BBC Hereford and Worcester

Worcestershire will take their success in this year's One-Day Cup as motivation for the rest of this season, according to their head coach.

Image source, Getty Images

The Pears made it to the knockout stage but lost to Somerset on Friday.

They're next in action tomorrow as the County Championship restarts and play in the Vitality Blast T20 competition from July.

BBC News Travel

The A46 in Warwickshire's been shut southbound after two cars have come off the carriageway.

Highways England says it's closed between Stratford-upon-Avon and Evesham., external

It said police are on the scene and the route's set to be shut for several hours.

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

Two men and two teenage boys from Stoke-on-Trent have been charged with serious sexual offences involving children.

Staffordshire Police said the accusations against the quartet, all from Stoke-on-Trent and aged from 15 to 20, include rape and inciting the sexual exploitation of a child. , external

All four were arrested on Thursday and appeared before magistrates on Friday and Saturday.

They've been remanded in custody to appear before the city's crown court next month.

A participant of a 100-mile bike ride in which a cyclist died in a crash has described witnessing the aftermath of the crash as "distressing".

A man is his 50s was airlifted to hospital after falling from his bike about 23 miles in to the Vélo Birmingham & Midlands ride in Atherstone, Warwickshire, and later died in hospital.

BBC journalist Tom Warren, who was taking part in the ride and cycled along Coleshill Road shortly after the incident, said he had seen several people being treated and bikes lying on the verge and in the road.

“As I approached a bend going downhill I saw a marshal and then heard shouts to riders to slow down because there had been a crash.

“It was a pretty distressing scene and the marshals did a good job warning people before they rode down the hill, it must have been a very difficult situation to deal with.

“A few minutes afterwards I heard sirens and a helicopter,” he added.

BBC News Travel

It's proving a tough morning on the roads today.

In the latest news, a crash has closed the A4034 Oldbury Ringway in both directions from Dudley Road to Bromford Road.

Image source, Sandwell Highways

Drivers are being advised to avoid the area.

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

A driver's escaped serious injury after their car overturned in a crash in Staffordshire this morning., external

Image source, Staffordshire Fire Service

Staffordshire Fire Service says two cars collided on Nicholls Lane near Stone.

The ambulance service says the driver in the overturned car refused medical treatment, while the other driver suffered minor injuries.

Shropshire Star

The Shropshire Star's top stories today include:

• Staff afraid to come into work after thieves raid Shrewsbury restaurant, external
• Search of River Severn after canoe found, external
• More than 2,000 in Shropshire could have undiagnosed dementia, external

A teenager is in a critical condition in hospital after being attacked by masked men with a hammer and a baseball bat during a violent robbery in a Birmingham park.

Image source, Google

The 16-year-old had cash and a mobile phone stolen from him during the incident in Perry Park, Perry Barr at about 16:15 on Sunday.

An 18-year-old girl who tried to intervene, was also punched in the face by the group of up to five men, police said.

Sgt Dave Bebb from West Midlands Police said: "This was a nasty attack which has left a boy with very serious injuries."

BBC News Travel

A lane's shut on the A46 in Worcestershire after two cars were reportedly involved in a crash.

Image source, West Mercia Police

West Mercia Police said the closure's between Bidford-on-Avon and Evesham. , external

The ambulance service said the air ambulance had been called out and its paramedics were treating at least two patients at the scene.

A slip road's been reopened by Highways England, external after a lorry crash this morning had seen the whole southbound carriageway shut in Staffordshire.

Image source, Highways England

The collision between J15 and J14 saw bales of paper spill across the motorway.

Highways England had previously kept the slip road closed at J15, near Stoke-on-Trent, while congestion eased, following 16-mile tailbacks.

A new law aimed at cracking down on so-called puppy farms in England is being presented to Parliament today.

Known as Lucy's Law, it will ban the sale of kittens and puppies from third parties from spring 2020, making buyers deal with breeders directly.

The law is named after Lucy, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel - adopted by Lisa Garner from Studley, Warwickshire -who died in 2016 after being poorly treated on a puppy farm.

The new law would require animals to be born and reared in a safe environment, with their mother, and to be sold from their place of birth.

You can read more about her story here.

Aston Villa head coach Dean Smith says they can "perform a lot better," as they prepare for tomorrow's Championship play-off.

Image source, PA

Dwight Gayle won't feature for West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns, after being sent off in the first leg of the semi-final.

Villa struck twice inside three second-half minutes to earn themselves the advantage in Saturday's match.

Dean Smith said although the fans may not think the team had their best game, "we keep on finding ways to win."

Stoke-on-Trent Live

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

• Long delays on M6 after two-vehicle collision forces lorry to shed load, external
• Man and baby taken to hospital after four-vehicle collision, external
• Family leads tributes to 'fantastic' man who died 10 days after fire at council house, external

BBC News Travel

All lanes have reopened on the M6 in Staffordshire this morning after a lorry shed its load of bales of paper in a collision.

Highways England says the carriageway is clear from J15 to J14 but the slip road at J15 will stay shut while congestion eases on the motorway., external

Simone Stewart
BBC News

Shara Johnson battled with depression and anxiety after graduating from university.

She studied fashion and struggled to find a job in the industry, which affected her mental health.

The graduate, from Birmingham, believes more should be done to help young people in fashion who struggle with mental health issues.

A cycling event, in which thousands of riders competed in a 100-mile ride, has been overcast by the "tragic" death of a rider, say organisers.

Image source, Google

The rider - a man in his 50s - had been among thousands participating in the Vélo Birmingham & Midlands bike ride on Sunday.

It is believed he came off his bike at around the 23-mile mark in Coleshill Road, Atherstone, Warwickshire Police said.

He was taken to hospital for treatment but later died.

Ali Foster from CSM Active said Sunday had been a day of "mixed emotions" after the "tragic news emerged of the rider sadly losing his life".

Police are asking for anyone with GoPro camera footage from around the time of the incident to get in touch.

Allen Cook
BBC News

Congestion on the M6 this morning is stretching back for 14 miles from J15, external after the crash this morning, Highways England says.

The collision saw a lorry spill its load of paper bales across the southbound carriageway.

One lane's now open past the scene between , externalJ15 and J14, near Stoke-on-Trent, but Highways England says the congestion's adding around two hours on to journey times.

Birmingham Live

Some of today's Birmingham Live stories include:

• Police flock to Manor Road as investigation launched, external
• Two shot and pair stabbed - a weekend of violent crime, external
• Former drug-addict brother of MP has helped save a man’s life, external

Police footage shows the moment a lorry driver makes a card payment on his phone at the wheel.

The trucker was spotted on the M40 in Warwickshire.

He was among more than 3,000 drivers filmed from three unmarked lorries in the past year.

From the high vantage point of the "super cabs", police can look into the windows of passing trucks and gauge how well they are being driven.

A man was found stabbed after officers were called to reports of disorder in Birmingham.

The ambulance service said it was called to Manor Road, Smethwick shortly before 20:30 on Sunday.

A man in his 30s was taken to hospital suffering injuries to his arm and leg, not thought to be serious, said West Midlands Police.

A 48-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of wounding and possession of cannabis and remains in police custody, it said.