Tamworth Herald

Two women have been admitted to hospital after firefighters tackled a blaze in Tamworth, external.

Sutton Coldfield Local

A big well done to the children and staff of Sutton Coldfield’s Hill West Primary who raised an impressive £500 for Text Santa, external.  

Image source, Sutton Coldfield Local

Plans from the government, external have been announced to bring in clean air zones in Birmingham and four other English cities by 2020.

They would use charges to discourage the most polluting vehicles, including old diesel buses, taxis, coaches and lorries, from entering the city centres.

They will be introduced in Birmingham, Leeds, Nottingham, Derby and Southampton by the end of the decade but will not affect private cars.

Cradley Heath have completed their line-up to ride for them in next season's National League by bringing in 17-year-old Ben Basford, who rode for Kent Kings in 2015.

Image source, Cradley Heathens

The Teesside-based youngster will ride alongside Bradley Andrews, Max Clegg, Ashley Morris, Luke Chessell, Jack Kingston and James Purchase.

“I'm honoured to be joining Cradley," he said. 

“I had half a season with Kent last season which was a great experience for me and brought me on a lot. Riding in the National League was a big learning curve."

BBC Travel

Traffic remains heavy on the M6 in Warwickshire, after an earlier crash that saw two people killed.

A van collided with a lorry at about 05:30, between J2 and J1 southbound.

All lanes have now reopened, but congestion is backing up to J3 for Nuneaton. 

BBC WM

A new children's commissioner has been appointed for Birmingham to replace Lord Warner, who completed his year in charge in May.

Andrew Christie will supervise how children's services are run in the city, as the council looks to make improvements. 

The department has been rated inadequate for a number of years.

Sutton Coldfield Local

Thursday 17th December is the closing date for nominations, external in theSutton Coldfield Sports Awards 2015.  

Emma Thomas
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke

Four Birmingham men have been sentenced at Stafford Crown Court after pleading guilty to possessing counterfeit goods. 

The group, aged between 20 and 32, were arrested at a storage unit in Tyseley following surveillance by Staffordshire County Council. 

Two were given suspended sentences and all were ordered to do more than 200 hours of community service.  

Amy Cole
BBC Midlands Today

Coming up on Midlands Today this lunchtime, we'll be looking at the issue of drug driving in the West Midlands.

It's after it's emerged a third of motorists tested for drugs by West Midlands Police as part of a pre-Christmas crackdown were under the influence of cocaine or cannabis. 

We'll have more from 13:30 on BBC One.

Lichfield Mercury

Police are warning residents to be on their guard following a bogus official incident in Lichfield, external.

Cannock Mercury

Staffordshire police are urging members of the public across the Cannock region to be vigilant after a number of faulty goods were seized, external in the town in the run-up to Christmas.  

Royal Sutton Coldfield Observer

CCTV images have been released ofthree men suspected of robbing a young couple in Sutton Park, external.

Image source, West Midlands Police

BBC WM

These are some of the main stories in the newsroom this afternoon:

- The first of 50 refugees from Syria have arrived in Birmingham  

- Former West Midlands soldier undergoes life-changing surgery so he can walk up the aisle on his wedding day   

- Roadworks on the M6 around junction 9 have finished a week early

BBC WM

Roadworks on the M6 around junction 9 have finished a week early. 

Maintenance work meant the entry slip road at Wednesbury was closed, along with restrictions to the M5 link, since last January.

Matt Taylor, from Highways England, external in the West Midlands, said: "We couldn't repair big sections all at one go. We had to do very small sections at a time." 

Sara Blizzard
BBC Weather

Another mild day in store, with some brightness, but rain moving in later.

Comedian Jo Brand is to receive an honorary doctorate from Birmingham City University, external, for her work in raising awareness about mental health.

Brand, who has appeared on television shows including QI and Have I Got News For You, had a previous career as a psychiatric nurse.

The ceremony will take place at Symphony Hall on 12 January.

Rebecca Wood
BBC Midlands Today

Did you know that the warmest December day in England was 11 December 1994 when temperatures in Penkridge reached 17.7C. 

Will we beat that this year?  

Birmingham Mail

Children as young as 10 have been investigated for "sexting" by West Midlands Police, it has been revealed, external. 

Dean Smith has exclusively told BBC WM he left Walsall because Championship club Brentford match his ambition of being a Premier League manager.  

Image source, ALLSPORT/Getty Images

"It was the opportunity - that was the biggest thing for me," he said.

Walsall Advertiser

Four armed robbery suspects will appear in court today over a raid which took place at a Walsall supermarket, external earlier this week.