West Midlands Police says the expenses case against ex-UKIP MEP Nikki Sinclaire has been "long and complex".

Outside Birmingham Crown Court earlier, after being cleared of fiddling travel expenses, the 47-year-old claimed £1.5m of public money had been spent to build a case against her - a figure as yet unsubstantiated.

Superintendent Maria Fox said: "This long, complex inquiry has been investigated in a diligent and professional manner."

Ex-UKIP MEP Nikki Sinclaire has criticised what she claims has been a public spend of £1.5m on the case against her.

She was cleared by a jury earlier of fiddling travel expense claims while in office and laundering the cash.

She criticised West Midlands Police's handling of the criminal inquiry, saying that the 10 claims upon which the Crown's case rested - and of which she was cleared - were now nearly "seven years old", dating to October 2009.

The force defended its handling of the investigation and has declined to say how much the inquiry cost.

As a court clears former MEP Nikki Sinclaire of misconduct in a public office and fraud the BBC profiles her eventful private and political life.

Rob Mayor
Political reporter, BBC WM

Today's verdicts clear Nikki Sinclaire of allegations that have been hanging over her since she was arrested almost four years ago.

At times tearful and angry as she gave evidence, it was clear the suggestion she had abused the trust of voters was what hurt her the most.

Ms Sinclaire admitted there were errors in her expenses claims, but her lawyers maintained they had been "deliberately corrupted" by office aide John Ison in an atmosphere of political "hostility" - a defence that convinced the jury.

There had been an atmosphere of "hostility" between ex-UKIP MEP Nikki Sinclaire and party leader Nigel Farage, Birmingham Crown Court heard.

The jury was told John Ison, Ms Sinclaire's former office aide, had passed information about her to the senior figure.

Ms Sinclaire and her lawyers said Mr Ison had "deliberately corrupted"  her expenses.

The 47-year-old has been cleared of making false travel expenses claims.

Image source, Getty Images

Former UKIP MEP Nikki Sinclaire has been cleared of making false travel expenses claims amounting to £3,250.

The former West Midlands MEP, who represented the region in Brussels and Strasbourg until 2014, denied deliberately submitting 10 dishonest claims for road travel she never made when she had flown more cheaply.

Former West Midlands MEP Nikki Sinclaire has been cleared in court of making false expenses claims.

Image source, PA

BBC Travel

Arriva Trains Wales rail services are suspended between Hereford and Shrewsbury due to a person being hit by a train. 

Tickets are being accepted on CrossCountry, Great Western Railway and London Midland services.  

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BBC Weather Watcher Forestgump sent in this brilliant photo, they commented that it's been a "lovely morning in Market Drayton" and that the "crops are looking really well".   

We love seeing your photos, if you have any you would like to share, you can send them in via email, Facebook, external, Twitter, external and use the hashtag #bbcradiostoke for Instagram. 

Image source, Forestgump

A mother and son killed in a car crash involving a lorry are named by police.

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A scandal involving scores of families not being given their baby's ashes leads the government to change legislation

Latest weather for the West Midlands

The weather for the West Midlands.

Today the long-awaited official report into the UK's invasion of Iraq in 2003 has been released.

It has concluded that the country went to war in Iraq before all peaceful options for disarming Saddam Hussein were exhausted.

On BBC Midlands Today from lunchtime we'll be getting reaction in this region to the findings and what it means for the families of soldiers from the Midlands who died in the war.

That's on BBC One from 13:30.

Solihull Moors boss Marcus Bignot talks about the ups and downs of making it in football - as player and manager.

The weather for the West Midlands.

Teachers from across the West Midlands gathered in the centre of Birmingham today for a rally as part of their one day strike. 

The National Union of Teachers called the action in protest over school funding, pay and workloads which the government describes as "unnecessary."