Summary

  • Updates from Monday 25 to Sunday 31 March

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Live Reporting

  1. Autism school's care suspension lifted

    Cruckton Hall School says it will support those returning to its children's home after an Ofsted ruling.

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  2. College to shut arts centre in £1.4m move

    Phil Bowers
    Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke

    A college is going to close its performing arts centre and move classes to its main site.

    Stoke-on-Trent CollegeGoogle

    Stoke-on-Trent College says a new facility's going to be built at its Cauldon Campus, meaning the centre in Burslem will shut.

    It says the move is costing £1.4m, with £1m coming from the Education and Skills Funding Agency and should be finished this September.

  3. Marvel Fantastic Four comics auctioned for £15k

    Allen Cook
    BBC News

    A collection of 100 original Marvel comics has sold for £15,200 at auction.

    One of the comics

    The 1960s Fantastic Four collection had been built up by Brian Bowler, from Birmingham, and includes the first issue.

    The owner's family kept the comics locked in a bank vault after two burglaries.

    Before the sale, auctioneer Richard Winterton, from Lichfield, Staffordshire, said many of the items were in "mint condition".

  4. Aston Villa: Play-off battle intensifies for Dean Smith

    BBC WM

    Aston Villa manager Dean Smith says he believes there are just two play-off places that teams can still aim for now in the Championship.

    Dean SmithGetty Images

    As they prepare for their final eight league games, starting with Blackburn at home tomorrow, Villa are sixth, the final of the play-off places.

    But there are just four points between Middlesbrough in fifth and Nottingham Forest in 11th.

    I think fifth place looked out of sight and now I think it's in sight again so there are two places up for grabs. We have to concentrate on ourselves and not look for other results because we're not in control of that."

    Dean Smith, Aston Villa manager

  5. Riding school reopens after 'crippling' equine flu closure

    The owner of a Worcestershire riding school says last month's equine flu outbreak cost her £25,000.

    Bank Farm Equestrian Centre, in Arley near Bewdley, had to close for seven weeks after 16 of its 24 horses were affected by the virus and is reopening this weekend after getting the all-clear.

    Angie Bloomfield

    Angie Bloomfield said it was "crippling" and was the first time she had experienced anything like this.

    When you come down to the yard and see all the horses, just with their heads down looking quite sick, it's just quite a depressing state of affairs."

    Angie Bloomfield, Stables owner

  6. Brexit: Voting for withdrawal deal 'political castration'

    BBC Politics

    A veteran Brexiteer MP has told the Commons that voting for Theresa May's withdrawal agreement today would be like "political castration".

    House of Commons todayPA

    MPs are debating ahead of a vote on part of the prime minister's deal this afternoon, covering the terms of the UK's exit from the EU.

    But Stone's Conservative MP Sir Bill Cash criticised his own government, saying: "When you ask a difficult question you get no answer."

    However, Stratford-on-Avon's Tory MP, Nadhim Zahawi, who's also Children's Minister, has told the BBC the vote "will be close" but he adds he has spoken to a number of Labour MPs in Leave constituencies who are considering backing it.

    He said: “I think colleagues, especially on 29 March – which was supposed to be the day that we leave with an orderly Brexit - should think long and hard, why wouldn’t they vote for the withdrawal agreement?"

  7. LGBT people 'never felt more vulnerable'

    People at a meeting express disappointment in the policing of protests over lessons on LGBT rights.

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  9. Ambulance's window 'smashed on way to 999 call'

    Allen Cook
    BBC News

    An ambulance has been attacked while it was on the way to an emergency 999 call.

    Smashed ambulance windowWest Midlands Ambulance Service

    West Midlands Ambulance Service says it had its window smashed last night on Collector Road, Castle Bromwich, Birmingham.

    The paramedics inside weren't hurt and a second ambulance was sent to the patient who was suffering breathing difficulties.

    The ambulance service says it'll cost hundreds of pounds to repair the vehicle and it can't be used until it's fixed.

  10. Brexit: Business frustrations for Birmingham firm

    BBC WM

    The boss of an engineering firm in Birmingham says the current Brexit situation is "desperate" for his firm.

    UK and EU flags outside Big Ben

    Britain was due to leave the European Union today, 29 March, but that's been postponed to give the UK more time to either approve the prime minister's deal or decide its next steps.

    This afternoon, Theresa May is attempting to get MPs to back part of her deal, covering the terms of the country's exit from the EU.

    But for the chief executive of Brandauer, which makes precision metal parts, the lack of a clear direction is causing frustrations.

    We spent the last two years talking with customers about Brexit, operating a 'business as usual' approach, putting in contingencies. I'm carrying about £150,000 more stock than I would normally and we're still no further forward, no idea what the outcome going to be."

