Summary

  • Live updates from Monday 8 October to Sunday 14 October

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  1. Water restored to homes and schoolpublished at 15:37 British Summer Time 10 October 2018

    Hundreds of homes in part of Stoke-on-Trent are without water this afternoon, and one school has had to close.

    The supply to houses in Bentilee and Eaton Park has been disrupted, and Eaton Park Primary School has had to close for the day as its toilets aren't working.

    tapImage source, Getty Images

    Severn Trent says the problem has now been fixed and supplies should be returning to normal soon.

  2. Pair appear in court over violent carjackingpublished at 15:27 British Summer Time 10 October 2018

    Two teenage boys charged in connection with a violent carjacking in Selly Oak have appeared before Birmingham magistrates.

    A 15-year-old charged with attempted murder and six counts of robbery has been remanded in custody and will next appear before Birmingham Crown Court on 24 October.

    A 17-year-old charged with six counts of robbery will appear before the same court on that date and is also being held.

  3. Homes for vulnerable children to closepublished at 15:16 British Summer Time 10 October 2018

    Four residential homes for vulnerable children in Worcestershire are to be closed.

    Staff working at the county council’s homes were being briefed this lunchtime.

    County Hall

    Four of the six homes in Redditch, Pershore, Bromsgrove, Worcester and Malvern will close, with money being spent on keeping children out of care in the first place.

  4. Man stabbed 'resisting wallet robbery'published at 15:04 British Summer Time 10 October 2018

    Alice Rosenthal
    BBC WM

    A man's been stabbed as he tried to resist being robbed on a street in Birmingham, external, police say.

    West Midlands Police said the 20-year-old was on Lichfield Road, Aston, on Monday evening when three men came up to him and took his wallet. As he tried to resist, he was stabbed in the chest.

    CCTV imagesImage source, West Midlands Police

    They say he was later discharged from hospital after treatment for minor injuries to his chest.

    The force has released CCTV images of two men they want to speak to in connection with the case.

  5. Police 'to pay reasonable costs' for scrapping alliancepublished at 14:52 British Summer Time 10 October 2018

    Andre Rhoden-Paul
    BBC News

    West Mercia Police will be expected to pay "reasonable costs" to exit its merger with Warwickshire Police, a police and crime commissioner has said.

    A West Mercia Police station

    It comes after the announcement yesterday that West Mercia would withdraw from its alliance with the neighbouring force.

    West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion said “We do have an arrangement where reasonable costs will be included in part of that negotiation.”

    The Police Federation of England and Wales said it "opposes any divisions that are caused as a result of this breakdown".

  6. House of Fraser store 'saved'published at 14:38 British Summer Time 10 October 2018

    The House of Fraser store in Leamington Spa has been saved from closure, the town's MP has said.

    Matt Western said he has been talking to the store's management and landlords since it was earmarked for closure when the chain went into administration.

    House of Fraser storeImage source, Google

    Around 200 jobs were thought to be at risk at the store, now owned by Sports Direct.

  7. M6 set for second closure to finish bridge demolitionpublished at 14:32 British Summer Time 10 October 2018

    Allen Cook
    BBC News

    The M6 is going to be completely closed in Staffordshire for the second time in a month so a bridge can be finally demolished.

    Media caption,

    Time-lapse footage showing the first phase of the bridge removal

    Last month, the road was shut for less than 12 hours during the operation between junctions 14 and 15.

    Highways England says that was part one of removing the Creswell Home Farm bridge, which is not in use, as part of upgrades to the M6.

    This weekend, it's going to shut from 20:00 on Saturday until 08:00 on Sunday, external so specialist machines can break up the rest of the bridge and take it away.

  8. Twitter praise for ex-footballer's homeless helppublished at 14:23 British Summer Time 10 October 2018

    BBC News England

    An ex-footballer's been praised on Twitter for putting a homeless man up in a B&B for a weekend.

    A general photo of a rough sleeperImage source, PA

    Geoff Horsfield, 44, met the rough sleeper while returning from a hospital with his nine-year-old daughter.

    In a tweet,, external the former Birmingham City and West Bromwich Albion striker said "this is what my foundation & the fund raising is all about".

    His gesture prompted praise from many on Twitter, with users calling him a "legend, external" and saying he was "doing some great things in Birmingham, external".

  9. Steel silhouettes to mark WW1 Armistice Day anniversarypublished at 14:12 British Summer Time 10 October 2018

    Six large steel silhouettes have been unveiled in Stoke-on-Trent , externalahead of them being displayed across the city to mark the anniversary of the end of World War One.

    The six silhouettes on show at Stoke Town HallImage source, Stoke-on-Trent City Council

    The city council says the silhouettes will mark 100 years since Armistice Day in 1918 and are currently on show at Stoke Town Hall.

    They'll then be moved to locations in each of the city's six towns with the authority saying each silhouette has a local connection.

  10. North West weather: Warm, dry and sunnypublished at 14:08 British Summer Time 10 October 2018

    BBC Weather

    A unseasonably warm and dry afternoon with plenty of sunshine. A light southeasterly breeze and highs of 21C.

    More from BBC Weather

  11. Man 'exposed himself' to teenage girlspublished at 14:03 British Summer Time 10 October 2018

    Lee Thomas
    Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

    A man is wanted by police after reportedly exposed himself to a group of teenage girls.

