BBC Sport

An article in The Sun, external, suggesting Shrewsbury Town want to sack manager John Askey has been described as a "total fabrication" by the club's chief executive.

In a statement on the Shrewsbury Town website, external, Brian Caldwell said there was "absolutely no truth in it at all and it’s just disappointing".

After the win over Wimbledon at the weekend, Caldwell told BBC Radio Shropshire the club would do everything possible to support the manager, who has been open about the pressure on his job after a disappointing start to the season.

Allen Cook
BBC News

Detectives say they are convinced a local community has the answers as to why a man had an industrial-sized firework ignited in his Birmingham home.

Image source, West Midlands Police

Tony Nicholls (pictured), 56, died after the attack by a group that burst into his home in Birchtrees Drive on 2 November 2017.

West Midlands Police says it's making a fresh appeal more than a year after the attack, external as they need the help of the public "to crack this case".

Five men and a woman have been arrested on suspicion of murder and released under investigation.

A Jaguar Land Rover garage says no-one was hurt in a blaze overnight because of how fast firefighters contained the fire. , external

More then 30 firefighters were sent to the dealership off Mustang Drive, Stafford, yesterday evening and battled it into the night.

Image source, @RoadtransportUK

The fire service said the fire involved two cars in a workshop, and about a third of the building was damaged.

The firm says it's closed today but aims to reopen tomorrow, with its workshop likely to be out of action until next week.

BBC Weather Watchers

A double rainbow's been adding a splash of colour to skies over Stafford and Wolverhampton this morning, according to our BBC Weather Watchers.

These three are from users Rain Man Rich, Harry Mountain and Mom Nugg:

Image source, Rain Man Rich

Image source, Harry Mountain

Image source, Mom Nugg

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Carl Jackson

Birmingham City Council has voted to lobby the government for a second vote on Brexit - and possibly a general election.

The Liberal Democrats prompted the debate yesterday in the council chamber with a motion essentially calling for a public vote on the final terms of Brexit.

It was passed after backing from the council’s ruling Labour group, who forced through an amendment to lobby for a general election in the event of a "no deal" or one that was voted down by Parliament.

Earlier this week, a Downing Street source told the BBC the Prime Minister was clear that there would be no new referendum.

Crewe Chronicle

A few of the stories today from the Crewe Chronicle:

• Crewe couple thank community support after devastating cancer diagnosis, external
• Police crackdown on Crewe yobs causing mayhem in Congleton, external
• Developer will transform anti-social hotspot into shopping district, external

BBC Sport

Worcestershire's Moeen Ali is enjoying himself in England's test match against Sri Lanka at Galle.

He took four wickets in Sri Lanka's first innings as they were bowled out for 203.

Image source, Getty Images

England lead Sri Lanka by 157 runs with 10 wickets remaining in their second innings.

Local Democracy Reporting Service
George Makin

Complaints against the trust that runs Russell's Hall Hospital have risen by more than a third in three months.

The hospital is currently at the centre of an inquiry over the deaths of 54 patients in a six-month period.

Image source, Google

A report to the board of the Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust showed it received 163 complaints during April to June, up from 122 in the previous quarter.

The report revealed the majority of complaints were within the areas of clinical treatment.

The chief executive of the trust, Diane Wake, told the board they took all complaints seriously and claimed overall positive responses by patients are increasing.

The family of Ann Marie Pomphret said she "loved nothing more" than looking after her horses.

Allen Cook
BBC News

A man who was jailed last year for abducting a child has now been given an extra 12-month prison term for making thousands of indecent images of children.

Image source, Staffordshire Police

Police say they took away three van-loads of material,, external including VHS cassettes, after searching Arnold Baxter's address in Rugby, Warwickshire, in 2016 when they arrested him for the kidnap.

The 73-year-old was sentenced last year after pleading guilty to charges of kidnap and indecent assault of the six-year-old girl in Barton-under-Needwood in 2001.

Officers say they then examined the items they'd seized, found a total of more than 6,500 images and charged Baxter with three counts of making indecent or pseudo images of children.

