Summary

  • Live updates from Monday 17 September to Sunday 23 September

  • Click on related stories for updates from your area

Live Reporting

  1. Armed officers deployed in run-up to Tory party conference

    Extra armed officers will be visible in Birmingham during the run-up to the Conservative party conference, which starts on 30 September.

    BirminghamGetty Images

    While there is no specific threat to the conference, the threat level for international terrorism in the UK is "severe", said West Midlands Police.

    Hundreds of officers from across the force will help police the event, as well as a number of demonstrations planned during the conference period.

    Broad Street, Bridge Street and Cambridge Street will have restrictions and diversions starting 21 September.

  2. Specialists called in to clean graffiti from Lady Godiva

    Work to clean graffiti from the statue of Lady Godiva in Coventry is set to resume.

    Lady Godiva statue

    Specialist contractors have been called-in, because of the nature of the material used to daub the plinth, said the city council.

    A man has been jailed for eight weeks in connection with the damage.

  3. Man stabbed 'during street brawl'

    Lucy King
    News Editor, BBC Radio Stoke

    A man's been stabbed in the back in a fight involving about 20 people.

    Bradwell Lane, near the Britannia pubGoogle

    Police say they were called to Bradwell Lane, near the Britannia pub, Porthill, Newcastle-under-Lyme, on Friday night.

    Officers say the 28-year-old was taken to hospital but has since been discharged.

  4. Call for open top bus tour after Worcestershire's T20 win

    Gavin Kermack
    Reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester

    Worcester's MP and mayor are both backing calls for a public celebration of Worcestershire Rapids' victory in Saturday's T20 Blast final.

    Worcestershire Rapids celebratingALLSPORT/Getty Images

    They beat Sussex Sharks at Edgbaston, having never even made it to Finals Day before.

    Both MP Robin Walker and mayor Jabba Riaz say the team deserve to have their victory recognised, following suggestions on social media of an open top bus parade or a civic reception.

    It's a massive, massive boost in terms of positivity and it's brought the city together. Absolutely well done to the Rapids, for bringing the trophy home, it's a massive lift for us so we've definitely got to do something."

    Jabba Riaz, Mayor of Worcester

  5. JLR moves production around

    In June, JLR announced it would move production of its Land Rover Discovery from Solihull to Slovakia from next year.

    Two years ago it moved production of the XE sports car to Castle Bromwich as part of a £100m investment.

    Jaguar workers: 'We are here to build cars and the more the better'

  6. Man charged after traffic warden attack

    The warden was set upon and had his moped stolen in Alum Rock, Birmingham, police said.

    Read More

  8. JLR confirms move to shorter working week
    Breaking

    As is standard business practice, Jaguar Land Rover regularly reviews its production schedules to ensure market demand is balanced globally. In light of the continuing headwinds impacting the car industry, we are making some temporary adjustments to our production schedules at Castle Bromwich."

    Jaguar Land Rover

    The firm added that it was "continuing to over-proportionally invest" in new products and technologies and was "committed" to its UK plants, "in which we have invested more than £4bn since 2010 to future proof manufacturing technologies to deliver new models".

  9. JLR boss calls cliff-edge Brexit 'horrifying'

    Last week, Jaguar Land Rover Chief Executive Ralph Speth warned a hard Brexit could result in job cuts and sliding profits.

    He told a conference in Birmignham attended by Theresa May that bad negotiations with the EU could ultimately cost the company more than £1.2bn a year and described a possible cliff-edge break with the EU as "horrifying".

    A spokesman for the prime minister said her Chequers Brexit proposals included protections for the car industry.

    Mr Speth's comments drew criticism from Tory Brexiteer Sir Bernard Jenkin, who described them as "made up".

  10. JLR to move to three-day week

    Jaguar Land Rover's Castle Bromwich plant is to move to a three-day week until Christmas, local Labour MP Jack Dromey reports.

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  11. 'Reckless' driver jailed over fatal crash

    A teenager, who crashed into a van while driving on the wrong side of the road, killing one of his passengers, has been jailed.

    Hammad AminWest Midlands Police

    Hamad Amin, then 17, hit speeds of over 80mph in residential areas around Birmingham, police say, after failing to stop for officers who were pursuing him for driving a stolen vehicle.

    He admitted causing death by dangerous driving and sentenced to six years in a young offenders institute at Birmingham Crown Court on Thursday 13 September.

