Stage six of the Tour of Britain has officially started in Pershore.

Tristan Robbins riding for SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling is the first to tackle the 14.4km route.

BBC Sport

Daryl Mitchell has hit a century for Worcestershire as they look to set a target for Glamorgan at New Road.

At lunch on day three they've pushed the lead up to 274 with four wickets remaining and Mitchell is 112 not out.

Image source, Getty Images

At Edgbaston, Essex are 120-2 at lunch, responding to Warwickshire's 517 all out.

Nick Clitheroe
BBC Midlands Today

British rider Mark Cavendish is proving a big pull in Pershore at the start of the Tour of Britain.

The 32-year-old rider is set to start his time trial at 13:15.

BBC Radio Shropshire Sport

Shrewsbury Town Chairman Brian Caldwell has said some of the money being spent by their League One rivals is "quite incredible" and added: "I don't know how clubs do it."

He also told fans: "We've got one of the best finances in the English Football League, so we're not going to suddenly blow that and put the club into any financial difficulty."

Last month another League One club, Bury, were expelled from the Football League because of their financial difficulties and Bolton Wanderers were only saved by a last-minute takeover deal.

Caldwell said: "We always try and live within our means as much as possible."

The passenger of a car had to be cut free after it came off the road and plunged into a ditch in Worcestershire.

Image source, Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service

Emergency services were called to Pudleston Road, Stoke Prior, shortly after 23:00 on Wednesday, said the fire service.

The man was taken to hospital suffering serious injuries, West Midlands Ambulance Service said.

A 51-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of drink driving.

A man and a 13-year-old boy have been arrested in connection with a stabbing in the Norton area of Stoke-on-Trent on Tuesday.

Image source, Staffordshire Police

A 19-year-old man is still in hospital, recovering from stab wounds after the attack on Mallorie Road and his condition is now described as stable.

The 33-year-old man and the boy remain in police custody while inquiries continue.

The airline is scaling down its operations on the island and handing over full control to Stobart Air.

BBC Weather Watchers

The evenings are getting darker, it's a little bit colder and the central heating is coming on, but it's still fine outside and the BBC Weather Watchers have been out and about again.

These photos feature Condover, Hereford and Penkridge.

Image source, Peter Steggles

Image source, Step Counter

Image source, WolgarstonSci

The chair of the Midlands Connect group has appealed to the prime minister to back its bid for £3.6bn to improve the region's rail network.

It set out plans in June which included more passenger trains and improvements to a number of stations and asked for £25m to create an outline business case.

It said up to 60 towns and cities could benefit from improved services, including Birmingham, Coventry, Stoke-on-Trent, Crewe, Shrewsbury, Worcester and Wolverhampton.

Sir John Peace said his message to Boris Johnson was: "It’s time you made a long-overdue commitment to the future of our rail network. Ten million Midlanders are counting on you; invest in their futures, turn our vision into reality, back Midlands Engine Rail.”

Coventry Live

Some of the Coventry Live headlines today include:

• Dad's £100 bill for dropping nurse daughter off to work at Coventry's UHCW, external
• Woman left seriously injured after car collides with lamppost, external
• Plea to raise money for family made homeless overnight after house collapse, external

During yesterday's coverage, Highways England said many drivers had ignored red X signs above lanes on the motorway, contributing to congestion.

It prompted a couple of readers to email us to ask what happens if cars use closed lanes on smart motorways.

Lulzim Pjetri said he often saw vehicles using closed lanes, prompting other drivers "to do the same and only make things worse".

Highways England told us this morning the closures were often used to protect drivers in difficulty, or when road workers and emergency services need access.

"It is already illegal to drive in a lane closed by a red X sign and offenders could receive a fixed penalty of up to £100 and three points, and in some cases more severe penalties or a court appearance," Highways England said.

The organisation added that it was awaiting approval from the Home Office for upgrades to cameras on the smart motorway network.

Once completed, the new technology is expected to make it easier to enforce the law.

The lane closures on the M6 around the scene of yesterday's crash near Cannock are expected to remain for the next few days.

The concrete barrier was badly damaged when a lorry hit the central barrier, overturned and caught fire at about 00:30 on Wednesday.

Image source, Highways England

The closure caused major congestion, not just on the M6, but also surrounding routes including those through Penkridge and Gailey.

Some drivers told us they had been in queues for more than seven hours.

Today, three out of four lanes in each direction are open J12-J13 after Highways England replaced the main barrier last night.

However, the concrete still needs to cure for safety reasons, the organisation says, and temporary barriers will remain in place until then.

Kyrone Vaghji, 10, was pronounced dead in hospital after being found in Birmingham in August.

BBC Shropshire

A memorial for the victims of the baby ashes scandal in Shrewsbury is set to be installed at Longden road cemetery, instead of the Quarry park.

Shropshire Council agreed to fund a memorial and Shrewsbury Town council agreed for it to be in the Quarry's Dingle gardens.

But despite Shropshire Council and the majority of parents liking the design, there was a change of plan and campaigners have claimed the town council objected to the inclusion of a baby in the memorial design.

The clerk of Shrewsbury Town Council, Helen Ball, told BBC Radio Shropshire the memorial "wasn't in keeping with the municipal park and there was concern about the design in the setting of the Dingle".

In a statement, the council said " We've been having ongoing discussions and as far as we're concerned there was a good solution for everybody."

BBC Radio Stoke Sport

The Stoke City chairman Peter Coates says manager Nathan Jones will "be given time and support and encouragement" after a difficult start to the season.

They've picked up just one point from their first six Championship games and Coates added: "He's the most disappointed man of all, but he'll come through it."

Image source, Getty Images

Coates also said they'd done a lot of research before choosing Jones and he doesn't want Stoke to be a club which frequently switches managers.

He also raised the example of managers such as Sir Alex Fergusson who found success after being given time by their clubs.

The West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner has said civil disobedience resulting from a no-deal Brexit is likely to stretch police resources in the region.

Image source, PA Media

The government was forced by MPs to disclose a document revealing there could be protests, delays at ports and food and medicine shortages.

The government says Operation Yellowhammer represents a worst case scenario, mainly based on the assumptions of Theresa May's administration.

Labour PCC David Jamieson told BBC WM the force may be called upon to provide mutual aid to other police forces across the country.

"It may take police away from their duties here in the West Midlands," he added.

A motorcyclist has been injured after his bike was involved in a collision with a lorry in Stoke-on-Trent.

The 17-year-old was hurt on King Street in Fenton, close to the junction of China Street at about 07:40.

He was treated for a leg injury before being taken to hospital, said the ambulance service.

The road is still partially blocked, said Staffordshire Police, with motorists being asked to find an alternative route.

Photographer Kate Green says she witnessed "immeasurable hardship" at a refugee camp in Jordan.

Express and Star

From the Express and Star:

• Wolverhampton could get 32 more trains a day under £3.5bn rail plan, external
• Campaign launched against greenbelt homes plan, external
• Appeal after Round Oak Steelworks minister's asbestos death, external

A Shropshire councillor says there were concerns about the safety of the road into Dorrington, before two schoolgirls were hit by a bus there, yesterday afternoon.

The two children were taken to hospital, but West Mercia Police said their injuries weren't thought to be life-threatening and they're now recovering at home.

Image source, Google

A pelican crossing was also damaged in the collision and councillor Dan Morris said: "People are concerned about drivers' speed, driver behaviour, the shape and speed of the road itself."

He also said the speed limit drops abruptly from 60mph to 30mph on the way into Dorrington.