BBC Shropshire

A four-year-old boy who was flown to the USA for cancer treatment after a fundraising campaign that raised £500,000, is back at home and "in high spirits", his dad has said.

Zac Oliver from Broseley was taken to a hospital in Philadelphia for CAR T-cell therapy, because the NHS said he wasn't eligible to get it in this country.

US doctors removed cells from his body, which they will now modify and put back into his body when he returns.

Image source, Family photo

Mark Garbett said it had been a "pretty short stay", but he expected the next one to last several months.

He described the treatment as "the best chance" for Zac and believes it "stands a very good chance" of success.

Shropshire Star

Here are a few of the stories making the headlines on the Shropshire Star website this morning:

• Metro system could unlock Telford's potential, says council leader, external
• New school for Shrewsbury in £4.5m education expansion, external
• 'Desperate action’ agreed on Shropshire Council overspend, external

Hundreds of people turned out in Telford last night, to celebrate the town's 50th birthday.

There were light displays, burning torches creating a "fire garden" on Southwater Lake, drummers and German beer, with the opening of the European Christmas Market.

Image source, Telford and Wrekin Council

Image source, Telford and Wrekin Council

The fire garden will be lit again tonight and tomorrow night and the Christmas Market will remain until 23 Dec.

Image source, Telford and Wrekin Council

The jury has retired to consider its verdict in the case of a 52-year-old Worcester nightclub owner who's accused of sex and drug offences.

Darren Pinches, who owns Sin and Bushwackers and Browns at the Quay, is on trial accused of supplying or possessing cocaine and sexually assaulting a 20-year-old woman.

Mr Pinches, from Bromyard Road in Worcester, denies the charges and the jury will reconvene at Warwickshire Justice Centre on Monday.

Bruce McLean is convicted of sexually assaulting boys at care homes in Derbyshire and Cheshire.

Worcestershire promote Alex Gidman to first-team coach, as Kevin Sharp takes on backroom role.

The Aston Villa Foundation has handed over £12,000 to help improve homelessness across Birmingham.

The money was raised during the inaugural Big Villa Sleep Out at Villa Park in May.

Image source, West Midlands Combined Authority

A cheque for £6,000 was presented to the Metro Mayor, Andy Street for the Change Into Action initiative, run by the city council and his homelessness task force.

The other money will be spent on blankets, underwear and toiletries for homeless people across the city.

Last week, figures from charity Shelter said that there were 57 people sleeping rough in Birmingham, but more than 15,500 in temporary accommodation, such as B&Bs.

A snow leopard was shot dead by zoo workers after escaping his enclosure, at Dudley Zoo, it's been revealed.

The door to the enclosure was left open through "keeper error", the zoo said, after all visitors had left for the day on 23 October.

Image source, Dudley Zoo

Efforts to persuade eight-year-old Margaash back into his enclosure failed, it said, and as the animal was close to surrounding woodland the vet did not believe a tranquilliser dart was a safe option.

It is thought there may be fewer than 3,000 adult snow leopards left in the wild, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, external.

Zoo Director Derek Grove said: "Euthanasia is, and always will be, a last resort.

“This was an incredibly sad incident and our staff are understandably heartbroken."

The zoo said delays in reporting the news were due to a disciplinary investigation and a review of its enclosure security measures.

Coventry Live

Some of the headlining stories on the Coventry Live website today are:

• Masked gang jailed for total of nearly 50 years after armed robbery, external
• Coventry has 'once in a lifetime opportunity' to boost tourism, external
• Company boss caught speeding in £93,000 Range Rover lied to police, external

BBC Business News

Millions of commuters will have to pay an average of 3.1% more for rail tickets from 2 January.

The rise, announced by industry body the Rail Delivery Group, comes after a year of timetable chaos, strikes, and delays on some parts of the network.

Image source, Getty Images

There had been calls for a price freeze following the chaos caused by the introduction of new timetables in May.

It means another £130 on an annual season ticket from Gloucester to Birmingham, for example.

Commuters are being advised to renew season tickets before January.

Read more.

Officers investigating a botched burglary in Dudley are hoping a leg brace will help the public identify one of the would-be burglars, after he was filmed limping at the scene.

Image source, West Midlands Police

Police believe the offender was nursing a fractured foot or leg when he took part in an attempted robbery on Ridge Road, Kingswinford on 21 November.

CCTV footage issued , externalby police shows the man alongside three others using a drill to snap open a PVC lock, before they run away after being disturbed.

Image source, West Midlands Police

BBC Midlands Today

A woman who was stabbed while heavily pregnant is raising money for the Midlands Air Ambulance, which airlifted her to hospital.

Natalie Queiroz was eight months pregnant when she was stabbed 24 times by her partner in Sutton Coldfield in 2016.

Both she and her baby miraculously survived.

Babur Karamat Raja was jailed for 18 years for the stabbing.

Ms Queiroz is part of a team of fundraisers who are spending 12 hours a day on treadmills and bikes at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

A school in Birmingham has been forced to close because of a burst water pipe in the main school building.

Image source, Google

Contractors working at James Watt Primary School in Handsworth are hoping to have it resolved by Monday.

Express and Star

Here are a few of the early headlines on the Express & Star website this morning:

• Family of missing Natalie Putt still desperate for answers, external
• West Park murder trial hears how trainers helped police hunt suspect, external
• Owner of takeaway that left six people seriously ill gets suspended sentence, external

An 18-year-old man was sitting alone in his car when he was shot in the back during a "targeted" attack on Wednesday police have revealed. , external

Image source, West Midlands Police

He was parked at the junction of Alum Rock Road and Sladefield Road, in the Alum Rock area of Birmingham, when the shot was fired at about 23:10.

He suffered gunshot wounds to his torso and neck, said West Midlands Police, and remains in a critical but stable condition in hospital.

Image source, West Midlands Police

The gunman is believed to have fled on foot and officers are keen to trace the occupants of a vehicle which made off in the direction of Washwood Heath soon after the shooting.

Hundreds of people gathered in the Wood End area of Coventry on Thursday night to remember the life of Jaydon James.

The 16-year-old was attacked in Coventry on Saturday, and died later in hospital.

Crowds squeezed into St Chad's Church for the service, with many more gathering outside.

Ruth Williamson, head teacher at Foxford School, said Jaydon had left not only a hole in the lives of his family and classmates, but the entire city.

A 16-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with Jaydon's death.

Solihull Moors will be the centre of attention in the FA Cup tonight when they attempt to cause a second-round upset.

The Moors are unbeaten in eight matches which has lifted them into the play-off places in the National League.

They're at home this evening to League One side Blackpool with the game live on BBC Two.

A new footbridge linking Telford town centre with the railway station opens to the public today.

The glass-sided structure, including an elevator, was hoisted into place using a crane.

It's part of a £10m project, which includes the demolition of the old bridge scheduled for this weekend.

Alex Hamilton
BBC Weather

A generally bright and breezy day with some sunshine and a few showers with highs of 10C (50F).

Vanessa Pearce
BBC News

Welcome to our live service for Friday.

We'll be bringing you all the news, sport, travel and weather for the West Midlands.

We love to hear from you so share your news, thoughts and photos of the area with us via email, Twitter, external and Facebook., external