Local Democracy Reporting Service
Gurdip Thandi

Walsall Council's Labour group leader Sean Coughlan has stepped down, citing long-term health issues.

Image source, Google

The announcement that Mr Coughlan will not continue to lead the opposition comes just weeks before the local elections.

The group said the decision was based on medical advice he had received from his doctor.

Mr Coughlan has served the Willenhall South ward for 24 years and during that time been both leader and deputy leader of Walsall Council.

It is believed he will seek to continue as an elected member in his ward, with a new leader elected in due course.

The Royal Air Force museum at Cosford saw visitor numbers increase by 20% last year, with 444,965 people passing through the doors.

It says events to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the RAF could partly explain the increase.

Image source, RAF Museum Cosford

The museum, and its sister site in London, don't charge admission.

Coventry Observer

Some of the Coventry Observer headlines today are:

• Nearly 24,000 sign petition against hospital's blood bikes charity contract snub, external
• Carjacking by masked men leaves disabled child without transport, external
• Vandal jumps on Coventry woman's car and smashes windows, external

Two people were taken to hospital with multiple injuries after a car crashed into a tree in Birmingham.

The Audi had failed to stop for police officers on Bunbury Road, Northfield, the West Midlands force said.

Paramedics arrived on Merritts Brook Lane, Northfield, shortly after 21:30 on Monday to find a man, the driver, who had been helped out of the vehicle by bystanders, and a woman, the passenger, lying close to the car.

She has been described by the ambulance service as suffering serious injuries.

Police said the pair's injuries were not thought to be life-threatening and a large quantity of cannabis was recovered from the car.

A boy reportedly attacked with a hammer in Wolverhampton city centre remains in a critical condition, police say.

Officers were called to Wulfrun Square on Monday afternoon.

Investigations are ongoing, says the West Midlands force, with officers urging anyone with information to come forward.

A lawyer for the Stories club claimed it did not know the sale of nitrous oxide was illegal.

Specialist prison officers were sent into jails in Worcestershire 22 times last year.

The "Tornado" teams tackle hostage and riot scenarios, and other disturbances including prisoners on roofs.

At Long Lartin in Evesham, they were sent in seven times, and they were used 15 times at HMP Hewell in Redditch.

One of the incidents to which they were called was a disturbance at Long Lartin in Sepember, during which six prison officers were hurt.

Nationally, figures obtained by BBC Radio Five Live showed the highly-trained officers were deployed to 640 incidents last year.

An MoJ spokesman said: "The overwhelming majority of call-outs are for non-violent incidents, including where they attended as a precaution and when the situation was resolved by prison staff."

Passengers who journeyed on West Midlands Railway trains without tickets over the past 12 months ended up paying the company £408,463, it said.

This included people who were given penalty notices, but also those who got on a train at a station without a ticket office and had to pay at their destination because there was no conductor on board.

West Midlands Trains said it issued 19,579 penalty fares across the West Midlands and the London Northwestern Railway, which it also owns.

They cost passengers either £20 or twice the normal single ticket cost, whichever was greater.

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Carl Jackson

A nightclub has escaped serious sanction after customers were sold laughing gas.

Image source, Google

Stories in Birmingham's Chinatown came "very close" to having its licence suspended by Birmingham City Council on Monday, but was instead issued an "informal warning".

West Midlands Police had called for a review of the club after witnessing nitrous oxide being sold from balloons for £5 each on Boxing Day last year.

Sara Clover, barrister for New Era which runs Stories, said the woman selling the gas was not a "direct employee" but admitted management was aware of her and what she was doing.

A CCTV image has been released of a man police would like to speak to after a girl was sexually assaulted as she walked along a towpath near the Stoke City football ground.

Image source, Staffordshire Police

She was approached by a man on a bike in red shorts who then tried to grab her before making off, police said.

She was left "shaken and upset" by the incident which took place on the evening of 13 March, external.

Birmingham Live

Some of the Birmingham Live headlines today:

• Jack Grealish attacker says 'prison was best month of my life', external
• Man and woman 'seriously injured' in Northfield horror crash, external
• Man mowed down by van after confronting 'thief' in car park, external

Wasps Netball has joined table toppers Manchester Thunder on points after round 14 of the Superleague.

Wasps took control in the second quarter and secured a 58-51 win over Saracens Mavericks in Milton Keynes on Monday evening to trail Thunder by just two goals.

Express and Star

These are some of the early headlines on the Express and Star website:

• Dozens lose jobs as nursery centre closes, external
• Doctor quizzed over resuscitation at baby murder trial, external
• Stalking cases rise but few face charges, external

Officers are continuing to investigate after a 16-year-old boy suffered "life-threatening injuries" after reportedly being hit with a hammer.

Police received reports of a boy being struck with a hammer in Wulfrun Square, Wolverhampton, on Monday afternoon.

Investigations are ongoing and CCTV footage is being reviewed, police said. Detectives are appealing for information.

A "haunting" image of a cross shining brightly in a smouldering Notre-Dame is reminiscent of the loss of Coventry's cathedral, the dean has said.

Image source, Reuters

A major fire has engulfed the medieval building in Paris, one of France's most famous landmarks.

Posting his thoughts on Twitter, external The Reverend Canon John Whitcombe said: "Our hearts go out to our sisters and brothers in the cathedral and civic community in Paris. To see the roof of your beloved cathedral brings to mind our own destruction in 1940, in the terrible years of war.

"You will feel that your heart has been taken from you, but God still holds your life in his hands, and will give you grace to rebuild, as he did for us."

Alex Hamilton
BBC Weather

It will be a mainly dry day with some cloud and highs of 14C (57F).

Vanessa Pearce
BBC News

Welcome to our live service for Tuesday.

We'll be bringing you all the news, sport, travel and weather for the West Midlands.

We love to hear from you so share your news, thoughts and photos of the area with us via email, Twitter, external and Facebook, external.

The County Championship is back on Friday. BBC Sport takes a look at what to expect in 2019.

Kenny Jackett aims to add another line to his impressive CV when Portsmouth face Sunderland at Wembley this weekend.

Police were called to reports of a hammer attack in Wolverhampton city centre.