A study into concussion injuries in sport has been welcomed by the family of former West Brom footballer Jeff Astle.

The former England striker died aged 59 in 2002, having lived with dementia. An inquest heard he had a brain injury, linked to heading heavy footballs.

Image source, Getty Images

The study, carried out by the University of Birmingham, includes saliva and urine samples being taken from players with head injuries.

It's then tested against uninjured 'control' players.

Dawn Astle told BBC Breakfast that it's been 17 years since her dad died and former players are dying of dementia.

"Football needs to get a grip on this," she said.

"Without research and studies, players today and players in the future can't make informed decisions".

Local Democracy Reporting Service

A planning enforcement notice will be served on the owner of a house which is 75cm (2ft 5in) too tall.

Asif Naseem is appealing against Stoke on Trent City Council’s refusal to grant retrospective planning permission, claiming it ended up being too tall because of a failure to dig the foundations deep enough.

The planning committee recommended that the appeal be dealt with through written submissions by each party, rather than holding a hearing or public inquiry. The appeal process will be dealt with by the Government’s Planning Inspectorate.

Shropshire Star

Here are three headlines from the Shropshire Star today:

• More than £1m could be spent on leisure improvements, external
• Four admit role in violent family fracas, external
• Car ends up in garden after crash, external

BBC Radio Stoke Sport

The new Stoke City manager says he's looking for strong characters and may try to sign some in the January transfer window.

After defeats in his first two games Nathan Jones said "you need leaders, you need experience out there to sort of steady the ship".

Image source, Getty Images

But while admitting "we know we need players in", he said that wasn't the only solution and he would also have to work with the squad he has and "be better at doing what we do".

BBC Hereford and Worcester

The public are getting the chance to design and vote for Herefordshire's official county flag, external.

It's one of only three English counties which doesn't have its own flag and while there are some official coats of arms, they can only be flown with permission.

Image source, Google

The competition to design one, organised by the Herefordshire Flag Committee, opens on 1 March and anybody aged five and older will be able to vote for their favourite later in the year.

Coventry Live

Some of the Coventry Live headlines today are:

• This Coventry supermarket is closing - because it's too busy, external
• Standards rising at inadequate Coventry school, external
• Couple no longer want to live in house after violent robbery, external

Premier League footballers are taking part in a new concussion study that could lead to pitch-side diagnosis.

Image source, University of Birmingham

The study, by the University of Birmingham,, external includes saliva and urine samples being taken from players with head injuries and uninjured 'control' players by club doctors after matches.

The samples are then put through a new test by medics.

It is hoped this will in time be done pitch-side using a handheld device.

Tickets go on sale today for Shrewsbury Town's FA Cup fourth-round tie with Wolves - initially to season-ticket holders.

The League One side came from two goals down to beat Championship Stoke and reach the fourth round.

BBC Business News

The owner of Patisserie Valerie has said an accounting scandal it revealed in October was worse than it thought.

Image source, Getty Images

Its probe has found "extensive" misstatement of the Birmingham-based company's accounts and "very significant manipulation of the balance sheet and profit and loss accounts".

This includes thousands of false entries in its ledgers. Read more here., external

Express and Star

Some Express and Star headlines today are:

• Council offered £1 for city's crumbling eye infirmary, external
• How Carillion's collapse is still being felt in the West Midlands, external
• Councillor offers £50 reward after park dog fighting reports, external

The number of people looking to buy and sell properties across the West Midlands has declined, new figures show.

Image source, Getty Images

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) found the region’s sales volumes dwindled in December, as fewer buyers and sellers entered the market.

Reasons include the lack of supply and affordability as well as uncertainty around Brexit.

The housing market outlook over the next three months across the UK is the worst for 20 years. Read more here.

The number of Barn Owls in Staffordshire has fallen due to last year's long, hot summer, according to a wildlife group.

The Staffordshire Barn Owl Action Group said they recorded 63 breeding pairs in the county last year, slightly down from the year before.

The birds rely on grassland for foraging, but the heat of last summer, meant the grass dried up and struggled to grow, it said.

A man has been charged with the murder of a woman whose body was discovered in her Droitwich home.

The body of Amy Griffiths, 51, was found on Monday at her flat in Chalverton Court. She had head and throat injuries and declared dead at the scene.

Martin Saberi, 53, of Brackley Close, Wallington, Surrey, has been charged with murder and will appear at Kidderminster Magistrates' Court later.

A fire broke out at the former Eye Infirmary in Wolverhampton overnight.

Image source, West Midlands Fire Service

About 25 firefighters were called to the four-storey building on Compton Road, leaving the road blocked for some time.

Crews spent about five hours at the scene and will return to check the condition of the unused building.

Wintry showers and icy patches are set to continue until about 11:00 GMT, the Met Office is warning., external

Image source, Met Office

Icy patches on untreated roads could cause some travel disruption.

A former police officer is due to appear in court charged with making indecent images of a child.

Image source, Getty Images

Ex-West Midlands PC Paul Davies, 57, was charged in December.

Mr Davies, of Thoresby Croft, Dudley, is due to appear at Walsall Magistrates Court.

A spokesman said Mr Davies left the force in June.

BBC Sport

Warwickshire fast bowler Olly Stone has been ruled out of England's tour of the West Indies because of a back injury.

Image source, Getty Images

The 25-year-old bowler sustained a bone stress injury to the left lower back and will return home for further tests.

England will call up a replacement for the three-Test series, which starts in Barbados on 23 January.

Stone made his one-day international debut in Sri Lanka in October but has yet to play a Test.

Rich Davis
BBC Weather presenter

After a cold start, with some wintry showers, it should be a dry and cold day with some sunshine and highs of 5C (41F).

Vanessa Pearce
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

Twelve signs promoting happiness and well-being are lifting the mood at Dudley Port Station.