A new bike share scheme has been launched in Wolverhampton ahead of it's regional rollout later this year.

Initially 25 bikes will be placed at five stations in the city.

Five thousand bikes are set to be installed at stations across Birmingham, Coventry, Walsall, Sandwell, Dudley and Solihull.

West Midlands Mayor Andy Street was among the first to try out the nextbikes, which will be available for hire on a pay-as-you-go basis.

The union says it will announce on Monday how it plans to step up its action.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Shropshire's fire service might have to cover a training tower in cladding because the brickwork is crumbling, causing chunks to fall five-and-a-half storeys to the ground below,

It says the tower at the Tweedale station has been damaged by frost and while it isn't in danger of falling down, it can't be ignored.

Image source, Google

A report to the Shropshire Fire Authority also said work on the fire station is a month behind schedule and could cost £40,000 more than predicted.

The Ford Fiesta was stripped of parts of its engine, bonnet, and lights overnight, police say.

BBC Radio Shropshire Sport

Shrewsbury Town manager Sam Ricketts says he fought off competition from a number of Championship sides to sign Stoke City forward Tyrese Campbell.

He's joined on loan for the rest of the season and Ricketts said he'd give the 19-year-old a "platform" to show what he could do.

Image source, Getty Images

Campbell cost Stoke £1.75m when they signed him from the Manchester City Academy in 2016 and he scored both the Stoke goals when Shrewsbury beat them in the FA Cup recently.

Kasim Khuram is told by a judge that his crimes at a funeral home "offend all human sensitivity".

Port Vale owner Norman Smurthwaite says he has requested help from police after what he describes as "disgusting" abuse from some fans.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

A private school is making another attempt to build a new car park on land where a famous battle may have taken place.

Oswestry School, in Shropshire, withdrew similar plans last year after it was claimed the battle of Maeserfleth took place on the Maes Y Llan playing field.

It now says "a number of scholars" have suggested the battle may have taken place elsewhere - possibly in Lancashire or Gloucestershire.

Image source, Google

The school says it needs the extra 42 parking spaces because it has trouble accommodating the cars it attracts each day and it is also proposing new access to the main road and a one-way system.

The battle of Maeserfleth is believed to have been fought in 642AD between Oswald, the Christian King of Northumbria, and Penda, the pagan ruler of Mercia.

It ended with the defeat and martyrdom of Oswald - the saint who gave Oswestry its name.

BBC Weather Watchers

BBC Weather Watcher Liam Ball took this photo of walkers on the snow-covered slopes of the Wrekin in Shropshire this morning.

Image source, Liam Ball

And we've also seen these BBC Weather Watcher photos of frozen hills near Church Stretton and Stafford today.

Image source, Peter Steggles

Image source, Azzarh

University Hospitals North Midlands says the deaths were not a direct result of the failures.

The New Saints say they're "extremely pleased" to have signed former Leeds United youngster Billy Whitehouse.

The Oswestry-based side say the 22-year-old winger had been attracting interest from scouts from clubs including Premier League Bournemouth, Leicester and Cardiff.

Image source, Getty Images

He signed from Tadcaster Albion just before the January transfer window closed.

A burglar who admitted having sex with a body after lifting the lids of "multiple coffins" at a funeral home has been jailed for six years.

Image source, West Midlands Police

Kasim Khuram, 23, broke into the Co-Operative undertakers in Walsall Road, Great Barr, Birmingham, in November 2018.

Khuram, of Kenilworth Road, Aston, Birmingham was also ordered to register as a sex offender for 10 years at Birmingham Crown Court today.

Collie cross Jake was stabbed multiple times and died four days later, his owner says.

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Tom Dare

Representatives from British Cycling met with Birmingham City Council for preliminary talks over proposals to build a new velodrome in the region, it has been confirmed.

Image source, Birmingham 2022

The West Midlands velodrome campaign has been under way since it was announced track cycling events for the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games would be held at the Lee Valley VeloPark in London instead of in the region.

A feasibility study into the potential construction of a new competition velodrome in time for the games concluded a new venue wouldn't be cost effective, with the council ruling out a competitive arena.

The group said the talks centred around "future plans for cycling facilities to develop all aspects of cycling within the West Midlands".

“It is understood an initial feasibility study is to be undertaken into facilities including the possibility of building the long awaited indoor velodrome," it said.

The council confirmed "constructive outline discussions" had taken place "about how to determine future cycling provision in the city and wider region", but didn't confirm it could lead to a velodrome in time for the games.

Port Vale's fixture against Tranmere Rovers has been postponed due to extreme weather conditions.

Coco was found on an inaccessible bank after crossing the frozen canal overnight, the fire service said.

Girls at an Islamic school have to wait for boys to finish their lunch until they can have theirs, Ofsted said.

Millicent Cooke
BBC News Online

Women all over the world put down their razors and wax strips to grow out their body hair for Januhairy.

Image source, Laura Jackson

Founder of the campaign Laura Jackson, from Kineton, Warwickshire, said she had never expected it to blow up like it did.

Laura described how a 13-year-old with excess body hair on her arms and legs contacted her to say the campaign had made cry and helped her realise she is "not alone".

"It gives me a lot more confidence in humanity and the changes this generation can bring to the world."

BBC News has been speaking to some of the other women taking part.

Wigan Athletic sign experienced former West Brom defender Jonas Olsson on a deal until the end of the season.

Industrial action by a union representing some bin workers in Birmingham is to be escalated, it's been announced.

About 300 Unite the union workers are currently working to rule, claiming they were denied a payment given to GMB memberswho did not strike in 2017.

Both sides have been trying to resolve the issue through conciliation service Acas.

But assistant general secretary Howard Beckett said the union "has not had a satisfactory response from the council about a way forward in resolving the dispute".

The final details of how Unite plans to escalate the industrial action will be announced on Monday, it said.