BBC Business News

Up to 40 Homebase stores could be closed across the country putting up to 2,000 jobs at risk.

Wesfarmers paid £340m for the DIY chain in early 2016 and has been rebranding the stores under the Bunnings name.

It operates more than 20 stores in the region, across the West Midlands, Staffordshire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire and Warwickshire.

Image source, Reuters

But after a "disappointing" performance the Australian firm has put Homebase under review and expects it to lose £97m in the first half of 2018.

Between 20 and 40 of its stores are performing so poorly that they might have to be closed altogether, it said.

A man has been fined after admitting operating an unauthorised scrap metal site in Herefordshire.

Edward G Gillum, 75, of Leominster Scrap Metal, off North Road, Leominster, admitted the charges dating between August 2015 and September 2017 when he appeared at Hereford Magistrates' Court on Friday.

The charges were brought by the Environment Agency under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, after a member of the public reported the illegal waste site.

Image source, Environment Agency

He was fined £3,340 and ordered to pay £8,669.54 in costs, along with a £150 victim surcharge.

Gillum registered for an Environmental Permit, but on a visit to the site in November 2015, the Environment Agency said its staff saw conditions were not being met.

An enforcement notice was served in July 2016 requiring Gillum to remove all waste from the site. But this was not complied with, the organisation said.

Image source, BBC Sport

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A surgeon has been jailed for six years for fraud after lying about the number of operations he had carried out to get a job.

Sudip Sarker told interviewers in 2011 he had conducted 85 keyhole procedures, 51 of them alone, but the true figure was just six. He was appointed to a £74,000 job at the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch.

Image source, Other

After a trial at Worcester Crown Court, the jury found him guilty of fraud by false representation.

Today, at the same court, Sarker, 48, of Botany Road in Broadstairs, Kent was sentenced to six years' imprisonment.

Previously, Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said Sarker had worked at the trust for 14 months, until his suspension in October 2012, which led to his later dismissal.

Shropshire Star

Some of the main stories on the Shropshire Star website today are:

• Three Telford men had to be rescued from a mountain in Snowdonia, external

• Quarter of county drivers admit using mobile phones, external at the wheel
• A5 project awarded £9.3m to transform route for new Oswestry homes, external

A man has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving after a fatal crash.

It happened on The Terrace in Clows Top in Worcestershire at 19:20 on Friday and involved a grey Lexus and a red Perodua Nippa.

The driver of the Perodua, a 52-year-old man suffered fatal injuries and died at the scene. His passenger, a 48-year-old woman was seriously injured and taken to hospital where she remains in a stable condition.

Image source, Google Maps

A 45-year-old man from Worcester, who was arrested, has been released under investigation.

Police are appealing for anyone who saw the incident to come forward.

Worcester Warriors has confirmed that head coach Carl Hogg will leave the club when his contract comes to an end.

Hogg has been at the Club since 2013, and was part of the coaching team which oversaw B&I Cup success and promotion from the Championship in 2015

He also helped the Warriors retain their Aviva Premiership status over the last two seasons.

Image source, Worcester Warriors

He said: “I am looking forward to focusing on the next stage of my rugby journey.

“Worcester Warriors have experienced some turbulent times since I arrived five seasons ago but I feel proud to have navigated the club through this difficult and volatile period."

Warriors Chairman, Bill Bolsover, has wished Mr Hogg well for the future.

Rail operator Northern is replacing its 30-year-old Pacers with new trains.

Image source, NORTHERN

The 98-strong fleet will come into service by Christmas and are capable of travelling at 100mph (160 km/h), will be fully accessible, and have wi-fi and plug sockets.

The first completed train is due off the production line in the coming weeks.

Northern's managing director said it was a "landmark moment" for rail travel in the north of England.

Some urgent operations have been cancelled at the Royal Stoke University Hospital due to "sustained pressure" on services, it has been revealed.

The hospital trust says the number of people visiting the hospital with flu has been a contributing factor to some of the cancellations.

A total of 635 patients have been admitted for flu since the start of November 2017, of which 95 have needed a critical care bed.

It says it has had to cancel about 50 heart operations and 20 to 25 procedures for cancer since December.

BBC Weather Watchers

The BBC Weather Watchers have been busy uploading pictures of this morning's sunrise.

Peter Bear Lowe took this image in Birmingham.

Image source, Peter Bear Lowe

This was also taken in Birmingham by Paulus.

Image source, Paulus

Fiona D took this in Staunton on Wye, Herefordshire.

Image source, Fiona D

BBC Business News

A further 452 workers have lost their jobs as a result of the collapse of Wolverhampton-based company Carillion.

An update from the Official Receiver, external confirmed the losses, which came on top of the 377 losses announced last week., external

Image source, PA

In a statement, it said: “As part of the ongoing liquidation of the Carillion group, we have reviewed additional public and private sector contracts, as well as core divisions of the business.

“We can confirm that we have safeguarded a further 100 jobs and these roles are linked to public sector contracts. Most staff will be transferring on existing or similar terms."

“Unfortunately, 452 posts are being made redundant. They cover a variety of roles connected with private and public contracts across different parts of the country, as well as back-office functions."

Express and Star

Some of the main stories on the Express and Star website today are:

• Midlands braced, external for 'coldest week of winter'
• Wolverhampton Civic Hall: Extra £23.7m pledged for botched revamp bid, external
• Thousands more workers needed for Midlands construction projects, external

Mums-to-be will be able to deliver their babies in Shrewsbury again, as of tomorrow.

The midwife-led unit at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital has been moved to another part of the Copthorne Building to allow further repair work to take place after last month’s heavy snowfall caused damage to the roof.

Image source, Google Maps

Birthing and other inpatient services were suspended on 11 December, although it remained open for outpatient services

The relocation means that women will again be able to give birth at the MLU from Tuesday.

The closing speeches at the sex abuse trial of former Crewe Alexandra football coach Barry Bennell are due to be heard today.

The 64-year-old is accused of 48 sex abuse offences against 11 boys.

Image source, Julia Quenzler

Last week, jurors were told that no evidence would be offered in his defence.

Mr Bennell, who now goes by the name Richard Jones, denies sexually abusing the boys between 1979 and 1991.

Firefighters had to extinguish a blaze in an empty pub at the weekend.

It broke out at the Castle Inn in Old Coleham in Shrewsbury at 19:18 on Sunday.

Image source, Google Maps

Crews used hoses and the aerial ladder platform to put out the flames.

Officers from West Mercia Police were also at the scene.

Police say men were interviewed and will be summoned to appear at court on suspicion of wildlife offences.

England and Wasps rugby star James Haskell explains why he loves fishing pieces of metal from the bottom of canals.

The Sentinel

Here are some of the stories making the headlines in The Sentinel this morning:

• Stoke-on-Trent has the highest number of council homes with 'serious hazards' in the whole country, external
• 'University school' told to improve after being branded inadequate by inspectors, external
• Temperatures to fall and snow forecast tomorrow, external

Manchester City are to travel to Birmingham City in the Women's FA Cup fifth round, in a repeat of last season's final.

A footballer playing in Shropshire is fighting to stay in the country.

Hovik Nersesyan, 23, plays for Whitchurch Alport and says, he believes, he will be killed if he returns to his home country of Armenia.

The club is backing his political asylum appeal which is being heard later this month.

The Home Office says it does not comment on individual cases.