Allen Cook
BBC News

A businessman who's been jailed for having an illegal stun gun had an arsenal of weaponry in his "highly fortified" mansion home, a court's heard.

Image source, National Crime Agency

Thomas Kavanagh, 51, of Sutton Road, Mile Oak, Tamworth, was given a three-year prison sentence today after being convicted of possessing a device specifically designed to have the appearance of a torch.

The judge, Paul Glenn, told Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court it took police longer than usual to get inside his home as it was so well fortified, including with "reinforced bulletproof glass".

Image source, National Crime Agency

When they got in, they found other weapons including a samurai sword, nunchucks, machetes and an extendable baton, which the judge added were legally possessed in the home.

It also emerged in court Kavanagh was given an Osman warning by police last year, that there was intelligence of a real and immediate risk to his life.

BBC News Health

More pharmacies in England will start offering people free, on-the-spot heart check-ups from next month.

Shoppers would have their blood pressure and cholesterol tested.

Select pharmacies, including in Dudley, have already been offering these types of checks as part of a pilot scheme and say it works.

Image source, Getty Images

The programme, which could expand to every pharmacy in England, should prevent up to 150,000 heart attacks and strokes within a decade, say experts.

It is part of the government's plan to do more in the community and ease strain on stretched hospitals and GP surgeries.

BBC News Travel

Two roads have been shut after serious crashes, police have said.

The A44 Bromyard Road's closed at Whitbourne,, external between Bromyard and Worcester (see below).

Image source, West Mercia Police

West Mercia Police also said Castle Farm Way's shut in both directions in Telford, at the junction with Collett Way, Priorslee., external

We'll bring you more when we have it.

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

A yellow powder has been thrown in a man's face as he lent into a car, police say.

It happened on West Street, Crewe, on Friday evening and Cheshire Police cordoned off the street.

After being checked over by firefighters and paramedics, officers said the mystery substance wasn't harmful and the man was uninjured.

Katie Nolan says staff at Clarks noticed her lanyard which signalled Jayden's hidden disability.

Stoke-on-Trent Live

The Stoke-on-Trent Live headlines this morning include:

• Family-of-six scraps holiday after coach gets to airport almost two hours late, external
• Daughter pays tribute to 'bubbly' mum who lost battle with breast cancer, external
• 'Outdated' town centre CCTV to receive £80k upgrade, external

David Haywood
BBC Radio Stoke

A businessman's been jailed for three years for having a "10,000-volt" stun gun disguised as a torch.

It was found in the Tamworth home of Thomas Kavanagh following his arrest at Birmingham Airport in connection to a firearms and drugs investigation, Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard.

The 51-year-old had admitted possessing the item, but denied it was deliberately designed to look like a flashlight.

He was found guilty under Section 5 of the Firearms Act in July and today sentenced at the court.

Two men have died after their motorbike was involved in a crash with a tractor near Hereford., external

Image source, Google

The collision happened yesterday evening on the A465, not far from Allensmore, the ambulance service said.

Paramedics said the pair had come off the bike and were confirmed dead at the scene.

Figures suggest more people are visiting Birmingham because of the BBC show Peaky Blinders.

A man arrested after a 29-year-old was killed in a suspected hit-and-run crash has been released on bail, police say.

Image source, West Midlands Police

Rajesh Chand was pronounced dead after being found with serious head injuries on Soho Road in Handsworth, Birmingham, early on Saturday.

West Midlands Police said he was struck by a car which failed to stop.

The force said a 30-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

An English expert on Christian-Muslim relations has been named a Catholic cardinal by Pope Francis.

Image source, AFP

Retired Archbishop Michael Fitzgerald, originally from Walsall, is one of 13 who will receive a cardinal's red hat next month.

Pope Francis made the surprise announcement during his weekly Angelus, and said they would be appointed on 5 October.

He said the origin of the cardinals from countries including Cuba, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Morocco "expresses the missionary vocation of the Church".

A West Midlands college has cautiously welcomed the announcement of additional funding for further education in England, as part of the chancellor's spending review, but warned investment needed to be long term.

Image source, Reuters

Writing in the Guardian, external, Sajid Javid said £400m - for the year 2020 to 2021 - would support the introduction of the new T-level qualifications.

It comes after the government announced billions of pounds in extra funding for England's schools.

Lowell Williams, chief executive of Dudley College, told the BBC: "If it's just a one-off then, while it's most welcome, it won't have the impact that we need."

Birmingham Live

Some of Birmingham Live's headlines include:

• Screams heard following Stourbridge chemical attack, external
• Travel delay warnings as a dozen buses re-routed around Broad Street, external
• Shortage of NHS staff means cancer patients diagnosed 'too late to save them', external

Free agent Bernard Sun joins Birmingham City on a two-year deal following his departure from Spanish side Estudiantes de Murcia.

A nine-year-old girl who had both legs amputated is to model at the top of the Eiffel Tower during Paris Fashion Week.

It comes after it was announced Daisy-May Demetre would be the first double amputee child to walk in an official New York Fashion Week show.

Daisy from Birmingham was born with fibular hemimelia, external, where part or all of the fibula bone in the leg is missing - that led to her legs being amputated when she was a baby.

Eni Hegedus-Buiron, founder of Lulu et Gigi, for which Daisy is modelling, said: "Daisy is a child who loves what she does."

The show will take place at the top of the Eiffel Tower on 27 September.

CCTV images have been released of men police would like to speak to in connection with a theft in Coventry.

Image source, West Midlands Police

A man was assaulted on Rochester Road, Coventry before his phone was stolen.

The attack happened just before 01:00 on 22 July, said West Midlands Police.

Officers are continuing to investigate after two men suffered serious burns after a substance was thrown at them.

Image source, Black Country Radio

West Midlands Police said the potentially hazardous substance was thrown just before 10:30 on Sunday while the men were sitting in a van on Wollaston Road in Stourbridge.

The road was closed following a minor crash following the attack, police added.

Officers have appealed for anyone with information to come forward.

The Wolves head coach says the club's lack of a Premier League win so far can't be put down to the additional workload of their Europa League commitments.

They were beaten 3-2 by Everton at Goodison Park yesterday, and have just three points from the first four League fixtures.

"The fight was there," said manager Nuno Espirito Santo. "It has nothing to do [with the schedule]. The Premier League is tough, it is just football.

"It's been a tough schedule against very tough teams and we know the next one [against Chelsea] will be tough. The assessment is good [after four games] because the players have given everything they have and we want to grow in the competition."

The trust has written to 349 patients and 129 staff but says the risk of developing TB is low.

Coventry Live

Some of the Coventry Live headlines today include:

• Council branded hypocritical for takeaway approval near school, external
• Body found in woodland in Coventry, external
• Walk held in Coventry to mark anniversary of Fidel Glasgow stabbing, external