Allen Cook
BBC News

A man's died after a crash in Cannock involving five cars and a lorry, external.

It happened at 18:51 last night on the A460 Lodge Lane.

Image source, Google

Ambulance Service staff took over treatment after arriving to find police officers giving the 33-year-old CPR.

The man was initially described as being in a "critical" condition, but West Midlands Ambulance Service says he's now died in hospital.

Police say officers are supporting the man's family and are keen to hear from any witnesses or drivers with any dash cam footage of the incident.

A recap of the problems affecting trains passing through Birmingham that are likely to remain for most of the day

An issue with signals has taken three platforms out of action at New Street station, causing many delays, alterations and cancellations.

Services from Shrewsbury and Telford are terminating at Wolverhampton, while some Virgin Services to London Euston are terminating at Birmingham international.

New Street is the busiest station outside of London, with some 40 million entries and exits every year - so there is likely to be plenty of frustration

And it's not just travellers to and from New Street affected, but the many other services passing through.

Latest information here., external

A toddler found seriously hurt at a home in Birmingham has died in hospital, police say., external

Emergency services were called to a property in The Green, Northfield at about 15:00 on Sunday 19 November.

Image source, Google

The 21-month-old girl was taken to Birmingham Children's Hospital in a critical condition, but died at 20:30 yesterday.

A 28-year-old man and 30-year-old woman, arrested on suspicion of causing or allowing serious injury to a child, have been released on police bail to allow for medical tests.

Express and Star

Here are some of the stories making the headlines on the Express and Star website this morning:

• Former Wednesfield pub hit by arsonists transformed into supported housing, external
• Boy, 14, 'beaten with metal pole and chain' in attack, external
• Teenager stabbed victim, 16, in pub after he 'ran for his life' in bid to escape, external

Allen Cook
BBC News

Worcestershire's Moeen Ali could have a crucial role to play on day two of the first Ashes Test in Brisbane.

Image source, Getty Images

He's unbeaten on 13 alongside Dawid Malan who's 28 not out after day one closed with England 196-4.

England will be looking to the pair to move the team to a strong position after Australia fought back on the opening day, when England had at one stage been 127-1.

Moeen's already made an impact on the series, striking the first six of this year's Ashes.

An artist is immortalising famous musicians in pictures using ground-up vinyl from old records.

Ben Riley, from Audley, Staffordshire, has exhibited his work in the UK and in the US several times.

He said he had gained celebrity collectors of his work, including Pharrell Williams, Olly Murs and some Premier League footballers.

Literacy levels for children in Stoke-on-Trent are getting worse, not better, according to a local charity.

About 25% of children in Staffordshire and Cheshire did not achieve their expected reading level when they left primary school, and in Stoke-on-Trent it was more than 33%.

The charity Beanstalk, which currently has volunteers in 27 schools, said it's having to expand its service to try and help improve pupils' confidence with reading.

Andy Giddings
BBC News

Aga foundry workers have been speaking about the "strong bond" between them as they left for the last time this morning.

There has been an ironworks on the site for over 300 years and some families have worked there for generations.

About 30 staff have been working at the site and they had been expecting their final shift to finish this afternoon, but were surprised to be sent home early, this morning.

Aga says the factory will officially close on 30 November.

Chris King
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

More than £2m is to be spent trying to stop a Stoke-on-Trent school suffering more sewer flooding in heavy rain.

Severn Trent Water says the work at Clarice Cliff Primary in Fenton is due to start early next year.

The school shut three times in 2016 because of repeated flooding.

The firm says new pipe and water tank work will cause short-term disruption, so there's a public meeting at the school next week about their plans.

Coventry Telegraph

Some of the headlining stories on the Coventry Telegraph website include:

• Bid to speed up £200m project to revamp Coventry city centre, external
• Nuneaton charity stun family with full costs for toddler's life-changing op, external
• Plan for Coventry and Leicester to get direct rail link once again, external

Andy Giddings
BBC News

Many of the staff at the Aga foundry in Coalbrookdale have been hanging their boots on the gates this morning, after being sent home on their final day.

