Monica Rimmer
BBC News

Good morning and welcome to our live updates for Wednesday.

We'll bring you the latest news, sport, weather and travel updates for the West Midlands between now and 19:00.

If you'd like to get in touch to comment or share your news and photos, go to the BBC Midlands Facebook page, external, email us, or tweet @bbcmtd, external.

Gillingham beat Reading U21s 7-5 in the EFL Trophy, while holders Coventry go out despite beating West Brom's youngsters.

All services subsidised by Cheshire East Council on Sundays will cease, with most subsidised evening routes also cut.

League Two club Port Vale sign midfielder Chris Regis on a contract until the end of the season.

Monica Rimmer
BBC News

We'll be back with more from 07:00 tomorrow.

Keep an eye out here for West Midlands news and sport stories and travel updates throughout the evening.

Flood barriers have gone up in Stratford-upon-Avon as the Environment Agency carried out testing on the town's flood defence system.

Three hundred metres of temporary barriers were put up along Waterside earlier, leaving it closed to traffic for much of the day.

The town was badly affected by flooding five years ago.

Organised crime gangs stealing high-value vehicles to be shipped abroad are becoming a "serious problem" in the West Midlands, the chief constable has said.

David Thompson said the rise in car-key burglaries and a spree of car-jackings in affluent areas "has got to a level that's very intimidating".

He told a meeting of the crime commissioner's strategic policing and crime board today that car crime had "flipped" nationally, away from older vehicles to the theft of "new, more modern cars".

He also said the recovery rate of vehicles had dropped.

"They're probably going out of the country or being cut up for parts," he added.

Oswestry & Border Counties Advertizer

Patient Carol Booth has spoken out after being left in a hospital corridor for more than 18 hours because of a shortage of beds., external

Image source, Oswestry Advertizer

Hereford Times

Here's some stories the Hereford Times are looking at today:

• Children impacted by Grenfell Tower disaster take Herefordshire , externalbreak
• Thousands of pounds worth of jewellery stolen during Orleton , externalburglary
• Robert Owen Academy looks for new sponsor after Regional Schools Commissioner for the West Midlands withdraws, external funding

The Severn Area Rescue Association is getting £110,000 from the government.

The organisation, founded in 1973, says it will use some of the money to buy a new lifeboat.

It follows a successful bid to the government’s rescue boat grant fund.

This blockage on the River Stour at Cookley in Worcestershire has been cleared by workmen today.

The Environment Agency said the branches had become stuck under the Caunsall Road bridge.

Image source, Barry Killner

It was cleared using a chainsaw and hand tools.

A security guard was attacked outside a Morrisons in Burntwood, Staffordshire, and a cash box stolen.

Police found the box close by and it had been emptied.

Image source, Google

Two men involved in the robbery are white, in their late 30s or early 40s and both wore dark clothing.

One of the men also wore a high-visibility vest.

It happened yesterday morning before 10:00 at the supermarket in Milestone Way.

Det Insp Steve Chadwick said: "This robbery appears to have been well planned and took place in broad daylight outside a busy supermarket."

Police say 6ft 8ins tall Andrew Rose is believed to have left the scene on foot after the crash.

A man has been jailed for 18 years after a police investigation identified him as a "go-to guy" for criminals wanting to source guns and ammunition.

Sunny Dhatt, 26, from Whittaker Street in Wolverhampton arranged for the transfer of two 9mm semi-automatic handguns and a dozen bullets to drug dealers in a Kingswinford supermarket car-park on 3 August 2016.

Image source, West Midlands Police

At a trial in May he was found guilty of conspiracy to transfer firearms and ammunition.

Officers found a .44 Russian handgun hidden beneath bed sheets and a Winnie the Pooh cuddly toy in a wardrobe.

Rural roads unsuitable for heavy vehicles mean HGVs face longer journeys during A49 roadworks.

Tim Wedgwood
BBC News

Subsidised bus services across east Cheshire will be axed to save £1.5m after councillors approved plans this afternoon.

All Sunday services will be affected, as well as many in the evenings. The council has amended some of its proposals after criticism from passengers.

Cheshire East Council says the cuts are not as deep as it was originally intending, but it recognises some people will be affected by the changes.

The Sky Blues manager Mark Robins admits he's reluctant to include any of the players who started the FA cup win over Maidenhead on Sunday in tonight's team for the EFL Trophy tie against West Bromwich Albion's development squad.

Image source, Getty Images

Coventry need a win to retain a chance of defending the trophy they won last season at Wembley.

Robins is set to make wholesale changes to protect players ahead of next weekend's League Two fixture at home to Mansfield.

Teenage striker Jordan Pontichelli said he'd like to play tonight but understands his manager will want to ensure he doesn't overstretch himself.

Shani and Simeon Ebanks were foiled when purple security dye was found in their getaway cars.

The Labour MP for Erdington is backing calls for a public inquiry into tax avoidance after the leak of the Paradise Papers, calling the situation "obscene".

Jack Dromey said the time had come to "finally tackle this issue".

The Conservative Party says that since 2010, it has secured almost £160bn through tackling tax evasion and avoidance to go towards public services - although Labour disputes that figure.

BBC Radio Stoke

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is worried the Royal Stoke University Hospital's plans aren't enough to prevent a winter crisis and patients will suffer.

They represent some staff at the hospital, which has been in financial special measures since March and is planning to cancel routine operations for two weeks during January.

It's also announced it's bringing in 45 new beds to ease pressure on the service.