Allen Cook
BBC News

More research is needed to find the specific links between former professional footballers and dementia, the Football Association (FA) has said.

Image source, PA Media

Today, experts at Glasgow University revealed they are three and a half times more likely to die of the condition than people of the same age range in the general population.

They've been investigating fears brain injuries could be linked to heading the ball, after claims that former West Brom striker Jeff Astle died because of repeated head trauma.

The FA's response to the study, external says one difficulty is the former footballers featured in the study were born between 1900 and 1976 and the game's changed since then.

A group's now going to be set up by the association to meet at the end of the month and decide what further research should be carried out.

Allen Cook
BBC News

A lorry fire this afternoon on the A5 in Staffordshire has proved "challenging" according to firefighters.

Image source, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service said crews quickly got the blaze near Tamworth under control but, due to the size of the load on the vehicle, it took a while to fully put out. , external

The road's still shut eastbound from Weeford Island to Ventura Park with Highways England tweeting just after 18:00 , externalthat the closure could last "for some time".

Image source, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service

Allen Cook
BBC News

A CCTV image's been released by police of two people they want to speak to after eggs were thrown at a vulnerable resident's house.

Image source, Staffordshire Police

Staffordshire Police said it happened on the evening of 14 October in Cannock. , external

They added the egging left the woman "in huge distress".

Allen Cook
BBC News

People living in part of Worcestershire are being asked what services a council should cut as it looks to save almost £2m next year.

Image source, Google

Wyre Forest District Council , externalsays it can't continue to provide the same number or quality of services it has in the past if it's to balance its budget.

To carry on with the same services, it says it would need a budget of £12.3m in 2020 and it only has £10.5m.

A drop in government funding's being blamed by the authority which adds it only gets 12p out of every pound collected in council tax.

Residents are being asked for their views via a survey which is running until 18 November.

A woman in her 30s is arrested on suspicion of neglect after the blaze in Warwickshire.

Kidderminster Shuttle

A few of the headlines from the Kidderminster Shuttle:

• Patients fit for discharge take up beds at Worcestershire hospitals, external
• Woman cut free from van after Kidderminster crash, external
• Arrests during drugs raid in Kidderminster, external

Alex Hamilton
BBC Weather

It will be a dry night with some clear skies and lows of 4C (39F).

Jodie Looker
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

A section of the A500 in Cheshire will be closed overnight every day until nearly the middle of December.

Image source, Google

From tonight, Cheshire East Council says the stretch between the A53 Meremoor Moss roundabout, near Crewe, and M6 at J16 will be closed from 21:30 until 05:30. , external

It's working toward widening the section to a dual carriageway and needs to investigate the ground, drainage and environmental impact of the plan.

The closures start tonight and are due to last until 13 December.

Drivers are facing long delays around Tamworth, Staffordshire, this evening after an earlier lorry fire.

Highways England says the A5 eastbound remains shut, external after the blaze and it could take until later this evening for the carriageway to be resurfaced.

The fire involved a lorry between the turn-offs for Mile Oak and Ventura Retail Park.

Work is continuing to repair a road damaged in a flood in Tipton.

Image source, South Staffordshire Water

Water from a burst pipe damaged homes and businesses on Park Lane West last week.

The damaged sections of road have been removed, said South Staffordshire Water, ahead of workers laying a new surface on Tuesday.

The road is expected to remain closed until 25 October.

Allen Cook
BBC News

Millions of apples have been left to rot in this year's harvest due to a shortage in seasonal workers, the National Farmers Union (NFU) has said.

It is carried out a survey of horticultural businesses and found that just over 4,000 roles were unfilled in the last year, or 10% of the total.

Image source, Getty Images

The NFU says it's been told by firms they'll move investment overseas unless the government immediately increases its seasonal worker pilot programme.

The union adds 1,147 tonnes or 16 million apples were left unpicked this harvest.

In terms of UK fruit production, Herefordshire has more traditional orchards than any other county in the country, according to the county's wildlife trust , externaland is one of the major centres for cider production.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has been approached for a response.

Stoke midfielder Joe Allen praises their owners for sticking with boss Nathan Jones during a poor start to the season.

Oswestry & Border Counties Advertizer

The top stories on the Oswestry and Border Counties Advertizer's website today include:

• Heritage work praised in national report, external
• Fire crews tackle log store fire, external
• Young people take over the reins at cinema for new film festival, external

Connor Shepherd, 19, and a 16-year-old, have been jailed for five and a half years.

Shrewsbury and Atcham MP Daniel Kawczynski has come under fire from Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn for claims he is trying to encourage the Polish government to veto any extension to Brexit discussions.

The Poland-born Conservative MP said on Twitter yesterday that he was trying to convince the Polish government to use its veto, while others were trying to do the same with the Czech and Hungarian governments.

Jeremy Corbyn said moments ago he feared for the "honourable member for Shrewsbury and Atcham, who is telling anyone who will listen that he is trying to collude with the Polish and Hungarian governments to veto any possiblity of Article 50 extensions".

"This type of nonsense is doing nobody any good at all," Mr Corbyn added.

Mr Kawczynski said he was "almost... exhausted with Remain faction preventing Brexit".

Local Democracy Reporting Service

These are some of the stories being currently covered by the Local Democracy Service in Shropshire:

• Plans for more than 50 new retirement homes in Bridgnorth have been rejected for not containing enough open space for future residents.
• Homes used by dozens of military staff in Albrighton are going to be retiled and have new insulation installed.
• The leader of Shropshire Council's praised improvements in the authority's social services despite "severe budget pressure".

Image source, Google

Allen Cook
BBC News

A driver's not thought to be seriously hurt after his lorry caught fire on the A5 in Staffordshire this afternoon, causing huge plumes of smoke and resulting on the road being shut.

Image source, @JaiOm

Both carriageways of the A5 near Tamworth were closed between the junctions for Ventura Park and Mile Oak, Highways England said., external

The ambulance service said the man who was driving the lorry's now been taken to hospital.

Staffordshire Fire Service urged people living nearby to keep windows and doors shut while they fought the blaze., external

Allen Cook
BBC News

Two teenagers have each been jailed for five-and-a-half years for stabbing a 17-year-old boy.

Image source, Google

The victim was taken to hospital after being found injured in Waltondale, Woodside, in Telford, in February.

Connor Shepherd, 19, of Willowfield, Telford and a 16-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, both admitted wounding with intent to do GBH and carrying a bladed weapon.

Former professional footballers are three and a half times more likely to die of dementia than people of the same age range in the general population, according to new research.

Hereford Times

A few of the stories making the headlines on the Hereford Times website:

• Burglars strike at Herefordshire college, external
• Victim chased men trying to break into vehicle, external
• Tale of lost love at Hereford mansion, external