BBC Midlands Today

A police dog honoured today with a bravery award has got "just what he deserves", his handler's said.

Bacca was presented this morning with UK veterinary charity the PDSA's Gold Medal at a ceremony in Birmingham.

The honour came after the dog suffered serious head wounds in an attack in Bromyard, Herefordshire, last June but he still managed to defend his handler, PC Mike Davey.

PC Davey said his life was saved by Bacca and he was "immensely proud" at the award.

PC Mike Davey said dog Bacca saved his life on the night they were attacked by a knifeman.

BBC Weather Watchers

There have still been some bright, blue skies around this morning in the West Midlands, even if the temperatures have dropped a little bit compared with yesterday.

These three photos are from BBC Weather Watchers Carol in Tettenhall, Wolverhampton, KarenJ in Kings Norton, Birmingham and Dawn Treader in Congleton, Cheshire:

Image source, Carol

Image source, KarenJ

Image source, Dawn Treader

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Carl Jackson

The University of Birmingham has revealed plans to build accommodation for almost 500 students - six months after a previous proposal was rejected.

Image source, University of Birmingham

The updated scheme once again targets two plots in the Pritchatts Village area off Pritchatts Road, including a surface-level car park.

It is a slightly scaled down application from the one turned down by Birmingham City Council’s planning committee in January, over concerns it would be out of character with the area and cause too much traffic congestion.

The university has stated it wants to provide more "mid range cost" housing, saying it is struggling to meet current demand for accommodation which is putting pressure on the market for shared houses nearby.

Worcester News

A few of the stories making the headlines on the Worcester News website:

• Customers call for online booking system after waiting hours at lido in 30C heat, external
• Councillor praises police for 'decisive action' against boy racer issue, external
• Drama as police arrest man and neighbours step in, external

Allen Cook
BBC News

An explosion and fire which spread across four boats at a marina and left three people hurt is not thought to be suspicious.

A woman was airlifted to hospital and two others treated for injuries after the blaze yesterday afternoon at Upton Marina in Upton upon Severn, Worcestershire.

Hereford and Worcester Fire Service says it'll take until next week to find out the exact cause, but it's not treating it as arson.

Image source, Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service

BBC Hereford and Worcester

A new maternity bereavement suite has been created at Hereford County Hospital and it will be officially opened today.

Until now, parents whose babies are still-born or have experienced a miscarriage or a termination have had to be treated alongside couples celebrating the birth of their children.

The Born Sleeping Appeal raised more than a £100,000 to fund this en-suite family room and counselling space.

It's also aiming to pay for a specialist bereavement midwife.

The former Aston Villa defender Paul McGrath has asked for help to try and find his missing son.

The former Ireland international issued the appeal on Twitter, saying police have been informed.

Water company Severn Trent has promised it will not bring in a hosepipe ban this year, , externaldespite rising demand during this week's heatwave.

The UK recorded its second hottest day ever yesterday, with temperatures reaching 38.1C (100.6F).

But the firm, which supplies much of the West Midlands, said its reservoirs were 87% full, compared with 71% at the same time last year.

During yesterday's hot weather, people used more than two billion litres of water from Severn Trent.

BBC News Travel

Trains between Crewe and Liverpool are being disrupted today as a signalling fault's blocked all the lines.

London Northwestern Railway says replacement buses are being requested as services could be cancelled., external

Stoke-on-Trent Live

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

• Cordons remain in place following disturbance that left five injured, external
• Armed vigilantes are recruiting members in this crime-ridden Staffordshire town, external
• Council kicks 27 fraudulent tenants out of Stoke-on-Trent homes, external

Parts of the West Midlands could be affected by heavy rain leading to difficult driving conditions over the weekend, the Met Office is warning.

An area of rain is expected to move across parts of the country on Saturday and Sunday.

Some places within the warning area may see very little, with others seeing several hours of heavy rain.

Recruiting extra officers is a "challenge" but "very possible", West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson has said.

Speaking yesterday, new Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the recruitment of 20,000 new police officers in England and Wales would begin within weeks.

The College of Policing welcomed the pledge but warned of "logistical challenges", partly because of a possible lack of instructors to run the training.

"It's a tough target," Mr Jamieson said, "but if you give us the money we'll get on with the job of cracking down on crime, and we'll turn the clock back to where we were previously."

"We need that funding guaranteed for the next five to seven years so we can properly plan ahead to tackle tough violent crime issues."

The West Midlands force started a campaign to recruit 200 extra officers earlier this week.

At the time, it said it would have more than 6,500 officers by 2020 - although that will still be 1,800 fewer than a decade ago.

Staffing issues have forced a minor injury unit to close today in Herefordshire:

Allen Cook
BBC News

A large barn fire took firefighters several hours to put out , externalwith water having to be pumped from a local canal.

Image source, Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service

Crews were called out early yesterday to Hindford, near Ellesmere, Shropshire and found about 80 tonnes of burning hay.

Shropshire Fire Service said they had to remove most of the hay from the barn until enough remained so it could be left as a controlled burn at 20:30.

Image source, Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service

The Department for Education wanted protests out of the media, a school's chief executive says.

One man has been critically injured after disorder broke out in Stoke-on-Trent city centre.

Three people have been taken to hospital, two of them initially in a critical condition, after it's suspected they took drugs, police say.

Image source, Google

The men aged between 20 and 23 were discovered at a flat in Leamington Spa, after a call raising concern for their welfare in the early hours of Thursday.

All three have since been released from hospital.

Items recovered from the Regent Street property are being tested, said Warwickshire Police.

Birmingham Live

Some of the Birmingham Live headlines today are:

• Ex-Aston Villa star Paul McGrath appeals for help to trace son, external
• Knife-wielding gang assault three people in King George VI park, external
• Armed vigilantes 'recruiting members in crime-ridden Midlands town', external

Police have confirmed a lorry driver from Carlisle was killed in a crash on the M6 in Staffordshire.

The driver, who was 49, died at the scene near Stoke on Monday.