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The number of children permanently excluded from school in the West Midlands conurbation has almost doubled in the last seven years.
More than 700 pupils were expelled permanently in 2017, compared with fewer than 400 in 2010.
Image source, Getty ImagesIn October, children's charity Barnado's warned that exclusions were "fuelling gang violence".
BBC Radio Stoke Sport
The Port Vale manager says players who can't get into his first team could be leaving in the January transfer window.
Neil Aspin said he wanted to be fair to the players and give them a chance to "forge a career elsewhere".
Image source, Getty ImagesAspin is also looking to make some signings to strengthen his squad.
Quote MessageThe decision will always come down to 'can they get into the team?' If they can't then why are they at the club?"
Neil Aspin, Port Vale manager
A month-long operation to repair a hole in the road at Church Aston, near Newport, is complete.
Telford and Wrekin Council said the collapse was caused by a culvert beneath Greenvale and Dark Lane, which historians believe was built in the early 1800s to supply ornamental pools.
Image source, Telford and Wrekin CouncilEngineers filled the sandstone tunnel with structural foam to make it stable.
These are among the headlines in the Hereford Times today:
Press Association
A woman from Stoke-on-Trent who developed a fear of owls after months of religious grooming by her doctor has won £12,700 compensation from him after a High Court legal action.
Sally Brayshaw, who is 56, was in pain following an operation when she went to see Dr O'Brien in August 2012 and her lawyers told the court that over the next six months he engaged Mrs Brayshaw in a number of religious activities, as "a way of healing without medication".
He was described as a Pentecostal Christian, who also suggested she was possessed by demons and advised her not to see a psychiatrist, according to her claim.
Image source, Getty ImagesThey included a meeting where a preacher spoke of sacrificing an owl, which left her "terrified" of the birds and she later became upset when seeing a picture of one.
The judge rejected Mrs Brayshaw's claim against the partners of Apsley Surgery, in Stoke-on-Trent, where Dr O'Brien worked as a locum.
A 19-year-old man, hit by a car in Smethwick, suffered life-threatening injuries and is in hospital in a critical condition, police say., external
Image source, GoogleThe pedestrian was struck by a Peugeot 107 at about 23:30 on Wednesday night on Norman Road, said West Midlands Police.
Officers are keen to speak to the driver of a white van, with a red and yellow square design on the bonnet, who stopped at the scene to help.
The car driver stopped at the scene to assist with police enquiries, said the force.
Five men have been arrested in Stoke-on-Trent in what police are describing as an "on-going operation aimed at eradicating the supply of Class A drugs".
Staffordshire Police said the five were aged between 21 and 25 and were arrested after they visited properties on Havelock Place, Sun Street and Grove Place yesterday morning.
Image source, Staffordshire PoliceThe men have since been released, while enquiries continue.
BBC Radio Stoke Sport
Stoke City striker Benik Afobe says he has no complaints about losing his place in the starting 11 to Saido Berahino.
The 25-year-old signed on a six-month loan from Wolves in the summer, with an "obligation to purchase him for an undisclosed fee" in January.
Image source, Getty ImagesAfobe conceded "you want to be playing week-in-week-out, but Saido's done great" and revealed that when manager Rowett spoke to him about his barren spell in front of goal "to be honest I didn't have anything to say".
Stoke-on-Trent Live
Here are three headlines from today's Stoke-on-Trent Live website:
Worcestershire's hospitals are still catching up with a backlog after leaking radiators caused appointments to be postponed earlier in the week.
They flooded part of the Aconbury West building in Worcester and opthalmology patients are being sent to hospitals in Kidderminster, Reddtich and Bromsgrove instead.
Image source, PAThe hospital says 90% of appointments are now going ahead as normal, with Monday's appointments being rearranged as soon as possible.
BBC Business News
Worried about the 3.1% rise in train fares due to come into force on 2 January?
