Midlands Live: Breaking news and local stories

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Updates from Monday 8 April to Sunday 14 April
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Stoke City boss struggling with lack of time between gamespublished at 16:17 British Summer Time 10 April 2019
Matt Sandoz
Stoke City commentator, BBC Radio Stoke
Stoke City manager Nathan Jones says his side are struggling at the moment with the number of matches they're playing in a short space of time.
Image source, Reuters
The Potters lost last night to Swansea City, ending their unbeaten run and just three days after beating Blackburn Rovers.
Stoke will next play four games in 14 days, starting on Saturday at home to Rotherham United.
Quote Message
We know we've had no training in between (games) so it's difficult and you have to be structurally right because it's a different game Saturday to this one and we've had no time to work with them because you can't."
Nathan Jones, Stoke City manager
Murder arrest over Olton hit-and-runpublished at 16:05 British Summer Time 10 April 2019
Allen Cook
BBC News
A man's been arrested on suspicion of murder after another man died in what police believe was a deliberate hit-and-run crash.
Image source, Family Handout
Steven Day, from Olton, Solihull, died when a Volkswagen Golf struck him as he walked along pavement on Warwick Road, Solihull, in July.
West Midlands Police said a 38-year-old man was arrested this morning and is in custody. , external
A 19-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving and murder in July and released pending investigation.
Council urged to set aside land for wind farmspublished at 15:53 British Summer Time 10 April 2019
Local Democracy Reporting Service
Shropshire needs to identify sites where wind farms could be created, a Green Party councillor has said.
Last year the government introduced new guidelines, stating that planning applications for wind turbines should be refused unless they are for an area deemed suitable in the local plan.
Image source, Getty Images
Julian Dean complained Shropshire Council has not set aside any sites for wind turbines in the latest draft of its local plan and said a "rethink on wind power" is needed.
Cricketer: 'Rape victim instigated sex'published at 15:51 British Summer Time 10 April 2019
Former Worcestershire cricketer Alex Hepburn tells a court the woman instigated sex with him.
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Man rescued after car rolls over on M6published at 15:33 British Summer Time 10 April 2019
Allen Cook
BBC News
A man's been cut free from a car after it rolled over on the M6 this afternoon near Birmingham.
Image source, West Midlands Fire Service
West Midlands Fire Service says the vehicle was on its roof in the middle lane between J6 and J5. , external
The ambulance service says the man was taken to hospital as a precaution.
Names of crash death couple releasedpublished at 15:18 British Summer Time 10 April 2019
The names of a Staffordshire couple who died in a crash on the A41 in Shropshire last month have been released.
Stephen and Janine Mander from Stone died at Crickmerry near Market Drayton on 24 March.
Image source, Family photo
Roller hockey record bid in memory of founderpublished at 14:59 British Summer Time 10 April 2019
A Shropshire roller hockey club is going to attempt a 46-hour game to raise money for Birmingham Children's Hospital.
Newport Knights want to claim the record in memory of their founder, Jamie Payne, who passed away two years ago.
He led them in a 32-hour game six years ago.
Image source, Newport Knights
The club said Jamie stayed at the hospital when he was younger and the charity "was always close to his heart and remain close to his family and friends."
Thirty-two players will attempt the record at the Maurice Chandler Sports Centre in Market Drayton starting on 26 April.
Prime Minister asked to intervene over factory closurepublished at 14:40 British Summer Time 10 April 2019
The Prime Minister has been asked to look into the planned closure of GKN's arerospace plant at Kings Norton.
Birmingham Northfield MP Richard Burden raised the issue after Prime Minister's Questions saying: "When Melrose industries took over GKN last year, they promised ministers that they would back British manufacturing and that they would not reduce the company's defence capacity without the permission of the government."
He asked Theresa May to tell GKN to "abide by both the spirit and the letter of the undertaking".
She replied to say she "wasn't aware of the particular issue he raised", but that she would look into it and respond in writing.
Approval for 2022 Commonwealth Games' aquatic centrepublished at 14:22 British Summer Time 10 April 2019
BBC WM
A new £60m aquatic centre for the Commonwealth Games has has been approved., external
Image source, Sandwell Borough Council
Sandwell Council approved the plans last night and said the new building will contribute to residents' quality of life when it opens to the public after the 2022 games.
Work on the development on Londonderry Playing Fields, Smethwick, will begin later this year.
About 20 protesters demonstrated outside the council building, external before the decision, claiming they'd lose green space and the centre will lead to more congestion in the area.
