Birmingham Live

The Birmingham Live website's top stories today include:

• Two teenagers stabbed in robbery at Big Shot Snooker Club in Alum Rock, external
• Birmingham taxi drivers stage second go-slow in city centre, external
• Thug left man fighting for life after throwing concrete block from railway bridge, external

BBC Shropshire

Telford MP Lucy Allan is welcoming the involvement of Nigel Farage's pro-leave Brexit Party in next month's European elections.

She says they've got some "strong candidates" and "as a leave supporting MP in a leave supporting constituency, that's to be welcomed".

Ryley, now aged nine, has loved buses since he was two years old.

BBC News Travel

Rail journeys will be disrupted during both May bank holiday weekends as more than 900 engineering projects are carried out.

Several sections of the West Coast Main Line will be closed from 4-6 May, including at London Euston and near Crewe and Glasgow.

Virgin Trains and London Northwestern Railway are among the operators affected.

Alternative routes will be busier than normal and travel times will be extended.

There will be more changes to services on the West Coast Main Line as further work is carried out during the second bank holiday weekend next month, 25-27 May.

Allen Cook
BBC News

The oldest penguin at Dudley Zoo celebrated his 28th birthday today., external

Image source, Dudley Zoo

The zoo says Pingu, a Humboldt penguin, was one of the founding members of the colony in 1991.

He celebrated with a "fishy birthday cake" for breakfast.

BBC Radio Shropshire Sport

Shrewsbury Town players return to training today knowing they need just one more win to avoid relegation.

They have work still to do after throwing away a 2-1 lead to lose 3-2 to Oxford on Monday and manager Sam Ricketts said: "We have to just now dust ourselves off, recover and prepare to go again".

Image source, Getty Images

Shrewsbury travel to Coventry City on Sunday with four points separating them from the relegation zone.

Shropshire Star

Here are three headlines from the Shropshire Star today:

• Conservative leadership hopefuls coming to Shropshire, external
• Two-car crash closes A529, external
• Crews battle car fire in Telford underpass, external

Facebook

There have been strong views on the BBC Midlands Facebook page over the 'go slow' protest by black cab drivers in Birmingham over proposed clean air charges in the city centre.

The RMT union says the council needs to pay more to support the drivers to upgrade their cabs but the local authority says funding from government will support them.

On the Facebook page, Brian Perkins posted, external: "This is absurd. All they need to do is update their vehicles and they won't be charged."

While Elizabeth Richards added, external: "What is so special about cab drivers?? Most car drivers will be paying."

But Howard Smith backed the cab drivers, external: "Good on them. Gridlock it all day for me 'til they quash the charges. We are taxed enough without this charge as well."

And Abbie Turley wrote, external: "These men have to make money, after road tax, insurance, petrol and licence fees are taken out of their earnings, they earn pennies. So then adding extra costs is crippling to these workers."

BBC Sport

Wolves head coach Nuno Espirito Santo has a fully-fit squad to choose from as the team looks to get back to winning ways tonight against Arsenal.

Image source, Reuters

He is expected to recall Belgian international midfielder Leander Dendoncker (pictured), who was omitted from the starting line-up on Saturday.

Wolves go into the match on the back of a draw and a defeat in their past two Premier League games.

Allen Cook
BBC News

Parts of the West Midlands could see thunderstorms this afternoon and evening, the Met Office is warning., external

Image source, Met Office

It's issued a yellow weather alert from 13:00 until 21:00 which covers some of Staffordshire and Warwickshire.

Lightning strikes could damage buildings and the thunderstorms could also mean poorer driving conditions, the Met Office says.

A 31-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of rape after an attack in Ross--on-Wye in the early hours of Monday.

West Mercia Police said the incident was reported to have happened between 01:30 and 02:25 on a pathway near the town's tennis courts on Walford Road.

The victim, a woman in her 30s, is said to have sustained minor injuries.

The injuries to the two 18-year-olds are not thought to be life threatening.

Coventry City say they've started "initial discussions" with Wasps about extending their stay at the Ricoh Arena.

The club says it also has an alternative groundshare lined up, so talks with the rugby club need to be concluded quickly, in case the fall-back option of the groundshare is lost.

Image source, Getty Images

The football club has also thanked the Football League for postponing an EGM to discuss its future, which was due to take place tomorrow,

It says "This postponement follows significant progress by Coventry City in working to meet the EFL stadium criteria for next season."

The English Football League's extraordinary general meeting to discuss Coventry City's future is postponed until 29 May.

BBC Coventry & Warwickshire Sport

A Football League meeting to discuss the future of Coventry City has been put back a month, because the club is making progress in its efforts to find a stadium for next season.

An Extraordinary General Meeting was due to take place tomorrow to discuss the club's search to find a stadium for next season.

Members could have voted to expel the club if a home couldn't be identified.

Image source, Getty Images

But a statement from the league says "significant progress has been made with a solution believed to have been identified."

The football club said it has started initial discussions with Wasps Holdings Limited regarding an extension to its current license agreement to play at the Ricoh Arena.

Allen Cook
BBC News

An 18-year-old man is due to appear in court next month after a 16-year-old boy was attacked by someone with a hammer.

The victim suffered life-threatening injuries in the attack in Wulfrun Square, Wolverhampton, and was in a serious but stable condition in hospital.

Daniel Iftikhar, of Tipton, has been charged with attempted murder, assault and two counts of possession of offensive weapons.

He's appeared before magistrates and been remanded into custody ahead of appearing at Wolverhampton Crown Court on 20 May.

The attack took place on 16 April.

Stoke-on-Trent Live

The Stoke-on-Trent Live page has these stories on its website today:

• More details emerge of Megan Newton's death as murder investigation continues, external
• Mum's terror as three stone-throwing yobs target cars travelling at 50mph on A50, external
• Salon owner's shock as burglars smash their way in through roof leaving gaping hole, external

Allen Cook
BBC News

Two men have been stabbed at a snooker club in Birmingham., external

Image source, Google

Police said they were called to reports of disorder inside the Big Shot Snooker Club, Highfield Road, Alum Rock, at around 21:15 on Tuesday.

They say they believe two 18-year-old men were robbed and then stabbed.

Both are in hospital with injuries which officers say are not life-threatening.

BBC Midlands Today

Changes in clothing and fashion following the end of World War One are being explored in a new exhibition in Worcestershire., external

Image source, Worcestershire County Museum

The costumes are taken from the Tickenhill collection which was aquired by a local family and housed at Tickenhill Manor, in Bewdley, until 1966.

It's now part of the County Museum at Hartlebury Castle and is on show until February.

Organisers say the exhibition will explore the impact of women's suffrage on clothing.

Doctors say his work on a woman now "virtually unable to walk" is deeply flawed.