The driver is in a critical condition after being struck by his van as he tried to stop thieves.

Darren Round's body was pulled from the Birmingham Canal in Kings Norton in February 2020.

A 28-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the murder of Darren Round, whose body was pulled from a canal in Birmingham in February last year.

A post-mortem examination revealed the 48-year-old suffered significant facial injuries.

West Midlands Police said his injuries had been "consistent with assault" before he had gone into the water.

Image source, West Midlands Police

Worcester News

Here are some of the stories on the Worcester News website:

• Man tasered in Worcester city centre after knife is produced during robbery, external
• Swimmer says she broke her back after slipping on tiles at Perdiswell pool, external
• Worcester woman, 87, admits mowing down two women left with 'life changing' injuries, external

Cocaine with a street value of £500,000 was found in a car which sped past on a hard shoulder.

BBC Sport

Worcestershire have been struggling against Durham, who are building on their first innings lead at New Road.

David Bedingham has scored a century for the visitors, who are now 341 for 7

Image source, Getty Images

But Warwickshire are having a much better day against Derbyshire at the County Ground.

After scoring 274 in their first innings, they bowled Derbyshire out for 121.

Ex-footballer Dalian Atkinson was kicked by PC Benjamin Monk, who is charged with his murder.

Hanley has received a grant of £432,000 as part of the government's Safer Streets fund, Staffordshire's police and crime commissioner has announced.

Image source, Gavin Dickson

The money is due to be spent on:

• Improving CCTV systems
• Redesigning car parks to reduce opportunist vehicle crime
• Fitting gates and fencing
• Additional lighting in poorly lit alleyways, rear access routes and building recesses.

PCC Ben Adams said Hanley had been identified as "experiencing above average levels of acquisitive crime" and it was "more important than ever" to invest in crime-reduction.

"We’re working together with partners to attract shoppers, workers and visitors to the city centre and preventing robbery and vehicle crime will help us do this," he said."Reducing crime and the fear of crime is vital to the city centre’s recovery and the wider regeneration of Stoke-on-Trent."

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Shropshire Council has admitted it doesn't always carry out the necessary work on searches for house buyers and instead relies relies on the honesty of the seller, and vigilance of members of the public in raising concerns.

It came to light when a concerned member of the public wrote to the council to highlight cases of certificates being issued with incorrect information.

They included cases of certificates being signed despite drainage schemes not being installed and work not having been carried out in line with approved plans.

In response a senior council officer said: “Ideally, it would be helpful if we had an army of enforcement officers able to drive around Shropshire checking development sites to ensure that development does not go ahead without full compliance of any planning permission, but this is not the case."

“Shropshire is no different to most other planning authorities in terms of resource and has to rely on the public and parish and town councils to advise us if they are aware of any non-compliance.”

The resident, who asked not be named, said he feared some developers are now deliberately not carrying out work stipulated by planning conditions to save time and money.

Figures he has obtained through a Freedom of Information request show the council makes around £500,000 a year from buyers for carrying out these searches.

Coventry is preparing to host the first major event as its year as City of Culture.

Image source, Alan Van Wijgerden

Coventry Moves is the signature event to mark the start of the year but was moved to tomorrow due to coronavirus restrictions.

People are being asked to stay at home and watch the city-wide celebration unfold via the festival website , externaland social media, as well as on the BBC News website.

The day will include the retelling "of the city's pioneering past, present and future", said organisers.

The biker died after colliding with a Vauxhall Corsa on Birmingham's Stratford Road.

West Midlands Police said it is monitoring speculation online that this weekend will see disorder in Birmingham in retribution for the murder of 14-year-old Dea-John Reid.

Image source, Family handout

Dea-John was stabbed to death on College Road, Kingstanding, on Monday. Two men and a teenage boy have appeared in court today charged with his murder.

The force said there was no evidence to support the rumours that were being shared online but said officers would be on patrol and disorder would not be tolerated.

"Dea-John's mum has issued a tribute to her son in which she pleaded for the violence to stop," Ass Ch Const Matt Ward said.

"I would urge people to listen to her, let us get on with the job and not take matters into their own hands."

A teenage motorcyclist has died in a crash in Birmingham.

Police said he died in hospital after a collision with a Vauxhall Corsa on Stratford Road, Sparkbrook, at 12:30 on Friday.

Image source, Google

Officers spoke to the car driver, who stopped at the scene and provided a negative breath test. An investigation is being carried out to see how the collision happened.

A man is set to appear in court charged with murder and burglary following the death of an 84-year-old woman.

Image source, Family handout

Mildred Whitmore was found dead at her home on College Street, Nuneaton, on Tuesday morning.

Chase Kelly, 31, from Arley, Warwickshire, will appear at Coventry Magistrates' Court on Friday, police said.

Dea-John Reid, 14, was stabbed to death in Kingstanding, Birmingham, on Monday.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Speed limits will be reduced at 22 sites around the Solihull area following a review.

It will affect a number of villages including Berkswell, Knowle, Meriden, Balsall Common, Dickens Heath, Marston Green, Cheswick Green and Hampton-in-Arden.

In many areas the speed limit will be reduced to 20mph.

Image source, LDRS

Solihull Council said it was the first time the speed limits have been reviewed since 2015 and there has been a lot of development since then, blurring the line between countryside and residential areas.

It also promised to look in to the possibility of more 20mph limits, especially surrounding schools and another report is due in February 2022.

Three people are expected to appear in court today charged with the murder of a 14-year-old boy in Birmingham.

Image source, Family handout

Dea-John Reid died from a stab wound to his chest in College Road in the Kingstanding area of the city on Monday.

Michael Shields, from Alvis Walk, Castle Bromwich, was remanded in custody after appearing before magistrates in the city on Thursday and will appear at Birmingham Crown Court.

George Khan, 38, of Newstead Road in the city, and a 14-year-old boy are due to appear before magistrates on Friday, also charged with murder.

BBC Weather

We are forecast more blue skies and sunshine today, but it won't be as hot as it was earlier in the week, with temperatures reaching around 20C (68F).

That weather is set to continue through the weekend, before temperatures rise again next week.

You can get a full forecast by clicking on this link.

A man has died after his car crashed in to a tree in Stourport-on-Severn.

West Mercia Police said the collision happened at around 04:00 last Sunday on Lower Lickhill Road and the man, who was in his 30s, died later in hospital.

The force said it appeared no other vehicle was involved.

Image source, Google

BBC Midlands Today

Up to 4,000 people a day will be at the Midlands Air Festival near Alcester this weekend.

It's one of the biggest events in the region since the start of the coronavirus pandemic and the Red Arrows will be putting on a display along with the RAF Falcons display team and Spitfires from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, among others.

Trevor Graham is one of the people organising the event and he said planning began the day after they cancelled last year's show.

Hot air balloons went up in the skies around Ragley Hall this morning, to get the three-day event started.