The problem of knife crime in Birmingham has been described by the council's head of education as an "unprecedented crisis".

Last month two teenage boys were fatally stabbed within just days of each other in the city centre.

About 100 teachers gathered today with senior education leaders, the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) and others to discuss the high level of school exclusions and suggestions of a possible link to violent crime.

Councillor Jayne Francis, cabinet member for education, skills and culture opened the event alongside PCC David Jamieson.

In her blog, she said schools were facing "challenging" circumstances and called on parents, police and local government to work together , externalto tackle a rise in knife crime.

Today's meeting also heard about some successes, such as the "innovative" Mentor in Violence Prevention (MVP) model, which engages young people as leaders, run at Washwood Heath Academy.

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Andrew Morris

The refurbishment of one of Shrewsbury's main shopping centres will be completed by Christmas, the local authority has been told.

Shropshire Council bought the town's three main shopping centres for £51m last year and councillors were today updated on their progress in running , externalthe Darwin Shopping Centre, at the top of Pride Hill.

Image source, Flickr

The council is considering how best to use the centres, and plans could include leisure facilities such as a cinema, gym and restaurants alongside traditional retail stores.

Gemma Davies, head of economic growth, said it was important to consider the overall "experience".

She also outlined plans to make the Darwin Shopping Centre toilets are the best in Shrewsbury, in a bid to drive footfall.

BBC Midlands Today

Rare birds are already starting to feed at a new nature reserve in Staffordshire, according to the local wildlife trust.

It bought the former quarry at Tucklesholme, south of Burton-upon-Trent, last year and has been working since on turning the 110 acres into a wetland habitat.

Staffordshire Wildlife Trust says it wants the new reserve to be a haven for fish, as a refuge from flooding, as well as endangered birds such as lapwings and egrets, which staff have already seen visiting the area.

Today, it said the reserve, which cost £337,000 to buy, external, should officially open later this year., external

Birmingham manager Garry Monk says the club will overcome their nine-point deduction and secure Championship survival.

A cat's died in a house fire in Stafford this afternoon. , external

The fire service says it was called at 14:30 to Highfields and the blaze is thought to have started in a kitchen appliance.

They say they rescued the cat but the animal couldn't be revived. The cause is still being investigated.

Coventry Observer

Some of the Coventry Observer headlines today include:

• Coventry City’s secret new stadium plan ‘held up for a year by council’, external claims Sisu
• Priory Visitor Centre in funding bid amid new closure threat, external
• Lido campaigners consider legal challenge, external

BBC Hereford and Worcester

A four-year-old boy is in hospital with life-threatening injuries after being pulled from a river.

Image source, Google

Emergency services were called to the River Wye in Hereford this morning to reports of someone in the water.

They rescued the boy and the ambulance service says paramedics gave him advanced life support at the scene.

He was taken by air ambulance to Hereford Hospital where he's said to be in a critical condition.

BBC Business News

An in-depth investigation into the funerals sector has been welcomed by funeral firm Dignity.

The Sutton Coldfield based company is the only stock market listed funeral business and says it has been in discussions with The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) about the sector.

Image source, Getty Images

Today, the CMA's announced it will conduct a full inquiry, saying that the essential costs of a funeral have increased by 6% each year for the past 14 years.

In November, the authority said it had "serious concerns" about above-inflation price rises.

Responding to the news, Dignity's chief executive, Mike McCollum, said: "Dignity has made clear that we welcome the CMA's investigation into the funeral market and look forward to continuing our work with the CMA and other industry bodies to protect consumers."

Jannatul Bakya, six, was going to a mosque with her father when she was hit by a car.

People throwing stones at ambulances has delayed "critical help", services bosses say.

BBC Shropshire

Shrewsbury Town's Scott Golbourne says he wants the side to try and pull away from the League One relegation zone by dragging other teams into the battle.

Image source, Getty Images

Currently 19th and a point above the final relegation spot, Shrewsbury next play fellow strugglers Southend United on Saturday and then Scunthorpe United a week later.

Birmingham Live

These are some of the headlines on the Birmingham Live website today:

• Girl, 12, threatened with knife in park yards from school, external
• Mazda overturns in rush hour crash as locals race to help trapped driver, external
• Armed police seize three knives after 'shocking' robbery in Shirley Park, external

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Gurdip Thandi

Parents of pupils going to a troubled special school say uncertainty over its future is leaving their children anxious.

