Special guest Craig David is performing at Birmingham New Street as part of BBC Music Day.

BBC WM is broadcasting from the station concourse this morning and has welcomed a few special guests, but the crowds really welcomed Craig David.

He said music had a powerful ability to bring people together and change their mood.

"It's a medicine that you don't really know you're receiving until you just feel the energy and the vibration that you get when you hear the song," he said.

"And you walk away and you feel uplifted."

A musician who started her career busking in Birmingham city centre, and now highlighted by BBC Introducing, has been entertaining commuters in Birmingham.

It is part of BBC Music Day, an annual celebration of the power of music to change lives.

Esther Turner, 24, from Halesowen has been busking at the station from the age of 14.

"It's always great to have support, and the BBC does give you that," she said.

Express and Star

Some of the Express and Star headlines today include:

• Fall in patients clogging up Russells Hall Hospital A&E, external
• £500,000 fitness boost for Rugeley Leisure Centre, external
• Staff cut by almost 100 at Wolverhampton libraries, external

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Sandwell Council bosses are being asked to examine plans to reduce the cost of "looked after children" by more than £14m over four years.

Addressing members of the Children’s Services and Education Scrutiny Board, Jacqui Smith, chair of Sandwell Children’s Trust, said a £2.3m overspend was predicted for this year.

The forecast comes only four months after the council ploughed an extra £5m into the service in June to cover a £6.9m deficit in last year’s budget.

Ms Smith said since the trust was established in April 2018, the number of children in care had increased from 778 to 921, which saw the placement costs for youngsters jump from £23.9m to £31.7m.

The trust has now drawn up a financial plan to reduce its use of expensive agency staff and recruit more in-house fosters carers who provide home placements for children.

It's also working with schools, courts and health bodies to help take earlier preventative steps.

BBC Radio Stoke

A man has been arrested on the M6 on suspicion of stealing a caravan and vehicle.

Police carried out the stop at junction 16 near Crewe.

Officers say they believe the caravan was recently stolen from north Wales.

Choirs across Birmingham will unite in a pop-up performance at Birmingham New Street Station as part of BBC Music Day.

Now in its fifth year, BBC Music Day will see more than 2,000 events take place across the UK.

The theme this year is music and wellbeing; the power of music to inspire, bring us together and make a positive impact.

Follow #BBCMusicDay on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to see what’s happening.

An investigation is continuing after a police officer was injured in a hit-and-run while attempting to stop a car in Coventry.

The neighbourhood officer was struck by a vehicle in Holbrook Lane, Radford, just after 14:45 and taken to hospital with head and leg injuries, police said.

The driver involved in the crash "made off from the scene" and the car was found a short distance away, said West Midlands Police.

The force is appealing for the driver to "do the right thing and come forward".

Aston Willa and Wolves will meet in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup at the end of October.

Image source, Getty Images

They were paired together in the draw last night after contrasting wins in their third round ties.

Villa were 3-1 winners at Brighton with Wolves beating Reading in a penalty shootout.

Wolves debutant Bruno Jordao gave the hosts a 1-0 lead but was later taken off on a stretcher before half-time.

Alex Hamilton
BBC Weather

Early showers will clear leaving a dry day with some sunny spells and highs of 18C (64F).

Vanessa Pearce
BBC News

Welcome to our live service for Thursday.

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

Ash says Stoke-on-Trent's metal scene has embraced alter ego Maria Weaver Rose who rocks out in the city.

How singing transformed these Stoke-on-Trent women's lives

Members of the All Woman Choir in the Potteries speak of their life-changing experiences.

We'll be back with more news, sport, travel and weather from 07:00 tomorrow.

Worcester News

Here are some of the top stories on the Worcester news website this afternoon:

• Sainsbury's and Argos stores at threat of closure after announcement, external
• 29 stone man loses five stone during recovery from severe stroke, external
• County training standards praised as two schools meet full set of benchmarks, external

Turner Prize-winning artist Mark Leckey creates a replica of a motorway bridge at Tate Britain.

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Tom Davis

Campaigners have called for more answers on proposals which could see specialist pancreatic and liver services move from Coventry to Birmingham.

A review in 2015 recommended combining hepatobiliary (HPB) services at University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire (UWCH) with University Hospital Birmingham (UHB).

Image source, Google

Coventry and Warwickshire MPs and campaigners say they fear it would result in a "loss" of service at UHCW, greater travel times, and cancellation of appointments.

Councillor Blundell, a member of the health scrutiny board at Coventry council, has called for the issue to be discussed “as a matter of urgency” and says it is "disappointing" to still be waiting on reports NHS England requested from UHCW and UHB on how they would work together regarding liver and pancreatic cancer.

The trust that runs UWCH said talks are ongoing on a service involving “both hospitals”.

Sainsbury's has announced plans to shut 60 to 70 Argos stores and move them inside its supermarkets in a bid to cut costs by £500m over five years.

Argos operates more than 40 standalone stores in the West Midlands, and at least the same again within existing Sainsbury's or Homebase stores.

Image source, Sainsbury's

Sainsbury's has not yet revealed which stores will close, but said it did not see "a long-term future" for those locations in the firing line.

The firm says it will also shut up to 15 supermarkets and 40 convenience stores.

However, 10 big stores and about 110 convenience stores are set to open, under the plans.

An assessment by Birmingham City Council shows 62 cameras no longer met legal requirements.

The neighbourhood officer was struck while attempting to stop a car, say police.