28 February 2013 Last updated at 03:00 ET

BBC WM Red Alert Appeal total reaches £178K

A fun run at Sutton Park in May raised £30,000 towards the appeal

An appeal which aimed to raise enough money to fund five specialist leukaemia nurses in the West Midlands for a year has collected enough to pay for the equivalent of seven.

BBC WM 95.6's Red Alert Appeal has raised a total of £178,363 for Cure Leukaemia in the past year.

The nurses each cost about £25,000 a year to employ.

To mark the end of the appeal, some landmarks will be lit up red, including Birmingham University's Clock Tower.

Birmingham Town Hall and the Dudley Canal Trust Tunnel and Cavern will also be lit up from 18:45 GMT.

The fund's total was announced on the station's breakfast show by leukaemia patient Tony De Grey.

A fun run at Sutton Park in May raised £30,000 towards the appeal.

Other fundraising events included West Bromwich runner Dave Heeley, known as Blind Dave, driving a train along the Severn Valley Railway and breakfast show presenter Pete Morgan busking with 1980s singer Jaki Graham.

Cure Leukaemia estimates there are about 7,000 adult leukaemia patients in the West Midlands.

BBC Birmingham & Black Country

Daughter criticises murder inquiry

The daughter of a man killed on his way home from a Birmingham mosque says she believes his death was racially-motivated and criticises the police inquiry into his death.
Man held over double fatal collision
Blue plaque honours suffragette

Travel News

Latest road incidents, public transport information and live traffic jam cameras near you

Weather

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Birmingham & Black Country

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BBC Local Live

1800: Karen Slater BBC Local Live

That's it for me for today - have a lovely weekend. You have Caroline Gall with you on Saturday and Sunday from 08:00-18:00.
coming up 1748: Nick Owen Presenter, Midlands Today

Tonight we hear from the grieving daughter of 75-year-old Mohammed Saleem, who was stabbed in the back and killed as he returned from a mosque in Birmingham last month.

She says the attack was racially motivated and premeditated. Watch Midlands Today for more.
tonight's forecast 1736: Rebecca Wood BBC Weather

An improving picture over the next few hours - winds easing and showers dying out.

A chilly night to come though with frost possible. Highs of 4C.
M6 shut 1730:

The M6 has been closed in both directions in Warwickshire because of what police have described as a "suspicious vehicle".

The affected stretch is between junction 2, near Coventry, and junction 4, near Coleshill.
Football 1729:

The Birmingham City winger Nathan Redmond has received a late call-up to the England under-21 squad for the European Championship in Israel, starting on 5 June.
homophobia in sport 1721:

Is homophobia in sport stopping players from coming out as gay?

Pauline Roberts replied on Facebook: I don't know why it should be such an issue to be honest. A person's personal life is private anyway, I don't go around shouting about being heterosexual so I don't expect people to shout about their sexuality either.

Too much is made of this altogether, let's just live and let live and keep personal life just that - PERSONAL.
nursery arrest 1709:

A sixth man has been arrested in an investigation into an alleged sexual assault at a children's nursery in Worcestershire, reports BBC News Online.

A mother told police her child had been attacked at one of three branches of Bright Eyes nurseries, based in Bromsgrove, Redditch and Droitwich.
M6 shut 1659:

The M6 near Corley services is closed in both directions due to a "police incident". Get further updates on the BBC Travel News site.
Killing 'racist attack' 1654:

Mohammed Saleem's daughter Shazia Khan tells BBC WM she believes her father was killed in a racist attack.

"We're not satisfied with how the lines of inquiries are going. My father was attacked outside of his home... three white people were seen in that vicinity... racism is the only line of inquiry. Police can't find any other motive. My dad was not a man that had enemies."
Killing 'racist attack' 1646:

Shazia Khan, pictured left, daughter of Birmingham pensioner Mohammed Saleem, who was killed in a stabbing in the city, tells BBC WM her family have been racially abused since the killing of a soldier in Woolwich.

She says: "It's been terrible. We have some Facebook links but we have had EDL supporters hijack it, inciting racial hatred and they don't feel embarrassed or shy to come forward. I've lodged complaints with the police and I was told that they don't want to detract from the line of inquiries."
M6 flag 1637:

BBC WM's Kevin Pashby reports: "Just spotted this flag taped to a bridge at junction 10 on the M6 southbound."

It reads "The liberty and pursuit of terrorism RIP Rigby".
Football 1626:

Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert has told Christian Benteke the club comes first, after the striker was quoted in national newspapers suggesting he would seek a transfer.

"I don't 100% know what's happened but he's got three years here [left on his contract] and the club have always come first," Lambert said.
Killing 'racist attack' 1617:

The daughter of a Birmingham pensioner killed when he was stabbed three times in the back on his way home from a mosque says she's convinced it was a racist attack.

