An imported gun has been seized by police officers after raids in Dudley today.

The weapon, which came from the Czech Republic, was originally designed to fire blanks but West Midlands Police said it was "capable of easily being converted to firing live rounds."

Image source, West Midlands Police

Three men in their 20s were arrested, the force said, one on suspicion of importation of a firearm, and two on suspicion of witness intimidation.

They are all also under arrest on suspicion of possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

Worcester councillors will consider spending £300,000 on Worcester’s Riverside.

The city council has been working on the project with fellow stakeholders - Worcester Cathedral, Worcestershire County Council, Severn Trent Water and the Canal and River Trust.

Image source, Google

The authority's environment committee is going to debate spending the money on footpath repairs, new signs and information boards.

Andrew Hewkin
Newsreader, BBC Shropshire

Folk singer-songwriter Bill Caddick has died at the age of 74.

Bill Caddick lived in Jackfield, Shropshire, and had, in the past, been a member of influential groups including the Albion Band and Home Service.

Image source, Bill Caddick

His songs were covered by a number of folk artists including Christie Moore and June Tabor.

The artist behind a giant mosaic of a suffragette made up of thousands of selfies, external and pictures of "inspiring" women is to speak about the project on Wednesday.

The 20m (65ft) portrait of Hilda Burkitt is on show at Birmingham New Street station, where she threw a stone at the prime minister's train in 1909.

Artist Helen Marshall had appealed for selfies and pictures of women "you wish to celebrate" for the Face of Suffrage artwork marking 100 years since the first British women voted.

She'll be speaking about the project at the free event at 18:00 in Lloyds Room at Birmingham Hippodrome, external.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Concerns are being raised about the roll-out of a Universal Credit scheme to new claimants in Stafford Borough and Cannock Chase on Wednesday.

Administered by the Department of Work and Pensions instead of local councils, it replaces six older benefits: Child Tax Credit,; Housing Benefit; Income Support; income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance; income-related Employment and Support Allowance; and Working Tax Credit.

Stafford Borough councillor Jill Hood said she was worried about the extra workload for Citizens Advice staff, calling it "incomprehensible" at a time when they'd had resources and funding cut at the offices in Stone.

Existing Housing Benefit claimants will not yet be affected by the change in Stafford and Cannock Chase and anyone wanting to claim a council tax reduction should apply to their local housing authority, not the DWP.

A school extension and 60 homes are planned for a former council site in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

Staffordshire County Council says it wants to demolish the former Seabridge Centre on Roe Lane to make way for the buildings.

Image source, Google

Under plans, part of the six-acre site would be used by Seabridge Primary School.

Lynn Bowles has picked up her honorary masters degree from alma mater Coventry University for services to broadcasting.

The BBC Radio 2 travel presenter left the network in March after 18 years of providing traffic news for Chris Evans, Ken Bruce and other presenters.

Former colleague Bruce was one of the first to congratulate her.. in his own inimitable style.

The MP for North Herefordshire says he wants to make it easier for people who have electric cars to charge their vehicles.

Bill Wiggin is today putting forward a case in the House of Commons for a new bill to standardise charging points.

Image source, Getty Images

Currently, owners can't charge their car at all charging points because of the differing power ratings, connector types and payment methods.

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Tom Davis

Coventry City Council is on the way to shaping an "air quality action plan" designed to reduce high nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels on the city’s roads.

The city is one of only 28 towns and cities in England where NO2 levels are forecast to exceed legal limits in 2021, causing an increased risk of people developing respiratory problems.

The worst-affected areas are Holyhead Road, sections of the ring road, London Road, Warwick Road and Walsgrave Road.

The council is already devising a £2.4m plan to put 10 new electric buses on Coventry’s roads.

They "lured" victim Taimoor Zaheer into a street where they had a shotgun in a parked van, police say.

The Royal Wolverhampton and Worcestershire Acute Hospitals are among 29 UK hospital trusts which failed to hit any of their key monthly waiting-time targets over the last financial year.

The targets cover services including accident and emergency, cancer treatment and routine operations.

Image source, Getty Images/RidoFranz

Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers which represents managers, said the system was facing "significant strain".

BBC Radio Shropshire Sport

Shrewsbury Town's captain Mat Sadler says he's flattered that fans would like to see him as part of the club's new management team.

The search is continuing to find a replacement for John Askey who was sacked eight days ago, but the 33-year-old skipper - who is studying for his coaching badges - says he's focused on playing for the time being.

Image source, Getty Images

Sadler says he will be "very ambitious" when he does hang up his boots and look for some sort of role at the club, saying "I would love to be at the football club for years to come".

Clothes and toys were left at a community centre following the suspected arson attack on the Rugby home.

Former Aston Villa and Coventry City players are among more than a dozen suing an asset management firm over payments to agents.

Image source, Getty Images

The High Court heard evidence , externalthat the 16 players - including Tommy Johnson and Stephen Hughes who played for Villa and Coventry respectively - asked their agents to recommend a financial adviser.

They were put in touch with Formation Asset Management Ltd which then gave them advice on a number of investments.

They paid commission for this, but they were not told the money would be shared with the agents, the court was told.

Their claims are being challenged, Mr Justice Morgan said.

A further hearing will take place at a future date, and the defendants were given permission to seek expert testimony.

Two brothers have been jailed for life for murdering a man shot dead in his car.

Image source, West Midlands Police

Taimoor Zaheer, 22, was killed in Maxwell Avenue, Handsworth, Birmingham, on 22 May.

Anib Khan, 23, who was captured on CCTV firing into the car, must serve a minimum of 32 years.

Police said he was handed the weapon by his brother Harras Khan, 25, who took it from a parked van. He's been ordered to serve at least 29 years.

The pair from Crompton Road, Handsworth, were found guilty of murder at Birmingham Crown Court on Monday.

Volunteers have been pulling the supermarket staple from the water to help fish.

The helicopter was hovering over a runway when the Spitfire came in to land just before an air show.

Tuk-tuks and cycle taxis could be used on the streets of Coventry as part of proposed changes to the city council's licensing laws.

Councillors say that under the plans, taxis would be more user and environmentally-friendly, and prepare for a tourism boom when Coventry is UK City of Culture in 2021.

They're being asked to give the go-ahead for the vehicles to carry passengers within the ring road and around the railway station.

Under guidelines, the drivers would have to be trained and not be licensed to drive any other form of taxi.

"Fog in the Channel: Continent cut-off". The Irish Sea doesn't look too good either

Relatively poor health in the north of England has a major impact on the area's economic performance, according to a report.

Image source, PA

The Northern Health Science Alliance study said the government should try to improve the region's health as part of its industrial strategy.

Life expectancy and productivity is lower in the North than in the rest of England, it stated.

But the government said it had "a strong track record" on health.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said the government's ambition was "to help people live longer, healthier lives, regardless of where they live.