Nicola Goodwin
Reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester

More than 100,000 people have visited a display of ceramic poppies since they went on display at Hereford Cathedral.

Thousands of them can be seen cascading down the side of the ancient building.

Organisers expected an overall total of 100,000 visitors across the six weeks they're on display, external but have passed that figure with just under three weeks still to go until 29 April.

The poppies were first installed at the Tower of London to commemorate 100 years since World War One.

Wolves' Ruben Neves scored a goal which even the opposition manager thought about applauding.

BBC Sport

Stoke-on-Trent long jumper Jazmin Sawyers failed to get a medal in the long jump final at the Commonwealth Games.

Image source, Reuters

She finished seventh in the event, external, having got silver in the games in 2014.

BBC Midlands Today

A study by Keele University says once parents know about the (human papilloma virus) HPV, they want boys to be given the vaccination, external against it.

Image source, Science Photo Library

HPV is a common sexually transmitted infection and increases the risk of oral, anal and penile cancers.

Since 2008, girls aged 11 to 13 have been offered vaccination against HPV, which can cause cervical cancer.

Campaign groups are calling on the government to join other countries that offer the vaccination to both boys and girls.

The Keele study spoke to 186 parents of teenage boys in Staffordshire and says once they were told of the dangers of HPV, 85.5% wanted boys to be vaccinated.

BBC Weather Watchers

Our local wildlife seems to have been enjoying the spring weather along with the flowers coming out in bloom, given the photos we've had from our local BBC Weather Watchers:

Image source, Littleacorns

Image source, Videoman

Image source, Rivertramp

BBC Midlands Today

A team of volunteers will begin work on Cannock Chase today looking for evidence of training camps from World War One.

Practice trenches, which were dug to prepare soldiers for the war, have been uncovered underneath the area.

Experts with the county council believe 500,000 men were sent to Brocton and Rugeley to train for life on the front line.

Historic England and the authority has used special aerial detection technology to reveal the trenches , externaland now they're going to investigate them further.

Alec Blackman
BBC Coventry & Warwickshire

The former head of finance at Coventry City Council received one of the biggest payouts in the UK for losing his job, according to figures from the Taxpayers Alliance., external

Chris West was given almost £450,000 pounds last year after a restructure at the council saw him taking early retirement.

He was the financial offer in charge of the council when it approved the sale of the Ricoh Arena to Wasps.

Shropshire Star

The top stories on the Shropshire Star's website include:

• Telford woman's arson conviction quashed thanks to fresh phone evidence, external
• Shropshire street parking permits set to double in cost, external
• Public consultation on Shropshire's maternity shake-up plans at least three months away, external

A dog walker has been robbed at knifepoint while out in Kenilworth yesterday, with thieves stealing her car.

The woman in her 30s was in a lay-by, external on Crackley Lane when she was approached by two men, who threatened her with a knife before driving off in her white Land Rover.

Image source, Google

A couple say they had to grab their three children from their beds after the Volvo burst into flames.

James Bond
Sports Producer, BBC Shropshire

Shrewsbury Town defender Toto Nsiala needs to be fitted for a new mask after rejecting the one he wore in Sunday's Checkatrade Trophy final at Wembley.

Image source, ALLSPORT/Getty Images

The 26-year-old DR Congo international was equipped with a mask to enable him to play following a broken cheekbone.

But he dispensed with it just before half-time in the 1-0 defeat by League Two Lincoln as it was uncomfortable and hindered his vision.

Calum McKenzie
BBC News

Campaigners are hoping to persuade rail bosses to reintroduce a direct rail service between Leicester and Coventry.

Currently passengers have to change at Nuneaton, but Midlands Connect, a regional transport partnership, believes a direct route could be launched by building a tunnel in the Warwickshire town.

Simon Statham, from the group, said the project would cost around £50m and would cut the rail journey time between the two cities to 40 minutes.

He said if funding is approved the link could be up and running by, "the early to mid 2020s".

"However, the funding isn't in place, so our job at Midlands Connect is to really sell the case to government," he said.

Express and Star

Some of the top stories to feature today:

• Body found in Wolverhampton's West Park, external
• The council bosses getting paid more than the Prime Minister, external
• 'Nuisance' families kicked out of Wolverhampton street to delight of neighbours, external

Rob Gurney
BBC WM Sport

West Bromwich Albion have announced the departure of their technical director Nick Hammond after two years in the role.

Hammond was largely responsible for the appointment of Alan Pardew as The Baggies’ head coach in November.

He left earlier this month after one win in 18 Premier League games.

Hammond follows former chairman John Williams and chief executive Martin Goodman out of The Hawthorns, who were sacked in February.

Image source, Getty Images

Last month, returning Albion CEO Mark Jenkins revealed that a £40m profit during the last financial year had been spent, and more, meaning for the first time in a decade, the club needed an overdraft facility.

West Bromwich Albion has announced, external that its technical director is leaving the club after two years.

Nick Hammond says he's been "honoured" to work at the club and is moving on to future projects.

A memorial ceremony takes place at the National Memorial Arboretum later on Thursday to place a plaque for the five men killed on the SS Chuscal.

The vessel was returning to Avonmouth in 1963 when freak weather washed them overboard.

Around 70 people, including many family members, have travelled to Lichfield for the ceremony, which begins at 12pm.

Archive footage shows the SS Chuscal as it was during its working life.

BBC Midlands Today

A mould of what will eventually be a bronze statue of a World War Two hero has been created in Birmingham.

It's been commissioned in memory of Frank Foley, who helped thousands of Jews escape from Nazi Germany.

He worked undercover for British intelligence as a passport control officer and used his position to provide papers for Jewish people.

The statue will be placed in Mary Stevens Park, Stourbridge, where Frank Foley spent his final years.

Adam Williams
BBC Sport

Worcestershire will be looking to "do an Essex" in the County Championship this season, when it kicks off tomorrow.

Last year, Essex proved the pundits wrong when, after being promoted the season before, they went on to win the title by 72 points.

Image source, PA

Worcestershire came up last year and enter their own new era in 2018.

They were rocked by the departure of head coach Steve Rhodes in December following an internal investigation into his conduct.

New coach Kevin Sharp can call upon an array of exciting youngsters, including England Lions pair Joe Clarke and Josh Tongue.

Read a full preview of the County Championship season here on the BBC Sport website.

Allen Cook
BBC News

A body's been found this morning in a park in Wolverhampton., external

Image source, Google

Police say they're treating the discovery at West Park just after 07:00 as unexplained.

A passer-by alerted them to the body and part of the park's been sealed off.

The Sentinel

The top stories in the Sentinel this morning include:

• Grieving parents will never know what caused cardiac arrest which killed their 'fit' son , external
• Carpetright to cut 300 jobs and shut 92 stores , external
• Plans to build 500 houses and a primary school in Stoke-on-Trent, external