Summary

  • Live updates from Monday 19 November to Sunday 25 November

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Live Reporting

  1. Nostalgia museum closed after fire inspection

    Bongi Msimanga
    Journalist, BBC Shropshire

    A museum which displays quirky nostalgia has been shut down after a fire inspection, because it is too crowded.

    The inspectors said The Land of Lost Content, in Craven Arms, needs to clear more space on corridors and stairs, to make them safe in the event of a fire.

    Land of lost contentGoogle

    The owner of the museum, Stella Mitchell, said she had bought new doors and fire extinguishers and hoped to reopen on 1 February.

    We've had to move a lot of things out of corridors, where they were apparently obstructing people's exit. We've had to make sure there is one staircase from the top to the ground which has no displays on it at all, which to me is a terrible waste of space."

    Stella Mitchell, Land of Lost Content

  2. Nuneaton boss says financial woes affecting performances

    Nuneaton Borough manager Nicky Eaden says the club's financial position has been affecting the performances on the pitch.

    The club, which is bottom of the National League North, has had to cut its budget for a third time this season, despite finding a new owner - Eaden said "a lot of players have been told they need to leave the club".

    But he went on to say "there aren't contracts just knocking about for players out there", meaning some were facing the prospect of taking a pay cut to get a deal.

    Nuneaton Borough

    Despite the problems, Eaden praised his players attitude, saying "the majority of the time they've been great".

    Obviously I think if it's hanging over you that a player might be leaving the club at any time, it's bound to affect them in some way. It's just the fine margins. For the most part they've been great, the lads and they have just got on with it. It's just in certain games when they get things turn against them or they get a bad decision, they do get disheartened."

    Nicky Eaden, Nuneaton Borough manager

  4. Street attack widow 'charged £374 for funeral overrun'

    Danny Kelly
    Presenter, BBC WM

    The family of a man killed in a street attack say they're angry at being charged an extra £374 by the council because his funeral overran.

    Nigel AbbottWest Midlands Police

    Nigel Abbott, 65, suffered head injuries in the assault in Walmley, Sutton Coldfield in July and his funeral took place in August.

    His widow, Gail, told BBC WM that it overran because there were so many mourners wanting to pay their respects and it took them an extra half-an-hour to leave.

    Birmingham City Council says it has every sympathy for Nigel's family and its charges are for 30-minute appointments, adding that families can book a double service to ensure there is enough time.

    How can they put a price on somebody paying respects. It's just unthinkable, but unfortunately it happened."

    Gail Abbott, Widow

  5. Your photos: Dusting of snow

    BBC Weather Watchers

    Try and restrain your excitement, but we're spotting snow in the photos we're getting this week from some of our BBC Weather Watchers.

    It looks to be mainly over some of the higher ground, with these two examples from users Skye in Clee Hill, Shropshire, and Videoman in Leek, Staffordshire:

    Clee HillSkye
    LeekVideoman

    Snow is also getting its first mention in a while on the Met Office long range forecast, with the north of England mainly in the firing line.

    The Express newspaper reported bookies were taking a "flurry" of bets for snow arriving this month.

  6. Visually impaired man's glasses stolen in 'hate crime'

    Allen Cook
    BBC News

    A disabled man's had his sunglasses stolen from his face and police are treating it as a hate crime.

    Junction of Compton Street with Warwick StreetGoogle

    The force says it happened on Friday evening on the junction between Compton Street and Warwick Street in Stoke-on-Trent.

    Officers have described it was a "particularly callous crime" and say it's left the visually impaired man in great distress.

  7. Patisserie Valerie auditor faces probe over alleged fraud

    BBC Business News

    Accountancy firm Grant Thornton is being investigated over its auditing of Birmingham-based Patisserie Holdings.

    Patisserie ValerieGetty Images

    The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) said it was investigating audits by Grant Thornton over three years - 2015, 2016 and 2017.

    Last month Chris Marsh, former finance director at the cafe chain Patisserie Valerie, was arrested after accounting irregularities were uncovered.

    Mr Marsh is also being investigated by the FRC.

    A spokesman for Grant Thornton confirmed it had received a letter from the FRC about the decision to start an investigation. "We will, of course, fully cooperate in this matter," the spokesman said.

  8. Move over Brexit, 'Yarxit' has been backed

    Sophie Calvert
    Political Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

    Staffordshire's got it's very own version of Brexit... dubbed Yarxit.

    Yarnfield signsGoogle

    Two villages, Yarnfield and Cold Meece, are breaking away to set up a new parish council.

    Last night, the pair were given the go-ahead by Stafford Borough Council to formally split from Swynnerton Parish Council on 1 April.

    Campaigners say they move is so they can focus on local issues including the pavements, traffic and the impact of the high-speed rail link, HS2.

  9. X Factor winners to switch on Christmas lights

    Last year's X Factor winners Rak-Su will switch on Coventry's Christmas lights tonight.

