With temperatures set to drop overnight, council gritters will be out and about in Birmingham.

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Tributes and messages of sympathy have been pouring in on social media following the death of a two-year-old boy in a hit-and-run crash.

On the BBC Midlands Facebook page, external, Phil Rooney commented: "This is terrible, thoughts and prayers to the family and injured. RIP little fella."

And Paul Wells added: "This awful news I feel sorry for the family who have lost there 2 year old boy and hope the 6 year pulls though."

Two people have been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving in relation to a crash which killed a two-year-old boy, West Midlands Police said.

They are a 53-year-old man, previously reported to be 22 by police, and a woman, aged 41.

The boy's six-year-old brother is also in a critical condition in hospital following the crash in Coventry, this afternoon.

A drink-driver begged magistrates not to ban her from the road because her £6m mansion's quarter-mile driveway was too long for her to walk.

Image source, Cavendish

Barbara Woodward, 56, also claimed she would struggle to do community service as she had never worked in her life.

Police arrested her for being three times the limit at 09:00 GMT in Chelford, Cheshire on 17 November.

She denied drink driving but was banned for two years after being convicted at Stockport Magistrates' Court.

The family involved in a 'hit-and-run' crash in Coventry in which a two-year-old has died and his brother, six, has been critically injured, are being supported by specialist officers, police said., external

“This is a parent’s worst nightmare and it’s impossible to imagine their grief," said Det Sgt Paul Hughes from West Midlands Police.

A 22-year-old man and a 41-year-old woman were arrested after the incident on MacDonald Road in the Stoke area of the city.

An area remains closed for the police investigation.

A two-year-old has died and his six-year-old brother is in a critical condition in hospital after being hit by a vehicle that failed to stop in Coventry.

Both were taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries, but the toddler died, the ambulance service said.

A black Ford Focus was found abandoned a short time after the crash and two people have been arrested, police said.

Bus services are being diverted away from the scene of a serious crash in Coventry, and are not serving Longfellow Road.

Longfellow Road is expected to remain closed for some time, police say, between Shipswell Highway and Shelley Road in Coventry.

Emergency services were first called to the scene of the incident shortly after 14:00.

BBC Shropshire

Work being carried out as part of a £3.6m conservation project on the Iron Bridge in Shropshire is waking residents, it has been claimed.

Workers have now been told to start work slightly later as they've been disturbing sleeping residents by beginning work at 07:30, BBC Radio Shropshire was told.

Image source, English Heritage

Phil McCann
Cheshire Political Reporter, BBC News

Cheshire East Council's portion of council tax is to increase by 5.99% - the largest rise allowed without a referendum.

The rise is to help plug a £33m funding gap caused by a cut to the council's government grant and the rising demand of social care services and staff pay.

Two care centres will close, but library closures and cuts to road maintenance have been scrapped.

Four ambulances, two paramedic officers and the critical care team from the Warwickshire Air Ambulance have been sent to the site of a serious incident on Longfellow Road in Coventry.

Emergency crews were called to the scene, close to the Painted Lady Pub, shortly after 14:00.

Part of Longfellow Road remains cordoned off.

Firefighters remain in attendance at the scene of a fire in an industrial building in Radnor Park, Congleton.

Cheshire Fire said the team are making "good progress extinguishing the fire", which is now confined to four metal storage containers.

BBC Business News

There's some good news for a few former Carillion workers: Amey Rail says it has scooped up a major tranche of Carillion’s Network Rail contracts safeguarding up to 700 jobs.

Image source, Carillion

The transfer of Network Rail contracts operated by Carillion Construction to Amey Rail includes projects in the East Midlands, London and North West England.

Matthew Steele, commercial director Network Rail, said: “This is a positive step for the industry, ensuring the delivery of a number of major rail projects across the country while safeguarding an expected 700 jobs and the wider supply chain."

The auditors of the Wolverhampton-based firm have been quizzed by MPs this morning over their role in the collapse of the construction giant - you can find full coverage on our Business Live page.

Robbers made off with cash, jewellery and phones after they forced entry to a property and threatened the owners, police said., external

Image source, Google

The victims were left "terrified" after the three man, carrying screwdrivers, searched the property in Frank Street, Nuneaton.

Det Sgt Adam Clifford said it was an "unusual and shocking incident" where a family had been "threatened in their own home".

Drivers are being advised to avoid Longfellow Road in Coventry after a "serious" crash, police say.

There are reports of queuing traffic close to the junction with MacDonald Road, near the Painted Lady pub.

A load of waste that's been dumped is partially blocking a Warwickshire road, police in Rugby said.

Image source, Rugby Police

Officers are urging drivers to take care on Withybrooke Lane, Rugby.

Image source, Rugby Police

After almost 20 years of standing derelict, work has begun to redevelop Manor Heights flats in Telford.

The tower block was originally built 50 years ago as a residential building, but since it closed West Mercia Police has reported it being targeted by vandals on a number of occasions.

Telford and Wrekin Council has granted planning permission to a private developer from Warwickshire, who is planning to refurbish the building before reopening it as 60 flats.

Cheshire Fire crews are at the scene of a building fire on Radnor Park, Congleton.

The service said five fire engines are currently in attendance at the industrial unit which is "well alight".

A police cordon is in place as a precautionary measure.

Image source, Google

North West Ambulance Service also attended the scene, although there are no reports of any injuries.

BBC Midlands Today

Tens of thousands of illegal cigarettes have been found in a raid on a house in Wolverhampton this morning.

Trading standards officers believe the packets have been made in makeshift factories and are sold at cut-down prices.

It's a growing problem in the West Midlands and seizures of illegal cigarettes made with poor quality tobacco have quadrupled in 15 years.

A dog has also died after the blaze, the cause of which is being investigated.