BBC News England

Train passengers planning to travel over the Christmas period in the West Midlands are being warned of disruption.

Services to and from Birmingham will terminate and begin at Wolverhampton.

Network Rail says it's because of track upgrade work and will last from Christmas Eve to 2 January.

Virgin Trains is also warning customers of a reduced number of services between the region and London Euston on 22 December , externaldue to strike action.

A man in his 50s who was found lying in the road in front of a bus in a Warwickshire village has died.

Warwickshire police were called to Vicarage Road in Flecknoe last Friday and said the man was helped to his feet, seen by a doctor, and taken home with no reported injuries.

Image source, Google

The force is now investigating.

James Bond
Sports Producer, BBC Shropshire

The New Saints are four points clear at the top of the Welsh Premier League after a 3-0 home win over third-placed Connah's Quay last night.

Jamie Mullan, Ryan Brobbel and Jon Routledge scored the goals at Oswestry's Park Hall stadium.

TNS play Aberystwyth Town on Friday.

Birmingham is set to be officially announced as the host of the 2022 Commonwealth Games on Thursday.

AFC Telford United are out of the FA Trophy after losing 1-0 away to Blyth Spartans last night.

But, the penalty that decided the tie has upset Telford manager Rob Edwards, who said it was a "blatant dive".

Edwards said he thought his side "looked a really good team" against a team that "dominate a lot of games" and added "they haven't hurt us at all".

Dan Roan
BBC Sports editor

Birmingham is expected to be officially confirmed tomorrow as hosts of the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

At £750m they will be the most expensive sports event held in Great Britain since London 2012.

The news was reported by Inside the Games this morning, external.

Express and Star

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

• Parents could be fined for children being late to school just 10 times, external
• Historic Dudley pub saved from demolition, external
• More than 2,000 crimes in just four areas of Wolverhampton in eight months, external

The stepfather of a five-year-old boy who drowned at a water park last year is due to be sentenced today, after pleading guilty last month to manslaughter by gross negligence.

Charlie Dunn, who could not swim, was pulled from the water at Bosworth Water Park in Leicestershire on 23 July 2016.

Image source, Family handout

Paul Smith, who is 36 and from Tamworth, had denied letting the boy wander off alone for more than two hours but changed his plea during the trial at Birmingham Crown Court.

Charlie's mother, 28-year-old Lynsey Dunn will also be sentenced today after admitting a charge of neglect in connection with Charlie after an incident between July 2014 and July 2016, in which she failed to supervise him near a busy road.

The government announcement that police forces are being given the power to raise their part of your council tax by up to £12 per household per year has met a mixed response from Police and Crime Commissioners in the region.

Staffordshire's Conservative PCC Matthew Ellis said the move "does provide options" and that he would give an increase "a lot of thought".

But Labour's West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson said there was a lack of funding directly from the government and that it was "once again a disappointing settlement that falls a long way short of what police forces require".

Image source, EPA

Government says it's putting in £50m extra for counter-terror policing and £130m for national projects, including new technology.

Andy Giddings
BBC News

The parents of a premature baby who spent last Christmas in hospital are trying to spread some festive cheer with gifts for mums and dads in the same situation this year.

Arlo Watson, from Broseley in Shropshire, was born at 25 weeks. Doctors said he had a 50% chance of surviving until his first birthday, but he is now out of hospital and able to spend his first Christmas at home.

His parents, Laura and Sammy Watson, say their spirits were lifted by gifts left for them by hospital staff and they've responded by buying painted baubles and hampers.

They will be delivered to the four hospitals where he received treatment and are also being offered to staff.

Kidderminster's Brinton Park is getting just under £218,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund and Big Lottery Fund, to pay for its development.

The money has been given to Wyre Forest District Council, which is also contributing £25,000, and will go towards building a cafe and toilets, and restoring the lake and bridge.

Image source, Google

The council is planning to apply for a full grant to allow it to restore the park's heritage aspects, including a bandstand and a World War One memorial.

More than 1,300 people have signed an online petition, external against a planned name change for a Telford school.

Following a sponsorship deal, The Abraham Darby Academy in Madeley will become known as Haberdashers' Abraham Darby.

Image source, Google

The Haberdashers Company is an ancient Merchant Guild of London and the protesters say it's an insult to the Shropshire man who built the world's first iron bridge.

Seven men and women from Stoke-on-Trent have been charged in connection with 14 robberies in north Staffordshire.

Staffordshire Police says the majority of the robberies took place at convenience stores and off licences, and all occurred between November 2016 and January of this year.

The seven, who are aged between 18 and 27, are due before magistrates on Thursday.

Stall holders at indoor markets in Stoke-on-Trent are urging the city council to spend more money to attract new traders.

New figures show that Hanley Indoor Market is getting a million fewer visitors than it did 10 years ago, with its income falling by about £100,000 between 2011 and 2015.

Image source, Getty Images

Stoke Indoor Market saw a fall in profits of £24,000 in the financial year up to 2016.

Elaine Muir
Journalist, BBC Shropshire

West Mercia's Police and Crime Commissioner is asking for a 4% increase in the money the force gets from its council tax precept.

The increase would come into effect from April and would mean the equivalent of an extra £7.58 a year on a band D property's council tax.

Image source, Police and Crime Commissioner

West Mercia's Conservative commissioner John Campion says the money is needed to ensure a good service for local communities.

The proposal is subject to a public consultation which will close next month.

Walsall Manor Hospital has been rated as "requires improvement" after an inspection by the Care Quality Commission.

Two years ago, inspectors found significant improvements were needed - the trust was rated "inadequate" and placed in special measures.

Image source, Google

When inspectors revisited earlier this year they found a number of improvements had been made, but said more work was needed, external.

Sara Blizzard
BBC Weather

We're forecast a misty morning and it will remain overcast for the rest of the day.

Temperatures could reach 11C (52F) in places.

Andy Giddings
BBC News

Welcome to our live service for Tuesday.

We'll be bringing you all the news, sport, travel and weather for the West Midlands.

We love to hear from you so share your news, thoughts and photos of the area with us via email, Twitter, external and Facebook., external

A couple whose son spent his first Christmas in hospital are giving presents to premature babies.

Kasar Jehangir was one of six people killed in the multi-car crash in Birmingham.