Midlands Live: Breaking news and local stories

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Live updates from Monday 28 January to Sunday 3 February
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Birmingham City 'can't afford' to lose Che Adamspublished at 16:19 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2019
BBC WM Sport
The Birmingham City manager Garry Monk says the club cannot afford to lose striker Che Adams.
Image source, Getty Images
With the transfer window closing tomorrow, the forward is reportedly a target for Burnley and Southampton.
Last night, Adams hit a superb strike in the 3-3 draw with Swansea City. He's scored 15 goals this season.
Quote Message
I think you can see, with the speculation, Che's committed to what we're doing and he knows how important he is to the team."
Garry Monk, Birmingham City manager
Bus journeys fall by 90 millionpublished at 16:13 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2019
Councils say they are "desperate" to protect services but funding cuts forced "difficult decisions".
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Murder charge over 2016 stabbingpublished at 16:03 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2019
Father-of-two Zakir Nawaz was found stabbed in Washwood Heath, Birmingham, in September 2016.
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Stuck duck rescued from frozen lakepublished at 15:23 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2019
Allen Cook
BBC News
A duck's been rescued after getting stuck in a frozen lake.
Image source, Staffordshire Fire Service
Staffordshire Fire Service was called to Branston Water Park near Burton upon Trent just before midday. , external
It said the duck appeared to have got stranded in the ice and crews had to wade in to rescue it., external
Image source, Staffordshire Fire Service
West Brom want Newcastle winger Murphypublished at 15:11 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2019
West Bromwich Albion hope to sign Newcastle winger Jacob Murphy on loan before Thursday's transfer deadline.
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Video footage of football trouble reviewedpublished at 15:06 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2019
Police are reviewing CCTV evidence from the Shrewsbury v Wolves FA Cup match to identify fans causing trouble.
One man from Shrewsbury and two Wolves fans were arrested on Saturday and West Mercia Police said there was "a small minority of fans intent on causing disorder both during and following the game".
The force said it was also working with the two clubs and asked fans with mobile phone footage of the trouble to get in touch.
MP's plea following 'homeless' man's deathpublished at 14:43 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2019
BBC Politics
A Birmingham MP has called for the government to act on homelessness following a man's death in the city centre on Sunday.
According to support group Helping the Homeless in Birmingham, Kane Walker was a rough sleeper who'd sought its help previously.
Image source, Helping the Homeless
This afternoon in Prime Minister's Questions, Labour MP for Birmingham Hodge Hill, Liam Byrne, said Mr Walker was one of more than 1,200 homeless people to have lost their lives in the last five years.
He said the scale of homelessness was a "moral emergency".
In response, the PM said the government wanted everyone to have a safe and secure home, with no one on the streets. "We recognise the importance of this, that's why we're putting money into it, that's why we're taking action," she said.
Trains disrupted by wire damagepublished at 14:35 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2019
BBC News Travel
Trains are being disrupted this afternoon by damage to overhead wires between Stoke-on-Trent and Macclesfield.
National Rail Enquiries says services could be cancelled, revised or delayed by up to 25 minutes., external
Illness forces Ozzy to postpone tourpublished at 14:27 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2019
The rock star says he is "devastated" by the news but hopes to reschedule for later this year.
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In the papers: Driver told fatal crash 'not his fault'published at 14:19 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2019
Dudley News
From the Dudley News:
Electric taxi-maker lays off 70 workerspublished at 13:49 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2019
Staff on temporary contracts will be affected by the changes, the company says.
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Bus drivers over 70 tested following fatal crashpublished at 13:41 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2019
A public inquiry has heard about safety measures introduced by bus company Stagecoach since a double decker crashed into a branch of Sainsbury's in 2015 and killed two people.
A trial last year heard Kailash Chander had been warned over his "erratic" driving following four crashes in the previous three years. It was a hearing of facts as the 80-year-old had been judged unfit to plead or stand trial and was diagnosed with dementia following the deaths in Coventry.
Stagecoach, which owns Midland Red for which Mr Chandler worked, says it now medically assesses drivers over the age of 70 every six months.
The firm also said that as of 5 January, it had stopped using casual drivers across the whole UK fleet.
West Midlands traffic commissioner Nick Denton is set to publish his report on the crash within 28 days.
Ozzy Osbourne postpones tour due to infectionpublished at 13:14 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2019
Allen Cook
BBC News
Birmingham-born rock star Ozzy Osbourne has postponed the entire UK and European legs of his farewell tour due to a "severe infection".
Image source, Getty Images
The 70-year-old announced in 2018 a two-year series of gigs dubbed No More Tours 2.
In a statement on his Facebook page,, external he says he's "devastated" to postpone the dates but he's been diagnosed with a severe upper-respiratory infection.
He promises that the tour with Judas Priest will be completed and is being rescheduled.
Salesman says on Facebook: 'I'm not dead'published at 13:02 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2019
"Bob the Blindman" took to social media to clear up the confusion after a fellow businessman died.
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Warriors forward given England vice-captain rolepublished at 12:59 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2019
BBC Hereford and Worcester
Worcester Warriors' Ted Hill has been selected as vice-captain for the England under-20s team ahead of the opening match of its six nations tournament.
England faces Ireland in Cork on Friday and two other Warriors, James Scott and Ollie Lawrence, will be on the replacements bench.
Image source, Getty Images
Warriors wing Josh Adams will start for Wales in their opening Six Nations match against France in Paris the same evening.
Sheep causing motorway concernpublished at 12:43 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2019
BBC News Travel
A flock of sheep on a grass verge near the M6 in Staffordshire is causing concern for the emergency services.
Highways England said they were spotted close to the southbound entry slip road, near Stafford services, and it's advising motorists between junctions 15 and 14 to drive carefully.
Image source, Highways England
Wrongly jailed men lose compensation fightpublished at 12:41 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2019
The UK's highest court dismisses the compensation claims of two men who spent years in jail.
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Vale boss Aspin leaves struggling clubpublished at 12:40 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2019
League Two club Port Vale's manager Neil Aspin leaves after 15 months in charge at Vale Park.
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Your photos: A cold start to the daypublished at 12:28 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2019
BBC Weather Watchers
The cold start to the day has been captured beautifully by the BBC Weather Watchers this morning.
These photos of snow and ice were taken at Lickey End in Worcestershire; Pelsall in the borough of Walsall; and Ludlow in Shropshire.
Image source, Snaphappy
Image source, Earl Grey
Image source, Shropshire_Lad
Neil Aspin resigns as manager of Port Valepublished at 12:15 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2019
Breaking
Lee Blakeman
Port Vale commentator, BBC Radio Stoke
Port Vale have parted company with manager Neil Aspin.
Image source, Getty Images
He returned to the club as manager in 2017 after playing more than 400 games for the club.
In a statement on the club's website, , externalAspin says he's resigning immediately.