Mark Regan
BBC WM Sport

Aston Villa have released three players as they make changes to their squad after gaining promotion to the Premier League.

Image source, Getty Images

Defenders Alan Hutton and Tommy Elphick along with winger Albert Adomah have all been let go by manager Dean Smith, as he talks to players whose contracts expire at the end of July.

All three are well thought of by Villa fans for their contributions to the club but are on the wrong side of 30 and Smith wants to bring down the average age of his squad.

BBC WM

Detectives are trying to trace two cars after shots were fired in Birmingham earlier this week.

Image source, Google

West Midlands Police said it believed at least two shots were fired from one of the vehicles on Roshven Road, Balsall Heath. , external

They then drove off, hitting several stationary cars.

Adam Crookes signs a permanent deal at Vale Park after being released by Nottingham Forest

Allen Cook
BBC News

A woman whose body was found at property in Stoke-on-Trent has been named by police., external

Natasha Stewart was pronounced dead at the scene after the discovery on Watkin Street, Fenton, on 23 May.

Staffordshire Police says further tests are needed to work out how the 31-year-old died as a post-mortem exam proved inconclusive.

Image source, Staffordshire Police

Four people have been arrested since her death, including a 30-year-old woman on suspicion of administering a noxious substance.

The other three, two men and a woman, were all arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of drugs.

All four have been released under investigation.

Stoke's Jack Butland needs to move if he wants to be England number one, says the club's former goalkeeper Steve Simonsen.

Two men have been arrested after a series of car fires in Worcester this morning.

West Mercia Police said it was called to Lowell Street, Landsdowne Crescent and Liverpool Road and it believes all four fires were started deliberately.

Nobody was hurt and the two men are being held for questioning, on suspicion of arson.

Shrewsbury's former prison is being put up for sale again.

The jail, known as The Dana, closed in 2013 and was bought by property developer Trevor Osborne the following year.

He has outline planning permission to build student and luxury flats there and recently started clearing unwanted temporary buildings from the site.

Agents Taylor Shaw Roberts say they anticipate "a high level of interest" for the prison, which dates back to 1877 and describes it as "iconic".

Staffordshire Police says it is investigating events leading up to the crash.

Iain Cunningham has made a film about his mother who died when he was three years old.

A child with a tambourine stuck on her head jingled all the way to firefighters.

Binley fire station in Coventry reported its first job today was to help the girl who'd become entangled in the musical instrument.

The fire service said a crew removed the item from the 18-month-old's head using "small tools" and she was unhurt.

Image source, Getty Images

A West Midlands police officer who was filmed jumping on a trampoline while on duty in Coventry has been "spoken to by his line manager" and "put on a performance improvement plan".

It follows an investigation by the force's professional standards department.

The incident is believed to have happened while the uniformed officer and a colleague were involved in a drug-related investigation.

Lee Blakeman
BBC Radio Stoke

A life-saving defibrillator has had to be removed after it was vandalised for a third time since being installed.

Image source, Biddulph LadsanDads

It was placed at the recreation ground on Halls Road, Biddulph, Staffordshire, by children's football club Biddulph Ladsandads, in memory of a friend of local footballers.

But it's been smashed three times in two years - twice this season - with the latest attack on Tuesday night.

Staffordshire Police said it had advised the defibrillator be taken down for safekeeping.

On Facebook, the group's said , externalit is "utterly disgusted" and it can't afford to replace it so is looking at getting a portable defibrillator for match-days only.

BBC Weather Watchers

Remember the hot sunny weather we had last year?

There's no sign of it at the moment, but the BBC Weather Watchers are still sharing some lovely images from around the West Midlands.

These ones were taken near Barlaston and Leek in Staffordshire

Image source, Jeff

Image source, Mr Twister

The pro-vice chancellor at the University of Worcester wants people to lobby their MPs to prevent a proposed reduction in tuition fees.

Ross Renton said it would reduce the amount that could be spent on pastoral support and "the kind of accommodation that students want".

A government review has said fees should be capped at £7,500 and the repayments should continue for 40 years instead of 30.

Matt Sandoz
Stoke City commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

Former Stoke City goalkeeper Steve Simonsen says it will be hard for Jack Butland to leave the Potters but he may have to, to have a chance at becoming England's first choice goalkeeper.

Image source, Getty Images

Butland has been linked with a move to Premier League side Bournemouth , externaland looks likely to depart this summer with Stoke having failed to regain their top flight status.

Simonsen himself left Stoke in 2010 for Sheffield United after six years with the club.

Birmingham Live

The Birmingham Live website's stories today include:

• Council to stop sending homeless families to B&B with rooms in 'shed', external
• Boy attacked as thug snatches mobile and chain, external
• Inmate jailed for 10 years after breaking governor's jaw in 'abhorrent' prison attack, external

The new leader of Warwick District Council says he'll be reviewing plans for a new headquarters, but won't go at it "like a bull in a china shop".

Conservative Andrew Day took over after his party lost their majority at the authority, and their leader, councillor Andrew Mobbs.

Image source, Warwick District Council

The authority had put the plans for the £50m building on hold until after the elections and Mr Day said "things change and we've got to make sure we address those changes and bring forward the most community benefit".

BBC WM Sport

Warwickshire captain Jeetan Patel's said his side 'came out punching' to secure their first County Championship win of the season.

Image source, Getty Images

Having lost all their Division One games so far, the Bears beat last year's champions Surrey late on yesterday.

Patel took a career-best 8-36 to inspire the victory as the visitors were bowled out for 141 in their second innings.

Worcester News

The Worcester News' headlines today include:

• Teen crash highlights need for bridge that's 'fit for purpose' says councillor, external
• 'It is disheartening' says woman after seeing litter dumped in Worcester park, external
• 'The bands are not happy' council under fire after events are cancelled, external

BBC Shropshire

The number of A & E nurses in hospitals in Shropshire is set to nearly double.

The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust's agreed to increase amount of full-time nurses from 78 to 149. , external

The action was recommended to the trust's board to address significant problems in its emergency departments.

Last year, watchdog the Care Quality Commission inspected them and rated A&E care as 'inadequate', telling the trust to take urgent action.

The trust's said it'll need an extra £1.4m to pay for the increase in nurses in 2019-20, followed by another £1m the year after, although the budget would then drop by £0.3m in the third year.