Crewe Chronicle

These stories are on the Crewe Chronicle website today:

• Fire crews rescue man stranded six metres in the air in cherry picker near Crewe, external
• Burglars ransack house near Audlem while owners on holiday, external
• Fans charged following Crewe Alex v Port Vale derby day match, external

Port Vale bring in former AFC Bournemouth winger Ben Whitfield and Blackburn Rovers midfielder Lewis Hardcastle.

A man who shot a father, following a disagreement over music at a party, has been jailed for attempted murder.

Image source, West Midlands Police

Simeon Liburd, of Old Lodge Lane in Croydon, London denied shooting a 42-year-old man in the leg at a Winson Green address, which police said followed a disagreement with his daughter over music at a Halloween event.

The 24-year-old was handed a life sentence at Birmingham Crown Court today with a minimum of 15 years to be served in prison.

The victim is still recovering from his injuries, said West Midlands Police, external, and likely to have permanent scarring.

Coventry Live

Some of the stories making the headlines on the Coventry Live website today include:

• Passers-by slammed for filming Coventry police, external officer knocked off bike
• Nuneaton family who 'lost everything' in a devastating blaze , external

• Coventry College aims to boost business, external

Bystanders had been labelled as "disgusting" by the police for filming the hurt officer rather than helping.

Allen Cook
BBC News

An ambulance service says it's "absolutely horrific" that a defibrillator has been stolen from a racecourse.

West Mercia Police says it was reported stolen from the Worcester track between 19-26 August. , external

West Midlands Ambulance Service, which trains people to use the life-saving equipment, added, external that "it is hard to believe that anyone would be as stupid as to steal" one.

Birmingham Live

These are some of the headlining stories on the Birmingham Live website today:

• Boys aged 13 and 14 arrested after park stabbing, external
• Mystery Midlands man wins £330,000 on Euromillions, external
• Footage shows high-speed chase as drug dealer tries to evade police, external

Nick Smith
BBC News Online

A man has been banned from driving for 24 months after being caught doing more than 140mph in his BMW on the M69.

Jasbir Hayre, 40, pleaded guilty to four driving offences, including driving while over the alcohol limit and speeding.

Mr Hayre, of Grangemouth Road, Coventry, was pulled over on 8 August.

The traffic officer in pursuit of him had to drive at 157mph in order to catch up.

Image source, Leicestershire Police

Sentencing, magistrate Helen Darling said: “I’ve been a magistrate for 15 years and it’s the highest speed I’ve ever seen, so there is no option but to enforce a 24-month ban.”

Defending, Yakesh Tanna said: “He is riddled with embarrassment. He wishes to apologise to the court.

“He admits it was foolish and reckless but very fortunately, nobody was injured.”

Hayre also pleaded guilty to having two unfit tyres on his car.

Tim Race
Producer, BBC Hereford & Worcester

A man has pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention after crashing his car into a house.

Image source, West Midlands Ambulance Service

Robert Beattie, his wife Mel and 15-year-old daughter Tash were sitting in their living room when the Audi smashed into their home in Worcester in March.

The two women needed hospital treatment.

Naveed Hussain, 26, from Wylds Lane, Worcester, also admitted to failing to stop after an accident.

At Worcester Magistrates Court today, he was given an 18-month community order and told to pay a total of £565 in fines and costs.

Andrew Hewkin
Newsreader, BBC Shropshire

The funeral has taken place for BBC Radio Shropshire presenter Vicki Archer.

Image source, Vicki Archer

The ceremony was attended by family and close friends this morning at Shrewsbury Crematorium. A celebration of her life is planned for later in the year.

The 41-year-old died earlier this month. She had presented the afternoon drivetime show at the station with co-host Adam Green since 2010.

An inquest into her death has been opened and adjourned until December.

A 16-year-old boy is in hospital with serious internal injuries after the attack in Handsworth Park.

Allen Cook
BBC News

Can you spot the difference?

This new covering has been created by an expert at Lichfield Cathedral with the aim of protecting the 13th Century library.

Image source, Lichfield Cathedral

Built in 1249, the library houses a collection of books and manuscripts including a 15th Century copy of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales and illustrations signed by King Charles I.

But, last year, the cathedral started clearing the area to make way for works to tackle water penetration and weathering. , external

Today, it has revealed it has printed a replica of the floor which will be placed on top of the 14th Century tiles., external

BBC News Travel

The northbound Cross City line's been blocked between Bromsgrove/Redditch and Birmingham New Street.

West Midlands Railway says it's due to an "operational incident" at Bournville., external

Vicky Breakwell
BBC Hereford and Worcester

One of England's most senior hospital bosses has been appointed to the board of the trust running Worcestershire's main hospitals., external

Image source, PA

Dame Julie Moore started her career in the NHS as a nurse and has just stepped down as chief executive of University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

She received a DBE for services to healthcare in 2011 and will join the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals trust for an initial six months.

Inspectors raised concerns about patients being treated in corridors at Princess Royal Hospital.

An exhibition featuring Dippy the diplodocus has become the most successful temporary exhibition staged at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.

Image source, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery

Dippy stood in the Natural History Museum in London for more than 100 years - most famously in the entrance hall - but is now on a tour of the country.

The 21m-long (70ft) replica of a diplodocus, features 292 bones and comes in 86 sections. It is free to view until Sunday 9 September with pre-booked tickets., external

So far more than 215,000 people have visited.

Worcester News

The Worcester News is covering these headlines today:

• Council apologises for failures in care for Worcester man who later died, external
• Fewer people claiming reduced council tax in Worcester, external
• Cash machine is back at Malvern shop, six months after raid, external

Tracey Higgins
Journalist, BBC Shropshire

Parents and teenagers are being warned of the dangers of nitrous oxide, more commonly known as laughing gas, after dozens of small canisters have been found in local parks.

Newport councillor Thomas Janke says there's been a rise in the number of the containers they've discovered in recent weeks in the Shropshire town.

Image source, PA

He says he's teamed up with West Mercia Police to start going into schools to try and educate students about the issues around the drug.

Nitrous oxide is taken by hundreds of thousands of people every year as a recreational drug.

Short-term exposure produces feeling of elation, but can also affect mental performance, dexterity and cause general disorientation and dizziness.

People in Wolverhampton are being told not to be concerned if they spot drones in the sky today - they're being used by a film crew, police say, external.

Officers say use of the drones have been authorised by local councils.

BBC Weather Watchers

We start up, up and away in our first BBC Weather Watcher's photo today.

User Jon took this as the sun was rising over Trentham, Stoke-on-Trent:

Image source, Jon

While this sunflower was also standing high, in Belbroughton, Worcestershire, and was photographed by user Pol:

Image source, Pol