Image source, Google

The Jane Lane School in Walsall was forced to close last month with staff sickness being blamed.

That followed a damning inspection report from Ofsted which recommended placing it in special measures. , external

At a scrutiny meeting this week, councilors were told of the stress suffered by pupils and concerns from parents about a lack of support and communication about what was going on.

A new interim head teacher and management team has now been put in place and secondary pupils have returned, with Walsall Council saying it will keep a close eye on the situation.

BBC Radio Stoke

An agricultural show's going to expand next year to take place across two days.

For 70 years, the Nantwich Show just happened on one day, but organisers say, with the cost of putting it on standing at £780,000, they feel it now warrants another day. , external

The International Cheese Awards, which have more than 5,000 entries each year, will also take place the day before.

Simon Gilbert
Political Reporter, BBC Coventry & Warwickshire

Coventry City's owners Sisu says it has submitted masterplans for a new stadium in Coventry but that the city council is "dragging its feet' over the development.

A three-page statement from Sisu says the council owns the land in question - and criticises the council's response.

The BBC has approached the local authority for a response.

Image source, Getty Images

Sisu has promised it will drop legal action against the council if it has support to build a stadium in the city.

The legal action was brought after the company claimed the city council undervalued the Ricoh Arena by £27m when it was sold to Wasps in 2014.

The Sky Blues' rental agreement at the Ricoh Arena runs out in the summer and if by the 2 April they can't tell the EFL where they'll be playing home matches next season they could be expelled from the Football League.

Wasps have so far refused to reopen negotiations with Coventry City while legal proceedings are ongoing.

But Sisu says dropping legal action just to open the door to talks with Wasps would not solve the Sky Blues' long-term problems.

Urgent repairs need to be carried out on a bridge near Ledbury, the local council has said , after "significant erosion" was found underneath.

Image source, Herefordshire Council

Herefordshire Council says repairs will start on the Stony Brook crossing on the B4214, north of Staplow , externaltomorrow.

It will remain open to vehicles, but will be down to on lane to reduce the weight of traffic.

Shropshire Star

The Shropshire Star's covering these stories today:

• Kawczynski appeals for DUP to abstain on Brexit as Paterson stands firm on opposition to deal, external
• Police make 15 arrests in Shropshire county lines crackdown, external
• Telford athletics venue on track for £100,000 revamp, external

About 100 teachers and council workers from across the West Midlands have gathered in Birmingham to discuss how to tackle the levels of exclusions at schools.

Children in the region are twice as likely to be excluded as those in the South East, figures show.

Pupil exclusions have also been linked to rising levels of knife crime among young people, said the police and crime commissioner.

David Jamieson said he had noticed in that in a number of recent "terrible" incidents in the area "both the perpetrator and victim had been excluded from school".

"What we've got to make sure of is when children are excluded, there's proper, good quality alternatives for them to make sure they don't fall into the hands of gangs and get into the drugs trade."

Local Democracy Reporting Service
George Makin

Sandwell’s mayor will not be allowed to stand for re-election this year after Labour party officials rejected her appeal against being excluded from a panel of approved candidates.

Image source, Sandwell Council

Joy Edis, (pictured right), who has represented the Friar Park ward for 17 years, has spoken of her disappointment of being dropped by the regional party despite having the support of local members.

Ms Edis said she was deeply disappointed by the decision saying she had been given no reason for her removal from the panel, but she added: “I will continue to be a member of the party and work for it.”

She was deselected along with deputy mayor Carol Goult, (pictured left) Ann Shackleton and Olwen Jones.

Ms Shackleton has since been told her appeal against that decision has been successful, and the other two declined to comment when contacted.

The council recently elected a new leader to replace Steve Eling who resigned last month after being suspended by the Labour Party.

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

A string of offences including violence and hate crimes have led to a dispersal order being introduced in Blythe Bridge, Staffordshire.

Image source, Google

The section 35 order lasts for 48 hours from 15:00 yesterday, external.

Staffordshire Police says it's carrying out more patrols and the powers allow officers to break up groups causing a disturbance.