Nick Triggle
Health Correspondent

Hospitals all over the West Midlands are experiencing increased pressure at the moment, leading to delays and some non-urgent operations being postponed.

This isn't unexpected and the first week of the year is always difficult.

The lack of availability of community services, such as GPs, over the festive period means hospitals tend to see a surge in really sick patients at the turn of the year.

Image source, SATH

Respiratory illnesses also tend to spike after families have been mixing over Christmas bringing frailer older relatives in contact with young family members, increasing the risk of infections being passed on.

But it is also true to say that this is part of a pattern.

Last January was the worst in a generation and that followed the previous worst the year before.

About 150 routine operations have been postponed by the NHS in Shropshire.

The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust said some patients were also experiencing long delays because of high demand since Christmas.

The hospital trust said it was following national guidelines in the face of winter pressures, which recommended cancelling elective surgery and outpatient clinics until the end of this month.

It said it apologised to patients, but that it had to give priority to "urgent and emergency patients".

BBC Weather

Storm Eleanor will continue to bring very strong winds this afternoon, with large waves in coastal areas. Scattered blustery showers will push in too, with some drier and brighter spells in between. Highs of 8C.

More from BBC Weather

West Midlands Police say the six are being held on suspicion of preparing acts of terrorism.

Laura Goodman's partner says she has received death threats in the wake of her Facebook posts.

BBC News Travel

Part of a road's been shut in Redditch today after damage to a bridge., external

West Mercia Police has yet to reveal what caused it, but says a lane's shut towards Greenlands on Studley Road at the junction of Watery Lane.

Image source, West Mercia Police

Image source, West Mercia Police

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

An elderly woman is still in a critical condition in hospital after a house fire in Stoke-on-Trent before Christmas., external

Image source, Google

The fire service says it happened on South Street, Ball Green on 22 December and an investigation found it started in an overloaded plug extension socket.

The woman in her 80s was rescued by a neighbour and had suffered burns to most of her body.

Worcester's former Ireland international scrum-half Peter Stringer leaves, while Ryan Mills and Kurt Haupt extend deals.

An animal rescue charity says admissions to its centre at Much Wenlock, in Shropshire, were up by a third last year, from 2,520 to 3,373.

Cuan Wildlife Rescue said 2017 was its busiest year ever and that around a third of its cases involved hedgehogs.

Image source, Getty Images

The charity said its busiest months were June and July, with January and February the quietest.

Stephanie Barnard
BBC News

Western Power is advising people in Solihull that the majority of people will see their power restored by 14:30.

The B93 area is one of the worst affected areas in the West Midlands today following outages overnight.

Express and Star

The Express and Star website features these main headlines today:

• Machete attacker almost sliced off victim’s foot during drugs debt brawl, external
• Wolves legends pay tribute to John 'Foz' Hendley, external
• Family thank toy shop owner who saved Christmas after comic's plea following burglary, external

Lucy King
News Editor, BBC Radio Stoke

Toothbrush, check.

Hair brush, check.

Life-sized cut-out of Prince Harry, err...

You'd think you wouldn't forget such a token of the recently engaged prince but that's what one guest at a hotel in Stafford did.

The cardboard cut-out is among the more unusual items which guests at the Travelodge in the county town have left behind, according to the firm, external.

Other forgotten items at the Stafford site include a bonsai tree and a Tiffany engagement ring with Travelodge saying all unclaimed items, after three months, are donated to charity.

Allen Cook
BBC News

It wasn't just strong winds and rain which Storm Eleanor brought to the West Midlands last night.

Many people in Coventry reported seeing or hearing a hailstorm and Darren Bovis-Coulter filmed this video of it in the early hours of this morning:

The partner of a chef who boasted online of spiking a vegan diner's meal says she will be taking some time off the business, to "clear her head".

Laura Goodman, a co-owner of the Carlini restaurants, has stepped down from the chef role.

Carlini is also recruiting for an additional head chef to work across its two restaurants in Shropshire, but says this was something it had been planning before the controversy.

Stephanie Barnard
BBC News

About 800 properties in the West Midlands continue to be without power following outages.

Western Power says its engineers are working hard to restore power to those affected by mid-afternoon. Marston Green in Birmingham remains the worst affected, external with about 200 homes and businesses without power.

A spokesman says anyone who has been affected should call 105 and report the issue.

Image source, Google

BBC Sport

Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo has been charged with misconduct after his sending-off in the game against Bristol City.

He has been given until 18:00 on 5 January to respond.

Image source, Getty Images

BBC Derby Sport

Burton Albion boss Nigel Clough has told a news conference he has had "no contact" from Nottingham Forest about their managerial vacancy.

He said: "There's nothing to rule out at the moment. Football is far too unpredictable to rule anything in or out. I'm manager of Burton Albion."

He added that he felt Mark Warburton had been "very unlucky" to be fired by Forest after only nine months in charge.

Chris King
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

A health watchdog in Staffordshire has called for a total review of the A&E unit at the Royal Stoke University Hospital, after a doctor apologised for "third world conditions" at the site.

Dr Richard Fawcett, whose Twitter profile lists him as a consultant at University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, made the statement on Twitter, external about the Royal Stoke's emergency unit.

The hospital trust responded by saying it had been under "severe and sustained pressure over the Christmas period" and this had "continued into the new year".

Today, the hospital says there are waiting times of more than four hours, external at the site and Healthwatch Staffordshire says they want a total review of how the A&E unit is run.

Walsall re-sign former West Ham loan midfielder George Dobson from Sparta Rotterdam on a two-and-a-half-year deal.

Here are a few photos of the roof felt blown off the flats in Shard End, Birmingham, early this morning. Nobody is thought to have been injured.

Separately, West Midlands Fire Service said crews had been called out to five weather-related incidents overnight.