Just 3% of children visit the dentist before their first birthday which shows a "lack of understanding" about oral health, a new study has found.

The figures rise to 12% by the age of two, University of Birmingham researchers said.

Image source, PA

Most children miss out on dental appointments in the first few years of their lives, the report in the Community Dental Health journal reports.

It's recommended parents take their children to the dentist when their first milk teeth appear, with regular check-ups to follow.

Dr John Morris from the university said: "Poor oral health can cause pain and infection, which can affect eating, sleeping, socialising and learning, yet worryingly our research suggests that there is a widespread lack of understanding of the importance of taking children to the dentist before their first birthday."

BBC News Travel

Signalling faults might have been fixed at Birmingham's New Street Station, but delays and cancellations still seem to be a problem for travellers this morning.

Coventry Live

Some of the Coventry Live headlines today are:

• Speeding hit-and-run driver left OAP dying in the road in Coventry, external
• Clean air zones and congestion charges: All you need to know, external
• Teenagers jailed for knifepoint robbery in Coventry, external

Bus users in Bishop's Castle, in Shropshire, are planning to blockade a main road in protest at cuts to their services.

Some residents are angry at plans which they say will see five existing bus services reduced to just one a day.

Shropshire Council has said it's aware of the concerns and will take them into consideration.

It is targeting savings of almost £500,000 a year through a series of cuts in transport subsidies across the county.

Protesters are hoping to bring traffic to a standstill on the A488 at the crossroads with School Lane.

Warwickshire need to bat all day to save their County Championship match against Hampshire at Edgbaston.

Image source, Getty Images

Warwickshire vice-captain Dom Sibley completed a century for the sixth successive first-class match but the Bears still ended day three at Edgbaston facing defeat by Hampshire.

They'll start the day 42 for 2, needing 425 to win.

BBC News Travel

A signalling fault between Birmingham New Street and Birmingham International has now been rectified and all lines reopened.

Travellers are warned there will be ongoing delays, cancellations and alterations for most of the morning as services return to the timetable.

Tests are due today to establish how a 25-year-old man from Stoke-on-Trent - reportedly armed with a hammer - died following an incident.

Image source, Google

Staffordshire Police responded to reports of vandalism of a parked car in Longton on Wednesday.

The 25-year-old suspected of causing the damage was detained by members of the public in Wood Street but later died in hospital.

Three men, aged 20, 30 and 49, arrested on suspicion of murder have been released under investigation.

The cause of death has not yet been ascertained.

BBC News Travel

Rail services are being "significantly impacted" by a signalling problem between Birmingham New Street and Birmingham International.

Passengers travelling to Birmingham Airport are being told to allow extra time.

Disruption to services is expected until 08:45.

Express and Star

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

• Walsall primary school ‘leaving pupils at risk’, external
• Ill-gotten gains of West Midlands criminals to reduce knife crime, external
• Homeless man led police on chase in stolen £40,000 BMW, external

BBC News Travel

A fault with the signalling system has blocked rail lines between Birmingham New Street and Birmingham International.

Passengers are experiencing delays and some have had to change trains at Sandwell and Dudley.

Trains are being delayed, revised or diverted via Aston.

CrossCountry, Virgin, Transport for Wales and London Northwestern Railway services are affected and disruption is expected until 08:45.

BBC Sport

Coventry City are "accelerating" their back-up groundshare plans after the League One club's future at the Ricoh Arena was cast into further doubt.

Image source, Getty Images

City's owners have complained to the European Commission about the sale of the stadium to rugby union club Wasps.

However Wasps said it had entered into negotiations with the club on the understanding all legal movements had halted.

"There is no European Commission complaint against Wasps. The complaint, made by our owners Sisu in February, is against Coventry City Council only," said Coventry in a statement , externalon their website.

BBC News

One hundred people have been fatally stabbed in the UK so far this year.

Thirty of the fatal stabbings were in London, 10 in Greater Manchester and eight in the West Midlands.

The 100th death was John Lewis, 32, who died in Middlesbrough on the evening of 14 May.

BBC News has uncovered the the stories of some of those who have lost their lives.

Alex Hamilton
BBC Weather

It will be a cool day with lots of cloud and highs of 16C (61F).

BBC News Travel

An overturned car is blocking the A38 southbound carriageway at Alrewas in Staffordshire.

Traffic is being diverted away from the scene via the exit and entry slip roads.

There's three miles of queuing traffic in the area.

Vanessa Pearce
BBC News

Welcome to our live service for Friday.

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

Dianne Oxberry's husband praises the garden's theme because "she was always bright and cheerful".

The Big Knit Breakfast group in Stafford uses the craft to help improve its members' wellbeing.

The man was detained by the public amid reports of damage to a parked car, police say.

England contender Josh Tongue takes his third five-wicket haul for Worcestershire to set up a likely victory over Durham.

Coventry City say they are "accelerating back-up groundshare plans" as their future at the Ricoh Arena is put into further doubt.