    Rowan Crozier, Chief executive, Brandauer

  11. Worcestershire captain nearing return after injury

    Worcestershire County Cricket say club captain Joe Leach has had a successful scan and is clear to start the final part of his rehab process.

    The 27-year-old missed most of last season because of a stress fracture of his back.

    Joe LeachGetty Images

    The club say it means he can now work towards resuming playing second team cricket in the next few weeks.

  12. 'It's like building a housing estate next to Stonehenge'

    A campaign group set up to oppose development near Oswestry's Iron Age hill-fort has said it's "very, very pleased" that Shropshire Council has ruled out seven potential housing sites nearby.

    They won't be included in its development plan, which runs until 2036, and a spokesman for Hands Off Old Oswestry Hillfort, Dr George Nash, said the authority had "come to its senses".

    Hillfort protestAlisdair Reid

    Supporters held a protest near the hill-fort on Sunday and Dr Nash said more than 100 people turned out and he warned "although the battle's won, the war's not over", because development plans may be revived.

    He compared building near the hill-fort with building a "housing estate next door to Stonehenge".

  13. 'Scary times' for Polish family with Brexit uncertainty

    BBC Midlands Today

    A family from Poland who live in Worcester have told the BBC they're considering their future in the UK after Brexit.

    The Rusiecka family

    Mariola and Lucasz Rusiecka moved to the West Midlands more than 10 years ago and have a business in Evesham.

    Later today,Theresa May will attempt to get MPs to back part of her Brexit deal, on the day the UK was due to leave the EU.

    Mr Rusiecka says he fears for their future in the UK due to their lack of British citizenship and the uncertainty over what will happen with Brexit.

    I feel frustrated, scared, we don't know whether or not we're still going to be allowed to stay in this country without having British citizenship so it's definitely scary times."

    Lucasz Rusiecka, Evesham business owner

  14. West Brom face Blues in derby clash

    BBC Sport

    Kieran Gibbs (pictured) and Tosin Adarabioyo are in contention to return when West Brom host Birmingham in the Championship tonight.

    Kieran GibbsGetty Images

    Stefan Johansen, Rekeem Harper, Sam Field and Ahmed Hegazi all returned from international duty unscathed but Matt Phillips is expected to miss out.

    Birmingham have Maxime Colin available for selection following his recovery from a tight hamstring.

    Marc Roberts and Charlie Lakin, who both missed the defeat at Preston through injury, have been passed fit.

    The match is City's first since their nine-point deduction for breaching profitability and sustainability rules.

  16. Second arrest after stabbing

    A second man has been arrested in connection with the stabbing of a 53-year-old man in Shrewsbury on Monday.

    The 35-year-old is being held by the police and his arrest follows that of a 20-year-old earlier in the week.

    Police car door

    The victim was attacked in the town centre and was taken to hospital with injuries that aren't believed to be life threatening.

  17. Memorial for Stafford fire deaths 'starts healing process'

    Jennie Aitken
    Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

    A memorial service for four young siblings killed in a house fire has allowed a local community to start to heal, according to a head teacher.

    Pictures of the children at the service

    Riley Holt, eight, Keegan Unitt, six, Tilly Rose Unitt, four, and Olly Unitt, three, all died in Stafford on 5 February.

    Up to 300 people dressed in bright colours gathered at St Mary's Collegiate Church in Stafford last night.

    Three of the children attended Castlechurch School which was represented at the service.

    It's been a difficult few weeks in school but, as the team and all of the community, we've pulled together and that's got us through and I think this evening is very much the start of that healing process for us as a school."

    Nicola Glover, Acting head teacher, Castlechurch Primary, Stafford

  18. Unpopular sleeper factory plans go on show

    BBC WM

    Fresh plans for a contentious new factory to make concrete sleepers for Network Rail are going on show today.

    Artist's impression of factoryNetwork Rail

    The proposals have already been revised for Bescot after thousands of people signed petitions against them, citing fears of noise, air pollution and added congestion.

    Network Rail says it needs the facility to replace a similar site at Westwood Heath which was shut to make way for the new HS2 high-speed rail depot.

    The factory would produce 600,000 concrete sleepers every year if approved, and a two-day consultation event starts this afternoon and continues tomorrow at the Banks's Stadium.

  19. School LGBT protests 'really upsetting'

    Parents have protested same-sex relationships education in Birmingham schools since February

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  20. Bid to restore Sedgley Beacon

    BBC Midlands Today

    There are new plans to protect one of the highest points in the Black Country.

    The Sedgley Beacon was built in the middle of the 19th Century, but it’s been fenced off in recent years because of vandalism.

    Sedgley Beacon

    Dudley Borough Council, with the help of local campaigners, is bidding for more than £1m of funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund to restore it.

    Despite having bids for cash rejected in the past, the council says it hopes to repair the tower and make the hill more accessible.