BBC Weather Watchers

We've had a mixed picture on the weather so far across the West Midlands, with cloud over a lot of the region, but some places seeing sunny spells.

However it's cows which have grabbed some of our BBC Weather Watchers' attention today - these two are from Skye in Clee Hill and Ricky in Royal Leamington Spa:

Image source, Skye

Image source, Ricky

Louise Hancock
Newsreader, BBC WM

A school is still shut, three weeks after flash flooding hit parts of the West Midlands, and it could be Monday before some pupils can return.

Image source, Google

Almost 500 pupils at Causeway Green Primary, Oldbury have been unable to go back while repairs are carried out.

Parts of Birmingham saw more than a month's rainfall in an hour on 27 May.

The school says the rain caused the school's sewage system to overflow, damaging flooring and equipment.

It adds that reception and nursery children should be able to return on 25 June,, external followed by other age groups at future dates.

The mother of six-year-old Alfie Dingley has thanked his supporters after being told he could be prescribed cannabis oil to treat his epilepsy.

Hannah Deacon wrote on the Alfie's Hope Facebook page: "Our son is now safe and will be as well as possible because he has his medicine."

Image source, PA

And she went on to say, "with your help, we achieved something that we hope will change many lives" and encouraged people to sign a petition set up by the campaign group End Our Pain to legalise the medicinal use of cannabis for all.

HMP Long Lartin governor Clare Pearson has not returned to work following the assault a month ago.

Tony Xia can sell shares, or put Aston Villa up for sale, as he seeks to raise funds with another tax bill looming.

Allen Cook
BBC News

The former Crewe Alexandra coach Barry Bennell has lost his appeal against his 31-year prison sentence for child sex offences.

In February, he was found guilty of 50 counts of indecent assault against 12 boys between 1979 and 1991.

Three judges rejected his appeal to have his sentence reduced.

Hereford Times

Here are three stories from today's Hereford Times:

• Bulmers family victims of £2m art burglary, court told, external
• Stonebow Unit inpatient committed suicide at hospital, external
• Co-op to open in Ross-on-Wye, external

Burton Albion captain Jake Buxton has signed a new one-year deal to remain with the Brewers.

Danny Shaw
BBC Home Affairs Correspondent

The governor of Long Lartin prison in Worcestershire was seriously injured in an assault by an inmate, it has been revealed.

Clare Pearson, who took up the role in November 2016, was hit in the face last month and hasn't returned to work since, the BBC understands.

The prison service said she was expected to return to her post in July.

An inspection report, published last month, acknowledged that the jail had experienced several "extremely serious incidents" in recent years and said a rising number of assaults against staff was a "concern".

Lee Blakeman
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

Plans for a new car park near a mosque, external in Stoke-on-Trent could be approved today.

Image source, Google

More than 400 people have written to the city council in support of the proposal, to turn an open space into a community car park on Lower Spring Road in Normacot.

The report from council officers says there are parking issues around the mosque, especially during Friday prayers, festivals and holidays.

But the authority has also received seven objections, for reasons including highway safety and loss of trees and open space.

Nicola Beckford
Reporter, BBC Midlands Today

Police are urging anyone with old and inherited weapons in their homes to hand them in, after a surrender found that children as young as 12 and 13 are getting involved in violent crime.

Image source, West Midlands Police

West Midlands Police say it's important to ensure that old weapons are safely disposed of so they should be handed over and destroyed.

The force says its latest gun amnesty saw 116 surrendered and they'll now be forensically tested before being disposed of., external

The Lions of the Great War monument honours the South Asian service personnel who fought for Britain.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

A Herefordshire woman has complained her drive was dug up by broadband engineers last week without her knowledge - and that she doesn't even own a computer.

Mary Marshall said the work to lay fibre optic cables was carried out on Wednesday 13 June while she was out at the shops and that part of her Cotswold stone drive had been dug up.

Image source, Thinkstock

Mrs Marshall said six other people in the village of Hope under Dinmore were also affected, but neither she nor her neighbours had any warning of the works.

The engineers are understood to have been working on behalf the Fastershire partnership between Herefordshire Council and Gloucestershire County Council which aims to provide access to faster broadband to all who need it is that by the end of 2018.

The BBC is awaiting a response from the Fastershire project.

The regeneration of the former power station site outside Ironbridge is going to be a "long term programme", the new owner has said.

Iain Thomson, an associated director with Yorkshire-based Harworth Group, said the rest of this year would be spent making the site secure, carrying out a detailed survey and then consulting on its future with people in the area.

Mr Thomson said his company had a track record of breathing life into former brownfield sites, adding "we take on a lot of the sites that a lot of people wouldn't ordinarily take on".

He also described it as a "fantastic site", but while the intention is to "bring forward a mixture of commercial and residential development", there were no firm plans in place yet.

And he said the demolition of the cooling towers won't happen in the near future.

Burton Mail

The Burton Mail has these top stories today:

• Town is open for business despite bridge work, two Burton retail bosses insist, external
• MP calls for changes after his pregnant wife was targeted by internet trolls, external
• Couple tell of their horror as they say rats are living in their loft, external

Louise Hancock
Newsreader, BBC WM

The Marks and Spencer store in Walsall is to close on 11 August.

The branch has been part of the Saddlers Centre since 1980.

Image source, PA

The store, which employs 94 people, is one of 14 stores across the country that have been earmarked to close.

Marks and Spencer says proposing to close the store in Walsall was 'a difficult decision".

The man, in his 40s, died after being found in Malinslee with serious injuries, police say.

Kent face Warwickshire in the County Championship - listen to BBC local radio commentary.

Worcestershire face Lancashire in the County Championship - listen to BBC local radio commentary.

BBC Midlands Today

A 10-foot-high bronze statue of a World War One Sikh soldier is being planned to mark 100 years since the end of the conflict., external

Image source, Sandwell Borough Council

Sandwell Borough Council says Black Country sculptor Luke Perry has been chosen to create the Lions of the Great War monument for Smethwick High Street.

The structure will honour South Asian service personnel of all-faiths who fought for Britain.

The council says it'll stand on a granite plinth opposite Rolfe Street Station.