The northbound carriageway on the M6 will be closed for roadworks between junctions two for Coventry and four for Birmingham.

The M5 southbound carriageway will also be closed between junctions one for West Bromwich and two for Birmingham and Dudley.

Both roads are expected to be open again by 06:00 on Thursday.

Somerset hold their nerve to beat Warwickshire at Edgbaston and keep themselves in the hunt for a first County Championship title.

Lichfield Cathedral says thousands of visitors have already come to see the lunar landscape being projecting on to the floor of the nave., external

It's the work of artist-in-residence Peter Walker and opened on 20 July, to mark the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing.

It's going to remain there until 25 September and the cathedral said it "allows us to contemplate and observe one of the most significant journeys that humanity has taken and allows us to imagine possibilities for humankind".

Facebook

Earlier today we broke the news that the government is launching a review of high-speed rail link HS2 - with a "go or no-go" decision expected by the end of the year.

A lot of you have been getting in touch via Facebook to let us know what you think.

Maxine Denton wrote: "Already millions wasted on this and for what? They should bring the existing stations and lines up to date instead of wasting more money on this. Birmingham already has 3 stations and doesn't need another one." - Maxine Denton

Col Cadden said: "Definitely needs to be scrapped, would only be of any use to the wealthy. Invest the money in the currently problematic infrastructure that cannot meet demand."

Steve Roberts wrote: "How can they spend billions on London and Manchester but when it comes to Birmingham it’s a waste of money. It has to go ahead to help Birmingham catch up with the northern cities."

BBC Radio Stoke Sport

Midfielder Nick Powell is expected to make a return for Stoke City tonight and the manager Nathan Jones has said he "adds something that we haven't got".

Powell has missed their last three matches due to injury.

Image source, Getty Images

Stoke are looking for their first win of the Championship season against Preston, to lift them off the bottom of the league table and Jones has also thanked the fans for their patience, saying they've been "excellent at home".

BBC Shropshire

A collection of doorknobs have been attached to trees in the Mortimer Forest, near Ludlow, to conjure up thoughts of fairies and other childhood stories.

Local arts group Storymine set the project up to mark the 100th anniversary of the Forestry Commission and Forestry England spokesperson Sara Pearce (below, left) said: "I love the way that it leads you off the path and into the woods a bit more."

Artist Emma Summers, from Storymine, said "We're interested in the whole idea of fairy tale, this whole idea of portals."

"Its about discovery and engaging in the forest in a slightly different way to normal."

A rare Royal Doulton prototype figurine is being sold at an auction in Staffordshire next month.

Auctioneers Cuttlestones said the Alice in Wonderland figure, created in the early 20th Century and wearing clothing from that period, never entered production.

Image source, Cuttlestones

While it is listed with a guide price of £300-£500, auctioneer, Dave Eglington said: "We’ve only been able to track down one similar prototype, which sold for £1,700 a couple of years ago. While this one carries a conservative estimate, there’s every chance it could surpass this."

Malcolm Turner died in the fire at his flat as a second suspicious fire was also reported to police.

BBC Hereford and Worcester

Worcestershire County Cricket Club have confirmed New Zealand international batsman Hamish Rutherford is to return to New Road for the remainder of the season.

Rutherford is due to fly in tomorrow in time for Friday's T20 Blast match against Birmingham Bears at Edgbaston.

Image source, Getty Images

He replaces Australian batsman Callum Ferguson who has had to return home for personal reasons.

A 24-year-old man accused of attacking a vulnerable man in his 50s at a bus stop in Birmingham has appeared in court.

Tayub Zaman, of Cherrywood Road in Bordesley Green, appeared before Birmingham Magistrates' Court charged with assault with intent to rob, possession of an offensive weapon and driving offences.

He was remanded in custody and is next due to appear at the city's crown court on 18 September.

Police have confirmed they are treating a fatal house fire in Coventry on Tuesday as arson.

Malcolm Turner, 69, was confirmed dead at the scene on Jenner Street, Foleshill, after the fire broke out at about 04:25.

