Local Democracy Reporting Service

Angry campaigners opposed to a Warwickshire council putting a giant Chinese pagoda in a town centre park halted a planning meeting last night with a barrage of heckling.

The group of Stratford residents had been told they would be thrown out of the council chamber if they continued to interrupt councillors before the meeting was adjourned for a cooling-off period.

When proceedings resumed, members of Stratford District Council’s planning east meeting voted 6-2 in favour of placing the 6.5 metre high structure – known as the peony pavilion – in the Firs Garden.

The pagoda is a gift to Stratford from the Chinese province Fuzhou.

Shropshire Star

Here are three stories from the Shropshire Star today:

• Warning after illicit water supply found, external
• Mystery as 7ft rock set to be removed from Long Mynd, external
• Work on Shropshire's hospitals could start next year, external

BBC Hereford and Worcester

Work to smarten up the entrance to Worcester's Crowngate shopping centre will start in March and should be complete by the autumn.

The £1.5m renovation of the Friary Walk entrance will include new windows and a modern frontage at Angel Place

Image source, Crowngate shopping centre

BBC Radio Stoke Sport

Crewe manager David Artell says he doesn't expect any of his players to leave before tonight's transfer deadline.

But he said if his side continues its winning run, there might be more interest in them over the summer.

Image source, Getty Images

He's brought in two players on loan during the January transfer window - Jamie Sterry and Aaron Taylor-Sinclair.

Coventry Live

Some of the Coventry Live headlines today are:

• Anger at 'torture' of city homeless man set on fire, external
• Taxpayer cash spent on gagging orders, external
• Police uncover 'significant quantity' of cash in Bedworth raid, external

The mother disputes being declared "intentionally homeless" by a council amid a benefits row.

BBC World Service

Worcester Warriors rugby team are offering a free box to those living with dementia and running a mixed-ability team, to help more people enjoy the sport.

Andy is one of the people to benefit.

Stoke City are hoping to bring in the Burnley striker Sam Vokes before the transfer window shuts at 23:00.

The 29-year-old has scored three goals in the Premier League this season and could cost in the region of £9m.

Image source, Getty Images

And Stoke have confirmed that defender Harry Souttar has joined League One side Fleetwood on loan for the rest of the season.

A large Bronze Age pendant known as a "Bulla", that was found in a field in Shropshire, has been declared treasure by the Shropshire coroner John Ellery.

It was described by the British Museum as "one of the most significant pieces of Bronze Age gold metalwork" ever discovered in Britain.

Image source, Birmingham Museums Trust

The museum says only one other similar item had been found in Britain.

Mr Ellery said it deserved to belong to the nation because it's "an object made of more than 10% of precious metal, and being more than 300 years old".

Exeter City sign Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Donovan Wilson on loan for the rest of the season.

He has quit his cabinet position after his comments about residents complaining of traveller camps.

Two students banned from the uni over a group chat are being allowed back to classes early.

A woman in Telford is going to hand out hot water bottles to rough sleepers, to help them cope with the freezing conditions.

Ruth Bond got the idea for the Hot Water Bottle Network, external from a similar initiative in Brighton.

Image source, Getty Images

The empty bottles will be tied to trees, with notes attacked, telling homeless people about businesses that have agreed to refill them.

Walsall agree loan deals for West Bromwich Albion defender Jack Fitzwater and Aston Villa winger Corey Blackett-Taylor.

The water contamination issues which have closed a south Shropshire primary school haven't hit production at the nearby Woods Brewery.

The maker of well-known beers like Shropshire Lad said that luckily it was only brewing on Monday and Tuesday this week, but warned it might become a problem if the water in Wistanstow isn't safe again by next week.

Image source, Google

The Plough Inn at Wistanstow says it's been able to stay open, with bottled water supplied by Severn Trent.

The water company says it has identified the source of the contamination and is working to return supplies to normal.

BBC Sport

Worcestershire's Moeen Ali was out for two ducks in the first test against the West Indies, but he'll get another chance to impress with the bat, possibly soon.

England lost the toss and were put in to bat earlier, but lost both their openers for just 17 runs.

Image source, Getty Images

With Stuart Broad replacing Adil Rashid for this match, Moeen is England's only spinner.

The government says Parliament's week-long February half term break looks set to be cancelled.

Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom told MPs: "There are currently no plans to bring forward a motion to agree dates for a February recess.

"The House may therefore need to continue to sit to make progress on the key business before the House."

Parliament had been due to rise for recess on Thursday, 14 February and return on Monday, 25 February.

Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley, Jess Phillips, tweeted:

Worcester News

Here are three headlines from the Worcester News today:

• House of Fraser store to remain open, external
• Trial sees new photos of acid attack suspects, external
• Worcester Warriors launch Big Sleep-out, external

Simon Gilbert
Political Reporter, BBC Coventry & Warwickshire

More than £2.3m has been paid out by councils across Coventry and Warwickshire to keep former employees quiet.

Image source, Richard Sowersby

Non-disclosure agreements - sometimes known as "gagging orders" or "hush agreements" - typically prevent staff and ex-staff making information public.

An investigation by BBC Coventry and Warwickshire found a total of 309 former employees had signed the contracts over five years.

The largest amount was paid out by Warwickshire County Council, at £1.17m between 2013 and 2018.

It defended the use of the agreements saying it wasn't "uncommon" for public sector organisations to use them, and saying it wouldn't enter into agreements that it didn't consider "represented value for money for the tax payer".

A woman discussed in a group chat by Warwick university students says she's terrified two of them will be back.