Summary

  • Updates from Monday 15 April to Sunday 22 April

  • Click related stories for updates from your area

Live Reporting

  1. Our live coverage across the day

    We'll be back with our usual mix of news, sport, travel and weather from 07:00 tomorrow, but keep an eye out here for more updates this evening and into the morning.

  2. Blind college takeover leaves council with £6.25m bill

    Local Democracy Reporting Service
    Carmelo Garcia

    A council's decision to step in to rescue a struggling college for the blind has cost taxpayers £6.25m, it's been revealed.

    Part of the college siteGoogle

    Herefordshire Council's cabinet member for assets, Harry Bramer, decided in February to spend the cash on buying the Royal National College of the Blind's southern campus.

    At the time, it said the college was suffering from falling student numbers.

    In the near future, the college is going to keep using some of the buildings before moving to its northern campus by 2020.

    The council says it'll still have income coming in from Hereford College of Arts, which occupies the main building on the site, and will look for other ways to let out more of the site.

  3. Hillsborough: 'Strongest bonds' among victim's families

    BBC Hereford and Worcester

    The sister of one of the victims of the Hillsborough disaster says she's formed some of the strongest bonds she's ever had with other victims' relatives.

    Andrew Mark BrookesHillsborough Inquests

    Andrew Brookes, a car worker from Bromsgrove, was among the 96 fans who died in 1989.

    It comes as Liverpool fell silent today for a minute to mark the 30th anniversary of the disaster.

    Flowers left at the Hillsborough memorialAFP/Getty

    Ninety-six lanterns were lit this morning on the steps of St George's Hall in tribute to those who died.

    A minute's silence was held across the city at 15:06 - the time the semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest was stopped.

    I've got some of the strongest bonds and friendships I've ever had really. We're all from different backgrounds, we're all different personalities and I think we've done really, really well, considering it's 30 years and we're all still going."

    Louise Brookes, Hillsborough relative

  4. Boy 'hit with hammer' in city centre

    Allen Cook
    BBC News

    A 16-year-old boy has "life-threatening injuries" following a reported city centre hammer attack.

    West Midlands Police was called to Wulfrun Square in Wolverhampton at about 16:30.

    The force says officers are reviewing CCTV to try to find out what's happened.

    A spokesperson said the boy was in hospital with injuries "believed to be life-threatening".

  6. Video: What's the weather got in store?

    Alex Hamilton
    BBC Weather

    It should be a cloudy night with the risk of some patchy rain later on and lows of 4C (39F).

    Latest weather for the West Midlands

  7. Petition on track in 2022 Games row

    The document over London's role in the Birmingham Commonwealth Games has been signed by thousands.

    Read More

  8. Easter performances could be key to safety

    Lee Blakeman
    Port Vale commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

    Port Vale defender Adam Crookes says their two games in four days over Easter will give the side a good idea of how far they've turned their season around.

    Vale Park

    Having looked like they were going to be pulled into the relegation mire in League Two, the Vale, under new manager John Askey, have four wins in seven games.

    They're now 10 points clear of the final relegation place and will host 11th-placed Stevenage on Friday, followed by visiting promotion-contenders MK Dons on Monday.

    Every game in the league is difficult I'd say but, if you look back over the past few weeks, we've had some really good results against good sides so we can turn up against anyone on our day."

    Adam Crookes, Port Vale defender

  9. Nazi accused sent 'kill, kill, kill' text

    Alice Cutter was texting her partner Mark Jones in 2016, Birmingham Crown Court hears.

    Read More

  10. New classrooms already in 'poor state of repair'

    Local Democracy Reporting Service
    George Makin

    Councillors are being asked to spend an extra £800,000 on eight temporary classrooms to replace a school building that is only six years old.

    SchoolGoogle

    Sandwell Council’s cabinet is being asked to approve the cash, which is "urgently required" to replace 28 general and specialist classrooms in Perryfields High School’s Jubilee Block.

    A report by council officers says the rooms have been taken out of use due to their poor state of repair.

    The cash is in addition to £249,785 spent in January for 12 demountable buildings to accommodate some of the school’s 1,200 pupils.

