Updates from Monday 30 September to Sunday 6 October
A man has been charged with 31 counts of criminal damage after graffiti was sprayed on walls and garages around Chadsmoor in Staffordshire last December.
The 42-year-old has also been charged with possessing cannabis and will appear before Cannock Magistrates' Court on 9 October.
Image source, Google
Birmingham Live
Here are some of the headlines from the Birmingham Live website today:
A woman has died in hospital after being hit by a car in a B&Q car park in Stoke-on-Trent.
Staffordshire Police said the 67-year-old was one of two pedestrians struck by a blue Ford Focus at Meir Park just after 14:45 yesterday.
The other pedestrian received minor injuries.
Image source, GoogleThe Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) has announced it will end its partnership with BP at the end of this year.
The theatre company was sponsored by the oil and energy giant, which has been criticised by environmentalists including Oscar winner Sir Mark Rylance, who resigned from the company over the connection.
School students last week threatened to boycott the RSC over its links to BP.
Image source, Getty ImagesIn a statement, Gregory Doran RSC Artistic Director and Catherine Mallyon, executive director, said: “Amidst the climate emergency, which we recognise, young people are now saying clearly to us that the BP sponsorship is putting a barrier between them and their wish to engage with the RSC.
"We cannot ignore that message."
The RSC also thanked BP for its generous support.
Although conditions might not be so wet today, police are advising caution, as some routes may still be treacherous due to high water levels.
A particular warning has been put out this morning to avoid Trescott Ford, near Wolverhampton, where one driver has already got stuck.
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Birmingham MP Roger Godsiff is to face a contest if he is to be selected to represent the Labour party at the next general election.
It follows a decision by local party members to "trigger" a ballot that will see an open selection, rather than automatically reselecting the incumbent MP as their next candidate.
The MP for Hall Green was reprimanded by the party earlier this year after supporting protesters in a row over LGBT teaching, in which he claimed the lessons were were not "age appropriate".
Image source, UK ParliamentMr Godsiff, who has been a Birmingham MP since 1992, said he would not be making any comment on the decision at this time.
A Labour party spokesperson said: "Under longstanding Party rules, reselection processes have to be held in between general elections.
"This has happened before every general election since 2001, apart from the 2017 snap election.”
The skies are a bit brighter today, but if you need a reminder of how bad the weather was on Tuesday, take a look back on this video.
It was filmed by Kate Haynes from Crowle and shows Turnpike Road completely covered in water.
Flooding in Worcestershire
BBC News Travel
Good news for people hoping to use the railway between Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury.
The earlier signal problems at Bilbrook are now resolved, and services should be returning to normal.
However, National Rail is warning that, at the moment there are still delays of up to 20 minutes.
Here are three of the stories from the Worcester News today:
The boss of the trust running Worcestershire Royal Hospital says ending ambulance delays is a priority.
Read More
BBC Radio Stoke Sport
The Stoke City manager Nathan Jones has apologised to fans and the club after defeat to Huddersfield Town left them bottom of the Championship table.
He admitted: "I came here to do a job, I haven't done that." but said he had no intention of resigning and insisted the club isn't in a crisis.
Image source, Getty ImagesStoke are now without a league win in 16 games and Jones also said: "It's a wonderful club, with wonderful owners, with great fans who've given me patience, all the people have. I haven't repaid that faith and I'm sorry for that."
Quote MessageDecisions will be made, the right decisions have to be made, but this club will go forward again. I've tried to arrest the downward spiral, but I haven't been able to do that."
Nathan Jones, Stoke City manager
BBC News Travel
Congestion on the M6 in Warwickshire is being caused by a crash, Highways England said.
Problems were reported earlier between junctions two and three southbound.
It says motorists are facing 40 minute delays, with over six miles of congestion on the approach.
Three fire crews from West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service were last night called to a blaze in a block of flats.
The fire broke out in a bedroom of a first-floor flat in a three-storey block in Penshurst Avenue in Handsworth, Birmingham at about 18:20 on Tuesday.
They left the scene at about 20:10.
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Signalling problems between Wolverhampton and Bilbrook are still causing delays and cancellations.
West Midlands Railway is sharing information of other rail companies who will be accepting passengers on alternative services.
It also says road transport will be running along the Shrewsbury to Wolverhampton route.
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BBC News Travel
Two lanes of the M6 in Warwickshire are blocked southbound, Highways England is reporting.
It says traffic officers are on their way to the scene between J2 and J3 for Coventry, but traffic is building.
We'll bring you more updates on how things are progressing there later.
After yesterday's heavy rain, a number of flood warnings remain in place, external across the West Midlands.
The warnings, which indicate flooding is expected, are in force for:
There are also a further less serious 48 flood alerts, which indicate flooding is possible, around the region.
Image source, Environment AgencyAnd you can look back on what happened across the region yesterday here.
National Express is warning that some bus services are being disrupted by flooding in Coleshill, Warwickshire.
The X70 service will be taking a diverted route, as Lichfield Road between Gorsey Lane and Watton Lane, in Water Orton, is blocked.
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A £4m violence reduction unit is being launched in a bid to tackle knife and gun crime.
West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) David Jamieson is launching the project today, along with partners from across the region.
Quote MessageWhat we are going to look at is, early on, is how do you stop people getting this? How do you inoculate them away from violence is what we need to be looking at. So it is a health related approach. But actually working with people who have already had problems, either with drugs or they have had problems with violence and actually steering those people away from violence."
David Jamieson, West Midlands PCC
Projects will be run in A&E departments, GP surgeries, schools and prisons.
Domestic violence and other crimes will also be tackled.
Photographer Alison Baskerville explores the experiences of women with a passion for cycling.
Read MoreEarlier we told you about a signalling fault between Wolverhampton and Bilbrook which was blocking railway services and was likely to lead to delays and cancellations.
National Rail now says disruption on the line, which runs between Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton, is expected to last until 11:00.
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