Coventry Live

Some of the Coventry Live headlines today are:

• Baseball bat gang leave man with head injuries after street attack, external
• Driver targeted by 'victim' who wanted money and a lift - for a sexual favour, external
• Man dies in hospital after altercation outside home, external

Five people, including two children, were taken to hospital last night, after a two-car crash near Gobowen.

Four of those hurt in the collision at 20:30 on the A5 - a man, a woman and two girls - suffered minor injuries, but the other woman's injuries were described as "potentially serious" by West Midlands Ambulance Service.

All five were taken to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and Shropshire firefighters said they had to cut some of the people free from their vehicles.

A man has been charged after two people were stabbed in Smethwick on Wednesday.

A 17-year-old boy and 24-year-old man were taken to hospital with serious stab wounds after the attack whilst they were in a car on Dartmouth Road.

The 22-year-old is charged with two counts of wounding, assault and possession of a bladed article.

He's due at Dudley Magistrates' Court later.

A Worcester school that was closed yesterday because of a suspected gas leak has reopened today, after an inspection found the building was safe and there was no evidence of a leak.

The head teacher, Rachel Hughes, said the decision to close was taken with the safety of staff and pupils, and thanked everyone for keeping calm during the evacuation.

Image source, Google

Pupils were transferred to the nearby Tudor Grange Academy, until parents and guardians were able to pick them up.

A multimillion-pound development in Wolverhampton, including more than 1,000 homes, looks set to go ahead after a key deal was agreed with developers.

The Brewers Yard development near the University of Wolverhampton's Springfield Campus also includes shops and commercial space.

Image source, City of Wolverhampton Council

It is a joint venture between developer Court Collaboration, City of Wolverhampton Council and West Midlands Combined Authority.

The main issues around the sale of the Culwell Street site to developers have now been agreed, subject to council approval and work is due to start next year.

Image source, City of Wolverhampton Council

Birmingham Live

Some of the Birmingham Live headlines this morning include:

• Thug trio who killed innocent teen with 'Rambo' knife, external
• School funding crisis - how much your child is missing out on, external
• Cross City line to close for four days for 'brake testing', external

The Cross City line is set to shut between Barnt Green and Redditch every Sunday in October to allow tests on new ways of braking when there are "leaves on the line", said Network Rail., external

Image source, Network Rail

Compressed leaves on the tracks causes a "Teflon-like" substance which causes train wheels to slip and skid, the organisation said.

Autumn usually leads to a new timetable to take into account delays caused by leaves and in turn often brings negative comments on social media and in the press.

The braking experiments will see targeted jets of sand sprayed directly in front of individual train wheels before they pass over rails which have been made artificially slippery, as if leaves had fallen on them.

BBC Midlands Today

The ending of an alliance between the West Mercia and Warwickshire Police forces has been criticised in a report into the performance of police forces, external.

HM Inspector of Constabulary Wendy Williams said it was not clear how both forces would offer a full time service to the public, by the time their alliance ends on 8 October.

Currently about 80% of shared alliance operations, including ICT and forensics, are located in the West Mercia force area and would need to be reinstated in Warwickshire.

New terms are yet to be agreed on how to terminate the alliance, which has previously saved more than £35m.

Ms Williams also hit out at West Mercia Police's decision to end the alliance saying she was concerned the move "does not appear to have been based on a well-evidenced business case, nor were the public or partners consulted beforehand."

School pupils and students have threatened to boycott the Royal Shakespeare Company over "sickening" links to oil giant BP.

Image source, Getty Images

The theatre company is sponsored by BP, which has been criticised by environmentalists including Oscar winner Sir Mark Rylance.

The students have sent a letter , externalto the RSC claiming the British multinational oil and gas company is "destroying our futures by wrecking the climate".

Catherine Mallyon, RSC executive director and Gregory Doran, RSC artistic director said: "We welcome the conversation around this issue and will respond once we receive the letter."

One of the last surviving pilots from the battle of Arnhem Market Garden during World War Two has been telling his story to mark its anniversary.

This week marks the 75th anniversary of the battle which saw glider allied regiments stranded in the Netherlands.

The operation, which was designed to shorten the war by creating an invasion route into Germany, ultimately failed and was retold in the film A Bridge Too Far.

About 35,000 troops landed by parachute and gliders in what was then the largest airborne operation in history.

Denzil Cooper, 98, from Sutton Coldfield, who received the Légion d'Honneur in recognition of his contribution to the liberation of France, said "we did what we had to do".

Ben Moore
BBC News

A food bank has been set up on campus in Stoke-on-Trent for students living in poverty.

More than a quarter of the student body at Staffordshire University comes from deprived areas, including the city.

And they are studying on a campus with an onsite food bank.

A "complicated repair" has been completed on a burst pipe in Birmingham, said Severn Trent.

Image source, Rob Abdul

Water began pouring on to Broad Street on Thursday when contractors for Midland Metro damaged a pipe during construction.

Businesses, including the Library of Birmingham and Ikon Gallery, were forced to close.

Engineers worked through the night, said the water company.

"It may take a while to reach full pressure," it added, "but all commercial properties will be back on supply once this is complete."

Express and Star

These are some of the Express and Star headlines this morning:

• Dwaine Houghton killers admit serious stabbing near pub, external
• Cat stuck in between garage walls freed by RSPCA, external
• Master plan for garden village in Bridgnorth unveiled, external

An estimated 35,000 people working for police forces across England and Wales have not been properly vetted, a police watchdog report has found.

Image source, West Midlands Police

The number includes police officers as well as non-front line staff and contractors.

The report, by the Inspectorate of Constabulary, highlighted the case of West Midlands officer Palvinder Singh,who bombarded vulnerable victims with hundreds of messages.

The 39-year-old was jailed for 14 months in July after admitting five counts of improperly using police powers.

Alex Hamilton
BBC Weather

Blustery showers breaking out with the risk of thunder and highs of 16C (61F).

Vanessa Pearce
BBC News

Welcome to our live service for Friday.

We'll be bringing you all the news, sport, travel and weather for the West Midlands.

We love to hear from you so share your news, thoughts and photos of the area with us via email, Twitter, external and Facebook., external

A Stoke-on-Trent charity says its purpose is to say "you matter".

The Burslem China Painters are keeping alive the old school ways from Stoke-on-Trent's pottery past.

The Burslem China Painters are keeping alive the old school ways from Stoke-on-Trent's pottery past.

Among the student body in Stoke-on-Trent is a former homeless man trying to stay afloat financially.