Teachers said schools were "stretched to breaking point" and described the cuts as "heartbreaking".

All lanes have no re-opened on the M6 between J3 and J3a northbound following a skip lorry fire, Highways England said, external.

They tweeted that the recovery was complete and while all lanes are now open, delays remain.

Image source, Highways England

Engineers believe they now know what caused the collapse of a bank on a canal in south Cheshire last week.

The stretch affected was around the Middlewich Viaduct, on the Shropshire Union Canal.

It caused all of the water to run out of it, and Mark Durrant from the Canal and River Trust said it was caused by too much overflowing water.

Image source, TONY DUNMORE

Four people have been jailed for supplying cocaine in Worcester, following a "complex" investigation, police said., external

Image source, West Mercia Police

All four were found guilty and sentenced today at Worcester Crown Court for charges relating to supply cocaine in the town between January 2015 and December 2016.

• Mohammed Nasar, 50, of Keswick Drive, Worcester received a sentenced of 17 years for conspiracy to supply cocaine and money laundering.
• Robert Degaris, 48, of Popert Drive, Worcester was sentenced to 14 years for conspiracy to supply cocaine.
• Steven Singh Binning, 35, of Audley Drive, Kidderminster, sentenced to 10 years for conspiracy to supply cocaine.
• Aaquib Nasar, 22, of Bath Road, Worcester, was sentenced to 12 years, for conspiracy to supply cocaine.

West Mercia Police said the result was the "culmination of a complex investigation, which has led to these individuals and a large quantity of cocaine being taken off the streets of Worcester".

BBC News Travel

The A4104 in Upton-upon Severn is set close overnight 20:00-06:00 from this weekend for a flood prevention project.

The work at Tingdene Marinas is due to last until 29 March. Although no vehicles will be allowed past, there will be pedestrian and cycle access, Worcestershire County Council says.

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Carl Jackson

A criminal investigation into a former lap dancing club in Birmingham has gone cold despite police believing it was defrauding and drugging customers.

West Midlands Police confirmed there were "no active lines of enquiry" stating "no further action" would be taken against the Legs 11 venue.

Image source, Birmingham Mail

No-one has ever been arrested and it means the probe has now hit a brick wall relying on new information coming from the public.

Legs 11 on Broad Street was raided by officers in June 2017 following a tip-off about possible human trafficking taking place.

The Broad Street venue has since ceased trading after its alcohol licence was revoked by the council.

In July, its licensing committee heard evidence some customers claimed they had been drugged, while others said they lost "significant sums of money" through unauthorised credit card transactions.

Two men have been arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences.

The 21-year-olds, from Leicester and Birmingham, were arrested from their home addresses on suspicion of preparing for terrorist acts, West Midlands Police said.

They are being questioned at a police station in the West Midlands.

The arrests were intelligence-led, police said, and there is no immediate threat to the public.

BBC WM Sport

The West Brom home fixture against Liverpool in April has changed for a second time.

And it may change again if the Reds progress to the Champions League semi-finals.

The game at The Hawthorns will now kick-off at the later time of 16:30 on Sunday 22 April.

Two women were killed and a 10-year-old girl was seriously injured in the crash on Monday.

Worcester News

Here are some of the stories making the headlines on the Worcester News website this afternoon:

• 'Puppet master' and his lieutenants sentenced for cocaine conspiracy, external
• Ex-district councillor Nigel Addison reveals torment over use of photo on racist Twitter parody, external
• West Mercia Police involved with a missing person search, external

Inspectors have found "serious failings" in West Midlands Police's ability to protect vulnerable people from harm, according to a report published today, external.

The force has been rated as "requires improvement" overall and in one area was rated "inadequate" by the HM Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) watchdog.

Writing on his blog today, external, West Midlands Police Chief Constable Dave Thompson said two of the reasons the rating was down was due to funding problems and a younger than average population.

"[We] have the youngest population of any police force, the second most diverse and the highest amount of its population living in the top 20% deprived neighbourhoods of any force.