    Amin, now aged 18 and of Coventry Road, Small Heath, was also banned from the road for eight years.

    Det Sgt Paul Hughes, from West Midlands Police said: "Amin had a choice to stop that day. Instead he chose to deliberately drive in a dangerous and reckless way which tragically resulted in the death of a young man".

  12. Oldest person in the UK: How has life changed?

    As Grace Jones, the oldest living person in the UK, turns 112, BBC News looks at her life and times.

    Read More

  13. Sphinx sees pink for bra recycling

    Allen Cook
    BBC News

    Pink bras have been fitted to sculptures of sphinxes at a stately home as part of efforts to get women to recycle their old bras.

    One of the sphinxes with a pink bra onWorcestershire County Council

    Worcestershire County Council launched its scheme this morning at Croome Court, near Worcester.

    A series of bra recycling bins are being set up across the county, with details on the Let's Waste Less website.

    The council also says the Worcestershire Breast Unit Haven, a local breast cancer charity, will benefit from every bra donated.

  14. NHS groups' deficit 'doubles in a month to £15m'

    Local Democracy Reporting Service
    Kerry Ashdown

    Health bosses are looking for help after their two organisations saw their deficit double in just a month.

    Latest figures show North Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Clinical Commissioning Groups were together almost £15m in the red at the end of July.

    MoneyPA

    They had been just under £7m at the end of June and blame unplanned admissions to the Royal Stoke University Hospital for most of the overspend.

    As a result, they're now looking to appoint a "turnaround director" to identify areas they can save, although they haven't confirmed how much such an official would cost them.

  15. More than 90,000 visit WW1 poppies display

    Lee Thomas
    Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

    More than 90,000 people visited the Weeping Window display of poppies in Stoke-on-Trent in the six weeks it was on display, organisers say.

    The displayMiddleport Pottery

    The sculpture was first seen at the Tower of London and created to commemorate those who lost their lives in World War One.

    It's been travelling around the country and opened at Middleport Pottery in the city on 2 August.

    Visitors to the displayMiddleport Pottery

    The event came to a close at the weekend after the city council says it drew visitors from as far afield as Dubai, Istanbul and Zurich.

    The response to the Weeping Window has been overwhelmingly positive - both people reflecting on local contributions in World War One and conflict since then but also the relevance and how proud people are to have the poppies in Stoke-on-Trent."

    Claire Wood, Director, Middleport Pottery

  16. Man charged with assaulting traffic warden

    A man has been charged with assault after a traffic warden was attacked in Alum Rock on Friday, police said.

    Scene of attackGoogle

    Danyal Bashir, 19, has been bailed to appear at Birmingham Magistrates' Court on 16 October.

    The attack happened on Hartopp Road, at the junction with College Road just after 17:00, said West Midlands Police.

    The warden was taken to hospital, but didn't suffer life-threatening injuries.

    Another 20-year-old, arrested on suspicion of robbery, has been released while the investigation continues.

  17. Pub demolished for HS2 hub

    A former pub has been demolished to make way for the HS2 high-speed rail line in Birmingham.

    Demolition siteLM

    Park Street in the city was closed from Friday for the demolition of the Fox & Grapes in Digbeth

    The pub is making way for the HS2 Curzon Street station development which will see the former station transformed into a seven-platform HS2 hub.

  19. Theatre to host BBC CBeebies Christmas Show

    Allen Cook
    BBC News

    A theatre in Stoke-on-Trent is going to host the BBC CBeebies Christmas Show this year.

    Thumbelina logoCBeebies

    The BBC says the Regent Theatre will be the place to see a "unique" adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen tale, Thumbelina.

    The broadcast says it'll be recorded on 3 and 4 November with tickets on sale from 09:00 on 21 September.

    Once recorded, the BBC says Thumbelina will then be put on the iPlayer and in cinemas on 15 December and on CBeebies on 21 December.

  20. Worcestershire's T20 win 'amazing' for city

    BBC Sport

    Worcestershire captain Moeen Ali says their first win in the T20 Blast is "amazing" for everyone who lives and works in Worcester.

    On their first appearance at Finals Day, the side chased a target of 158 with nine balls to spare.

    However it was watched by a mere 500 Pears supporters after problems with ticket allocations to the four semi-finalists.

    Everyone that lives and works in Worcester, it's amazing for them. We get so much support from them all year round, even in the hard times."

    Moeen Ali, Worcestershire captain