Allen Cook
BBC News

A teenager was hit by what police believe was a golf ball thrown from a passing car.

Image source, Google

The 15-year-old was walking with his dad on Common Road, Wombourne on 14 March when officers say he was hurt.

He needed hospital treatment for an injury to his eye and the force says it wants witnesses who may have seen four cars "travelling at speed" on the route at the time.

Matt Sandoz
Stoke City commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

Stoke City goalkeeper Jack Butland says he was happy to get his first start at Wembley for England, despite conceding a late penalty last night.

Image source, Reuters

The home side were denied a second successive friendly victory because of the Italy spotkick, awarded by the video assistant referee.

It meant the game ended 1-1 after Jamie Vardy had put England ahead in the first-half.

Hereford Times

These are some of the Hereford Times headlines:

• Intruder holds knife to burglary victim's throat, external
• Louts attack man walking through park, external
• High school students take part in mock trial, external

Tradings Standards are warning people against rogue traders after two men were spotted claiming to be checking electrical work.

The men were seen in Addison Road, Wednesbury, using a plain white can but had no ID when they were challenged.

Sandwell Council tweeted, external to say that the men are not acting on behalf of them.

Allen Cook
BBC News

Plans by the government to invest up to £312m into health services in Shropshire , externalhave been largely welcomed in the county.

But proposals for which hospital in Shrewsbury or Telford will host emergency care in the future are dividing reaction today.

Overall, the chief executive of the NHS trust running both hospitals, Simon Wright, has called it "the biggest single investment in our NHS here in 70 years, external".

While Shrewsbury's Conservative MP Dan Kawczynski tweeted, external that it was "the bedrock for future Shropshire generations".

However the preferred option seems to be that the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital will host emergency care, with Telford's A&E downgraded, subject to a future public consultation, external.

The leader of Telford and Wrekin council, Labour's Shaun Davies, today tweeted that the funding announcement was "not good news for Telford and Wrekin, external" as the authority's preferred option is to keep emergency care in Telford, external.

John McSharry has been jailed after his DNA was found on a drinks can left at a home he targeted.

The first fan to arrive for Sir Ken Dodd's funeral at Liverpool Cathedral was Samuel Ball from Stoke-on-Trent, who got there at 05:30.

He said: "I want to pay my respects and say thank you for a last time to my hero."

More than 100 fans were there by 10:10 this morning - about three hours before the service is due to begin.

Louise Hancock
Newsreader, BBC WM

Every council-owned tower block in Birmingham if Conservatives take control of the coucnil at the local elections in May, the party says.

They say too many of the towers are "blighted by anti-social behaviour and litter".

As part of their promises in their election manifesto, the Tory group also says it will change the amount of time that you have to live in the city to qualify for a council house.

Council leader Ian Ward says neither of the proposals makes sense and Labour's manifesto details plans to build 8,000 homes over the next few years.

BBC Sport

Stoke City's Jack Butland may be just behind Everton's Jordan Pickford when it comes to starting as England's first choice goalkeeper in the World Cup, according to BBC Sport's Phil McNulty.

Image source, EPA

Our chief football writer's been assessing the questions facing England's manager Gareth Southgate with less than 100 days to go to the start of the summer showpiece.

When it comes to the starting goalkeeping spot, he reckons Pickford may "just have his nose in front" after his performance against the Netherlands won praise from Southgate.

Whereas Butland "had so little to do against Italy" and may end up first-choice on the substitute bench - read Phil's full assessment here.

The Sentinel

Here's some of the stories the Stoke Sentinel are covering today:

• Grieving dad's anguish after daughter, 2, died 17 days after falling from bedroom window, external
• Passenger caught with 8-inch axe after lying down in back of taxi, external
• Severe delays after fallen power cables close, external

BBC Shropshire

A scheme to reorganise hospital services in Shropshire has been given up to £312m of government funding.

The Future Fit, external project was launched in 2013 to restructure the county's struggling service, but has faced countless delays.

Last year, a preferred option was agreed for the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital to have emergency care and women and children's services, while Telford's Princess Royal would become the home of planned care.

Image source, Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust

Public consultation on this had been on hold since the end of last year as NHS England wanted to know how it would be funded.

This is now expected to start within months

Emergency care has so far proved the most divisive element of the proposals, with the council, MPs and many others in Telford fighting plans to downgrade its Accident and Emergency (A&E) unit.

BBC Hereford and Worcester

Worcester has a new council leader.

A meeting last night saw the city's Conservatives take advantage of favourable numbers to elect Marc Bayliss, to the top job.

Up until last week, there were three parties with seats on Worcester City Council. Labour had 16 seats, the Conservatives 17 and Greens two.

But last week one Labour councillor stood down and with the Conservative mayor having the casting vote, former Labour Leader Adrian Gregson was pipped to post by Marc Bayliss.

Four years and four months 'till the Commonwealth Games come to Birmingham.

There's amended timetables for most routes and no trains to London Euston on Easter Sunday.

A man suffered pelvic injuries when he became trapped in his car after a crash involving his car and a van.

West Midlands Ambulance Service received a call yesterday at 17:44 to Holly Lane in Wishaw, Sutton Coldfield.

The van driver, a man in his 50s, was also taken to hospital with chest pain after his van collided with a tree.

BBC WM

About 30 cases of stalking a month are recorded, but it's thought the true figure might be much higher, West Midlands Police say.

A conference is being held in Edgbaston, Birmingham, to discuss how to better protect victims.

It'll hear the latest research into cyber-stalking as well as a first hand account from Kerry Daynes who's stalker left her too scared to leave her house.

BBC Weather Watchers

BBC Weather Watcher Dammo has sent in this gorgeous shot from Birmingham of some lovely spring daffodils serving as a colourful backdrop amid a gloomy, grey sky.

Image source, Dammo

Foggy sent in this lovely pic from Ludlow, complete with a dog enjoying the views!

Send us your weather pictures here.

Image source, foggy

A 16-year-old boy caught trying to travel to Syria to join a terror group went on to set up a social media channel to teach would-be terrorists about hacking has admitted charges against him.

The teenager, from Sutton Coldfield, who cannot be identified because of his age, was arrested on June 12 last year after booking a one-way flight to Istanbul with the aim of linking up with the extremist Nusra Front in Syria.

Between the end of November and January, while on bail for that offence, he set up a channel on messaging app Telegram and posted training manuals and 40 videos including one of Fusilier Lee Rigby's killer Michael Adebolajo.

At Westminster Magistrates' Court he admitted one count of terrorist training, two counts of distributing terrorist publications and one count of possession of articles for a terrorist purpose, in addition to the charge of preparation of terrorist acts for attempting to travel to Syria, which he admitted in January.

He'll be sentenced at the Old Bailey next month.

Actor Lenny Henry travelled to the Caribbean recently to investigate his heritage and the relationship between the Commonwealth, the Caribbean and the UK.

He travelled to Jamaica to investigate his own beginnings and found out why, 60 years ago, his mother uprooted the family to travel thousands of miles to the Midlands.

The Commonwealth Kid will air on BBC One next Monday.

Express and Star

The Express and Star are covering these stories today:

• Walsall Manor Hospital gripped by norovirus, external outbreak
• 'How my home dream turned to nightmare at hands, external of rogue builder'
• Mother fakes cancer to cheat family and charity in, external 'cruel' fraud