Mike Taylor
BBC WM

In the second over of 11 they must negotiate tonight, having been asked to follow on, Warwickshire lost Ian Westwood.

The final position of his forward defensive push would have looked fine in a textbook photograph, but alas for him he had edged Paul Walter to James Foster.

Image source, Getty Images

BBC Midlands Today

He was caring, funny and down to earth - just some of the tributes paid to 15-year-old Spencer Hurst, who died while swimming with friends in Walsall.

The teenager was in a lake at Ryders Hayes Mere, in Pelsall yesterday evening.

Tonight emergency services who tried to rescue him have renewed their appeal for people not to risk their lives in open water.

The Royal Life Saving Society says one person drowns every 20 hours in the UK and hundreds more suffer life changing injuries through near drowning, with 85% of those tragedies happening in open water such as lakes, rivers, canals and quarries.

Our reporter will have more on this story on BBC One from 18:30.

Birmingham's first ever international marathon has filled all of its 9,000 entry places.

Image source, PA

The 26.2-mile race will be starting at the Alexander Stadium on 15 October.

There are some limited spaces still up for grabs through charities.

Shefali Oza
BBC Midlands Today

The heatwave seems to be officially over.

Find out what's in store for the next few days.

Ged Scott
BBC Sport

Warwickshire have responded to high demand for England's inaugural Day/Night Test match by again making use of a temporary stand.

The 850-seat stand, at the City End, was used for Edgbaston's five Champions Trophy matches.

But, with demand growing, the club having already sold 55,000 tickets for the five-day Test with the West Indies in Birmingham, from Thursday 17 to Monday 21 August, Warwickshire have opted to keep the temporary stand in place.

Image source, Rex Features

The stand will also then stay there for T20 Blast Finals Day at Edgbaston on Saturday 2 September.

“The reaction to hosting England’s first ever day/night Test has been fantastic," said Bears commercial director Gareth Roberts.

"Forty five per cent of all ticket buyers are new to Edgbaston, which suggests that the game is helping attract a new audience."

Leona Smart
Broadcast Journalist, BBC WM

A coroner's court has heard how a man from Wednesfield shot himself in the head after being investigated by the police.

Matthew Kendall, 39, was on police bail following allegations of grooming, when he killed himself in a car park last October.

An investigation was launched by the Independent Police Complaints Commission but found none of the police forces involved contributed to his death.

BBC WM

The Antiques Roadshow is in the West Midlands today at the Black Country living museum.

Caroline Martin is broadcasting live from there this afternoon.

Plenty of people have turned up to get their items valued and to maybe make the cut on to the big screen.

A man and woman have been charged with the manslaughter of a five-year-old boy who drowned in a lake.

Charlie Dunn, from Tamworth, died in hospital after being found submerged in the Blue Lagoon area at Bosworth Water Park, in Leicestershire, on 23 July.

Image source, Family handout

Lynsey Dunn, 28, and Paul Smith, 36, who are believed to be the boy's mother and stepfather, have been charged with manslaughter by gross negligence.

They are also accused of seven child neglect offences.

These offences are alleged to have taken place between April 2012 and July 2017.

Chris Blakemore
BBC WM

A dog attacking a man has been shot by a member of the public in Dudley.

Police were called to Highfields Drive in Coseley on Monday night.

Image source, Google

West Midlands Police says a 57-year-old man was taken to hospital with serious bite injuries to his arm, legs and feet after being attacked in the garden by the dog, believed to be a Staffordshire-cross breed.

The dog, which belonged to the family of the man who was bitten, was shot dead by a nearby neighbour, a licensed shotgun holder, in order to stop the attack.

Giles Latcham
BBC Midlands Today

I've been at the site where 15-year-old Spencer Hurst died last night after got into difficulty while he was swimming with his friends.

There's been a steady stream of mourners coming to the site all morning to lay flowers and tributes to the keen boxer.

Spencer's sister Hollie told me: "I'm still in shock, it doesn't feel real. Everyone said that we were like twins."

I was told by one friend that Spencer had swum out to the island in the middle of the lake and was making his way back when he got into trouble.

The lake is on the site of an old open cast mine; a 17-year-old drowned at the same site 10 years ago, almost to the day.

Mike Taylor
BBC WM at Chelmsford

County Championships should be hard-won; if Essex go on to win the title, which may be a long way away at the moment but there is no mistaking the excitement among the supporters I have heard from today, they will reflect on this afternoon as having been some of the harder, but more rewarding, yards.

