Walsall sign winger Josh Ginnelly from Premier League side Burnley on loan until January 2017.

BBC Travel

There's a lane closed on the M42 northbound between J5, A41 (Solihull) and J6, A45 (Birmingham Airport), because of an accident and recovery work, BBC Travel news reports.

The planned extension of the Midland Metro in Wolverhampton is the subject of new information sessions in the city centre.

The first session is on Saturday from 11:00-15:00 at Wolverhampton Bus Station, with another on Tuesday, 9 August from 21:30-00:30 at Wolverhampton Railway Station.  

Work is scheduled to begin in autumn with the relocation of underground utilities such as pipes and cables.

The disappearance of a New Zealand national living in Walsall is being treated as murder.

Walsall woman Gina Lander's disappearance is being treated as a murder after an inquest concluded she was unlawfully killed.

The 46-year-old, a New Zealand national, was reported missing from her home in Mellish Road, Walsall, on 16 March by her partner David Stokes.

Image source, West Midlands Police

West Midlands Police said, external no trace of Gina has been found.

Mr Stokes later died in a fall which today's inquest ruled to be suicide.

One line of inquiry is Mr Stokes "may have killed Gina and disposed of her remains shortly before she was reported missing," police said.

The force said it has referred itself to watchdog the Independent Police Complaints Commission to investigate its handling of the case.

Facebook

You have been having your say on Facebook about plans for a smoke-free zone on the roads around Birmingham Children's Hospital.

Di Mathers posted, external: "...omg this is getting out of hand now. It's outside, if you tried to stop me smoking outside, I'd give you what for. Trust me."

Susan Conway posted, external: "Great news...I think it's disgusting that visitors including children should be subjected too seeing patients in nightwear & some with drip stands etc with their visitors smoking outside the hospital."

BBC Sport

Warwickshire's Chris Woakes could make his first test appearance at his home ground later as England take on Pakistan at Edgbaston. 

Steven Finn comes in for the injured Ben Stokes, but local eyes will be on Birmingham-born Moeen Ali and Woakes, who has told us he is still wary of Pakistan's first Test hero, spinner Yasir Shah.  

Follow the match here

Image source, Gareth Copley

Warwickshire could meet Worcestershire in the semi-finals of the One-Day Cup, following the quarter-final draw.

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

Some of the afternoon's headlines for Staffordshire and Cheshire include: 

- An air ambulance has been called to a main road outside Stafford after three people were injured in a two-vehicle crash

- A small gas leak leads to the evacuation of a restaurant in Nantwich

- A man is taken to hospital after a car and cyclist crash in Trentham

Chairman of Sutton Coldfield Conservative Association, Councillor Ewan Mackey, has announced that Sutton Vesey Town Councillor Louise Passey has left the independents group and joined the Conservative party, external.  

Image source, Sutton Coldfield Local

Mikey Burrows
BBC WM Sport

On top of the accepted bid for Ross McCormack, we understand Ciaran Clark could complete his move from Villa to Newcastle later, after Idrissa Gana left Villa Park for Everton yesterday.

Andrew Dawkins
BBC News Online

A hospital plans to make the streets around it a smoke-free zone - asking people not to light up in nearby roads.

The Birmingham Children's Hospital site has been smoke-free since 2005, but the trust now hopes to deter smoking on Steelhouse Lane and Whittall Street.

Image source, Birmingham Children's Hospital

People would be asked to "adhere voluntarily" the trust said, adding fixed penalty notices were not being considered.

The plans are subject to a six-week public consultation., external

BBC Midlands Today

Smoking is already forbidden on site at Birmingham Children's Hospital but they now want to stop people gathering outside for a cigarette too. We'll be gathering your reaction.

And TV puppets - everything from Muffin the Mule to Spitting Image - have been saved by a private collector.

More on these stories and more on the Midlands Today on BBC One at 13:30.

BBC Politics

An MEP for the West Midlands, and Dudley councillor, has made the shortlist of six to become leader of UKIP.

Bill Etheridge, who's 46, has said UKIP should stick by its "core principles and values" and not be "distracted by negative influences".

He has called for major reform of the penal system, including restricting prisoners' privileges, banning visits during the first six months of a sentence and an automatic 10-year increase in sentence for anyone attacking a prison officer.

He also backs far-reaching changes to the tax system, including a 50% cut in alcohol and tobacco duty, replacing VAT with a local sales tax and gradually merging national insurance and income taxes.

Parents outside Birmingham Children's Hospital are asked about plans for streets surrounding the building to be 'smoke-free zones'

Ominous clouds are hanging over Edgbaston as the first day of the third Test between England and Pakistan progresses.

England are batting but have lost three wickets this morning so far.

Follow the action here.

Adrian Goldberg
Presenter, BBC WM

A soldier with 17 years' service who facilitated the sale of cocaine to friends was spared prison by a judge because he was "owed an obligation" for his service to the country.

Staff Sergeant Andrew Barnard, 34, of Careless Green, Stourbridge, admitted being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs.

Birmingham Crown Court heard the Iraq and Afghanistan veteran faced being kicked out of the army without his pension.

But taking what he called an exceptional course, Recorder Benjamin Nicholls spared SSgt Barnard prison and handed him a community order with 90 hours' unpaid work.

Mikey Burrows
BBC WM Sport

West Bromwich Albion have agreed personal terms with Diafra Sakho to make him the most expensive signing in the club's history.

The West Ham striker will cost about £16m.

Once his move is completed it is expected to have a knock-on impact for Saido Berahino, who is wanted by both Stoke and Crystal Palace.

Image source, AFP/GETTY

Michele Paduano
Health correspondent, BBC Midlands Today

The trust which runs the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch could face legal action after it emerged more than 11,000 X-rays carried out there, as well as in Kidderminster and Worcester have not been looked at. 

The images can be used to diagnose serious health problems, including cancer. 

The backlog has been identified by NHS watchdog the Care Quality Commission, which carried out an unannounced inspection last month, and says the hospital will be penalised if it does not remedy the situation. 

The trust insists most of the backlog consists of "routine" scans.

Image source, Google

The family of an Olympian who won England's first ever "marathon" have found some of his other medals in amongst other memorabilia.

Jack Price raced in the 1908 London Olympics before founding an athletics club still in existence today.

The runner, who died in 1965, was honoured with a blue plaque in his home town of Halesowen in April following a 20-year campaign by his family.

And now his grandson Micky Whitehouse, 74, has re-discovered other mementos of Mr Price's sporting success which he said was a "nice surprise".

Image source, Micky Whitehouse

Image source, Micky Whitehouse