BBC Sport

Coventry City striker Conor Chaplin says the confidence within the squad is helping them pick up results, even when they haven't played well.

He scored in the 4-2 victory at Bradford on Tuesday - their fourth win in a row in the league.

Image source, Getty Images

On Saturday they're at home to the team immediately above them in the table, Doncaster Rovers.

Peter Plisner
BBC Midlands Today

A new scheme's been launched today in the West Midlands to try to revive struggling high streets., external

Image source, Google

The project from the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), working with local councils, aims to bring more variety with features such as community centres sitting alongside the shops.

The authority says it's in response to shop closures from the likes of BHS, Poundworld, Maplin and the proposed ones today by Debenhams.

The scheme will initially target five town centres: Bilston, Bordesley Green in Birmingham, Dudley (pictured), Walsall and West Bromwich.

The WMCA says the local councils will now draw up specific plans for their town centres which could include transport improvements and better public spaces.

The authority adds that the scheme will then be run again for more town centres next year, building on what's learnt from this first year.

Staffordshire Live

Here are some of the stories making the headlines on the Staffordshire Live website this afternoon:

• Scissors killer can make parole bid in just six months, external
• Bridge to partially close again, external
• Union boss slams firm's 'abrupt and brutal' termination of meals contract, external

James Bond
Sports Producer, BBC Shropshire

The Shrewsbury Town winger Shaun Whalley will be out for longer than expected with his recent calf injury.

He was expected to miss two or three weeks, but the club says he's now looking at between four and five weeks' recovery

Image source, Getty Images

He picked up the injury in Saturday's match defeat to Sunderland.

Facebook

News that up to 50 Debenhams stores could close has triggered a big reaction from people on the BBC Midlands Facebook page.

The retailer has posted record annual losses and said it was "taking tough decisions" on stores where financial performance was likely to deteriorate over time.

Image source, PA

It hasn't released a list of the stores at risk of closure but on the Facebook page, Julie Bakarania posted, external: "Not another - we're going to end up with no shops in Telford town centre."

While Sue Robinson added, external: "Love Debenhams. Always find something I love. Very sad for all those lovely staff facing redundancy."

And Debbie Hadden typed:, external "I'm a regular shopper in Debenhams and have been for years. I buy a lot of homeware and clothing for myself, partner and children too. I'd be gutted to lose such a store from the high street as we buy such a lot from there. We have already lost BHS which still guts me to this day!"

Sophie Calvert
Political Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

It's been revealed that two council officers who were suspended after a general election voting blunder have both now left the authority.

The pair were suspended by Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council in November, five months after 1,500 people were unable to cast ballots in a seat won by just 30 votes.

John Sellgren, who was the chief executive of the authority, left his post in August with the council saying he received no additional payments, adding that it is in the process of replacing him.

Now, it's been confirmed that Elizabeth Dodd, the council's head of audit and elections at the time, has also left the authority, although the council won't confirm any more details.

Labour's Paul Farrelly polled 21,124 votes to win the Newcastle-under-Lyme seat - 30 votes ahead of Conservative Owen Meredith.

Mr Farrelly described the problems as a "shambles".

BBC Business News

Sainsbury's is opening Oasis clothes outlets in its supermarkets, including in Birmingham, the latest move to diversify the way its store space is used.

Image source, Oasis

The mid-market fashion chain will open before Christmas in Sainsbury's in Sydenham, south London, and in its new Selly Oak store.

Sainsbury's said it hoped the move would make it a "fashion destination".

Supermarkets, under pressure to wring more revenues out of their stores, have been expanding what they offer.

Graham Shaw, 58, died after the lorry he was driving crashed into a tree in Tipton.

Allen Cook
BBC News

A developer accused of "ripping up woodland" in part of Birmingham has been given permission to carry out the "limited" work, the city council says.

