Midlands Live: Breaking news and local stories

Summary

Live updates from Monday 29 July to Sunday 4 August
Click Related Stories to read updates from your part of the Midlands

Live Reporting

TNS bow out of the Champions Leaguepublished at 09:18 British Summer Time 1 August 2019
The New Saints bowed out of the Champions League but put in a spirited performance as they fell to defeat against FC Copenhagen.
The Oswestry side, who had lost 2-0 in the second qualifying round first leg, limited their hosts for large parts.
But Zeca's stunning second half strike proved to be enough to settle the tie, 3-0 on aggregate.
Copenhagen face Red Star Belgrade in the next round while Saints drop into the Europa League
Image source, Getty Images
'Severe' fire at recycling centrepublished at 09:00 British Summer Time 1 August 2019
Breaking
About 50 firefighters are at the scene of a severe fire at a recycling site in Stourbridge.
Image source, Stuart Bibb
The fire started at a brick and steel-clad building on Rufford Street, in Lye just after 07:30.
The fire service has sent 10 appliances and a hydraulic platform.
Stourbridge Road is likely to remain closed throughout the morning.
Buses diverted away from severe firepublished at 08:57 British Summer Time 1 August 2019
Buses are being diverted away from a severe fire at a recycling centre in Stourbridge.
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Skip twitter post
Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
End of twitter post
Flood warnings and alerts issuedpublished at 08:45 British Summer Time 1 August 2019
Flood warnings and alerts are still in place across Staffordshire, Warwickshire and parts of Cheshire after recent heavy rain.
Warnings have been issued for:
These are the current flood alerts:
- Rugeley Trent, external
- Upper Avon River Swift and Clay Coton Brook, external
Image source, Environment Agency
Flood warnings - what do they mean and what should you do?published at 08:35 British Summer Time 1 August 2019
The Environment Agency continually monitors water levels and issues guidance about what people should do, external in a flooding emergency.
Image source, Environment Agency
In the papers: Civic Hall revamp 'back on track'published at 08:31 British Summer Time 1 August 2019
Express and Star
Some of the Express and Star headlines today are:
- Civic Hall revamp ‘back on track’ despite regrets, external
- Emergency plans to ensure hospitals can cope with winter strain, external
- Police Station sale 'should fund more officers on the streets', external
Merlin Entertainments hit by 'poor weather'published at 08:18 British Summer Time 1 August 2019
BBC Business News
The owner of Alton Towers and Warwick Castle Merlin Entertainments has warned investors about a rough trading patch, external, that's been affected by poor weather.
Image source, Merlin Entertainments
Although the company enjoyed a strong Easter and Spring Break performance, it said, "trading since then has been affected by poor weather, difficult conditions in a number of markets and limited momentum from 'The LEGO Movie 2'."
Profit for the first half of the year fell to £25m from £33m a year earlier.
Man seriously injured in stabbingpublished at 08:03 British Summer Time 1 August 2019
A man is in hospital with multiple serious injuries after a stabbing in Stafford.
Police believe it happened on a stretch of path near Astonfields Industrial Estate late on Tuesday night.
The 33-year-old victim is said to be in a stable condition.
No arrests have been made, says the Staffordshire force.
The Ashes: Edgbaston set for first Testpublished at 07:32 British Summer Time 1 August 2019
England's bid to regain the Ashes from Australia begins with the first Test at Edgbaston today.
Image source, Edgbaston
The home side won the World Cup just over two weeks ago, but were beaten 4-0 on their Ashes tour down under in 2017-18.
Warwickshire's Chris Woakes is playing on his home ground, alongside Worcestershire's Moeen Ali.
England have not lost a home Ashes series since 2001 and have not lost at the Birmingham ground to any side in 11 years.
Gates open at 09:00 with play set to start at 11:00
Video: Your 50-second weather forecastpublished at 07:25 British Summer Time 1 August 2019
Alex Hamilton
BBC Weather
It will be a largely dry day with the chance of showers and highs of 23C (73F).
Media caption,
Latest weather for the West Midlands
Live updates for the West Midlandspublished at 07:01 British Summer Time 1 August 2019
Vanessa Pearce
BBC News
Welcome to our live service for Thursday.
We'll be bringing you all the news, sport, travel and weather for the West Midlands.
We love to hear from you so share your news, thoughts and photos of the area with us via email, Twitter, external and Facebook., external
'Plus-size men can be fashionable'published at 00:05 British Summer Time 1 August 2019
David Fadd is a model who is using social media to encourage men to be confident about their bodies.
Read More
'Widespread improvements' at NHS trustpublished at 00:02 British Summer Time 1 August 2019
Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust is rated 'good', three years after requiring improvement.
Read More
Police warning over flood waterpublished at 21:59 British Summer Time 31 July 2019
Cheshire Police is warning people not to attempt to drive or walk through flood water or ignore road closure signs.
"Your car could become submerged and the road underneath could have collapsed putting you in danger," it said.
"We put them [the signs] in place to keep you safe."
Man arrested over women's death released on bailpublished at 21:29 British Summer Time 31 July 2019
Police are investigating the death of 21-year-old Lauren Griffiths.
Read More
'Severe disruption' to rail services caused by floodspublished at 21:27 British Summer Time 31 July 2019
Flooding has caused "severe disruption" to rail services in the region, Northern says.
The following services have been affected:
- Crewe – Wilmslow
- Salford Crescent – Wigan Wallgate
- Macclesfield – Stoke-on-Trent
- Manchester Piccadilly – Chester
- Manchester - Chester via Altrincham
- Stockport and Buxton
- Wilmslow and Manchester Airport
It said it has not been possible to provide rail replacement services for all cancellations "due to the poor conditions of the roads".
In pictures: How floods are battering the regionpublished at 20:12 British Summer Time 31 July 2019
Here are some of the images of the state of the floods from around the region.
Seventeen flood warnings remain in place across the North West, the North East, Yorkshire and the Midlands.
Image source, PA Media
Image source, PA Media
Image source, PA Media
Image source, James Greer
Flooding causes major disruption across northpublished at 19:00 British Summer Time 31 July 2019
Roads have been closed, rail services cancelled and homes flooded as severe downpours affect large areas ofthe north of England.
Image source, PA Media
A day of heavy rain has led to 16 flood warnings across the North West, the North East, Yorkshire and the Midlands.
Image source, PA Media
Image source, PA Media
Problems include:
- Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service has declared a major incident amid widespread problems in Poynton.
- Vehicles were left trapped in the town, and a nursery, several homes and a farm were also swamped.
- Poynton's town clerk posted a tweet to say people affected by the flooding were welcome at the town's civic hall.
- Flood water has also caused disruption to the motorway network, resulting in the closure of the M60 between Stockport and Cheadle earlier.
- Earlier a bridge collapsed as flash flooding hit part of North Yorkshire when a month's rain fell in four hours.
Our live coverage across the daypublished at 19:00 British Summer Time 31 July 2019
Andy Giddings
BBC News
We'll be back with the news, sport, travel and weather from 07:00 tomorrow.
Call to open two new railway stationspublished at 18:56 British Summer Time 31 July 2019
Local Democracy Reporting Service
There have been calls to reopen a Coventry railway station which closed in 1965 and build another, brand new one.
The Conservatives on Coventry City Council say it would help reduce congestion and pollution and perhaps avoid the need for an unpopular pollution charge for motorists entering the city.
The Conservative group leader, councillor Gary Ridley, pointed out there was no station between Coventry and Rugby and added: "The city is under represented in terms of train stations."
The party has been leafleting people living near the former Coundon Road railway station and has received support from the Conservative West Midlands Mayor, Andy Street.