Driver jailed for nine years for brothers' hit-and-run deaths
Sports coach convicted of child sex offences
Mosque hit-and-run 'may be terror-related'
GP jailed for assaulting patient
Labour expels activist over remarks to MP
Wolves reveal details of promotion celebrations
Taxi driver fined for refusing to pick up disabled passenger
Jackknifed lorry blocks M5 for several hours
Click on Related Stories for more from your area
Updates from Friday 27 April
Work to replace food defences in Shrewsbury is "progressing well".
The Environment Agency's replacing 25m (82 feet) of sandstone cladding on the Frankwell site., external
Image source, Environment AgencyThis morning, the agency says workers have stripped off the old cladding and are inspecting the heart of the defences before they put the new cladding on over the next fortnight., external
Coventry Rugby Club is attempting to break a National League One attendance record tomorrow when they face Hull at the Butts Park.
Image source, Coventry Rugby ClubThe League One champions need more than 3,500 people in the ground to set a new record.
The Lord Mayor also receives the official handover of the UK City of Culture title from Hull’s Mayor during the match.
Marc Wadsworth accused Ruth Smeeth at an anti-Semitism event of working with the media to hurt Labour.
Read More
Allen Cook
BBC News
There'll be no balls bowled today at New Road between Worcestershire and Nottinghamshire in their County Championship match - play's been abandoned for the day due to rain., external
The Shropshire Star is covering these stories today on its website:
Local Democracy Reporting Service
Kerry Ashdown
People in a Staffordshire village have won a second battle against plans to build more than 90 homes on the edge of a wildlife haven.
Image source, GoogleBellway Homes’ latest bid to build on land off Meadow Way in Baldwins Gate, external, was unanimously thrown out by Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council this week.
Campaigners claim the plans would have an adverse effect on the nearby wildlife site, but the developers say the homes are needed to meet demand in the area.
An appeal has been lodged and a public inquiry is due to be heard in July.
A BBC reporter who publicly highlighted her breast cancer to raise awareness of the condition says she's feeling positive six months on.
BBC Midlands Today's Arts reporter Satnam Rana said she was particularly indebted to counsellors at Breast Cancer Haven in Solihull who had supported her since her surgery.
BBC reporter Satnam Rana on her breast cancer journey
Satnam launched a #checkthemout social media campaign to urge people to contact their doctor if they detect any abnormalities in their breasts.
Trevor Owens
Sports Editor, BBC Hereford & Worcester
Donncha O'Callaghan will captain Worcester Warriors in tomorrow's Aviva Premiership match against Harlequins, external at Sixways.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe former Irish international will make his final professional appearance in the match as he's due to retire after tomorrow's game.
Francois Hougaard and Marco Mama also return to the starting line-up.
Dr Rajeshkumar Mehta inappropriately touched the patient when she complained of weakness to her side.
Read More
Bob Hockenhull
BBC Midlands Today
Repairing a church hall badly damaged by flooding yesterday could cost hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Water, 3m deep in places (9.8ft), covered an area of Wednesbury yesterday after electricity workers damaged a water main.
Ian Palfrewman from Lea Brook Methodist Church said the waters were about a foot high in the hall, "damaging everything within it's reach".
"The floor boards are soaked through, it's quite the scene of devastation", he said.
Allen Cook
BBC News
Burton Albion go into this weekend knowing a win in their game at home to Bolton Wanderers could see them out of the Championship relegation zone by the end of Saturday.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe Brewers are in 23rd place in the table, two points behind tomorrow's opponents and victory would see them leapfrog Bolton with just one game to play.
If fellow strugglers Barnsley fail to win at home to Brentford, those results would see Burton one point above the relegation places.
However defeat for Burton would see them relegated to League One.
Birmingham Live
Some of the headlining stories on the Birmingham Live site today include:
Bal Deol took the case to court in Stoke-on-Trent after Mohammed Butt refused to pick her up.
Read MoreLocal Democracy Reporting Service
Carl Jackson
A bed and breakfast destroyed by fire seven years ago is finally set to be torn down and replaced by a three-storey block of flats.
Image source, GoogleWest Midlands Police warned the scheme is in a crime-hit area of Harborne and called for the new building to have heightened security if it is to attract tenants.
The crumbling B&B on Hagley Road, which is in a dangerous condition, has been branded an "eyesore" by the developer.
It will now be bulldozed to make way for a 28-apartment building including 22 one-bedroom flats and six two-bedroom homes.
The council’s planning committee passed the redevelopment, external proposal without debate on Thursday.
Simon Stone
BBC Sport
The Football League and Football Supporters Federation have joined forces to push the argument for some standing to be allowed at grounds in the top two leagues.
An online poll was launched at 09:00 this morning, asking fans if they believe clubs should be allowed a choice about whether to offer standing areas as well as seating.
Image source, Getty ImagesAt present, any club in the top two leagues must have all-seater stadiums and cannot change them, even if they go down.
Yet, because clubs promoted to the Championship have three years to do the work, Shrewsbury Town (pictured), who will have rail seating next season, could be in the same league as West Brom, whose application for a standing area at the Hawthorns, was rejected earlier this month.
EFL chief executive Shaun Harvey calls the situation "illogical".
Cath Mackie
BBC News
A mother whose son can't walk, talk or eat properly says she's "desperate" for answers about her son's condition after countless tests failed to provide a diagnosis.
Liz Toft and Joshua, three, from Solihull, are taking part in Undiagnosed Children's Day, an awareness campaign organised by SWAN UK (Syndromes Without A Name).
Mother 'desperate' to know why son cannot walk or talk
BBC Business News
The owners of Alton Towers, Merlin, says visits to its London attractions are still being affected by the terror attacks last year.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe entertainment giant also wasn’t immune to the effects of the Beast from the East blast of cold weather it said.
But its downbeat trading update , externalthis morning hasn't shaken shares. Merlin's up a fraction, by 0.2%m as the market opens.
Merlin, which also runs Warwick Castle, the London Eye Ferris wheel, Legoland, Sea Life, the London Dungeons and Shrek's Adventure, is the world's second-biggest visitor attractions group behind Walt Disney. But it makes most of its profit outside the UK.
The A5 near Cannock will remain closed this afternoon after a lorry fire this morning.
Highways England is trying to clear the route between the B4154 Turf Island and the A460 and says workers are changing tyres on the vehicle so it can be dragged clear., external
Image source, Highways EnglandThese are some of the main stories today for the Hereford Times:
Local Democracy Reporting Service
Carl Jackson
A new four-storey block of flats will be built near Cadbury’s in Birmingham after concerns it would harm the factory were rejected.
Image source, K4 ArchitectsThe new L-shaped building will be developed on the smaller car park at the corner of Mary Vale Road and Franklin Way in Bournville, opposite the larger car park used by Cadbury workers.
The scheme, put forward by city-based Taylor Grange, will provide 52 apartments, including 30 one-bedroom flats and 22 two-bedroom homes. It will also feature a basement car park with 45 spaces.
There had been 11 letters of objection over the plans with residents claiming the red-bricked and copper finished building would harm the character of the area, impede on their privacy and increase traffic on Franklin Way.
