Sophie Anderson's affection for Ironbridge power station led to her getting it tattooed on her ankle.

Andy Sullivan enjoyed a brief spell as early leader of The Open this morning.

The Nuneaton golfer was in the first group to tee off at Carnoustie.

Image source, Getty Images

He scored a birdie three at the first hole, putting him into the lead.

He finished his round level par - five shots off the lead.

You can follow live updates on the tournament here.

Cathryn Craven argued she would have reconciled had her husband not been killed by a speeding driver.

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Carl Jackson

A Birmingham shisha lounge has had its council licence stripped after police declared it was on the radar of every armed officer in the city.

Image source, Google

It is now unlikely that Arabian Nites, which has been temporarily closed by order of magistrates since a shooting in May, will ever reopen.

A Birmingham City Council licensing sub committee today took away the venue’s ability to play music, provide late night refreshment and perhaps most significantly, sell alcohol.

Committee chairman Councillor Barbara Dring confirmed the decision had been made to prevent crime and disorder and protect public safety.

A vandalised giraffe statue in the centre of Worcester has been replaced by an inflatable dinosaur, by staff at a nearby coffee shop.

Gregory the giraffe is one of 60 giraffe statues, painted by local artists, that make up an art trail in the city - they will eventually be sold off to raise funds for a local hospice.

However, Gregory was removed after being damaged, leaving his plinth empty - organisers say the matter was reported to police.

While Gregory is being repaired, staff at Coffee 45 said they felt something should go in his place - and have named the present incumbent Dave.

Shropshire Star

Here are three headlines from the Shropshire Star today:

• Pair deny attacking Telford taxi driver minutes before fatal crash, external
• Council should sue over Pride Hill revamp hold-ups, says MP, external
• Shrewsbury Toys R Us store sold as part of £30.5 million deal, external

A man has been arrested on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon after officers were called to reports of a man with what was thought to be a crossbow.

A "long bow" was seized by officers after the incident which happened shortly before 20:30 on Avon Street, Rugby.

The 39-year-old from the town remains in police custody, said Warwickshire Police. , external

Steam trains are returning to the Severn Valley Railway after being taken out of service over fire safety concerns.

The fire service was called out on 8 July to attend a number of small blazes which broke out along the line.

Today, the heritage railway said it had carried out a "detailed fire risk review" and concluded it was safe to run two of its locomotives.

They will go back into service from today and the railway said it would be "carrying out daily monitoring and fire risk assessments" to see if the rest of its fleet could return to the rails soon.

Joshua Juggan and Malik Ragnatt pleaded guilty to taking cash and jewellery from a Coventry house.

Hereford Times

Here are three headlines from the Hereford Times today:

• Mum launches painted rocks project after losing baby, external
• Family pay tribute to teen who collapsed, external
• Ross Road due to be repaired this afternoon, external

BBC Sport

Stoke City coach Callum Davidson says every member of Gary Rowetts backroom team will have a major part to play in helping the team back to the Premier League.

Rowett hasn't opted for a traditional assistant manager, instead he wants his coaches to have an equal voice in the management set-up.

Image source, Getty Images

Davidson says everyone will have the responsibility to get the team winning matches.

Police are still searching for a fake police car after drivers were pulled over in Stoke-on-Trent.

Officers have received reports of a Black Mondeo with flashing lights in the grill on Blurton Road in Blurton.

Image source, Getty

It was last seen on Monday afternoon and has been spotted overtaking other drivers with sirens going.

An HR officer was not unfairly dismissed after raising concerns about council policies, a tribunal finds.

Sandy Lyle laments a spot of 'bunker trouble' after his opening round in his likely final Open unravels in Carnoustie's sand traps.

Shrewsbury's MP Daniel Kawczynski says Shropshire Council should consider suing contractors working on the town's Pride Hill.

He says work to improve the area is taking too long and it's impacting on businesses and shoppers.

Shropshire Council said the work would include resurfacing the pavements and reducing "street clutter" - it was due to be completed by November 2018., external

Mr Kawczynski said he would be meeting the Managing Director of Rochdale-based Casey's Company tomorrow to "read them the riot act".

He said he has been told it could be October 2019 before the work is complete.

The BBC is awaiting a response from the firm.

Stoke-on-Trent Live

Three of the top stories from Stoke's Sentinel newspaper today:

• Swim Safer campaign across Stoke-on-Trent launched, external
• Fund-raising for teacher forced to quit job as he could end up blind, external
• Rough sleepers will soon have new place to turn, external

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Tom Dare

A vote on whether the mayor in the West Midlands should take on the role of the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) will be held tomorrow.

The board of the West Midlands Combined Authority will vote on the first phase of combining the two positions.

Image source, Getty

The proposals were first laid out in the West Midlands’ second devolution deal earlier this year, and would see the mayor take on the powers of the PCC in time for the 2020 mayoral election.

A similar process is currently under way to bring the powers of the West Midlands Fire Authority under the mayor.

An agreement on Friday would see the proposals put to an eight-week public consultation in November - people would then be asked their views on combining the two positions.

In the most recent respective elections (2016 and 2017), more people voted for the current PCC than the mayor.

BBC Coventry & Warwickshire

A not-for-profit organisation that runs a soft play centre in Nuneaton says it's prepared to pay the legal fees for any customers who failed to get a parking fine cancelled.

Image source, Google

Nuneaton and Bedworth Leisure Trust, which runs the Bermuda Adventure Soft Play, said since May staff and parents have been caught out by new parking restrictions.

It's advising customers , externalthat parking company UKPS Ltd, has "no legal right" to issue tickets.

In a statement the company said it "complies with all regulations of the parking industry" and that it has a current contract with the landowners Tawnywood Ltd.

The owners of the land didn't want to comment ahead of a potential meeting to resolve the situation.

The former Arizona Coyotes defenceman Justin Hache has joined the Coventry Blaze for the 2018-19 Elite League season.

The club said it had "completed" its defensive unit with the signing of the 24-year-old Canadian.

Image source, Getty Images

Hache was drafted in the seventh round of the 2012 NHL entry draft, but failed to break into the Coyotes team and spent last season playing in the Danish league.

Violent crime in the Staffordshire police are has risen by 14% in the past 12 months and the overall number of reported crimes has gone up by 4,379 - an increase of 5%.

The force said these violent crimes against the person now also include people using social media to send messages "intending to cause distress or anxiety".

Image source, Staffordshire Police

There has also been a 42% rise in the number of cars reported stolen in the south of the county, but the force added "house burglaries and drug offences have fallen significantly".