:00:00. > :00:00.Hello, and welcome to Midlands Today.
:00:00. > :00:00.We're live in Stoke-on-Trent where Labour managed to stave off
:00:07. > :00:11.a serious Ukip challenge, but see their majority cut in half.
:00:12. > :00:14.A tough election but ultimately the people of Stoke-on-Trent have
:00:15. > :00:17.made their voice heard and I'm very grateful they're sending me to
:00:18. > :00:22.The clear-up's underway, but Storm Doris is still causing
:00:23. > :00:29.I'm grateful no one's been hurt, but it's a shame to see it go.
:00:30. > :00:33.Again, a bit of history just lost to the wind.
:00:34. > :00:37.Spotlight on the managers in what's been a truly miserable season
:00:38. > :00:53.Labour has held the seat of Stoke Central
:00:54. > :00:55.following a parliamentary by-election.
:00:56. > :00:59.Gareth Snell saw off a serious challenge from the Ukip leader
:01:00. > :01:00.Paul Nuttall, although Labour's majority
:01:01. > :01:05.Many had predicted a Labour defeat for the first time
:01:06. > :01:08.Rob Mayor's report contains flashing images.
:01:09. > :01:13.Relief for Labour in Stoke Central.
:01:14. > :01:16.There were predictions that Ukip could sweep them aside here
:01:17. > :01:22.in a city where almost 70% of people voted for Brexit.
:01:23. > :01:25.But as the night wore on, it was those with the red rosettes
:01:26. > :01:27.wearing smiles which broke into cheers
:01:28. > :01:34.This was billed as a battle for the capital of Brexit,
:01:35. > :01:37.a chance for Ukip to dig into Labour heartlands.
:01:38. > :01:40.Labour have held on, their majority has been cut in half,
:01:41. > :01:43.but they are mightily relieved tonight.
:01:44. > :01:46.As Gareth Snell gave his victory speech, all eyes were on
:01:47. > :01:51.the Ukip leader and questions now about his future.
:01:52. > :01:54.Do you know, but we've cut their majority in half
:01:55. > :01:59.and we've unified the party like never before.
:02:00. > :02:07.Despite a narrow margin of victory, Mr Snell said voters
:02:08. > :02:13.I'm feeling very happy about the fact that the Labour Party
:02:14. > :02:17.It was a tough election but ultimately,
:02:18. > :02:20.the people of Stoke-on-Trent have made their voice heard and
:02:21. > :02:23.I'm very grateful they're sending me to Parliament to represent them.
:02:24. > :02:25.This by-election was awkward for labour,
:02:26. > :02:29.triggered by their own MP, Tristam Hunt's resignation.
:02:30. > :02:35.Their majority is now a slender 2620, so they may be glad
:02:36. > :02:37.that this constituency could be wiped by boundary changes
:02:38. > :02:47.Well, our Staffordshire reporter Sian Grzeszczyk is outside
:02:48. > :02:50.Ukip's campaign office in Stoke for us now.
:02:51. > :03:01.Sian, a tough win for Labour, and perhaps embarrassing for Ukip?
:03:02. > :03:08.Absolutely. This is a disastrous results for Ukip. They had been
:03:09. > :03:11.hoping to be celebrating here in Hanley this lunchtime but instead
:03:12. > :03:15.the office doors are shut and you can even see a bit of graffiti on
:03:16. > :03:20.the front door out there. They have lots of questions to answer, most
:03:21. > :03:25.notably, if they can't win in such a pro-Brexit seat as Stoke Central,
:03:26. > :03:28.then where can they win? But also lots of questions for Labour. This
:03:29. > :03:34.by-election could have been a block in the park for them. They have run
:03:35. > :03:37.the seat since it was created in 1950s to Gareth Snell will be well
:03:38. > :03:38.aware of that and the challenge to try and bolster the vote between now
:03:39. > :03:39.and the next general election. The clear up operation is underway
:03:40. > :03:42.after Storm Doris swept Gusts of up to 80 mph
:03:43. > :03:47.hit our region claiming the life of a 29-year-old
:03:48. > :03:52.woman in Wolverhampton. Elsewhere, heavy goods
:03:53. > :03:54.vehicles toppled over, trains were cancelled
:03:55. > :03:56.and buildings collapsed. The hairiest of landings requiring
:03:57. > :04:02.the steadiest of nerves. Testing times as pilots battled
:04:03. > :04:06.80 mph winds arriving Came straight through that, just
:04:07. > :04:16.cracked straight down their... They're counting the cost
:04:17. > :04:18.in the Black Country, crashed into the roof of
:04:19. > :04:21.a leisure centre in Smethwick. There were six people using the gym
:04:22. > :04:31.but fortunately no one was injured. It's almost certain we're going to
:04:32. > :04:36.have to clean it off so that's going to take some time to sort it out. On
:04:37. > :04:40.top of that, we had over 80 trees come down yesterday alone so we are
:04:41. > :04:45.going to have to prioritise the ones that needed first. Here is another
:04:46. > :04:50.down street, this one on top of a daycare centre. It was half-time,
:04:51. > :04:51.but there were four children inside. Fortunately, no one was hurt.
