BBC Midlands Today

The West Midlands police and crime commissioner is meeting the Home Secretary later to call for a greater share of government money to be spent on policing in the region.

It was revealed yesterday by the National Audit Office that the force has seen the second largest cut of any in its funding over the past eight years.

Alex Hamilton
BBC Weather

Any lingering overnight rain will quickly clear to leave it mostly dry and fine with sunny spells and patchy cloud.

Just the small chance of an isolated shower - highs of 18C (64F).

Stephanie Barnard
BBC News

Good morning and welcome to our live service this Wednesday.

We'll be bringing you all the news, sport, travel and weather for the West Midlands between now and 19:00.

We love to hear from you so share your news, thoughts and photos of the area with us via

• email
• Twitter, external
• Facebook, external

A former head teacher of an approved school faces 21 charges of historical child abuse, a jury hears.

We'll be back with our usual mix of news, sport, travel and weather from 07:00 tomorrow, but keep an eye out here for more updates this evening and into the morning.

BBC Sport

Former Stoke City player Jon Parkin's revealed he once had to pay £1,200 to repair a damaged golf buggy on a pre-season tour with the Potters.

Image source, Getty Images

The 36-year-old striker, one of football's heavyweights, aptly nicknamed 'the Beast', has been looking back on a 20-year career in his new book.

He's taken BBC Sport through how not to be a modern professional footballer, via a few tales from one of English football's cult heroes.

They include said golf incident while at Stoke and, also at the Potters, how he ended up swapping shirts with an Italian defensive legend at Real Madrid.

Evesham Journal

The Evesham Journal's covering these stories today:

• Investigation into a stabbing ongoing as police launch knife surrender campaign, external
• MP hails constructive talks over station car park, external
• Deeds to rugby club returned so extension can be built, external

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

Several trees are being cut back in a town in a move which police say should cut anti-social behaviour., external

Image source, Nantwich Police

The work's being carried out at Coronation Gardens, off Volunteer Fields, in Nantwich, Cheshire.

Cheshire Police says it should cut bad behaviour in the area as people who might get involved will "no longer feel out of view".

Rory Burns hits an unbeaten 101 with Surrey just needing to avoid defeat by Worcestershire to become county champions.

Justyn Surrall
BBC Hereford and Worcester

A man is in a stable condition in hospital after being stabbed.

Police say they were called to Port Street, Evesham, Worcestershire, , externalshortly before midday yesterday after the man was assaulted.

Image source, Google

Homes were flooded and cars submerged under water after flash flooding in May.

Police say the warehouse fire caused by Adris Ali "destroyed millions of pounds of stock".

The Royal Veterinary College said the double bypass was the first operation of its kind on a dog.

The Chief Constable of West Midlands Police says the Home Office isn't aware of how stretched police forces are.

Dave Thompson said the government needed to look at the funding of policing as a whole, not just focus on wages.

Home Secretary and Bromsgrove MP, Sajid Javid, said he fully understands the pressures police are under - after a report accused the government of failing to understand the impact of cutbacks.

He told the Police Superintendents' Association Annual Conference in Leicester he would fight for the resources the police need.

Warwickshire continue to build a substantial first-innings lead against Leicestershire on day two at the County Ground.

Oswestry & Border Counties Advertizer

The Oswestry and Border Counties Advertizer has these headlines today:

• Highways England demands events plan from British Ironwork Centre near Oswestry, external
• Arrests of children in West Mercia down by 85 per cent since 2010, according to report, external
• Oswestry win thriller in the dark at Morda Road against Tamworth, external

Sara Blizzard
BBC Weather

Tonight looks set to remain cloudy with outbreaks of rain, and lows of 11C (52F).

The chief executive of Britain's biggest carmaker say a "wrong" Brexit would devastate profits and jobs.

Tourism is “booming” in Cheshire, external with the industry now worth £3.5bn and employing 36,000 people, according to Marketing Cheshire.

The organisation said "high quality accommodation, exciting new attractions and attention-grabbing events" were behind much of this success, as well as Chester Zoo and the city's cathedral.

The figures follow continuous growth, which has seen Cheshire’s tourist trade soar by more than 75% since 2010.

Determined Bournville villagers are decorating more stones after the disappearance of about 70.