Justyn Surrall
BBC Hereford and Worcester

A new art installation has opened in Worcester’s Cathedral Square today, offering visitors the chance to hear the stories of other people's lives while literally walking a mile in their shoes.

The Empathy Museum’s A Mile in My Shoes exhibit is based in a giant shoebox, and will tell stories of people from all walks of life, including refugees and prostitutes.

Hereford Times

The Hereford Times features these main headlines today:

• Man died after car skidded on ice as he was overtaking, external
• Jewellery shop set to move city base, external
• Falling shoppers denied a payout, external

Mekel Sterling was gunned down in a drive-by shooting on a Birmingham street.

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Carl Jackson

A hugely controversial phone mast which was rejected will now be installed in Birmingham, because the city council took one day too long to deal with plans.

Planning rules state phone masts of a certain height have to be dealt with in 56 days.

Image source, Google

Birmingham City Council got its dates wrong over Vodafone and CTIL’s 57ft (17.5m) mast in Bournville and has offered a "sincere apology" over the mistake.

The situation is unlikely to go down well with locals who submitted a 300-name petition against the scheme at Hawthorne Road and Heath Road.

While residents in the community have held street protests against similar proposals in the past.

The latest slip-up comes after councillors were told in March that two giant M6 billboards may get forced through because officers did not deal with them in time

BBC News Travel

All the lanes on the M5 near Halesowen are back open this afternoon after flash flooding earlier.

Highways England says the closure was down, external to "excess surface water" which has now been pumped away.

Plans for a new £3m mosque in Worcester have been published and they echo the gold theme in the city, started by the Hive library building.

Image source, One Creative

Image source, One Creative

The Worcester Muslim Welfare Association wants to build the mosque on the old Stanley Road School car park, to accommodate the city's growing muslim population.

The building could accommodate up to 1,300 worshippers.

Coventry Live
Coventry Live

These are some of the main stories on the Coventry Live website today:

• Driver who hit and killed a pedestrian while texting at the wheel to be jailed, external
• Body found in search for missing man, external
• Objects left inside patients at Coventry's hospital, external

Volunteers will be carrying out, external "duck watch" patrols this weekend to protect a trail of giant ducks from potential vandalism.

Image source, Jenny Leonard

They're part of a series of sculptures in Ironbridge, Shropshire, as part of the Let's Go Quackers, external trail.

But last weekend, one of the 4ft ducks, known as the Peace Duck, was ripped from its plinth and thrown in a river and had to be pulled out and repaired.

Now, organisers say they have volunteers watching "three vulnerable ducks" tonight and on Saturday and Sunday, between 22:00 and 01:30.

BBC Sport

John Eustace has been named as the new assistant manager at QPR.

Eustace, 38, has left his job as manager of National League North club Kidderminster Harriers to become part of Steve McClaren's backroom team.

Image source, Getty Images

Former midfielder Eustace made more than 400 senior appearances during his playing career, which included spells at Coventry City, Stoke City and playing under McClaren at Derby County.

Eustace said:, external"I can't wait to get going with QPR. I have a great opportunity to develop."

Vicky Breakwell
BBC Hereford and Worcester

When Aston Villa bid to reach the Premier League tomorrow in the Championship play-off final, they'll be cheered on at Wembley by fans from across the world - including Australia.

Image source, Getty Images

Jacqueline Hughes, who's originally from Bromsgrove, has supported Villa all her life and had a season ticket before she moved to the other side of the world, 25 years ago.

Now though, the lure of the Birmingham-based side attempting to reach English football's top flight has tempted her to travel over for the game.

A 5m (16ft) high memorial to one of the most daring operations of WW2 is now soaring high at the national arboretum in Staffordshire.

Specialist glider crews landed behind the enemy lines at what was known as Pegasus Bridge to prevent German reinforcements from driving the Allies back into the sea.

Herefordshire blacksmith Bromley O'Hare teamed up with the Allied Special Forces Association to create the metal sculpture.

An investigation was launched when the girl claimed her injury had been caused by police officers.

Shropshire Star

The Shropshire Star's covering these headlines today:

• Bomb disposal team carries out controlled explosion in Whitchurch, external
• Solicitor General welcomes jail sentence for Shrewsbury false rape claims woman, external
• Call for volunteers to guard Ironbridge giant ducks against vandals, external

Jennie Aitken
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

Jewellery that could be the oldest Iron Age gold found in Britain has gone on permanent display in Stoke-on-Trent.

Image source, British Museum

Three necklaces and a bracelet believed to be about 2,400 years old were discovered on Staffordshire farmland in Leekfrith in 2016 by two metal detectorists.

A campaign started in September raised the £325,000 needed to buy the jewellery, which was on display at the British Museum in London.

Today, Stoke-on-Trent City Council , externalsays the gold is now on permanent display at the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery.

Image source, Stoke-on-Trent City Council

Allen Cook
BBC News

Worcestershire have bowled out Durham for 209 in their One-Day Cup match today.

Charlie Morris took four wickets for the Pears, having spent two years remodelling his bowling action., external

However, Warwickshire's game at Lancashire's been interrupted by rain, with the hosts 50-1 - Henry Brookes having taken the only wicket for the Bears.

With just 8.2 overs bowled, persistent rain's hampering efforts to get play back under way in Blackpool., external

Sophie Calvert
Political Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

One of Stoke-on-Trent's MPs has stepped in to try to solve a row between local health bosses.

The clinical commissioning group (CCG) in the city wants to fine the University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust £10m for not meeting its targets.

But Gareth Snell, who is the Labour MP for Stoke-on-Trent Central, is asking if that can be cut by half as the trust is in financial special measures and is struggling with a £70m debt., external

The CCG says fines are reinvested in health provision, such as in reducing A&E attendances, to ease pressure on hospitals and they're only ever used when nationally agreed NHS targets are missed.

Two people have been arrested in raids in Shropshire by police who say it's part of a crackdown into so-called County Lines drug networks., external

Image source, Google

The force says officers searched houses in Swan Lane (pictured) and Castle Street, Oswestry and seized Class A drugs, a phone and cash.

They say at Swan Lane, they arrested a 37-year-old woman while a teenager from Merseyside was arrested at the other address, both on suspicion of possession of Class A drugs.

Known as "county lines", gangs use children as young as 12 or vulnerable people to traffic drugs, using dedicated mobile phones or "lines".

Jack Dowling
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke

A man has died after his motorbike was involved in a crash with a tractor.

Cheshire Police says the 56-year-old died at the scene yesterday evening on Reades Lanes, Congleton.

Image source, Google

No-one was injured but North West Ambulance Service said the crew and patient were "very shaken up".

Heavy showers and thunderstorms could cause flash flooding and travel disruption, the Met Office is warning.

A yellow weather warning for rain has been issued, external for much of the region between 06:00 Saturday and Sunday evening.

Image source, Met Office