A laser display linking the communities of Telford will take place on New Year's Day, to mark the start of the town's 50th anniversary year.

Laser beams will be fired from seven locations, to converge on the hillside of the Wrekin, over distances of up to 10 miles (16km).

Image source, Telford and Wrekin Council

Telford and Wrekin Council said light had been chosen as the main theme for the anniversary, symbolising "celebration and the borough's bright future".

The display will take place between 17:00 and 22:00 and will be repeated on 2 January.

Allen Cook
BBC News

Parking charges are going up at three hospitals in Burton, Tamworth and Lichfield, external as new parking machines are introduced.

Image source, Burton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Burton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has admitted there'll be "a small increase" from the start of 2018, but says all the money goes to maintaining parking services.

The changes mean that, while the first 20 minutes of a stay, external will remain free, costs after that increase with the daily rate now costing £9 compared with £6 currently.

The trust says the new parking machines will have large, bright touchscreens and give "accurate" charges at the Queen's Hospital as well as the Samuel Johnson and Sir Robert Peel community hospitals.

BBC News England

Train passengers in Stoke-on-Trent are facing more strikes in the new year as rail workers plan a series of 24-hour walkouts.

RMT union members at five train operating companies will walk out on 8, 10 and 12 January in the long-running row over the role of guards, and whether they or drivers should operate train doors.

Image source, EPA

Those involved include Northern which runs services from Stoke-on-Trent., external

The union said it had tried to resolve the bitter disputes, which it says is about safety.

James Barnes was struggling with a family dispute and his marriage breaking down, an inquest hears.

Sara Blizzard
BBC Weather

We're expecting more cloud and mist overnight, and maybe some showers too.

Here's the forecast in full.

Stephen Hemming and Kevin Rourke broke one woman's nose and threatened to stab another.

Coventry Telegraph

These are three of the stories from the Coventry Telegraph website today:

• West Midlands mayor says nobody needs to sleep rough, external
• Police force to be funded by £12 council tax rise, external
• Multimillion-pound taxpayer bail out for Irish developer will be agreed to move Friargate forward, external

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

Stoke-on-Trent city Council has come under fire for failing to update a market that's seen visitor numbers drop by a million over the past 10 years.

Hanley Indoor Market, based inside the intu Potteries Shopping Centre, opened 30 years ago and a councillor admitted it hadn't seen "a lick of paint" since then.

The latest statistics also reveal income at the site has fallen by about £100,000 between 2011 and 2015.

The city council's promised to spend £1.5m, external to update the area, although work has yet to begin.

Daz Hale
BBC WM

A woman from Lichfield is encouraging people to get involved with local wildlife by opening a tiny snack bar for birds and mice.

Image source, Wildlife Kate

It's the brainchild of Kate MacRae from BBC Springwatch and the coming and goings are streamed online.

She told BBC WM that she tried to make it look like a human snack bar by decorating it with dolls house furniture and it took several months to design and build., external

Image source, Wildlife Kate

A man caught on CCTV beating his dog has been disqualified from keeping animals for two years.

Mike Taylor
BBC WM

West Bromwich Albion hope to have a near fully fit squad available for Saturday's vital game at fellow Premier League strugglers Stoke City.

Image source, Getty Images

Matt Phillips, Craig Dawson and Nacer Chadli have all been involved in training this week after their various injury absences, leaving only James Morrison (pictured) on the sidelines.

He's still recovering from an achilles tendon problem which is likely to keep him out until early in the new year.

Bob Hockenhull
BBC Midlands Today

A West Midlands couple are celebrating a record for helping to train the most police dogs.

Fred and Lesley Farley, from Balsall Common, have looked after 60 puppies for West Midlands Police over the last 18 years, external.

Image source, West Midlands Police

The force says that's more than any other volunteers. Fred and Lesley have now been recognised by the Home Office for their dedication.

The force says the dogs they train go on to help hunt for weapons, drugs and explosives.

Coventry City midfielder Callum Maycock signs a new contract to stay with the League Two club until June 2020.

The year-long project was intended to bring people together from across the West Midlands and further afield.

A man has been found guilty of the murder of Coventry tattoo artist Mark Nesmith at a petrol station in the city in June.

The 35-year-old (pictured below) died after being stabbed at found at the BP garage on The Butts.

Image source, Grizzly Art Collective

Tyler John Smith, who is 21 and from Attoxhall Road in Wyken was found guilty of murder, violent disorder and possession of an offensive weapon.

Uzair Hussain, 24, from Crampers Field in Radford and 18-year-old Sebastian Vastaki-Barsby from Barker Butts Lane were both found guilty of violent disorder.

All three will be sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday.

Cannabis with a street value of more than £100,000 has been found growing at a property in Stoke-on-Trent.

Police raided the address on Star and Garter Road in Normacot this morning, and removed around 200 cannabis plants

A 20-year-old man of no fixed address is being held on suspicion of producing the drug.

In a separate raid, drugs with an estimated street value of £2,000 were found during a raid on Bank Street in Kidsgrove.

A 40-year-old man from Stoke-on-Trent has been arrested on suspicion of supplying Class A drugs.

Andy Giddings
BBC News

A project to produce aerial views of the north Shropshire countryside has produced these amazing photographs of The Mere at Ellesmere.

Shropshire Council has employed the Drone Rangers to produce the images and says it intends to repeat the process every few years, to see how the landscape is changing.

Image source, Shropshire Council/Drone Rangers

Image source, Shropshire Council/Drone Rangers

Image source, Shropshire Council/Drone Rangers

Work to convert an art deco building in Worcester into a university art facility is under way.

The former County Furnishings building on Castle Street is Grade II listed and was built in 1939 as a car showroom for Austin Motors.

Image source, Google

The new facility for the University of Worcester will retain the distinctive clock tower feature and will be known as The Art House.

Motorist had to be restrained by paramedics after punching a council officer who was checking cars.

Louise Hancock
Newsreader, BBC WM

The sisters of two people killed in car accidents in Birmingham in the run up to Christmas are appealing for drivers to think before they get behind the wheel during the festive season.

Both Elaine Gordon and Lucy Harrison lost their siblings this at this time of year three years ago.

Lucy's brother Peter was killed in a hit-and-run while Elaine says her sister Gina was struck by a man who left her for dead in the vehicle.

The pair say they met each other through the charity RoadPeace and campaign on the issue of dangerous driving and the impact it has on victims.