Some have worked there for more than 40 years.

Aga foundry worker Glyn Baker thanked the local community for their support and said the staff would remain "family".

The American company which took over Aga in 2015 made the decision to close the site earlier this year and will cast the oven parts at other sites in the UK and Europe instead.

Perhaps surprisingly, more people voted for the current West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner than for the West Midlands Mayor.

Labour PCC David Jamieson (pictured left) was elected in 2016 with 306,578 votes, while Conservative mayor Andy Street was elected earlier this year with 238,628 votes.

In both cases, counts went to a second round.

In case you're interested, turnout in the PCC election was 30.03%, while 26.3% of the electorate voted in the mayoral election.

Image source, David Jamieson / Getty Images

The West Midlands Mayor is to take on new powers for policing from the next election in 2020, under plans announced in the budget yesterday.

A second devolution deal for the West Midlands will also see the region receive a share of £28m to tackle homelessness and the setting up of a housing delivery team to build 200,000 new homes by 2031.

Image source, Getty Images

The mayor's first term, unusually, will run for three years until 2020, so subsequent elections for the role will coincide with council elections to keep costs down.

The roll of the police and crime commissioner and mayor will come together, but there will be a new election, he said, "I'm not being passed it undemocratically".

"It should be absolutely clear who is in charge and who's democratically accountable."

A permanent exhibition celebrating the life of a little-known Midlands inventor has opened at Coventry University.

Frederick Lanchester invented the first all British four-wheel drive car and went on to set up the Lanchester car company in Birmingham, before moving it to Coventry.

He received about 400 patents in all, but his legacy is rarely celebrated.

Now Coventry University, which inherited his archive from his family, have put it on display for all to see.

Police are continuing to hunt for two men, who left an elderly man with horrific injuries after breaking into his home.

Arthur Gumbley, 87, was found covered in blood at his home on Endwood Drive, Sutton Coldfield,, external following a robbery..

Image source, Staffordshire Police

Police say he'd been punched in the face and kicked while on the floor and will need surgery after suffering severe bruising.

Officers say they are looking for two men who they say ransacked the house and stole cash from Mr Gumbley's wallet, although they don't yet know if anything else was taken.

Nigel Dolman
Reporter, BBC Shropshire

The British Ironworks Centre near Oswestry has offered its help in creating a memorial for families affected by the baby ashes scandal in Shrewsbury.

The BBC found at least 60 families did not get their child's ashes at Emstrey Crematorium from 1996 to 2012.

Image source, British Ironwork Centre

Work is under way on a permanent memorial to the children involved which it's hoped will be sited in Shrewsbury’s Quarry park.

The centre says it will offer parents help and support to create the piece and to raise funds to pay for it.

Stoke City legend Gordon Banks has been awarded the freedom of the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme.

Image source, Getty Images

The 80-year-old, who won the World Cup with England in 1966, has received the honour for services to national and international football.

The decision was unanimously supported at a council meeting last night.

A revamp of Wolverhampton's Civic Hall is delayed again and could cost more than double what was first budgeted.

Image source, Google

Improvement work began nearly two years ago, with a budget of £14.4m set by the council, but the local authority is now saying "millions more" are needed.

A City of Wolverhampton Council spokesperson said work was held up when "contractors uncovered major issues" and it is currently reviewing its options.

Virgin Trains says due to the signalling failure at Birmingham New Street tickets can be used on London Midlands services between Rugby and New Street and Arriva Trains Wales services between Birmingham International and Wolverhampton.

BBC News Travel

Three platforms are out of action at Birmingham's New Street, the BBC understands, as services face cancellation or major alterations due to signalling problems that are expected to last much of the day

Services between Wolverhampton and Birmingham International have been suspended.

Many services are starting starting from and terminating at Wolverhampton, including services from Shrewsbury and north/mid Wales.