BBC Local Live: Coventry and Warwickshire

Summary

Families pay tribute to teenagers killed in Atherstone crash
Witnesses sought over death of man arrested by police
Kos holidaymaker scared for his life
Updates from Friday 21 July 2017

Live Reporting

Coventry MP urges government to consider stalking registerpublished at 17:15 British Summer Time 20 July 2017
Coventry South MP Jim Cunningham has urged the government to look at introducing a stalking register.
He was urged to act by one of his constituents, Zoe Dronfield, who was subjected to a brutal eight hour attack by a former partner.
She now campaigns for legislation that could protect women from serial stalkers and domestic violence perpetrators by introducing a register which would enable police to identify, track, monitor and manage stalkers.
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Jobs at Coventry plant 'secured' by takeoverpublished at 16:56 British Summer Time 20 July 2017
Around 230 jobs at a processing plant in Coventry have been secured after the company was taken over.
UK steel firm Liberty House has bought Amtek UK, which has a factory in Coventry processing aluminium and iron components for engines and transmissions.
Image source, Liberty House
Liberty say it bought the business, which also has sites in Kidderminster and Witham in Essex, for "an undisclosed sum" from administrators.
Earlier this year the comany also acquired automotive supplier CovPress in a deal securing 740 skilled workers' jobs at a plant in Canley, Coventry.
'Wellbeing campus' plan for the Eliot?published at 16:23 British Summer Time 20 July 2017
Nuneaton News
You can find all of our main stories on the Nuneaton News website., external
Image source, Nuneaton News
£2m bid to restore historic cemeterypublished at 15:49 British Summer Time 20 July 2017
Richard Williams
BBC Coventry & Warwickshire
Coventry’s London Rd Cemetery, one of the top five historic cemeteries in the country, is bidding to get further grant support from the Heritage Lottery Fund to help with restoration works.
The city council says £2m is needed to restore the site to architect Joseph Paxton's original design.
The scheme would include repairing major features such as the Anglican Chapel, key monument and entrance as well as horticultural and tree works.
Coventry couple scoop £1m on EuroMillionspublished at 15:24 British Summer Time 20 July 2017
A Coventry couple who worked together as chefs have been unveiled as £1m winners of the EuroMillions.
Bill Mullarkey, 57, and his wife Cath, 56, plan to split their time between Coventry and the Caribbean after the win they described as a "dream come true".
Image source, National Lottery
The Specials' Horace Panter re-united with loved and lost 'Ghost Town' basspublished at 14:54 British Summer Time 20 July 2017
Coventry Observer
A Coventry musical icon has been unexpectedly re-united after decades with the guitar he loved and lost – used in the recording of the still much celebrated Specials number 1 single, external ‘Ghost Town’.
University first class degrees soaringpublished at 14:36 British Summer Time 20 July 2017
The proportion of top degree grades being awarded by UK universities has soared - with some universities giving first class degrees to more than a third of their students.
The University of Warwick awarded a first class degree to 28.7% of students last year, up from 25.5% five years ago.
Image source, PA
The Press Association survey, analysing figures for 2015-16 from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), indicates it is now more common to graduate with a first-class degree than a lower second (2:2) grade - with 24% getting a first last year, compared with 21% getting a lower second.
The most widely awarded degree was an upper second (2:1), received by about 51%
Blind couple recognised by universitypublished at 14:10 British Summer Time 20 July 2017
A blind couple from Kenilworth who've been married 50 years have been awarded joint honorary degrees for services to their community.
Fred and Etta Reid, who both lost their sight in childhood, have worked tirelessly to help others with disabilities.
The parents of three were recognised for their achievements by the University of Warwick.
In pictures: Warwickshire floods 10 years onpublished at 13:47 British Summer Time 20 July 2017
Vanessa Pearce
BBC Local Live
Ten years ago today devastating floods hit Warwickshire and the West Midlands.
Image source, Lorraine Clark
Thousands of homes were left under water with Alcester, Stratford-upon-Avon and Leamington Spa badly affected.
Image source, James Kelly
Since then the government has spent nearly £6bn improving flood defences for almost 500,000 homes across the country.
Image source, John Springall
Crime up in Coventry and Warwickshirepublished at 13:29 British Summer Time 20 July 2017
The latest crime figures for England and Wales show there was a 19% increase in offences reported to the police in Warwickshire for the year to the end of March.
