Updates from Monday 25 November to Sunday 1 December
Here are three of the stories featured on the Worcester News website today:
A man's been hit with a handgun in an armed robbery which police are linking to two other robberies.
British Transport Police said , externalthe victim was surrounded by up to six suspects on 19 November on a path between West Bromwich Central and Darmouth Street tram stops.
As well as being hit with the gun, a knife and a machete were also seen and the man needed hospital treatment for concussion and injuries to his face.
Officers said two other men were robbed in separate cases in the area within the same timeframe and they are linking all three.
In total, two mobile phones, a bank card and a video game were stolen.
Poor GCSEs can mean "wage scarring" where people are trapped for life on low pay, say researchers.
Read MoreA golf firm's lost several weeks of trade after being flooded twice in a month, its manager has said.
Image source, Worcester Golf RangeWorcestershire's suffered two rounds of flooding after heavy rain at the end of October and then in the middle of November.
Bosses at Worcester Golf Range said it only managed to reopen for six days before the second round of floods.
They've been deep enough to submerge a Vauxhall Corsa that golfers at the range use for a target.
Image source, Worcester Golf RangeManager Joe Kibblewhite said: "There's no customers coming through, there's no footfall. We're used to it, we're fortunate, the summer looks after the winter period but we could do without this, just coming up to December."
The firm aims to reopen on Friday but says people should check its Facebook page or Twitter account first.
BBC Midlands Today
Child cruelty and neglect offences recorded by the police in the West Midlands have more than trebled in the last five years, a charity's said.
The NSPCC's analysed figures from the force and said there were just over 2,000 cases in 2013-14 and more than 7,000 in 2018-19.
It added reports to the police included extreme cases of neglect, assault and abandonment.
BBC Midlands Today
Author Jonathan Coe has been shortlisted for the 2019 Costa Book Awards.
Coe, 58, from Birmingham, is among 20 authors nominated for the prize, external.
His latest novel, Middle England, is the third following the characters first seen in his bestselling The Rotter's Club, set in the Midlands.
The Costa prize is open to authors from the UK and Ireland and it aims to reward the most enjoyable books from the previous year across five categories - first novel, novel, biography, poetry and children's book.
Judges will announce the category winners, who each receive £5,000, on 6 January 2020.
The overall winner will receive £30,000 and will be announced on 28 January 2020.
Stoke-on-Trent Live
The headlines from the Stoke-on-Trent Live website:
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
A car ended up on its roof after colliding with another car on a country lane last night.
Image source, Shropshire Fire and Rescue ServiceThe crash happened on the Bellaport Road between Norton in Hales, near Market Drayton, and Audlem, Cheshire, Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service said. , external
They said everyone had managed to get out by the time they arrived and paramedics treated people for shock and minor injuries.
BBC Midlands Today
An appeal is being made for people to come forward and speak to the independent inquiry into Child Sexual Exploitation in Telford.
Image source, Gavin DicksonThe inquiry was set up following a Sunday Mirror claim up to 1,000 girls had been abused by gangs in the town since the 1980s.
Former judge Tom Crowther QC was appointed to chair the inquiry earlier this year.
Quote MessageI appreciate how hard talking about these things can be and we want to look after anybody who has given evidence to us but perhaps the best reason for speaking to us is that this inquiry simply won't be effective unless you do."
Tom Crowther QC, Inquiry chair
BBC News England
Worshippers fear they will lose thousands of pounds after their Hajj pilgrimages to Mecca were cancelled.
Pilgrims, who each bought packages through travel agent Taha Travel, in Small Heath, Birmingham, said refunds were not received and the shop was closed.
One woman took 17 years to save for her family's summer trip to Saudi Arabia.
Mohammad Asif Qureshi (pictured), from Birmingham, said his family's bags were packed until they received the "disastrous" news they were unable to go on their trip.
Jameil Kendawi, of Taha Travel, said he was trying to pay back funds.
From the Express and Star:
BBC News England
New data suggests some patients thought to have autism waited over 19 weeks for their first mental health appointments.
Image source, Getty ImagesPatients at 10 out of 25 English health trusts waited an average of 137 days or more following referral, against a target of 91 days, in spring 2018.
The National Autistic Society (NAS) said the limited NHS statistics were "disappointing" as they only cover about a quarter of people referred.
NHS trusts said services had experienced "unprecedented" demand.
Image source, Natasha WebbIn one case, Natasha Webb, 47,from Shrewsbury, had to pay privately for her son to be assessed for autism, more than two years after a teacher suggested he might have the disability.
NHS Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group and Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust said it continued to see "an unprecedented level of demand" for its autism services.
BBC Sport
Stoke City's winning start under new manager Michael O'Neill came to an end last night as they were beaten 1-0 by Cardiff City.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe defeat means they remain second from bottom of the Championship.
In League One, Burton Albion won 2-1 at Sunderland, their fourth away win of the season.
While in League Two, Crewe Alexandra missed out on the change to top the division as they drew 0-0 at Forest Green.
Rich Davis
BBC Weather presenter
A wet start for parts of the area and there'll be more patches of rain this morning under cloudy skies:
Rich Davis
You can get the latest forecast for your area at any other time by going to the BBC Weather website.
Allen Cook
BBC News
Welcome to our live service for Wednesday.
We'll be bringing you all the news, sport, travel and weather for the West Midlands.
You can get in touch via email,Twitter, external and Facebook., external
Families say they have not received refunds after a travel agent cancelled Hajj pilgrimages.
Read MorePatients could have waited more than 19 weeks - 50% longer than the target time - in some areas.
Read MoreForest Green and Crewe both miss the chance to top the League Two table as they fire blanks in a scoreless draw.
Read MorePaul McCallum bags a second-half double as Solihull Moors come from behind to beat Stockport County 4-1 at Edgeley Park.
Read MoreSunderland's misery shows no sign of letting up after Burton earn a deserved 2-1 win at the Stadium of Light.
Read More
