Jack Dowling
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke

An ambulance technician has been assaulted by a patient in Cannock, external, the ambulance service says. 

West Midlands Ambulance Service has highlighted several cases of abuse towards their staff in the past few days, saying it wants the public to "show their disgust" at people who attack them. 

Image source, WMAS

In the Cannock case, the service says the technician was attacked on Friday and left with bruises and scratches.

A man has been charged in connection with a series of robberies, external in Birmingham including that of robbing a 74-year-old woman in Rookery Road, Handsworth.

Michael Edwards, 39, of Antrobus Road was also charged with separate offences of an attempted robbery.

He appeared before Birmingham Magistrates on 1 July and was remanded in custody to appear before Birmingham Crown Court on 29 July.

Motorists heading into the city should take note.

BBC WM Sport

Wolves are set to offer new contracts to captain Danny Batth, goalkeeper Carl Ikeme and midfielder Dave Edwards (pictured left to right).

All three deals run out at the end of the season.

Image source, Getty Images

Teachers are expected to join a regional rally in Victoria Square, Birmingham this lunchtime as members of the National Union of Teachers take industrial action over school funding.

The Department for Education says this action is counterproductive and will harm childrens' education.

Mikey Burrows
BBC WM Sport

It's understood Aston Villa are closing in on the signing of Reading midfielder Aaron Tshibola. 

He's travelled to the Midlands to discuss personal terms. 

Stiliyan Petrov trained with Villa yesterday for the first time in four years.

The former captain is hoping to make his return after battling leukaemia.

Jordan Amavi also trained after missing the past eight months through injury.  

Walsall Advertiser

A distraught dog owner has spoken of her devastation, external after her beloved pet died from suspected poisoning.

Image source, Walsall Advertiser

BBC WM Sport

West Bromwich Albion are close to making their first signing of the summer. 

QPR winger Matt Phillips is likely to complete his £5m move to The Hawthorns in time to join up with The Baggies' pre-season trip to Austria on Thursday.

Image source, Getty Images

A travel agent specialising in holidays to Turkey has closed citing pressure due to "regional political problems" for a loss in business.

Anatolian Sky on Warwick Road in Solihull has operated for 26 years but said Turkey had been under attack by "regional terrorism and global powers".

"Every new attack has had a devastating effect on the company," it said.

The managing director,Akin Koc said, external: "We tried to divert the business to some new destinations to make up for the lost business from Turkey, but it was not enough to replace it."

Image source, Google

BBC News takes a look at Turkey tourism: An industry in crisis.

"I often think about him and what his life must be like now."

Former nursery nurse Lisa Potts talks about how her life has changed 20 years on from a machete attack in Wolverhampton.

Ms Potts, now Lisa Webb, and her class of three and four-year-olds were enjoying a teddy bears' picnic in the grounds of St Luke's Infant School on 8 July 1996 when a machete-wielding attacker stormed in.

Danny Kelly
Presenter, BBC WM

The head of Highways England Frank Bird joins me in the studio this morning, taking your calls from 10am. 

He is the man responsible for the running of some of our roads and motorways. 

Have you got a burning question you'd like to ask him?

Call 03453 009956 or tweet @BBCWM., external

Stephanie Barnard
BBC Local Live

The top stories for Birmingham and the Black Country that we're looking at this morning include:

- A nursery nurse who saved the lives of children from a machete-wielding attacker in Wolverhampton 20 years ago says she has forgiven the assailant

- A road in Tamworth was closed overnight after a body was discovered, police say

- Teachers across the West Midlands are striking in a long-running dispute with the government over school funding, pay and workload

- Stilyan Petrov trained with Villa yesterday for the first time in four years. The former captain's hoping to make his return after battling leukaemia

Stephanie Barnard
BBC Local Live

Police say Fazeley Road in Tamworth was closed overnight after a body was discovered.

The road has now been reopened and investigations are continuing into the cause of death and to identify the person. 

No further information has been given by Staffordshire Police.

Many schools in the West Midlands are closed or partially closed today as teachers walk out in a national row over pay, pensions and conditions.

NUT acting leader Kevin Courtney said school budgets were not keeping pace with rising costs.

Image source, Reuters

Education Secretary Nicky Morgan said the strike was "unnecessary" and "harmful".

A nursery nurse who saved the lives of children from a machete-wielding attacker 20 years ago says she has forgiven the assailant.

Charlie Slater
BBC Weather presenter

A cloudy start, with perhaps a few spots of light rain at first.

The cloud will soon start to break up, giving some good spells of sunshine by the afternoon, which will last late into the evening.

Highs of 20C (68F).

Part of the Fazeley Road, in Tamworth, remains closed this morning while police investigate what they describe as an "ongoing incident". 

A stretch between KFC and the bridge over the A5 has been shut since last night.

Stephanie Barnard
BBC Local Live

I'm in the BBC WM newsroom bringing you the latest news, sport, travel and weather updates for Birmingham and the Black Country between now and 18:00.

If you see something you think we should be covering, email us, tweet @bbcwm, external or visit the BBC WM Facebook page, external.