Image source, Google

People around the land off Kings Road, Kings Heath, had tweeted shock at seeing a bulldozer on the land and questioned if it was allowed. , external

But today, the council says the land has several owners, including the local authority, and developer Countryside had been given permission for "limited clearance works" on its part of the site as well as other investigations.

It adds that the work is to be used towards a future planning application and a council officer has been on site.

Coventry Live

Here are some of the top stories from Coventry Live today:

• Tower block fills with smoke after arson attack, external
• Police investigating brawl in Nuneaton town centre, external
• A poppy for every Nuneaton and Bedworth soldier killed in WW1, external

Laura Chiverton
BBC WM

A second teenager's been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a stabbing in Walsall. , external

Police have described it as a "really nasty incident", saying the 21-year-old victim suffered serious injuries after a dispute with a group on Fourth Avenue.

Image source, Google

They say he's now in a serious but stable condition in hospital.

Yesterday, officers arrested a 15-year-old boy on suspicion of attempted murder.

Today, they say they've also arrested an 18-year-old for the same offence and both are in custody.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Plans to transform a former secondary school in Coventry into an "education and sports village" have been published.

Coventry City Council wants to spend £18m to revamp the Woodlands School site, to help it cope with the growing demand on school places.

Image source, Google

The former all-boys school closed in July 2016, when it merged with Tile Hill Wood girls’ school.

Woodfield Special School, which is currently co-located on Hawthorn Road and Stoneleigh Road, would be moved to the new site under the plans.

Crewe Alexandra striker Chris Porter extends his deal at the League Two side until June 2020.

The Courtyard Theatre in Hereford has been given £500,000 by the Arts Council.

The money will go towards redesigning the front of house area, adding a shop, a new meeting room and creating an outdoor terrace at the cafe bar.

Image source, Google

It will also be able to create better disabled access to the box office.

BBC Midlands Today

A new factory with the capacity to create 1,000 modular homes every year is opening today in Walsall, external.

The scheme is part of a £1m investment from Accord Housing Association which says it'll create about 75 jobs.

The houses are made in sections, without the use of any bricks, and shipped across the country to be assembled on site.

The first one rolls off the production line at the Accord LoCaL Homes factory today.

The firm started by importing similar homes from Norway and then moved to manufacturing them in the UK.

Alan Yates, from the not-for-profit manufacturer, says modular homes may be "critical" in solving the shortage of affordable homes.

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

Pottery firms in Stoke-on-Trent are starting to buy in more raw materials from Europe in case there is no deal between the EU and the UK next year, according to an industry chief.

Dr Laura Cohen, chief executive of the Stoke-on-Trent based British Ceramics Confederation, says ceramics companies in the Potteries are also considering buying energy at a fixed price now, in case prices rise following a lack of a trading deal.

Negotiations on the UK's withdrawal from the EU are said to be 95% complete, but have stalled on the question over the border between north and southern Ireland.

Dr Cohen says, while their members are hoping for a smooth transition, they're already putting plans in place ahead of March next year.

Richard Helm was stabbed to death in Wolverhampton in the early hours of 12 October, police said.

The Environment Agency says it's continuing to battle to try and save fish in a polluted angling pool in Staffordshire.

Image source, Environment Agency

Staff were called yesterday afternoon to the site in Norton Canes, near Cannock, and said Severn Trent Water was also called to repair the burst sewage main that caused the problem.

This afternoon, the Environment Agency's Dave Throup tweeted, external to say they were trying to save as many fish as possible but "many have already been killed".

Image source, Environment Agency

Joanne Gallacher
Political reporter, BBC Shropshire

The chair of the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust says it won’t make a final decision on the overnight closure of Telford's accident and emergency at its meeting today.

Ben Reid says the decision, which has been brought about by staff shortages, be signed off next month.

However, the board is still looking at shutting it from 22:00 until 08:00 from 5 December.

A rise in protection plans for children leaves councils claiming they are pushed "to the brink".