Several low-lying areas of the West Midlands are suffering from flooding today after the rainfall of the past few days.

Image source, Google

The Environment Agency has issued a number of flood alerts, external, meaning flooding is possible, for these areas:

• Severn Vyrnwy Confluence, Shropshire
• River Lugg, south of Leominster
• River Wye in Herefordshire
• Bow and Piddle Brook near Worcester
• River Leam and River Itchen in Warwickshire
• Upper Avon River Swift and Clay Coton Brook, near Rugby

While Worcestershire County Council says New Street in Upton upon Severn is shut because of flooding., external

The Environment Agency says no further significant rainfall is forecast so it does expect river levels to fall.

A singer from Walsall missed out on her first Grammy Award after being nominated in the Best New Artist category.

Image source, Getty Images

Jorja Smith, 21, has made her mark over the last three years working with musicians like Drake and Stormzy.

Dua Lipa took the prize, but Jorja is still up for three more Brit Awards later this month.

This month, 40 clowns from around the world gathered for the UK’s annual Clown Gathering in Birmingham.

Despite declining numbers of clowns, Rob Bowker, from Tamworth, believes there has been a renaissance in clowning.

He created his character Bibbledy Bob in 2004 and says clowning around is here to stay.

A public garden in the centre of Shrewsbury has been shut this morning after a tree fell down.

The town council says it's keeping The Dingle closed in the Quarry, but hopes to reopen it from 10:30., external

Image source, Shrewsbury Town Council

Stoke-on-Trent Live

The Stoke-on-Trent Live website is covering these stories today:

• Motorcyclist seriously injured after accident on Stoke-on-Trent road, external
• Tenant's bid for bigger council house rejected because he owes them rent, external
• Motorists could face £8-a-day 'clean air' charge to drive in north Staffordshire, external

A motorcyclist has been taken to hospital suffering serious injuries after his bike was involved in a crash with a car in Stoke-on-Trent.

A woman was also injured in the collision on Bucknall New Road in the Hanley area of the city at about 06:30.

Police are advising drivers to avoid the area.

Work to revamp Shrewsbury's main shopping street resumes today.

The work on Pride Hill was meant to have finished in November, but was held up while Shropshire Council replaced the contractors - following delays and complaints.

Image source, Google

In July, local MP Daniel Kawczynski said the delays could badly affect the local economy, especially small businesses that rely on passing trade.

The council says the latest work should take three months to complete.

A man was shot in the stomach in a gym car park in Walsall, police say.

Image source, Google

The shooting happened at the Better Gym, on Walsall Wood Road at about 20:00 on Sunday, before the man, in his 40s, made his way to an address in Aldridge where paramedics were called.

He remains in hospital with serious injuries, said West Midlands Police.

The offender is believed to have made off in a car being driven by another man, the force said.

Part of a gym car park in Walsall remains cordoned off after an incident.

Better Gym, in Walsall Wood, says it's open as normal, however parking at the site on Lichfield Road is limited.

West Midlands Police is expected to release details of the investigation shortly.

About 300 dogs and their owners visited the National Memorial Arboretum for the annual "Paws for Remembrance" event.

Image source, PA

The gathering, now in its fourth year in Alrewas, Staffordshire, highlights the site's memorials commemorating the service of animals, including a tribute to the Army Dog Unit.

Image source, PA

The 150-acre arboretum is the home of the national Armed Forces Memorial, which bears the names of service personnel killed during their duties since the end of the Second World War.

Thousands of people took part in events to celebrate Chinese New Year in Birmingham over the weekend.

Flying dragons and traditional Chinese music to help celebrate the Year of the Pig.

Express and Star

Some of the Express and Star headlines this morning include:

• Sentencing of Tunisia terror attack killers 'won't compensate what happened', external
• Man dies in fall from Walsall tower block, external
• 60 miles of Black Country roads to get bike lanes, external

Two masked men escaped with what police describe as a large amount of cash from Poundland on Bearwood High Street, after threatening staff and demanding access to the safe.

Image source, Google

It happened at about 09:10 on Sunday less than an hour after an attempted robbery at the nearby Iceland store, where two masked men left empty handed.

Nobody was hurt said West Midlands Police, external. Officers are linking both incidents.

The President of Ireland will begin a three-day visit to England with a series of engagements in Birmingham on Monday.

Michael D Higgins will attend a civic reception in his honour hosted by the city council, and will visit the memorial commemorating the 21 people killed in the Birmingham pub bombings.

He is also due to meet trustees and staff of the Birmingham Irish Association and older members of the Irish community in the city.

BBC Business News

Mike Ashley's Sports Direct firm has cancelled a bid for collapsed cafe chain Patisserie Valerie, just two days after making an offer.

Image source, Reuters

The retail billionaire announced his bid for the chain on Friday evening.

Sports Direct offered £15m, but was told by administrator KPMG it would need to offer up to £2m more than this, according to the Financial Times., external

The Birmingham-based business collapsed last month. KPMG closed 70 outlets, but kept 121 open in the hope of selling them.

The brother of a paratrooper who was killed in Afghanistan more than 10 years ago wants to join the armed forces in his memory.

Fin Doherty was six when his brother was killed but is now training to join the Army.

Pte Jeff "JJ" Doherty, from Southam, Warwickshire, was killed in an ambush in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Fin said he had been helped to deal with his grief by Cheltenham-based charity Winston's Wish.

Two teenagers had to be rescued from the motorway after being found cycling along lane one of the carriageway, motorway police say.

The pair, aged 19 and 17, were found on the M6 between Stafford and Wolverhampton.

"Unfortunately they now have to face the parents," the force tweeted. , external

Vanessa Pearce
BBC News

Welcome to our live service for Monday.

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

Rich Davis
BBC Weather presenter

It will be a dry day with sunny spells and highs of 8C (46F).