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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Vicky Breakwell
BBC Hereford and Worcester
Police are hunting a sex attacker who assaulted a woman in Worcester., external
Image source, GoogleWest Mercia Police says it happened yesterday morning as the victim, who's in her 50s, was walking under the viaduct by the Cattlemarket car park.
She was approached from behind by a man who police say put his hands over her face and touched her inappropriately over her clothing.
Allen Cook
BBC News
Another warning of ice has been issued for much of the West Midlands with the Met Office warning of icy stretches on untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths, external.
Image source, Met OfficeIt says the yellow alert runs from 16:00 today until 11:00 tomorrow.
The Met Office says there could also be more wintry showers bringing snow although that'll mostly be on higher ground.
Plans to refurbish Shropshire Council's headquarters in Shrewsbury are being discussed by councillors this morning.
Members of its cabinet will debate whether to spend £8.1m on a partial refurbishment or £18.7m on a full renovation of the Shirehall building.
The building has been used since 1964 and the authority says it is now in urgent need of improvement.
At one stage the council considered moving to a new site, but it decided the costs of the move and of demolishing the old building were too high.
Allen Cook
BBC News
The number of people out of work in the West Midlands has fallen by 14,000 according to the latest figures., external
Image source, PAThe Office for National Statistics says there were 150,000 people unemployed in the region in the three months to October.
However the jobless total for that period was down by just 1,000 when compared with the same three months in 2016.
Alec Blackman
BBC Coventry & Warwickshire
Five libraries in Warwickshire face having their opening hours cut under the county council's latest savings plans.
Image source, GoogleThe local authority wants to reduce the hours at the sites in Lillington, Whitnash, Kenilworth, Warwick and Shire Hall.
The council's also considering using self-service machines in some libraries to save more cash.
Sarah Portlock
BBC News
This poor goose appears to be frozen into the canal.
It was sat on the ice yesterday and was still there, exact same place and position, this morning. Even though temperatures have risen, that stretch of the Soho Loop, in Birmingham, is still frozen.
Image source, bbcIt had a mate with it yesterday but was on its own this morning.
The Canal and River Trust has been alerted.
Hope the canal thaws out soon.
Thousands of schoolchildren have returned to school today for the first time since Thursday, after snow caused major disruption.
Just 17 schools are remaining shut in Shropshire, 26 in Herefordshire and 10 in Worcestershire.
Also a handful in Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent, Dudley and Sandwell.
While children have been enjoying the snow, the severe weather has made travel difficult and affected events and businesses in the important run-up to Christmas.
Glyn Price captured sledging in Shrewsbury
The Sentinel newspaper has these main stories on its website today:
Allen Cook
BBC News
A man's suffered life-threatening injuries after he is thought to have fallen from a bicycle in Malvern.
Image source, GoogleWest Mercia Police says officers were called to St Peter's Road, external after reports of a single vehicle crash.
They say the man in his 60s has been taken to hospital and the road's been shut.
Jennie Aitken
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke
People living in part of Stoke-on-Trent have told BBC Radio Stoke they're devastated after a community nativity scene was smashed up by vandals.
Staffordshire Police says officers are investigating - the figures of two wise men and Joseph are now missing from the display next to Temple Street Methodist Church in Fenton.
The window was smashed on Saturday night and the figures were destroyed.
A criminal gang who flew drugs into jails across the West Midlands using drones are due to be sentenced today.
Yesterday, Birmingham Crown Court heard drones with fishing lines attached were flown to cell windows where prisoners used broom handles to retrieve goods, including mobile phones.
Image source, PAHMP Hewell, in Worcestershire, Stoke Heath prison and HMP Featherstone in Staffordshire were among the prisons targeted in a smuggling scheme thought to involve up to £370,000 of contraband.
In all, the gang was responsible for 49 drone drops and four throw-overs involving mainly psychoactive substances.
BBC News England
A series of bus strikes planned in the run-up to Christmas, which would have affected passengers in Cheshire, have been cancelled after drivers accepted a pay deal.
Image source, PAMembers of two unions, Unite and GMB, voted to accept a pay rise of 3.2% in the first year and 2.6% in the second
More than 2,000 staff at Arriva North West had threatened to walk out for two days this week, and stage four days of strikes from 20 to 23 December.
Arriva bosses said they were "delighted" the latest pay offer had been accepted.
Allen Cook
BBC News
A road's been shut in Staffordshire because of a house fire this morning., external
Image source, Staffordshire Fire ServiceStaffordshire Fire Service says it's happened on High Lane, Chell and the fire's in the front room of the house.
It says no injuries have been reported but urges people to avoid the area.
BBC Midlands Today
Birmingham City Council says it must increase council tax from April after a challenging year, including an expensive strike by bin staff.
Setting our budget proposals for 2018-19, external, councillors say they plan to use reserves to plug a £20m gap.
The authority also proposes £14m of savings and is looking at cuts to its social care bill.
In its plans, it says it'll look to raise council tax by 4.99% which will include, like many councils, a rise to go towards social care.
The council's consultation on its budget proposals runs until 15 January., external
Joanne Gallacher
Political reporter, BBC Shropshire
Health bosses are meeting this morning, external in Shropshire to discuss the long-term future of the county's three rural maternity units, particularly plans to close the labour wards.
Image source, PAThe Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is recommending the units in Oswestry, Ludlow and Bridgnorth are only used for routine appointments and scans.
Women wanting to give birth would instead have to go to Telford or Shrewsbury instead so all patients and babies get the same care.
Shrewsbury's midwife-led unit will be closed until at least next month after recent snow damaged the roof.
Previous meeting on the controversial issue have been rowdy but the CCG has warned that if disruption breaks out they'll ask the public to leave., external
A worker at the jewellery store in Birmingham was attacked with a hammer during the robbery.
Read MoreAllen Cook
BBC News
Bin collections are being carried out as normal today, external in most parts of the West Midlands, local councils say.
Image source, Wolverhampton City CouncilMany of the local authorities tweeted to say they were disrupted over the past few days but most say they'll be restarting today. , external
In some cases, such as Wolverhampton, the council says if it can't get to some streets, bins will be collected next week., external
Allen Cook
BBC News
Dozens of schools in the West Midlands are still shut today due to the wintry weather although the majority are open across the region.
Image source, Tim_hTwenty six schools are closed in Herefordshire, external, 14 in Shropshire, external, three in Telford, external and 10 in Worcestershire, external.
But there are also a handful shut in Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent, Dudley and Sandwell.
The Express and Star has these main headlines today:
BBC News UK
The train line between Craven Arms in Shropshire and Llanelli is going to be shut all day.
Image source, Arriva Trains WalesArriva Trains Wales says it's due to fallen trees or overhanging branches following the high winds and heavy snow.
National Rail Enquiries says buses will replace trains on the line until at least 05:00 on Thursday., external
