Summary

  • Updates on Friday 29 October

  1. 'People were hugging each other and dancing'published at 06:23 British Summer Time 27 October 2021

    An exhibition will explore rave culture and house music in Coventry - the current City of Culture.

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  2. Bennell clearly had role at Man City, court hearspublished at 19:55 British Summer Time 26 October 2021

    Eight men say they were abused by football coach Barry Bennell while he was a scout at the club.

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  3. Social worker said dead boy's bruises 'from play'published at 19:16 British Summer Time 26 October 2021

    Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, six, became "fixated" on his father killing him, the murder trial also hears.

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  4. Footage shows restraint of robber who diedpublished at 18:59 British Summer Time 26 October 2021

    Shane Bryant, 29, was confronted by a group following a raid on a Co-op in Leicestershire, in 2017.

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  5. Our live coveragepublished at 18:48 British Summer Time 26 October 2021

    That's all from us today.

    We'll be back tomorrow from 08:00 with the latest news, sport, weather and travel.

  6. Unreasonable force in restraint of robber who diedpublished at 18:44 British Summer Time 26 October 2021

    An inquest jury finds aspects of Shane Bryant's restraint "more likely than not" contributed to his death.

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  7. Supported living plan for empty officespublished at 18:42 British Summer Time 26 October 2021

    Local Democracy Reporting Service

    Empty offices in Walsall could be turned into flats to support young people coming out of the care system under new plans.

    Walsall Council planners are weighing up a proposal submitted by applicant Samera Charles to convert the Station Street offices into 12 supported living apartments.

    The empty propertiesImage source, Google

    Under proposals the flats would be aimed at young adults – referred by the authority – to help them adjust to a life of independence.

    The properties were previously terraced houses before being converted into offices which are now empty.

    Town planning officers are expected to make a decision next month.

  8. Worcester 'not as bad as people think'published at 18:21 British Summer Time 26 October 2021

    Worcester Warriors boss Jonathan Thomas insists his team are good enough to get over a few "bumps in the road".

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  9. Bird flu confirmed at wild bird rescue centrepublished at 18:03 British Summer Time 26 October 2021

    A temporary control zone is put in place around the unnamed site in Worcestershire.

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  10. Life-size elephant puppet welcomes theatre crowdpublished at 17:28 British Summer Time 26 October 2021

    The production in which it features marks the official re-opening of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

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  11. Serving PC charged with sexual assault of childpublished at 17:24 British Summer Time 26 October 2021

    PC Joseph Powell of West Midlands Police is accused of an historical offence between 2009 and 2011.

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  12. Watchdog recommends 30-day suspension for Tory MPpublished at 17:17 British Summer Time 26 October 2021

    A report says ex-minister Owen Paterson had used his position as MP to benefit two companies who paid him.

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  13. Villa's Cash gains Polish citizenshippublished at 17:11 British Summer Time 26 October 2021

    Aston Villa defender Matty Cash could make his international debut for Poland next month after being granted citizenship.

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  14. Strip club can remain after report of rapepublished at 17:00 British Summer Time 26 October 2021

    The Rocket Club in Birmingham has seen a temporary suspension of its licence overturned.

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  15. Bin depot to move after trucks incur Clean Air Zone finespublished at 16:06 British Summer Time 26 October 2021

    Local Democracy Reporting Service
    Mark Cardwell

    Plans to move Birmingham's main bin lorry garage out of the Clean Air Zone are set to be approved by councillors.

    Images of the planned waste depot at Redfern Road, TyseleyImage source, Birmingham City Council

    More than 800 fines for council vehicles had been issued by 31 August, with the authority's waste disposal fleet racking up 82 within the first month of the zone's implementation.

    The new site is planned for Tyseley and has been described as a "super" facility combining the waste fleet garage, offices and other facilities.

    Concerns had been raised from locals about smell and noise from traffic, but a report submitted to councillors recommended the proposed use was "acceptable" as the site had been previously developed and was within a core employment area.

    Birmingham City Council's planning committee will examine the proposals on Thursday.

  16. Pollution-absorbing wetland given the green lightpublished at 15:21 British Summer Time 26 October 2021

    Local Democracy Reporting Service
    Gavin McEwan

    A new wetland to absorb pollution from waste water will be created near Leominster by the end of the year.

    Currently a field, the wetland will take effluent from the neighbouring waste water treatment works and filter out phosphates from the sewage.

    Panoramic View Of Agricultural Field Against Sky - taken in LeominsterImage source, Getty Images

    It will be able to hold over 2,600 cubic metres (570,000 gallons) of waste water at any one time, and process up to 64,000m3 (14 million gallons) of waste water a year.

    In July 2019, Natural England told Herefordshire Council it would object to any planning applications that would increase nutrient levels, particularly phosphates, meaning 82 planning applications are currently on hold while the authority deals with the pollution.

  17. Engineer's PPE headscarf to inspire Muslim womenpublished at 15:19 British Summer Time 26 October 2021

    Aminah Shafiq says her design makes it safer for women wearing a headscarf to work in operational jobs.

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  18. Severn Trent carry out upgrade in Coventrypublished at 14:48 British Summer Time 26 October 2021

    Severn Trent is working to upgrade the network in Coventry, as the water company is investing £3m to replace about 500m of ageing pipes with new ones in the Little Heath area.

    Taps - generic image

    Work is expected to take 10 weeks and to keep engineers and other road users safe, a temporary road closure and traffic lights will be put in place at certain points throughout the project.

    Shannon Currall, from Severn Trent, said: "We want to make sure customers in Coventry have a modern and reliable water supply for years to come.

    "We’ll be doing everything we can to minimise the disruption and we'd like to thank everyone in advance for their patience as we get this essential work done."

  19. Paterson: I stuck within the rulespublished at 14:38 British Summer Time 26 October 2021

    A Tory MP says it is "absolutely ridiculous" that he could face suspension from Parliament for 30 days.

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  20. Vaccination sites for 12 to 15-year-olds 'made safe' against protestspublished at 14:17 British Summer Time 26 October 2021

    Kathryn Stanczyszyn
    Political Reporter, BBC Radio WM

    Birmingham's director of public health says plans to open Covid vaccination centres to 12 to 15-year-olds were taking longer as it had to make the sites safe following anti-vaccination protests.

    Dr Justin Varney said: "There have been some issues around anti-vaxxers - aggression and abuse of staff at vaccination sites.

    "Yesterday when I had my booster I was hearing from the pharmacy where they had people coming in and being quite aggressive to them and that's disgraceful."

    Dr Justin Varney
    Image caption,

    Dr Justin Varney said new sites were opening up every day

    He said the council had to ensure sites, particularly those visited by children, "aren't environments where they can get hassled or abused by anti-vaxxers and that's what is taking a bit of time but there are sites opening up every day".

    He urged people to look for centres on the NHS website, external. Children aged 12 to 15 in England are being offered the vaccine outside schools in bid to get more vaccinated.

    Dr Varney said the latest Covid-19 case rate in the city was 310 cases per 100,000 people, which was about an 8% rise from the previous seven days.