He pleaded guilty to all the offences and, at Warwick Crown Court this week, was given an additional 12 months to serve in prison, made the subject of a sexual offences prevention order and a destruction order issued for the equipment.

Police are investigating a crash on the A449 near Kidderminster in which a motorcyclist died.

The 22-year-old died at Cookley, near the junction with Castle Road, after he was in collision with a car on Monday.

West Mercia Police said there have been no arrests.

A soldier has discovered he has a rival as he attempts to become the first person to cross Antarctica solo and unaided.

Lou Rudd, from Herefordshire, set off on his record-breaking 1,000-mile journey on Monday, not knowing that 33-year-old Colin O'Brady from Washington was also attempting the same feat.

Captain Rudd's friend and fellow explorer Henry Worsley died after he tried to complete the journey. Ian Holdcroft, the co-founder of the Shackleton Company and a sponsor of Captain Rudd's expedition, says it is a "huge physical and mental challenge".

BBC Hereford and Worcester

A serving West Mercia Police officer has told the BBC the backlog of calls is "getting dangerous".

Last year, 1,465 calls to both 101 and 999 took more than a week to be reviewed and assigned to the relevant department.

The police officer, who didn't want his identity made public, said: "You have to phone up the victim and say 'I'm sorry, I can't give you an update'. We feel bad. You feel bad when you have to phone the victim and say 'I really want to get this done'."

In response, Ch Supt Kevin Purcell said he recognised the problem, but believed the situation was improving.

He said he’s looking at staff training in how to deal with calls when they first come in.

Birmingham Live

The Birmingham Live page has these stories today:

• Murder hunt after man found dead in street after 'suspicious activity', external
• Police called to new 'mass brawl as girl dragged to floor and kicked', external
• Disabled man hospitalised after being ripped from mobility scooter at knife point, external

Here's a dramatic photo from West Midlands Fire Service, which was called out to deal with a large van fire near Coventry this morning.

Crews had it under control quickly and prevented it from spreading to other vehicles.

Image source, West Midlands Fire Service

Kidderminster railway station has been compared to a public toilet by the Worcestershire County Councillor responsible for development.

Councillor Ken Pollock made the remark while commenting on the planned improvements to the building, which will see it get a new glass front, cafe and indoor seating area.

Image source, Google

The work is expected to cost £5m and is due to be finished by 2020.

It is part of a larger, £50m project to improve the rail network around Worcestershire which includes the new Worcestershire Parkway station and the work completed on Bromsgrove Station last year.

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Kerry Ashdown

Councillors have approved spending an extra £1.2m funding major projects - including buying two new plots of land.

Image source, Google

South Staffordshire District Council had already approved a budget of £13.4m, but councillors were told the chance had come up to buy the two sites.

They are at Hilton Cross Business Park, Featherstone, and Brianolf, Station Road, Four Ashes.

The council says it'll now be drawing up plans for the business park site while a planning application has already been submitted for the Four Ashes one for new industrial units.

Sarah Portlock
BBC News

Birmingham's Frankfurt Christmas Market is almost here.

Victoria Square in Birmingham is closed off as the market begins to be assembled.

It starts on 15 November and will be open every day until 23 December, external.

BBC Sport

Republic of Ireland boss Martin O'Neill says James McClean's decision not to wear a poppy while playing for Stoke City during the period of remembrance "should be respected".

Image source, Getty Images

Derry-born McClean's continuing stance on the issue saw him received verbal abuse from some spectators at Stoke's game against Middlesbrough on Saturday.

His description of some Stoke fans as "cavemen" then led to him receiving a Football Association warning.

"James is entitled to do what he wants. That is the whole point," said O'Neill.

"That's entirely his choice and I think his choice should be respected."

Stoke-on-Trent Live

A few of the stories making the early headlines on the Stoke-on-Trent Live website:

• Family slams NHS after 'cry for help' 90 minutes before this devastating fire, external
• Investigation after 'traumatised' girl struck in face by firework at Stoke-on-Trent display, external
• Cultural events 'will continue' in Stoke-on-Trent – despite £100k budget cut, external