The number of complaints about revenge porn has almost doubled in the region since it became a crime in 2015.

The five forces which cover the West Midlands have seen the number of reports rise from 241 in 2015-16 to 474 in 2017-18.

But the number of cases resulting in a charge has remained low, falling to only 33 last year.

Image source, Getty Images

Revenge porn is defined as the sharing of private, sexual materials, either photos or videos, of another person without their consent and with the purpose of causing embarrassment or distress.

When Sir Jack Hayward was invited to sign the visitors’ book in the Wolves Museum, a few months before his death in 2015, he wrote: “Glad to have helped.”

He rescued the financially faltering club in 1990, and went on to invest £70m over the next 17 years.

A statue in his honour is being unveiled at Molineux this morning.

Faith Page
Reporter, BBC Shropshire

A team of scientists from Harper Adams University have scooped a prestigious national farming award.

Their Hands Free Hectare project , externalwon BBC Radio 4's Future Food category at the broadcaster's Food and Farming awards in Bristol last night.

The team is growing, managing and harvesting a crop using only robots and drones.

A 28-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, police say.

John Bray
BBC News

Sir Jack Hayward is the third person to have a statue erected in his honour at Molineux.

Former manager Stan Cullis and former England captain Billy Wright are also remembered at the stadium.

The bronze figures were all created by artist James Butler.

Sir Jack’s son Jonathan said: “Dad would have been very humbled to be in the exalted company of Billy Wright and Stan Cullis.

“He will have the city of Wolverhampton to one side, and Molineux to the other, both of which were so important and so special to him. He is truly one of our own.”

Stoke-on-Trent Live

The Stoke-on-Trent Live website is covering these stories today, among others:

• Aldi stopped mum using vouchers to buy baby milk, external
• Council comes up with plan for road after thousands campaigned, external
• Former council officer received £209k 'compensation' after leaving authority, external

BBC Sport

Worcestershire all-rounder Moeen Ali's been praised by his captain for his role in England's three-wicket win over Australia in the first one-day international at The Oval.

Spinners Moeen and Adil Rashid took five wickets between them, limiting the visitors to 214 all out.

Moeen was into the attack in the ninth over after Australia had started briskly and ended up with 3-43.

He then steadied England in their successful chase when sharing a stand of 34 with David Willey before needlessly holing out on the leg side when England were in sight of victory.

Eleven men are accused of a multimillion-pound art raid on the family's Somerset home in 2009.

Worcestershire captain Joe Leach will miss the rest of the season with a stress fracture of his back.

Birmingham City rename their ground the 'St Andrew's Trillion Trophy Stadium' as part of a sponsorship deal with the club's owners.

Allen Cook
BBC News

Many of Alton Towers' main rides are closed this morning, the theme park says, because of high winds.

Image source, Getty Images

Storm Hector is bringing strong winds across Northern Ireland and the north of England, with some gusts reaching 60mph.

Alton Towers tweeted , externalto say they're keeping a close eye on the forecast and working to get rides open "as soon as it's safe to do so".

A fresh appeal for information has been issued following a stabbing in a children's park in Oxford.

Harun Jama, from Birmingham, was found stabbed near a children's playground in Friars Wharf, Oxford, on 3 January and later died in hospital.

Image source, Thames Valley Police

Det Ch Insp Andy Howard said Thames Valley Police had carried out a "full investigation" but believe several people who witnessed the incident have not yet come forward., external

Craig Ford, 33, of Luther Street, Oxford, arrested in connection with the investigation, had charges of robbery and possession of a bladed article dropped, but is still facing charges for drugs offences.

Alice Ashcroft, 25, also of Luther Street, Oxford, also remains charged with two counts of possession with intent to supply class A drugs in connection with the investigation.

A statue of former Wolverhampton Wanderers owner Sir Jack Hayward will be unveiled at Molineux later, on what would have been his 95th birthday.

Image source, Wolverhampton Wanderers

The bronze sculpture depicts Sir Jack giving Wolves fans the thumbs up as his team won the 2003 play-off final at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, to reach the Premier League for the first time.

The statue has taken two years to produce and was designed by world-renowned artist James Butler, who also created the existing Billy Wright and Stan Cullis statues at Molineux.

Wolves managing director Laurie Dalrymple said: “Sir Jack touched the lives of everyone he met, and a lot of those that he never met, and for everything he did for Wolverhampton Wanderers and the city of Wolverhampton, this statue will act as a permanent tribute and sign of our gratitude.”

Allen Cook
BBC News

There are more than 2,000 homes and businesses without power in Staffordshire this morning.

Western Power Distribution says there are 1,003 in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent and 1,010 in the Cheddleton area. , external

In both cases, they say they're working to get the electricity back by 10:30.

Express and Star

Some of the headlining stories on the Express and Star website today are:

• Knives, hammer and machete found after masked men seen in Wolverhampton, external
• Councillor's fury at Wolverhampton taxi protest, external
• Work on Walsall's tallest tower is off to a flying start, external

The Michelin-starred chef Glynn Purnell has been asked to create a special dish to celebrate the 50th anniversary of work beginning on Spaghetti Junction.

More than 200,000 vehicles a day are carried around junction six of the M6, making it the busiest in the world.

The chef has been asked to come up with Birmingham's very own spaghetti dish in tribute.

Mikey Burrows
BBC WM Sport

The fixtures for the new Premier League season have just been announced and Wolves will start the campaign at home to Everton, external.

The first game back in the top division since 2012 will be at Molineux on 11 August and it's followed by technically Wolves' only Midlands derby at Leicester on 18 August before they host the champions Manchester City on 25 August.

The festive fixtures see Wolves in London. It's Fulham away on Boxing Day and Tottenham away on 29 December. Nuno's side finish the season at Liverpool.

An inquiry into widespread rail disruption following timetable changes has been launched.

Image source, Stephen Pimlott

It will identify what led to the failed introduction of new schedules and make recommendations "before any future major network changes", the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) said, external.

Disruption to passengers, especially on Northern and Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) lines, will be examined.

ORR chair Stephen Glaister said a final report would be published by December.

A sailor from Worcestershire will set off for France today as the only female competitor in the Golden Globe, external round-the-world yacht race.

Susie Goodall, from Bournheath, near Bromsgrove, will sail solo and non-stop for around 300 days.

All the yachts will leave Falmouth for France where the race officially starts on 1 July.

A statue of the former Wolves owner Sir Jack Hayward will be unveiled outside Molineux this morning.

Image source, Getty Images

Sir Jack rescued the club from the verge of insolvency in 1990 and oversaw their rise to the Premier League.

He died in 2015.

The statue will be on the approach to the ground at the corner of the South Bank and Steve Bull stands.