BBC Hereford and Worcester

The number of firearms offences recorded by West Mercia Police has almost tripled since 2013, official figures show.

There were 56 recorded offences in 2012-13, according to Home Office statistics, but that increased to 142 last year.

Image source, Getty Images

It comes as senior police leaders in England and Wales say a rise in gun crime and a looming recruitment shortfall are leaving some specialist armed officers "stretched".

In 2015, the government set aside funds for 1,500 new armed officers by 2020 - but there's been only 812.

A police staff association leader said he had "great concern" the risk to the public could be increased.

The Home Office says it's given £144m for armed policing and individual forces are in charge of recruiting and training officers.

Two men have been jailed for robbing a Greggs in Walsall.

Image source, West Midlands Police

Michael Johnson, 30, of no fixed address, was sentenced to three years and four months at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Friday, while accomplice, 33-year-old Ricky Lewis, of Ignot Close, Walsall, was jailed for two years and nine months.

Police said Johnson threatened the branch manager on 8 May; making her open the safe and empty its contents into a bag.

The West Midlands force says it is still looking for a third man seen walking with the pair on CCTV.

Stoke-on-Trent Live

Stoke-on-Trent Live has these stories today:

• Met Office forecasting heavy snow for Staffordshire and Cheshire, external
• Dad 'comes back to life' after being clinically dead for 15 minutes, external
• Firefighters tackling blaze at garage in Stoke-on-Trent, external

Alex Hamilton
BBC Weather

Clear skies this afternoon will continue into the evening and temperatures will fall overnight.

It will be feeling chilly and there's a possibility of some snow.

Tranmere Rovers sign Walsall winger Kieron Morris on loan until the end of the season.

BBC Sport

The FA Cup fifth round draw takes place this evening.

Image source, Reuters

Wolverhampton Wanderers, West Bromwich Albion and Shrewsbury Town will be in it, having drawn their fourth round matches.

You can watch the draw live on The One Show on BBC One and on the BBC Sport website from 19:00 GMT.

The fifth round ties will take place between 15 and 18 February.

Allen Cook
BBC News

New legal service centres have opened in Stoke-on-Trent and Birmingham today.

Image source, Google

The courts and tribunal centres, which will process cases and issue court orders, are part of the government's £1bn transformation of the justice system.

The Ministry of Justice says once the two sites are fully operational, they'll employ a total of 600 people.

Vicky Breakwell
BBC Hereford and Worcester

A man's been badly hurt in a car crash near Evesham.

It happened last night in Hinton on the Green.

The ambulance service said it found the man about 20m (22 yards) away from the vehicle, which was on its roof.

It said he had multiple injuries and was taken to the major trauma unit at Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

BBC Sport

Sir Anthony McCoy says Uttoxeter stewards' decision to fine a trainer for waving his arms behind one of his runners at the start of a race was "embarrassing rubbish".

Image source, Getty Images

Worcestershire's Henry Oliver was found guilty of misconduct and fined £140.

His horse Burrenbridge Hotel had been reluctant to take part in the race at Uttoxeter on Saturday.

The British Horseracing Authority said Oliver, a former jockey, had broken a rule that was there "for good reason", adding: "We set a lot of store in our sport behind the fact that we do not force horses to race and that they do so of their own free will."

James Charles tells LBC his career has been "a wild ride", following gridlock in Birmingham.

John Nixon stabbed Reece Hipwood to death during a drunken fight in his home.

Three ex-social workers are jailed for child cruelty offences at Wisteria Lodge in the 1990s.

Four people, including a teenage boy, deny being in the neo-Nazi group National Action.

Two people have been taken to hospital with serious injuries after a car crashed into a bus in Birmingham.

Image source, Google

West Midlands Ambulance Service said it was called to the junction of Handsworth Wood Road and Friary Road in Handsworth at about 14:30.

The injured pair were travelling in the car, it said. All passengers on the bus were unharmed.

Emergency services remain at the scene.

A man who murdered his neighbour after a fight in his son's bedroom has been jailed for life.

John Nixon, 55, will serve a minimum of 15 years for killing 28-year-old Reece Hipwood.

Before the stabbing on 15 July, the pair had been drinking at Nixon's home in Sandmere Road, Yardley Wood.

Image source, West Midlands Police

Nixon was found guilty at Birmingham Crown Court on 16 January, after claiming he had no memory of the incident.

During the trial, jurors heard how Nixon, a mechanic, described Mr Hipwood as being "like a son".

Cardiff striker Omar Bogle joins Portsmouth on loan after a previous spell with Birmingham City is cut short.

Prince Charles visited the historic Drapers Hall in Coventry this afternoon and was reportedly impressed - despite peeling paint work in the damp basement.

The Grade II* listed building was built in the 1830s and survived the Blitz before falling empty for the past 30 years.

It's now being redeveloped as part of Prince Charles' "Seven for 70" initiative, in which regeneration projects across the UK mark his milestone birthday.

The building is set to be transformed into a venue and education centre for young musicians, at a cost of about £5m.

Geoff Wilcocks, from Historic Coventry Trust, said: "The cellars were quite a spectacular moment because, obviously the paint's peeling and it's a bit rough, but it's like stepping back in time."

BBC WM

Independent businesses stuck between two closed bridges along Birmingham's canal network say they have been cut off from trade.

The Broad Street canal tunnel and the towpath beneath it is shut for Midland Metro works which closed off Paradise Circus last September. At the other end, the pedestrian bridge by the Cube, which links the Mailbox to the towpath, is also out of action because of maintenance work.

Matt Sharp, who manages The Gin Vault, says his business is suffering and the falling revenue is "crippling".

Valerie Hall who manages the Canalside Cafe says the business has lost "perhaps 70% of trade" because "there's nobody here". She says the business has been "cut off almost entirely" due to works on bridges at either end of the canal.

The Cube said the maintenance work on its Link Bridge would take a minimum of two weeks and apologised for any inconvenience.

He said the "emotional toll" of taking livestock to slaughter for years had led to the decision.

BBC Weather Watchers

BBC Weather Watchers have been sharing pictures showing the snowdrops that have been putting in an appearance.

These photos are from users Peter Steggles in Longnor, Shropshire, and Scout of the Shire in Bromyard, Herefordshire:

Image source, Peter Steggles

Image source, Scout of the Shire