Allen Cook
BBC News

A man's been jailed for three years after admitting causing the death of a passenger in his car earlier this year.

Gregory Springthorpe was also banned from driving for three and a half years and told he'd then need to take an extended test.

Image source, Google

The 22-year-old from Platt Street, Cannock had pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by driving.

Staffordshire Police says Springthorpe's grey Honda hit a tree on Cannock Road on New Year's Day. Travis Jones, 18, who was a front-seat passenger, died at the scene.

Former Liberal Democrat MP John Hemming is calling for a tribunal ruling relating to the inquiry into the supposed "Trojan Horse plot" to be published.

Former chairman of governors Tahir Alam was banned from involvement in schools by the Department for Education, a decision which has been upheld by a tribunal panel - but the details have not made public.

The former Birmingham MP said the report was "clearly a matter of great public interest and importance".

"The general public - let alone teenagers, parents, teachers, social workers and religious leaders - have a right to know why the tribunal came to the decision they came to, who they criticised and didn't criticise and how the evaluated the evidence they heard," he said.

Coventry, Paisley, Sunderland, Swansea and Stoke-on-Trent will find out soon whether they have won.

There are 411 homes without power in the Bromyard area near Hereford this afternoon, according to Western Power Distribution:

Judges have reserved their judgement after a judicial review into the scope of inquests into deaths of 21 people in the Birmingham pub Bombings in 1974.

Ten of the victims' families were at the High Court in Birmingham today, in a legal bid to overturn coroner Sir Peter Thornton QC's ruling banning the identification of suspects during fresh inquests.

Image source, Getty images

Lord Justice Simon told the hearing: "This may seem to some to have been rather dry legal analysis.

"But we have not overlooked the background and concerns of those in court over these issues.

"We will however reserve our judgement.

"I don't think there's any serious possibility of a judgment being made before the new year."

The ring is the most expensive to sell at the Birmingham auction house with intense bidding.

Allen Cook
BBC News

After the turkeys got loose on the A38 at the junction with the M5 this morning, Scott Small shared this photo with us which he took at the scene.

Worcestershire's fire service said they got free after a lorry overturned, but were soon transferred to another vehicle., external

Image source, Scott Small

A self-confessed IRA bomber could be questioned by a coroner after telling the BBC that he has information about the Birmingham pub bombings in 1974.

During an interview in July, Michael Hayes said he took “collective responsibility” for the terrorist attack.

The High Court in Birmingham has been told that unbroadcast footage could form part of evidence when inquests into the 21 victims are resumed.

West Midlands Police secured a court order last week to obtain the material, which now forms part of the ongoing criminal investigation into the attacks.

Elaine Muir
Journalist, BBC Shropshire

It's been confirmed that there's been another delay to a public consultation into the future of Shropshire's hospitals.

It had been hoped people would get a say into plans for a single emergency centre in the county by now, but NHS England says it can't happen until the funding is confirmed.

It's estimated about £300m is needed to reorganise the county's two acute hospitals, with one focusing on planned care and the other on emergencies.

Shropshire Star

The Shropshire Star website has the following top stories today:

• Shropshire and Mid Wales could have up to 15 centimetres of snow on Friday, external
• Coalbrookdale foundry closure: Jobs offered to Men of Iron by Walsall firm, external
• Shropshire Council cabinet agrees move to buy Darwin, Pride Hill and Riverside, external

Victims of a "predatory" sexual offender, who abused his victims over four decades, are being praised by police.

Image source, West Midlands Police

Dennis Butler, 61, of Chantry Road, Handsworth, abused three boys under the age of 14, as well as a woman, and was jailed for 19 years at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday for charges including rape and sexual assault.

Butler's crimes came to light when one of the victims confided in a friend, and was then spoken to by police, giving other victims the bravery to "speak out" about him, police said.

One of his victims told officers that Butler was a "sick individual who needs to be punished for the lives he has ruined".

"Dennis Butler is an absolute monster.”

The firm says that the "painful but necessary" cuts include shedding 1,100 UK posts.

Allen Cook
BBC News

Hundreds of turkeys got loose this morning after a lorry overturned at junction 5 of the M5 in Worcestershire.

The county's fire service says it happened on the A38 at the junction with the motorway , externaland the birds were inside the vehicle.

The council's highways team says there were 640, external and they were transferred to another vehicle although there's no word as to whether any were hurt.

Defender Kalern Thomas leaves National League side Solihull Moors by mutual agreement.

Music mogul and sporting stars post video messages backing Coventry's bid for City of Culture 2021.

Allen Cook
BBC News

Not all staff in Stafford or Rugby are aware that their jobs are at risk, General Electric has said this morning.

Image source, Google

The industrial giant's confirmed both towns are each going to lose 500 jobs, blaming changing market conditions and a fall in demand for their products.

GE has said most workers are aware of the news but not all have yet been told.

Well-known faces post video messages supporting Stoke-on-Trent's bid for UK City of Culture 2021.

Lucy King
News Editor, BBC Radio Stoke

The 1,100 jobs which General Electric's announced it's cutting from its UK power business today are part of 12,000 planned global job losses.

Image source, Getty Images

The US industrial giant says it's trying to save $1bn as "traditional power markets including gas and coal have softened".

The firm's now confirmed that it'll be axing 500 posts in Stafford and 500 in Rugby.

Disgraced breast surgeon Ian Paterson carried out hundreds of botched operations on his patients.

Worcestershire all-rounder Alex Hepburn is accused of raping a woman earlier this year.