Nick Southall
Journalist, BBC Shropshire

AFC Telford United lost for the first time in five games last night and missed a chance to climb closer to the promotion places in the National North.

They let slip a 2-1 half-time lead to go down 3-2 at Gainsborough.

Elliott Newby and Jordan Lussey scored the Bucks' goals, but defensive errors cost them victory

Coventry Telegraph

Here are some of the stories the Coventry Telegraph is covering today:

• Shocking mass brawl erupts during non-league , externalfootball match
• Brandon speedway stadium homes, external plan blasted
• Polar freeze set to see temperatures plunge , externalin Coventry

Three lanes of the M6 southbound are closed at J7 for Birmingham (Walsall) and J6 for Birmingham (A38, Aston Expressway), Highways England says, external.

There's "debris" in the road and over four miles of queues.

There's plenty of good talking points to come from last night's match at the Etihad, which saw Wolves dumped out of the EFL cup on penalties at the hands of the Premier League leaders, Manchester City.

Firstly, Wolves became the first team to stop Man City from scoring this season and Pep Guardiola was unhappy with the ball, external used... but best of all is this cheeky little chap.

Image source, Getty Images

Before the game started, this squirrel gave the ground staff the run-around.

Image source, PA

Wolves tweeted, the little guy was given a treat and taken to safety.

Almost 200 vehicles have been seized by West Midlands Police's road traffic unit during a "crackdown" on uninsured drivers.

The force said one vehicle was seized twice in three days in the week-long operation.

Another motorist who was on their mobile phone as their two year-old passenger stood on a seat, was also pulled over.

Image source, Getty Images

Supt Dean Hatton, from CMPG, said: "Unfortunately we continue to see drivers get behind the wheel without being insured.

"Not only is it a criminal offence but it is completely unacceptable and unfair on those who do properly insure their vehicles. We take this matter seriously and are determined to protect the public."

BBC Breakfast

BBC business presenter Colletta Smith has been at a cardboard factory in Leamington Spa - a good barometer of how the economy's doing because so much of what we buy is packed in boxes - and if it's doing well, it means retailers are doing well.

The Box Company produces three million boxes a month.

Managing director Neil Price said: "This year we have found it's been good.

"It's been challenging for us and our customers, actually. We've been subjected with raw material increases due to sterling exchange rates rates and a shortage globally of paper so... our margin has been eroded this year."

"I think everybody is cautious. I think we're all waiting for Brexit and the outcome of that and I think it's an interesting time," he said.

"I think UK PLC will be fine and I think the future looks rosy."

A 16-year-old girl from Spalding has gone missing.

Chloe Smith (pictured) is white, 5"5 tall with straight black hair.

Police say she may have travelled to the Birmingham or Peterborough areas.

If you've seen Chloe, contact the police., external

Image source, Lincolnshire Police

BBC Sport

Port Vale manager Neil Aspin says he will use today's reserve match to assess his options before deciding who will replace the injured Ben Whitfield.

Their signing from Bristol Rovers, Cristian Montano (pictured below) is a possible replacement, but Aspin told BBC Radio Stoke he's not the only one in his thoughts.

Image source, Getty Images

Whitfield has been ruled out of Saturday's home game against Swindon with an ankle injury.

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

Productivity in the West Midlands remains "very, very weak" economist Lord O'Neill has told the BBC.

He said there was a need to improve the labour force's skills and incentivise business owners to stop hoarding cash and managing the balance sheet and take more investment risks and put money into equipment.

Image source, Getty Images

BBC Midlands Today

A new documentary series following the lives of trainee doctors in Wolverhampton starts today.

Junior Doctors, which is on BBC Three (available via the iPlayer), tracks the careers of seven new medics at New Cross Hospital as they get to grips with treating patients.

