Burton upon Trent.
Image source, Derbyshire Police
Officers say the lorry, which was carrying carpet, hit a bridge and the driver is believed to have suffered minor injuries.
The road is expected to be fully reopened later this afternoon and there are several miles of queues.
Image source, Derbyshire Police
House damaged after shots firedpublished at 11:44 British Summer Time 10 September 2018
The door and walls of a building were damaged after shots were fired at a home in Bordesley, Birmingham in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Officers are investigating after being called to the property on Churhill Road at about 00:50.
No-one was injured, said West Midlands Police.
Det Sgt mark Allen said: “Somebody has rashly put lives at risk with a firearm and it is essential we find them as quickly as possible."
Football fan suing police calls for changepublished at 11:34 British Summer Time 10 September 2018
A Bristol City fan says he is "angry" about being detained by police at a match in Birmingham in 2015.
Read More
In the papers: Man arrested over hit-and-runpublished at 11:32 British Summer Time 10 September 2018
Birmingham Live
These are some of the headlines on the Birmingham Live website today:
- Man arrested over hit-and-run which left police woman in hospital, external
- Motorcyclist fighting for life after crash at busy city junction, external
- This is why you're about to see more police at Birmingham Airport, external
Murder arrest after woman's deathpublished at 11:22 British Summer Time 10 September 2018
Breaking
Allen Cook
BBC News
A man's been arrested on suspicion of murder after the death of a woman., external
Image source, Google
Police say they were called to St Chad's Road, Burton upon Trent, just before 22:00 last night.
They say a 62-year-old woman was taken to hospital but died there.
Officers have arrested a 58-year-old man from the town on suspicion of murder and he's being questioned.
What's wrong with doing make-up on a train?published at 11:19 British Summer Time 10 September 2018
Commuters applying make-up was painted as a source of irritation by readers - what's the big deal?
Read More
Funding bid for Shakespeare's birthplacepublished at 11:15 British Summer Time 10 September 2018
Local Democracy Reporting Service
David Lawrence
Improvements to the area around Stratford-upon-Avon's top tourist attraction could be given a boost if a funding bid is successful.
Image source, Stratford District Council
Stratford Council has teamed up with Shakespeare’s Birthplace Trust to seek funding from the Coventry & Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) which is looking to invest £6m on tourism projects ahead of Coventry City of Culture 2021 and Birmingham staging the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
The joint bid would pay for investments and improvements in facilities in Henley Street, home to Shakespeare’s birthplace.
It is understood that the total cost of the work in the town centre would be about £1.2m and around £500,000 of this would be covered by the CWLEP funds, if the bid is successful.
Westminster terror attack: Victims' inquest beginspublished at 11:04 British Summer Time 10 September 2018
The inquest into the deaths of five victims, run down and killed by Birmingham resident Khalid Masood, has begun in London.
Image source, Met Police/Social Media
Kurt Cochran, Leslie Rhodes, Aysha Frade, and Andreea Cristea were run down and killed by Khalid Masood on Westminster Bridge on 21 March 2017.
Masood also stabbed and killed PC Keith Palmer in the forecourt of the Palace of Westminster, before being shot dead by armed police officers.
The inquest at the Old Bailey is expected to last up to five weeks.
Village holds ancient horn dancepublished at 10:52 British Summer Time 10 September 2018
Allen Cook
BBC News
Visitors from around the world are expected to be in a Staffordshire village today for a ritual dance dating back to the 13th Century.
The Abbots Bromley Horn Dance is held across several miles of roads on Wakes Monday, the first Monday after 4 September.
Organisers said the celebration was traditionally intended to "ensure successful hunting".
The annual dance, which features characters including deer-men, a fool, a hobby horse, a bowman and Maid Marian, is set to last through the day., external
Road cordoned off by policepublished at 10:41 British Summer Time 10 September 2018
Part of Lunt Road in Bilston, close to the football club, has been cordoned off by officers investigating an incident.
We'll bring you more on that as we get it.
Image source, Tracey Fullard
Cricket: Crucial games for Warks and Worcspublished at 10:30 British Summer Time 10 September 2018
Allen Cook
BBC News
Worcestershire are playing top-of-the-table Surrey from today as their battle against relegation in the County Championship enters their final three games.
The Pears are without a win in their last two games and won't have overseas players Martin Guptill and Ravichandran Ashwin for the remainder of the season.
Meanwhile, in Division Two, Warwickshire's promotion charge takes them to Leicestershire today.
The Bears, with two wins by an innings and a draw in their past three games, go into the game seven points ahead of Kent.
You can listen to both games on BBC local radio commentary or keep up-to-date via the BBC Cricket website.