An inquest into the death of a woman following a stay at Ludlow's Feather's Hotel has heard evidence from a former director, Tim Ceney and former general manager Ian Taylor.

Mr Ceney said tests had been carried out following a Legionnaire's disease outbreak in May 2017, two months before Elaine Brown's visit, and they came back all clear.

But the inquest heard she contracted Legionnaire's disease during her stay and later died in hospital after suffering a stroke as a result of contracting the disease.

The inquest, which is being held in Shrewsbury, is due to conclude tomorrow.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

All council-run schools in Telford will be checked again for asbestos, Telford and Wrekin Council has said.

It has set aside £75,000 in its budget to carry out the inspections, as part of a package of school building and maintenance projects, due to cost nearly £1m.

Image source, Getty Images

The use of asbestos was banned in the UK in 1999, because of its link to cancer and other diseases, although some forms were made illegal earlier.

Three teens were stabbed to death in Birmingham within 12 days in what police are calling a "crisis".

The Kaiser Chiefs have been announced as the latest headline act for this summer's Lakesfest at Eastnor Castle.

The four-day festival near Ledbury takes place in August and also features headline performances from the Happy Mondays and James.

Image source, Getty Images

BBC Weather Watchers

Today we've had beautiful blue skies and temperatures up to 16C (61F), but just 12 months ago we were in the grip of snowstorms, brought over here by Storm Emma.

Schools were closed, roads closed and these sheep were glad of their woolly coats.

Image source, Blythe Bridge Photo

Image source, Alec West

Compare those views with another photo from Staffordshire today.

Image source, Angus and Me

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Tom Dare

West Midlands mayor Andy Street has been cleared of any wrongdoing in relation to tweets sent from his personal account encouraging local members of the Conservative party to take part in a consultation.

The investigation was around a tweet regarding the merger of the mayor and police and crime commissioner posts.

Image source, PA

The original message, sent from his personal account, called for "three, four, five or more responses" to the consultation in a bid to "demonstrate that the roles of Mayor and PCC should be combined".

Mr Street has always denied any knowledge of the tweet, saying it was sent by a member of his team who had access to his social media account.

Today, the independent investigation's report was published, external saying it found there was "no case" in relation to breaking the authority’s code of conduct.

Dudley News

A few of the stories making the headlines on the Dudley News website this afternoon:

• Residents to express concerns over spike in knife and car crime, external
• Plans to extend secondary schools, external
• Opposition demands council deliver transit site, external

Worcester reveal Bryce Heem's summer exit as they make Samoa international Ed Fidow their fifth signing for 2019-20.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

A request to cut back a row of trees in Coventry has been rejected by the city council, which says it can't afford to carry out the work.

Instead, the local authority has suggested residents do the work on London Road themselves.

Image source, Google

A petition of 12 signatures asked the council to cut back a row of trees between Tonbridge Road and Abbey Road as they "encroach" on to their properties.

But the chair of the city services committee Patricia Hetherton said: "As we know the resources of the council are so limited these days and, with the need to do the work elsewhere, we just cannot do it.”

Allen Cook
BBC News

The Chief Constable of West Midlands Police has given his backing to "extensive" stop and searches in a bid to halt what the force describes as "the rising surge of knife crime" in Birmingham.

The death of a 17-year-old on Monday marked the third fatal stabbing in the city in a fortnight - a situation described by Chief Constable Dave Thompson as a "crisis", external.

Across the country, stop and searches have sometimes proved controversial.

In a statement this afternoon, he's also called on parents to take an active interest in where their children are and who they're with, adding that arguments can "build on social media".

Meanwhile, the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, David Jamieson, says he's working with the Home Office to get more funding for placing youth workers in A&Es and mentoring in schools.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Parental leave could be offered to Rugby borough councillors, in a move to encourage more people to stand for election.

A motion put forward by Labour councillor Claire Edwards noted that in the summer of 2017 only 4% of councils in England and Wales had parental leave policies.

Image source, Getty Images

Councillors voted in favour of reviewing the need for a parental leave policy.

But the Conservative leader of the council, Michael Stokes said it was "a difficult decision to be giving members benefits because being an elected member is a choice and for me and many members on both sides of the chamber, it’s a privilege and an honour."

Three armed men in balaclavas have raided a Tesco store in Rugby this morning.

Warwickshire Police said they entered to store on Main Street at 05:30 carrying a baton and a hammer.

Image source, Google

They stole cash and left staff "badly shaken by the ordeal" Det Insp Cindy Stephenson said.

Stonemasons have confirmed that the statue at the top of Lord Hill's column in Shrewsbury has started to break up again.

Pieces of stone were found near the base a fortnight ago and an inspection was carried out on Monday, which found cracks in the statue's face.

The stonework is now going to be repaired at a cost of £10,000.

Raj Singh Rainu said if his wife had been tested for cancer 10 years ago she could still be alive.

Matt Sandoz
Stoke City commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

Stoke City striker Mame Diouf insists the players are buying in to the ideas of new boss Nathan Jones.

Image source, Getty Images

The 45-year-old was appointed as manager on 9 January and, since then, the Potters have won just one of their nine games.

Ann Higginson died from mesothelioma, a cancer usually linked to asbestos exposure.

Cannabis dealer Jaskaran Kang was attacked with 'an array' of weapons.

Coventry Live

Three headlines from Coventry Live today:

• Former Coventry City chairman speaks on club crisis, external
• Cyclist killed in Bedworth collision named, external
• "Speeding is out of control", claims traffic boss, external

Ian Webber "lost his rag" and assaulted the four-year-old boy when he had a tantrum at school.

Allen Cook
BBC News

Two men have been jailed for at least 20 years each for murdering a drug dealer in a "ferocious attack" involving "an appalling array of weapons".

Image source, Family handout

Jaskaran Kang, 24, was attacked in his flat in Dudley, West Midlands in January 2018, by a gang who had previously bought cannabis from him.

The men were carrying weapons including a "Rambo sword" and zombie knife, West Midlands Police said.

Dontay Ellis, 20, of no fixed abode, and James Peake, 19, from Southgate Way, Dudley, were both given a life sentence after being convicted of his murder.

At the same sentencing, Joshua Campbell, 19, of King Edmund Street, Dudley, was jailed for 10 years after being found guilty of conspiracy to rob.

While Michael Cunningham, 19, of Holinshead Avenue, Newcastle-under-Lyme, who had admitted conspiracy to rob, was given six years and six months in a young offender institution.