BBC Radio Stoke Sport

There's no resentment from Port Vale fringe players who aren't getting picked, assistant manager Lee Nogan has said.

Players such as Ricky Miller, David Worrall and Ben Whitfield have all been out of the side recently, but Nogan says they've all been given a chance and added "its not personal, we're just trying to pick 11 players".

Image source, Getty Images

And Nogan said that while they take performances in training into account "if you're doing really well you stay in the team, if you're not, you're in and out".

Worcester News

Here are three stories from the Worcester News today:

• Woman killed in Pennines crash was Worcester resident, external
• House of Fraser could be saved from closure, external
• Police to bring Christmas joy to children's wards, external

Shefali Oza
BBC Midlands Today

The showers could return tonight - here's the full West Midlands' forecast for tonight and tomorrow:

You can keep up-to-date with the latest forecast for your part of the region at any other time by going to the BBC Weather website.

A Nuneaton man who carried out a "brutal and sustained" attack on a vulnerable man has been found guilty of murder.

Jonathan Cramp, 37, had claimed he was attacked by 39-year-old Julian Perry at a flat in Bedworth in June, and that he killed him in self-defence, but following a trial he was convicted by a jury at Warwick Crown Court.

Image source, Warwickshire Police

Warwickshire Police said Mr Perry, who suffered from mental health issues, died from multiple injuries.

The force said CCTV evidence showed Cramp - who is of no fixed address but lives in Nuneaton - entering Mr Perry's flat and officers recovered clothes belonging to Cramp with his blood on them.

He is due to be sentenced tomorrow.

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

A pottery firm says it's been the victim of a ransomware cyber attack which hacked into its payroll system and tried to extort money from it.

Image source, Google

Steelite International employs several hundred staff in Stoke-on-Trent and produces tableware for the hospitality industry.

It says the attack was discovered on Saturday and it took them until yesterday to rebuild their servers and guarantee workers would be paid as normal.

The firm says it can't rule out how much data was accessed, but the information on the system was limited to staff payments and they've been told to keep a close eye on their own bank accounts.

Staffordshire Police says it's aware of the attack and the UK's cyber-crime reporting centre, Action Fraud, has been told.

CCTV shows the lead up to the murder of Derek Myers, who was killed by gang member Tafarwa Beckford.

Ben Godfrey
BBC Midlands Today

A shop has agreed to donate toys to Birmingham Children's Hospital after a man dressed as Santa Claus said he was asked to leave the store while buying presents.

Rob Bowker and Santa's Little Helpers were using £1,500 donated by people in Tamworth to buy toys for four families in Smyths on the Ventura retail park.

However, he said he was escorted out by security, despite explaining why he was there.

Smyths Toys had said he was with a photographer taking pictures without permission, which Mr Bowker denies.

But today, the store's apologised and agreed to make a donation of toys to the hospital as a gesture of goodwill., external

Coventry Live

These are among the headlines on the Coventry Live website:

• Restaurant fined a record £12,000, external
• New store coming to retail park, external
• Delivery driver's van flipped over in hit-and-run, external

Keanu Spencer managed to drive off despite being Tasered twice by police.

Nick Smith
BBC News Online

Two men have been sentenced following a series of break-ins across the country.

Jamie Sylvester, 34, (pictured left) and Wayne Underwood, 49, admitted a series of ram-raids at Curry's PC World stores in Leicester and Mansfield, break-ins at a store in Evesham and a Sainsbury's in Oadby.

They also pleaded guilty to an attempted break-in at a Leicester PC World between August 13 and 4 September.

Image source, Leicestershire Police

The pair were each jailed for five years and one month at Leicester Crown Court today.

The court heard that the total cost in damages and items lost was in excess of £114,000.

Defending Sylvester, of Bronze Close, Leicester, James Thomas said that he was offending to feed his "desperate" crack cocaine addiction,

The defence for Underwood, if Cherry Tree Court, Swadlincote, Helen Johnson, said he was trying to get money to provide for his parents who are in ill-health.

Three houses near Telford's Princess Royal Hospital have now been completely stripped of their interiors, ready for a full refurbishment.

Volunteers, local companies and parish councils have all leant their support to the effort, which aims to attract more doctors to the hospital by providing them with free accommodation.

Image source, Telford and Wrekin Council

The effort has been organised by Telford and Wrekin Council, which has been thanked by the hospital trust for its help.

Work to fit the bathrooms is now under way and the kitchens will be installed in the new year.

Allen Cook
BBC News

One of the first mass-produced Christmas trees, dating back to 1937, has been sold at auction for £280 - with all the money going to help the homeless.

Image source, Hansons

Steve Rose, 74, decided to part with the tree which his parents had decorated every year at their home in Markham, Caerphilly.

Today, it sold at Bishton Hall, near Cannock, Staffordshire, to a private buyer and Hansons Auctioneers says Mr Rose decided he'll give the money to The Greater Manchester Mayor’s Homelessness Fund., external

Allen Cook
BBC News

Police probing the shooting of a woman in her Solihull home say they believe it was a targeted attack., external

Image source, West Midlands Police

The 51-year-old victim was shot in her shoulder and hand yesterday morning on Dovehouse Lane, Olton.

The force says she's in a stable condition today in hospital.

They've released CCTV footage of a man they want to speak to in connection with the shooting.

Birmingham Post

The Birmingham Post is covering these stories today:

• Fears HS2 could destroy ancient sites in Solihull, external
• First look at brand new entrance to Snow Hill Station, external
• Decades long row over homes on contaminated land in Erdington, external

Proposals to turn the last single-lane stretch of the A500 in Cheshire into a dual carriageway have been approved this morning.

Image source, Google

Cheshire East Council says it's "essential" for Crewe's economic success and will ensure the town can benefit fully from the high-speed rail scheme HS2.

The plans are for a 3.3km (two mile) stretch between J16 of the M6 and the Meremoss roundabout.

Harriet Harman says the "rough sex" defence risks men killing their partners and blaming them for it.

A driver from Stourbridge who crashed his car near Bewdley, killing a passenger in it, has been jailed for five years and three months.

Benjamin Priest, 23, from Stourbridge, died from head injuries after the crash in June.

Image source, West Mercia Police

At Worcester Crown Court, Aaron Guest, who is 28 and from Barn Close, admitted causing death by dangerous driving, driving whilst disqualified, driving whilst under the influence of drugs, having no insurance and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

In addition to the prison term he was disqualified from driving for seven years and seven months and ordered to take an extended re-test.

James Bond
Sports Producer, BBC Shropshire

Shrewsbury Town manager Sam Ricketts says striker Fejiri Okenabirhie is an "outstanding talent" and has shown a great attitude.

The 22-year-old, who signed from non-league football in the summer, scored his 10th goal in 18 matches at the weekend and Ricketts said he was always looking to learn and improve.

Image source, Getty Images

Shrewsbury are at home to Coventry on Saturday.

If you use Facebook Messenger and are interested in news from the West Midlands, you can sign up for daily updates direct to your phone, external.

Shropshire Star

Here are three headlines from the Shropshire Star today:

• Man dies after being trapped in machinery, external
• Fears over plan for Telford industrial park, external
• Huge sword handed in to police station, external