Vicky Balch and Leah Washington each lost a leg in the 2015 crash on the Smiler ride.

The owner of a Hereford gift shop says new parking charges and a lack of council support have forced it to close.

John Cummings-Lee-Hynes opened Papaya on Union Street 14 years ago, but said the new parking restrictions had made deliveries impossible and turned the road into a "dead zone".

Image source, Google

Herefordshire Council said the parking charges "reflect the demand for parking spaces in the city centre and are in line with charges applied in other similar town and city centres".

It encouraged struggling retailers to contact its economic development team for help.

There's a warning buildings could be damaged in strong winds later this week., external

Image source, Met Office

The Met Office has put out a yellow weather warning for much of the West Midlands from 18:00 tomorrow until 09:00 Friday.

It says there could also be travel disruption from fallen trees and branches as well as power cuts.

A number of nesting boxes, set up to help under-threat dormice re-establish themselves in Warwickshire, have been destroyed.

Warwickshire Police said the boxes, which were at secret locations, were occupied and some of the creatures may have been killed as a result.

Twenty breeding pairs of hazel dormice were introduced at a secret location in the county in June and were being monitored in the hope they produce a lot of baby dormice.

The breed is at risk of extinction despite efforts for a decade to reintroduce them into woodland.

Express and Star

The Express and Star is featuring these stories this morning, among others:

• Drunk singer jailed after 117mph Black Country police chase, external
• Prince William unveils Frank Foley statue in Stourbridge, external
• Controversial Shipley quarry set for approval despite 'unprecedented objection', external

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

A worker's been seriously injured after he became trapped in machinery on a railway line., external

Cheshire Fire Service says it was called in the early hours of this morning to the tracks at Winsford Road, Cholmondeston, near Nantwich.

Image source, Google

The man was taken to hospital with serious injuries to his legs while a second man, who had arm injuries, was also taken to hospital.

The service says the rescue operation took two-and-a-half hours and involved multiple fire crews.

Network Rail says the incident happened during planned track maintenance and an investigation is under way.

A 1930s steam locomotive, once used to pull the Royal Train, is back in action after a £150,000 overhaul.

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Emily Lloyd

Shropshire Council looks set to close 20 children's centres, in a move which is expected to save the local authority £875,000.

It plans to replace them with seven hubs in larger towns around the county.

A report, due to be discussed by councillors next week, recommends going ahead with the plans.

Nearly 1,000 people responded to a consultation exercise earlier this year, with some raising concerns about travelling to these hubs.

But the report drawn up by Children's Services said the move would improve coordination and "target our resources on those who need our help the most".

A group working to restore a former 1930s cinema says it's "devastated" after a large fire at the site.

Image source, CJAPhotographer

The Art Deco Royalty Cinema is currently vacant.

About 50 firefighters were called to the area on High Street, Harborne early this morning and it took them several hours to put the blaze out.

The Royalty Harborne Facebook group posted today, external: "We're devastated to hear of the fire at the Royalty during the night.

"We want to thank the fire services for their hard work and hope the damage is not too extensive."

BBC Sport

Warwickshire's batsmen will look to continue their domination on day two of their county championship match against Sussex.

Ian Bell returns to the crease on 108 and Jonathan Trott (pictured below) on 86, with the Bears 308 for 2.

Image source, Getty Images

But Worcestershire will need quick wickets if they're going to get anything from their match against Essex at Chelmsford.

The home side will resume on 252 for 5, a lead of 158.

BBC News Travel

There are no trains running between Crewe and Chester this morning, due to overrunning engineering works.

National Rail Enquiries says all lines between the stations are blocked and unlikely to reopen before midday., external

People in Herefordshire are being invited to use a new smartphone app to report potholes, external.

It has been introduced by Herefordshire Council, in a bid to speed up repairs.

There a plans to extend it to reporting fly-tipping, public right of way issues and dog mess.

Firefighters expect to remain at the former Royalty Cinema in Harborne for the rest of the day, after a large fire overnight.

About 50 were called out at 00:32 to deal with the fire, but it is now out and the number of firefighters has since been scaled down.

Image source, James Liddiard

West Midlands Police said it would wait for the fire service to complete inspections, before launching its own investigation.

Shropshire Star

Here are three headlines from today's Shropshire Star:

• Two lorries and a car block motorway, external
• Two Shropshire MPs to address 'alternative Tory Party conference', external
• Shirehall refurbishment costs rocket to £24 million, external

Allen Cook
BBC News

The huge blaze at the old Royalty Cinema in Birmingham overnight is being blamed on arsonists by a senior fire officer.

Image source, @CJAPhotographer

Dozens of firefighters battled the fire in Harborne from just after midnight and, although it's out, the service reckons it'll be there for most of the day.

Lee Baker, station commander with West Midlands Fire Service, tweeted, external that it was "sad to see this art deco building has finally been ruined by arsonists".

BBC Sport

Danny Pugh is going to take on first team coaching duties, after the departure of Gary Brabin.

Manager Neil Aspin revealed he'd been coaching the reserves last week and said: "He's experienced, he's been a very good professional, he's played at a high level and I think he's got the respect of the players as well."

Image source, Getty Images

Pugh is currently in the playing squad, but has done his coaching badges and will be used by Aspin, following Brabin's move to Blackpool.

The Emma Bridgewater factory in Stoke-on-Trent says its business is still being affected by last month's fire.

Much of the factory was untouched, but a kiln was taken out of action.

It says its "personalised" service is not taking any orders on the website, and that it is hoping to relaunch in October.

Image source, CRAIG JAMES HARRIS

It is also unable to take bookings for factory tours and decorating sessions.

The mother of a boy with a rare form of leukaemia has said a big donor has come forward to help pay for treatment in the United States.

A new treatment, which could help four-year-old Zac Oliver from Broseley, in Shropshire, has recently been offered on the NHS, but he does not qualify due to strict requirements.

His family now hope to raise £500,000 in seven weeks so he can go to Philadelphia in the US to get the treatment, and Hannah Oliver Willets said they'd reached £80,000, thanks partly to the mystery donor.

She said she would reveal his name tomorrow, adding it was "very special" and "the older generation might appreciate it more".

Hereford FC’s former manager, Peter Beadle, has called his sacking "a little rash or harsh".

He was dismissed, along with assistant Steve Jenkins, last week and the pair have issued a joint statement, thanking fans and their backroom staff.

Image source, Getty Images

They say they were "shocked and disappointed" to lose their jobs, with Hereford sitting 12th in the National League North.

Beadle and Jenkins had previously led the new club to league titles in all three of his full seasons in charge.

Rugby School in Warwickshire is selling off millions of pounds of historic artefacts.

About 100 lots have been selected from the school archive, to raise money needed to preserve other items, seen as key to its history.

Image source, Rugby School

They will be auctioned in London in December and the items include paintings, ceramics and even an Egyptian sarcophagus.