BBC Hereford and Worcester

A shopping centre is to get a fresh look after plans to build a new entrance were approved by council planners.

Image source, Google

The current entrance to Crowngate on Friary Walk, Worcester, will be demolished and replaced by a new glass frontage, said to be similar to the current design but brighter and more accessible.

The city council's planners approved the design, external, which is one of the first parts of a £1.5m facelift intended to revamp Angel Place, given permission in August 2017.

Allen Cook
BBC News

A river's going to be searched as efforts continue to find a man who hasn't been seen since October., external

Image source, Staffordshire Police

Staffordshire Police say they're "increasingly concerned" about Nazakat Hussain.

The 27-year-old was last seen walking away from his home on Edward Street, Burton-upon-Trent, on 17 October.

The force says the county's search and rescue team will search the River Trent in the town on Saturday between Ferry Bridge and two weirs.

The Met Office is warning the rest of the week's freezing conditions could be harmful to vulnerable people.

It's put out a level two alert for the West Midlands from today, external until midnight on Saturday, warning of severe cold weather, icy conditions and even snow.

The warning says the weather could increase health risks and cause disruption to services.

AJ Pritchard and his brother Curtis say they were attacked on the dance floor of nightclub in Nantwich.

Stoke-on-Trent Live

The Stoke-on-Trent Live page has these stories today:

• Scared mum's bedside vigil as son hit with 'swine flu' and left in coma since Christmas Day, external
• Armed police find sawn-off shotgun hidden under cuddly toys, external
• Double-yellow lines to be painted on three streets to residents' delight, external

A 16-year-old boy from Rugby is critically ill after taking what police believe is high-purity ecstasy on New Year's Eve.

Warwickshire Police said he was discovered by a passer-by after collapsing on Bilton Road that evening and officers gave him first aid until an ambulance arrived.

Image source, Getty Images

Police seized ecstasy from the scene and sent it away for testing, with tests showing the tablets were high purity.

The force said it was "too early to speculate" on the circumstances leading up to the boy falling ill.

BBC Two

School pupils and teachers from the West Midlands will be time-travelling back to the 19th Century tonight on BBC Two.

The show, Back in Time for School, kicks off at 20:00 tonight and will feature 15 children and three staff from the Birmingham and Coventry areas., external

The programme will see them fast-forward through more than 100 years of school life and explore the transformation of Britain's education through to the 1990s across the coming weeks.

James Bond
Sports Producer, BBC Shropshire

Ludlow holds the first of its three January meetings today, with the first race at 12:40.

Richard Johnson, the champion jockey and now OBE, has several horses, including Little Jack in the 14:50.

BBC Hereford and Worcester

A BBC investigation's found that cases of racist abuse have hit record levels across Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

Image source, West Mercia Police

West Mercia Police has revealed it received almost 900 reports of racism last year compared to just 461 in 2015.

The number of incidents has gone up 90% over the past three years.

The force has said tackling racism is a "priority" and insisted it takes all complaints seriously.

Allen Cook
BBC News

Strictly Come Dancing pro AJ Pritchard's told the BBC that an attack on him and his younger brother at a nightclub has made him worried of being in crowds of people in the future.

Image source, Getty Images

A statement from their family at the weekend said it was an "unprovoked" assault on a night out with two friends in Nantwich on 27 December.

Curtis Pritchard, also a professional dancer, required knee surgery and will miss the upcoming series of Dancing with the Stars Ireland.

Cheshire Police say they're still investigating what happened and a 20-year-old man has been arrested and released under investigation.

Express and Star

From the Express and Star:

• Former Dudley Council leader considering West Midlands Mayoral bid, external
• Wolverhampton businesses hit £1m sales milestone with eBay, external
• Farmers count the costs of fires in hot summer, external

BBC Hereford and Worcester

Residents in Malvern are being asked their views on how best to help homeless people in the town following the death of a rough sleeper on Christmas Day.

The man, named locally as Joby Sparrey, was found near the clothing shop Brays, on Worcester Road, where tributes have now been left.

Malvern Hills District Council said Mr Sparrey was known to its services and it would be conducting a review.

It is understood to be the second death of a rough sleeper in the Worcestershire town in two months.

A local councillor has organised a public meeting this weekend to reflect on the situation.

BBC Midlands Today

A student from Staffordshire is hoping to raise awareness of the use of defibrillators after suffering a cardiac arrest aged just 17.

Ben Culff, from Tamworth, was working as a waiter when his heart stopped.

A colleague gave him CPR, shocking him back to life with a defibrillator.

He's told the BBC: "I'm alive again, I'm privileged to be back. It is more surreal to me than anybody else."

Ben's now taken part in a BBC Three programme, How Not To Die from a cardiac arrest, to try to raise awareness of the machines and their lifesaving potential..

BBC Sport

Wolves are down to ninth in the Premier League after their defeat last night to Crystal Palace at Molineux.

Image source, Getty Images

Two late goals from Jordan Ayew and Luka Milivojevic moved the visitors six points clear of the relegation zone.

But Wolves were well off the pace against the Eagles as four matches in the space of 12 days appeared to take their toll on Nuno Espirito Santo's side.

Alex Hamilton
BBC Weather

A cold, cloudy start to today in the West Midlands - here's how the rest of today's weather is looking:

You can get a latest forecast for your area at any other time by heading to the BBC Weather website.

Allen Cook
BBC News

Welcome to our live service for Thursday.

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.

Jordan Ayew and Luka Milivojevic score late for Crystal Palace as Roy Hodgson's side edge further away from the Premier League's bottom three.

Premiership champions Saracens come back from a six-point half-time deficit to beat struggling Worcester.

The man who died in a crash in Balsall Heath, Birmingham, is named as Martin Carmichael.

Malvern Hills District Council says it had offered "extensive support" to the man.