:04:52. > :04:53.In Birmingham's jewellery quarter, another casualty of Doris -
:04:54. > :04:56.the top of this Victorian building, caught on CCTV crashing
:04:57. > :05:08.I know it was halfway through either repair or refurbishment, but to see
:05:09. > :05:12.that the wind has taken it, I'm grateful that no one's been hurt,
:05:13. > :05:13.but it's a shame to see it go. Again, another bit of history just
:05:14. > :05:15.lost to the wind. After choatic scenes
:05:16. > :05:17.on the transport network yesterday, train services remain badly
:05:18. > :05:18.affected, especially around Birmingham,
:05:19. > :05:28.as repair work continues. The damage on the Cross city line is
:05:29. > :05:33.pretty serious and we have 14 trapped strains on the line, so
:05:34. > :05:34.Network Rail have to get out, repair the overhead lines that have been
:05:35. > :05:35.damaged... In the past few minutes, police
:05:36. > :05:38.in Wolverhampton police have named the 29-year-old woman killed
:05:39. > :05:40.by falling debris as Tahnie Martin from Stafford who worked
:05:41. > :05:42.at Wolverhampton Uni. The emergency services and Health
:05:43. > :05:44.and Safety Executive are carrying out
:05:45. > :05:50.a joint investigation. A climber from Worcestershire
:05:51. > :05:53.has died after suffering serious injuries in a fall
:05:54. > :05:56.on the Cairngorms in Scotland. Owen Griffiths who was 25
:05:57. > :06:00.and from Evesham was airlifted by a Coastguard helicopter
:06:01. > :06:03.to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary A woman is feared dead after a two
:06:04. > :06:15.bungalows caught fire in Shropshire. The alarm was raised at around
:06:16. > :06:18.5:30am this morning, when emergency services were called
:06:19. > :06:21.to Chestnut Meadows in Bucknell. Fire fighters still haven't gained
:06:22. > :06:23.access to the building. Two men escaped with only
:06:24. > :06:25.mild smoke inhalation. Right, time for some sport now
:06:26. > :06:29.and it would be fair to say it's not been a vintage season
:06:30. > :06:31.for the four West Midlands There were high hopes
:06:32. > :06:34.of the play-offs when they kicked-off in August,
:06:35. > :06:36.but now all four clubs are more worried about leaving
:06:37. > :06:38.the division at the wrong end. Steve Bruce got off to a
:06:39. > :06:44.flying start when he took over at Aston Villa in October,
:06:45. > :06:47.but after 16 weeks, the emotions Frustrated, disappointed,
:06:48. > :06:50.however, I'm determined We only do that by a few results
:06:51. > :06:57.and then quietly go about the rebuilding job,
:06:58. > :07:02.which obviously the club needs. The lower half of the
:07:03. > :07:03.Championship table makes All four West Midlands sides
:07:04. > :07:08.are in the bottom ten and looking Gianfranco Zola is certainly under
:07:09. > :07:12.pressure at Birmingham City. He's won just once in his first
:07:13. > :07:16.14 games in charge but has been reassured again this week
:07:17. > :07:19.by the owners. I'm not going in one direction
:07:20. > :07:22.and they're going in another. And I think the way that the club
:07:23. > :07:29.is assessed the situation shows that Zola's next test comes
:07:30. > :07:35.at Wolves this evening. Their start to 2017 has been very
:07:36. > :07:39.lopsided with two FA Cup wins against Premier League opponents
:07:40. > :07:42.stacking up against a run of three Burton Albion may be
:07:43. > :07:52.the lowest ranked of our clubs but in many ways,
:07:53. > :07:54.they're the most impressive. Expected to struggle,
:07:55. > :07:56.if they beat Blackburn this evening they will be nine points clear
:07:57. > :08:09.of their relegation rivals. Rebecca's here to tell
:08:10. > :08:18.us about the weather. Must quieted onto today. Stunning
:08:19. > :08:22.out there and for many spots, we have had lovely blue sky. But it
:08:23. > :08:25.certainly has felt very different, much cooler out there but lots of
:08:26. > :08:29.sunshine to come through this afternoon. Still some clarity and
:08:30. > :08:34.there. It might squeeze out the odd bit of drizzle but largely dry, and
:08:35. > :08:38.or nine Celsius of feeling cooler or nine Celsius of feeling cooler
:08:39. > :08:40.than it did. This is only a brief respite because tomorrow, Eve
:08:41. > :08:48.returned to wet and windy weather starting tonight. It weather system
:08:49. > :08:51.is crossing us. It will be a night where we are largely dry although
:08:52. > :08:53.there will be rain with temperatures between five and seven. The breezy
:08:54. > :08:56.strengthening but changing direction to be from the South West saloon
:08:57. > :09:00.will be a bit milder. But there will be plenty of rain as weather systems
:09:01. > :09:05.continue to work their way in from the West. A wet and windy start to
:09:06. > :09:07.the day tomorrow, not a great start the weekend. There will be some
:09:08. > :09:11.pushing back up into double figures pushing back up into double figures
:09:12. > :09:14.for some but the breeze starts to ease a little bit through Sunday.
:09:15. > :09:20.Perhaps more in the way of brightness, a little drier but more
:09:21. > :09:23.weather systems waiting in the wings. We are returning to something
:09:24. > :09:24.very unsettled and it will get a touch cooler as we head into next
:09:25. > :09:24.week. What she's been doing,
:09:25. > :09:48.you think that's normal?