Three towns in North Wales will be permanently monitored by Cheshire West and Chester Council after a successful trial.

Image source, Getty Images

CCTV cameras in Rhyl, Prestatyn and Rhuddlan were watched by the English control room to save money.

Denbighshire councils and North Wales Police handed over control, but officers can ask for assistance when tracking incidents.

Denbighshire County Council said the "cost effective way of working... improved and enhanced services".

BBC Hereford and Worcester

Extra funding has been announced for the provision of rural broadband in Worcestershire.

Superfast Worcestershire is one of a handful of projects to be awarded cash from the Governement's Rural Development Programme for England.

The £1.5m will support the county council's existing projects to ensure that countryside communities have access to high speed internet connections.

Miroslaw Chlap was cycling home from work when he was hit by drink-driver Melissa Darbyshire.

Stephanie Barnard
BBC News

The M5 northbound between junctions 5 and 4a near Droitwich will remain closed into this evening, Highways England warns., external

It said it followed a "serious" collision.

A spokesman for the ambulance services tells me crews remain at the scene.

There are long delays on surrounding roads, with a number of diversions in place., external

Local Democracy Reporting Service
David Irwin

Birmingham Airport has argued that plans to expand its site will help deal with an increasing volume of passengers.

Image source, Birmingham Airport

A new planning application says, external an extension between the existing short pier and main terminal building would see the creation of new food and retail outlets.

The development would also provide space for additional seating, toilets and baggage areas, according to the airport.

The application is to be considered by Solihull councillors later this year.

Media regulator Ofcom scraps plans to launch a further 13 local television channels.

Birmingham Live

Among the stories to feature today:

• Two men stabbed with machete outside Costcutter in Kings Heath High Street, external
• These are the West Midlands' most stolen cars - is your brand on the list?, external
• Birmingham's new 'clean air zone' explained - is your car compliant? , external

Five-time world champion and three-time Olympic Gold medalist Ed Clancy has signed up for next month's Newport Nocturne race.

Image source, Newport Nocturne

The Nocturne is Britain’s "original" floodlit cycle race, say organisers, and it's returning on 18 August after a four-year absence.

Clancy won the power-assisted Derny bike race at the 2012 event.

Event co-organiser Diane Jeggo said: “We’re thrilled that Ed will be at the Nocturne again. He’s a great character and is always in the thick of the action.”

Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas rode the Nocturne in 2007.

Stephanie Barnard
BBC News

Highways England says, external there is more than three miles of traffic after a crash on the M5 northbound this afternoon.

The carriageway is closed northbound between 5 and 4a. Traffic is being diverted onto the A38 towards Bromsgrove.

Image source, Highways England

Police, fire and the ambulance services are in attendance.

Drivers are being warned to expect delays on the M5 northbound between junctions 5 and 4 due to a crash involving two lorries and a van., external

Police are asking drivers to avoid the area.

Peter Wilson
BBC Midlands Today Special Correspondent

Keyless car crimes in the West Midlands have trebled, according to police.

Neil Horsburgh had his Audi A5 taken from outside his home in Quinton - the locking device was still in the house when the car was driven away.

Thieves used a special scanner to relay the signal from the house to the car.

Neil replaced the stolen car with another Audi, this time attaching a "crook lock" to the steering wheel.

Thieves returned, attempting to remove the lock using a grinder. They failed.

So how do you stop keyless car thefts from happening? Well, a good old-fashioned "crook lock" is recommended by police and did the trick in Neil's case.

And a Faraday case (pictured below) shields the contents of the pouch from scanners.

A driver of a car in which a woman was fatally hurt following a police pursuit crash remains in a critical condition, the West Midlands force says.

Their car was struck by an Audi A3 that police were following, suspecting it to have been stolen.

It happened in Kingstanding, Birmingham, on Sunday.

Police said four occupants in the Audi, aged between 17 and 20, had been arrested on suspicion of burglary, with a fifth, aged 21, taken to hospital where he was in a critical condition.

Image source, SNAPPERSK

More independent shops opened in the West Midlands than anywhere else in Britain last year, according to data.

The figures, from the British Independent Retail Association,, external suggest the region is the only one with more shops opening than closing in 2017.

Image source, Google

Sparkhill and Saltley, in Birmingham, are among the three places with the most independent retailers.

Meanwhile, Telford and the Perry Barr area of Birmingham are among the ten places with the lowest percentage of independents, according to the research.

The car she was travelling in was in collision with a suspected stolen car being pursued by police.

BBC WM Sport

Birmingham City boss Garry Monk says he's prepared to start the season with youngster Connal Trueman in goal as he waits for clarification over a reported transfer embargo at St Andrew's.

The 22-year-old played in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Brighton in Blues' last pre-season friendly before this weekend's opener against Norwich.

Image source, Getty Images

Monk says he's looking to strengthen by signing another goalkeeper, but is prepared to stick with Trueman until the EFL clarifies Blues' transfer position.

Rohullah Yakobi said it was "painful" that his 10-year-old son was questioning his British identity.

The weekend's rainfall has got the dried-out River Redlake in Shropshire running again, the Environment Agency says.

Image source, Environment Agency

More than 80 brown trout were rescued on Friday as the hot weather took its toll on the water.

Agency spokesman Dave Throup tweeted , externalthat after 20mm of rain over the Welsh border, the river was flowing once more.

A man has appeared in court charged with the murder of a man found dead inside a Walsall flat.

Edwin Bradley, 65, was discovered at his home in St Thomas Close in Coalpool in the early hours of 6 July.

At Walsall Magistrates Court earlier, accused Darren Barnes, 47, of no fixed address, also faced one count of the theft of a hard drive.

Mr Barnes was remanded in custody. He is due to appear at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Tuesday.

BBC News Travel

An incident between Stafford and Stoke-on-Trent is blocking all rail lines.

Service disruption is expected until 15:45, says CrossCountry Trains.

Some services are being diverted via Crewe.

A man died when the vehicle he was driving hit a telegraph pole in Warwickshire.

The man, in his 60s, was pronounced dead at the scene on Kineton Road, Southam, shortly after 23:30 on Saturday.