Stoke-on-Trent Live

The Stoke-on-Trent Live website's covering these stories today:

• Speed cameras being installed on five-mile stretch of A500, external
• Jobs to be axed at college as 103 workers told to reapply for their roles, external
• Deadline day as Port Vale prepare for start of new era, external

Better pedestrian and cycling routes and a new walking trail are among new amenities planned for Edgbaston Reservoir.

Image source, Birmingham City Council

The reservoir, designated as a local nature reserve, was completed in 1829 and an important part of the city's industrial heritage, Birmingham City Council said.

Leader Ian Ward said: "With the city’s population set to grow by 10% over the next 15 years, open spaces such as Edgbaston Reservoir will provide a unique asset to support the health and well-being of existing and future residents.”

The plans are outlined in the city council's masterplan., external

Lee Blakeman
Port Vale commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

Port Vale fans are waiting to find out if they have new owners.

Current owner Norman Smurthwaite set a deadline of the 5 May for someone to buy the club off him or he would put the Valiants into administration.

Last month, the League Two club said they'd entered a 'confidentiality and exclusivity' agreement with potential buyers Carol and Kevin Shanahan.

They are expected to take control of the club imminently and a deal could be completed today.

BBC News Travel

All lines have now reopened between Coventry and Rugby, following the attempted theft of signalling cables , externalbetween these stations, Network Rail reports.

Trains may continue to be delayed by up to 30 minutes, cancelled or revised while the service returns to normal.

Disruption will continue until 11:00.

Areas with larger cuts to youth services were more likely to see a knife crime rise, a study suggests.

A sculpture dedicated to victims of knife crime will be moved from its temporary home at Coventry Cathedral today.

Image source, PA

The 27ft (8m) Knife Angel sculpture is made from 100,000 blades handed in to police across the country.

Image source, PA

It was unveiled in 2017 and was displayed in Liverpool and Hull before arriving in Coventry.

Artist Alfie Bradley, who created the sculpture at the British Ironworks Centre, in Oswestry, Shropshire, said it was a "monument against violence and aggression".

It will be making its way to Victoria Square in Birmingham where it will be unveiled on Wednesday.

The 21-year-old woman was found dead in a house in Oxley in Wolverhampton on Sunday morning.

Birmingham Live

Some of today's Birmingham Live headlines today are:

• Two teens arrested after boy shot in the head in Wolverhampton, external
• Police cordon off Rakegate Close after woman's body found, external
• Heartless thieves snatch handbag from mourner at cemetery, external

A man arrested over the abduction and rape of three women in and around London is being investigated for other attacks involving nine further victims.

Image source, Met Police

Joseph McCann, 34, was arrested in Congleton, Cheshire, after two girls, aged 14, were abducted in the town.

He is being investigated over attacks in Cheshire, Manchester and Lancashire, on victims aged between 11 and 71.

Det Ch Insp Katherine Goodwin, of the Metropolitan Police, said the attacks were "grotesque and horrifying".

A teenage boy has gone missing from his Coventry home.

Image source, West Midlands Police

Marshall Whelan, 15, from the Stoke area of the city, has autism and was last seen at about 19:00 last night.

He is 5ft 10ins tall, has dark brown shaved hair and brown eyes.

West Midlands Police said they are concerned for his welfare. Anyone with information should ring 101.

England flanker James Haskell is to retire at the end of the season after a 17-year playing career.

A woman's body has been found at an address in Wolverhampton.

The discovery was made in Rakegate Close, Oxley at about 09:15 on Sunday.

The death of the 21-year-old is being treated as "unexplained'.

A 23-year-old, arrested in connection with her death, has been released on police bail.

A post-mortem examination proved inconclusive with further tests to be carried out, West Midlands Police said.

Express and Star

Some of the early headlines on the Express and Star website today are:

• Attempted murder arrests as boy, 16, shot in the head, external
• Fly-tipping Walsall roofer caught on camera three times, external
• Bullying father jailed for threatening to kill ex-partner, external

Paramedics are treating a woman who has collapsed at Grand Central in Birmingham.

The incident is delaying tram services.

Services for Grand Central are temporarily terminating and departing from Bull Street.

Signalling cables between Coventry and Rugby have been stolen, causing delays and disruption to rail services.

London Northwestern Railway services between Birmingham New Street, Northampton and London are being affected.

Virgin Trains services between Shrewsbury, Wolverhampton, Birmingham, Coventry and London are also being disrupted.

A 16-year-old boy was shot in the head in Wolverhampton last night.

Police were called to Graiseley Street in the Pennfields area of Wolverhampton just before 20:00.

Two boys, aged 15 and 17, have been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and the injured boy is in a serious condition.

A 20-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of assault.

They all remain in police custody, West Midlands Police said.

BBC News Travel

A crash involving a tanker and a car is causing congestion on the M42 southbound in the West Midlands.

One lane remains closed after the crash between J4 and J3A.

The family of a boy who died when a bus he was travelling on crashed into a Coventry supermarket is calling for a limit to bus drivers' hours.

Image source, West Midlands Police

Seven-year-old Rowan Fitzgerald's family and Warwick and Leamington MP Matt Western will meet with the transport minister in London today.

Pedestrian Dora Hancox, 76, also died in the crash when a Midland Red driver smashed into Sainsbury's in 2015.

A trial of facts concluded driver, Kailash Chander had been driving dangerously when he mistook the accelerator for the brake on 3 October 2015.

The bus company admitted allowing him to work more than 70 hours a week.

Places in England that have seen the biggest council spending cuts to youth services are likely to see the biggest increases in knife crime, a study says.

Image source, PA

Wolverhampton and the City of Westminster were the worst hit, with youth services cut by 91% since 2014-15, followed by Cambridgeshire County Council (88%), according to the figures.

Research by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Knife Crime showed the average council cut real-terms spending on youth services - such as youth clubs - by 40% between 2014-15 and 2017-18.

It is not possible to directly compare the geographical areas covered by police forces and local authority boundaries, but the APPG analysis suggests forces serving areas with the biggest cuts, such as West Midlands Police, have also seen some of the highest increases in knife crime.

Rich Davis
BBC Weather presenter

After a dry start for many there will be scattered showers, with highs of 9C (48F).