Tributes have been paid by West Midlands Labour MPs to the former World War Two veteran and left-wing activist Harry Leslie Smith, who's died.

The 95-year-old Barnsley-born campaigner suffered suspected pneumonia while with his son John in Ontario, Canada.

Labour deputy leader and West Bromwich East MP Tom Watson said "the world is a far better place for his life, external".

Warwick and Leamington MP Matt Western called him a great man and an inspiration, external while Eleanor Smith, who represents Wolverhampton South East, tweeted, external he was "an amazing and inspiring campaigner".

The government's being urged to use part of the extra £20bn a year being promised to the NHS to help the Royal Stoke University Hospital ease its financial problems.

The NHS trust running the hospital is still in financial special measures and, according to board papers this month, had a deficit for the first six months of this financial year of £39.8m.

The additional NHS money was revealed in June, with Theresa May saying the increase would happen by 2023.

But the Conservative MP for Stoke South, Jack Brereton, told the Commons some of the money planned for the next five years should be allocated now.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock promised to look at the request, saying part of the additional funding was meant to be used to get health services "on a sustainable footing".

The Wrekin MP, Mark Pritchard, has questioned a Treasury forecast which is expected to suggest all forms of Brexit will make the UK worse off economically.

Chancellor Philip Hammond said this morning the economy would be "slightly smaller" after 15 years, but Theresa May's plan was the best available.

But Mr Pritchard cast doubt on the forecast

BBC Weather Watchers

We're in for a wet and windy day in the West Midlands and our BBC Weather Watchers have already been reflecting that in their photos today.

These two are from users Peter Steggles, in Longnor, Shropshire, and Dammo, in Selly Oak, Birmingham:

Image source, Peter Steggles

Image source, Dammo

Coventry Live

Here are three headlines from Coventry Live this morning:

• Plan to use tower block to house Coventry's homeless, external
• Cruel conmen target schoolboy fundraiser, external
• Shopkeepers hit back at robbers, external

Allen Cook
BBC News

A town's Christmas lights have been vandalised, external, less than a fortnight after they were switched on.

Image source, Nantwich Town Council

Nantwich Town Council says it's happened over the past couple of days, following them being turned on on 16 November., external

From the photos, it appears bulbs have been smashed on one of the trees in the town square.

The council says local police are investigating, adding "unfortunately not everyone is in the festive spirit".

North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson claims a free trade deal with the United States could have been struck when Donald Trump visited the UK in the summer and it was handed to the prime minister "on a plate".

Mr Paterson, a prominent leave campaigner and member of Jacob Rees-Mogg's European Research Group, went on to say in a tweet, external "that opportunity seems to have been squandered".

Mr Paterson also said: "The US does not believe it can do trade deals with countries who don't control their own tariffs and regulatory regime."

Donald Trump said yesterday Theresa May's EU agreement could threaten a UK-US trade deal.

But Cabinet Office minister David Lidington said Mr Trump's comments "were not unexpected" and negotiations on a trade deal with the US were always going to be "challenging".

BBC Radio Shropshire Sport

Shrewsbury Town's coaching staff say they're pleased with the way the players bounced back from Saturday's defeat to Wycombe.

The win over Plymouth was the fourth in five games for caretaker manager Danny Coyne and his assistant Eric Ramsay, who said afterwards "I felt like it was a step in the right direction, not perfect, but getting there".

Image source, Getty Images

Shrewsbury Town are still looking for a permanent replacement for John Askey, who was sacked three weeks ago.

A woman died when the car she was driving crashed into a hedge on a road near Church Stoke.

West Mercia Police said it had happened on a Shropshire section of the B4385 close to the crossroads at the A489 junction at 19:20 yesterday.

Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service said the woman, aged in her 60s, had been found underneath her car.

Image source, Google

She was pronounced dead at the scene and her next of kin have been told.

BBC News Travel

There are no trains running between Crewe and Shrewsbury because of an incident on the line near Wem.

