26/02/2017 Midlands Today

We are back with the late news at 10 o'clock.

West Midlands Police have launched an investigation after allegations

that officers used excessive force and misused their batons

Over a 100 supporters were caught up in clashes with police

after Wolves' home match against Birmingham City on Friday.

A former policeman, who was at the game,

says what he witnessed shouldn't have happened.

But the force has defended its tactics, saying the trouble

was in danger of getting out of hand.

The command "show of strength" has just been issued -

police officers are raining down on football fans in a walk

The clashes were filmed by this retired police chief inspector,

someone who used to train the police in the use of force.

He says West Midlands police overreacted.

They did not appear to me to be a confrontation,

The threat level that you would need to justify

hitting someone over the

head with a baton is a very high threat level.

My perception is that threat level was not there.

He says the fans there were largely Blues supporters in good spirits,

But the police say the trouble was between rival fans.

West Midlands Police have described the flashpoint

Officers had issued warnings to no avail.

To prevent further clashes, they used

Somebody could have died from being struck on the

For not walking quickly enough to a railway station?

That seems to me like a really extreme overreaction.

Eight Birmingham City supporters and five Wolves

Sarah Bishop, BBC Midlands Today in Wolverhampton.

The family and friends of a Shropshire paramedic

who is recovering from serious brain injuries after falling down

the stairs, say they're overwhelmed by the support shown for her.

More than 200 people took part in a charity walk this morning.

I would just like to thank you all for coming and

Finn's mum Melissa Jago was a Shropshire paramedic.

But since falling down the stairs last September,

she suffered critical brain injuries and is now learning

It is horrendous that falling down the stairs at home

could cause such life-changing injuries.

The campaign is called Thinking Of Mel and today more than

I cannot believe the amount of people that have turned up.

It is very tragic what has happened to Mel.

There is a lot of feeling she was a very good

The number of people who are here today

When Mel returns home from hospital she'll need adaptations to her home

and it's not yet known how much they'll cost,

but the campaign is trying to raise at least ?10,000.

It could be a long and difficult road to recovery but friends say

all the support will really help to boost Mel's spirits.

The Coventry Bees have been thrown out of the speedway's Elite League

The British Speedway Promoters Association have suspended the Bees'

license because of uncertainties about whether the team will be able

The Bees are currently without a home track.

The sport's governing body has also expressed doubts about the financial

Stoke City have suffered a heavy defeat at Tottenham

Stoke were over-run in the first-half,

Three of them were scored by Harry Kane who then

set-up his team's fourth goal for Delly Alli.

Stoke supporters saw an improvement in the second half but it finished

Wasps have stretched their lead at the top of rugby union's

Premiership to six points by beating Gloucester 35 - 22.

Jimmy Gopperth was Wasps' matchwinner with a

Now on to the weather and it's been a dull,

mild but blustery afternoon, but are the winds likely

Here's Rebecca Wood with all the details.

It certainly was a stunning start to the day today.

The skies looked like they were on fire for a time.

That was about the best of the brightness.

Through tonight we will see a band of rain clearing.

Temperatures falling away for a time.

Not long before the next area of heavy, scattered

A cold night with temperatures down to freezing.

We start the day on a chilly note with those heavy,

thundery downpours working their way through the region

They could be a touch wintry over the tops of the hills.

Around that, some brighter spells and the sun coming

out and temperatures ranging between seven

But, I'm afraid, more rain in the forecast

I'm back with the late bulletin at ten o'clock.

Good evening. The fifth named storm of the season has been affecting the

west of the UK, and it was named Ewan by the Irish meteorological

service because that is where the impact was expected, but it has been

quite wet for some and