The all-female crew included the oldest woman to cross the ocean by rowing aged 62, officials say.

Louisa Currie
Reporter, BBC Midlands Today

A new bell for Worcester Cathedral's tower was hoisted into position earlier.

Weighing around half a tonne (500kg), it was pulled up about 200ft (61m) by hand.

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

Plans for council tax in Stoke-on-Trent to increase by 4% could be agreed by the authority's cabinet today., external

A public consultation on the council's planned £10m budget savings ended in early January with some proposals dropped completely or scaled back., external

They include not relocating Burslem Gymnastics Centre to the Fenton Manor Leisure Complex and not bringing on parking charges at Central Forest Park and Westport Lake.

The council says the tax rise will mean the majority of residents will see a £32.50 increase for the year.

The plans are due before its cabinet today with a final decision due next week by the full council.

Allen Cook
BBC News

A man tried to set another man on fire, spraying lighter fuel in his face, after he tried to stop him setting cars alight, police say.

Officers were called yesterday to Reedmace Walk, Newcastle-under-Lyme, to reports of a man spraying lighter fuel over vehicles and trying set them on fire.

Image source, Google

He was challenged by a 54-year-old man but sprayed the liquid in his face, attempting to set him on fire.

An attempted robbery was then carried out on Gallingale Walk and a 42-year-old woman in a vehicle attacked.

The force says a 37-year-old from Stoke-on-Trent was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and robbery and also on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle from earlier in the day.

The injured man was treated at the scene.

The father of eight-year-old Mylee Billingham has been charged with her murder.

William Billingham, who is also charged with making threats to kill Mylee's mother on 20 January appeared before Walsall magistrates earlier, but was not asked to enter a plea.

Image source, Family handout

Mr Billingham has been remanded in custody and the case has been adjourned until a further hearing at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Thursday.

An athlete's village with about 1,000 homes will be built in Perry Barr.

It will have paces to eat and get medical treatment and it will be built on a 24-hectare site off the A453 Aldridge Road.

Image source, Birmingham 2022

Birmingham City Council said up to 6,500 competitors and officials will be housed there for the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

BBC Sport

British Davis Cup winner James Ward will be one of the biggest names in the first round of the GB Pro-Series tennis tournament in Shrewsbury today.

The 31-year-old is making a comeback from knee surgery and has been drawn against Andres Artunedo Martinavarro of Spain in the first round.

Image source, Getty Images

Ward will be fourth on court four and there are 16 singles matches due to be played.

Louisa Currie
Reporter, BBC Midlands Today

It's not just a new bell being installed that's been going on at Worcester Cathedral today.

Given it's Shrove Tuesday, the site's been hosting its annual pancake race around the medieval cloister.

Reverend Canon Dr Michael Brierley won the event.

Image source, Diocese of Worcester

Birmingham Mail

The Birmingham Mail's covering these stories today:

• Fraudsters targeting Indian community by using 'genuine' Home Office telephone numbers, external
• Rickshaws could become regular sight on the streets of Birmingham, external
• Thomas Cook flights to Tunisia resume after 2015 Sousse massacre, external

Tuesday's League Two game between Port Vale and Exeter City is postponed because of an unplayable pitch.

There's a lane closed on the A38 northbound near Burton.

Facebook

You've been having your say on the news a man with Parkinson's disease was told to leave a Halfords store for acting suspiciously by "walking funny".

The firm has "sincerely apologised" after Chris Cartlidge, 51, was ejected from the shop in Stoke-on-Trent after his symptoms caused his leg to stiffen and drag on the floor.

Image source, Katrina Cartlidge

On the BBC Midlands Facebook page, Jane Martin-Stuart shared this, external: "My dad had Parkinson's. One day at the supermarket checkout, he was having trouble getting his money out. The cashier said 'oh had a few to many have you?' He smiled and said no. When he told me I wanted to go to the shop and tell her how rude she was."

While Frances Sainsbury-Snelgrove added, external: "Sad but people need more education. It's not Halfords but the employees that need educating."

And Sporran McIntyre posted:, external "One would hope this is not a common occurrence but it does highlight how little awareness there is in the community of the symptoms of those who suffer this disease."

John Acres
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke

There'll be no game today at Port Vale FC.

BBC Hereford and Worcester

This footage shows the moment a group of university rowers collided with a barge on the water near Worcester at the weekend.

Eleven people had to be rescued from the River Severn after a barge got stuck on landing platforms. It was then hit by the rowers and then by a recovery boat, sent to help the rowers.

The University of Worcester says its usual investigation procedures are being followed after the collision.

Allen Cook
BBC News

A retired businesswoman from Pontesbury, who's just completed a 3,000 mile row across the Atlantic, says she did the crossing in aid of a close friend who has a rare, life-limiting condition., external

Image source, Atlantic Ladies

Di Carrington, 62, thought to be the oldest woman to complete an Atlantic row, says she wanted a challenge to prove herself, to achieve something in the face of adversity.

Team-mate Sharon Magrath, 54, from Shrewsbury, told the website, external she took part to show that you are never too old to learn something new and to challenge yourself.

Image source, Atlantic Ladies

BBC News Travel

There's reports of people on the line at Small Heath, Birmingham.

Alec Blackman
BBC Coventry & Warwickshire

Coventry City Council says it's going to face a £21m shortfall in funding by the time it sets a budget for 2020/21. , external

The authority's been finalising its budget for the coming financial year, saying it's planning to put up council tax by 4.9% from April.

Image source, PA

But it says more cuts in government funding and the impact of inflation mean it's forecasting its deficit to rise over the next three years.

Final approval on their budget is set to take place on 20 February.

This is the magical moment two band members got engaged at a BBC Introducing session in Shropshire.

Couple Rich Campbell and Sinead Duffy both play in the band Foxcover, external and, after performing a set at the BBC radio station in Shrewsbury, guitarist Rich got down on one knee.

The band, and the team from Introducing, were in on the plans - the only person who didn't know was Sinead.

Coventry Telegraph

These are among the top stories on the Coventry Telegraph's website today:

• Inflation-busting council tax set to rise by 4.9 per cent in Coventry, external
• Dionne Clark murder: Mum's killers jailed for more than 32 years, external
• Drugs warning after two men found dead in Rugby, external

James Bond
Sports Producer, BBC Shropshire

Shrewsbury Town captain Mat Sadler says it's great that the fans are dreaming of promotion and that he's motivated to keep their dreams alive.

They travel to Fleetwood tonight, hoping to put Saturday's defeat to Plymouth behind them and strengthen their grip on the automatic promotion places in League One.

Shrewsbury could secure both promotion and a trip to Wembley this season, if they can make to the final of the Checkatrade Trophy.