Claudia Berry
BBC News

More than 1,200 people have signed a petition , externalagainst plans for holiday lodges near the Three Counties Showground in Malvern.

Image source, Google

The showground is one of Herefordshire and Worcestershire's biggest event venues and brings hundreds of thousands of people to the area each year.

Critics argue plans for a development of 50 lodges in Langdale Wood off Blackmore Park Road will destroy the woodland.

The Three Counties Agricultural Society, which is behind the plans, external, says in its application that the proposals will help secure the group's financial future and it's selected the "least sensitive" area of the woodland.

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

A man's been arrested after a car crashed on the A34 in Stoke-on-Trent , externalthis morning, following a police chase.

Image source, Staffordshire Police

Staffordshire Police says two of the three people in the Peugeot were taken to hospital after suffering minor injuries, following the collision at the BP Garage in Hanford in the early hours.

The force says officers started their pursuit based on suspicions the car had been stolen in Cannock yesterday afternoon.

An 18-year-old from Cannock was arrested on suspicion of stealing a vehicle and dangerous driving.

Birmingham City Council offers its bin workers a new deal, just days before a High Court hearing.

Alex Homer
BBC Shared Data Hub

More than 20,000 homes across the West Midlands are empty, despite widespread concern about a housing shortage in the region.

Tamworth is among the areas in the UK with the biggest increase in vacant homes from 2015 to 2016 with a rise of 50%; there being 0.33 empty homes per 100 people last year.

Both Bromsgrove - at -43% - and Redditch, with -51%, have seen significant decreases.

The BBC's Shared Data Unit found wide regional variations by analysing official data from the Department for Communities and Local Government.

In the Budget this week, the government announced that landlords could be charged twice as much council tax if a home remained empty.

But the Empty Homes charity says it doesn't go far enough and landlords should get more support to bring empty homes back into use.

Solihull Police have released CCTV images of men they want to identify in connection with the theft of a dog from Birmingham Dogs Home.

Image source, West Midlands Police

Marley was stolen from the animal shelter on 5 November.

Image source, West Midlands Police

Michele Paduano
Health correspondent, BBC Midlands Today

A woman says she is distraught after having an operation for liver cancer cancelled twice.

Karen Garner, 52, from Brierley Hill, needs 40% of her liver and her gall bladder removed, after it initially spread from breast cancer. She fears her chances of survival are being damaged by the delays, because the cancer is aggressive.

The operation to remove the tumour was scheduled for 10 November. She was second on the list, but was told it had been cancelled because the first operation overran.

On 22 November she was admitted again, but this time, there was no intensive care bed.

Image source, Karen Garner

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital apologised and said the cancellations reflected the "unprecedented and sustained rise in emergency and planned procedures" - as a result of more patients wanting to be treated at the hospital.

The hospital trust said it had "expanded capacity and opened all available beds", but is "still in the unsatisfactory position of having to cancel some scheduled procedures".

The road closures following the crash have led to major delays for drivers in Stoke-on-Trent.

Image source, West Midlands Police

"Stupidity" - that's how police in Birmingham have described this, saying someone decided to abandon their car like this during this afternoon's rush hour.

Washwood Heath's neighbourhood policing team tweeted the photo, external, saying it was just off a main route in the city and has now been removed.

Warwick District Council will pay for beds for rough sleepers in freezing temperatures.

Electronic devices are being used to help reduce the number of deer being killed on the roads.

Rebecca Wood
BBC Midlands Today

Here's how tonight and the weekend are looking across the region and yes, including a potential for snow for some places.

You can keep yourself updated at any other time by checking the BBC Weather website.

The Sentinel

The Sentinel newspaper's featuring these stories on its website today:

• Lorry driver killed in accident on A500, external
• Weather warning for ice issued as snow expected for weekend, external
• Grieving widow, 48: 'It was awful to see my husband die fighting for his breath', external

Chris King
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

The A500 northbound in Stoke-on-Trent has reopened after being shut for about 12 hours, following a fatal crash this morning.

An HGV driver died when two lorries collided at Wolstanton between the A53 roundabout and Wolstanton Retail Park at about 05:10.

The route's been closed since then, leading to heavy traffic on all surrounding routes - that closure has now been lifted.

Allen Cook
BBC News

Police say they've arrested a man on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and drugs with intent to supply during checks of visitors going into HMP Featherstone and HMP Oakwood in Staffordshire.

During the operation, mobile phones and drugs were seized in searches of cells at the prisons., external

Image source, PA

The arrested man, from Coventry, has been released under investigation.

Nicola Goodwin
Reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester

A dog trainer whose two Rottweilers killed and injured dozens of lambs on a farm in Herefordshire has lost his appeal against their destruction order.

Charles Ross-Robertson's dogs killed 35 lambs at a farm in Risbury, near Leominster, in September 2016. Another 20 had to be put down.

The 65-year-old, from Stanton Lacy, Ludlow, had previously admitted allowing his animals to be dangerously out of control and been given a 12-month community order.

At an appeal at Worcester Crown Court today, Judge Mithani rejected his appeal over the destruction order. He ordered the dogs be destroyed immediately.

James Bond
Sports Producer, BBC Shropshire

The former Wolves striker Sylvan Ebanks-Blake has signed for AFC Telford United., external

Image source, Getty Images

The 31-year-old scored 64 times for Wolves between 2008 and 2013 before spells at Ipswich Town, Preston North End, Chesterfield and on loan last season at Shrewsbury Town.

Manager Rob Edwards, who's called the signing a "real coup", says Ebanks-Blake had been training with them for a while before signing.

He could make his debut when Telford host Droyslden in the FA Trophy tomorrow.

Coventry RFC's £1.5m redevelopment of Butts Park Arena home could begin as early as next year, says chairman Jon Sharp.

An 89-year-old woman has died after being hit by a car when she got off a bus in Redditch.

Image source, Google

Police say a Ford Focus hit the woman on Colts Lane at about 16:25 on Wednesday.

She suffered multiple injuries and was taken to hospital in Birmingham where she died a short time later.

The death is not being treated as suspicious.

BBC News Travel

Part of a dual carriageway in Stoke-on-Trent is still shut this afternoon, several hours after a fatal crash involving two lorries.

One driver died in the collision between the A53 roundabout and Wolstanton Retail Park at about 05:10.

Lee Blakeman
Port Vale commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

Port Vale are expected to recall Anthony Kay for tomorrow's game away to Lincoln City.

Image source, Port Vale FC

The defender missed the midweek game against Mansfield due to suspension.

The 4-0 defeat in that match was the heaviest the Vale have suffered since Neil Aspin (pictured) was appointed as manager.