Local Democracy Reporting Service
Gurdip Thandi

A special school which was put in special measures after being rated inadequate is starting to improve, inspectors have said.

Image source, Google

In November, Ofsted said safeguarding of pupils at the Jane Lane School in Walsall was ineffective and the quality of teaching was declining. , external

Then in February, parents were told it was temporarily closing due to staff sickness, leading to protests over the lack of communication and uncertainty.

Walsall Council removed the leadership of the school and installed an interim executive board to take over, leading to children returning to the classroom.

In its latest inspection, Ofsted, external said the new team was "beginning to make a difference" for pupils, but it still had concerns over 16 members of staff being on long-term absence.

Part of the wall around Shrewsbury's former jail is being removed to allow the site to be cleared.

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Kerry Ashdown

Charities could have to get a council licence and guarantee 70% of what they earn goes to the cause under new proposals aimed at stopping bogus collections.

Image source, PA

The Charitable Collections Policy, external is being planned by Cannock Chase District Council to regulate house-to-house calls in the area.

If agreed, organisations wanting to collect door to door would have to get a licence, with local charities given priority.

The plans would also see charities limited to a maximum of six collections each year.

The proposals are now going out to public consultation.

BBC Sport

Wayne Parnell took five wickets as Worcestershire bowled out Lancashire for 201 on day two of their county championship match at Old Trafford.

That gives the home side a lead of 29 at the lunch interval.

Charlie Morris took another four wickets for Worcestershire, with the other going to captain Joe Leach.

Image source, Getty Images

At the lunch break in Taunton, Somerset have been reduced to 75-5 by Warwickshire - giving them a lead of 149 runs with five wickets remaining.

Liam Norwell has taken four of those wickets.

'Sarah' was raped by former Worcestershire player Alex Hepburn while she was asleep.

Post mortem examinations into the deaths of a man and woman whose bodies were found at a house in Hednesford last week have proved inconclusive, police say.

The Staffordshire force said the pair were Jacqueline Matthews, aged 49, and 27-year-old Jordan Regan.

Officers say they aren't looking for anyone in connection with their deaths.

Image source, Staffordshire Police

They were found at a property on Hill Street on 16 May and the force is treating the deaths as "unexplained".

Shropshire Star

From the Shropshire Star today:

• Hospitals to see £32 million investment, external
• Cordon lifted after gas leak evacuation, external
• Milestone Chelsea gold for David Austin Roses, external

The three contracts date from Banks's time at Leicester and Stoke, either side of his World Cup win.

Hazel Morgan
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke

There have been four suspected arson attacks in four days on the same street.

They happened on Electricity Street, Crewe, between 9 and 12 May, with Cheshire Fire Service suspecting they were all started deliberately.

Image source, Google

Fire broke out in or near the derelict Electricity Works , externaland people living nearby have called for the building to be properly secured.

The fire service says it's had the perimeter to the site locked.

BBC Radio Stoke has tried to contact the landowner but they have yet to come back with a response.

John Bray
BBC News

A statue made in honour of three pioneering black footballers has been unveiled this morning in the heart of the town where they played together.

Brendon Batson, Laurie Cunningham and Cyrille Regis all starred for West Bromwich Albion in the 1970s.

This morning, hundreds of fans, along with former teammates and family members, turned out to the unveiling by Batson, the surviving member of the breakthrough trio.

The statue is on display at New Square shopping centre, West Bromwich.

Vicky Norton
BBC Radio Stoke

A man's been attacked outside a pub in Stoke-on-Trent this morning.

Staffordshire Police said he was assaulted at about 04:40 at the Market Tavern on Percy Street, Hanley.

He was taken to hospital with a head injury.

BBC Weather Watchers

If you hadn't noticed, there's been a lot of blue sky around the West Midlands this morning and our local BBC Weather Watchers have been snapping photos of it.

These three are from users SPJ in Gnosall, Staffordshire; David 007 in Kinver, Staffordshire; and OnTheCut in Warwick:

Image source, SPJ

Image source, David 007

Image source, OnTheCut

Jack Kenney, aged in his 80s, lost his wife of 67 years, home and possessions in the Hereford blaze.

Birmingham Live

From Birmingham Live:

• Police launch investigation after disorder outside primary school, external
• Burglars storm bedroom and demand BMW keys, external
• Midnight ram-raiders target Nationwide branch but fail to steal ATM, external

Allen Cook
BBC News

The speed limit at an accident hot spot in Staffordshire could be halved under new plans.

Image source, Google

The county council said the Freehay crossroads, near Cheadle,often saw crashes due to drivers failing to stop in time. , external

The proposals would see the speed limits on all approaches cut from 60mph to 30mph, with a 40mph "buffer zone" on Hollington Road.

The consultation's running until 29 May., external

John Askey is to remain as manager of Port Vale after signing a three-year contract with the League Two club.

The hospitals in Shrewsbury and Telford have found £32m to spend on recruiting staff, improvements to buildings and new equipment.

The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust (SaTH) says the money has come from a combination of cutting waste, smarter spending and an increase in funding.

Earlier this month, a health watchdog said "further urgent action" had been taken against SaTH, which was already in special measures amid safety concerns over emergency and maternity services. The Care Quality Commission said it would be sharing details of its latest findings in a report.

SaTH says £15m of the £32m will be spent on 200 doctors, nurses and other clinical staff, along with £7m on improvements in radiology, including a new CT scanner.

The money is also set to be spent on new wards, maintaining existing buildings, and improving IT systems, according to the trust which runs Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and Telford's The Princess Royal.

Lee Blakeman
Port Vale commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

Port Vale manager John Askey has signed a three-year deal with the club., external

Image source, Reuters

He took over the role in February on a short-term deal after Neil Aspin stood down from the job.

Earlier this month, the League Two club was sold to local IT firm owners Carol and Kevin Shanahan by Norman Smurthwaite.

Allen Cook
BBC News

Dozens of arrests have been made by Staffordshire Police and West Mercia Police, external as part of a national campaign in the past week targeting so-called county lines drugs gangs.

The practice sees gangs moving out of their usual urban territory and into rural areas, often coercing children and vulnerable adults to help.

Nationally, police forces led by the National County Lines Coordination Centre made a total of 586 arrests, and seized cocaine worth £176,780, plus £312,649 in cash and 46 weapons.

Both Staffordshire Police and West Mercia Police said in addition to their arrests, they visited several "cuckoo" addresses, where drug runners commandeer homes to use as a base., external

They said that 13 people in need of support were helped after their visits.

Some people have been allowed back to their homes in Bridgnorth this morning after a gas leak was reported on the High Street yesterday.

Residents had to be housed by Bridgnorth Town Council overnight, but a cordon which was set up has been reduced, with gas engineers said to have isolated the leak.

About 10 residents who live in a block of flats are still waiting to return home.