BBC Sport

The Stoke City boss Gary Rowett says the club and James McClean will "try to move forward" from a row over the winger's refusal to wear a poppy.

Today, Rowett revealed McClean has had abusive packages sent to him at Stoke's training ground over the row.

The 29-year-old Republic of Ireland international was the subject of abuse from home and away fans during last weekend's home draw with Middlesbrough.

Earlier this week, McClean was warned by the Football Association after his use of an offensive word in a social media post in which he called some Stoke fans "cavemen".

Prosecutors say Theodore Beckford, 36, gunned down a man in retaliation for an attack on his friend.

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Carl Jackson

Plans to transform Birmingham's Municipal Bank have been rubber-stamped by city planners.

The University of Birmingham’s scheme will convert the Grade II listed building into an educational facility.

Image source, University of Birmingham

The bank was built in the early 1930s and is one of only three surviving buildings from the council’s original plans for Centenary Square, along with the Hall of Memory and Baskerville House.

The university’s plans feature exhibition halls, a cafe, seminar rooms, studios, galleries, an assembly hall and numerous breakout spaces across four floors.

A man suffered serious head injuries after being assaulted in Rugby, Warwickshire, police said.

Officers were called to Jubilee Street, Rugby at about 14:30 on Wednesday.

A 30-year-old man from the town, arrested on suspicion of assault, has been released on police bail while investigations continue.

The 37-year-old victim remains in hospital in a stable condition.

Inverness Caledonian Thistle terminate Riccardo Calder's registration after the defender is found guilty of assaulting a woman in Birmingham.

Hereford Times

A few of the headlines on the Hereford Times website today:

• Hereford's main post office may move, external
• Court hears former councillor fantasised about having an affair, external
• Residents oppose 'spaceship' lambing shed, external

A 14-year-old girl, who died after being hit by a recovery truck, has been described as a "wonderful young woman; talented, creative, funny and beautiful".

Image source, Family handout

Holly Chevassut died in hospital on 2 November after the crash on Chesterton Road, Harbury on 31 October.

In a statement, her family said: "She made us laugh, sometimes cry and we are so very proud of her, of all she achieved and all that she might have become".

They also thanked emergency services staff and Holly's many friends "for their thoughtful and caring messages, and our friends and family for their ongoing love and support".

Officers are continue to investigate the incident, and are keen to identify the driver of a Land Rover Discovery they believe was in the area at the time.

BBC Shropshire

The Health Secretary Matt Hancock says the decision to put Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust (SATH) into special measures was due to "reasons of quality".

An update addressed to local politicians and dated today says the decision's been reached by the regulator NHS Improvement, because of ongoing concerns about the quality and performance of the trust.

The minister says it'll mean increased support and enhanced oversight to turn around the quality of care.

He's calling on the trust to work with the team being brought in.

SATH's had three recent warnings from the Care Quality Commission about aspects of its care, and is the subject of an inquiry about babies and mums who suffered harm during births.

Tom Edwards
Reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester

An autistic woman who works with people with a learning disability in Worcestershire says she believes more people are now coming forward to report hate crime against disabled people.

Image source, Getty Images

In the last three years, the number of reported incidents to West Mercia Police - which includes verbal and physical abuse, bullying and threatening behaviour - has gone up by almost 480% in three years.

In 2014-15, the force recorded 36 incidents, which rose to 208 in 2017-18.

It adds that it is working to raise awareness of hate crime and give victims the confidence to report it.

BBC Business News

Half-year profits at Halfords have fallen by more than a fifth because of restructuring costs.

The Redditch-based retailer said pre-tax profits fell 23% to £28.2m for the six months to 28 September. Revenue was up 2.5% to £599.9m, with like-for-like retail sales rising 2.3%.

Image source, PA

Graham Stapleton, recently appointed chief executive of Halfords, said profits were broadly in line with expectations: "Despite the challenging UK consumer environment, we delivered a robust sales and cash-flow performance in the first half."

Worcester News

A few of the headlines appearing on the Worcester News website this afternoon:

• Salon owner angry at graduation visitors parking, external
• Unsafe red diesel confiscated after police raid at Worcester house, external
• MP makes tree donation to support Queen's initiative, external

Clare Ashford
Presenter, BBC Shropshire

Former England footballer Stan Collymore says he's managed to track down the gravestone of one of his relatives who fought in World War One and died just after the conflict ended.

Image source, Reuters

He told BBC Shropshire that Samuel Treece, one of his great-uncles, suffered a gunshot wound just before Armistice Day but survived, only to die a few days after the end of the war from pneumonia.

Ex Villa striker Collymore, originally from Stone, in Staffordshire, says he traced his grave to Dawley , externaland found it at St Leonard's Church, decorated with a soldier's headstone.

A Birmingham city councillor has told colleagues at a meeting about the moment he contemplated taking his own life.

Image source, Birmingham City Council

The revelation came from Councillor Alex Yip during a debate.

A motion was passed that will see the local authority review its action plan around mental health and suicide prevention.

The councillor was one of several members to reveal personal experiences of how they or their close ones had been directly affected by poor mental health.

Councillors heard how more than 4,500 people a year take their own life, including 70 in Birmingham.

BBC Wales News

Wales have picked Worcester wing Josh Adams ahead of British and Irish Lions star Liam Williams for Saturday's Test against Australia.

Image source, Getty Images

Adams replaces Luke Morgan as one of three changes from the team that beat Scotland, while Williams is joined on the bench by fly-half Dan Biggar as Gareth Anscombe stays at 10.

Allen Cook
BBC News

One of the main reasons behind Shropshire Council introducing a spending freeze today is the rising cost of children's services piling pressure on its budget.

Image source, Science Photo Library

The local authority had agreed a gross budget of £561.95m for this financial year but in September revealed it had already spiralled into a potential overspend of almost £7m.

In a report examined by the council's cabinet, external, officers said £3.1m of that overspend was down to children's services, with the "increasing complexity" of protecting vulnerable children a major factor.

Introducing the spending freeze today, the authority's leader Peter Nutting admitted it was facing "difficult decisions" to make sure it ends up with a balanced budget.

Finlay Pringle, 11, was upset about the TV presenter's new diving with sharks experience.

BBC Shropshire

The trust that runs Shropshire's main hospitals is to be put into special measures, Telford MP Lucy Allan has revealed.

In a statement on her website she welcomed the news calling it ''a much-needed step forward''.

There's been no official announcement of the move from NHS Improvement yet and the statement has since been removed from the Conservative MP's website.

The hospital trust has had three warnings from the Care Quality Commission in as many months and has been struggling to find enough staff to keep open Telford's Accident and Emergency department.

Birmingham Live

Here are some of the early headlines on the Birmingham Live website:

• Ex-Aston Villa player Riccardo Calder punched woman through car window, external in brutal road rage attack
• Watch dramatic moment police trap suspected drug dealer trying to getaway in car, external
• Theodore Beckford denies fatal shooting in Hockley, external

A signalling fault between Banbury and Leamington Spa is causing delays to rail services between the stations, said National Rail., external

Trans may be delayed by up to 40 minutes or cancelled, it said.

Delays are expected until 13:00.

Oritse Williams pleaded not guilty to a charge of raping a fan in a Wolverhampton hotel room in 2016.