Steve Hermon
Journalist, BBC WM

Stourbridge Football Club says it will ban those responsible for throwing "flares" during the so-called "number nine derby" - a reference to a local bus route - against Halesowen Town on Saturday.

In a statement, external, the club said two flares or smoke bombs were thrown, resulting in a Halesowen fan sustaining burns to her neck.

It said it was working to identify the culprits.

Worcester News

A taxi hit a teenage boy during rush hour. Police were called to where the teenager, who was on foot, was hit by a Peugeot taxi in Sherriff Street at the junction with Tolladine Road in Worcester., external

Stephen Higgitt was sentenced to 14 years in prison at Truro Crown Court.

St Helen's church in Worcester has been awarded £221,500 by the Heritage Lottery Fund to carry out repairs to its 13th Century stonework.

The Grade II listed church on Fish Street is said to be one of the city's oldest places of worship, with parts of the building dating back to 1288 and Christian worship recorded there from the 7th Century.

Image source, Google

Work on the stonework is expected to start next year.

The money will also pay for tourist trails, history days, art exhibitions, lectures and concerts to promote the church and its history.

The Stoke Sentinel

Police have named the 23-year-old man who collapsed and died, external at a house - as police are no longer treating his death as murder.

Tim Wedgwood
BBC News

The bravery of two Stoke-on-Trent soldiers has been remembered 100 years after their feats were first recognised.

John Harold Rhodes was awarded the Victoria Cross for gallantry "in the face of the enemy".

On Monday - 100 years to the day since his award - a special service at Stoke Minster was held in his honour and also that of fellow Victoria Cross recipient Ernest Albert Egerton.

The service was followed by an unveiling of commemorative stones bearing the men's names at Stoke's cenotaph.

A 17-year-old is being treated in hospital after being stabbed in the leg during a mass brawl outside a leisure centre in Coventry last night., external

West Midlands Police was called to Moat House Leisure Centre on Winston Avenue at 20:00 after a fight broke out among 20 young people.

In addition to the stabbing victim, whose wounds are not thought to be life-threatening, another teenager was taken to hospital with head, back and leg injuries.

Image source, Google

A man charged with murdering his 81-year-old mother has pleaded not guilty.

Beryl Hammond was found dead at her home in Sutton Coldfield in August when police checked the property after concerns for her welfare were raised.

Her 41-year-old son, Darren Hammond, from Ebrook Road, Sutton Coldfield, appeared before Birmingham Crown Court this morning.

A trial date has been set for January.

The band played a farewell tour after their fifth album, Computers and Blues, in 2011.

BBC reporter Satnam Rana has launched the campaign #checkthemout to get more women to self-examine.

A man is due in court over an incident which saw armed police called to a library in Worcester yesterday.

Martin Allen of Nibley Close, Worcester, is charged with possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

Image source, Google

The 28-year-old is due before magistrates in Redditch.

James Powner, 23, died suddenly on Saturday night at a house in Leek.

They are accused of sexual, physical and emotional assault against 15 children between 1981 and 1997.

The intended victim, who was uninjured, is believed to have been known to the gunman.

A developer's appeal to build hundreds of homes on a former golf course near Crewe has been formally rejected by Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.

Haddon Property Development had wanted to build up to 900 properties on the former Gorstyhill course at Wychwood Village.

Image source, Google

The application was taken to a public inquiry when the developers appealed against the decision of Cheshire East Council to refuse planning permission last year.

The government sided with the council and the decision of the planning inspector has now been confirmed by the secretary of state, Sajid Javid.

The top sports stories we're looking at this morning include:

• Port Vale's new manager Neil Aspin says their current league position is a fair reflection of where they deserve to be
• The Sky Blues captain Michael Doyle says he hopes the team's senior players will make the club's young stars work hard for their first team places
• Rob Edwards feels AFC Telford United can finally move forward - after getting over their home 'hoodoo'
• Hereford will head to Banbury United this evening looking to extend their recent fine run of form
• And in Speedway it's been confirmed Wolves go into this week's Knockout Cup Final against Belle Vue without four of their top five riders through injury

A Stoke-on-Trent remembrance parade which has marched every year for 17 years may not go ahead as planned next month because of police cut backs, organisers say.

The Meir and Longton branch of the Royal British Legion usually attracts more than 100 people for its mile-long walk to the Longton cenotaph, but says it will have to reduce that to a quarter-mile event instead.

Staffordshire Police said associated road closures and escorts were resource intensive and providing the level of assistance offered in previous years would impinge on service provision.

A 32-year-old woman is pronounced dead at the scene following the crash in Edgbaston.

A 27-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a drive-by shooting in Birmingham., external

Police received a 999 call reporting gunshots fired from a car on Arthur Street, Small Heath, at about 17:30 yesterday.

A man was arrested after the vehicle suspected of being involved was stopped on St Andrews Road, Bordesley, just after 01:00 today.

Police say the individual targeted by the shooter was uninjured but understood to be known to them.

Image source, Google

The future of an historic Coventry hotel is to be discussed by counillors later today.

Coventry City Council's leaders are meeting in private to consider a purchase of Coombe Abbey Hotel.

The authority owns the freehold to the building although it passed into private ownership in 1992.

The surrounding 450 acres of woodland, lakes and gardens remain council-owned.

It's understood that councillors will discuss whether the hotel should be bought back by the city for an undisclosed amount.