Lee Blakeman
Port Vale commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

Port Vale's Antony Kay feels the team has what it takes to push for the play-offs this season.

The club is currently in 18th place in the division, 11 points off League Two's top-seven with 20 games still to go.

Image source, Getty Images

They are undefeated in the league since 25 November and have won five of their last six.

Andy Giddings
BBC News

On more than 1,200 occasions ambulances were delayed for more than half an hour outside Worcestershire Acute Hospitals over the course of December.

That included 246 ambulances which were delayed for more than an hour, before patients could be admitted.

The figures are the worst for the West Midlands, with the Dudley Group Foundation Trust coming second for delays of over an hour, with 135 ambulances held up during the month.

The delays in Worcestershire were worst during the snow in mid-December and during Christmas week when there were 413 held up by more than half an hour, 118 of them for over an hour.

A striking image of a mystery green-haired girl is among graffiti that has sprung-up in an area of Wolverhampton.

The images have been painted on wooden panels on Wednesfield Road on the Heath Town estate - they have been described as "modern day artwork" by a local councillor.

Councillor Milkinder Jaspal said the dozens of images that have been painted are certainly "eyecatching".

"The old demolished pub had become an eyesore," he said, and members of the community had come forward to brighten up the area.

"I didn't invite anyone, in the community we've had this over a number of years, there's a history to it.

"Young people have taken it upon themselves to work on it to improve the fencing and enhance the area radically".

One man is in hospital with life-threatening injuries, and three others seriously injured, after the car they were travelling in hit a building while being pursued by an unmarked police car in Birmingham.

The vehicle came off Pershore Road, Cotteridge at about 01:30 after a "short pursuit", West Midlands Police said., external

The 20-year-old driver, and three passengers aged 17, 18 and 19 were in a blue Ford Fiesta, believed to have been stolen, said officers.

The road was closed at the junction with Holly Road and Watford Road for a time in order to allow the vehicle to be recovered and an investigation to take place.

The incident has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

A residential area in Oxford has been cordoned off by police after a boy was found dead.

A boy - who's believed to have been 16 and from Birmingham - was found with stab wounds in Friars Wharf and two people from Oxford have been arrested on suspicion of murder.

The investigation is still in its "early stages" according to Det Ch Insp Andy Howard from Thames Valley Police's Major Crime Unit.

He says there will be an increased police presence in the coming days while police make inquiries.

Drivers are warned to expect delays on the M5 today as one lane of the northbound carriageway remains closed after yesterday's lorry fire.

Image source, Google

Two people have been arrested on suspicion of murder after a boy died in Oxford.

The victim was found with stab wounds after police were called to Friars Wharf at about 19:55 GMT yesterday and died in hospital.

The boy is believed to be a 16-year-old from the Birmingham area.

A 25-year-old woman and a 33-year-old man, both from Oxford, have been arrested and remain in custody.

Matt Sandoz
Stoke City commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

The former Stoke City captain Denis Smith hopes the club keeps faith with manager Mark Hughes.

He has come under increased pressure after a run of just 11 wins in their last 41 Premier League matches.

Image source, Getty Images

Smith, who played more than 400 times for the club, before managing the likes of Sunderland, Bristol City and Oxford United said there aren't any obvious candidates to replace Hughes.

A petition opposing calls to change the name of a Black Country street because it's "too rude" has attracted more than 3,000 signatures.

Image source, PA

Some residents in Bell End claim the "offensive word" makes them a laughing stock and wanted the name changed, but the rival campaign demanding council bosses "leave the historic name of Bell End alone" has had much more support.

Sandwell Council has posted a thread on Twitter, external detailing Bell End's history, saying the street name almost certainly has medieval origins.

Image source, Sandwell Council/Twitter

The council tweeted: "We understand two petitions have been set up. Some people find the road name Bell End offensive - but others say it's historic and refers to the area's mining past.

"We'll look at both petitions and their requests in more detail when we receive them."

House prices in the West Midlands performed stronger than the national average, with a rise of 5.2% last year.