Many of them were covered - even off his short approach - by Simon Harmer, who has bowled unchanged since 11.30 with great patience.

His variations in flight and bounce, allied to sharper turn, make Warwickshire's task in saving this game appear taller still.

Image source, Rex Features

Neil Wagner is making his final appearance of the season for Essex before giving way to Mohammed Amir.

He has led by a fine example today, and Paul Walter in particular added to that effort with a strong afternoon spell.

Warwickshire's greatest encouragement today has been the improved form of Hain, but there is no mistaking their predicament here, even though their application cannot be criticised.

Earlier this week we brought you fire dogs being cooled off with a hose - today we have chimps enjoying ice creams.

Keepers at Dudley Zoological Gardens have treated their female chimpanzees to filled bamboo canes with natural yoghurt that went in the freezer.

Image source, Dudley Zoological Gardens

Lower primates keeper Jodie Dryden said: "Some of them were impatient and stripped it straight away to get to the icy treat inside.

"Some waited until the yoghurt started to melt and drip out the bottom, which they were then able to lick, while one girl, Malaika, found a small stick and used it like a spoon to try and scoop the yoghurt out."

The head teacher of a 15-year-old boy who died while swimming in a lake has paid tribute to the teenager.

David Mountney said pupil Spencer Hurst had only joined Aldridge School this year but had already settled in and made friends.

Image source, Facebook

In a statement on the school's website, external, Mr Mountney said: "It is with deep regret that I write to let you know of the tragic death of one of our Year 10 pupils, Spencer Hurst.

"When someone so young dies, it obviously impacts heavily on their family but also on the wider community especially their school.

"Spencer had only joined us this year but had already established a strong friendship group within our group.

"We know he will be missed by all of us, and our sympathies are with his immediate family and friends."

The school said it was providing counselling support for pupils.

A 15-year-old boy has died while swimming in a lake with friends.

The teenager got into difficulty at about 19:00 on Tuesday evening and the fire service recovered the body just over an hour later.

A spokesperson for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), said: "We understand the temptation to want to go swimming at open water sites, especially during the hot weather.

"Things to consider when open water swimming, even on a hot day, is that the water might be a lot colder or deeper than you were expecting and there may be strong currents and underwater debris that you cannot see from the bank."

BBC Sport

Not much going on he says. Cue wicket. Rikki Clarke goes lbw to Simon Harmer.

That one kept a little low from the spinner but Harmer has very much deserved that after bowling non-stop since lunch.

He has got through 36 overs with figures of 3-51. Impressive.

The family of a man stabbed to death last year in Brierley Hill say they're "desperate for answers".

Image source, West Midlands Police

Mansoor Mahmood, 24, (pictured) died after being stabbed in the stomach outside a takeaway on the High Street last October.

His family and Crimestoppers are appealing for information about the whereabouts of 19-year-old Niron Parker-Lee, who is a suspect in the case.

They are also offering a £6,000 reward.

Aston Villa have already been chosen for live TV coverage in both next season's first two fixtures.

Image source, Empics

As well as their home game with manager Steve Bruce's former Hull City on the opening weekend (Saturday 5 August, 17:30 BST), they have now also been picked for the League Cup first-round tie at Colchester United (Wednesday 9 August, 19:45 BST).

Villa boss Bruce can only hope his side prove a bit more effective in front of the live TV cameras next season.

In 17 games shown live in the 2016-17 season, they won just one of them . . . and lost nine times.

Interestingly, despite a season of general mid-table obscurity, Villa were shown live on TV more last season than in the final Premier League campaign in 2015-16, when only 11 of their games were shown live.

The body of Spencer Hurst was recovered about an hour after he got into difficulty in a lake.

Mike Taylor
BBC WM

Since lunch, Simon Harmer's off-breaks - occasionally loopy and turning sharply, at other times fired in and not breaking at all - have brought the run-scoring to an almost complete halt.

His spell since lunch is 8-7-1-0.

Paul Walter has bowled sharply from the River End, but seemingly would go unrewarded after a quick but catchable opportunity offered by Tim Ambrose was missed by Alastair Cook at slip.

Undeterred, his next delivery found a similar edge from Sam Hain, and James Foster held the chance. Hain out for a season's-best 58, Warwickshire still 370 behind.

BBC Sport

Big wicket for Essex. Sam Hain goes for a battling 58.

Pressure had been building on the visitors after lunch and eventually, a ball after a dropped catch, it tells as Sam Hain nicks Paul Walter behind.

Can table toppers Essex drive home their advantage from here?