Jennie Aitken
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

A retirement complex that has been devastated in a huge fire did not have sprinklers fitted, the fire service has confirmed.

Image source, Cheshire Fire Service

Dozens of fire crews from across three counties were called in to fight the blaze at the Beechmere supported living complex in Crewe which started yesterday afternoon.

Today, Cheshire Fire Service said the fire spread quickly "at an unusual pace" and confirmed the lack of sprinklers in the building.

Avantage Cheshire Limited, which runs the complex, which was only 10 years old, has been approached for a response.

Regulations in England mean that only buildings built since 2007 and which are taller than 30m are required to have sprinklers fitted.

Ex-owner Dr Tony Xia is no longer involved with Aston Villa after the new owners pay a £30m debt which saw them take his last shares in Villa.

Tranmere Rovers sign defender Kane Wilson from Championship side West Bromwich Albion on a loan deal until January 2020.

Car parking charges are going to be introduced at eight railway stations from 18 August.

West Midlands Trains said it was "only fair that those who use them pay towards their upkeep, as already happens at the majority of stations" and promised to make a "significant investment" in the car parks it owned.

The stations below will all be affected and car park users will either have to pay a flat fee of £3 for the day or buy a season ticket.

• Albrighton
• Coleshill Parkway
• Droitwich Spa
• Hagley
• Henley-in-Arden
• Ledbury
• Shenstone
• Shifnal

BBC News Travel

Trains between Coventry and Birmingham are expected to be disrupted until the end of the day after overhead wires were damaged.

National Rail Enquiries said it was affecting services by West Midlands Railway, Virgin Trains, CrossCountry and London Northwestern Railway. , external

They said passengers could expect trains to be cancelled, amended or diverted.

Coventry Live

Some of the Coventry Live headlines today include:

• Handgun found during Coventry canal clean-up, external
• Train chaos to last throughout the day for Coventry passengers, external
• Three men from Coventry on the run and wanted by police, external

Officers searching for a person wanted for failing to appear in court made the smart move to check the wardrobes.

The Heath Town and East Park Police team tweeted, external they were found hiding from officers and would now be up for a court appearance on Saturday for a theft-related matter.

#AlwaysCheckWardrobes.

About 150 residents were forced to flee the complex, with some losing irreplaceable belongings.

People with vehicles parked at the Beechmore complex, which as been destroyed by fire, are being advised not to collect them, as "it's not considered safe", police said.

They're unlikely to be able to collect them for the next 24 hours.

BBC Hereford and Worcester

There are plans for a new Baptist church and community centre in Evesham.

Plans have been submitted to Wychavon District Council for a hall with space for 200 worshippers on land off Offenham Road, with function rooms and a creche as well.

Image source, Google

The Bromford Group has also applied to build 47 homes on the site, as part of the same development.

James Teer, 20, was gunned down in Erdington in "a heinous act of violence", police say.

BBC Sport

Former Wasps and England winger Christian Wade scored a sensational 65-yard touchdown with his first carry on his Buffalo Bills debut.

Wade, 27, ran through a huge hole in the Indianapolis Colts defence to score in a 24-16 pre-season friendly victory.

The running back quit the Coventry side in October 2018 to pursue an NFL career, joining the Bills in April.

"I knew where I was going even before the ball came because they overloaded one side," said Wade.

A man killed by a single shot in a drive-by shooting has been named by police as James Teer.

Image source, West Midlands Police

The 20-year-old was a short walk from home where he lived with his parents when he was shot dead on Goosemoor Lane in Erdington, police said.

Supt Sarah Burton from the West Midlands force described the shooting as an "outrageous act".

"One young man has lost his life and we are determined to bring the people responsible to justice," she added.

A woman has described how her mother-in-law lost the ashes of both her husband and son in the Beechmere complex blaze.

Tracey Heath said her mother-in-law Julia Heimes had been left with only the clothes she was standing in and a handbag.

Image source, Darren Faloona

She said a wooden urn containing her husband's remains had been lost along with a locket containing her son's ashes.

"It's things like that you can't replace," she said.

"I phoned her this morning and I said to her 'you sound really calm' and then she just broke down, she went 'no I'm not, I don't know where to go, I just don't know what to do'.

"She said 'I'm stood here in just the clothes I've got on with nothing, and a handbag'."

The fifth series of Peaky Blinders is to start on Sunday 25 August, it's been confirmed.

Image source, Robert Viglasky/Caryn Mandabach Productions Ltd

Helen McCrory, who stars as Polly Gray, said she had to look away from the "disgustingly violent" first episode of the new series.

The actress said the show's portrayal of violence proves such savagery "should be horrifying".

Bookmaker Coral has cut the odds on actor Cillian Murphy who portrays gangster turned MP Tommy Shelby being the next James Bond to 5-1.

"Peaky Blinders coming back has prompted some strong support in our betting for who will be the next James Bond and punters are backing Cillian Murphy to swap the streets of Birmingham for some more exotic destinations with the Secret Service," said Coral's Harry Aitkenhead.

Fans have been "snapping up" tickets for Coventry's League One match against Bolton after eventually going on sale earlier.

The English Football League said that despite Bolton's takeover by Football Ventures being suspended on Thursday, there was "no legitimate reason" to postpone the fixture.

Tickets had been scheduled to go on sale at 09:00 on Wednesday, but they have now gone on sale at a lower price.

"At around 10:45 BST, we received contact from the EFL that they intend for the fixture to go ahead," Sky Blues chief executive Dave Boddy said.

"This has been a very frustrating situation for us, as we try to prepare for a game, and for our supporters, as they try to prepare to support their team in that game."

Fire crews are set to be at the site of the blaze across the weekend and are battling to try and make sure forecast high winds don't reignite the flames, Cheshire Fire Service has said.

Image source, Cheshire Fire Service

The Met Office is warning of strong winds across the county tomorrow , externaland assistant chief fire officer Gus O'Rourke said the fire service was looking to bring in digging equipment to get to hot spots.

Otherwise he said the forecast weather could cause "significant problems" if it fanned the flames.

Balaclavas, four knives, gloves and pepper spray have been found in a car stopped by police in Telford last night.

Officers tweeted, external to say two of the three people in the vehicle were also wanted for offences.

Image source, West Mercia Police

Jennie Aitken
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

Neighbours and people who helped evacuate residents from the retirement complex showed "real heroics", police have said.

Image source, Cheshire Fire Service

Relatives have told BBC Radio Stoke of knocking down doors to get elderly residents out of the Beechmere supported living site in Crewe as the roof collapsed.

Cheshire Police said they were a "tremendous help" in evacuating 150 residents.

Work's now under way to find care and support for them. Cheshire East Council said it was working with health officials to find them "appropriate accommodation".

BBC News Travel

Rail services between Coventry and Birmingham are expected to be disrupted until the end of the day.

Engineers are working to repair 40m of overhead cables in a tunnel close to Tile Hill, said West Midlands Trains.

London Northwestern and West Midland Railway services are unable to run between the two cities, with the line expected to be opened at about 16:30 "subject to no further damage being discovered".

A limited peak service will run, but, as trains and crews have been displaced, further alterations to services can be expected, it said.