The Secretary of State for Health, Matt Hancock, is visiting Telford's Princess Royal Hospital today.

The trust that runs the hospital and the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital is currently in special measures and he says he has been invited by the Conservative MP for Telford, Lucy Allan.

Telford and Wrekin Council is expected to ask him to review the hospital's decision to move the main emergency care and specialist women and children's services to Shrewsbury.

But the Labour leader of the authority Shaun Davies has tweeted, external his disappointment that Mr Hancock hasn't agreed to meet with him.

She has "potentially serious" injuries, the ambulance service says.

Vanessa Pearce
BBC News

Today marks World Book Day where children go to school wearing costumes of their favourite literary characters.

And it's not just pupils.

Mrs Davies (above, second left) at St Peter and St Paul Catholic School in Walsgrave, Coventry - like thousands of colleagues across the West Midlands - are in costume for the day.

Seven-year-old Oliver, from Four Oaks Primary in Sutton Coldfield, joined many other Willy Wonkas around the country, I'm sure.

And Delilah, 6, from St John's Primary in Coventry is sporting the scarecrow look, in honour of Julia Donaldson's The Scarecrows' Wedding.

We'd love to see your photos of World Book Day via email, Twitter, external and Facebook., external

Matt Sandoz
Stoke City commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

Stoke City academy coach Kevin Russell believes the club's U-23 star Thibaud Verlinden has the potential to break into the first team.

Image source, Getty Images

Winger Verlinden has been impressing during the U-23's six-game winning streak.

But Russell told BBC Radio Stoke that the teenager isn't yet the finished article.

Taylor Wimpey used "devastating" netting on a hedge, trapping hibernating hedgehogs, the girls say.

It's been a bit blustery this morning, but we've had some beautiful photos from the BBC Weather Watchers.

Birmingham Live

Some of today's headlines on the Birmingham Live website are:

• Three injured after fight with weapon outside Matthew Boulton College, external
• Disgraced cop who asked teen to send naked pictures learns fate, external
• Islamic centre trying to build new mosque has this answer to Facebook trolls, external

Sima Kotecha
Midlands Correspondent, BBC News

A protest is taking place once again at a school criticised by some parents for its teaching on LGBT rights.

Parkfield Community School in Alum Rock, Birmingham, has seen protests over its No Outsiders project, with some pupils being kept off school.

A letter posted through the doors, external of people living in the school's catchment area telling parents to be "aware" of a "general policy to push gay and lesbian values to children" has been described by local MP Liam Byrne as "dog whistle homophobia".

"The last thing we need right now is demos on the school gates," the Labour MP for Birmingham Hodge Hill tweeted., external

"What we need is calm and grace, civility and conversation round a table. With tea".

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Joe Burn

Police in part of Staffordshire say they've seen a "massive reduction" in call-outs about the illegal synthetic drug known as monkey dust since using undercover officers to catch drug dealers.

Image source, Staffordshire Police

Sgt Darren McGrath told Newcastle-under-Lyme councillors that call-outs have gone from 13-a-day to three since Christmas.

He said the force had used plain clothes officers in the town centre to disrupt supplies of the drug.

The news comes just months after emergency workers in neighbouring Stoke-on-Trent warned use of the drug was at "epidemic levels".

Allen Cook
BBC News

Four people have been arrested after protesters blocked an entrance to a JCB warehouse this morning in Stoke-on-Trent.

They said they were demonstrating over the use of bulldozers in Palestine and lay across the entrance to the distribution centre in Tunstall.

Staffordshire Police said officers arrived at 08:00 and have since arrested the four for aggravated trespass, but officers are still on site.

BBC Business News

Melrose Industries has reported a pre-tax loss of £550m, due to "significant" costs related to its takeover of engineering giant GKN last year.

Image source, GKN

If those costs are stripped out, then Redditch-based GKN reported a profit of £703m.

The company's chief executive sounds cautiously confident about this year.

"Our businesses are not without their challenges, particularly geopolitical, with Brexit and automotive sector uncertainty continuing. However, our businesses are proactive and will adjust their operations where appropriate," said Simon Peckham, chief executive.

Allen Cook
BBC News

A dog's been shot dead by armed officers today after attacking two people, police say. , external

They were called to Langley Fold in Dawley, Telford, just before 09:00 and injuries suffered by the man and woman aren't thought to be serious.

However, they say the dog was shot because it was "dangerously out of control".

Coventry Live

Here are some of the Coventry Live headlines today:

• Schoolgirl suffers cut to head in Coventry incident, external
• Coventry City and Wasps respond to 'done deal' claim in national paper , external
• Neighbours fear estate will be overrun by Coventry hospital plans, external

Allen Cook
BBC News

A woman had to be rescued from her car after it got stuck in flood water.

Hereford and Worcester Fire Service says crews made the rescue at a ford in Droitwich, adding that the woman wasn't hurt., external

Image source, Hereford and Worcester Fire Service

Officers are investigating whether two people injured outside a Birmingham college were victims of a knife attack.

Image source, Google

Police say they believe a weapon was involved in the incident outside Matthew Boulton College yesterday afternoon, but it's not known whether knives were used.

Three people were treated at the scene, said the ambulance service.

A 26-year-old man and a 16-year-old boy were taken to hospital to be treated for minor injuries.

A town centre has become the first in the country to become sign language accessible.

A new app will allow people in Bromsgrove, in Worcestershire, who have hearing impairments to use phones or tablets to dial a live interpreter.

All businesses taking part will display a sign language symbol in their window.

Dozens of arrests have been made by West Midlands Police in four days of stop and searches, which were stepped up in response to rising incidents of knife crime.

Image source, West Midlands Police

Three teenage boys have been stabbed to death in Birmingham over a period of just 12 days and there have been nearly 300 knife crimes recorded in the city so far this year.

The force says in four days officers have made 24 arrests and seized 14 weapons in 408 stop and searches carried out under Section 60 powers., external

Two people have been taken to hospital after a "disturbing" incident of violence outside a Birmingham college.

Image source, Google

Officers were called to reports of disorder outside Matthew Boulton College on Jennens Road at about 13:45 on Wednesday.

"Clearly in light of recent events, this is a disturbing incident", police said, "where violence among young people has taken place within the city".

Stop-and-search powers, along with extra patrols are being used to tackle the "rising surge in violence and knife crime," said West Midlands Police.

Jennie Aitken
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

A small group of protesters are lying across the entrance to Staffordshire digger maker JCB's distribution centre this morning, external, blocking lorries from entering or exiting.

The organisation ManPalestine Action claim to be behind the demonstration in Stoke-on-Trent,, external saying it's to highlight the use of bulldozers in Palestine.

JCB says it's not commenting at this time while Staffordshire Police says officers were called at 08:00 and are on site, monitoring the situation.

The world's biggest dog show Crufts 2019 has begun with thousands of pooches and their owners descending on Birmingham.

Image source, PA

Up to 22,000 dogs are competing for the prestigious title of the best in show award during the four-day annual at the NEC.

There are also dozens of breed competitions and crowd favourites such as agility, heelwork to music and flyball.