National Rail has a handy calculator to work out how much more you'll pay for your season ticket, external.
Amy Woodfield
BBC News
A man accused of spreading terrorist documents around mosques in the midlands has appeared at the Old Bailey.
Omar Ashfaq from St Thomas Road in Derby is charged with eight counts of dissemination of a terrorist publication to mosques in Loughborough, Luton, Coventry, Birmingham and Derby.
He is also charged with three offences of possession of a document likely to be useful to a terrorist.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe 23-year-old wore a suit and tie, and glasses at the preliminary hearing in London and spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and nationality, which is British.
Mr Justice Sweeney set a provisional trial date of 13 May 2019 at Nottingham Crown Court. Mr Ashfaq remains on unconditional bail.
A ramp to help people in wheelchairs get on to trains has been stolen from Lichfield station.
British Transport Police say they're hoping to talk to this man, captured on CCTV, in connection with the theft.
Image source, British Transport PoliceThe chief executive of the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust says he's working really hard to make staff feel confident about speaking out, if they have concerns.
A Care Quality Commission report this week said there was a "culture of bullying and harassment and at times we found a culture of defensiveness" from the hospital leadership and said managers "were not always visible".
Simon Wright said he thought the challenge was now to act on the concerns that had been raised.
The CQC report rated the hospital and its leadership as "inadequate" and Mr Wright said "it's not acceptable for staff to feel that they're not being respected in the jobs that they're doing." but added "I think I'm an approachable person, I genuinely want to hear".
He said he and other managers were increasing the amount of time they spent walking about the hospitals, talking to staff and said they'd "had to have a long hard think" about the criticism they were too defensive.
Mr Wright went on to say "you can't always do the things that the staff would want", but at the same time it was important "concerns were heard and respected".
Quote MessageThat they feel more confident being able to raise concerns is a positive, we now need to deal with those concerns, because it's not acceptable for staff to feel that they're not being respected in the jobs that they're doing."
Simon Wright, SATH chief executive
Birmingham Live
These are some of the headlining stories on the Birmingham Live website:
Local Democracy Reporting Service
Carl Jackson
A school where a playground accident led to the death of a 15-year-old disabled pupil has installed fencing to improve safety.
Image source, GoogleMuhammed Ghafoor, who had severe learning difficulties and used a wheelchair, died at Birmingham Children’s Hospital in September 2016 within days of falling down a set of playground steps at Mayfield School in Lozells.
A subsequent inquest ruled that his death was an accident, but had been contributed to by neglect after it was heard that he was left momentarily unattended.
The special educational needs school has now confirmed that fencing has been put up around the playground and chicanes installed on the outside stairwells to improve safety.
BBC News Travel
Traffic has been brought to a stand-still on the M6 southbound at J10a to J10 after a crash blocked two lanes near Walsall.
Highways England said queues were building in the area, external.
A 16-year-old boy, arrested on suspicion of murdering Jaydon James in Coventry has been released on bail.
Image source, Family handoutThe 16-year-old victim, known as JJ, was attacked in the Wood End area of the city on Saturday, and died later in hospital.
Officers arrested a suspect on Thursday at an address in Oxford, and took him to a police station in the West Midlands for questioning.
A 12-year-old girl has been taken to hospital suffering multiple injuries after being hit by a car in Sutton Coldfield.
Image source, GoogleEmergency crews were called to the scene, close to the Toby Carvery on Chester Road North at about 15:45 on Thursday, police said.
She was taken to Birmingham Children's Hospital with injuries, which are not believed to be life-threatening, the ambulance service said.
The driver of the car stopped at the scene and assisted police with enquiries.
Hereford FC have have signed French left-sided player Joel Dielna.
The 28-year-old has Football League experience with Blackpool and has played in National North division with AFC Telford United and Nuneaton Borough.
Image source, Mike SheridanHead coach Marc Richards says he's also hoping to bringing in a central defender.