Mohammed Saleem, 75, died last month. His daughter Shazia Khan told BBC WM the family are grieving but want closure.
Police app 1603:

Pictures of suspected criminals will be shared via a mobile app within minutes of them being caught on CCTV in the West Midlands.

Facewatch will allow smartphone and tablet owners to view CCTV images and anonymously submit any information.
Travel 1550:

Highways Agency tweets: #M5 southbound between J4 and J4A | Congestion
Marathons 1545:

Birmingham father-of-two Matt Green has completed his fundraising challenge of running seven marathons in seven weeks for the British Lung Foundation.

He did it in honour of his father who is living with the rare lung disease idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
Rock night 1530:

A rock night at a Dudley club that was cancelled after a fire at a nearby shopping centre is to go ahead tonight.

Rock Zombie had only recently opened next door when it had to postpone bands Welcome Back Delta and Cynotia as water from the sprinkler system ran through into the club.
1514:

London Midland tweets: The following southbound #CrossCity departures from #NewSt are formed of 3 coaches this afternoon - 15:23, 16:33, 17:13 & 18:53, apologies.
your photos 1440: Karen Slater BBC Local Live

We've had this photo from Stu Bill, who tweets: @ST_Police Am I a geek for taking a pic of this train at Moor Street Station this morning? Looks cool.

Not at all Stu - it's a beautiful station and you've captured it really well. Thanks for letting us use it. Share your photos with us: locallive@bbc.co.uk.
homophobia in sport 1421:

BBC WM asked whether homophobia in sport is stopping players from coming out as gay.

Karen Croft, from Aston Villa Football Club, said on BBC WM: "It's about having the comfort to be able to come out and have that known. Don't forget they have to go into the changing rooms and they've got all their mates there. You've got to be prepared for what would come with it."
weather graphic 1405: Rebecca Wood BBC Weather

It's a rather miserable picture today isn't it?
fatal crash 1354:

A man has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving after an elderly couple died in a crash.

Sgt Neil Higgins, from West Midlands Police, said: "Following the incident a number of drivers and passers-by came to the aid of those involved and we are keen to hear from anyone who was there who has not yet spoken to us."
aston villa 1343: Richard Wilford BBC WM Sport

Villa striker Christian Benteke has put the club's fans on edge while away on international duty with Belgium.

The 22-year old has ambitions to play for a bigger club, but manager Paul Lambert may be warning his top scorer not to run before he can walk.
weather 1335:

Some sunny spells developing in the afternoon with further heavy showers, and winds starting to ease.
Mary Portas 1325:

Mary Portas tweets: Live/work in Wolverhampton? Head to town centre at lunchtime (1-3pm) to be entertained by these guys bctouring.co.uk @WV_One @bct_us.
Bercow tweet 1313:

Paul Chantler tweets: Looking forward to being on @bbcwm's drive show later being interviewed about the signifcance of the McAlpine/Bercow court ruling today.
coming up 1304: Katie Rowlett Presenter, BBC Midlands Today

Criminals beware: Businesses team up with the police and use their CCTV footage to report wanted suspects. And the remarkable achievements of the suffragette and trade unionist Julia Varley is recognised in a permanent memorial.

That's BBC Midlands Today at 13:30 on BBC One.
Wheelie bin roadshow 1248:

Wheelie bin roadshows are being put on by Birmingham City Council to help residents learn more about the wheelie bin pilot schemes coming to their streets.

The council will field questions to ensure people are fully prepared for the roll-out of the bins.
1237: Rebecca Wood BBC Weather

Strong winds and showers are expected for the next few hours. Feeling cold too, with a top temperature of 12C.
Pride Festival 1224:

Birmingham Pride is due to take place this weekend. The festival involves a parade, music, stalls and a weekend of celebrating all things LGBT.

Organisers are still looking for volunteers to get involved to help make the event as inclusive as possible.
Jaguar Land Rover 1211: Peter Plisner BBC Midlands Transport Correspondent

The number of people working for Jaguar Land Rover has risen above pre-recession levels, the company now employs 25,000 people following a series of growth lead recruitment drives.

The company's Solihull plant now employs 6,000 people and will rise by another 800 by the end of the year. Growth in emerging markets has been stronger than expected.
suffragette honoured 1159: Giles Latcham Presenter, Midlands Today

I'm at the unveiling of the blue plaque honouring Julia Varley, the Birmingham trade unionist and suffragette 1871-1952.

We'll have the full story on BBC Midlands Today on BBC One at 13:30.
homophobia in sport 1148:

We asked on Facebook if homophobia in sport is stopping players from coming out as gay?

David Reeves replied: "I couldn't care less if a player is gay or not only that he does his job on the pitch."
Sign safety 1138:

Lynn Edwards emailed in about roadside advertising being a safety issue, saying the Walsall FC advertising hoarding on the M6 is "no real distraction".

But she says the "nearby smaller advert which flickers" is. She thinks flickering adverts should be removed before someone is killed by their distraction.
HS2 1129:

Liam Byrne, Labour MP for Washwood Heath in Birmingham, tells BBC WM that trains could run from Birmingham to Europe when HS2 is built.

