Two police cars were rammed by a man in a suspected stolen car after being spotted on a petrol station forecourt in Birmingham.

Image source, West Midlands Police

Police said a number of petrol pumps were damaged as the 31-year-old man tried to evade officers at the station on Holloway Head at about 22:15 GMT on Thursday.

However West Midlands Police said officers soon caught up with the suspect and were able to stop the car just up the road outside the O2 Institute in the city centre.

The force said officers found suspected Class A drugs on the passenger seat as well as a hammer in the glovebox. The car itself had been stolen in Staffordshire last week.

The man remains in custody after being arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving, criminal damage, car theft, possessing an offensive weapon and possessing drugs with intent to supply.

Erlin Hasa stabbed Marian Savu more than 60 times in an attack at a Birmingham flat, police say.

A service responsible for smear test services in the West Midlands said it has improved its results target for patients.

Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, which operates the Black Country Pathology Service, said staff have worked "tirelessly" to clear a large backlog after it took on screening services from Shropshire, Staffordshire, Birmingham, Coventry, Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

This resulted in about 340,000 additional samples per year, an approximate six-fold increase in workload, it said.

Some services were transferred earlier than expected as well as the type of screening provided changing, which led to some women facing a lengthily wait, which it said has now been reduced to two weeks.

Image source, Getty Images

Hilary Diamond, Cytology Service Manager, said: "We have managed to reduce the back log and achieve the government’s target.

"I am very proud of the team, they always work hard, professionally and skilled, even under immense pressure."

Photographers and artists are being asked to submit their favourite pictures of Dudley – with the best being put forward as part of the bid for city status.

The Mayor of Dudley, Councillor Anne Millward, has urged people to get involved by emailing in their best shots to cityinthemaking@dudley.gov.uk, external.

They can be taken anywhere in Dudley borough.

Image source, Dudley Council

Dudley Council confirmed on Black Country Day in July that it intended to pursue a bid for city status as part of a competition to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations next year.

As part of the bid, which will be sent off at the start of December, 50 pictures must be submitted showing off the best of the borough.

Ms Millward, Mayor of Dudley, said: "We are very fortunate to have some really talented and creative people in the borough and it would be great if they could help us in our bid to become the City of Dudley.

"We are famous for our humour, history, culture and diversity as well as our innovation and hard graft which makes the borough what it is today."

Image source, Dudley Council

The edible figure is surrounded by plants, animals and butterflies at the Cake International show.

Vandals set alight a bonfire at Bromsgrove Rugby Club which has now been restored for Bonfire Night.

The Christmas event returns after being cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic.

Police say a large number of incidents of disorder have been reported at The Oak Inn in Coventry.

The UK Health Security Agency in the West Midlands has not said exactly where the cases are, but is urging people to contact the RSPCA if they see sick birds.

Judges tell Simon Silwood his choice to appeal his conviction is "unwise".

Measures to tackle anti-social behaviour such as street drinking could be introduced across Birmingham city centre.

A six-week consultation has been launched by the council to implement a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) covering an area from Five Ways and Ladywood across to Digbeth.

It would include the Jewellery Quarter, Chinese Quarter, Snow Hill and Lee Bank areas.

The PSPO would be used to address groups gathering, anti-social behaviours such as urinating and defecating in public, graffiti and verbal abuse, said the council.

Residents can comment on the Birmingham Be Heard website, external or attend one of the pop-up consultation sessions.

Fifteen-year-old Keon died after he was shot and stabbed by a group of youths in Birmingham.

Young Reporter Georgia Helme investigates the impact of pollution in the River Lugg.

The huge, illuminated globe by Luke Jerram is part of Coventry Peace Festival.

A family friend says Keon Lincoln's death shows how serious the problem of knife crime has become.

BBC Midlands Today

A temple in the West Midlands is expecting thousands of people over the next few days as part of Diwali celebrations.

People will be offering prayers, or puja, at the the Balaji Temple, in Oldbury.

Opened in 2006, it is one of Europe's largest Hindu temples.

Its chair, Dr Sinnathambi Kanadaratnam, said Diwali was the "major" festival for Hindus.

"All those who participate in the goddess Lakshmi's puja will receive a sanctified coin, it is a mark of prosperity," he said.

Deepthi Inturu, a Masters student from Manchester, is among those visiting for the festival, while only able to see her family in Hyderabad through video calls.

"I am missing them a lot on this occasion," she said.

This year, the festival has a slight difference, as NHS has urged people to gather outdoors if they can to reduce the risk of coronavirus infection.

Beside the temple there is also a Covid vaccination centre, which has extended its opening hours to encourage more people from all faiths and backgrounds to get jabs and boosters - and it is hoped worshippers will join in good numbers.

Mason Yates is facing the terrorism charges as well as possession of an extreme pornographic image.

The owners of 12-week-old Mitch are "devastated", say police.

BBC Midlands Today

Aston Villa head to Southampton on Friday evening hoping to end a sequence of four straight league defeats.

Villa's run has seen them slip down to 15th in the Premier League, just three points above the relegation zone.

They have had to deal with injuries to key players and some controversial refereeing decisions.

But head coach Dean Smith (pictured) said he was coping with the pressure.

Amy Taylor, 21, says she is shocked to have been targeted with a needle at a university event.