Summary

  • Updates from Monday 27 January to Sunday 2 February

  1. Further arrest over teen's stab deathpublished at 16:31 Greenwich Mean Time 1 February 2020

    A 16-year-old boy is arrested in connection with the death of Nasir Patrice in Leamington Spa.

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  2. Sick boy's mum 'disgusted' by fake Facebook postspublished at 15:31 Greenwich Mean Time 1 February 2020

    Several fake profiles appeared using photos of Oscar Saxelby-Lee who is having treatment for leukaemia.

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  3. Farm's 'star' shire horse diespublished at 09:22 Greenwich Mean Time 1 February 2020

    Charlie had been a "valuable member" of the team at Acton Scott Victorian working farm, staff said.

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  4. The clock tower with 7,000 Twitter followerspublished at 05:39 Greenwich Mean Time 1 February 2020

    Old Joe - the world's largest freestanding clock tower - is at the heart of Birmingham university.

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  5. Brexit will bring 'sharp drop' in au pairspublished at 00:26 Greenwich Mean Time 1 February 2020

    The number of au pairs arriving from Europe since the Brexit vote has fallen by as much as 75%, agencies say.

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  6. 'I want to inspire girls to dream'published at 00:22 Greenwich Mean Time 1 February 2020

    Victoria Azubuike is touring the country with her leadership programme for young women.

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  7. From World Cup glory to washing bibs - Sheens on life at part-time Widnespublished at 00:05 Greenwich Mean Time 1 February 2020

    Rugby League World Cup-winning coach Tim Sheens on going back to the future as boss of part-time Championship club Widnes.

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  8. 'Everything to look forward to but also everything to potentially lose'published at 23:45 Greenwich Mean Time 31 January 2020

    A former MEP for the West Midlands has said the UK "has everything to look forward to but also everything to potentially lose" now the country has formally left the European Union.

    The European Union and UK flags flying outside tje House of Parliament in LondonImage source, Getty Images

    The Brexit Party representative, Andrew England Kerr, issued a statement earlier this evening urging that lessons be learnt from "the unmitigated failure of Theresa May".

    "I liken this to an amateur Sunday local rugby team turning up to play the All Blacks," he said. "Yet the very future of the UK's prosperity hangs in the balance with precious trade negotiations.

    "This is a time to rejoice without doubt, as Britain is on the path to regain its sovereignty and control of its economy, but also a time to ensure the civil servants do not fail us, as they did before."

  9. Young leavers 'celebrating with a cup of tea'published at 23:32 Greenwich Mean Time 31 January 2020

    Kathryn Stanczyszyn
    Political Reporter, BBC WM

    While many people are toasting Brexit tonight with a glass of English sparkling wine, 19-year-old leaver Ben John Williams has said he'll be celebrating with a cup of tea.

    Cup of teaImage source, Getty Images

    Ben John, who lives in Walsall, where nearly 70% of people voted to leave, said he was excited for the UK to be out of the European Union.

    "I think it's about time we're able to take back control," he said.

    "You hear it on the news almost every day that young people don't tend to support Leave," he said, before adding: "I'm over the moon.”

    "For me it's about taking back sovereignty and taking back control," he said. "Especially in the West Midlands where devolution is absolutely paramount to being able to have a voice."

  10. Shrewsbury sign Burgoyne and Ramsaypublished at 23:23 Greenwich Mean Time 31 January 2020

    Shrewsbury Town sign goalkeeper Harry Burgoyne from Wolves and bring in Southampton right-back Kayne Ramsay on loan.

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  11. West Brom sign Grosicki and Peltierpublished at 23:14 Greenwich Mean Time 31 January 2020

    Promotion-chasing West Bromwich Albion sign winger Kamil Grosicki from Hull City and defender Lee Peltier from Cardiff City.

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  12. 'British independence celebration' in Dudleypublished at 23:02 Greenwich Mean Time 31 January 2020

    Sarah Bishop
    BBC News

    Celebrations are in full swing at Sedgley Working Men's Club in Dudley where revellers are labelling the party as a "British independence celebration".

