Andrew McIntosh launched a "frenzied attack" on his wife after a row over the price of their property.

Rob Mayor
Political reporter, BBC WM

The Conservatives have taken control of Walsall Council with Mike Bird as leader for the fifth time.

Local elections earlier this month left the Conservatives as the largest party, but just failing to claim a majority, with 30 out of 60 councillors.

Image source, Google

They were able to oust Labour after the Conservative Mayor Marco Longhi controversially voted, along with fellow Tories, for himself to stay on for a second year, the first time it’s happened since 1948.

It meant he was able to hand power back to his own party, when a vote on who should run the authority was tied at 30-30.

Ben Godfrey
BBC Midlands Today

An area around a building site remains cordoned off this afternoon and local businesses have been evacuated after several mortar shells were discovered. , external

Police in Staffordshire tell me a 200m (219yd) cordon around the area in Chasetown is a precaution., external

Fans travelling to Wembley for play-off finals over the bank holiday weekend are being warned there could be some disruption, caused by engineering work.

Thousands of Aston Villa, Coventry City and Shrewsbury Town supporters will all be making the trip down to London and it coincides with Network Rail carrying out signalling work between Birmingham New Street and Coventry.

Some services will be cancelled and others replaced by buses.

Chiltern Railways has responded by adding capacity to its slower Birmingham Moor Street to London Marylebone route, but has warned there could be queues at stations.

The first counter-terrorism unit to protect the rail network outside of London has started work today in Birmingham. , external

Based at New Street station, British Transport Police says it's made up of a team of firearms officers and a specialist support dog and handler.

Image source, British Transport Police

It says the Midlands hub's a direct response to the series of terrorist incidents last year and will see officers patrolling stations and on trains.

The force says it plans to start a second regional hub in the north west later this year.

A decision to allow West Mercia's Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) to take on oversight of fire services in the area could face a legal challenge

Shropshire and Wrekin Fire and Rescue Authority voted yesterday to seek leave for a judicial review of the decision, which was taken in March by former Home Secretary Amber Rudd.

It says the proposal put forward by PCC John Campion, which was also opposed by Herefordshire and Worcestershire's fire authority, used misleading information.

Mr Campion had argued that if he took over the role of the fire authorities, it would improve efficiency and cut costs.

BBC Sport

Stoke and England goalkeeper Jack Butland (pictured) says he phoned his "hero" Joe Hart after the Manchester City player was left out of the World Cup squad.

Image source, ALLSPORT/Getty Images

Butland, 25, has seven caps for the Three Lions and is selected alongside fellow keepers Everton's Jordan Pickford and Burnley's Nick Pope.

Hart misses out despite playing nine of the 10 qualifiers and winnings 75 caps

Halesowen News

The Halesowen News features these main headlines today:

• ‘Bogus cop’ con woman who tricked vulnerable victims is back behind bars, external
• Foodbank given boost by supermarket, external
• Armed Forces Day organisers calling for Dudley veterans to have medals presented, external

A man has been stabbed after a car was attacked with baseball bats at a petrol station in the West Midlands.

Image source, SnapperSK

Police say the incident started at about 19:50 last night when a car tried to drive at a man walking on Park Lane East, Tipton.

He jumped on to a passing vehicle, officers say, which was then followed by the other car to the Morrisons petrol station where it was attacked.

The 31-year-old was stabbed in the leg and taken to hospital, but his condition is not though to be life-threatening.

Giles Taylor
BBC East Midlands Today reporter

The racist incident at Nottingham Trent University drew widespread condemnation when a video was posted on Twitter just over two months ago.

It was filmed by first year student, Rufaro Chisango (pictured), and was played in court today. In it you could hear Joe Tivnan, a law student from Birmingham, shouting, "we hate blacks" and other offensive phrases.

Today the 19-year-old read out a statement in court apologising to Miss Chisango. He said the comments were not directed at her, but recognised his language was unacceptable on that night.

Image source, Rufaro Chisango

His lawyers went on to say Tivnan was aware his place at university was probably lost and his hopes for a career in law had suffered irreparable damage.

District Judge Leo Pyle said it was evident Tivnan was remorseful, but his actions had "amounted to a substantial disturbance", which had caused a "great deal" of harm to his victim.

Chanise Evans
BBC Online

Parents have praised a club in Coventry that supports children with autism and other additional needs.

Some say the group, based at Castle Wood School, external, has transformed their families' lives.

However, the club only caters for children up to 11 and some parents have said they are worried about long-term support.

Wolves are closing in on the £10m signing of Porto defender Willy Boly, who spent last season on loan at Molineux.

Lee Blakeman
Port Vale commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

The experience of Port Vale's latest signing, Leon Legge, will help Nathan Smith's development, according to manager Neil Aspin.

The defender was signed yesterday and has played over 300 games during his time at Brentford, Gillingham, and Cambridge.

Image source, Getty Images

Aspin said Smith was still learning the game and needs a settled partner at the back.

Kathryn Stanczyszyn
Political Reporter, BBC WM

Plans to put sprinklers in 213 tower blocks across Birmingham have been approved by councillors this morning.

The move came despite concerns from some councillors that the £31m needed for the blanket agreement would be "unnecessary investment".

Image source, EPA

But this morning the city council's cabinet agreed to fit sprinklers saying they shouldn't delay any further.

They did say they wanted the government to provide £19.4m of the funding as they'd otherwise have to borrow the cash.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said any local authority with concerns about funding should contact them to discuss their issues.

Hereford Times

Here are three of the top stories from the Hereford Times today:

• Library and museum privatisation plan causes concern, external
• Man dies after taking drugs, external
• Motorcyclist killed in crash, external

Allen Cook
BBC News

A building site's been cordoned off this morning after police say a large number of mortar shells have been found there., external

Image source, Staffordshire Police

Officers say a 200m (219yds) area's been sealed off in Chasetown, Burntwood.

They say people should stay away from the area while they tackle the incident.

Mekel Sterling, 36, was shot dead outside shops in Hockley in Birmingham.

A student from Birmingham has pleaded guilty to racially or religiously aggravated harassment after footage captured racist chanting at halls of residence at Nottingham Trent University.

Nottingham Trent University student Rufaro Chisango alleged that people outside her room were chanting "we hate the blacks" on 5 March.

Image source, Google

Today at Nottingham Magistrates' Court, Joe Tivnan, 19, made an "unreserved" apology to anyone affected by his behaviour and said he was "truly sorry".

A second student, Lauren Leigh, also 19, from Nottingham, pleaded not guilty to an offence connected to the same incident and was given bail until a trial in July.

An airline pilot who was found guilty of murdering his estranged wife with a saucepan has been sentenced to a minimum of 17 years in jail.

Andrew McIntosh, 54, attacked Patricia McIntosh at their former home in Knightcote, Warwickshire, last November.

Image source, West Mercia Police

A trial at Warwick Crown Court was told he acted in anger after Mrs McIntosh refused to lower the asking price of their property.

England have decided to leave Warwickshire's Chris Woakes out of the team for the first test against Pakistan at Lords.

Captain Joe Root said fast bowler Mark Wood "offers something slightly different and he can exploit the conditions later on hopefully".

Image source, Getty Images

The decision was made this morning after looking at the pitch.

"It probably looks on the surface like bowling conditions but it's very dry underneath, and it looks like it's already starting to crack and it may play into our favour," Root said.