Elizabeth Glinka
BBC Midlands Today

The families of the 1974 Birmingham pub bombings victims - which killed 21 and injured 222 people -say receiving legal aid is crucial ahead of the new hearings into their deaths.

In June, Birmingham's senior coroner ruled there was evidence that still needed to be heard and gave the go ahead for fresh inquests, but families are still waiting to learn if they will receive public money to pursue the case.

The Home Office said it was considering a request for legal aid funding from relatives of the Birmingham pub bombings' victims.

Louise Brookes (pictured left), who lives in Bromsgrove and whose brother died at Hillsborough, believes that inquest would not have concluded as it did without help towards the costs of legal advice for victims.

She has been discussing the plight of the pub bombings' victims with Julie Hambleton (pictured right) who lost her sister Maxine.  

Worcestershire confirm local businessman Tom Scott's appointment as chief executive after a six-month interim period.

BBC Midlands Today

The Midlands has more than a hundred fewer pubs than it did six months ago, according to the Campaign for Real Ale, external (CAMRA).

While 129 have opened across the region, 241 have closed and CAMRA say it's rural and suburban pubs that are the worst hit. 

It adds that those not serving food are also struggling but the expansion of places serving food and the increase in demand for craft beer is seen as a positive.

A woman has been paying tribute to her "beautiful son" who saved her life moments before he died on a sinking narrowboat.

Opener Tom Kohler Cadmore's 119 is in vain as Northants defeat Worcestershire by 23 runs in the One-Day Cup.

The mother of a man who died after saving her from a sinking canal boat says a gap in the lock gate was "an accident waiting to happen".

Jennifer Meierhans
BBC News Online

A man who saved his mother and dog before dying when his narrowboat sank in a canal lock has been hailed a hero.

Allen Green lived with his mother Jean on the Sonskit in Netherwich Basin, near Droitwich.

Mrs Green said the five years they had lived together had been the "best time of my life". 

"He was kind, helpful and intelligent, a very good son and a very experienced boater," she said.

Mr Green's 19-year-old daughter, Naomi, told BBC News her father was her "hero" and she loved him very much. 

Listen to your choice of BBC local radio commentaries from the One-Day Cup, with Worcestershire v Northamptonshire on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra.

A family from Birmingham was "terrified" when the car they were in got caught between two fighting rhinos.

Jennifer Meierhans
BBC News Online

The mother of a man who died saving her from a sinking canal boat said the lock was "an accident waiting to happen".

Jean Green said the rudder of her son Allen's boat was "stuck in a gap" in the gates of lock five on the Droitwich Junction Canal.

"That stopped it going up when they let the water in. It was an accident waiting to happen and it has," she said.

The Canal and River Trust said there were "no indications there's problem with the canal" but it has launched an investigation into what happened.

A man managed to save his mother and dog before dying when his narrowboat sank in a canal lock, friends say.

BBC Midlands Today

Emergency services in the Midlands are warning of the dangers of swimming in open water, especially during the school holidays. 

Image source, Paul Thomas / Stringer

In the past week, eight people across the UK have died after swimming in rivers, quarries and lakes, including 46-year-old Sylwester Ficon in Burton upon Trent.

You can see Lindsay Doyle's report on Midlands Today on BBC One from 18:30 tonight.

Spanish power forward Alejandro Navajas becomes Worcester Wolves' sixth new signing ahead of the 2016-16 BBL season.

A lock keeper who tried to rescue a man who died when his narrowboat sank in a canal has been describing the battle to save him.

A man dies after his narrowboat sinks while going through a canal lock.

We'll be back with our usual mix of news, sport, travel and weather from 08:00 tomorrow, but keep an eye out here for more updates this evening and into the morning.

Doctors have taught blood cells to recognise liver cancer in a revolutionary combination treatment. The "super vaccine" fights the disease while patients receive chemotherapy as well. The trial is bring run by The University of Birmingham and therapy is being carried out at Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital. David Beddis, 70, from Hereford (featured in video) was the first patient to undergo the treatment. Liver cancer is notoriously hard to treat and although rare it is on the increase, the hospital doctors said.

Listen to BBC local radio commentary as Worcestershire face Northamptonshire in the One-Day Cup.

Doctors teach blood cells to recognise liver cancer in a revolutionary combination treatment.