The Sentinel

Here are some of the headlines in the Sentinel this morning:

• Girl, 9, suffered fractures to her face, external 'when slide toppled over'
• Police pepper-sprayed drunken man who pulled out knife and threatened, external to stab his dad
• Forty six stone Stokie couple: 'Being filmed for TV show transformed our lives, external - and we're now trying to lose weight!'

BBC Shropshire

A grandmother who arrived in Shropshire nearly 50 years ago has been detained by immigration officials and is facing deportation.

Paulette Wilson came to the UK from Jamaica in 1968 and grew up in Wellington, first with her grandparents, and then in a local children's home, the Refugee and Migrant Centre in Wolverhampton said.

Image source, Getty Images

Despite working here for nearly 35 years and never leaving the country she's now been told she'll have to go.

The BBC has approached the Home Office for a comment.

Birmingham City goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak says Sunday's derby with Aston Villa is the perfect showcase to "do better".

BBC News England

BBC reporter Sophie Sulehria shared her experiences of struggling to conceive earlier this week. It prompted a big response from people getting in touch to share their experiences.

Rena Miras, a teacher from Sutton Coldfield, suffered an ectopic pregnancy, but eight years later has "three wonderful children".

"I wanted to give something back and help a couple have a baby," she said.

She contacted an organisation that matches families with egg donors and underwent numerous tests and counselling to prepare her.

"In January, I started injecting [IVF drugs] and 10 days later I had egg retrieval," the mum-of-three said.

Image source, Rena Miras

"They managed to get 19 eggs, all of which are for my couple if they want siblings in the future.

"Egg donation is anonymous until the child turns 16 and they can then find out information about me.

"I cried so much when I found out my couple were pregnant with a girl and they are due near Christmas.

"This was not and never will be my baby. I helped a couple have their baby and the happiness I got, and am still getting from this, I can't even describe."

The road policing unit shared an update from their night - they were in pursuit of people suspected of stealing a car.

Central Motorway Policing Group said on Twitter, they "tried and failed to ram us off the road" after a chase from Sutton Coldfield to Lichfield and back.

Officers added that three people are "in cuffs".

Police said "the bad guys came off worse" and tweeted pictures of the car looking a tad dented.

They shared a picture of one of the officers with a bandaged hand.

BBC Midlands Today

An inquest has heard how a plasterer from Birmingham died of meningitis after an ear infection spread to his brain.

Andrew Broadhurst, 39, from Bartley Green dialled the NHS 111 number last year and visited his GP four times.

Image source, Family picture

An inquest at Birmingham Coroner's Court heard that he never properly explained his symptoms and his death in March was due to natural causes.

BBC Sport

The new head of British Cycling says the "door is open" for Bromsgrove track cyclist Jess Varnish to return to the sport.

The 26-year-old accused her former coaches of discrimination and bullying after being dropped from the team.

Former technical director Shane Sutton was found guilty of using sexist language towards her - but cleared of a number of other offences, including bullying.

A road in Birmingham city centre is closed after a man fell from a bridge.

West Midlands Police said, external Dudley Street under Smallbrook Queensway is closed and is expected to remain shut for some time.

BBC Midlands Today

The chief executive of a West Midlands poultry processor will give evidence to a panel of MPs today after the firm was alleged to have breached food safety standards.

The 2 Sisters Food Group in West Bromwich suspended production earlier this month following an investigation which alleged staff changed slaughter dates to extend the shelf life of meat.

Bosses at the firm say their own review has revealed "isolated instances of non-compliance" and that staff will need to be retrained.

The allegations led to Tesco, Marks & Spencer, Aldi and Lidl suspending buying chicken from the company.

A Worcestershire woman is preparing for an attempt to cross Antarctica.

Major Sandy Hennis, from Redditch, is part of a team from the armed forces, who are aiming to become the first group of women to cross Antarctica using muscle power alone.

The six-member Ice Maiden team, external will cover 1,056 miles (1,700km) during the three-month journey in temperatures of -50C (-58F) and winds of over 60mph.