    Councillors will discuss the recommendations at their meeting on Wednesday.

  11. Man left with facial injuries in 'bat' attack

    A man was attacked with what officers believe could be a pool cue or bat during an assault in Witnash, Warwickshire.

    The victim, in his 30s, suffered injuries to his face after the incident in Golf Lane at the junction of Box Close some time between 00:15 and 01:15 on Thursday morning.

    The two offenders are thought to be in their 20s and 50s, said Warwickshire Police.

    It's asking for anyone with information to come forward.

  12. New leisure and climbing centre opens

    A new sports and gym facility has opened in Coventry.

    Sports hub

    As well as a 25m pool, the University of Warwick's Sport and Wellness Hub has two multi-purpose sports halls, a 230-station gym and an indoor climbing centre.

    climbing wallUniversity of Warwick

    The new Hub will be a venue for the 2019 European Corporate Games, expected to attract up to 7,000 athletes over four days.

    The £50m facilities are open to students, staff and the general public.

    PoolUniversity of Warwick

  13. Trains return to normal as fire put out

    Some good news on the railways.

    A fire that was affecting trains between Birmingham and Wolverhampton is now out and delays are currently running at less than five minutes, according to West Midlands Railways.

    Earlier the line was shut at Dudley Port to allow firefighters to tackle a property blaze.

  14. Park grass fire 'now out'

    A large grass fire at a West Midlands park is now out, according to the local council.

    The fire service was understood this afternoon to be tackling a blaze covering an area of about 1,000 sq m off Watling Street in Brownhills near Walsall.

    Walsall Council said by 17:00 crews had put the fire out and left. The local authority is expected to assess what damage has been done later this week.

  15. Motorbiker 'critical' after hitting fence

    BBC Shropshire

    A motorcyclist is in a critical condition in hospital after his bike came off a road and hit a fence, police said.

    Berwick Road, near ShrewsburyGoogle

    They said it happened on Saturday on Berwick Road, near to Shrewsbury, and they don't yet know why the bike left the road.

    The biker suffered serious injuries although officers add that his condition is also stable.

  16. Neighbour concerns over library demolition

    BBC Hereford and Worcester

    A building that was once home to Worcestershire's schools library service could be torn down to make way for new homes.

    The old library buildingGoogle

    An application's been submitted to the city council to demolish the now vacant building on Sherwood Lane, Worcester, and replace it with eight homes and a bungalow.

    The plan, which has raised a number of objections from residents, mainly over loss of privacy and increase in traffic, will be discussed by planning councillors on Thursday.

  18. 'Me, my trusty sponge, and road signs'

    Sarah Milburn is hoping for a "ripple effect" of like-minded people keen to clean.

    Read More

  19. Drivers caught 'watching TV on their phones' at the wheel

    Lee Thomas
    Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

    The officer in charge of policing the motorway network in the West Midlands says drivers have been caught watching TV on their mobile phones while at the wheel.

    Mobile phone at wheelPA

    It comes as forces across the country are carrying out a week of action against the use of phones at the wheel.

    The Central Motorway Police Group has responsibility for monitoring major motorways in the region like the M5 and M6, as well as key routes such the A500 in Staffordshire.

    We see people watching the TV while they're driving on their phones. To be honest, that makes it that much more difficult to see people doing it because, these days, people aren't necessarily holding their phones to their ears, they're holding the phones in their hands in front of them, lower down."

    Insp Sion Hathaway, Central Motorway Policing Group

  20. Learning curve in relegation battle

    BBC Shropshire

    Shrewsbury Town manager Sam Ricketts says his young players are learning a lot from their battle against League One relegation.

    From during Shrewsbury Town's game at Gillingham

    The Shrews moved closer to securing their status in the division with a 2-0 win at Gillingham at the weekend.

    The result moves Sam Ricketts's side up to 13th and on to 50 points, six clear of the relegation zone.

    I think we're a young side who are growing and being able to adapt to these situations and handle these pressure situations is a huge positive. What they've done is take on board everything that I've asked them to do and we're seeing it in the performances."

    Sam Ricketts, Shrewsbury Town manager