National Rail says "where possible, trains will be diverted via Chester".

And it added a normal service was expected to resume by 12:00.

Halesowen News

A few of the headlines from the Halesowen News today:

• Ten per cent of cases see suspect charged, police statistics show, external
• Controversial shopping centre scheme could create 2,000 jobs, external
• College principal remains 'confident' after Ofsted 'requires improvement' rating, external

Worcester's riverside will have £300,000 spent on it and will be designated a park, in an effort to boost visitors and investment.

Last night, Worcester City Council agreed to spend the money in the hope of winning it a Green Flag award.

Image source, Google

In the coming years, the city will get a third pedestrian bridge and the council also hopes a four-star hotel and a new theatre can be attracted there.

Andy Giddings
BBC News

Vandals have sprayed black paint over a charity worker's car while she was volunteering in its shop.

Rose Cottage Cat Rescue, at Craven Arms, in Shropshire, said it had happened on Tuesday afternoon sometime between 13:00 and 16:00 and reported to police.

Image source, Rose Cottage Cat Rescue

The charity said it was hoping some may have witnessed the attack or caught the culprits on CCTV in the Dale Street and Market Street area.

Teachers and pupils were attacked during a fight at a school in Birmingham, police say.

Image source, Google

West Midlands Police said they believed a fight had started between a group of people at the gates of Ninestiles Academy, in Acocks Green, on Monday afternoon.

They say that, when staff tried to stop it, they were knocked over and kicked.

Two teachers and a student suffered minor injuries.

BBC Sport

Aston Villa are hopeful midfielder John McGinn (pictured) is fit for their game tonight at home to Nottingham Forest, after he was struggling with a calf injury.

Image source, PA

However, Albert Adomah is out with a twisted ankle and ex-Nottingham Forest midfielder Henri Lansbury will be assessed after tweaking his hamstring in Sunday's win over Birmingham.

Villa will be looking to complete a full set of Championship wins in November, having not lost since 26 October.

The trust managing Shropshire's main hospitals is having to pay some middle-grade doctors more than £100 an hour to come and work in its accident and emergency departments.

The average wage for a locum middle-grade doctor is between £70 and £80 an hour, but Simon Wright, the chief executive of the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust, said some were being paid less than that.

Image source, SATH

The hospital trust previously planned to close the Telford A&E overnight if it couldn't increase the number of staff to a "safe" level.

It was given permission to lift the upper limit on doctors' pay as it avoided the closure.

Mr Wright said the challenge was now to find permanent staff to take on the roles long-term.

Coventry City Council's bill for housing the homeless has increased by over 600% in the last five years.

This year, it has spent more than £4m on placing people in temporary accommodation such as hotels and bed and breakfasts, but in the year to 2014 that bill was only £570,000.

It comes as the local authority has agreed a five-year lease on a tower block in the city to provide accommodation for the city's homeless.

The cabinet member for housing, Ed Ruane said that could save the authority more than £1m a year.

Birmingham Live

A few of the top stories from the Birmingham Live website this morning:

• Staff and pupils attacked at crisis-hit school, external
• Police investigate 'racist' attack on 'refugee' schoolboy in horror video going viral, external
• Police hide on buses to slap drivers with £200 fines in undercover phone sting, external

A man who was playing football's been praised by police for tackling a suspected offender who officers were chasing last night.

Image source, Google

West Midlands Police says the pursuit was heading through the Goals Black Country site in Darlaston Lane, Willenhall, when it happened. , external

They say the player from one of the teams on the site saw what was happening and grabbed the suspect, holding him until their officers caught up.

The force says the man they were chasing's been arrested, external for "very serious offences" and they've praised the football player who helped them.

Stoke-on-Trent Live

The Stoke-on-Trent Live page has these stories today:

• Pub attack leaves Stoke City fan needing 41 stitches , external
• Stoke-on-Trent man declared dead - six years after he vanished on Snowdonia walk, external
• Heroic neighbour puts out fire after hearing smoke alarm, external