At least 10 authorities switched to fortnightly rounds or announced plans to do so in the past year.

Windows were smashed at the centres in Birmingham in an overnight vandalism spree.

We'll be back with more news, sport, travel and weather from 07:00 tomorrow, but keep an eye out here for more updates this evening and into the morning.

Allen Cook
BBC News

A family's escaped unhurt after three men armed with knives and a metal bar forced their way into their home., external

Image source, Google

Cheshire Police says they were at their house on Westminster Street, Crewe, last night when they heard the front door opening.

When the owner, a 23-year-old man, investigated he found the trio who he didn't know.

The force says they fled after a short conversation with the homeowner and officers believe it appears to be a case of mistaken identity.

A major £17.5m scheme to widen the A500 in Staffordshire will start with a series of overnight closures from Monday.

Image source, Google

Highways England is adding a third lane in both directions between Porthill and Wolstanton, external as well as lowering the speed limit in that section from 70mph to 50mph.

The group says it will still run two lanes of traffic on each side during the works but with a reduced speed limit.

The work will also see a new pedestrian and cycle path installed on the northbound side with new safety barriers while the central steel fence will be replaced with a concrete barrier.

Allen Cook
BBC News

A woman's been bitten by a dog as she was walking her own dog in Staffordshire, police say.

Image source, Google

She was on fields near Chester Lane, Rugeley, , externalon Monday afternoon when it happened.

Officers say her boxer dog was attacked by the other animal which then bit her when she tried to stop it., external

BBC Weather Watchers

It's now officially spring and to prove the point, the BBC Weather Watchers have been sharing lots of photos of flowers today.

Here's a collection of some of the best from around the West Midlands.

A group of Coventry City fans have spent the day in London, calling for something to be done to resolve the club's long-running stadium dispute.

The Sky Blues' current rent deal at the Ricoh Arena expires in the summer, and the English Football League has set a deadline of 2 April for Coventry to confirm where they will play next season.

Fans from the Sky Blues Trust visited owners Sisu's headquarters in London, as well as the EFL's base.

Sisu, meanwhile, has said it will drop a long-running legal case against the local council in return for its help to relocate to a purpose-built new home and also wants Wasps to allow City to remain there until a new stadium is built.

Staffordshire Live

The Staffordshire Live website's covering these stories today:

• Man found guilty for his part in 'brutal' murder of pensioner, external
• Top Staffordshire school to shut, external
• 'I need to see my daughter grow up', says battling mum who has breast cancer, external

BBC Hereford and Worcester

Worcester Warriors' forward Ted Hill says the squad knows they've underachieved at times in recent matches and they're determined to put that right this weekend.

Image source, PA

Warriors will head to Bristol Bears on Saturday knowing they need a win as bottom side Newcastle Falcons are now breathing down their necks at the foot of the Gallagher Premiership table.

Worcester go into the game on the back of a narrow defeat against leaders Exeter but that followed a demoralising defeat to Newcastle.

Shrewsbury's Daniel Kawczynski is the sort of MP the prime minister is looking to win over.

He has voted against the prime minister's Brexit deal twice and before the last vote he tweeted, external: "We will not support anything which endangers integrity of United Kingdom.

"Nor can we accept situation where Britain continues indefinitely to be a rule taker from EU."

However, now he is encouraging his fellow Tories on the European Research Group to vote in favour of the deal and tweeted , externaltoday: "We don’t want long extension to Article 50 and feel time has come to get deal across line. We need to come together as a Country and Party."

Police say they have a number of leads and have CCTV footage of the attacks.

Protesters call for Parkfield school's head teacher to resign alleging "she cannot keep her word".

Abdullah Muhammad was stabbed in a park in Small Heath and died at the scene.

Matt Sandoz
Stoke City commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

Stoke City manager Nathan Jones says he can't wait for this summer so he can have a proper pre-season with the squad.

The period is seen as crucial for a manager to get to know new players and introduce his ideas.

Image source, Getty Images

But Jones took over in January after Gary Rowett was sacked, although he has taken the Potters on a seven-game unbeaten run since the middle of February.

However, that run has included six draws and Stoke are currently 16th in the Championship, having started the season as promotion candidates for many pundits.

Allen Cook
BBC News

The Chief Constable of West Midlands Police has urged the city of Birmingham to unite after a string of violent attacks at five mosques in the area.

Reports of a man smashing windows with a sledgehammer on Birchfield Road were received at 02:30, police said.

Officers were then alerted to a similar attack in Erdington about 45 minutes later, with others in Aston and Perry Barr.

A further mosque on Albert Road was was also attacked. West Midlands Police said it was yet to establish a motive but officers from its Counter Terrorism Unit are part of the investigation.

It will be a cloudy night with the chance of drizzle and lows of 7C (45F).

BBC News

Recently opened your council tax bill? You've no doubt noticed you'll be paying a bit more this year.

But one figure in particular might have grabbed your attention, probably because it's risen by more than 10%.

The figure we're talking about is the "police precept" - the portion of your council tax that goes to the local police force.

Almost everyone in England in a Band D house - the middle council tax band - will have to pay an extra £24 this year.

The West Midlands force says it will use the extra cash to plug a funding gap and maintain its current level of policing.

The Birmingham pub bombings were not murder but "an IRA operation that went badly wrong", an inquest has heard.

Former IRA intelligence chief Kieran Conway said the attacks were "not sanctioned" by the IRA and public outrage afterwards "nearly destroyed" the group.

Image source, Birmingham Inquests

The bombs killed 21 and injured 220 at two pubs on 21 November 1974.

Giving evidence at the inquest, Mr Conway described it as the "disaster in Birmingham".

The blasts hit the Mulberry Bush in the base of the city's Rotunda and the Tavern in the Town in nearby New Street.

Brendan McCarthy, who is known as Dr Evil, also carried out consensual ear and nipple removals.