There's a proposal for seven platforms at the revamped Curzon Street station and one of those could be for trains to Amsterdam Paris and Brussels - the others would go to London.
homophobia in sport 1120:

Speaking about whether homophobia in sport is stopping players from coming out as gay, Karen Croft, from Aston Villa Football Club, said on BBC WM: "You've got to be prepared for what would come with it. Opposing fans would be very unforgiving I'm sure."

Very few gay footballers have felt comfortable enough to come out, is this the reality of being gay in sport? Share your experiences: locallive@bbc.co.uk.
fatal crash 1108:

A 22-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving after a fatal crash in Oldbury.
Ice cream 1103:

A Stourbridge man who was charged 64 euros (£54) for his family's four ice cream cones on holiday in Italy a few weeks ago has gone back to Rome for free.

Roger Bannister and his family were offered three nights in a top hotel in the city by the Rome Tourist Board after the story came out across the UK press.
fatal crash 1049:

Police are appealing for witnesses to a crash in Oldbury yesterday which claimed the lives of a husband and wife in their 80s.

It happened at the junction of Wolverhampton Road and Brandhall Road just after 13:20.
TRAVEL 1036:

Earlier problems on the M42 northbound between J6, A45 (Birmingham Airport) and J7 M6 have now cleared.
Sign safety 1027:

Do large adverts on the side of the road cause a distraction? Walsall Football Club have what is said to be the largest roadside advertising sign in Europe, near J9 of the M6. It is about the size of a Boeing 747.

They started working on it in 2007 and have been adding to it ever since, recently signing a banner deal with tech company Elonex.
Track-a-Cop 1015:

Follow the footsteps of beat bobbies thanks to a Track-a-Cop scheme allowing people to monitor officers' movements, introduced by West Midlands Police.
today's forecast 1007: Rebecca Wood BBC Weather

Winds are already building with showers moving in throughout the day. Feeling cold too, with a top temperature of 12C. But it is getting better tomorrow.
Behind the scenes 0956:

Enjoying a post-programme breakfast, Pete Morgan with Gareth, Kevin and Terry from BBC WM.
fatal crash 0945:

Investigations are under way into a crash in Oldbury yesterday where two people died and two people were injured.

It happened on the Wolverhampton Road just after lunchtime.
sign safety 0935:

In response to Pete Morgan asking if ads on the side of the road could be unsafe, BBC WM's Michelle Dawes tweeted a picture of roadside advertising at Dartmouth Circus and asked if it would be a distraction.

:) tweets: @MichelleDawes @bbcwm yes it does and the one on the bridge is worse.
Nursery assault 0924:

Three children's nurseries in Worcestershire will remain closed today following an allegation of sexual assault.

Police have arrested five men after a child claimed they'd been assaulted at a Bright Eyes nursery. The firm has branches in Bromsgrove, Redditch and Droitwich.
sign safety 0915: Michelle Dawes Journalist, BBC WM

I'm out for Pete Morgan on the trail of moving and big screen ads by the road, like this at Dartmouth Circus.

Would it distract you?
Pride Festival 0905:

Birmingham's Gay Pride festival takes place this weekend.

The event, which includes a parade through the city centre tomorrow afternoon, will see performances from artists including 80s band, Bananarama.
Jaguar Land Rover 0857:

Jaguar Land Rover's been voted "top" in a survey about the quality of cars.

The survey for What Car? magazine found drivers think the Birmingham car maker's manufacturing is among the best in the world.
fatal crash 0840:

A man and a woman were killed in a crash involving two cars in Oldbury yesterday.

They were both in the same car when the collision happened on the A4123 Wolverhampton Road at about 13:20.
as it happened
- News, sport, travel, weather from Fri 24 May
- More updates from 08:00 on Saturday
- Listen BBC WM watch Midlands Today
0830: Pete Morgan Presenter, BBC WM

There's a warning that massive illuminated and moving advertising hoardings close to major roads here in the West Midlands are distracting drivers.

What's your experience? Contact me 08453 009956 or text WM and your message to 81333.
Sign safety 0821:

BBC WM reports that road safety groups are warning big screen adverts on roads in the West Midlands may cause accidents.

Some councils - who've agreed to the signs - say the concerns are over-exaggerated and they're a good way of making money.
Weather 0810:

Feeling cold with rain or showers and strong winds through the morning.
Travel 0802:

One lane is closed and there's slow traffic on the M6 northbound between J4a M42 and J5, A452 (Castle Bromwich), because of a broken down vehicle.

Congestion goes back to J4, M42 (Coleshill). More at BBC Travel News.
0800: Karen Slater BBC Local Live

Good morning, I'm with you in Birmingham for all your news, sport, weather and travel across here and the Black Country.

If you know a story we should be looking into, let us know: locallive@bbc.co.uk.