    Fountain Street, LeekImage source, Google

    It happened on Fountain Street, Leek, Staffordshire, on Sunday, officers say, and the man then walked off.

  12. Driverless cars may be on streets by 2021published at 13:51 British Summer Time 10 October 2018

    More trials of driverless pods have been taking place Coventry this week, as part of pilots dating back more than a year.

    Jaguar Land Rover, Ford and TATA are testing the vehicles on the ring road and versions could be fully authorised as soon as 2021.

    Driverless car

    JLR and Ford are part of the £20m UK Autodrive project, backed by government, which is also seeing similar trials in Milton Keynes.

    Coventry City Council says the vehicles could cut pollution and congestion.

    If it all feels very futuristic, take a look at BBC Business's article, which suggest you might have already bought your last car.

    Quote Message

    It allows us to manage pollution, congestion, because when they're all driving autonomously, you can get a decent platoon getting through traffic signals."

    Sunil Budheo, Coventry City Council

  13. MP says 'business rates are unsustainable'published at 13:40 British Summer Time 10 October 2018

    Shrewsbury's Conservative MP Daniel Kawczynski is calling on the Chancellor to change the way business rates are calculated, arguing they are too high.

    He says they're "damaging the high street and economic growth" and are causing businesses to close.

    Shrewsbury

    Mr Kawczynski said Shrewsbury suffers more than many towns because of the high proportion of small, independent traders, who are unable to pay the bills.

    Quote Message

    The Conservative party is meant to be the pro business, pro business-friendly party and encouraging economic growth. I believe that the business rates are too high and are having a detrimental impact."

    Daniel Kawczynski, Shrewsbury and Atcham MP

  14. Grand plans unveiled for 'prestige' citypublished at 13:22 British Summer Time 10 October 2018

    The council wants to create a "successful and growing cathedral and university city."

    Read More
  15. Heatwave and World Cup boost sales at Marston'spublished at 13:14 British Summer Time 10 October 2018

    BBC Business News

    The World Cup and warm summer weather helped pub group Martson's chalk up record revenue for the year ended 29 September 2018.

    Bottles of beer produced by Marston'sImage source, Marston's

    Group turnover at the Wolverhampton-based firm jumped 15% to over £1.1bn and the firm said it expected to report underlying profit before tax of around £104m - up from £100.1m last year.

    Chief executive Ralph Findlay said it had been a "transformational" year, adding: "We are meeting the demands of our customers and continue to manage the inflationary cost environment well, which gives us confidence for the future.''

  16. Villa manager job 'could get messy'published at 13:04 British Summer Time 10 October 2018

    BBC Sport

    The Brentford manager Dean Smith is a favourite with many fans to be the next Villa manager, because he is a fan of the club, but former striker Garry Thompson says that could be a mistake.

    With Thierry Henry reportedly on his way to Monaco, Smith and John Terry are among the favourites to replace Steve Bruce at Villa Park.

    Dean SmithImage source, Getty Images

    Thompson says the expectations will be high on the new manager and worries whether Smith can live up to the hopes of the fans.

    Quote Message

    I think Dean Smith would do a very good job, I think we need someone young, we need someone hungry. I just worry about the local link, because there is a lot of love towards Dean Smith, because he's a Villa fan. If it goes against him, because of the expectation, it's going to be messy."

    Garry Thompson, Former Aston Villa striker

  17. Bullets and WW2 incendiary found 'during loft clear out'published at 12:48 British Summer Time 10 October 2018

    Allen Cook
    BBC News

    It's not quite what you expect when you have a loft clear out - to find potential explosives from World War Two.

    But West Midlands Police says that's how these two bullets and an incendiary device dating back to the war were discovered in Solihull today., external

    Bullets next to a smartphone for comparisonImage source, West Midlands Police

    They add that the Army's Explosive Ordnance Disposal team's been called out to dispose of them.

  18. Drug driver could barely spell false name after crashpublished at 12:36 British Summer Time 10 October 2018

    A man who was high on cocaine when he crashed into a van on the M6 near Carlisle has been sent to prison for eight months.

    Thomas Jones outside Carlisle Crown CourtImage source, Craig McGlasson

    Carlisle Crown Court heard that Thomas Jones, 23, was travelling at "something like 100mph" near Todhills when he careered into an electrician's van, shunting it into the central reservation where it rebounded into his uninsured BMW.

    Jones then struggled to spell a false name he gave police.

    The driver was injured, and needed physiotherapy.

    Jones, from Browning Crescent in Wolverhampton, admitted driving while on drugs, perverting the course of justice, and three other motoring offences, including careless driving.

    After his prison term, he'll be banned from driving for 12 months.

  19. Tour de France winner says stolen trophy 'means a lot'published at 12:20 British Summer Time 10 October 2018

    BBC Wales News
    Tomos Morgan

    Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas says it's "incredibly unfortunate" that the trophy he won for the race was stolen from a cycle show in Birmingham.

    It was apparently taken during the clear-up at the end of The Cycle Show at the NEC 28-30 September, after being "momentarily left unattended".

    Geraint Thomas on the Champs-Elysees after winning this year's Tour de FranceImage source, Getty Images

    Police are investigating the theft of the trophy presented each year to the winner of cycling's most famous race.

    Thomas said: "The trophy means a lot to me and to the team."

    "It goes without saying that the trophy is of pretty limited value to whoever took it and hopefully [they] will have the good grace to return it."