    The R&B group toured with Little Mix earlier this year and their most successful single reached number two in the chart.

    Rak-SuGetty Images

    The event in Broadgate starts at 17:30.

  11. Cheers for Marston's growth

    BBC Business News

    Brewer and pub operator Marston's has reported a fifth year of like-for-like growth.

    The Wolverhampton-based company profited from thirsty boozers necking more pints than ever during the hot summer and football World Cup.

    A pintGetty Images

    Underlying revenue for the group climbed 15% to £1.14bn with an increase in underlying profit before tax of 4% to £104m.

    However, statutory profits slumped by 46% to £54.3m which Marston’s blamed on external estate valuation, which resulted in a £39.8m charge to the income statement.

  12. 'West Brom written through me' - award for Frank Skinner

    Louise Hancock
    Newsreader, BBC WM

    The comedian and presenter Frank Skinner's been honoured with an award to recognise his contribution to television.

    Frank Skinner after receiving award

    The 61-year-old, who was born in West Bromwich, received the Baird Medal at the regional Royal Television Society Awards at Birmingham's town hall last night.

    Previous winners of the accolade include Inspector Morse author Colin Dexter and fellow comedian Jasper Carrot.

    Even though I've been living in London since 1991, being somewhere for the first 30 years of your life has quite an enormous effect and, whatever you do after that, I think I've probably got West Bromwich written through me in granite."

    Frank Skinner, Comedian and presenter

  13. Stalking cases 'rise 116% in three years'

    Tom Edwards
    Reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester

    There's been a huge rise in the number of stalking incidents reported across Herefordshire and Worcestershire, with almost 300 cases over the last 12 months.

    Woman at nightGetty Images

    A Freedom of Information request to West Mercia Police has revealed offences have risen by 116% in just three years.

    The force says the rise is "encouraging", as it shows more victims are having the confidence to go to the police.

  14. MP rejects draft Brexit deal

    BBC Shropshire

    Telford MP Lucy Allan is the latest Conservative backbencher to declare she won't be backing Theresa May's draft Brexit.

    While a challenge to the prime minister's leadership seems to have evaporated, getting the deal through Parliament will be another matter.

    She faces Prime Minister's Questions at lunchtime, followed by an afternoon dash to Brussels for last-minute talks.

    Lucy Allan

    In a statement on Facebook, Lucy Allan said she respected the prime minister "doing an impossible job in the most difficult of circumstances" but that her loyalty was "to those who elected me to represent them".

    She added: "I stood for election in 2017 in good faith on a mandate to deliver a Brexit where the UK would leave the single market, the customs union and European Court of Justice.

    "The Withdrawal Agreement as drafted does not deliver that."

  16. Taxi drivers targeted in air pollution plan

    BBC Midlands Today

    Taxis drivers with high-polluting vehicles could lose their licences, under plans to improve air quality in Coventry.

    An exhaust emits fumesReuters

    The city council says the area has some of the highest vehicle emissions in the country.

    Now it's looking at tackling the issue and the authority says it wants to work with taxi firms and bus operators to cut pollution.

    One option it is looking at is to grant taxi licenses to those with the cleanest vehicles.

    The changes will be discussed at a meeting on 27 November.

  17. Fire 'started in linen cupboard'

    Faith Page
    Reporter, BBC Shropshire

    A "significant" fire at a building in Shropshire last night's thought to have started in a linen cupboard.

    Fire engines on roadShropshire Fire Service

    Three fire engines were sent just after 23:00 to the site in Calverhall, near Whitchurch.

    After an investigation, the fire service says the blaze involved an electrical and linen cupboard on the ground floor, in a kitchen.

  18. Nursing home beds 'block-booked' to ease hospital pressure

    Gill Dummigan
    Health Correspondent, BBC North West

    Health bosses in Cheshire are block-booking beds in nursing homes this winter as they say it will free up hospital beds.

    Macclesfield GeneralGoogle

    Eastern Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) says the move will be for patients who, while no longer needing acute hospital care, are not yet well enough to go home.

    Last winter, the main hospital in their area, Macclesfield General, was often completely full while the minor injuries units in Congleton has already been closed over the weekend this month so staff can be redeployed to Macclesfield.

    "I think it's a win-win for everybody," said Paul Bowen, chair of the CCG. "People get to stay close to their own communities and it provides less pressure on the hospital."

  19. Shrewsbury Town set for FA Cup replay tonight

    BBC Shropshire

    Manager-less Shrewsbury Town will be hoping to avoid the embarrassment of going out of the FA Cup tonight, away to non-league Salford.

    John AskeyGetty Images

    Ten days ago, the teams drew 1-1 and, since then, the Shrews have sacked manager John Askey (pictured) and won the two games since then.

    Whoever wins tonight's first-round replay will be at home to Scunthorpe United in the second round.