The gates of a historic foundry could get listed status as heritage campaigners in the area are bidding for the move.

The Aga Rangemaster foundry in Coalbrookdale, Shropshire, closed in November, ending 300 years of ironworking on the site, once at the heart of the industrial revolution.

Its owners have now put the site up for sale.

Graham Hickman, 68, of High Street, Ironbridge, was an employee at the foundry for 40 years, from 1965 to 2005.

He's written on the Memories of Coalbrookdale Iron Foundry Facebook page, external to say an application's being made for the entrance gates to get listed status and asking for more information about them.

Some of the final workers hung up their boots on the gate when it shut.

Shropshire Star

These are among the top stories in the Shropshire Star today:

• 300 jobs created as new castings factory opens in Telford, external
• 'Wrong address' theory as arsonists target car on Shrewsbury driveway, external
• ‘Cuckoo’ drug dealers driven out of Oswestry, external

BBC Sport

Sports Minister Tracey Crouch is "declaring war on fans" by turning a blind eye to safe standing, says the Football Supporters' Federation (FSF).

The UK government says there are no plans to change the all-seater policy at stadiums after recently rejecting West Brom's plans for rail seating.

Image source, Getty Images

That is despite claims fans favour some safe standing in grounds - a view echoed by Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger.

"Tracey Crouch is not offering a solution," said FSF's Peter Daykin.

"Forcing fans to sit down at all-seater stadiums doesn't work, so by turning a blind eye to safe standing, she is basically telling them to solve the issue."

A Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport spokesperson said that claim was "ridiculous".

An internal investigation will take place at Russells Hall Hospital after Natalie Billingham's death

Demolition work is continuing on a Wolverhampton estate earmarked for 300 new homes.

Image source, City of Wolverhampton Council

About 10 weeks remain on the demolition programme at Chervil Rise in Heath Town, which has seen the removal of garages, a disused underground car park and 36 maisonettes.

The first homes are expected to be built by the end of the year, said Wolverhampton Council.

Image source, City of Wolverhampton Council

David Crook has been sentenced to 13 years after attacking a teenager in a van in the 1980s.

Hereford Times

The Hereford Times is covering these stories today:

• Medals of a Herefordshire regiment hero return home, external
• Record-breaking rower is looking for love, external
• Appeal against refusal of holiday park dismissed, external

Carlie Swain
BBC News

A footballer playing in Shropshire is hoping to appeal after losing his case against deportation.

Hovik Nersesyan, 23, plays for Whitchurch Alport and says, he believes, he will be killed if he returns to his home country of Armenia.

The club has backed his political asylum bid after his original visa ran out.

He's now trying to organise an appeal before he's forced to leave the UK in two weeks' time.

The Home Office says it doesn't comment on individual cases.

Nicola Goodwin
Reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester

There will be no plastic straws or drinks stirrers at the Hay Festival from this year onwards.

Image source, PA

Organisers of the 11-day event in Hay-on-Wye claim they will also be the first UK festival to trial a reusable coffee cup system, to reduce the number of disposable containers.

The festival, which attracts tens of thousands of people to Herefordshire and the Welsh borders every year, starts on 24 May.

It comes after the government this week proposed banning plastic straws and 60 UK music festivals said they'd ban the straws at their events this summer.

The police watchdog has launched an investigation into how police handled a report of a missing 14-year-old, the evening before her body was found in a park. , external

Viktorija Sokolova, who was born in Lithuania, was discovered in West Park, Wolverhampton, last week.

Image source, Family Handout

A 16-year-old boy from Wolverhampton has been charged with her rape and murder and has appeared in court.

A 17-year-old boy arrested on suspicion of murder has been bailed.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct says West Midlands Police referred itself to them and their focus will only be on how the force responded to the missing person report.

Phil McCann
Cheshire Political Reporter, BBC News

A misconduct hearing’s been told bullying allegations against the chief constable of Cheshire Police are “capable of ending his career”.

Simon Byrne has been trying to get dozens of allegations of bullying, which he denies, thrown out, because he argues the investigation into them was unfair.

But prosecuting lawyers say a hearing should proceed because allegations he repeatedly humiliated subordinate staff and officers are so serious.

The panel is due to decide whether to continue next week.

BBC Sport

Both Worcestershire and Warwickshire's bowlers have each taken three wickets on the opening morning of their latest County Championship games.

Image source, Getty Images

The Pears, in Division One, are at Somerset and have the home side 105-3 at lunch, having taken the big wicket of James Hildreth just before the break for 48.

While in Division Two,Northamptonshire are 99-3 against Warwickshire.

You can stay up-to-date on either game via local radio commentary or with the BBC Cricket website.

Worcester News

The Worcester News has these top stories today:

• Mother speaks of daughter's 'hell' year after leukaemia diagnosis, external
• Cash stolen in Malvern church theft, external
• New auction house 'the first in the city in decades' opening tomorrow, external

Allen Cook
BBC News

Five men have been arrested on suspicion of arson and burglary , externalafter a fire at a derelict building last night.

Police say they were first called to reports of torch lights near the empty building on Ivetsey Bank near Wheaton Aston.

Image source, Staffordshire Fire Service

Calls then followed that the building was on fire. Six fire crews were eventually needed to put the blaze out., external

The five men, aged from 20 to 55 and from Rugeley, Wolverhampton and Willenhall, are still in custody.

Wednesfield's bid to win a Britain in Bloom award featured on BBC Two last night, a day after the series visited Shrewsbury.

While the council invests heavily on floral features in Shrewsbury as part of its tourist strategy, Wednesfield's bid has relied far more on community effort.

You can watch both the Wednesfield and Shrewsbury episodes of Britain in Bloom on BBC iPlayer.

A firefighter's going to have a second crack at setting a world record after the first attempt was disallowed when film footage went missing., external

Image source, Shropshire Fire Service

Luke Veal, who's based at Bridgnorth, Shropshire, joined other firefighters last year to try and play the longest ever game of rugby in aid of two charities.

He says the current record stands at 28 hours and 28 minutes but, despite them going on for 32 hours, the Guinness Book of Records ruled it out because six hours of footage had mysteriously "vanished".

As a result, they're going to try again next month at Worcester Warriors home ground.

BBC News Travel

If you're planning a train journey this afternoon through Hereford, you could be delayed:

The woman at the head of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust has decided to resign this week, only a year-and-a-half into her four-year term.

Image source, Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

Caragh Merrick was appointed as chairman of the trust in September 2016, external with bosses at the time saying she would be in post until 2020 and get £40,000 a year for the role.

But this week she says she's stepping down as she feels it's "right" for a new person to takeover the role.

The trust was placed into special measures in December 2015 and, in January, inspectors said improvements had been made but more work was still needed.

Shanequa Paris
BBC News

A Wolverhampton park has reopened after a teenager was found dead.

Viktorija Sokolova was discovered in West Park by a member of the public on 12 April.

Dozens of tributes have been left on the gates for the 14-year-old who attended King's School in the city.

Police spent a week scouring the park for evidence, but the gates have now reopened to the public, Wolverhampton council has confirmed.

A 16-year-old boy from Wolverhampton has been charged with her murder and a 17-year-old boy who was also arrested on suspicion of murder has been bailed pending further investigation.

Birmingham Live

Here are some of the main stories on the Birmingham Live website today:

• Pupils could get every Friday afternoon off in timetable shake-up, external
• Mum's outrage over police not investigating attack on daughter, external
• Shops left empty for two years at Fort Shopping Centre to be finally be replaced, external