In the papers: Tenant criticised solar panel installationpublished at 14:06 British Summer Time 10 April 2019
Stoke-on-Trent Live
The Stoke-on-Trent Live website is covering these stories today:
MP urges May to consider no-deal Bexit exitpublished at 13:50 British Summer Time 10 April 2019
North Warwickshire MP Craig Tracey has urged the Prime Minister to consider leaving the EU on Friday, without a deal.
Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions he said: "Do you agree with me that if the best way to do that, rather than deliver the diluted deal which is unrecognisable to many of us who voted to leave, is to go under WTO rules then we should grab that opportunity and believe in the ability of the British people and the Conservative government to make a success of it".
Mrs May replied she still believed the best Brexit for the UK is for the country to leave in an orderly way with a deal.
Man shot while sitting on park benchpublished at 13:34 British Summer Time 10 April 2019
Allen Cook
BBC News
A man was shot in the shoulder while he was sitting on a park bench.
Image source, Google
The shooting happened earlier in Larches Park on Timbers Way, Sparkbrook, Birmingham.
West Midlands Police said he went to hospital himself and his injuries aren't thought to be serious.
Fertilizer spread on M6 in tanker crashpublished at 13:33 British Summer Time 10 April 2019
The crash led to delays of up to two hours for rush-hour commuters in the West Midlands.
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Warks and Worcs prepare to start County Championshippublished at 13:21 British Summer Time 10 April 2019
Allen Cook
BBC News
Warwickshire and Worcestershire will start their County Championship campaigns tomorrow with both looking to overcome batting setbacks.
Image source, PA
Sports director Paul Fabrace made the switch to the Bears from England and his side are back in Division One after promotion last summer, starting off at home to Kent.
Warwickshire's batting does look light though, following the retirement of Jonathan Trott and Ian Bell's (pictured) toe surgery, which is likely to keep him out until June.
Worcestershire meanwhile are at Leicestershire in their first Division Two match, having been relegated last season.
They lost one of their best batsmen, Joe Clarke, to Nottinghamshire over the winter and, this week, learnt young spinner Ben Twohig would miss this entire season with a knee injury.
Games' £60m swim centre gets go-aheadpublished at 13:06 British Summer Time 10 April 2019
Londonderry Playing Fields in Smethwick, Sandwell will host events for the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
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Championship: Aston Villa and Blues in action tonightpublished at 13:05 British Summer Time 10 April 2019
BBC Sport
Aston Villa will be looking to retake fifth spot in the Championship this evening when they travel to Rotherham United.
Image source, Getty Images
Bristol City climbed above them with victory over West Bromwich Albion last night.
Villa defender Kortney Hause (pictured) could miss out for the game and, if so, Axel Tuanzebe will come in for his first start since 15 December.
Elsewhere in the Championship tonight, Birmingham City host Sheffield United and will be without Maikel Kieftenbeld.
He could be out for nine months with a knee ligament injury.
Teenagers paint brightly-coloured mural for homelesspublished at 12:45 British Summer Time 10 April 2019
A group of teenagers are repainting an underpass to raise awareness of homelessness.
The volunteers from the National Citizen Service (NCS) are working at the bottom of Station Hill in Kidderminster and say they also want to brighten up the town.
The mural will also include helpful information and phone numbers.
Man injured in park bench shootingpublished at 12:38 British Summer Time 10 April 2019
No arrests have yet been made after the attack in Sparkbrook, Birmingham.
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Brexit Party campaign launch in Coventrypublished at 12:32 British Summer Time 10 April 2019
Simon Gilbert
Political Reporter, BBC Coventry & Warwickshire
Former UKIP leader Nigel Farage has said he will launch his Brexit Party's European election campaign in Coventry on Friday.
The organisation describes itself as "the only party fighting to save Brexit".
Image source, Getty Images
In a social media post the former UKIP leader said his ambition was to cause a revolution in British politics and to end the two-party structure as we know it.
Litter picking project in father's namepublished at 12:14 British Summer Time 10 April 2019
BBC Midlands Today
Two schoolchildren, who lost their father to cancer last year, have launched an environmental competition in his name.
Image source, Family Handout
Before his death, John Turner, 37, of Stratford-upon-Avon, had helped set up Rubbish Friends - a litter picking project in the town.
His children came up with the idea of the John Turner prize and have support from the National Farmers' Union and Warwickshire Wildlife Trust.
They say it aims to get children from all schools and colleges in Stratford-upon-Avon to think about ways to look after where they live.