Shropshire Star

These stories are being covered by the Shropshire Star today:

• Health bosses vote today on night-time closure of Telford A&E, external
• Route of M54 link to M6 is revealed, external
• Knife crime warning over repeat offenders in West Mercia, external

Jack Dowling
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke

Two lanes have been reopened on the M6 northbound near Stoke-on-Trent after a man was fatally struck by a lorry.

The man, in his mid-30s, had parked on the hard-shoulder of the northbound carriageway between junction 15 and Keele Services, police said.

The whole northbound section had been shut from J15 to J16 since about 06:15 and Highways England says there are still long delays on the motorway., external

Rob Mayor
Political reporter, BBC WM

Labour have regained control of Dudley Council after a vote to oust the Conservative leader Patrick Harley.

But this council is still on a knife edge.

New leader Pete Lowe says a priority will be to review controversial plans for a travellers' site in Coseley, which has angered some local residents.

Patrick Harley’s leadership of the Conservative group is under extreme pressure.

One senior Conservative councillor told me his performance at the vote last night was "career ending" while a former Tory leader said it was "time for him to fall on his sword".

The fate of the Tory leadership in Dudley will be decided behind the scenes over the next few weeks and with the two parties separated by just one seat, elections in May are looming large.

Jeremy Britton

A man accused of attempting to murder the police and public outside the Houses of Parliament has appeared at court.

Image source, Julia Quenzler

Salih Khater, 29, from Birmingham, is alleged to have driven his car into pedestrians and cyclists before heading towards police and crashing into a barrier.

Three people were injured in the incident on 14 August.

Mr Khater appeared by video link from Belmarsh prison for the preliminary hearing today charged with two counts of attempted murder.

He is due to face a two-week trial starting on 4 February next year at the Old Bailey.

The man, in his mid-30s, was treated at the side of the M6 but pronounced dead a short time later.

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

The man who died this morning on the M6 in Staffordshire had parked his car on the hard shoulder before he was hit by a lorry, police say., external

The ambulance service said he was out of his vehicle when he was struck by the HGV. , external

Highways England says the motorway remains shut northbound at J15, the Stoke-on-Trent turn-off, with vehicles diverted via the A500.

Staffordshire Police says the man was in his mid-30s and his family has been told of his death.

Allen Cook
BBC News

A man's died after being hit by a lorry on the M6 in Staffordshire this morning., external

The ambulance service says it happened between J15 and J16, near Stoke-on-Trent, on the northbound side at about 06:15.

They say they found the man, who was the driver of a stationary vehicle, was seriously hurt and in cardiac arrest.

Despite their efforts, they say he died at the scene.

Rob Mayor
Political reporter, BBC WM

The Conservatives have lost control of Dudley Council amid claims the leadership allowed a "culture of bullying and harassment".

Image source, Google

Labour are now running the authority after a vote to remove Patrick Harley as leader last night.

It happened after a former Conservative councillor Heather Rogers, now an independent, raised concerns about bullying and described the leadership as "devalued and disgraced".

Councillor Harley told BBC WM the claims are "vexatious" saying "perhaps some people in politics need to get a thicker skin".

Allen Cook
BBC News

There are now several miles of queuing traffic on the M6 in Staffordshire after a lorry hit a pedestrian earlier.

Highways England says northbound delays are stretching back from J15 to just before Stafford Services., external

Image source, Highways England

Staffordshire Police is continuing to urge drivers to use a diversion from J15, the Stoke-on-Trent turn-off, and take the A500., external

Stoke-on-Trent Live

The Stoke-on-Trent Live page is covering these stories today:

• M6 closed due to accident near Stoke-on-Trent involving lorry and pedestrian, external
• Cyclist: 'Hitting a pothole left me looking like this', external
• Mum speaks of heartbreak as 25-year-old son's organs save four lives, external

The M6 crash involving a lorry and a pedestrian in Staffordshire is having a knock-on effect to local bus services.

Delays of up to 30 minutes are being recorded on some routes.

The M6 northbound between J15 and 16 in Staffordshire is likely to remain closed throughout the morning after a crash involving a lorry and a pedestrian, police say.

Two ambulances and an emergency doctor attended the scene, between Keele Services and J16, shortly before 06:20.

Motorists are being diverted away from the area.

A lorry has struck a pedestrian on the M6 in Staffordshire.

Emergency crews were sent to a northbound stretch of the motorway near Keele, between J15 and J16, after receiving reports of person being hit by a vehicle.

The pedestrian's condition is not yet known. Accident investigators are on site.

West Midlands Ambulance Service said the person had been struck shortly before 06:20.

The road remains closed with seven-mile delays reported in the area.

A teenager is set to appear in court today after a man was stabbed during an attack in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

The 15-year-old boy, from Burslem, has been charged with wounding and possession of an offensive weapon after the incident on Bradwell Lane earlier this month.

He's due to appear at North Staffordshire Justice Centre Youth Court.

Stoke City fans are being warned that a main road's going to be totally shut this weekend as they prepare to head to Rotherham United on Saturday.

Image source, Staffordshire County Council

Staffordshire County Council's shutting the A50 in both directions from 20:00 on Friday until 05:30 on Monday, so a bridge can be demolished., external

It's part of its scheme to revamp the junction around the A522 and a new bridge has already been put in place.

Usually the A50 would be part of one of the main routes to get to Rotherham, and it will instead be shut all weekend between Blythe Bridge and Uttoxeter.

The sugar content of school meals across Birmingham is to be reduced to help promote a healthier diet, says the city council.

Image source, Birmingham City Council

Catering service Cityserve, which provides 60,000 meals across the city every day, says it plans to cut sugar by 30% per child over the next year.

New recipes will be used to cut sugars and honey, and introduce more fruit and vegetables.

Use of condiments like tomato ketchup and salad cream are also to be limited.

Three people have been arrested on suspicion of drugs offences, after a warrant was executed on a property in Stratford-upon-Avon.

A 23-year-old woman from Coventry, and men aged 43 and 30 from Stratford-upon-Avon were all arrested on suspicion of possession of class A drugs with intent to supply.

A significant quantity of drugs, believed to be crack cocaine and heroin, were seized from the house on Carew Close, said Warwickshire Police. , external

More than 40,000 people have registered to take part in a cycling event, set to return to the West Midlands next year.

A new route is to be announced for the Velo Birmingham and Midlands event later, which will take in part of Coventry and Warwickshire in 2019.

The last time the event was held in 2017, nails and other sharp metal objects were thrown on to the route, with some residents complaining it was "poorly planned".

The 2019 event will take place on 12 May, organisers say.

A statue's going to be unveiled this morning to honour the former British prime minister, Sir Stanley Baldwin.

It will be revealed at around 10:30 by the Duke of Gloucester in Baldwin's place of birth, Bewdley, Worcestershire., external

He was prime minister three times in the 1920s and 1930s and played a key role in the abdication crisis of 1936.

Wyre Forest District Council says there will be several road closures, including Load Street and the bridge, from 10:00 until 13:00., external

BBC News Travel

Two crashes on the M6 in Staffordshire have closed the northbound carriageway from J15 to J16.

Traffic is being temporarily held to assist with the recovery of vehicles, just after Keele Services and on the entry slip road from J15.