Shropshire Star

The Shropshire Star's covering these stories:

• Shocked Oswestry family disturbs burglary gang in their house, external
• Redundancies at Wem tyre firm, external
• Public consultation opens into Shrewsbury's Big Town Plan, external

Lucy McNamara
BBC Radio Stoke

Final preparations are being made in Stoke-on-Trent before visitors are allowed to see the Weeping Window display of poppies in the city.

Image source, Middleport Pottery

The sculpture was first seen at the Tower of London and created to commemorate those who lost their lives in World War One.

It's been travelling around the country and was at Hereford Cathedral earlier this year.

Thousands of the ceramic poppies were made at the Johnson Tiles' factory in Tunstall , externaland, from tomorrow, visitors with tickets can see them on show at Middleport Pottery., external

Express and Star

The Express and Star's covering these stories:

• M5 delays after crash between lorry and cars blocks motorway, external
• CCTV appeal after father's home targeted in arson attack, external
• Last orders! 135 pubs close across Black Country and Staffordshire in eight years, external

England take on India at Edgbaston in day one of the five day test series.

There will be some road closures in place - Edgbaston Road, directly outside the stadium between the Pershore Road junction and Willows Road, will be closed to traffic for two hours before the start of play between 09:00 - 11:00 and for up to 2 hours after the match finishes.

Image source, Edgbaston

Joanne Gallacher
Political reporter, BBC Shropshire

Labour councillors are calling for an independent inquiry into a "legacy grant" given to a football club.

Image source, Google

Shropshire Council said The New Saints FC received £80,000 six years ago "on the understanding it would be repaid", but only £10,000 has been recovered.

The club's chairman Mike Harris maintains the funds were not to be repaid but emails seen by BBC Shropshire show repayments were expected.

Now, the Labour group on the council's written a letter to the authority saying they want an independent inquiry into what happened due to "growing press and public speculation" about the money.

Council Leader Peter Nutting says he's aware of the letter and he'll be discussing it later.

Children without their own beds may have concentration problems due to poor sleep quality, a charity says.

Newsround

Christmas may still be five months away, but for one Christmas tree grower the celebrations are already in doubt.

Matt Palmer grows the festive trees in Worcester, however all of the trees that he has recently planted have died in the heatwave.

He's now relying on trees planted in previous years to ensure he still has a fruitful festive season.

Martin Winch
BBC News

A police officer's been hurt after being hit by a car which was speeding away from other officers.

Image source, Google

Police say they were first called to reports of 10 people fighting on Tomkinson Road, Nuneaton, on Monday night. , external

Everyone ran off when they arrived but officers tracked down one man thought to be involved to a nearby car. This then sped off, hitting the officer and causing him a hand injury.

A 22-year-old man from Birmingham was later arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer, obstructing a police officer and failing to stop after an accident.

Five teenagers were also arrested in connection with the fighting for a range of offences including affray and burglary.

Get Inspired
#GetInspired

A teenage cricketer says he doesn't "feel like everyone else" when playing matches due to the lack of other black players.

Kieron Buchanan first played the sport as a small child after his uncle bought him a bat. He now plays for Handsworth CC and Warwickshire County Cricket Club's youth team.

Image source, Handsworth CC

The 15-year-old has high hopes of pursuing a career in cricket, but does sometimes feel "different to the others" during a match.

"We will normally play against a team where there are no black players," he says. "I am going to stand out. It's not weird, I just don't feel like everyone else."

Speaking to BBC Sport, an ECB spokesperson said the governing body was aware of the need to engage with "Afro-Caribbean cricket communities in the UK at all levels of the game".

You can read more of BBC's examination of the lack of black or mixed-race English cricketers in England here, on the BBC Sport website.

Louise Hancock
Newsreader, BBC WM

A man's due in court later after being charged with causing death by dangerous driving.

Image source, West Midlands Police

Sarah Giles, 20, was killed when a car she was travelling in was collision with an Audi A3 which was being chased by police in Kingstanding, Birmingham, on Sunday.

Brandon Daniels, 20, of Chingford Road, has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving.

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

The number of people being seriously hurt in crashes in Cheshire has fallen in the past year, police say.

According to Cheshire Police figures, a total of 343 people suffered serious injuries in 2017/18, compared to 378 in 2016/17., external

It said 28 people died in collisions in the last 12 months, external, the same number as the year before.

The force has published the figures ahead of National Road Victims Month in August.

BBC Midlands Today

The management of the fire and police services in Staffordshire will be merged from today.

The county's police and crime commissioner, Matthew Ellis, will take responsibility for Staffordshire Fire Service following a Home Office decision earlier this year., external

Mr Ellis says the move will not effect frontline operations and may improve efficiency.

Matt Sandoz
Stoke City commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

Stoke City manager Gary Rowett insists he'll have the final say on any transfers the club make.

Image source, PA

Stoke have a team of people who work on recruitment and the Potters have made several signings already this summer.

But Rowett told BBC Radio Stoke it was agreed before he joined that no-one would be signed without his say so.

BBC Midlands Today

A search for a midwife who disappeared after completing a night shift is being treated as a "high risk missing person inquiry".

Image source, Staffordshire Police

Samantha Eastwood was reported missing by colleagues when she failed to turn up for a shift at the Royal Stoke University Hospital.

The 28-year-old was last seen leaving the hospital on Friday morning.

A 32-year-old man who was arrested on Sunday on suspicion of kidnap has since been released under investigation while inquiries continue, police said.

BBC News England

A director at Staffordshire County Council is being investigated over alleged professional misconduct.

A complaint has been made about John Tradewell and Matthew Angus, a senior solicitor at the council, potentially breaching the Legal Services Act.

Councils' solicitors must only work for their authority under the act and the BBC understands the complaint involves the possibility of work being done outside that remit.

The Solicitors Regulatory Authority is looking into the complaint.

Neither Mr Tradewell or Mr Angus have been suspended from the council, the spokesman added.

Sara Blizzard
BBC Weather

It looks like being another dry, sunny start to the day for the region - here's the forecast for the rest of today:

If you want to get a latest weather update for your part of the West Midlands at any other time, head to the BBC Weather website.

Allen Cook
BBC News

Welcome to our live service for Wednesday.

BBC Weather Watcher Bren took this photo this morning in Badger, Shropshire:

Image source, Bren

We'll be bringing you all the news, sport, travel and weather.

We love to hear from you so share your news, thoughts and photos of the area with us via email, Twitter , externaland Facebook, external.

The Solicitors Regulatory Authority is looking into a complaint about John Tradewell and a colleague.

Stoke City boss Gary Rowett says the club have not had a "strong offer" for England goalkeeper Jack Butland.

Sarah Giles, 20, was in a VW Golf that was in a crash with an Audi A3 being pursued by police.