Jennie Aitken
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

Putting out a fire that's been burning for 13 years will be "very, very difficult", a retired geologist says.

The blaze is underground off Hollywood Lane, Keele, Staffordshire, on the site of a former colliery and has smouldered since 2005.

Now, Staffordshire County Council has ordered that the route is shut for seven months so experts can put the fire out.

The area was mined for iron as early as 1680, with coal mining following about 100 years later. Commercial mining stopped in 1998.

Bromsgrove Advertiser

The Bromsgrove Advertiser is covering these stories today:

• Warning after purse thefts in high street shops, external
• Summer fete will help fund hospice, external
• Yoga festival launching in Bromsgrove, external

The underground fire will be put out to make way for 100 new homes.

A "well-organised" gang delivered contraband to a number of prisons in England, a court hears.

Andy Giddings
BBC News

After one of the hottest summers on record, British ice hockey players have been returning to the rink, to prepare for new season.

Some teams, like Coventry Blaze in the Elite League, have seen a big turnaround, with a number of new players arriving.

Others, like Solihull Barons and Telford Tigers, welcome back familiar faces to their rosters.

Local Democracy Reporting Service
George Makin

A bitter exchange has broken out between the Conservative leader of Dudley Council and the office of the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner over who is responsible for falling police numbers in the borough.

Image source, PA

Councillor Patrick Harley said on Facebook there was adequate funding to employ officers on the beat across the force area before attacking Labour PCC David Jamieson over the refurbishment of its headquarters, Lloyd House, in Birmingham.

The leader made his comments when answering questions from members of the public on a live webcast, external, claiming the renovation cost £50m and described "vamping up" the building a "disgrace".

His comments provoked a sharp response from the PCC’s office which said he had got his figures wrong and he was "out of touch with reality".

Assistant PCC Dr Lynnette Kelly said the force had faced more than £145m in funding cuts since 2010 and had lost more than 2,000 officers.

Shefali Oza
BBC Midlands Today

Tonight will be mainly dry with clear spells with lows of 8C (46F).

Burton Albion sign Southampton midfielders Jake Hesketh and Jake Flannigan and Wigan striker Devante Cole on loan.

BBC Sport

Stoke City's Jack Butland has kept his place in Gareth Southgate's England squad, despite now playing in the Championship.

Image source, ALLSPORT/Getty Images

The 25-year-old was part of the World Cup squad but didn't play a competitive minute. The Potters were relegated from the Premier League last season.

Southgate's named a 23-man squad for September's fixtures against Spain and Switzerland.

The death of a woman found in a garden at the rear of a shop is no longer being treated as suspicious, police say., external

Image source, Google

The body of Susan Kariuki, 46, was found on Broad Street, Bromsgrove, on Tuesday morning.

Officers say a post-mortem examination proved inconclusive and further tests have been ordered.

But they say, while they're still treating the death as unexplained, they're not currently treating it as suspicious.

Allen Cook
BBC News

Worcestershire all-rounder Moeen Ali's pulled England back from humiliation on day one of the fourth Test against India but has fallen short of a half-century.

Image source, Getty Images

When he came to the wicket, the home side were 86-6 and looking unlikely to make 100 in their first innings at Southampton.

But, with Sam Curran, Moeen added 81 runs before he was dismissed for 40.

You can follow live updates on the BBC Cricket website.

A mother and daughter were injured after Naveed Hussain's Audi crashed into their home.

Hereford Times

The Hereford Times is covering these stories today:

• GP changes lead to patient fears over appointments, external
• Woman hospitalised following crash outside supermarket, external
• Heritage afternoon will feature carving of First World War soldier, external

Local Democracy Reporting Service
David Irwin

Dealing with traveller camps is estimated to have cost Solihull Council more than £65,000 last year.

Image source, Solihull Council

A Freedom of Information request revealed that during 2017 the local authority had to respond to 19 separate incidents of caravans moving on to council-owned land.

Costs included the enforcement action taken to get travellers off the site, as well as clearing up afterwards.

The majority of encampments were set up in borough parks and nature reserves, but the council also had to move travellers off Monkspath Hall Road car park and both of its leisure centre sites

Police pursuing Jasbir Hayre had to drive at 157mph in order to catch up with him.

Allen Cook
BBC News

More than a week after a man was stabbed in a park, police say they still haven't worked out who attacked him., external

Image source, Google

The victim, in his 30s, was assaulted early on 20 August, in Abbey Park, Evesham.

Police say he was stabbed in the chest and needed hospital treatment, but he's not thought to have suffered life-threatening injures.

Officers say they're still working to identify the attacker.

Chris King
News editor, BBC Shropshire

Apparently the cost of chips could go up, because of the summer heatwave.

The UK saw record temperatures in June, July and August which caused widespread drought and crop failures.

That's had an impact on the price of potatoes with one Shropshire merchant saying they've almost tripled.

Scott and Newman Limited, based in Shrewsbury, says bags of the vegetables are currently up to £340-a-tonne and last year they were £120-a-tonne.

Three men have been arrested for drugs offences in Nuneaton, after jumping from a window and being pursued by officers.

Warwickshire Police officers were visiting a flat on Vernons Lane yesterday as part of a separate inquiry when the three ran off.

The three, aged between 17 and 19, were arrested a short time later on Tryan Road.

They have all been released under investigation while enquiries continue.

A quantity of cash, mobiles and what's thought to be cannabis were seized during the arrest.

Lucie Plant
BBC Hereford and Worcester

Roger Day from Worcestershire is fitter than most people half his age.

The 70-year-old triathlete from Broadway is preparing to take on competitors from 90 other countries in the World Triathlon Championships in South Africa this weekend.

He will be competing in a veterans category as they swim 1,900 metres, cycle 56 miles and run a half marathon.

Simeon Liburd will serve a minimum of 15 years after being convicted of attempted murder.