BBC News Travel

Good news for drivers on the M6 caught up in long tailbacks following the earlier crash near J7.

A school in Stoke-on-Trent told parents they could pick up children early after police established a cordon around nearby roads.

Armed police were sent to Ruxley Road in Bucknall at about 09:45 after reports of a domestic incident.

A woman remains in a serious condition in hospital and a cordon remains.

Kingsland CE Academy said it was following police advice and children and staff were safe, external, but one of the entrances was closed on Chapel Street.

The school said to avoid congestion parents were being allowed to pick up children early.

Worcester News

These are three of the stories featured on the Worcester News website today:

• Double yellow lines plan for school amid safety fears, external
• Burger chain "set to close" Cathedral Square restaurant before it's opened, external
• Headteacher "deflated" by chance reunion with homeless former pupil, external

BBC Politics

Speaking in the House of Commons this afternoon, shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth paraphrased comments earlier this week by then health minister Philip Dunne about there being "enough chairs to sit on" in a hospital where patients were seen lying in the corridor.

Ludlow MP Philip Dunne, who lost his government job in this week's reshuffle, said from the backbenches that patients lying in corridors was "unacceptable" but those photographed at Pinderfield Hospital were asked whether they wanted to sit in a seat and chose not to.

Image source, House of Commons

BBC News Travel

Two lanes have now reopened southbound on the M6 after the earlier crash between J7 and J6 involving several vehicles.

Two lanes remain shut to allow fuel to be cleared, Highways England says.

Queues are now stretching back to J9.

Image source, Highways England

Lee Blakeman
Port Vale commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

Port Vale's Kjell Knops says he has yet to hold talks with his manager about his future and that he feels injured players like himself are less of a priority for Neil Aspin.

The defender has been out since April with a serious knee injury, and won't be fully fit until the summer - which is when his current contract runs out.

Image source, Getty Images

Knops said he hoped to talk to his manager in the next few weeks.

The death of a woman found at a house in Hereford last night is being treated as "suspicious", say police., external

The woman believed to be in her 50s was found at property on Highmore Street at about 22:20 on Tuesday.

West Mercia Police say they believe the woman's death may be linked to a crash involving a van and pedestrian in Hereford earlier that day.

The man in his 40s, who is known to the woman, is in a stable condition after being hit by the vehicle on Roman Road at about 17:55 that evening.

Supt Sue Thomas from West Mercia Police said: "Enquiries are still at a very early stage but we are working to establish the circumstances of both incidents."

Shropshire Star

here are some of the stories featuring on the Shropshire Star website:

• Telford woman stole £23,000 from her employers, external
• Smacking children to be made illegal - on Welsh side of the border, external
• RAF Cosford Air Show to stay as a one-day event, external

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

A police cordon remains in place in Stoke-on-Trent after a domestic incident which left one woman with serious injuries in hospital.

Officers are on Ruxley Road in Bucknall near the A52 Werrington Road after armed police were initially deployed at 09:45.

Kingsland C of E Academy primary school which is within the police cordon says it is running as normal, and students and staff are fine.

The chief executive of a Birmingham company explains how it has continued to flourish in tough times.

Ben Godfrey
BBC Midlands Today

Rural businesses in Staffordshire have accused the police of failing to properly investigate large-scale thefts on their land.

Following a spate of burglaries in the fast few months, some farmers tell me they've lost confidence in the police and have resorted to hunting for their property themselves.

Earlier we brought you the story of Turfworld near Wolverhampton, which had goods stolen twice in one month.

Another farmer says on the 30 December, tractor batteries were stolen from a 1,000-acre farm in Pattingham – causing delays to potato orders.

Farmer Robert Evans says police have been helpful, but he’s not confident they’ll get a result.

Police admit, after an initial visit on the day, a "breakdown in communication" meant "no further investigation has occurred".

Staffordshire Police apologised to Mr Evans and says officers are "now proactively investigating this incident".

Matt Sandoz
Stoke City commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

Derby County boss Gary Rowett says speculation linking him with the vacant Stoke City manager's job is "flattering" and that it would be "massively tempting for any person".

He was the strong favourite to take over from Mark Hughes, but yesterday ruled himself out by signing a new contract at Pride Park.

Image source, Getty Images

Rowett says that while it was nice to be linked with the role, he has unfinished business at Derby.

Part of Dudley's new museum is going to be closed for two or three weeks because of a water leak, but the Duncan Edwards exhibition on the same site will open as planned tomorrow.

Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council said a fault with pumping equipment in the roof was to blame.

Image source, Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council

The authority said that no display items had been damaged, but some carpet and furniture would need replacing.

Primary school league tables show pupils with special needs are dropping further behind their classmates.

David Grundy
BBC Wales Swansea reporter

A Shropshire man was crushed in a service lift by heavy bar stools while he was helping to clear up in a Swansea bar, an inquest has been told.

Cyran Stewart, from Shifnal, who was 20, died in hospital four days after the incident at the Walkabout bar in February 2014.

Staff were moving furniture up from a cellar into the bar after a student night, the inquest heard.

Mr Stewart was trapped for more than half an hour before he was released and the acting senior coroner for Swansea and Neath Port Talbot, Colin Phillips, said the inquest would investigate the length of time it took to free him.

Huw Griffiths, from South Wales Police said it was "not an isolated incident".

The inquest’s expected to last two weeks.

Manufacturing figures are the strongest since 2008. A weaker currency and strong global growth are having an effect.

A former member of staff at the Aga foundry in Coalbrookdale is collecting memories of the site for a book.

The foundry closed in November and a "for sale sign" now stands outside.

Graham Hickman, who worked there for 40 years, said the site had been operating as a foundry for more than 300 years and was at the heart of the industrial revolution.

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

A 38-year-old woman has serious injuries after what police are describing as a domestic related incident in Stoke-on-Trent, which saw armed police officers deployed.

They were sent to Ruxley Road in Bucknall at 09:45, and a stretch of the nearby A52 Werrington Road is closed as they continue to deal with the incident.

The woman is currently in hospital. We'll bring you more on that when we get it.

A former West Midlands Police constable from Solihull has been given a suspended jail sentence after admitting having pornographic images of children as young as two.

James Duffield, 34, was sacked by the force in November and will have his 12-month sentence suspended for two years.

He will also have to take part in a programme to deal with his sexual behaviour, be under supervision for those two years and be placed on the sex offenders register.

Duffield will have to pay £420 in prosecution costs, £100 fine and victim surcharge of £100.

James Bond
Sports Producer, BBC Shropshire

An extra race has been added at Ludlow this afternoon, because of the high number of entries.

It's the second of three January meetings there and the seven-race day starts at 12:50.

Evan Williams has been the most successful trainer at Ludlow meetings over the past five years, and will have horses in two of the races today.