Birmingham & Black Country

Thanks to everyone who got involved with comments and photos today. I'll be back with more updates from 08:00 tomorrow.

Tonight I'll be joined by a host of Eurovision stars including Sir Terry Wogan, Sandie Shaw, Dana, The New Seekers, Olivia Newton John, Bucks Fizz and Katrina Leskanich for my Eurovision Extravaganza.

Listen live from 22:00.

Aston Villa will be without top scorer Christian Benteke for tomorrow's game at Wigan.

The A449 Penn Road in Wolverhampton is closed and there's queuing traffic southbound between the A4150 Ring Road St Johns junction and the Lea Road junction because of a police incident, BBC Travel News reports.

There's been more reaction on Facebook to the news that Dudley Hippodrome will be demolished.

Cheryl Clorley writes: I was the assistant manager at gala bingo when they closed in 2009, sad times but the fight isn't over yet

Any patchy rain will soon clear, with a dry night to follow.

Clear spells at times, as well as light winds, may allow some mist and fog patches to form in prone locations towards dawn.

About 3,000 Aston Villa fans will don Stiliyan Petrov masks for the club's final game of the season at Wigan tomorrow, reports BBC Midlands Today.

The Bulgarian midfielder is retiring from football to continue his fight against leukaemia. The fans' tribute will raise money for the Cure Leukaemia charity.

Virgin Trains will invest millions of pounds in Wolverhampton's railway station, reports the Express and Star.

Friends of Dudley Hippodrome say they will continue fighting to save the venue despite the council announcing it will be demolished.

Geoff Fitzpatrick, from the group, says: "This has been on the cards for a long time but the fight goes on."

On Facebook we asked for your memories of Dudley Hippodrome after the council said it was going to be demolished.

Marie Gould says: I remember going there when it was the cinema when I was a teenager.Good memories.

West Bromwich Albion are waiting on the fitness of Steven Reid ahead of tomorrow's home game against Manchester United.

Walsall Council tells BBC WM it is disappointed a £13m plan to build a new police station in the town centre will not go ahead.

The force is instead planning to relocate staff to Bloxwich police station with a police base set up in the town's Civic Centre on Darwall Street.

BBC News Online has more on head teachers at a conference in Birmingham passing a motion of no confidence in the government's education policies.

Dudley Hippodrome will be demolished as part of a £10m regeneration plan, the borough council has said.

The authority said it was in talks with nearby Dudley Zoo to build an education centre on the Castle Hill site.

What are you up to this weekend? One of our team emailed in this picture of bluebells in the woods at Packwood House.

Email us a picture if you are out and about and we'll feature the best on BBC Local Live.

Police are appealing for witnesses after a 20-year-old man suffered a serious head injury following an assault in Wolverhampton in the early hours of yesterday.

The man was punched to the ground in Broad Street outside the Caspian Kebab House just after 4am, police said.

Tell us what you think of BBC Local Live. We'd like your feedback about this service.

Midwives at Stafford Hospital are holding an open day to reassure people it is business as usual there despite uncertainty about its future.

Specialist midwife Mandy Stenson said: "We here to give a good quality service and things are just carrying on as normal."

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson will bring his illustrious management career to a close at The Hawthorns tomorrow afternoon.

West Bromwich Albion's players will join with opposition players to form an extended guard of honour for him prior to kick-off at 16:00.

This week Birmingham's Civic Society said it wants to commission a piece of artwork which would "define the city worldwide" to mark the group's centenary.

What sort of design would you want to see? Email us your ideas.

A man is in hospital following a fight in Birmingham earlier, BBC WM reports.

Summer Row has been closed and the area is still cordoned off. One man has been arrested.

Two classic silent movies have been given a new soundtrack at Birmingham's Symphony Hall.

The pieces, performed by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra while the films were shown on a big screen, have been composed by Carl Davis for films starring silent screen comic Harold Lloyd.

Midwives at Stafford Hospital tell BBC WM they hope an open day will reassure people it is business as usual despite uncertainty about its future.

Members of the Royal College of Midwives are hosting a Celebration of Midwifery at the hospital today.

The maternity unit could be removed under plans to downgrade the hospital because of financial issues.

Earlier we posted on Facebook to say today's weather was due to be cloudy with rain at times.

Debs Hackett replied: Good old English weather!!

Summer Row in Birmingham is closed between the Fleet Street junction and the A38 Great Charles Street Queensway junction because of a police incident, BBC Travel News reports.

Dudley Hippodrome will be demolished as part of £10m regeneration plans, the council has said.

Campaigners had put forward a plan to save the venue by turning it into a community theatre.

But Dudley council said the idea was "not financially viable" and it had now submitted a planning application to knock it down.

The Birmingham Mail reports regulars at a pub in Birmingham got a big surprise when eight ducklings hatched in a plant pot in the beer garden.

Celebrities due to take part in the Celeb Footy 4 Harry match at St Andrew's today include boxer Joe Calzaghe, singer Gareth Gates and The Only Way Is Essex's James 'Arg' Argent.

Have you taken any photos of Birmingham and the Black Country recently?

Share them with us by emailing them to BBC Local Live.

A man has been taken to hospital following reports of a fight in Birmingham.

Police have cordoned off part of Summer Row and arrested a man following the incident at about 09:30, BBC WM reports.

A Birmingham schoolboy has been selected to be a mascot at Celebrity Footie 4 Harry which takes place at St Andrew's later, the Birmingham Mail reports.

Just looking at the models for today, the band of showers we were expecting across the north Midlands looks like being less of a problem.

All in all this weekend could be rather pleasant.

Warwickshire slumped to an innings defeat to Yorkshire at Edgbaston yesterday.

It was their heaviest loss for three years.

Midwives at Stafford Hospital are inviting people to meet them and find out about the work they do at a special open day, BBC WM reports.

The "celebration day" is inviting past, present and future parents, their children and families, to meet the team and see the facilities.

We've introduced BBC Local Live to bring you the latest news, sport, travel and weather all in one place. Tell us what you think.

West Bromwich Albion boss Steve Clarke said he was "delighted" Gareth McAuley had signed a new contract with the club.

He said: "He's been a stand-out performer this season and deserves every reward he gets."

Head teachers are preparing to debate a motion of no-confidence in the government's education policies at their annual conference in Birmingham today, reports BBC WM.

Members of the National Association of Head Teachers will accuse ministers of pushing through changes without proper consultation.

West Bromwich Albion centre-half Gareth McAuley signs a new contract keeping him at the club until 2015.

More than 100 police officers and staff are still working to find the killer of Mohammed Saleem.

The 75-year-old was stabbed to death on his way home from evening prayers in Small Heath last month.

There's slow traffic on the A4540 New John Street West eastbound at the A34 New Town Row traffic lights junction, BBC Travel News reports.

The Premier League says a third-place play-off game will be staged at Villa Park if Chelsea and Arsenal finish level.

The match, scheduled for 26 May, would only be required if the teams have the same points, goal difference and goals scored.

Quite a cloudy day ahead with rain at times and highs of 14 °C.

Any rain should clear into this afternoon.

Hello everyone and welcome to today's news, sport, travel and weather updates.

Send your comments, questions and photos to locallive@bbc.co.uk or tweet us @bbcderby.