Flood victim 'just wants home back'published at 17:56 British Summer Time 5 October 2018
Diana Thompson's house was damaged when parts of Birmingham saw over a month's rainfall in an hour.
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Flood victim 'just wants home back'published at 17:56 British Summer Time 5 October 2018
Group leader says West Mids on brink of social collapsepublished at 17:51 British Summer Time 5 October 2018
The Labour group leader at Redditch Borough Council says he believes the West Midlands is on the brink of "social collapse".
Councillor Bill Hartnett has signed an open letter with other local politicians, calling for a complete reform of funding for local councils.
Labour argues that austerity cuts since 2010 have had a disastrous impact on services, but the government says funding changes will offer the region more power to capitalise on growth from business rates.
In the papers: Health inequality highlighted in reportpublished at 17:40 British Summer Time 5 October 2018
These are some of the headlining stories on the Coventry Observer website today:
- Concerns over public health and inequality sparked by new report, external
- Former army sniper supports war veterans through podcast, external
- X Factor champions announced for Christmas lights switch-on, external
MacDonald expects Villa players to have mixed emotionspublished at 17:31 British Summer Time 5 October 2018
BBC SportAston Villa's caretaker manager, Kevin MacDonald, says he expects his players to have a range of different feelings about the sacking of Steve Bruce.
He will be taking charge for the third time as a caretaker and takes the team to Millwall tomorrow.
Image source, Getty ImagesMacDonald believes some players on the fringes of the team will see it as a way back in.
Quote MessageSome of the players will obviously be very, very disappointed. Some of the others, who weren't playing will still be disappointed at somebody losing their job, but they'll feel that they're maybe having a second chance."
Kevin MacDonald, Aston Villa caretaker manager
FGM 'has no place in modern society'published at 17:23 British Summer Time 5 October 2018
A new drive to tackle the "hidden crime" of female genital mutilation will be focused in seven cities across the country including Birmingham.
Image source, Home OfficeThe campaign titled Let's Protect Our Girls is the latest attempt to clamp down on FGM by the Home Office.
A 2015 study estimated that 137,000 women and girls who have migrated to England and Wales are living with the consequences of the illegal practice.
The new initiative aims to raise awareness over possible effects of FGM, including childbirth complications, period problems, mental health issues and urinary infections.
Quote MessageFemale genital mutilation has no place in modern society. It is repulsive, unethical and leaves victims with emotional and physical scars that last a lifetime. We have launched this important campaign to make it clear to everyone that the practice is illegal and has serious health consequences."
Sajid Javid, Home Secretary
Nuno up for manager of the month awardpublished at 17:12 British Summer Time 5 October 2018
The Wolves head coach Nuno has been nominated for the Premier League manager of the month award for September.
He will be up against Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp and Unai Emery.
Image source, Getty ImagesTwo Wolves players are on different Player of the Month award shortlists - Willy Boly for the Premier League award, and Matt Doherty for the PFA's prize.
Woman found guilty of murdering her motherpublished at 16:58 British Summer Time 5 October 2018
BreakingA woman has been found guilty of murdering her mother in Cheadle.
Staffordshire Police said Charlene Sargeant, 24, initially told emergency services that 53-year-old Rocky Sargeant had cut her own throat at the home they shared.
When emergency crews arrived they found the mother lying on the floor with a knife in her hand.
Image source, Staffordshire PoliceA post-mortem examination confirmed the presence of 18 stab wounds, the force said.
Charlene Sargeant will be sentenced at Stafford Crown Court on 26 October.
HGV fire causing M6 delayspublished at 16:53 British Summer Time 5 October 2018
BBC News TravelA lorry fire on the M6 is causing long delays southbound between J15 and J14, near Stoke-on-Trent Highways England is warning.
One lane is closed and firefighters are at the scene.
Hospital chief exec rejects calls for special measurespublished at 16:45 British Summer Time 5 October 2018
The man in charge of Shropshire's two main hospitals has warned that putting them into special measures could harm front-line services.
Local Conservative MPs Lucy Allan and Mark Pritchard have both called for the NHS to take the action, following the decision to close Telford's accident and emergency department overnight.
Simon Wright says the decision was made in the interests of patient safety, because the trust didn't have enough staff to man two A&E departments 24-hours a day.
And he said that while he'd welcome any help, he was guarded against any increased regulation.
Quote MessageThe NHS does love its bureaucracy, doesn't it? And anything that's going to increase the regulation is going to actually take time away from front-line service. And that's the one thing that I would suggest we've got to be careful about."
Simon Wright, SATH chief executive
Could councils be replaced by unitary authority?published at 16:36 British Summer Time 5 October 2018
Patrick Burns
Political editor, MidlandsWe'll be looking at the impact of overnight closures at Telford's A&E on neighbouring services on this week's Sunday Politics Midlands, as Health Secretary Matt Hancock says he wants to see an end to centralising services.
And the Malvern Hills council leader says it’s worth discussing replacing the two-tier system of councils in Worcestershire with a single unitary authority.
To discuss these issues I'll be joined by the Conservative MP for Walsall North Eddie Hughes, the Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley Jess Phillips and Herefordshire Green councillor Trish Marsh.