Image source, Getty Images
Recorded crime has also risen by 11% in the West Midlands.
The Police and Crime Commissioner for the West Midlands, David Jamieson describes the figures as a "major concern" and said the figures were "further evidence the government needs to change course on police funding".
Across the country there was an 18% rise in violent crime.
IPCC investigation: Man at centre died in hospital, police saidpublished at 13:11 British Summer Time 20 July 2017
The man at the centre of the IPCC investigation - who died after being arrested - was a 32-year-old from Nuneaton, Warwickshire Police said.
Image source, Google
In a statement the force said he was arrested after they were called to an incident in Edward Street in the town at around 00:25 on Monday 10 July.
"As the officers were concerned for his welfare he was taken to George Eliot Hospital where he was admitted as a patient and subsequently de-arrested", a statement said.
"On 11 July 2017, his condition deteriorated and he was transferred to ITU. He sadly died in the early hours of Wednesday 19 July 2017."
The force said they are "very saddened to hear of the death of this man" and offered "deepest sympathies" to his family.
Birmingham Airport to keep American flightspublished at 12:53 British Summer Time 20 July 2017
A new low-cost airline is going to start transatlantic flights from Birmingham Airport to New York and Boston from next May.
Just last week it was revealed United Airlines are pulling out of the airport, with flights to Newark ending in October.
Primera Air will operate daily flights to New York, and four a week to Boston.
Hopes to fill vacant shops as Swan Centre sold for more than £3mpublished at 12:41 British Summer Time 20 July 2017
Rugby Advertiser
The new shopping and dining complex in Rugby has been sold in a deal worth more than £3m, external with hopes the vacant units will be filled soon.
IPCC probe death of Nuneaton man after arrestpublished at 12:14 British Summer Time 20 July 2017
The death of a man arrested by Warwickshire Police earlier this month is being investigated by the police watchdog.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) spokesman said the independent investigation was launched after a man was arrested in the Nuneaton area on 10 July.
The IPCC said they understand that soon after the arrest he was taken to hospital where he remained in a serious condition.
"Police were informed of his death yesterday," it said, "and subsequently referred the matter to us.
"Our investigation will look at the circumstances of the man's death and the contact police had with him."
Andy Sullivan in Open action this afternoonpublished at 11:47 British Summer Time 20 July 2017
BBC Coventry & Warwickshire Sport
Nuneaton's Andy Sullivan will tee-off at 13:15 in today's Open.
He's partnered with Dutchman Joost Luiten and American David Lipsky at the Royal Birkdale event.
You can follow live updates on today's action here.
Image source, Getty Images
Tributes paid to tragic teenagerspublished at 11:21 British Summer Time 20 July 2017
Atherstone & Coleshill Herald
Family and friends of three teenagers killed in a tragic accident on Sunday, have paid heartfelt tributes to the youngsters., external
Image source, Atherstone & Coleshill Herald
Floods 2007: Record rainfall in the West Midlandspublished at 11:05 British Summer Time 20 July 2017
Here are some of the startling figures around the flooding that hit the West Midlands 10 years ago.
Coventry children urged to take up reading challengepublished at 10:35 British Summer Time 20 July 2017
Children between the age of 4 and 11 to borrow and read six book during the summer holidays.
It's all part of 'The Summer Reading Challenge' which aims to prevent children's literacy skills from dipping over the school holidays.
Coventry's libraries are taking part.
Quote Message
The Summer Reading Challenge is a fantastic way of getting children to keep reading over the summer holidays...We’ll also be getting young people involved as volunteers in libraries, and we’ve got a preschool challenge for younger readers.
Councillor Kevin Maton, Coventry City Council’s cabinet member for education
Plans for student accommodation on site of old listed Coventry hospitalpublished at 10:10 British Summer Time 20 July 2017
Coventry Telegraph
The long-standing Victorian buildings of the old listed Coventry and Warwickshire hospital are to be transformed. , external
Domestic violence offenders to get help from new schemepublished at 09:43 British Summer Time 20 July 2017
A new programme is being launched today to help people who abuse their partners get help.
The £1m scheme is being rolled out by the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson.
Image source, PA
Offenders will work with a domestic violence charity for 30 weeks to change their behaviour.
Their partners and children will also be helped.