Rahat Saeed, 37, died in hospital nine days after being attacked.

The band UB40 will be given a star on Broad Street in Birmingham today.

The group, from the city, have sold more than 70 million records worldwide since they formed in 1978, earning four Grammy nominations in the process.

Locals rally round to give a Christmas gift to a man who had several wreaths stolen.

Cheshire heavyweight boxer Nathan Gorman says he's facing the biggest challenge of his career so far this weekend.

Image source, PA

The 22-year-old from Nantwich, unbeaten in 14 bouts and trained by Ricky Hatton, is fighting Romanian Razvan Cojanu.

The bout is on the undercard of a Manchester Arena show which features Josh Warrington's IBF World Featherweight title defence against Carl Frampton as the main event.

Fidel Glasgow, grandson of Specials singer Neville Staple, was stabbed outside Club M in Coventry.

Locals rally round to give a Christmas gift to a man who had several wreaths stolen.

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One of the highest ranking female referees in the Premier League says despite the lack of diversity in top flight refereeing, she thinks times are changing and the role is becoming a "cool thing to do" for younger people.

Image source, Getty Images

English official Sian Massey-Ellis is an assistant referee in the Premier League and English Football League.

The 33-year-old from Coventry also referees in the the Women's Super League.

"I don't like to call myself a role model but if one person picks up a whistle because they've seen me on the field, then I've done my job," she said.

"When I was at school, kids were like 'I don't want to be the referee, give someone else the whistle', but now it's getting a little bit cooler and people will give it a go," she said.

We've got a little more detail on the incident in Walsall this afternoon, which saw armed police deployed to Darlaston Road and part of the street cordoned off.

This evening, West Midlands Police says it's recovered a vehicle, but adds that the case is "still ongoing" and officers haven't officially left the area.

Image source, John Kennett

Rebecca Wood
BBC Midlands Today

It will be a mixed night with some heavy showers and some clear spells with lows of 5C (41F).

A year to the day since it was announced that Birmingham would host the 2022 Commonwealth Games, the chairman of the organising committee says "significant strides" have been made in the last 12 months.

Planning approval for the first phase of the athletes' village in Perry Barr, granted on Thursday, was a "major milestone", said chairman of the organising committee, John Crabtree.

Other key moments from 2018, since the announcement was made include the confirmation of the £70m upgrade of the Alexander Stadium development, which will see the the seating capacity increased to 40,000.

Image source, Birmingham 2022

In April, the city hosted a huge celebration event, using 2,000 dancers, as it welcomed taking on the Games.

Earlier this month designs for the new £60m aquatics centre were unveiled, which will be built at Londonderry Playing Fields in Smethwick.

The designs feature a 50m Olympic-sized competition swimming pool, a 25m diving pool and a studio pool along with 1,000 spectator seats.

Image source, Sandwell Council

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The Bromsgrove Advertiser has these stories on its website today:

• Bromsgrove sailor Susie Goodall would compete again in race 'in a heartbeat', external
• Crash drink-driver was twice over the legal limit in Bromsgrove, external
• Council bid to cut down funeral poverty by making more graves available to purchase, external

Justin Robson swapped the grille colour on his car in an attempt to escape prosecution for speeding.

Fidel Glasgow, grandson of The Specials star Neville Staple, was fatally wounded in Coventry in September.

Two men have been arrested in connection with human trafficking and drugs offences in Wolverhampton.

The pair, in their 20s, were detained by officers conducting warrants in the Low Hill and Bushbury areas of the city.

Warwickshire Police said officers worked alongside colleagues from the West Mercia and Derbyshire forces on the investigation.

The men were arrested on suspicion of conspiring to supply crack cocaine and heroin as well as offences under the Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery Act.

Flash floods in Worcestershire earlier this year could end up costing more than £15m in repairs, a county council reports says today., external

Image source, Worcestershire County Council

The May bank holiday flooding in Hollywood and Wythall hit more than 300 homes with many residents having to be evacuated.

The council's report says around two months of rain - 130mm (five inches) - fell in two hours, causing drains, rivers and sewers to overflow.

A number of recommendations are made, ranging from handing out flood packs to all flood victims to investigating ways to speed up the flow of water.

Port Vale's captain and top scorer Tom Pope extends his contract with the League Two club until the summer of 2021.

There's so far very little information on the situation in Walsall.

Darlaston Road remains sealed off and armed police are at the scene.

Officers were originally called at 12:35 to reports of a stolen car speeding in the area, but is unclear whether the situation has since developed.

Image source, John Kennett

Eduard Zigar took his own life less than a week after beginning his hospital placement.

Local Democracy Reporting Service
David Irwin

Work is set to start within weeks on a study which could ultimately see a water source deep underground heat schools, hospitals, council buildings and even some businesses in Solihull.

A test borehole is to be drilled up to 270 metres below Tudor Grange Park to determine the feasibility of the scheme.

Image source, Solihull Council

A government grant of more than £250,000 and funding from the West Midlands Combined Authority will be used to carry out the study.

If things go to plan, the initial phase of the network could be up and running by 2021.

It would use a system of insulated pipes to take heat from a central source and carry it to buildings around the town centre.

Jack Dowling
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke

Children's mental health services are going to be expanded in Stoke-on-Trent for 18 months with £2m from the government.

Image source, Getty Images

The North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust says it's going to use the cash to create 30 new posts to work in schools across the city and the surrounding area.

If the new roles prove successful over an 18-month trial, it is hoped local health bosses will continue to fund them after that.