BBC Sport

There are just hours to go before the new football league season starts, with the Championship first to kick off this evening.

Image source, Getty Images

But before that, to whet your appetite, BBC Sport has put together a list of things you might have missed over the World Cup-heavy summer.

They include:

• Stoke City's loan signing of Wolves striker Benik Afobe (pictured)
• Crewe Alexandra's Twitter feed being "taken over" by one of their players and featuring Love Island and walnut whip references
• A memorable win by Walsall over four-time European Cup winners Ajax

All these and plenty more on the BBC Sport website.

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Carl Jackson

An imperilled social club with nearly 100 years of history looks set to be saved after lucrative housing plans were passed.

Image source, Google

Lea Hall Allotments and Institute in Handsworth Wood has more than 400 members but the end was in sight for the club due to the high cost of repairing its Grade II listed Georgian mansion home.

At a meeting on Thursday, Birmingham City Council’s planning committee approved plans for 107 homes to be built on part of the site.

The scheme had divided the community due to the fact it would swallow up a large amount of space used for allotments, leaving the remaining plots much smaller.

Birmingham Live

From Birmingham Live:

• Homicides rocket in murder-hit Birmingham and West Midlands, external
• Husband stole wife's car and drove it through the front of John Lewis store, external
• Aldi supermarket plan refused - despite owning the land for 14 years, external

BBC Sport

Birmingham Bears picked up a welcome win against Leicestershire Foxes in the T20 Blast North Group at Grace Road.

Image source, ALLSPORT/Getty Images

Oli Stone took 3-22 for the Bears as Leicestershire were bowled out for just 143, with Neil Dexter (56) the only batsman to make any sort of impression.

Ian Bell (34) (pictured) then made a fast start in reply before Adam Hose (66 not out off 34 balls) guided the visitors home to 146-2 and an eight-wicket win with 34 balls remaining.

The Bears will look to follow up the win tonight when they visit Derbyshire Falcons.

Meanwhile, Worcestershire Rapids in third in the North Group will host table-toppers Durham Jets at New Road this evening.

Kaysley Smithen repeatedly struck his mother Janice with metal bar weights.

A man who killed his mother after a "milky tea row" is set to be sentenced in October.

Thomas Westwood, 46, of Rosemary Close, Tile Hill, Coventry, has already admitted manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility. He was expected to be sentenced in Leamington Spa on Friday.

Susan Westwood, 68, was found with stab wounds in December.

The youngest woman to be convicted of plotting a terror attack on British soil has been jailed for life with a 13-year minimum term.

Image source, Metropolitan Police

Safaa Boular, 18, of Vauxhall, London, was convicted of preparing acts of terrorism and attempting to travel to Syria to join IS militants.

She had been groomed online by her fiance, Naweed Hussain, an IS fighter originally from Coventry, who later died.

Boular was in the UK's first all-female cell with her mother and sister, who were jailed at the Old Bailey in June.

A man accused of attacking an 86-year-old woman in her Birmingham home, leaving her with broken bones in her neck and back, has failed to appear in court.

A judge ordered 30 not guilty pleas to be entered on behalf of Nicholas Mason after hearing he had declined to talk to lawyers while on remand.

Image source, Family handout

Mr Mason is accused of causing grievous bodily harm to Veronica Eustace during a nine-day spree of alleged offences including 19 break-ins and attempted burglaries.

The 43-year-old, of Larches Lane, Chapel Ash, Wolverhampton, is accused of a raft of other offences including robbery, theft, fraud and handling stolen goods.

He's next due in court on 19 November, a week before a projected three-week trial.

BBC News Travel

Two lanes are shut on the M6 in Staffordshire this afternoon due to a broken-down horsebox.

Highways England says it's happened between J12, the Gailey turnoff, and J11a. , external

Image source, Highways England

Allen Cook
BBC News

Residents in part of Staffordshire are being warned there could be flooding from thunderstorms this afternoon., external

Image source, Met Office

The Met Office has put out a yellow weather alert, saying buildings could also be damaged by lightning strikes, hail or strong winds.

The area covered by the alert includes some of the Staffordshire Moorlands and is in place until 21:00 tonight.

Mansfield Town sign Stoke City defender Ryan Sweeney on loan until the end of the season.

BBC Sport

Britain's Adam Peaty set a new championship record in winning his heat to reach the 100m breaststroke semi-finals at the European Championships.

Image source, EPA

The Uttoxeter-born Olympic champion - who finished in 57.89 seconds - remains unbeaten in this event and is going for a ninth European title in Glasgow.

Peaty, 23, is the world record holder in the 50m and 100m distances.

The semi-final takes place at Tollcross on Friday evening.

Allen Cook
BBC News

A man was left with a head injury when he was punched to the floor while sitting on a park bench., external

Image source, Google

The attack - by three men - happened in Cripplegate Park, Worcester, on Monday afternoon, police said, adding the victim was kicked when on the ground.

His phone and cash were stolen.

Scunthorpe sign midfielder Matthew Lund from Burton and forward George Thomas from Leicester on a season-long loan.

One of the divers who helped save 12 schoolboys and their football coach from a flooded cave in Thailand has been explaining the kit used during the rescue.

It comes as Rick Stanton, a former Coventry firefighter, is to be honoured by the city for his part in the mission.

Robert Eacock died from a single stab wound after he was attacked in Hereford city centre.

Andy Giddings
BBC News

Photos of what police describe as a meth lab , externalhave been released by the West Mercia force following a raid in Redditch.

Image source, Europol

It said the discovery was made last Friday by officers in a series of searches in the town following a tip-off. "A quantity of drugs" was also found at the site.

The fire service, police said, assisted officers in making the area safe due to concerns over the chemicals found and the risk of contamination.

Image source, Europol

Four people were arrested on suspicion of drugs offences.

Three have been released under investigation while the fourth has been released on police bail.

Police forces are experiencing record numbers of 999 calls.

BBC Weather Watchers

This was Ludlow Castle this morning, as photographed by BBC Weather Watcher David E.

If you want to become one of our watchers, head to the website and sign up.

Image source, David E

West Brom sign defender Tosin Adarabioyo on a season-long loan from Premier League champions Manchester City.