BBC Radio Stoke Sport

Crewe Alexandra defender Harry Pickering has said being top of the league is allowing him to play with freedom and confidence.

They're two points clear after a run of seven games unbeaten in League Two and Pickering said: "It's something that I've never been part of, we've always been towards the bottom."

Image source, Getty Images

Crewe travel to play third-placed Forest Green Rovers on Saturday.

A charity that supports families through miscarriage, stillbirth and child loss is naming its new headquarters after the murdered Stoke-on-Trent midwife Samantha Eastwood.

She raised money for 4Louis, external, which is based in Sunderland, including doing a charity skydive just a couple of weeks before she was killed.

Charity founder Bob McGurrell said his staff were "obviously quite distressed" when she was murdered last year.

He said they "wanted to keep her memory alive" and had been in constant contact with her family when making the decision.

Mr McGurrell said her mother and sister planned to travel up for the official opening on Saturday, along with some of her former colleagues from the Royal Stoke University Hospital.

He said Samantha's family were "thrilled" when he broke the news to them.

Telford's midwife-led maternity unit is to be transferred to portable buildings, as part of a £4m move to create extra acute beds over the winter months.

Paula Clark, the chief executive of the the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust said they would be "far removed" from the "old demountable classrooms we had at school".

The extra money was announced by Health Secretary Matt Hancock yesterday and as well as paying for the "purpose-built modular buildings" next to the Shropshire Women and Children’s centre, it will pay for the existing Midwife Led Unit (MLU) to be converted into a ward for acute patients.

Jo Banks, Women and Children’s Care Group Director, said: "The new facility will be much more appealing to mums wanting a midwife-led birthing experience."

It is due to open to patients in the new year, but it is so far unclear whether the number of beds and facilities will be reduced.

Under plans to reorganise hospital services in Shropshire, consultant-led maternity services are set to move to Shrewsbury in the long-term.

BBC Sport

Sian Massey-Ellis will become the first Englishwoman to officiate in a men's European fixture when she is assistant referee for Thursday's Europa League tie between PSV Eindhoven and LASK.

Image source, Getty Images

In August, Massey-Ellis, from Coventry, became the first woman to officiate in the Community Shield.

"It's been a dream of mine to officiate in a European competition," she said.

"It's definitely becoming more normal to see female officials in the men's game," added the 33-year-old.

Four people have been checked by ambulance crews after an explosion at the JCB factory in Uttoxeter.

It happened at the Uttoxeter Road Heavy Products site and West Midlands Ambulance Service said it was called out at 11:52 and all four people were discharged at the scene.

Image source, Google

The building was evacuated to allow firefighters to deal with a fire in a piece of machinery and police say it wasn't treated as a major incident.

Tourism in Birmingham is now worth more than £7.1bn a year to the city, a new report claims., external

The report produced by Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce and the University of Birmingham’s City-Region Economic Development Institute found the number of people working full time in the industry has risen to 75,000.

The city’s visitor economy has risen by 9.2% on the previous year, it said.

Birmingham's diverse population was also highlighted, with the report saying it offers a number of benefits to the city and wider West Midlands region, including international connections, a variety of languages, and a vibrant blend of different cultures.

A Birmingham MP has welcomed news that a life-extending drug for cystic fibrosis will be available on the NHS in England.

Image source, Getty Images

NHS England reached a deal with Orkambi manufacturers Vertex Pharmaceuticals after months of talks. Patients should be able to get the drug within 30 days.

Labour MP for Birmingham Selly Oak, Steve McCabe, has been campaigning for the drug to be made available.

Shrewsbury Town believe Romain Vincelot has become the first footballer to have the same hip resurfacing surgery Andy Murray had.

Families affected by the Shrewsbury baby ashes scandal have given their approval to a memorial within the cloister garden at Longden Road Cemetery.

The stone memorial will commemorate the 60 children whose ashes were lost at Emstrey crematorium between 1996 and 2012.