Image source, West Midlands Police

"Our population is also growing at above average levels."

He said that the force was funded at a level "below the national average".

"We have income now £20m a year lower than Greater Manchester Police, our most similar force, with a similar area but smaller population.

"Our budget has gone down by 28% since 2010, the biggest reduction in policing."

The home secretary has previously admitted that police resources are "very tight".

Highways England has confirmed lanes two and three are now open for traffic following a skip lorry fire.

It tweeted that , externalmotorway signals remain set for closure due to severe congestion and traffic is advised to leave at J2.

BBC WM

The Shadow Communities Minister, Melanie Onn, said the current system of refuges for victims of domestic violence was failing women.

Image source, Getty Images

It's after the Labour party revealed some women were being sent as far away as Manchester because of a lack of temporary accommodation in the West Midlands.

Birmingham City Council says the situation "isn't ideal" but that it has "no alternative".

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Aled Thomas

A new leader of Worcester City Council could be in position as soon as next Tuesday.

Conservative councillor Chris Mitchell has put forward a motion, which if passed, would see current Conservative deputy council leader, Marc Bayliss (pictured), installed in the top job.

Image source, Worcester News

Mr Mitchell’s motion said: “In order to reflect the democratic will of the people, in the event of a hung council, the leader of the council is drawn from the largest group and the deputy leader of the council is drawn from the second largest group.”

Since the resignation of the Labour councillor for Warndon, Elaine Williams, last week, Labour only have 15 councillors.

That could see a tie on the motion, but Conservative mayor Steve Mackay would have the casting vote.

Three people have been jailed after staff at a Kenilworth convenience store were threatened and robbed at knife-point.

Image source, Warwickshire Police

Kevin McGregor, 29, of no fixed abode was sentenced to nine years in prison for committing the robbery at the One Stop shop in Albion Street last August, and possession of a knife.

At the Warwick Crown Court hearing yesterday Aaron McKellar, of Enright Close and Jennifer Plant, of Christine Ledger Square, both aged 27 and from Leamington - were each jailed for six years for their parts in the robbery.

Warwickshire Police said the sentences would "keep three dangerous individuals off our streets for some significant time".

BBC Radio Stoke

Hundreds of wooden bollards are to be installed on Wolstanton Marsh in Newcastle-under-Lyme from today.

The Borough Council says the work could take three weeks and the aim is stop travellers getting their vehicles on to the land.

It says a number of local people have put money towards the scheme.

Highways England have shared images of the HGV which caught fire causing long delays on the M6 between J3 and J3a.

They said it is, external being dealt with by the fire service and asked motorists to be patient.

Image source, Highways England

They also said traffic which is being held, will be released "very soon".

Image source, Highways England

Kathryn Stanczyszyn
Political Reporter, BBC WM

About 50 parents, teachers and children are gathered outside Nelson Mandela Primary school in Sparkbrook protesting against cuts to schools.

One pupil spoke about inspiring the next generation and how it's impossible to do that without enough funding.

The Save Our Schools campaign is a parent-led movement backed by head teachers and teachers as well as some MPs.

The government says it's making the schools funding system fairer, protecting the amount of funding it distributes to local authorities and schools to spend on the education of each pupil - so as the number of pupils increases, so will the amount of money schools get.

A pair of peregrine falcons, nesting at the top of Leamington Town Hall, have produced a second egg.

Image source, Warwick District Council

It's the second year the movement of the birds can be viewed on a webcam, set up by Warwickshire Wildlife Trust and Warwick District Council.

You can watch live footage of the birds here, external.

Birmingham Live

Here are the top stories on Birmingham Live today:

• Zahid Khan's crushed £250k Ferrari to feature in song by, external top US rapper
• Shocking injuries of teen slashed by masked road rage gang, external as he rode BMX through Stirchley
• Beast from the East 3 and 4 expected with UK braced for two more, external Arctic blasts