A Coventry man whose father died after receiving contaminated blood has welcomed the start of a public inquiry into the scandal.

The inquiry is looking at how thousands of NHS patients were given blood products infected with hepatitis and HIV during the 1970s and 1980s.

Jason Evans was just four years old when his father Jonathan died after being infected with HIV through treatment with contaminated blood.

He said it's taken three years of "religious" campaigning, "day in day out" to get to this point, and it's now "vindicating that a public inquiry is now beginning".

It might not have had the glitz of the Strictly dance floor, but dancers in Shrewsbury have claimed a new world record for the most people dancing a Charleston at the same time.

As many as 1,096 people are believed to have joined the five-minute routine in the town's Quarry park on Saturday.

The current record, set in London in 2015, stands at 975 people.

The attempt was put on to raise funds for the Severn Hospice charity and organisers hope to find out whether their bid has been successful next week.

Allen Cook
BBC News

A man's been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder , externalafter two police officers were hit by a car.

Image source, Staffordshire Police

The collision happened in the Coton Fields area of Stafford on Sunday morning, the force says.

Both officers were taken to hospital - one's since been discharged but the second's still being treated for several broken bones in the leg and a fractured kneecap.

Staffordshire Police says a 25-year-old man from Stafford has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and dangerous driving.

A 30-year-old woman, also from the town, was arrested on suspicion of failing to stop, dangerous driving, assisting an offender, taking a motor vehicle without consent and providing a positive breath test.

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

A woman's died after the car she was in was involved in a crash with a tractor., external

Image source, Google

It happened on Saturday night on the A50 at Cranage, near Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, police say.

Officers say the 86-year-old woman from Kidsgrove died at the scene.

Alec Blackman
BBC Coventry & Warwickshire

Wasps Netball have completed their squad for the forthcoming season by signing 18-year-old shooter Chloe Essam.

Image source, Wasps Netball

She's played for England at under-19 level, after first being called up for Loughborough Lightning's squad aged 16.

Last season Wasps retained their Netball Superleague title, beating Loughborough Lightning.

Church Street in Oswestry closed to traffic, workers and shoppers for almost four hours.

Nick Southall
Journalist, BBC Shropshire

A main road's reopened in Oswestry after being shut earlier today when a smell of gas was reported.

Church Street was closed between the junctions of Smithfield Street and Cross Street following a call to the fire service.

Hereford Times

The Hereford Times is covering these stories today:

• Cider conservationists highlight bypass threat to orchard, external
• Bus users told to look on internet as timetable booklets stopped, external
• Leominster and Hereford in Bloom win top prizes, external

Care workers in Birmingham facing cuts to their hours and pay are lobbying Labour delegates at the party's Liverpool conference.

The Unison trade union said the workers from Birmingham City Council say their hours could be reduced, cutting pay by up to £11,000 a year.

The changes could take workers below the poverty line, or leave them with no choice but to look elsewhere for work - which could put "untold pressure" on the service, said the union.

The council has previously said changes were "vital" to better meet patient needs.

Nick Southall
Journalist, BBC Shropshire

Drug gangs from the north west and the Midlands are targeting vulnerable people in Shropshire by taking over their homes to sell crack cocaine and heroin, police say.

Image source, Getty Images

Cuckooing, as it is known, sees dealers pick out small, rural towns where there is little or no competition and set up in the home of a vulnerable person.

West Mercia Police says it has set up a new team to tackle the problem but admits officers need information from local people as often, when one gang leaves, another arrives.

A friend formed a secret plan to record players' happy birthday messages to fan Jim Payne.

Two people have been arrested after the incident at Uplands Fruits in Sandwell Road.

The trial of a father accused of murdering his eight-year-old daughter has been adjourned due to illness.

Image source, Helen Tipper

Jurours at Birmigham Crown Court were told accused William Billingham, 55, who denies murdering Mylee Billingham, was "unfit to attend court".

Billingham did not attend court on Friday because of illness and was again absent from the dock on Monday.

Mr Billingham, of Valley View, Brownhills, also denies making a threat to kill Mylee's mother Tracey Taundry.

BBC Sport

An investigation into a claim that England and Worcestershire all-rounder Moeen Ali was called "Osama" by an Australia player in the 2015 Ashes has been closed.

Image source, Getty Images

Cricket Australia said no new evidence had been presented.

The governing body launched an investigation after Moeen wrote about the incident in his autobiography.

"We have followed up with the England and Wales Cricket Board and confirmed the incident was investigated at the time," CA said.

"A response was provided to Moeen."

Coventry Live

Some of the headlining stories on the Coventry Live website today are:

• Call for safety measures outside four Whitley schools, external
• Road closed after car smashes through railings at old people's home, external
• Gangs team launched by police to fight Coventry crimewave, external

Chris Doidge
BBC Radio Derby, political reporter

Burton MP Andrew Griffiths has told the Conservative party he wants to fight the next general election, despite being caught up in a scandal reportedly involving thousands of text messages of a sexual nature.

Mr Griffiths resigned as minster for small business in July, after saying his behaviour had caused "deep embarrassment" to the government, and apologised for the "distress" it caused his wife.

Image source, UK Parliament

Across Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Snapchat, Mr Griffiths reportedly sent more than 2,000 messages in three weeks to two women, many of a sexual nature.

He had been asked to reapply for his position by his local Conservative association.

A committee will consider the request in the coming weeks.

Another 20-year-old man is arrested in connection with the disappearance of Thomas Jones, 18.

An unlicensed taxi driver, found guilty of raping a female passenger, has been jailed for nine years.

Attif Hamid, of Churchill Road, Bordesley Green approached the woman in Digbeth in March 2018, offering to take her home for a £10 fee, before, instead, driving her to Selly Oak and raping her, the Crown Prosecution Service said.

The 39-year-old was sentenced at a Birmingham Crown Court hearing last week.

Rhydian James from the CPS described Hamid as a "dangerous sexual predator" who prowled the streets "looking for vulnerable women".

Allen Cook
BBC News

A second man's been arrested on suspicion of murder in connection, external with the disappearance of a student in his first week at university.

Image source, Family handout

Thomas Jones, 18, was last seen near the River Severn in Worcester during the early hours of Wednesday.

West Mercia Police says two 20-year-old men, both from Worcester, are now in custody.

Officers add that they are continuing to search for Mr Jones.

BBC News Travel

A signalling fault between Rugby and Milton Keynes is delaying rail services between the stations.

Disruption is expected to continue until 11:00 said National Rail.