The Alan Nuttall Partnership announced redundancies to "refocus" on "profitable parts of the business".

Stoke City started their pre-season with a win, beating League Two side Macclesfield Town 5-2 in a behind-closed-doors friendly this afternoon.

New signing Benik Afobe and forward Saido Berahino (pictured below) were among those on the score sheet.

Image source, Getty Images

Local Democracy Reporting Service

A successful Polish street food business says it may leave Herefordshire if it's unable to get retrospective planning permission for its kitchens.

The Old Granary Pierogi in Marden was one of the three finalists at this year’s BBC Food and Farming Awards 2018 in the street food/takeaway category and is booked solidly until December for festivals.

Image source, Getty Images

Their application to get permission to use the building for light industrial use is being opposed by Marden Parish Council, which says it doesn't comply with the neighbourhood plan.

A number of local residents have spoken out in support of the business, but the council chairman David Bennett said their concern was not with the current business, but with what future tenants might do with the building.

A large grass fire at a park in Hanley this afternoon is being treated as arson

It covered an area of around 10,000 square metres at Central Forest Park.

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service was called at 13:00, and says it is concerning how many fires are being started deliberately, especially in parks where they can easily spread.

West Bromwich Albion midfielder Sam Field signs a new deal to keep him with the Championship club until 2022.

A woman rescued by a fire service boat when a burst water main sent water gushing into homes says it was "really scary".

Josie Green said she did know whether water was going to "stop coming" when properties were affected in Wheeler Street, Newtown, Birmingham on Saturday.

A road repair has been completed.

Firefighters are tackling what they describe as a "severe" house fire in Hanley.

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service said it was called to Century Street just after 16:00 and neighbouring terraced properties were evacuated.

No-one is thought to have been injured.

Local Democracy Reporting Service
George Makin

Hundreds of staff who face the threat of being made redundant by the civil service are furious at being denied the chance to apply for jobs only yards away from their place of work.

Image source, Google

More than 250 staff who work for HMRC at the Waterfront at Brierley Hill have been told they cannot transfer to the Department of Works and Pensions – also based on the business park – despite it advertising vacancies.

Their case has been taken up by councillor Tim Crompton who has asked Dudley Council to join with MPs Mike Wood and Ian Austin to overturn the decision.

Earlier this year staff were told that their contact centre would close by the end of 2020 and that no jobs were available at the DWP, but since then 150 fixed term positions have been advertised.

Fisheries in Cornwall, Nottingham, Warwickshire and Essex are shut after carp deaths are reported.

Hereford Times

Here are the headlines from the Hereford Times:

• Fallen tree could block road for days, external
• Hereford choir voted Children’s Choir of the World, external
• Restaurant dumped rubbish in alley again and again, external

Cheshire East Council's chief executive Mike Suarez quits after 15-month investigation into his conduct.

Rich Davis
BBC Weather presenter

It will be mainly dry tonight with clear spells and lows of 11C (52F).

A barn and outbuilding have been badly damaged by fire at a farm near Bridgnorth.

Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service said it was called to Six Ashes at 08:53 and spent nearly two hours putting it out and raking out the embers.

Image source, Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service

Two school children have been hit by a bus in the Winson Green area of Birmingham, police say.

Both are boys, according to the West Midlands force, and have been taken to hospital - one with a "serious head injury".

The collision happened just after 16:20 between Camden Street and Ellen Street.

A number of surrounding roads have been closed.

There's been praise for a former Coventry firefighter involved in the rescue operation of schoolboys in Thailand.

Richard Stanton, who served with the West Midlands Fire Service for 25 years, was one of the first divers to find the missing lboys.

All 12 members of a Thai youth football team and their coach have been brought safely out of the cave in northern Thailand.

West Midlands Metro Mayor Andy Street tweeted his gratitude.

You can follow live updates on the rescue here.

"Substantial damage" has been done to Kidsgrove ski centre which was broken into at the weekend.

Two people got into the building on Bathpool Park through a boarded up window and tried to force their way into the safe, police said.

Image source, Staffordshire Police

They had to give up and leave empty handed, but the force said the volunteer-run centre now has a big repair bill.

BBC Sport

Shropshire have beaten Herefordshire by 128 runs in their latest minor counties fixture.

They set their hosts 507 to win at Eastnor, and bowled them out for 378, with Alex Wyatt taking 4-61 and Gurjit Sandhu 3-62.

Barney Morgan was unbeaten on 147 for Herefordshire.

Shropshire claim 24 points and Herefordshire four, meaning that with two games played Shropshire head the Western Division, a point ahead of Berkshire.

Ben Godfrey
BBC Midlands Today

Hundreds of residents are facing months of upheaval after Birmingham's biggest water main burst leaving homes saturated.

Flood water affected about 100 properties in Wheeler Street, Newtown, Birmingham on Saturday, leaving thousands of pounds worth of damage.

Severn Trent say the repair has now been completed, and apologised to residents for the inconvenience.

The road is expected to reopen tomorrow.

You can see my full report on Midlands Today on BBC One at 18:30.

Phil McCann
Cheshire Political Reporter, BBC News

The chief executive of Cheshire East Council, Mike Suarez, has resigned 15 months after he was suspended by the authority.

He was being investigated over concerns over his conduct.

Image source, Michael Moore

Five separate investigations were launched, with one looking into concerns over the way contracts were awarded, and another looking at the way a so-called whistleblower lost her job.

Mr Suarez announced his resignation in a letter to the Crewe Chronicle. He didn't reveal his reasons but thanked his former staff.

The council won't comment on whether he's been awarded a pay package to leave.

New shift arrangements have being brought in at Jaguar Land Rover so workers can watch England's World Cup semi-final against Croatia.

Image source, Getty Images

"It's been 28 years since England were in a World Cup semi-final," the company said.

"In recognition of this achievement, we wanted our workforce to be able to enjoy the game and support the England team".

Workers at plants in Solihull, Castle Bromwich, Halewood and Wolverhampton, as well as the Coventry headquarters are all set to benefit.

The "revised production schedule," drawn up in partnership with the trade union, will have "no impact on customers," the company said.