The proposed rail line would close a "vital route" between two villages, Warrington Council say.

Allen Cook
BBC News

Eight men and two boys have been arrested today by police investigating trouble during Port Vale's match against Stoke City Under-21s.

Image source, West Midlands Police

Parts of Vale Park were damaged when disorder flared up at the game on 4 December.

Officers say they raided a series of houses from 06:00 and arrested all 10 on suspicion of violent disorder. , external

They were held at addresses across Stoke-on-Trent, Newcastle-under-Lyme and Biddulph and are aged between 22 and 43, with the boys aged 16 and 17.

Work is ongoing to repair a hole that has appeared in a street in Bearwood, Smethwick.

Image source, Elizabeth Smith

Wigorn Road is partially blocked by the two-foot wide hole, which opened this morning.

Sandwell Highways said the road remains passable as work continues.

The partner of a man whose skull was fractured with a cricket bat says she is "having to go through living hell" after his murder.

Image source, Google

Today, a judge lifted a court order banning the media from naming Jimmy Owens, 16, who killed Derek Whyteside on the day he left secondary school in June.

Judge Paul Glenn accepted that the teenager, of Malinslee, Telford, Shropshire, didn't mean to kill Mr Whyteside, who was armed with a knuckleduster, but jailed him for life with a minimum term of 10 years.

The judge also condemned "despicable" mobile phone pictures, taken of the victim before he was put in the recovery position.

In a victim statement, read to the court on behalf of Mr Whyteside's partner, Michelle Beddall, she said: "They acted like animals and can't face up to what they have done. I hate what they have done to me and my kids."

Worcester News

The Worcester News is covering these stories today:

• Grandson found with money taken from grandparents home, external
• Residents rally round family after Droitwich house fire, external
• Tesla owners donate electric toy car to city's hospital, external

Senior officers will brief councillors in Herefordshire in secret this afternoon about two serious failures affecting children's services.

Image source, Getty Images

A High Court judge recently found that the authority had provided "woeful" care for two half-sisters and failed to put them up for adoption.

In a second case, Mr Justice Keehan said twins were put up for adoption separately based on "erroneous" information.

The Independent opposition group on the council is calling for an extraordinary meeting so the failings can be examined in a public forum.

The council has apologised to those affected and fully accepts the judgements.

BBC Sport

Olympic champion Adam Peaty has challenged world governing body Fina to ban him after he backed plans to launch the new International Swimming League.

Image source, Getty Images

The inaugural event had been due to take place in Italy this month, but was cancelled after Fina threatened to prevent those who raced from competing in next year's World Championships.

"I don't care, ban me if you've got to," the Uttoxeter swimmer told BBC Sport.

"I'm not bothered, because at the end of the day they know they can't."

Fina stated that the International Swimming League (ISL) was unsanctioned and last week launched its own Champions Swim Series, but that only further damaged its relationship with some of the sport's leading athletes, with Peaty stating the decision was "embarrassing and offensive".

Rob Mayor
Political reporter, BBC WM

A Sandwell councillor has been charged with two counts of causing racial harassment or alarm.

Image source, Sandwell Council

Bob Piper, 71, who has represented the Abbey ward for Labour since 1999 is alleged to have made a Nazi joke at a pub in July.

The charges, covering racially/religiously aggravated harassment, alarm or distress, carry a maximum sentence of two years in prison.

He's set to appear at Walsall Magistrates' Court on 16 January.

Jonathan Cramp is sentenced to life for killing Julian Perry in a 'brutal and sustained' attack.

A 16-year-old boy who fractured a man's skull with a cricket bat has been jailed for at least 10 years for his murder.

Image source, West Mercia Police/Family handout

The teenager is said to have crept up behind Derek Whyteside in Telford, Shropshire, as he searched for two stolen children's bikes in June.

Mr Whyteside, 42, collapsed on the ground and died two days later.

The teenager was found guilty of murder at Stafford Crown Court in November and today received a life sentence.

Birmingham Live

These are some of Birmingham Live's headlines today:

• Passengers stuck inside plane at Birmingham Airport for eight hours, external
• Dad left dogs dying in baking car - and buried bodies in field, external
• Investigation after autistic four-year-old boy 'went missing' from school, external

Seven flights in all have been diverted to Birmingham Airport after drones were seen flying over the perimeter fence at Gatwick Airport.

The airport said it was now "business as usual" in Birmingham with all passengers on their way back to Gatwick after flights were diverted overnight.

Gatwick is expected to remain closed until 16:00.

Those due to travel have been told to check the status of their flight, while Easyjet told its passengers not to go to Gatwick if their flights have been cancelled.

You can follow live updates here.

Mother-of-three Surinder Kaur Varyapraj was strangled and her body lay undiscovered for two months.

Ian Perry
BBC Radio Shropshire

More than 500 turkeys, geese, duck and guinea fowl are being sold at a Christmas auction in Shrewsbury today.

It's the second year Halls auctioneers have held the sale and the number of lots has almost doubled since last year.

All the birds have come from farms within a 20-mile radius.

A man found guilty of a "brutal and sustained" attack on a vulnerable man, has been jailed for at least 18 years for his murder.

Image source, Warwickshire Police

Jonathan Cramp of no fixed abode, carried out the attack on Julian Perry, at a flat in Croft Pool, Bedworth in June.

At Warwick Crown Court today, he was told he must serve a minimum of 18 years before he could be considered for parole.

In true Christmas spirit, Steve Rose says he will be donating the proceeds to a homeless charity.

The pro-Brexit MP for Shrewsbury has criticised Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd for saying another referendum will become a "plausible" way forward if there is deadlock in Parliament.

Ms Rudd told ITV's Peston show while she did not personally support another vote, the case for one would grow if MPs could not agree another solution.

The PM says the UK must be ready to leave without a deal if it is rejected.

This morning, fellow Conservative MP Daniel Kawcynski's tweeted that Ms Rudd was wrong to make the suggestion, external about another referendum being the answer.

He said: "Such a vote would be highly irresponsible and deeply divisive".

Shropshire Star

A few of the stories making the headlines on the Shropshire Star website today:

• Giant Telford factory plan 'a monstrosity', external
• GKN worker tragedy: Health and safety is priority says Telford firm, external
• Driverless cars could be heading to Shrewsbury roads, external

A two-foot-wide hole has opened up in a street in Bearwood, Smethwick.

Wigorn Road is shut between St Mary's Road to Park Road.

Elizabeth Smith, owner of the nearby ABC Day Nursery, said it's not the first time a hole has appeared under the road.

"You can see the markings of where the road was dug up previously to repair it," she said.

Image source, Elizabeth Smith

"A taxi driver went down it this morning at 07:00 and it caused him a puncture," she said.

Buses are being diverted away from the area.

Britain has twice as many shops as it needs, according to the author of a report looking at how to revive the nation's High Streets.

Retailer Sir John Timpson said local councils must be given more money to turn town centres into communities and meeting places.

He told BBC Breakfast homes should replace many shops in town centres.

A report last month by accountancy firm PwC found that about 14 shops are closing every day, as High Streets face their toughest trading climate in five years.

Restaurants and pubs also floundered as fewer people go out to eat or drink

Would you like to see more shops replaced with homes or is there another way to revive our local high streets?

Let us know your thoughts