BBC News Travel

A broken down train between Rugby and Northampton is causing disruption to journeys between these stations, the National Rail website, external reports.

Services may be cancelled, delayed or revised with services between Crewe / Liverpool Lime Street / Rugeley Trent Valley and London Eustom affected.

Disruption will continue until 16:30.

Burton Albion captain Jake Buxton signs a new one-year deal with the League One side.

Phil McCann
Cheshire Political Reporter, BBC News

Cheshire East Council's first Labour leader has been elected by councillors today.

Image source, Cheshire East Council

The move comes after the Conservatives lost their majority on the authority in this month's elections.

It's the first time in the authority's 10-year history that the Tories haven't been in charge.

Labour’s Sam Corcoran was supported by a group representing most independent candidates along with the Liberal Democrats.

BBC Shropshire

Shrewsbury's CCTV system won't be switched off despite a funding cut, the council leader has promised.

Peter Nutting said his authority had been forced to reduce the amount it contributes to running costs, because of budget cuts, but he said he'd go to partner agencies like the emergency services to ask for bigger contributions.

Image source, Getty Images

Shropshire Council pays up to £200,000 a year to fund the CCTV cameras in the town, and Mr Nutting said "it will be saved, but we have to change the way it's funded".

Lancashire hold their nerve to beat Division Two promotion rivals Worcestershire by six wickets at Old Trafford.

Coventry Live

Here are three stories that might interest you on the Coventry Live website today:

• Armed officers called to 999 incident, external
• Coventry City could be expelled in seven days, external
• Fears over new off-licence bid, external

BBC Radio Stoke Sport

Stoke City chairman Peter Coates says he has "a very good relationship" with Jack Butland, but when it comes to sorting out the goalkeeper's future this summer he will do "what's in the best interests of the club".

The England international has been linked with moves to a number of Premier League teams following Stoke's failure to get promoted from the Championship.

Image source, Getty Images

Coates also said he thought Butland had "started to come back to form" last season and welcomed his inclusion in the latest England squad.

BBC Weather Watchers

It's been a sunny morning and it even the cows are taking the opportunity to get some shade.

These photos have been taken by BBC Weather Watchers in Sutton Coldfield, Frodesley and Walsall.

Image source, Suttonwalker

Image source, Peter Steggles

Image source, Muffin the Mule

Stuart George
Presenter, BBC Radio Stoke

A health group's denied a consultation over the future of NHS services in Staffordshire is about closing any A&E departments.

Image source, Google

This summer, the Together We’re Better partnership, representing NHS and councils, is holding a 12-week 'public conversation' on the future of local services and how they're used., external

But Ian Syme, from North Staffordshire Healthwatch, has claimed the group's talk of 'simplifying the local urgent and emergency care system' is an excuse for closing an A&E department.

He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that such a move would put more pressure on the other units and the ambulance service.

There are currently three emergency departments in the county, in Stoke-on-Trent, Stafford and Burton-upon-Trent.

Hereford Times

Here are three stories from today's Hereford Times:

• Inquest opens into death of woman in house fire, external
• Celebrations include a fun dog show, external
• Past and present Poets Laureate perform at poetry festival, external

BBC Shropshire

Volunteers restoring an old canal warehouse say they hope it will be generating income before the end of the year.

The Shrewsbury and Newport Canals Trust has been fundraising to bring the Wappenshall junction back into use for more than a decade and were able to buy it after it was put up for sale in 2007.

The warehouse was designed by Thomas Telford and is at the junction of two canals.

It is being converting into a cafe and community space and phase one of the work is expected to cost around £250,000.

Victoria Derbyshire

An assistant headteacher whose lesson programme covering LGBT relationships has been at the centre of protests in Birmingham has told the BBC today he is not encouraging children to be gay.

Andrew Moffat (pictured, above) started the 'No Outsiders' lessons at Parkfield Community School in the city.

Parents - largely of the Muslim faith - have campaigned against the programme, arguing it goes against their religious beliefs.

Today, Mr Moffat told the BBC his books were about teaching pupils "about different families and all families being welcome in school".

The Victoria Derbyshire programme also spoke to Amir Ahmed (pictured, above), who has co-ordinated protests outside seven Birmingham primary schools against the lessons.

He said about Mr Moffat: "He is discriminating against the children's belief, as far as their family background is concerned regarding homosexuality, and he doesn't even consider that."

Division One leaders Somerset overcome Warwickshire's lower-order resistance to beat the Bears by 49 runs at Taunton.

BBC Sport

Warwickshire have lost their county championship match against Somerset by 49 runs at Taunton.

Set 239 to win, they were eventually bowled out for 189 with Sam Hain (pictured below) left stranded on 92 not out.

Image source, Getty Images

Worcestershire are also on the brink, after being bowled out for 154 in their second innings.

At the lunch break Lancashire need another 67 runs to win, with six wickets still in hand.

Birmingham Live

The Birmingham Live website's headlines today include:

• Hammer-wielding thugs brutally attack mum outside primary school, external
• MP says four and five-year-olds 'too young' for LGBT teaching, external
• One dead and four injured in Frankley crash, external

Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust is set to hire 200 more staff and 'better fire proof buildings.'

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Improvements could be made to a park and nature reserve in Coleshill using money contributed by housing developers.

Members of North Warwickshire Borough Council’s planning and development board said they would like a meeting to discuss what to do with Coles End Park, near the River Cole.

Image source, Google

Committee chairman, councillor Mark Simpson, said: “I think as an authority that we need to do more in Cole End Park because it’s not as attractive as it could be."

A village primary school has been given permission to close for a year and send its 38 pupils to two other schools.

The federation which runs Stiperstones Primary School in Shropshire says it is facing funding problems because there are no new children expected to join in September 2020. It hopes to re-open for the following school year.

Image source, Google

Shropshire Council's cabinet approved the proposal put forward by the Shropshire Hills Federation and council leader Peter Nutting said "This is a good example of how to manage small rural schools. You are making it work for your own benefit."

An appeal to find a stem cell donor for a seven-year-old with a rare and life-threatening immune system disorder has now tested more than 1,200 people.

But the parents of Finley Hill from Belbroughton say they want more and have hundreds more signed up online, saying they're willing to be tested.

Image source, Paul and Jo Hill

Finley has been diagnosed with Haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, external, or Familial HLH, where mutations affect the ability of white blood cells to clear infections.

He is kept stable with steroids and immuno-suppressants, but the only cure is chemotherapy and a transplant.

Mary Webb Nicholson died while transporting an RAF plane in Worcestershire 76 years ago.