    Media caption,

    Brexit party in Sedgley

    67.6% of people voted to leave the EU in Dudley in the 2016 referendum. However, former Brexit Party MEP for the area Bill Etheridge said there were no divisions over the vote.

    "There's no rift," he said. "We're all Black Country people, we all get along with each other."

  13. Stoke sign Chester and Oakley-Boothepublished at 22:54 Greenwich Mean Time 31 January 2020

    Stoke sign Aston Villa defender James Chester on loan and Spurs youngster Tashan Oakley-Boothe for an undisclosed fee.

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  14. Farmer divides stock into 'British' and 'European'published at 22:18 Greenwich Mean Time 31 January 2020

    One farmer is getting his lambs in a row - well, two rows - ahead of the UK's formal withdrawal from the EU at 23:00 GMT.

    LambsImage source, Getty Images

    John Parry has divided the stock at his farm in Codsall Wood, Wolverhampton, into lambs brought up under European welfare standards and pregnant ewes whose offspring will be raised under British standards - so long as none of them are born before the Brexit countdown runs out.

    The EU has a wide range of animal welfare laws the UK has to abide by. These include consumer-information law, such as the labelling of eggs from battery hens and a ban on hormone-treated beef.

    "I'm very confident our produce will be accepted in market places. There's a lot of work to do to negotiate new trading deals but we think we're ready for it," Mr Parry said.

  15. Rooney scores again as Rams thump Stokepublished at 22:14 Greenwich Mean Time 31 January 2020

    Wayne Rooney curls home a 20-yard free-kick to score for the second game running as Derby end Stoke's recent resurgence.

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  16. Hiring haulage drivers a post-Brexit 'challenge'published at 21:40 Greenwich Mean Time 31 January 2020

    Mary Rhodes
    BBC News

    A haulage company in Solihull says it's ready for Brexit but has raised concerns about hiring drivers in the future.

    "The UK haulage industry is currently 60,000 drivers short," the managing director of Palletline, Graham Leitch, said.

    "One of the key priorities for us is for the government to ensure there is a smooth passage of skilled labour from the EU after Brexit."

    Graham Leitch

    Mr Leitch said "a huge amount of effort" had gone into preparing the company for Brexit, including adapting computer systems and ensuring customs accreditation in its strongest markets - the Republic of Ireland, Germany and Belgium.

    Workers at the plant said they were glad Brexit was finally happening and the country could now move forward.

    The company shares its workers' optimism, with Mr Leitch "sure" a trade deal can be secured by the end of the year.

  17. Wolves loan defender Giles to Coventrypublished at 20:33 Greenwich Mean Time 31 January 2020

    Coventry City sign England Under-20 defender Ryan Giles on loan from Wolves, following his loan at Shrewsbury Town.

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  18. Matheson joins Wolves from Rochdalepublished at 19:42 Greenwich Mean Time 31 January 2020

    Teenage defender Luke Matheson joins Wolves, but will remain on loan at Rochdale until the end of the season.

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  19. Cake and Rule Britannia for Dudley's Brexit revellerspublished at 19:41 Greenwich Mean Time 31 January 2020

    Sarah Bishop
    BBC News

    DJ Lauren Walters has a playlist of Big Ben's bongs and Rule Britannia for the stroke of 11:00 GMT, marking the UK's formal withdrawal from the EU.

    "And then after that it's partying and celebrating Brexit."

    Bill Etheridge and Lauren Walters
    Image caption,

    Fancy dress is optional at the Brexit party in Sedgley

    Patrons at Sedgley Working Men's Club, in Dudley, will be joined on the dancefloor by former Brexit Party MEP Bill Etheridge - who even brought a cake to mark the celebrations.

    "I'm excited," the former West Midlands representative said. "I think we're going to have a great future - free.

    "We're going to be able to make our own rules, our own regulations - it's brilliant. There's a bright future ahead."

  20. Our live coverage across the weekpublished at 19:00 Greenwich Mean Time 31 January 2020

    Andy Giddings
    BBC News

    We'll be back with the news, sport, travel and weather from 07:00 on Monday.