Updates from Monday 15 April to Sunday 22 April
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Sophie Madden
BBC News
A 16-year-old boy is now in a stable condition in hospital after a reported city centre hammer attack but police say his injuries will likely be "life-changing".
The force adds that it has not yet made any arrests following the assault.
BBC Sport
Warwickshire's Chris Woakes (pictured) and Worcestershire's Moeen Ali have been picked by England in a preliminary 15-man World Cup squad.
Image source, PAHowever there is no place for uncapped pace bowler Jofra Archer who qualified to play for England in March after a change in residency rules.
Both Moeen and Woakes are also named in the squad for a a five-match series against Pakistan ahead of the World Cup, which begins on 30 May.
Woakes had said on Tuesday it would "not be fair morally" to pick Archer for the World Cup, hosted by England and Wales, which begins on 30 May.
These stories are being covered by the Dudley News today:
BBC Sport
Adam Peaty's sealed his place on the British team for this year's World Championships following his win in the 100m breaststroke at the British Championships in Glasgow.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe Uttoxeter-born Olympic champion eased to victory in 57.87 seconds.
"I'm back to world number one and that's job done for me," Peaty said.
BBC Midlands Today
An animal charity says it's seen a sharp rise in the number of "wolf lookalike" dogs needing to be rehomed in the past few years since the start of the TV programme Game of Thrones.
Image source, The Dogs TrustThe series features wolves and the Dogs Trust in Kenilworth says it's concerned that, with the final season under way, it will start happening again., external
Before the show began in 2010, it says staff cared for 79 Alaskan Malamutes, Siberian Huskies and Akita compared with 411 last year, a rise of 420%.
Quote MessageSince the start of Game of Thrones we have seen a huge increase in the popularity of wolf lookalike dogs. They are beautiful, large, powerful dogs and they make loyal companions but as they were originally bred for more physical pastimes, such as pulling sledges and hunting."
Emma Healey, Manager at Dogs Trust Kenilworth
Two people have been arrested after a car went into the River Severn in Shrewsbury.
West Mercia Police said a dive team had also been searching the area around Frankwell Quay and that it had also received reports of a missing person.
Image source, GoogleThe two men have been in police custody after the incident at 02:00 yesterday and police officers remain at the scene this morning.
BBC WM
A busy junction in Wolverhampton could be closed all day today for engineers to repair a gas leak.
Image source, GoogleThe crossroads where Tettenhall Road and Henwood Road meet shut from 9:30 this morning.
Engineers from Cadent say they will work late into the night so the road can reopen as soon as possible.
Worcester Warriors scrum-half Jonny Arr is to leave the club at the end of the season.
Read MoreWorcester winger Bryce Heem is suspended for the rest of the season for a tip tackle on Sale's Paolo Odogwu.
Read More
BBC WM Sport
Former West Bromwich Albion striker Garry Thompson says Jimmy Shan isn't experienced enough to lead the club through a potential play-off campaign.
Image source, ReutersThis week, the Baggies confirmed their first-team coach Shan would stay in charge of the promotion-chasing Championship club for the rest of the season.
West Brom are currently fourth in the league, in the middle of the play-off places, with four games left to go.
The play-off final is renowned as the richest game in football with promotion to the Premier League at stake.
Quote MessageThey've given him the job because there's no-one else to give the job to. I think that winning games in the league is different to actually when you are playing in a play-off semi-final."
Garry Thompson, Former West Bromwich Albion striker
Birmingham Live
The Birmingham Live website's covering these stories today:
A project is attempting to grow more oak trees from the famous Boscobel Royal Oak.
The Royal Oak is the tree within which the future King Charles II hid to escape the Roundheads following the Battle of Worcester in 1651.
Image source, Getty ImagesAn expert who specialises in propagating trees visited Boscobel House to take cuttings from the tree, which is itself a descendant of the original.
BBC Midlands Today
Visitor numbers to the RAF's museum in Shropshire were boosted by 20% last year by celebrations to mark the air force's 100th birthday, new figures show.
The Royal Air Force Museum says 444,965 people visited RAF Cosford between April 2018 and March.
They included around 60,000 who attended the RAF Cosford Air Show in June.
Allen Cook
BBC News
Bells at Lichfield Cathedral are going to be rung tomorrow evening following the devastating fire at Notre-Dame Cathedral.
Image source, AFPThe blaze on Monday destroyed much of the building's roof and caused its steeple to collapse.
Lichfield Cathedral says its bells will be rung for seven minutes from 19:00 tomorrow, external"in solidarity with our friends at Notre Dame de Paris".
BBC Coventry & Warwickshire
Coventry City's owners are being urged to start new talks over the club's future after they lost their latest legal case over the sale of the Ricoh Arena.
Image source, Getty ImagesCity's current Ricoh contract expires at the end of the season and they are yet to satisfy the English Football League where they will play in 2019-20.
Both the leader of the city council and the chief executive of Wasps, City's current landlords at the Ricoh, have called for the football club to make this the end of the legal action.
City's owners, Sisu, are yet to make a comment on the Supreme Court ruling.
Stoke-on-Trent Live
The Stoke-on-Trent Live website's covering these stories today:
The Dean of Worcester Cathedral's spoken of feeling 'sick with horror' when he heard Notre-Dame cathedral was on fire this week.
Image source, AFPA massive blaze on Monday ravaged the 850-year-old Gothic building, destroying much of its roof and causing its steeple to collapse.
The cathedral was minutes away from total destruction, officials say.
Quote MessageWhen I heard the news, I just felt sick with horror. It's a building I know, it's a building I've been to many times. I think there's something uniquely terrible about a great fire and just to see those pictures was a terrifying experience."
Peter Atkinson, Dean of Worcester Cathedral
BBC Sport
Warwickshire's players have been told they need to learn fast if they're going to survive in Division One of the County Championship.
Image source, PAThe Bears won promotion last season but lost their first game by eight wickets to Kent last week.
They've been beset by injuries with England internationals Olly Stone and Ian Bell (pictured) both ruled out until later this year and emerging all-rounder Aaron Thomason injured just before the opening match.
Quote MessageOur lack of experience has been compounded by Belly being injured from the start of the season. But we have to deal with it. We knew there'd be some tough questions asked. And it's how we react to those questions. There's no hiding place in four-day first division cricket and we've got to lean fast."
Jim Troughton, Warwickshire coach
Warwickshire do not play in the Championship again until Hampshire come to Edgbaston on 14 May, but face eight One-Day Cup group games, starting against Yorkshire on Friday.
BBC Midlands Today
A company from Birmingham is launching a new service which is designed to help people who are homeless.
Homeless Rooms Birmingham says , externalit aims to match people who are homeless to people who have a spare room through an online property portal.
They believe many landlords have spare rooms available while homeless people continue to look for accommodation.
So far, the Community Interest Company (CIC) has relied on crowdfunding but adds that it is now looking to get financial backing from Birmingham City Council.
A CIC is a company that uses its profits for social purposes.
From the Express and Star today:
