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Crowds of cycling fans and blue skies are ready to welcome the riders when they reach Leamington at the end of today's Tour of Britain stage.
A big screen has been set up in the town to allow fans to watch the race, which set off in Nuneaton this morning.
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
A fire service says its budget is going to be hit because its firefighters have had to tackle nearly 1,500 wild fires this summer.
Image source, Alsager Fire StationThe Staffordshire service says three-quarters of them are thought to have been started deliberately.
To cope, it's admitted it's had to dip into its resources to cope because of an increase in fuel, wages and other assets.
Among the blazes was one around the Roaches beauty spot, which spread across 200 acres of moorland and took days to get under control.
Quote MessageThe Roaches incident, it was what we call a 12-pump fire so, at any one time, there were 12 pumps in attendance but, overall, throughout the duration, there were 230 appliance movements so we committed a huge amount of resources, even a helicopter was deployed."
Brian Moss, Staffordshire Fire Service
Allen Cook
BBC News
A developer says it's focusing on Birmingham as it looks to recruit 350 new staff to help build new homes worth £2bn.
Image source, Weston HomesWeston Homes currently employs 430 staff but says it needs to expand as it is going to build 7,500 houses, mainly in the south-east.
The firm's going to hold a recruitment day in Birmingham later this month, saying it needs to recruit in areas including construction, design and engineering.
Local Democracy Reporting Service
A Worcester swimming pool which is used by 17 local schools could get £15,000 towards the cost of refurbishment from the city council.
It is being asked to make a contribution towards the £141,000 needed to replace the lining and improve the surface around the Lower Wick pool.
The work would include closing the pool for a period of six to eight weeks.
BBC Sport visits Worcester Valkyries - last season's bottom side - as they bid to achieve their first ever Premier 15s victory.
Read MoreTom Bayliss has signed a new four-year deal with Coventry City.
There were rumours linking him with a move away from the club during the summer.
Image source, Getty ImagesAnd striker Jordan Ponticelli has thanked fans for their support after breaking his foot during his first game for loan club Macclesfield.
UK customers were affected after spending in shops, restaurants and other businesses a week ago.
Read MoreHere are a couple of super sunrise photos from Staffordshire, sent in by our BBC Weather Watchers.
These two are from Jon in Barlaston and user Pete at Hanley in Longport:
Image source, Jon
Image source, Pete at hanley
Birmingham Live
The Birmingham Live page has these stories today:
BBC Sport
At lunch, Hampshire are 21-2 in their second innings and lead Worcestershire by 92 runs on day two of their county championship match.
Both wickets have fallen to Josh Tongue.
Image source, Getty ImagesAnd Durham have started their reply to Warwickshire's first innings total of 310.
They are 2-0 at lunch at Edgbaston.
Louise Hancock
Newsreader, BBC WM
Channel 4 bosses are in Birmingham today, on a final visit before they decide where to base their new national headquarters.
In July, the city was revealed as being on the shortlist along with Greater Manchester and Leeds.
The company wants to move 300 of its 800 staff out of London to a national headquarters and two "creative hubs".
The three locations are also in the running to house a new creative hub, alongside Bristol, Cardiff and Glasgow, and a final decision's expected later this year.
A 22-year-old from Dudley's been arrested in Nuneaton on suspicion of possession of Class A drugs.
Officers went to a house in Church Road as part of another inquiry and also discovered a meat cleaver, cash, several mobiles and the keys to two stolen cars, police said.
The man has been released under investigation.
BBC Sport
Shrewsbury boss John Askey says his team face "a good test" away to unbeaten Portsmouth this weekend, but believes they're capable of picking up their first win of the season.
He described Fratton Park as "always a difficult place to go" and believes his players are due some luck after drawing three and losing three in League One so far.
Portsmouth have won five and drawn one so far and are second in the table.
Shrewsbury are second from bottom.
Quote MessageEspecially early on, we've got to keep them quiet and grow into the game. We've got to show character and show that we can play, whether it's at home or away, where there's a big crowd."
John Askey, Shrewsbury Town manager
Here are three headlines from today's Shropshire Star:
Labour MP Ruth Smeeth wants country of origin stamping to encourage more to buy British ceramics.
Read MoreOne of the victims of football coach Barry Bennell has been advising Hollyoaks on its current football abuse storyline.
Image source, Channel 4/Lime PicturesSteve Walters said the plot, which sees coach Buster groom Ollie, is "very difficult to watch" but "spot on".
Walters was among those who spoke out about former Manchester City youth coach Bennell, leading to him being jailed in February for abusing boys.
"We all know it's still going on today, and worse than ever, so this is such an important issue," Walters said.
Sophie Calvert
Political Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke
The government's been urged to force pottery firms to have a country of origin stamp on all their products to protect Stoke-on-Trent's ceramics industry.
Stoke North Labour MP Ruth Smeeth told the Commons that the city's potters were regularly being undercut by foreign-produced works which made out they were British.
She introduced her Ceramics (Country of Origin Marking) Bill last night and said stamping pottery with its origin would help create a "level playing field".
Her bill will have a second reading next month.
Lucy King
News Editor, BBC Radio Stoke
A house has been found filled with cannabis plants after police raided it.
Image source, Staffordshire PoliceStaffordshire Police say they searched the home on Berdmore Street, Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent, yesterday morning. , external
Officers found around 100 plants spread from the living room to the loft.
Image source, Staffordshire PoliceA shortage of burial space in the Shropshire area could see some cemeteries running out of plots within three years.
Shropshire Council is considering a report which says those in Emstrey and Minsterley are those most affected, but adds the town's main cemetery on Longden Road could last another 10 years.
Image source, PAThe authority, which is due to discuss the concerns at a meeting later this month, says most of the burials at council-owned cemeteries take place in Shrewsbury, with only a handful at those in rural areas.
Sites including Alberbury and Westbury could have space for burials for 60 years or more.
The racers have left Nuneaton on today's 183.5km (114 mile) stage of the Tour of Britain.
They're due to pass through Coventry, Kenilworth and Warwick on their way to Royal Leamington Spa.
