A man has been arrested on suspicion of the murder of a woman found stabbed to death in Willenhall on Wednesday.

The woman was pronounced dead at the scene on Gomer Street just before midday.

A 46-year-old local man was arrested from a car outside the property and remains in police custody, the West Midlands force said, external.

Forensic examinations are taking place at the scene, which has been cordoned off.

Mikey Burrows
BBC WM Sport

Aston Villa chairman, Dr Tony Xia, has taken to social media for the first time in a week to reassure fans that the club are doing their best to sign new players. 

Among his tweets, the owner told fans they were working on up to eight deals and hoped to sign at least three players by the deadline, and possibly one by the weekend. 

However Xia has asked fans to be patient.

Stourbridge News

A 20-year-old holiday worker whose death in Crete prompted the trial of a Brierley Hill man could have been injured in a drunken fall days before her death, an inquest heard, external.  

Alex Homer
BBC Local Live

Sandwell Council has investigated alleged impropriety in some cases dating back as far as 1997 - 20 years ago.

One of the allegations concerns the award of 10 council houses since 1997. 

The council said it believes that:

• "patterns of behaviour that, at this point in time, look like a conspiracy to defraud and/or misconduct in a public office, [which] seem to all benefit members of [former deputy leader] Councillor [Mahboob] Hussain’s family"
• Councillor Bawa and Councillor Hussain "benefitted from a unique Compulsory Purchase Order [CPO] pilot scheme"
• An exclusive bid for self-build plots of land was introduced in 1999 "restricted to plots of land that Councillors Bawa and Hussain had already expressed an interest in back in 1998"

All of the above matters have been referred to police, the council report said, external.

Britain's Dan Evans stuns seventh seed Marin Cilic at the Australian Open, before Andy Murray also progresses to the third round.

Louise Hancock
Newsreader, BBC WM

A man has been charged with arson after a fire at a Birmingham car showroom which caused more than £100,000 worth of damage. 

Marcin Dlugolecki, aged 33, of no fixed address, is due in court today charged with setting fire to the Citroën dealership on Small Heath Highway.

Image source, @PRTIZDABARBER

The jailed man's main priority had been to get repairs done as cheaply as possible, police said.

A father is charged with murdering his two young children who died after a house fire.

Alex Homer
BBC Local Live

Allegations of fraud against the former deputy leader of Sandwell Council and another serving councillor have been referred to police, the authority says, external.

Birmingham Eastside

Figures released by Birmingham City Council have shown that 58% of the city’s wards are failing to reach the council’s self-set inspection target for litter, external on Birmingham streets.  

A bagful of different types of blades have been handed in at a knife surrender bin in Bilston introduced to try and rid the streets of deadly weapons.

A pedestrian has died after being hit by a car in Harborne, West Midlands Ambulance Service has confirmed.

Members of the public tried to save the man, described as "middle aged" by ambulance workers, by carrying out CPR, but he died at the scene of the collision in Croftdown Road at around 22:45 on Tuesday.

Mikey Burrows
BBC WM Sport

Birmingham City are closing in on two new signings, we understand. 

They are Middlesbrough's right-sided player, Emilio Nsue (pictured), and the Virtus Entella left back, Cheick Keita. 

Image source, Empics

The club are also considering an offer to allow Jonathan Spector to return to the US. 

On the pitch Blues will be without Craig Gardner for the trip to Newcastle tonight. Captain Michael Morrison will be rested for the FA Cup 3rd round replay because of a slight groin problem. 

Blues still have not won under Gianfranco Zola, though the Italian feels the players are getting "more used to his system".

Louise Hancock
Newsreader, BBC WM

Police have named a jogger killed in a road accident in Tamworth on Friday morning. 

Mark Barlow, aged 48, from Grendon was running along Bolebridge Street when he was hit by a car and pronounced dead at the scene, according to Staffordshire Police.

Michele Paduano
Health correspondent, BBC Midlands Today

West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Ben Foster, broadcaster Adrian Chiles and cricketer Jonathan Trott were among some of the faces raising money for Birmingham's specialist leukaemia centre last night. 

The launch of Cure Leukaemia's appeal aims to raise £1m to double the size of the specialist centre at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham. 

Jaymz Goodman from Telford was diagnosed with leukaemia in July 2015 and has started his own fundraising campaign to expand the Centre for Clinical Haematology at the QE.

Alex Homer
BBC Local Live

Here are the top stories on Wednesday morning so far:

- A father has been charged with murdering his two children and trying to murder their mother

-  A £1m appeal is launched to double the size of a specialist leukaemia centre in Birmingham

- All the latest on our clubs' dealings in the January transfer window

Drivers in Staffordshire are being warned by police about a wide load heading through the area to Cannock this morning.

The RSPCA reveals it has received nearly 5,000 calls about dog fighting in the past decade.

A father has been charged with the murder of his two children almost three months after they were found dead at their family home in Hamstead, police have revealed, external.

Image source, West Midlands Police

Endris Mohammed was interviewed by detectives on Tuesday night for the first time since his release from hospital where he was being treated for burns suffered during a car fire in Staffordshire.

The 46-year-old, of Holland Road, has now been charged with the murder of Saros Endris, aged eight, and six-year-old Leanor Endris - found at their home on 28 October last year.

He is also accused of attempted murder of the children's mother, Penil Teklehaimanot, and will make his first appearance at Walsall Magistrates Court later on Wednesday.

Charlie Slater
BBC Weather presenter

Another dull, cloudy, overcast day. Highs of 7C (45F).

Find out more.