You can see this and more at 11:00 on BBC One in the West Midlands, and afterwards on the iPlayer.
In the papers: Two more arrests in murder investigationpublished at 16:24 British Summer Time 5 October 2018
Stoke-on-Trent LiveHere are three headlines from the Stoke-on-Trent Live website:
- Detectives arrest two more men as investigation into murder continues, external
- Election candidate jailed for stirring up racial hatred, external
- Motorist shocked to find snake dumped in lay-by, external
Four arrested in drugs raidpublished at 16:14 British Summer Time 5 October 2018
Drugs believed to be heroin and crack cocaine have been seized after a raid on a house in Stratford-upon-Avon, police said.
A 46-year-old women, men aged 35 and 53 and a 16-year-old boy were all arrested on suspicion of possession of drugs with intent to supply after the raid on a property in Masons Way on Thursday.
All four have been released under investigation, said Warwickshire Police.
Mum and baby murders were 'preventable'published at 16:09 British Summer Time 5 October 2018
Wesley Williams strangled Yvonne Walsh, 25, and Harrison, seven months, in Birmingham in 2013.
Read MoreCanadian forward happy to be back with Tigerspublished at 16:00 British Summer Time 5 October 2018
BBC SportTelford Tigers fans welcome back their giant Canadian forward Doug Clarkson this weekend, a year after he announced he was retiring and moving back to Canada.
He had been training to become a firefighter in Ontario, but said he wanted to give ice hockey in the UK one more try.
The 6ft 5in Clarkson scored 50 goals in his last season for the team and he believes the Tigers have "a team to win a lot of trophies this year".
He said he's "very excited to be back" and is enjoying being back with the team again, adding: "They're just all a good group of guys and like to have a laugh and it should be fun."
Quote MessageI don't want to wake up six or seven years from now and wonder maybe I should have gone back and played another year or two."
Doug Clarkson, Telford Tigers player
Hospital confident of coping with extra A&E patientspublished at 15:42 British Summer Time 5 October 2018
The Royal Stoke Hospital says it can cope with extra patients when Telford's accident and emergency department closes overnight.
The Princess Royal Hospital A&E is shutting for at least six months, while the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust deals with staff shortages and the leader of Wolverhampton Council has warned this will place a strain on surrounding hospitals.
But Dr Chris Pickering, the clinical director at the Stoke-on-Trent hospital said it should be possible to manage, although it would be inconvenient for some patients.
Media caption, Stoke hospital 'can cope' with extra patients from Telford
West Mids mayor wants more flights to Indiapublished at 15:24 British Summer Time 5 October 2018
Local Democracy Reporting ServiceThe West Midlands Mayor wants to see more flights between Birmingham and India.
Andy Street has recently been on a trade visit to the country and said he had been working with the city's airport to "seek to build on vital routes".
Image source, Getty ImagesMr Street has been supported by Midlands Engine "champion" James Brokenshire, who said it was a good time to strengthen links with Brexit on the horizon.
In the papers: Four charged over burglarypublished at 15:06 British Summer Time 5 October 2018
Some of today's headlines on the Stourbridge News website are:
- Four men charged over Hagley burglary, external
- Police campaign to name and shame bad parkers, external
- Stourbridge tip to close for maintenance, external
Illegal cigarettes and tobacco seized in raidspublished at 14:53 British Summer Time 5 October 2018
Five people have been arrested in Hereford after police looking for illicit tobacco raided two shops in the city.
Officers seized 12,500 cigarettes and 9kg of hand rolling tobacco from International Foods on Commercial Road
And 481 packs of cigarettes and 15 pouches of hand rolling tobacco were seized from Zabka Store in Eign Gate.
Image source, West Mercia PoliceWest Mercia Police said some of the tobacco was hidden inside a concealed space, operated by a sophisticated hydraulic system.
'Beach' created to raise plastic concernspublished at 14:39 British Summer Time 5 October 2018
A mini "beach" has been created in Bishops Castle today to highlight the problems caused by the use of plastic.
It will have plastic items hidden in the sand pit, for local school children to fish out during the day.
The town is bidding to become the first inland town to gain "plastic free community status" and today's event is all part of raising awareness.
Communities must hit a number of targets to be considered plastic-free, including getting local businesses to avoid single-use plastics.
Murdered mum and baby 'let down' by professionalspublished at 14:24 British Summer Time 5 October 2018
Kathryn Stanczyszyn
Political Reporter, BBC WMA senior police officer said a mother and baby, murdered by an abusive former partner, was "let down" by professionals after a review showed the deaths could potentially have been prevented, external.
Supt Danny Long, who's vice chair of Birmingham's Community Safety Partnership, said more should have been done to protect Yvonne Walsh and her seven-month-old son Harrison, "and for that we apologise".
Wesley Williams admitted killing them both at their home in Billesley, West Midlands in 2013, and was jailed for a minimum of 29 years.
"I'd be horrified," he said, "if agencies dealt with a case like this now - the way they did in 2013".
"We now have much better procedures in place."
