Summary
News and sport from Monday 30 October to Friday 3 November
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In the papers:published at 10:40 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2017
Regenerate my city centre, business owners saypublished at 10:28 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2017
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio StokeMore needs to be done to help new businesses fill the empty buildings in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent's city centre, traders say.
About a fifth of shops and cafes on Piccadilly, known as the cultural quarter are empty.
Quote MessageGive people help with business rates and rent as well. I don't think a lot of people realise that a lot of the shops are empty is because it's really hard to get in touch with the landlords and owners who sometimes own a multitude of properties.
Georgie Stanway, Klay, business in Hanley
The authority says £4m has been spent improving the surrounding area so far, including upgrading pavements.
Councillor Daniel Jellyman says areas including Piccadilly have "seen big improvements" since the investment and is now planning a "business improvement district led by local businesses to levy a small charge... and that money will be spent in the city centre."
The control of business rates was out of the hands of the local council as they are set by the government, he said.
Your pictures: The first frostpublished at 10:14 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2017
It's been a frosty start for some of our BBC Weather Watchers today.
Laura and Glenn uploaded this picture that was taken in Delph, Brierley Hill.
Image source, Laura and Glenn
Image source, OutwiththedogThese frosty leaves were found by Outwiththedog in Wishaw, Sutton Coldfield.
There's more to frost than it just being cold - as you can see here in our guide to frosts.
Media caption, There's more to frost than it just being cold.
Funeral for Megan Bills laterpublished at 09:59 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2017
Friends and family will gather in Stourbridge later for the funeral of a teenage girl, murdered five months ago.
Image source, West Midlands PoliceMegan Bills' body was found in a wardrobe at a property in Brierley Hill, West Midlands, in May.
A 24-year-old man is due to go on trial next year charged with the 17-year-old's murder.
Arrest made at Burslem protestpublished at 09:48 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2017
An officer was punched and spat-at during a protest in Stoke-on-Trent at the weekend, police say.
Disorder broke out between demonstrators from the Stoke-on-Trent Infidels - who had organised what they called an "anti-grooming" rally - and counter-protesters NorSCARF.
One man was arrested on suspicion of assaulting an officer, following the protest in Burslem on Saturday afternoon.
In the papers: Domestic abuse reports doublepublished at 09:27 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2017
More of the morning's headlines:
Vehicle goes into railway bridgepublished at 09:17 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2017
A railway bridge in Lichfield has been hit by a vehicle meaning services through the city could be delayed.
Other than this, London Midland says it is operating a good service.
Long Marston rail service to be restored?published at 09:04 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2017
Plans to connect the new housing development at Long Marston to the main Oxford to Worcester railway line - will be considered by Stratford councillors today, external.
Image source, GoogleA council report says a shuttle service to Honeybourne - could reduce congestion from the planned 6,000 new homes in the area.
It said the service was successfully operated for two days in June of this year for 6,000 visitors as part of a national rail industry event.
In the papers: Some of the morning headlinespublished at 08:48 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2017
Locomotive Clun Castle back on trackpublished at 08:43 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2017
Record-breaking steam engine restored by engineers at Tyseley Locomotive Works.
Read MoreCrews tackle severe blaze in Wolverhampton flatpublished at 08:36 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2017
Fire crews are still at the scene of a severe fire in a Wolverhampton property, after being called out at around 06:30.
Image source, West Midlands Fire ServiceThe fire service said the blaze started in a ground floor flat on Court Road, in the Newbridge area of the city.
Image source, West Midlands Fire ServiceNo-one was injured at the property, and the fire has been fully extinguished.
Body recovered from River Severnpublished at 08:29 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2017
A woman's body has been recovered from the River Severn in Bewdley.
Image source, GoogleThe death is not being treated as suspicious.
Police say they first received reports of a body in the river at just after 11:00 yesterday.
Butterfly skin: New service trialled for suffererspublished at 08:20 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2017
BBC Inside OutA woman born with a rare and life threatening skin condition is being given counselling at Solihull Hospital, one of the first in the country to offer the service.
Media caption, Butterfly skin: Why a Birmingham woman feels blessed
Assya Shabir was born with epidermolysis bullosa, external, known as butterfly skin as it tears and blisters at the slightest touch.
Doctors told her parents she had 24 hours to live - but she's now 30 years old and says the counselling has boosted her confidence.
You can see more of her story on Inside Out West Midlands tonight on BBC One at 19:30.
Missiles thrown at police officers after Blues Villa derbypublished at 08:07 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2017
BBC WMOfficers were pelted with bricks and bottles and other items during disorder following Sunday's football game between Birmingham City and Aston Villa.
The missiles were thrown outside the ground, police said.
The force tweeted a picture of some of the items thrown.
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End of twitter postTen people were arrested - Eight on suspicion of public order offences, one for encroaching onto the pitch and another for possession of drugs.
Police said no-one was seriously hurt during the disorder.
Water company issues scam warningpublished at 07:54 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2017
Severn Trent Water customers are being threatened with having their water supplies cut off in fake phone calls.
Some customers have reported receiving the calls in which a person claims they have not been paying their bills.
Cutting off water supply is not something Severn Trent would do, the company says, and anyone who gets a similar phone call should report it.
The firm, based in Coventry, supplies water to more than 4m homes, mostly in the West Midlands.
Peaky Blinders: The Shelbys are in townpublished at 07:42 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2017
The stars of the BBC drama Peaky Blinders will be in Birmingham later for a red carpet premiere of series four.
A special screening of the first episode of the new series is being held in the city.
The story of the notorious early 20th century gangs of Birmingham has become a worldwide success.
Fans of the programme can see it on BBC Two next month.
Reported number of crimes committed by children increasespublished at 07:33 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2017
There's been a sharp rise in the number of young children in Herefordshire and Worcestershire being accused or suspected of serious crime, according to figures obtained from a Freedom of Information request.
The number of children under ten years old being reported to West Mercia Police has more than tripled in the past four years, the figures show.
Accusations range from arson, to assault and battery.
Man shot in leg: Investigation continuespublished at 07:19 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2017
Police are continuing to appeal for witnesses after a shooting in Birmingham over the weekend.
Image source, GoogleA 41-year-old man was shot in the leg in Aberdeen Street in Winson Green on Saturday night. He remains in hospital.
Detectives are combing the area for clues and have asked witnesses or anyone with information to contact the force.
Video: Your 50-second weather forecastpublished at 07:09 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2017
Rich Davis
BBC Weather presenterA cold and frosty morning and then a dry and bright day with sunny intervals expected this afternoon and highs of 9C (48F).
Media caption, Latest weather for the West Midlands
Live updates for the West Midlandspublished at 07:00 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2017
Vanessa Pearce
BBC NewsGood morning and welcome to our live feed for Monday.
We'll bring you all the latest news, sport, weather and travel updates between now and 19:00.
We'll be bringing you live updates covering Birmingham and the Black Country, Coventry and Warwickshire, Shropshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Staffordshire and south Cheshire.
If you'd like to get in touch, comment or share your photos, get in touch on our BBC Midlands Facebook page, external, email us, or tweet @BBCMTD, external.
