Joanne Gallacher
Political reporter, BBC Shropshire

Council tax for people living in Telford and Wrekin will rise by 3.2% from April, under proposals from the council., external

Image source, Google

It says it's sticking to its agreement from last year that tax in 2018 and 2019 will go up by 3.2%, adding 58p a week to a Band B home.

The council also says it'll stick to planned cuts of another £7m next year on top of £110m of savings since 2010.

Allen Cook
BBC News

Screens and gratings are being cleared on waterways in Worcester , externalas more rain is forecast.

Image source, Environment Agency

The Environment Agency says high tides are predicted, so staff have been working to clear any build-ups of rubbish.

Hereford Times

These are some of the big stories on the Hereford Times website today:

• Arrest made in murder inquiry in Worcester, external
• Cabinet member: 'Bypass is the most popular option', external
• Man with serious head injuries found in Leominster street, external

Allen Cook
BBC News

Words written by Shropshire-born poet Wilfred Owen will be printed on a £2 coin.

Image source, Getty Images

The Royal Mint is printing commemorative coins , externalincluding ones marking the anniversary of women gaining the right to vote.

Another commemorates 100 years since the armistice was signed to end World War One.

It features a quote from Wilfred Owen, who was born on the edge of Oswestry and later lived in Shrewsbury, from his poem Strange Meeting: "The truth untold, the pity of war."

Four teenage girls were trafficked from Vietnam and forced to work without wages.

Rich Davis
BBC Weather presenter

Heavy rain is expected overnight with winds becoming very strong by the early hours of the morning and highs of 5C (41F).

Theodore Johnson already had convictions for killing two women he had been in relationships with.

Lucy King
News Editor, BBC Radio Stoke

Conditions at the Royal Stoke University Hospital have been described as "third-world" by an A&E consultant who works there, external, because of overcrowding.

Image source, Twitter

Dr Richard Fawcett apologised on Twitter, external today after earlier posting , externalthat it "breaks my heart to see so many frail and elderly patients on the corridor for hours and hours".

The hospital's website said at 13:30 that there was more than a four hour wait for patients in A&E., external

The University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, which runs the Royal Stoke, says it has had a "challenging" Christmas period and admits some patients have seen long waits due to the pressure on their emergency department.

The trust has apologised for the delays and has urged people to only come to their A&E units for life-threatening or urgent needs.

Vicky Norton
BBC Radio Stoke

A former Crewe Alexandra football coach is due to appear in court tomorrow charged with a number of historical sex offences.

Paul McCann, 57, faces six charges against one victim between 1987 and 1989, Cheshire Police said.

The force said the charges included indecent assault on a boy under the age of 16 years and indecent assault on a boy aged 16 or over.

Mr McCann, of Cheshire, is set to appear before South Cheshire Magistrates' Court, Crewe.

BBC News Travel

Image source, Highways England

Three lanes have been blocked on the M5 this evening after a crash in which a lorry's overturned., external

Highways England says delays are building after the collision between junctions six and five on the northbound side, near Droitwich Spa.

Allen Cook
BBC News

Visitors to the Iron Bridge in Shropshire are being promised they will be able to see conservation work close up.

The £3.6m conservation project was wrapped up for Christmas with less of the structure visible.

But English Heritage says it is planning to set up a scaffold walkway to give people a chance to see the efforts close-up.

The Iron Bridge has just passed an anniversary as 1 January 1781 was the date when the crossing was opened to traffic., external

Two prisoners are wanted by police after absconding from HMP Kirkham in Lancashire.

Image source, Lancashire Police

Thomas Quadrio and Michael O’Leary have not been seen since New Year's Day.

Quadrio, 33, who has links to the Cheshire and Merseyside areas, was serving a five-year- sentence for drugs offences.

O’Leary, 34, who also goes by the names David Barker and Paul Silk, has a tattoo of Jesus on his left upper arm. He was sentenced to three years for burglary and theft and has links to Manchester.

An online petition says living in Bell End makes residents a "laughing stock" and invites bullying.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are to visit Coventry later this month, Kensington Palace has announced.

They will visit Coventry Cathedral, Coventry University and youth organisation the Positive Youth Foundation.

Environment Agency staff will be at Upton-upon-Severn in Worcestershire later as River Severn levels continue to rise.

Lee Blakeman
Port Vale commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

Port Vale's manager Neil Aspin says there's no pressure on their new signing, striker Dior Angus from non-league Redditch United.

Image source, Port Vale FC

The 23-year-old has scored 17 goals for Southern League Premier Division side Redditch this season.

But the Vale boss says he's not going to expect instant results from his new signing.

Stoke are debating the future of manager Mark Hughes after a run of seven defeats in 10 Premier League games.

Kevin Beresford still loves his Redditch roundabouts, but now cranes have been added to his photographic hobbies.

Six men from Birmingham were injured during an altercation at Crystal Bar in Sheffield.

Allen Cook
BBC News

Eight flood alerts are still in place after the recent heavy rain and wintry weather.

Image source, Google

They are for:

• The Severn Vyrnwy Confluence in Shropshire, external
• The River Severn in Shropshire, external
• The Tern and Perry Catchments in Shropshire, external
• The Rea Brook and Cound Brook areas of Shropshire, external
• The River Lugg south of Leominster, external
• The River Arrow in Herefordshire, external
• The River Churnet and River Tean in Staffordshire , external
• The River Leam and River Itchen in Warwickshire , external

The Environment Agency says the alerts mean flooding is possible in those areas and, with more rain forecast, river levels could rise even more.