Allen Cook
BBC News

Two West Midlands Police officers are to face gross misconduct hearings following an investigation into an allegation that excessive force, external was used during an arrest.

A complaint was made about the arrest of a man for suspected drug offences in Walsall on 28 June 2016.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct says two investigations were carried out into the complaint of excessive force and subsequent allegations of false statements about the incident.

It's now ruled that PCs Neil Tong and Craig Elliot should face gross misconduct proceedings "over the honesty of their accounts".

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Worcester City Council has decided not to consider increases to car parking charges.

A report by consultants had suggested they could rise by up to 10%, but those recommendations won't be put forward to a council meeting next week.

Image source, Google

Instead, the local authority will think about buying new pay and display machines which will allow card payments and payments by app.

And it will look at installing number plate recognition cameras to make paying easier at some car parks, despite the consultants saying this would cost hundreds of thousands of pounds and still require staff to monitor them.

Traders in one of the latest towns to lose a bank, Much Wenlock, say they're already seeing an impact on their businesses.

Barclays was the last bank to close its branch in the town and Clive Ingram from the Copper Kettle Cafe said he feared shoppers would choose to go to other nearby towns which still have a bank, like Bridgnorth.

Local butcher Paddy Ryan added: "There are faces that we normally would see, they come in to do their banking, do their shopping. Those families are not coming into town."

Image source, Google

Mr Ryan said he hoped some of those families would return in time, but delicatessen owner Victoria Bullock said the lack of a cash machine was also an issue, especially for events like the Christmas Fair on 1 December.

She said: "we potentially have a lot of traders that will lose business."

Do you miss a local bank branch or are they less important with more transactions taking place online?

Let us know your thoughts.

Nick Southall
Journalist, BBC Shropshire

AFC Telford United are looking for a new goalkeeping coach, after the departure of Darren Acton to Solihull Moors.

Telford manager Gavin Cowan said he had no hard feelings though, and added that Acton had moved closer to home to accept "an offer too good to refuse".

Image source, Getty Images

Telford travel to play Curzon Ashton in the National League North tomorrow.

Local Democracy Reporting Service
George Makin

Drones could be used to try to spot the homes of vulnerable people from the sky, , externala council's officials say.

The suggestion's been made by Dudley Council officers after West Midlands Police asked the authority for a licence to launch the drones from land owned by the council.

The report, which the council will discuss next week, says the drones will have thermal cameras so could "fairly easily" survey the borough to spot poorly insulated houses.

Officers say that could be combined with data from council tax records and the electoral register to find homes where elderly people live and are struggling to afford to heat their homes.

Councillors will decide if they will grant a licence at a cabinet meeting on 25 October.

The man testified anonymously at the trial of the killers of Charlene Ellis and Letisha Shakespeare.

Get Inspired
#GetInspired

Time is running out for people to nominate volunteers for this year's BBC Midlands Sports Unsung Hero.

The award celebrates those who dedicate their free time to help people participate in grassroots sports and fitness activities.

Nominations have to be made by midnight on Sunday, 21 October 2018, or you'll have to wait until 2019 and details of how to do that are here, on the BBC Sport website.

Jack Dowling
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke

A shop has been robbed at gunpoint by a man wearing a wolf mask., external

Image source, Cheshire Police

Cheshire Police says he went into the branch of the sandwich chain Subway on Market Street, Crewe, yesterday evening.

After threatening a member of staff, the man fled with money from the till.

BBC Weather Watchers

It was a misty start for parts of the West Midlands this morning and our BBC Weather Watchers have been sharing their photos from across the region.

These three are from users Robster in Stafford, Our View in Clun, Shropshire and MaidMarion in Bidford-on-Avon, Warwickshire:

Image source, Robster

Image source, Our View

Image source, MaidMarion

Allen Cook
BBC News

If you've recently driven along the M6 in Staffordshire and wondered where one of the bridges went, this is what happened last weekend:

Image source, Jeremy Lefroy

Stafford MP Jeremy Lefroy tweeted , externalthe image of Highways England workers finishing the demolition of the Creswell Farm Bridge, just north of J14 on the motorway.

It took them two weekends to do and the crossing was demolished to allow planned upgrades to the motorway.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

The number of stress-related absences at Shropshire Council have risen by 2% in the last year.

They made up nearly 5% of all absences, a report revealed, with slips, trips and falls responsible for the biggest number - roughly half.

The leader of the opposition Liberal Democrat group, Roger Evans, urged members to look at why there was an increase and suggested it could be work-related. He urged the authority to compare figures with other councils.

Armed officers have raided a house in Stourbridge and seized a handgun and a Taser.

They also arrested a 38-year-old man at the property on Gibbs Road at 05:15, but say the handgun appears to be a blank-firing pistol.

Image source, West Midlands Police

The force said the raid was part of an investigation into two shooting incidents in Dudley in August, which involved a blank-firing gun.

The man is in police custody for questioning.

Dudley News

Here are some of the headlines to feature in the Dudley News today:

• Guns found at drugs farm after failed ram-raid, external
• Councillor committed to Sedgley Beacon revamp, external
• Concerns over school run drivers' parking outside school, external

The Guinness Book of Records has confirmed Shrewsbury has claimed the record for the largest number of people taking part in a Charleston dance.

Official monitors counted 1,096 participants in the event, external, which raised money for Severn Hospice.

Image source, Sarah Bright

Russell Martin joins League One side Walsall on a free transfer as a player-coach until the end of the season.

Kathryn Stanczyszyn
Political Reporter, BBC WM

The venues for the sports in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham have been officially confirmed today. , external

Many of them were already known, such as athletics at the Alexander Stadium, netball in Coventry and London's Lee Valley Velo Park hosting track cycling.

However, organisers admit a city centre location in Birmingham for the 3x3 basketball and wheelchair basketball is yet to be confirmed.

They also say additional sports could be added to the games such as cricket and shooting when a decision's made on them next spring.

The city was named host city for the £750m showpiece in December - the most expensive sports event to be held in Britain since the London Olympics.

Allen Cook
BBC News

What was once called "the best back garden in Britain" is reopening to the public this weekend after a two-year break.

Image source, PA

Tony and Marie Newton own the Four Seasons Garden in Walsall, external and have worked on it since 1982, raising more than £43,000 for charity through visits from thousands of people.

The pair, who are both retired, say interest from the media a few years ago led to a half-hour special on the BBC's Gardeners' World in 2008 and praise from presenter Alan Titchmarsh.

McCauley Cox is sentenced to 12 years in a young offenders institution for running over two women.

BBC Sport

Four Coventry Bears have had their first call ups to the Wales Rugby League squad.

Chris Vitalini, Rhys Gant, James Mason and Liam Rice-Wilson are all included in the 25-man squad for the European Championships, which act as a qualifier for the 2021 World Cup.

Image source, Getty Images

Wales are the defending European champions and begin against France in Carcassone on 27 October, face Scotland in Galashiels on 2 November and then host Ireland at Wrexham's Racecourse Stadium on 11 November.

Birmingham Live

The Birmingham Live website is featuring these stories this lunchtime:

• Disabled mum's 'humiliation' after school 'shamed' her double yellow line parking in newsletter, external
• Life next to junction dubbed most dangerous in Birmingham, external
• School issues warning for children's online safety when playing on Fortnite, external