Karl Krikken leaves his role as Shropshire director of cricket to take on a coaching position with Lancashire.

Road restrictions have been put in place around Victoria Square in Birmingham for gas works to be carried out.

Image source, Birmingham City Council

Waterloo Street, Colmore Row and Bennetts Hill will all be affected until 23 February.

Facebook

Lots of people have been commenting on the Midlands Today Facebook page, external about the Egyptian doctor - Amany Abdelmeguid - recruited by the NHS, who's had an application for her three-year-old daughter to join her rejected.

Nicky Ferguson posts: "She's using her skills to save lives. The least we can do to thank her is let her daughter come over. It’s a disgrace!"

Clare Preece writes: "This is outrageous. We depend heavily on these doctors. What planet are these people on that deny this woman her child? Unbelievable. Where is the petition?"

Paul Gilbert said: "It's pretty simple, unless she has sole custody then both parents must be legally present in the UK. If that's not the case then that's why it'll be repeatedly rejected."

Gabrielle Thomson writes: "Lets hope it is sorted out v soon. There are also professionals among the refugees who would be really useful to this country if they were allowed to work."

Hilda Linford posts: "How sad that the doctor didn't check out our immigation rules before coming to Britain. She will now take her skills elsewhere which will be our loss."

The jury in the trial of the former Crewe Alexandra coach Barry Bennell has retired to consider its verdict this morning.

The 64-year-old denies 48 claims of child abuse against 11 victims.

Image source, PA

The judge has already told them they have to find him not guilty on three charges, due to a lack of evidence.

Police have released CCTV footage of an assault in Birmingham city centre.

The attack on 5 November on Broad Street left the victim with a broken jaw and he had to undergo emergency surgery, officers said.

West Midlands Police said attempts to trace seven suspects had so far been unsuccessful. Officers believe those involved are from the Nottingham area, external.

A nursery worker, found guilty of sexually assaulting a young child in his care, has been jailed for 12 years and six months.

James Riley, 42, of Widdrington Road, Coventry, also admitted three counts of making indecent photographs of children.

Warwick Crown Court heard that images of child pornography were found on Riley's laptop after a child told their parents they'd been assaulted by a worker.

Speaking after yesterday's sentencing, Rhiannon Jones from the Crown Prosecution Service said Riley had "abused his position of trust for his own sexual gratification".

David Williams stabbed a stranger on a bench in an "unprovoked" attack.

BBC Sport

Worcester's Ben Te'o has been dropped for England's second Six Nations match, external, against Wales this weekend.

He has lost his place to Bath's Jonathan Joseph.

Image source, Getty Images

Joe Launchbury from Wasps is included in the side.

Express and Star

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

• Hospital splashes £250k on security after spate of attacks on staff and patients, external
• Bridal store owner left 'sickened' and £13k out of pocket after burglars raid Walsall shop, external
• 'I thought I was going to die': Victim speaks after Brownhills knifeman's rampage left him fighting for his life, external

A hospital rehabilitation unit in Hereford is going to close by the end of the month.

The 22-bed Hillside Intermediate Care Centre provides care to people after a stay in hospital.

Image source, Google

Wye Valley NHS Trust says patients will be given a package of care in their own homes instead and guaranteed that those who need a bed will get one elsewhere.

A charity says January 2018 was its busiest ever month as unsecured personal loan debts increased.

A man who's refusing to come out of a property, and made threats to harm himself, is being spoken to by police negotiators at an address in Coventry.

An area around Briscoe Road in the city is currently sealed off.

Officers went to make a pre-planned arrest at about 03:00, but the man refused to co-operate, police say.

No one else is believed to be in the house.

Maikel Kieftenbeld says Birmingham's improved away form gives them a good feeling ahead of Sunday's derby at Villa Park.

Video has been released of a huge house fire in Birmingham on Tuesday morning.

At its height, more than 30 firefighters tackled the blaze on Hamstead Road, Handsworth in a bid to stop it spreading to an adjoining property.

More cold and icy weather could cause disruption to commuters in the north of the region, the Met Office is warning., external

Image source, Met Office

Heavy snow showers are expected to follow on from a spell of rain, sleet and hill snow late on Thursday, mainly affecting Staffordshire and Cheshire, forecasters said.

A study of six and seven-year-olds found no benefits to diet, activity levels or weight status.

A chief constable is facing a disciplinary hearing accused of "angry outbursts and aggressive attacks" on his staff, along with bullying claims.

Details of the gross misconduct allegations against Simon Byrne have been released by , externalCheshire Police and Crime Commissioner's office.

Mr Byrne, who has been chief constable since 2014, was suspended in August pending the hearing.

Neither Mr Byrne nor the force has commented on the case.

Coventry Telegraph

Some of the headlining stories on the Coventry Telegraph website today are:

• Godiva Festival being moved back to end of August, external
• Men accused of raping teenage girls, external
• Firefighters rescue woman from underneath car, external

National Trust rangers have begun planting new trees in north Staffordshire in a bid to protect the woods from a deadly disease.

The National Trust says the woodlands, particularly in the Staffordshire Peaks, are under serious threat from the fungal disease ash dieback.

Image source, PA

The organisation aims to raise £50,000 to pay for the trees and create better habitats for wildlife.

The disease now affects more than 2 million sq km, from Scandinavia to Italy.

The remains of a Roman building, uncovered during building works in Warwick, could have been the largest building of its time in the region, archaeologists say.

Image source, Warwickshire County Council

The previously unknown remains were uncovered during work to relocate King's High School to the Independent Schools Foundation site on Banbury Road.

Image source, Warwickshire County Council

The villa is believed to have been part of an estate that spread along the banks of the Avon and connected with the Roman road system, archaeologist Stuart Palmer said.

The remains of the 28m (91ft) long by 14.5m (47ft) wide building will be preserved under the new campus.