Local Democracy Reporting Service
Joe Sweeney

Plans for 1,200 new houses and apartments in the heart of Wolverhampton have been showcased in front of more than 400 businesses and investors in the city.

Spanning a 10-acre site close to the University of Wolverhampton’s Springfield Campus, the Brewers Yard project promises "top-quality living" and "easy access to a re-invented city centre".

The plans form part of £4.4bn of investment in the city over the coming years, says the council, which includes a new transport interchange.

Image source, Wolverhampton City Council

Councillor Harman Banger, cabinet member for city economy, says: “This is a real game-changing scheme for our city’s ongoing development."

Work is under way to secure the rest of the land needed for the proposed development, with building work due to start on site in 2020.

Heavy rain will continue through the evening and into the night with lows of 11C (52F).

BBC Midlands Today

England test cricket captain Joe Root returned to the West Midlands on Monday, sharing his skills with Wolverhampton students and local school pupils. Watch Midlands Today on BBC One at 18:30 to find out what's behind his visit.

A motorcyclist has been seriously hurt after colliding with a car near the M5 in Worcestershire.

The man, in his 50s, was airlifted to hospital after his motorbike crashed with a Skoda on a roundabout between junction 8 of the M5 onto the M50 motorway at about 08:30 BST.

The car driver was not injured. Road closures were in place while emergency services attended.

A dog was being walked by its owner when it was struck and killed by a car that failed to stop.

It happened near Leek in Staffordshire on 22 September. Police have today issued an appeal over the crash by the Greyhound Inn in Warslow.

Image source, Police handout

Staffordshire Police said the car failed to stop and then sped away towards the A53. The dog, Elsi, died at the scene.

Officers are keen to speak to anyone who has any information about the incident which happened at about 12:20 BST, or anyone who may have seen a white BMW with damage to its front end.

A concerned taxi driver rang police after he was booked to take the woman to a brothel in Coventry.

Prosecutors say Moshood Giwa killed Jordan Moazami after an argument over drugs.

Stoke-on-Trent has the highest rate of insolvency in England and Wales - how can this be tackled?

Police called to reports of a machete-wielding ram raid have shared officers' message for offenders left on a car's windscreen.

The advice is scrawled into dust and, citing the police log number, urges connected parties to contact the force "ref the cannabis" and "stolen" vehicle.

Image source, West Midlands Police

West Midlands Police was alerted to reports of a Nissan Juke being used to smash open shutters at an industrial unit on Upper Chapel Street in Tividale, Sandwell, on Sunday afternoon.

An image was shared on the Force Response Twitter account before disappearing from the stream on Monday.

The photo featured on a Tweet that said: "Was it you who rammed into the shutters of a unit in Tividale this afternoon waving machetes around? You've left your stolen car and a load of cannabis behind."

Police say the investigation is ongoing.

Image source, West Midlands Police

Staff at a shop in Worcestershire were threatened with what officers believe was an axe during a robbery this morning.

Image source, West Mercia Police

Two hooded men made off with cash, cigarettes and scratch cards during the incident at McColls on High Street, Belbroughton, at about 06:40.

Nobody was hurt, said West Mercia Police.

Almost 60 flood warnings are in place and a yellow rain alert has started.

Shropshire Star

From the Shropshire Star today:

• Body found in search for missing Shrewsbury man, external
• Taxi driver and passengers subjected to racist abuse, external
• Drivers warned of road closures as work begins on £3m Telford waste upgrade, external

Coventry Live

From Coventry Live:

• Less funding making its way to Coventry's schools, external
• Warwickshire teens scoop Animal Hero award, external
• Fire service questioned over ability to cope with extreme weather, external

The Polistes Nimpha paper wasp may have arrived in the UK on a plant or in a lorry, experts say.

There's been a big increase in the number of black people registering as blood donors in Birmingham and Wolverhampton in the last 12 months, according to latest figures.

NHS Blood and Transplant says after its urgent appeal for more black donors, there's been a 15% increase in Birmingham and a 9% rise in Wolverhampton.

But, there's still an overall shortage, and nationally, 40,000 more black donors are needed, the organisation says.

Image source, Getty Images

Last year, a group of Labour MPs said school pupilsshould learn about organ and blood donation to help tackle the "silent crisis" of a lack of ethnic minority donorsin England.

Their review said demand for blood, stem cells and organs in these groups was particularly high and supply very low. Although people from ethnic minority groups can receive donations from white people, the best match is often from a person with the same ethnic background.

West Mercia Police has refuted claims that communities will be at risk when its strategic alliance with the Warwickshire force comes to an end in October.

Image source, PA Media

The Police and Crime Commissioner for the West Midlands force, David Jamieson, said he had "real concerns" over the change.

In a joint statement, the Police and Crime Commissioner and chief constable for West Mercia say: "There is absolutely no risk to public safety for the communities served by our force.

"West Mercia is fully prepared to operate as a standalone force if necessary."

The two people, who were arrested in July, were charged by West Midlands Counter Terrorism officers.

Three soldiers reflect on the years they spent with the British Army fighting the Taliban.

Rail disruption due to damaged overhead wires between Coventry and Birmingham New Street is now expected to last until 15:00, says National Rail.

A separate incident at Hatton is delaying rail services between Leamington Spa and Birmingham Snow Hill, with disruption also expected until 15:00.

A British military dog who helped save the lives of troops in Afghanistan is to be honoured later.

Mali, a Belgian Malinois, twice entered a building in Kabul under direct fire in 2012 to sniff out explosives and insurgents.

He will be getting a Hero Animal of the Year award at an event in London.

He was seriously injured during the operation but has since retired from frontline duties, living with owners Lou and Andy Hackney in Shropshire.