Updates from Monday 11 to Sunday 17 February 2019
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Shefali Oza
BBC Midlands Today
We're in for a dry night in the West Midlands with long, clear spells - here's the full forecast:
Shefali Oza
If you need a forecast for your area at any other time, head to the BBC Weather website.
Allen Cook
BBC News
People living in part of Birmingham are being promised they will be listened to in major plans to regenerate their area.
Image source, GoogleThe city council's looking to revamp Ladywood and build more family housing along with better public spaces and other facilities., external
In 2015, the local authority said the area was among the most deprived areas in the city.
It says it needs to prepare for the population growing by a potential 10% in the next 15 years and is now looking for a partner organisation to lead on the regeneration.
Birmingham City Council says the "main consideration" of the plans for the area will be down to what the local community wants and it is holding a ward forum on 19 February.
West Brom's Dwight Gayle is charged with "successful deception of a match official" in the draw with Nottingham Forest.
Read MoreWe all need to ask more questions, to put a stop to modern day slavery, the West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner has said.
Speaking ahead of a conference to debate the issue today, John Campion suggested we should be suspicious of businesses that appear to be employing cheap labour and report them if we have concerns.
Image source, West Mercia PCCMr Campion warned reports of the crime are on the rise in his force area, with 49 cases in the last 12 months.
Quote MessageHow can that gardening company provide that service at that cost? The people that come and do the work, do they look well, do they look happy? Do they look like they are being paid appropriately?"
John Campion, West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner
A bald hedgehog has been given a massage by the actor John Challis today - best known for playing Boycie in Only Fools and Horses.
He's a patron of the Cuan Wildlife Rescue charity in Much Wenlock and dropped in to bring some treats for the animals being cared for there.
Image source, Cuan HouseThe hedgehog, known as Bear, is thought to have shed his spines after getting a severe case of ear mites and is being massaged in the hope they will grow back.
A Hereford grandfather has broken a world record by completing his 3,000-mile row across the Atlantic.
Neil Young, 61, and his 62-year-old rowing partner, Peter Ketley, became the oldest pair to row across an ocean as part of the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge.
Another Hereford man, special forces veteran Tim Crockett, is due to arrive at the finish line this afternoon.
Last year, 62-year-old Di Carrington from Shropshire became the oldest woman to complete the row across the Atlantic, when she took part in the challenge.
The parents of five-year-old Oscar from Worcester, who has leukaemia, are searching for a stem cell match.
Read MoreA parliamentary bill, proposing a limit on the hours bus drivers can work, has been put forward by the Warwick and Leamington MP today.
Labour's Matt Western presented the 10-minute-rule bill this afternoon, following the deaths of two people in a bus crash in Coventry in 2015.
Rowan Fitzgerald, seven, and Dora Hancox, 76, died when the bus crashed into a branch of Sainsbury's.
The 77-year-old driver of that bus had worked over 70 hours in the week leading up to the crash and mistook the accelerator for the brake, a trial of facts heard in September.
Mr Western said the circumstances meant there was almost an "inevitability" the crash happened.
The MP called for a law to prevent drivers from working more than 56 hours a week,or 90 hours in any two weeks.
Members of Rowan's family were in Parliament to hear Mr Western's bill.
Kidderminster Harriers have confirmed their promising midfielder Milan Butterfield has signed an 18-month contract with the club.
The 21-year-old becomes the second academy player this month to sign professional terms, after Harry Higginson put pen to paper on a deal.
Allen Cook
BBC News
An elderly woman's been threatened with a machete on her own driveway by two masked men who tried to steal her car., external
Image source, GoogleWest Midlands Police says the 71-year-old ran into her house after the pair made the attempt to carjack her on Stevens Road, Stourbridge, Dudley, on Monday.
Officers say when the woman's husband challenged the men they fled empty-handed on a scooter, leaving the woman with minor injuries.
The man claims a bottle was "forced" into his hand and he only found out later that it was acid.
Read MoreA few of the stories featuring on the Dudley News website this afternoon:
Schoolchildren in Nuneaton taking part in the RSPB's Big Schools' Birdwatch spot exciting visitors.
Read MoreA Warwickshire police officer has been given a 12-month community order after admitting unlawfully accessing police systems for his own personal use.
The force said it wasn't able to establish why 47-year-old Norman Stephens, from Hatton Park in Warwick, did it, and he didn't offer any explanation.
Image source, Warwickshire PoliceHis activity came to light when a relationship with a police colleague came to an end and he was reported for continuing to contact her.
An investigation into his activity discovered the computer use and he pleaded guilty to accessing it on four occasions.
Stephens had been with the force for 28 years and was serving as a detective constable in its child exploitation team now.
He now faces internal police proceedings and resigned from the force in November 2018.
Staffordshire County Council is going to sell off 16 of its farms in a bid to raise up to £20m., external
The Conservative-run authority currently has 94 farms , externaland, like many local councils, is facing cuts to funding.
Image source, Staffordshire County CouncilIt says the money generated from the sales will be partly reinvested into the remaining farms, but also go towards health care and investment in infrastructure in the county.
The council says tenants at the 16 farms will be given the chance to buy them first, but, if they can't, they'll be sold with them as sitting tenants.
BBC Sport
Aston Villa boss Dean Smith faces Brentford tonight for the first time since leaving Griffin Park in October.
Image source, PAVilla are again without loan midfielder Tom Carroll and defender James Chester.
Carroll is expected to miss a second game following the slight strain he suffered on his debut in the goalless draw at Reading.
Wales international Chester, who was also absent from Friday's 3-3 thriller with Sheffield United, misses a third straight match in a bid to reduce swelling on his knee.
BBC Midlands Today
Birmingham City Council is pushing ahead with plans to revamp a tower block for use by dozens of homeless families, despite local resistance.
The £11m proposals for the 20-storey Barry Jackson Tower in Aston, external were approved last summer and today safety's been tested at the site by the fire service., external
A number of local residents say it should be demolished and replaced with affordable housing, instead of being home to 160 homeless families.
However, the city council says it's made major changes to the lay-out and the building will be staffed around the clock, including with security guards.
The authority claims housing the families in the tower, due to start this spring, will save about £2m every year which would have been spent on bed and breakfasts.
Coventry Live
Three of the headlines from the Coventry Live website today:
BBC Sport
Stoke City will pay tribute to their former goalkeeper, 1966 World Cup-winning star Gordon Banks, as part of their game tonight away at Wigan.
The Potters have Charlie Adam (pictured) back in training after injury, but the veteran midfielder may not be considered ready for a full return.
Image source, Getty ImagesBoss Nathan Jones felt Stoke lacked a threat in their defeat to West Brom, so Benik Afobe and Saido Berahino could start.
The Potters have lost five of the six games since Jones took charge last month and are 17th in the Championship.
An inquest date has been set for a 69-year-old guest who died after contracting Legionnaire's disease at a hotel in Ludlow 18 months ago.
Elaine Brown from Liverpool died in hospital after staying at the Feathers Hotel in August 2017.
Image source, Family photoThe inquest is due to start on 27 February and last three days.
The hotel is now under new ownership after being sold in December.
