A new section of pipe has been delivered to engineers at the site of a burst water main in Birmingham.

Image source, Severn Trent

Image source, Severn Trent

Image source, Severn Trent

Severn Trent said the new pipe, and collars used to fit it, will be fixed to the existing 20-inch water main.

The company said "unfortunately" it's going to be some time before Hagley Road gets back to normal, and apologised to everyone affected.

The Bromsgrove MP Sajid Javid has said thoughts of eventually replacing Theresa May are "the last thing on my mind" and believes all his cabinet colleagues are equally loyal.

Before winning last night's confidence vote, the prime minister made a promise she would step down before the next general election and it has been suggested the Home Secretary could replace her.

But Mr Javid said the focus of the cabinet was doing everything possible to get the prime minister's Brexit deal through Parliament.

Commuters in Birmingham face traffic chaos as one of the main roads into the city is flooded.

A hedgehog has been rescued after getting trapped in a tin can that was left out for recycling in south Shropshire.

The British Hedgehog Preservation Society said a woman from Hopton Castle discovered it when she put her bins out for collection and her partner was able to carefully cut it free.

Image source, British Hedgehog Preservation Society

The hedgehog, which was freezing cold and desperate for food, is being nursed back to health, because it is too small to hibernate successfully.

The society is asking people to crush their cans before binning them, to stop other animals becoming trapped while looking for food.

New £7m plans have been submitted to Wolverhampton council to redevelop a pub and turn it into a museum and 70-bedroom hotel.

Image source, City of Wolverhampton Council

The Moon Under Water pub is set to host pub chain JD Wetherspoon's national museum as well as the hotel above in what was once a Co-op store.

The five-storey building takes up half of one side of Lichfield Street, but only the pub is currently based there.

If the plans are approved, it could generate up to 50 jobs, said the city council.

Flanker Matti Williams signs a new contract with Premiership side Worcester Warriors.

BBC News Travel

An incident is blocking rail lines between Birmingham New Street and Coventry.

Disruption is expected until 17:00, said Network Rail.

Engineering works in the Rugby area are also affecting services.

The government has confirmed that it's giving police forces additional money to fund changes to police pensions.

A special £153m grant is being provided in the next financial year to the 43 forces in England and Wales, the counter-terrorism police network and the National Crime Agency, BBC News understands.

However, David Jamieson, Labour PCC of the second largest police force, West Midlands Police, said it fell a "long way short" of what was needed.

He said: "West Midlands Police has faced cuts of £175m since 2010, leading to over 2,000 police officers being lost during that period."

Andrew Griffiths and Charlie Elphicke are being investigated over inappropriate sexual behaviour.

Birmingham Yardley Labour MP Jess Phillips has questioned why Burton MP Andrew Griffiths has had the Conservative whip restored and was able to vote for Theresa May in the no confidence vote on Wednesday.

The former minister for small business resigned in July after a newspaper reported he had sent hundreds of lewd text messages to two women, and he was then suspended by the party.

However, he has now returned to the fold and yesterday revealed he would be backing Theresa May in the crucial vote.

Leader of the House, Andrea Leadsom, said an independent procedure was designed to enable everyone who works or visits the House of Commons to have their complaints heard.

Four boys have been arrested after fights in the Chell Heath area of Stoke-on-Trent yesterday, which resulted in two other teenagers suffering stab wounds.

Staffordshire Police said the victims, aged 13 and 14, were taken to Royal Stoke University Hospital for treatment, while two others suffered minor injuries.

Image source, Google

The four, aged 12, 14, 15 and 16 were all arrested on suspicion of assault grievous bodily harm with intent and remain in police custod. Enquiries are on-going.

The fights happened at about 18:00 in the Deakin Road area.

Birmingham's Botanical Gardens has said it is planning to shut at 14:00 due to problems associated with the flooding on Hagley Road.

It said it still planned to open for the Magical Lantern Festival this evening, but would be bringing in portable toilets.

Image source, Birmingham Botanical Gardens

Ian Naude's trial heard he joined Cheshire Constabulary "to gain the keys to a sweetshop".

Nixon Smith, from Worcestershire, went missing last month after flying from Malaga to Madrid.

Severn Trent says many customers are now seeing their water supplies return, at low pressure to start with, after a burst pipe on Hagley Road in Birmingham this morning.

The company also says the road is now fully closed from the Plough and Harrow Pub, to Fiveways roundabout, at the request of the council.

Image source, Severn Trent

Severn Trent engineers have now started to dig down to the 20-inch pipe to find out what repairs are necessary.

It has also handed out bottled water to about 500 of its "most vulnerable customers".

Shropshire Star

Here are three stories from the Shropshire Star today:

• Huge drop in Shropshire social housing building, external
• Road improvements funding still to be confirmed, external
• Blues bar closes doors after live music ban, external

A judge at Liverpool Crown Court has told a police constable from Market Drayton he "used and abused" his position as a Cheshire Police officer, "thereby enabling you to satisfy your lust and perversion".

Judge Clement Goldstone QC sentenced 30-year-old Ian Naude to 25 years in prison with an extended licence period of five years for raping a 13-year-old girl.

Image source, Cheshire Police

He pleaded guilty to a further 30 offences, including inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, making indecent photos of children and misconduct in a public office and was found guilty of the rape and sexual assault charges at a trial last month.

BBC Business News

The warning about the challenges facing the House of Fraser chain comes on the same day as the Daily Telegraph publishes an explosive leaked email from Mike Ashley about the future of Debenhams.

As well holding a 61% stake in Sports Direct, which in turn owns House of Fraser, Mr Ashley is also the biggest shareholder in Debenhams.

Image source, Reuters

According to the email reported in today's Daily Telegraph, external, he warns the boss of Debenhams: "We don't want to see Debenhams fail... but without something changing rapidly all of the shareholders risk getting wiped out."

In October, Debenhams reported losses of £491.5m and announced it would close up to 50 stores.

Sports Direct has "significant challenges ahead" in turning House of Fraser around, according to chairman Mike Ashley.

The struggling department store chain was bought by Sports Direct in August, heralding a u-turn in a number of planned closures

In recent months, stores in Wolverhampton, Telford, Solihull and Sutton Coldfield have all been saved after new rents were negotiated.

Image source, Getty Images

But Ashley's latest warning , externalwill worry investors and staff at stores that thought they were in the clear.

"However, I genuinely believe we have acquired a fantastic opportunity and with the efforts of Sports Direct and House of Fraser teams, and the support of the brands, local councils and landlords, we can turn House of Fraser into the Harrods of the High Street," Mr Ashley said.

In the 26 weeks to 28 October 2018, Sports Direct underlying profit before tax fell 26.8% to £64.4m.

Cheshire Police constable Ian Naude has been jailed for 25 years for 37 offences including the rape and the sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl.

It follows a trial at Liverpool Crown Court which heard the 30-year-old from Market Drayton joined Cheshire Constabulary "to gain the keys to a sweetshop" through access to potential victims.

Image source, Cheshire Police

During his two-week trial, Naude denied rape and sexual assault as he claimed the sex with the 13-year-old girl was consensual and that she "seemed to be enjoying it".

Cheshire Constabulary said Naude had passed the vetting process in October 2016 but that allegations of sex offences being investigated by two neighbouring forces in early 2017 did not get picked up.