The joint administrators of Patisserie Valerie have confirmed that a number of offers have been received for the cake and cafe chain.

Image source, Getty Images

David Costley-Wood, partner at KPMG and joint administrator, said: “We are encouraged by the scope of offers received from trade and finance buyers for all and for parts of the business. We will now be taking a number of these offers forward, and hope to be able to make progress in short order."

KPMG declined to share names of bidders or the total number of bids. It also thanked employees, suppliers, creditors and customers for "helping us to continue to trade the business over the last two weeks".

Some staff made redundant by Birmingham-based Patisserie Valerie have told the BBC they not been paid for their final month's work.

The top five "smells of the Black Country" have been revealed following a study by the University of Wolverhampton.

Researchers worked with the Black Country Living Museum to figure out which smells reminded people of their childhood in the area.

Number one on the list was coal, followed by breweries, foundries, chips and pork scratchings.

Stoke-on-Trent Live

From the Stoke-on-Trent Live page today:

• 'Gambling addict' stole £12,700 from Stoke-on-Trent club to fund his losses, external
• Dad went to town centre armed with metal bar after brother was 'left for dead', external
• Barber fights council plans to fine drivers £70 for stopping outside his shop, external

Allen Cook
BBC News

Bin workers in Birmingham are set to carry out fresh strikes for two days a week from later this month, according to their union.

Around 300 Unite members have been working to rule since 29 December over a payment given to GMB members who did not strike in 2017.

This afternoon, Unite announced the fresh walkouts after saying it had not had a "satisfactory response" from Birmingham City Council.

Earlier, the authority said it was disappointed its "reasonable offer" had been rejected.

A man has appeared in court charged with murdering his mother at the home they shared in Wolverhampton.

Image source, West Midlands Police

Mary Page, 68, was found dead at her house in James Street, Bilston, at about 18:00 on Friday.

The cause of her death is not yet known after post-mortem examination tests were inconclusive, but police said she had suffered a head injury.

Appearing before magistrates in Wolverhampton earlier, Matthew Page was remanded in custody and will next appear at Wolverhampton Crown Court on 6 February.

Some of the world’s leading clowns will gather together in Birmingham today for a major annual convention.

Clowns from at least 30 countries will exchange skills, knowledge and experience at the Clown Gathering UK’s 5th Annual Convention.

The event, which runs for five days, includes a live show in Longbridge on Wednesday.

Daniel Kawczynski's post has received more than 10,000 replies, most saying he was wrong.

Birmingham Live

Some of the Birmingham Live headlines today are:

• Bus services 'set to grind to a complete halt' after Brexit, external
• Knife killer 'not sorry' about murdering teen, says rapper friend, external
• First look inside Icknield Port Loop 'design your own home' scheme, external

BBC Hereford and Worcester

New powers to tackle anti-social behaviour in in the middle of Worcester - which could see people fined for feeding seagulls - will be examined this evening.

Image source, Google

City councillors are meeting from 19:00 , externalto look at reducing that issue as well as others including aggressive beggars and people under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

If a public consultation gets the go ahead tonight, new fines and a public space protection order could then be introduced in the city.

Shropshire Star

The Shropshire Star has these stories today:

• Shropshire bus services 'could stop after Brexit', external
• Man with more than 5,000 indecent images of children avoids jail, external
• Award-winning athletics club closing down, external

Four people have been arrested on suspicion of arson after a fire at a flat in Warwickshire.

Officers were called to the property on Goose Lane, Lower Quinton, at 19:15 on Saturday, police said.

"Witnesses report seeing an altercation involving three males outside the flat just before the fire started," said Warwickshire Police.

No one was hurt in the incident, the force said.

BBC News Travel

A train fault is causing disruption to rail services between Coventry and Leamington Spa, says West Midlands Railway.

Despite his side's win against Everton, Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo was not happy with a feline pitch invader at Goodison Park on Saturday.

Although in the UK black cats are often associated with bringing good fortune, across most of Europe it's traditionally been the opposite.

Listen to Final Score reporter John Acres' brilliant commentary of the pitch-invading black cat during the Premier League match...

Coventry Live

Some of the Coventry Live headlines today are:

• Teenager stabbed in early evening city centre attack, external
• Mum's bid to get crossing for school kids after three children injured , external
• Teen seriously injured after being thrown from moped, external

A man has been arrested in connection with a "shocking" bag snatch, in which a 93-year-old woman was dragged to the ground.

The 38-year-old was arrested on suspicion of robbery from a property in Rawlings Road, Smethwick.

He's being questioned about the attack in Bromford Gardens, Edgbaston, on 24 January.

The woman wasn't seriously hurt in what West Midlands Police called a "violent, callous" robbery.

Trials to support mental health and wellbeing, external are to be carried out at 370 schools across parts of England.

Image source, Department for Education

Education Secretary Damian Hinds announced the trial to mark the start of Mental Health Week.

Staffordshire has been confirmed as one of nine areas across the country that will trial new mental health assessments for young people entering care.

The study will run until 2021 and aims to give schools new evidence about what works best for their students' mental health and wellbeing.

Express and Star

Some of the Express and Star headlines today are:

• Bus services 'could stop after Brexit' amid concerns over driver recruitment, external
• Payout blow for traders caught in roadworks misery, external
• Rugeley Power Station demolition update event to be held, external

BBC Business News

Staff made redundant by Patisserie Valerie have told the BBC they have not been paid for their final month's work.

Image source, Getty Images

Up to 900 staff members lost their jobs in January when administrator KPMG closed 70 of the Birmingham-based cafe chain's outlets.

They must now apply to the government , externalfor redundancy and statutory notice pay, which may take up to six weeks.

Druckers branches, part of the Patisserie Valerie group, have closed in:

• Birmingham
• Coventry
• Dudley
• Hanley
• Leamington Spa
• Redditch
• Solihull
• Stratford-upon-Avon
• Tamworth
• Wolverhampton

A spokesperson for KPMG said it was "providing them with support, including assisting with claims to the Redundancy Payments Service".

A man is set to appear in court later charged with murdering his mother at the home they shared in Wolverhampton.

Image source, Other

Mary Page, 68, was found dead at her house in James Street, Bilston, at about 18:00 on Friday.

The cause of her death is not known after post-mortem tests were inconclusive but police said she had suffered a head injury.

Matthew Page was arrested on Friday and is due before magistrates in Wolverhampton.

Despite gloomy forecasts thousands of high street shops could close in 2019, Tony Wortley decided to start a French-style delicatessen in Wolverhampton.

Since opening in September 2018, the 55-year-old former IT worker was filmed over three months by the BBC as he struggles to develop his business.

See more on Inside Out West Midlands on BBC One at 19:30 on Monday 4 February, and via iPlayer for seven days afterwards.