Updates from 15-19 June
Good morning and welcome to our live service for Thursday.
We'll be bringing you the latest news, sport and travel information for the West Midlands, along with weather updates.
Many homeless people are still in hotels or B&Bs but some have already returned to the streets.
Read MoreAston Villa and Sheffield United play out a low-key goalless draw as the Premier League makes its return after a 100-day absence.
Read MoreWorcestershire director of cricket Steve Rhodes will not coach England at the Under-19 World Cup after the county confirmed he is under investigation.
Read MoreA yellow weather warning for thunderstorms is in place across the West Midlands.
Read More
Andy Giddings
BBC News
We'll be back with the news, sport, travel and weather from 08:00 tomorrow.
BBC Sport
Worcestershire's Moeen Ali has been named in England's training group for the series against West Indies.
The all-rounder took a break from test cricket after being dropped during last summer's Ashes series.
Image source, Getty ImagesThere are eight uncapped players in the 30-man group that will begin training in Southampton on 23 June.
We were promised more thunderstorms today by the weather forecast and here's proof we had them over the West Midlands.
BBC Weather Watcher Lamaps snapped this photo of lightning over Darlaston, Walsall, this afternoon:
Image source, Lamaps
Local Democracy Reporting Service
More than 700 Shropshire civil marriages or civil partnership ceremonies have had to be rearranged this year, because of coronavirus.
Shropshire Council said it had managed to find new dates for most of them, but that there were likely to be hundreds of church weddings as well.
Image source, Getty ImagesCitizenship ceremonies, which are needed for people to complete their citizenship process have also been on hold.
Jada Joshi
BBC News
Here's how the storms have affected parts of the West midlands over he last 24 hours.
Torrential rain, lightning and storms cause disruption and flooding.
The Premier League is back underway, with the players taking a knee before the match with "Black Lives Matter" on the back of their shirts.
They also held a minute's silence for all those who've died because of coronavirus.
Image source, Getty ImagesSo far Villa have had the most chances, but it's still 0-0.
Image source, Getty Images
Allen Cook
BBC News
Parts of the West Midlands are being warned to be prepared for more heavy rain and thunderstorms over the next day or so.
Image source, GadjetA yellow weather warning for thunderstorms is already in place across the whole region until midnight tonight. , external
There is then a yellow alert for heavy rain from 03:00 on Thursday until midday., external
It's then followed by one for thunderstorms from midday until 21:00 on Thursday but this time covers parts of Herefordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire., external
Essex seamer Jamie Porter withdraws from the England Lions squad for the tour to Australia with a stress fracture in his back.
Read More
BBC Radio Stoke
Plans to turn a former colliery into an industrial heritage park will be looked at by the government, the prime minister's promised.
The Chatterley Whitfield Colliery is a derelict site in Stoke-on-Trent, with buildings that date back to the 1880s.
Coal was last mined there more than 40 years ago and last year the Victorian Society put it on its top 10 most endangered buildings list.
The Conservative MP for Stoke on Trent North, Jonathan Gullis, said it was "now sadly at risk of being lost" and proposals were under way to revive the site as an industrial heritage park.
Boris Johnson replied: "I think it's a proposal he needs to work up in more detail and bring to the government, we'll certainly look at it with interest."
Local Democracy Reporting Service
People in parts of Walsall have been cleariing their homes today after storms brought flash flooding yesterday afternoon.
Some streets were under four feet (1.2m) of water and a number of people had to be rescued from their homes on Edison Walk by firefighters and volunteers.
Image source, Gary LlewellynSome people had to be put up in a hotel overnight and returned this morning to inspect the damage.
Ward councillor Lee Jeavons said: "The water was calf-deep in some parts and it was causing genuine distress, particularly for the elderly residents affected."
"After they’d been helped out their properties, they were sitting there shivering."
Image source, Tina JukesCarl Moorhouse was injured during a disturbance in Leamington Spa in May.
Read MoreLocal Democracy Reporting Service
Tom Dare
West Midlands Police officers will be allowed to take a knee at future Black Lives Matter protests, their chief constable has said.
Image source, ReutersA police officer takes a knee near Downing Street earlier this month
People have regularly taken to one knee to demonstrate over the death of George Floyd, who died in US police custody.
Staff with the force are required to have a neutral stance on political issues when on duty.
But Dave Thompson told a Strategic Policing and Crime Board this week racism "is not an issues that the force can be impartial around".
He said there would be some circumstances where taking to a knee would not be sensible when trying to do their work but in other cases it could be "entirely the right thing that captures the sentiments of crowds and groups".
BBC News Travel
Better news for passengers using trains between Birmingham New Street and Whitlocks End this evening:
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Aston Villa are getting ready to face Sheffield United as the Premier League returns - 96 long days after it was suspended due to the Covid-19 outbreak.
Although fans aren't allowed in the stadium, one is still going to feel like he is in Villa Park, after his wife recreated it in their living room.
Paul Sargent, who lives in Manchester but is originally from Erdington, said he "couldn't believe" the effort wife Justine put into transforming their home ahead of kick off at 18:00.
Image source, Paul Sargent"She’s put two beer fridges in living room and stocked them up," he said.
"She’s created a bar above fireplace with Villa cups, taken all our wedding photos from the walls and replaced with my Villa photos
"And she’s bought some Pukka Pies which are in the fridge ready to go into the oven for half time."
"I said, 'I’m not sure who is more excited for the football me or you'."
Mr Sargent said Villa, who are 19th in the table "need a win" in tonight's game.
Image source, Paul Sargent
BBC Radio WM Sport
Aston Villa's players will have to get used to not having a crowd to spur them on, former club forward Garry Thompson has said.
Image source, PA MediaThis evening, Villa host Sheffield United in the first Premier League game since the pandemic brought matches to a halt in March.
However, for safety reasons no fans will be allowed to attend.
The club's also urging fans to stay away from the stadium on match days , externaland Thompson told BBC WM the lack of supporters inside the ground would affect players.
Quote MessageYou get there, you hear the noise of the crowd, it spurs you on, whether it's love or hate, it spurs you on. That's going to be missing so you're going to have to dredge up something from within yourself to drive yourself on to get a performance."
Garry Thompson