Image source, West Midlands Police

West Midlands Police said the blaze started when a mobility scooter caught fire outside the apartment block and are investigating the possibility it was deliberately set alight.

Detectives are also investigating the possibility the fire is linked to a second, nearby on Foleshill Road, which broke out 20 minutes later. Nobody was injured in the second fire, which is also being treated as arson.

A post-mortem examination is due to be carried out on Thursday to establish how Mr Turner died.

Business leaders in Birmingham say they "cannot overstate the impact HS2 has already had on investor confidence" in the region.

Image source, WSP

"Today’s announcement... has not come as a surprise," chair of the Greater Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, Paul Faulkner, said.

"I’m just hopeful the findings of the review will reiterate what we already know in Greater Birmingham – notably that is a game changing project which will unlock prosperity in our region and beyond for decades to come."

He urged politicians not to make "short sighted statements" regarding HS2, adding: "This stop-start approach will simply derail much needed local investment plans."

People across the UK flood police with gifts and kind acts in the wake of PC Andrew Harper's death.

A pet shop in Wolverhampton is appealing to thieves to return a tortoise stolen from the store.

Image source, Hugglepets

Hugglepets, on Cooper Street, said the tortoise was stolen on Tuesday afternoon and it had "clear CCTV" of the suspects and their car.

Posting on Facebook, the pet shop said it would pass the information it had to police if those responsible did not return the animal by 09:00 tomorrow.

"This tortoise requires specific diet and living conditions to remain healthy and without this our tortoise’s health could deteriorate quickly," shop keepers said.

Hereford Times

Here are three headlines from the Hereford Times today:

• Road with 30-foot crack to stay shut until next month, external
• Gogglebox star spotted in Hereford café, external
• New mum kept drugs she found in alleyway, external

Worcestershire re-sign New Zealand's Hamish Rutherford as Callum Ferguson will miss their final three Championship games.

Drag queens set to feature in the first series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK have been announced - and there's a Brummie on the list.

"I am a Chinese male who's overweight and losing his hair," said 30-year-old Sum Ting Wong.

"When I started doing drag five years ago, I wanted a name that was cheeky but also reflected my British Vietnamese heritage."

She'll go head to head with nine other queens in the first UK series of the American phenomenon which is due to air on BBC Three in October.

BBC Radio Stoke

A 10-year conservation plan for Cannock Chase, costing £2m, has been agreed by Staffordshire County Council.

It plans to work with Natural England on the project and says it will look to control heather and shrub areas to help the regrowth of wetlands and wood pasture habitats.

Image source, Google

Local Democracy Reporting Service
David Irwin

Almost 800 people have signed a petition calling for a 100-mile bike ride around the West Midlands region to be scrapped.

Thousands of cyclists took part in the Vélo Birmingham and Midlands in May this year, which took in Birmingham, Coventry, Warwickshire and the Black Country.

Image source, VÉLO BIRMINGHAM & MIDLANDS

But it has also attracted criticism.

Meriden resident, Lewis Edwards, started the petition, claiming the event caused “stress, anxiety and inconvenience” for residents and the benefits to the economy do not justify the disruption.

Organisers said a "great deal" of time and effort was invested to minimise the impact on local residents and they "strongly believe the event delivers a significant net benefit to the region in terms of profile, economic impact, health and well-being, the environment and charity fundraising".

"HS2 must go ahead in full - scrapping it or de-scoping it would be a disaster for the Midlands," according to Midlands Connect, which researches transport projects in the region.

Image source, Alstom

Its director, Maria Machancoses, said that while she welcomed a review to scrutinise the costs and benefits of the project, "we must not lose sight of the fact that HS2 will transform our transport network for the next century".

She said Midlands Connect will be submitting evidence to the review, announced today by the government, in favour of HS2 "for the whole Midlands".

"It's vital that the East Midlands isn't ignored in this process either," she said.

"The Midlands needs HS2 to be built in full to rebalance the economy and unite the country."