Simon Johnson death: Teenage burglar guilty of murder
Drunk passengers 'risk death on railway'
Children's home TV film prompts inquiry
Car theft 'relay' devices seized in Birmingham
Cash and phones found in police raids
Small police stations 'could move to community buildings'
Council's 'ludicrous' threat to evict Christmas tree
More flood alerts for the West Midlands
Darts prepares to say farewell to unlikely revolutionary
Updates from Friday 15 December
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A woman is in a critical condition after the car she was driving crashed into a tree in Warwickshire this morning.
The ambulance service was called to the A422, Banbury Road in Oxhill, Warwick at about 07:40, it said.
Firefighters had to free the 26-year-old from the wreckage of the car before she was airlifted to University Hospital in Coventry.
BBC Sport
Steve Rhodes has left his role as director of cricket at Worcestershire following an internal investigation into his conduct.
It has been reported , externalWorcestershire Director of Cricket Steve Rhodes delayed telling the county about the arrest of all-rounder Alex Hepburn, who has since been charged with two counts of rape.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe club said at the time that it would not comment on those reports.
After starting his playing career with his native Yorkshire, Bradford-born Rhodes joined the county in 1985, making 13,300 runs in 391 first-class matches.
These are three of the top stories on the Stoke Sentinel website this lunchtime:
Graham McGarry
Crewe Alexandra commentator, BBC Radio Stoke
The Crewe Alexandra manager, David Artell, said he was pleased with his team's performance against Blackburn last night, despite their 1-0 defeat.
The result means they're out of the FA Cup and it's now nine seasons since the club made it into the third round of the competition.
Image source, Getty ImagesArtell said more performances like that are needed in League Town now.
Quote MessageI thought to a man we were good. That might seem hollow in defeat, but if we perform like that every week between now and the end of the season, we'll have no worries."
David Artell, Crewe Alexandra manager
Workers are attempting to retrieve cast iron railings after a bridge in Shropshire was damaged when it was hit by a vehicle.
Shropshire Council says the Grade II listed Cound Arbour Bridge, which carries an unclassified road over the Cound Brook, near Cound, is also undergoing a "thorough inspection" after the crash on Tuesday.
Image source, GoogleThe local authority said some of the railings were so badly damaged they'd have to be replaced, but wasn't able to say when this work would be carried out.
A man from Stafford has criticised health bosses after being told he can't have an MRI scan at the town's hospital.
Tony Young says he was told he'd have to go to Cannock to have a scan on his knee, because the scanner at Stafford doesn't take referrals from GPs.
Image source, GoogleThe Stafford and Surrounds Clincial Commissioning Group, which awarded the contract for GP scans to Cannock, said the arrangement to send GP referrals to Cannock Chase hospital has been in place since June 2015.
It said it would review that decision when that arrangement ends in two years, but that it had been "popular and flexible" and had provided good value for money.
Steve Rhodes has left Worcestershire County Cricket Club "with immediate effect", the club has announced, external.
No details have yet been revealed for his departure.
"We thank him for his 33 years as a player, coach and Director of Cricket. We wish him well in the future,” the club said in a statement.
There are flood alerts on almost a dozen stretches of rivers, external in the West Midlands, mainly caused by melting snow and ice.
The Environment Agency says it'll be watching the situation carefully, but doesn't expect the alerts to be upgraded.
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Giles Latcham
BBC Midlands Today
An inquest into the death of a seven-year-old boy, whose body was found at a property in Nechells, Birmingham last month, has been adjourned for the conclusion of a police investigation.
Hakeem Hussain was reportedly discovered outside the home on Cook Street in near-freezing temperatures, but police subsequently said when paramedics attended he was inside the flat.
Image source, BPM MediaOpening the inquest into Hakeem's death, coroner Emma Brown heard that a post-mortem examination had proved inconclusive and his cause of death was still to be ascertained.
Two people arrested on suspicion of wilfully ill-treating a child have been released under investigation.
No family members were present.
Alec Blackman
BBC Coventry & Warwickshire
A funeral will be held at Coventry Cathedral today for Steve "Snapper" Savage, a former RFU National Panel Referee Manager and Premiership referee from Warwickshire.
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The former Stoke Park and Woodlands teacher died in Leipzig last month where he was working for World Rugby as a citing officer.
Paul Smith, from Wasps, said he was a "great man of rugby" who'd held every role in the sport.
"He was well-known for his acerbic wit on the field", he said, "and could cut any player down with just one line".
Phil McCann
Cheshire Political Reporter, BBC News
The cost of suspending and investigating Cheshire East Council's three most senior executives is forecast to reach £720,000 by the end of the financial year.
Cheshire East Council's chief executive and chief finance officer are both suspended on full pay and so was the chief legal officer until he resigned this week.
Image source, GoogleHe didn't get a pay-off, but they've all had interim staff appointed to their positions, costing an extra £500,000.
The council says suspensions are a neutral act, but it needs to deal with the concerns responsibly.
Here are some of today's main stories on the Coventry Telegraph website:
West Bromwich Albion head coach Alan Pardew admits he was not too ambitious with his tactics in the 0-0 draw at Liverpool.
Read MoreBirmingham New Street Station is rather proud of its new 21ft (6.4m) Christmas tree, which is on display in the concourse.
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Cardiff Blues head coach Danny Wilson is to become forwards coach at Wasps, who are to bring in Nottingham boss Ian Costello.
Read MoreThere's been a big rise in levels on the River Wye in Hereford in the last 24 hours as these two webcam images show.
Watch the Hereford webcam live here, external.
Image source, Farson Digital Water Cams
Image source, Farson Digital Water CamsThousands braved the snow and cold to pack Shrewsbury's square for the annual Carols in the Square event last night, hosted by BBC Radio Shropshire.
Micro Video Shrewsbury, external filmed and streamed the event around the world.
Thousands pack Shrewsbury's square for Christmas carols
Some of the headlining stories on the Birmingham Mail website include:
A man has died in a crash involving a number of vehicles in Warwickshire last night.
It happened on the A46 between the Bishopton and Maraway islands in Stratford-upon-Avon at about 22:50, the ambulance service said.
Image source, West Midlands Ambulance ServiceThe melting snow has prompted a series of flood alerts across the West Midlands, covering the region's rivers and brooks.
Image source, Environment AgencyAffected rivers include the Blythe in Warwickshire, as well as the Arrow, Teme and Wye in Herefordshire.
In Shropshire, there are alerts on the Severn, its confluence with the Vyrnwy on the Welsh border, Rea Brook, Cound Brook, the upper Teme, the Worfe, and the Tern and Perry catchments.
Dave Throup from the Environment Agency said he didn't expect anything "too dramatic" in terms of flooding and thinks the warnings will remain at "alert" level rather than being upgraded to "warnings".
You can check the water levels and flooding alerts for rivers near you on this map., external
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