Image source, PA Media

Shropshire Council said some parents were not in favour of the new design or location and following discussions with Shrewsbury Town Council, it's been agreed that some form of glass memorial will also be erected in The Dingle in the town's Quarry park.

A cyclist has died after his bike was involved in a crash with a tractor on a rural road this morning.

Emergency services were called to the scene in Hollyhurst, near Leebotwood, close to Church Stretton, in Shropshire, shortly after 10:30, said the ambulance service.

He sadly died at the scene, it added.

Schools across the West Midlands are joining a national protest about education funding today.

Campaigners say 28 schools in Birmingham have already had to shorten their weeks down to a half day on Friday to try to make ends meet.

Image source, Save Our Schools West Midlands

Banners from Save Our Schools are being put outside more than 150 classrooms across the region.

The Department for Education says it's already announced the biggest funding boost for schools in a decade, which will give more money to every child in school.

From April, schools in Birmingham are expected to receive on average an extra £92 per primary pupil and an extra £138 per secondary pupil.

The city remains the best funded local education area in the West Midlands for both primary and secondary education.

Solihull's primary schools are the poorest funded in the region, while Shropshire remains the poorest funded for secondary education.

Worcester News

Here are three of the stories from the Worcester News today:

• Council to hold talks over potential for controversial gull cull, external
• Call to stop Extinction Rebellion from blocking roads rejected, external
• Three-vehicle crash causes queues on M5, external

BBC Weather Watchers

It's been another chilly and overcast day, so hopefully the BBC Weather Watchers wrapped up warm to take these pictures near Codsall and Newport.

Image source, Sue Snaps

Image source, TAY

The pedestrian was struck close to a Kwik Fit garage in Cotteridge, Birmingham.

A man has been arrested after a large sum of money was taken from an elderly woman in Walsall, police say.

The 40-year-old is suspected of the theft earlier this month for work on her roof that was neither needed or completed, West Midlands Police added.

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Tom Dare

A residents group has said it might take Birmingham City Council to court if it goes ahead with plans to demolish the Perry Barr fly-over.

Last week, the council's cabinet voted to press ahead with proposals despite more than 15,000 people signing a petition against the plans and 81% of respondents to the council’s own public consultation opposing the move.

Image source, Google

Annette Pereira, the leader of the A34 Safety Action Group, said it was gathering evidence and has set up an online fundraising page to help with the legal costs.

She said the lack of clear benefits, rather than a reluctance to change, is the main reason the group is so firmly against the plans.

Opposition councillors called in the decision a few days ago and the council said it would be inappropriate to comment until the result of that is known.

Armed officers have arrested two men in Shrewsbury after being called out to reports of a group of men with weapons.

West Mercia Police said they were said to be gathered on Fitzalan Road just after 15:30 yesterday. A 37-year-old and a 46-year-old, both from Shrewsbury, were arrested on suspicion of affray.

Image source, Getty Images

Both remain in police custody and patrols have been increased in the area.

Samantha Jones suffered neck, shoulder, knee, hip and back injuries at the DIY store during Storm Hannah.

BBC Midlands Today

Hundreds of people have turned out in Tamworth to pay their respects to Keeley Bunker, who was found dead in woodland five weeks ago.

Many people dressed in pink as mourners gathered for the 20-year-old's funeral at St Editha’s Church this morning.

A 19-year-old man from Tamworth, Wesley Streete, is due to stand trial next year charged with her murder.

More on Midlands Today at 13:30 on BBC One, or afterwards on the BBC IPlayer.

BBC Radio Stoke Sport

The Stoke City goalkeeper Adam Federici says part of their problem this season has been adapting to their opponents' style of play.

They picked up their first two wins of the season this month and he said it proves "we can do it and can be a good side and have got the quality score goals and keep clean sheets".

Image source, Getty Images

But Federici added: "It's just adapting to different games when we come up against different teams that play different styles of football."

He said it was something they had to learn quickly, with another different test against Milwall at the weekend.