Image source, PA

According to building society Nationwide, external, there was a national rise of just 2.6% in 2017 compared with a 4.5% rise in 2016.

London ended the year the weakest performing region for the first time since 2004.

Robert Gardner, Nationwide's chief economist, said 2017 "saw the beginnings of a shift", as rates of price growth in the South moderated towards those in the rest of the country.

A charity group which goes out on a Friday and Saturday night, helping people who've had too much to drink, are looking to recruit more volunteers.

The Telford Street Pastors are particularly looking for women volunteers.

The organisation says you have to be fit, a Christian and have been recommended by a church leader.

Andrew Hewkin
Newsreader, BBC Shropshire

Warning letters are to be sent out by West Mercia Police, in an attempt to cut the number of people in Shropshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire who drive without insurance.

The letters will give people three weeks to show that their cars are insured, or give a valid reason why their policy isn't shown on the system.

Driving without insurance carries a fixed penalty of £300 and six penalty points.

If it goes to court, you could be disqualified from driving and face an unlimited fine.

BBC Business News

Supermarket chain Aldi racked up record sales in the UK and Ireland over Christmas and crossed the £10bn mark for the first time.

Image source, Getty Images

The company, which has its UK headquarters in Atherstone, Warwickshire, saw UK sales rise by more than 15% in December compared with the year earlier.

The German chain currently has a 6.9% share of the UK market, according to Kantar Worldpanel., external

This figure makes it the fifth-biggest supermarket in the UK after Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's and Morrisons.

Coventry Telegraph

Some of the main stories on the Coventry Telegraph website today include:

• Food bank calls on Coventry to keep donating after demand doubled over Christmas, external
• This is how much more you could pay for policing in 2018, external
• Mum ready to buy her three babies a headstone 36 years after they died, external

BBC WM Sport

West Ham are expected to issue a stadium ban to one of their supporters if it is determined comments were made about the death of the baby son of West Brom's Jake Livermore.

Image source, Getty

The midfielder was substituted during Tuesday's Premier League match at the London Stadium and had to be escorted down the tunnel after the incident, which saw him move to confront a home supporter.

The Football Association has requested observations from all parties, which must be received by 18:00 today.

BBC Midlands Today

A new leisure centre is set to open in the Stechford area of Birmingham on Monday.

Image source, Birmingham City Council

About £9m has been spent on the new facilities, which include a 25m swimming pool, fitness suite, sports halls and cafe.

The new facility is the second of four new leisure centres to be built and managed by the Birmingham Community Leisure Trust.

A street lamp powered by dog poo is helping to guide walkers on the Malvern Hills and is believed to be the first of its kind in the UK.

Environmentalists have built a device that allows pet owners to deposit a compostable bag of waste, which a specially made anaerobic digester coverts into gas which then powers the light.

Brian Harper has been testing the "canine lantern" for more than two years with waste from overflowing bins around Malvern.

Dog walkers are now being offered free paper bags on the way up a popular route and urged to deposit them in the digester on the way down.

The methane produced is stored and allows the light to burn for two hours every evening, guiding walkers.

Roads were closed overnight as firefighters tackled a large house fire in Tamworth.

Crews worked through the night damping down and carrying salvage operations at the two-storey house on Ashby Road.

The Environment Agency said it's monitoring storm surges with some flood warnings still in place south of our region.

Image source, Environment Agency

Peaks are expected this evening and Friday morning on the Severn and Wye.

Flood warnings have been issued for:

• River Lugg south of Leominster, external
• River Severn in Worcestershire, external
• River Wye in Herefordshire, external
• River Avon in Worcestershire, external
• River Leam and River Itchen, external
• Upper Avon River Swift and Clay Coton Brook, external
• River Severn in Shropshire, external
• River Worfe, external
• Tern and Perry Catchments, external
• Severn Vyrnwy Confluence, external

Express and Star

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

• £90,000 Trainline ticket cheat ordered to pay back £1, external
• NHS crisis: A&E warning as winter pressure cripples hospitals, external
• Petition launched over eyesore Black Country shops, external