Summary

  • Live updates from Monday 17 June to Sunday 23 June

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LIVE stream page 18

  1. Another general election anyone?published at 16:12 British Summer Time 17 June 2019
    published at 15:12 17 June 2019

    Patrick Burns
    Political editor, Midlands

    Could there be another general election in the offing?

    Despite painful memories for Conservatives of Theresa May's failed "strong and stable" bid in 2017, speculation is mounting that an incoming prime minister may see it as the best way of changing the Parliamentary arithmetic.

    Ballot boxes

    In an article in the Telegraph today, the chairman of the Midlands Industrial Council, Johnny Leavesley,even raised the possibility of an electoral pact with Nigel Farage's Brexit Party.

    More on Sunday Politics Midlands at 11.00 on BBC One next weekend.

  2. Man dies after 'targeted' attackpublished at 16:11 British Summer Time 17 June 2019
    published at 15:11 17 June 2019

    Two men were arrested after Amjad Khan was found with head injuries in a property in Oldbury.

    Read More
  3. Dan Evans gets perfect preparation for Wimbledonpublished at 15:56 British Summer Time 17 June 2019
    published at 14:56 17 June 2019

    BBC Sport

    Britain's Dan Evans continued his impeccable Wimbledon preparation with a 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 win over Evgeny Donskoy to lift the Nottingham title.

    Dan EvansImage source, Getty Images

    Birmingham top seed Evans squandered three set points before taking the first-set tie-break and broke to love in the decisive eighth game of the second set.

    He has won 10 straight matches after lifting the Surbiton title last week.

    The 29-year-old will play three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka in the first round at Queen's on Tuesday.

  4. Nurse forced to wait on River Severn swim challengepublished at 15:40 British Summer Time 17 June 2019
    published at 14:40 17 June 2019

    BBC Shropshire

    River levels are being checked today, external to see if a Shropshire nurse can continue with her aim of swimming the length of the River Severn after it was halted due to flooding.

    Melissa Compton as she started the swim

    Melissa Compton, a 39-year-old intensive care worker at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, had set herself a three-week target to complete the 220-mile challenge.

    Having started a week ago, she had to stop on Wednesday at Atcham, external because of safety issues as the heavy rain caused the river to run faster and burst its banks.

    She's raising money for the charity Versus Arthritis, and has said she still aims to finish by 30 June.

  5. Man 'serious but stable' after stabbingpublished at 15:22 British Summer Time 17 June 2019
    published at 14:22 17 June 2019

    A man was taken to hospital with a serious chest injury after officers were called to reports of a stabbing in Coventry on Sunday.

    The 23-year-old was found on Widdecombe Close, Wood End, at 16:45 said West Midlands Police.

    He remains in hospital in a serious but stable condition, it added.

  6. Council owed £2.1m in unpaid taxpublished at 15:10 British Summer Time 17 June 2019
    published at 14:10 17 June 2019

    Local Democracy Reporting Service
    Joe Burn

    The amount of council tax owed to Lichfield District Council's grown by almost a third in three years to £2.1m.

    Council tax billImage source, PA

    But, despite the huge debt, councillors heard the overall council tax fund's working with a surplus of £46,215, which will be added to next year's budget.

    The council's finance chief, councillor Rob Strachan, told his colleagues half of the money owed was "low risk" as debtors were working with the authority's support services.

  7. Road fatalities 'cut to zero'published at 14:55 British Summer Time 17 June 2019
    published at 13:55 17 June 2019

    The number of people dying in crashes on the A500 in Staffordshire has been reduced to zero in the last 12 months, according to new figures.

    Speed camera monitoring A500Image source, CMPG

    Staffordshire Police said no-one died in 2018-19 in a collision, compared with three the year before, and the number seriously injured fell from four to two in the same period., external

    The force puts it down to the Central Motorway Police Group (CMPG) taking over policing the route in 18 June 2018.

    The group's made up of officers from Staffordshire and West Midlands Police and concentrates on driving issues on motorways and main roads like the A500.

    In the 12 months since they took on the A500, CMPG officers said they'd caught 1,569 motorists speeding on the route with one driver recorded at 93mph in a 50mph zone.

  8. AFC Telford sign strikerpublished at 14:45 British Summer Time 17 June 2019
    published at 13:45 17 June 2019

    BBC Shropshire

    AFC Telford United have signed striker Aaron Williams from Harrogate Town., external

    Aaron Williams when playing for Newport County in 2017Image source, Getty Images

    It's the second time the 25-year-old has played for the Bucks.

    He was loaned to them when he played for Walsall as a teenager.

    Williams has scored more than 100 goals in his career so far and played for clubs including Walsall, Peterborough and Newport County.

  9. Woman, 80, denies murdering husbandpublished at 14:33 British Summer Time 17 June 2019
    published at 13:33 17 June 2019

    Mavis Eccleston is charged with the murder of her 81-year-old husband Kenneth in February last year.

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  10. Hammer attacker faces jailpublished at 14:31 British Summer Time 17 June 2019
    published at 13:31 17 June 2019

    A man who's admitted carrying out a life-threatening hammer attack on a 16-year-old boy has been warned to expect a substantial jail sentence.

    Daniel Iftikhar's victim was knocked out by a single blow caught on CCTV in the city's Wulfrun Square on 15 April, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.

    Iftikhar, 18, pleaded guilty earlier today to causing grievous bodily harm to the teenager with intent, and to assaulting another victim at Birmingham's New Street station in February.

    As well as admitting the attacks, Iftikhar, of Madin Road, Tipton, pleaded guilty to possessing offensive weapons.

    Remanding Iftikhar in custody until a sentencing hearing on 29 July Judge Burbidge said after the "extremely serious crimes" a "substantial custodial sentence must follow".

    No details of the victim's current condition were given to Monday's court hearing.

  11. Teenager admits hammer attack on boypublished at 14:30 British Summer Time 17 June 2019
    published at 13:30 17 June 2019

    Daniel Iftikhar delivered a "forceful single blow" to the back of his victim's head, a court hears.

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  12. People chased by cleaver-wielding manpublished at 14:11 British Summer Time 17 June 2019
    published at 13:11 17 June 2019

    BBC Radio Cornwall

    A man wearing a "Friday 13th"-style mask and brandishing a meat cleaver chased people around a seaside resort, police have said.

    The seized knife and maskImage source, Newquay Police E Section Response

    It happened in the Fore Street area of Newquay, Cornwall, at about 04:40.

    Devon and Cornwall Police said they received a "number of calls" from terrified members of the public who had been threatened.

    Officers arrested a 45-year-old man from Stoke-on-Trent at about 05:10 and he's been released on bail. No one was injured in the incident.

  13. Video: Another referendum 'least worst option'published at 13:59 British Summer Time 17 June 2019
    published at 12:59 17 June 2019

    Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson has described another Brexit referendum as "the least worst option" and urged his party to throw its weight behind one.

    Speaking to the BBC, the MP for West Bromwich East said Labour should then fight for Remain, even though "we might lose some votes".

    Media caption,

    Tom Watson: Labour members are Remain

    Earlier, in a speech, he said Labour members' "hearts are Remain" and it was not too late to reverse the UK's exit.

  14. Families to be moved in to homes despite toxic gas fearspublished at 13:49 British Summer Time 17 June 2019
    published at 12:49 17 June 2019

    Local Democracy Reporting Service
    Kerry Ashdown

    Dozens of families are set to be moved into affordable homes near a hazardous waste site, after concerns about toxic gas sparked delays.

    Cannock Chase District Council HQ

    Cannock Chase District Council had postponed nominating residents for 48 social housing homes on Chenet Chase, Cannock, near the site on Walkmill Lane, Bridgtown.

    They made the decision in 2017 after the waste firm's operator, currently Axil Integrated Services, found risks associated with fire and the release of toxic gas could affect the new development's residents.

    Since then, measures have been made to cut the risks including fitting a heatshield, attaching sprinklers to an apartment block and installing a hydrogen cyanide sensor.

    The council says it'll now nominate residents to the local housing association for the 48 empty homes but there will be 'full disclosure' on the risks., external

  15. Two charged after man found seriously injured diespublished at 13:39 British Summer Time 17 June 2019
    published at 12:39 17 June 2019

    A man found with serious head injuries in Sandwell has died, police say.

    Amjad KhanImage source, West Midlands Police

    Amjad Khan, 32, was found at a property in Yardley Close, Oldbury on Saturday 8 June and taken to hospital, where he died on Thursday 13 June.

    Derek Brennan, aged 31, from the Smethwick area and Daman Sehra, aged 22, of no fixed address who were both arrested at the scene, have been charged with attempted murder.

    West Midlands Police said they were treating the incident as a "targeted" attack and appealing for anyone with information to come forward.

  16. Sussex sign all-rounder Thomasonpublished at 13:29 British Summer Time 17 June 2019
    published at 12:29 17 June 2019

    Sussex sign all-rounder Aaron Thomason following his release from Edgbaston by Warwickshire.

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  17. Roads still under water as flood warnings remainpublished at 13:21 British Summer Time 17 June 2019
    published at 12:21 17 June 2019

    Johnty O'Donnell
    Producer, BBC Shropshire

    The flood levels are apparently dropping in Edgerley in Shropshire, but that doesn't mean things are getting back to normal just yet for local residents and businesses in the area.

    This is what roads look like in the area, with fields also covered in water.

    Media caption,

    Travelling through floods in Edgerley

    I took a trip with John Bewley, landlord of the Royal Hill pub, who said local firms were used to flooding, but not at this time of year, when a lot of people rely on tourism.

    He said a number of businesses, including campsites, fishing and canoe firms had been hit "pretty hard".

  18. Midlands new political battlefieldpublished at 13:02 British Summer Time 17 June 2019
    published at 12:02 17 June 2019

    Could Midlands marginal seats be key landmarks in yet another version of the electoral battlefield?

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