Britannia Homelifts took £50k in deposits but failed to deliver lifts and left holes in ceilings.

Halesowen News

The headlines from the Halesowen News:

• Victim of attack at pub no longer fighting for life, external
• Church reopens following major refurbishment, external
• Estate agent shares CCTV of Christmas tree vandals, external

Local Democracy Reporting Service

The headteacher of an Oswestry school wants to build a three-metre-high fence to keep people off the school grounds.

Karen Morris, from the Meadows Primary School in Harlech Road, says she's previously found dog mess, broken bottles, evidence of fires and drug paraphernalia on the playing fields making them unsafe to use.

Image source, Google

Local people aren't allowed to use the school site, there are no gates and the fields are already surrounded by trees and bushes.

Ms Morris said the school wanted to install outdoor fitness equipment and an all-weather track, but this couldn't be done until the site was secure.

Scunthorpe and Port Vale are fined for "failing to ensure players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion" by the FA.

A woman from Sutton Coldfield has said she is "so excited to be the first ever blind Radio 1 presenter".

The station's revealed a new schedule of guest presenters for over the festive period when it'll showcase new and emerging talent.

They include Youtuber and activist Lucy Edwards, who lost her sight at the age of 17.

This is a photo of a woman wanted by the police after an armed robbery at a convenience store at a village in Shropshire on Saturday.

West Mercia Police said she threatened staff with what appeared to be a handgun and made off with cash.

Image source, West Mercia Police

Nobody was hurt in the raid, which took place at 19:30 at the Co-op in Bomere Heath.

BBC Radio Stoke

More than 100 Christmas trees have gone on show at a church to raise money for charity.

Image source, Visit Stafford

The annual Stafford Christmas Tree Festival , externalsees different groups, companies and schools decorate them at St Mary's Church in the town centre.

The event's now open to the public until Sunday afternoon and donations will go towards the church and the local mayor's charities.

Image source, Visit Stafford

BBC Radio Shropshire Sport

Horse racing at Ludlow has been abandoned today, because of the cold weather.

The racecourse said it was hoping to reschedule the races for another day.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Plans for 2,500 homes on land between Kenilworth and Coventry, external have been given outline approval by Warwick district councillors.

The development at Kings Hill Lane is being put forward by Lioncourt Homes and also includes proposals for two schools and a shopping centre.

Image source, Google

Members of the planning committee raised concerns about local infrastructure and local demand for the homes.

But they agreed the principle of building on the former green belt land had already been approved and that if they rejected this application, the developers would probably win on appeal.

BBC WM Sport

Wolves host West Ham tonight and could move into the top five of the Premier League with a win.

Image source, Getty Images

They're unbeaten in nine league matches and are likely to recall defender Romain Saiss, who was banned for Sunday's game against Sheffield United.

Ryan Bennett is again doubtful due to a groin problem, while Morgan Gibbs-White is out with an ongoing back issue.

Elsewhere, Aston Villa are at Chelsea but may not face their leading goalscorer Tammy Abraham, who excelled last year on loan with Villa, due to an injury.

Right-back Frederic Guilbert serves a one-match suspension for accumulating five yellow cards.

Anwar El Ghazi jarred his knee against Manchester United and has been ruled out, but Jota will be involved for the first time since hernia surgery.

Shropshire Star

Here are three of the stories featured on the Shropshire Star's website today:

• Telford stripper exposed for £3,900 fraud cover-up, external
• Paramedics misdiagnosed Telford man's heart attack, external
• M54 slip road closed in Telford after crash, external

BBC Weather Watchers

As good as our local BBC Weather Watchers are, we're not sure we'll see a better photo from them today than this one.

It was taken by user Snow Crystals in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire:

Image source, Snow Crystals

A man who failed to declare he was working as a male stripper and fire-eater while claiming benefits has been given a suspended jail sentence.

Telford and Wrekin Council said Andrew Goodyer, who is 41 and from Kirton in Lindsey in Lincolnshire, claimed £2,300 in council tax support and £1,600 in the form of a discretionary housing payment.

Mr Goodyer's work came to light after the Department for Work and Pensions spotted evidence from various social media accounts and he pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud at Telford Magistrates' Court on Monday.

He was was given a 16-week sentence, suspended for 18 months.

BBC Sport

Warwickshire's new captain, Will Rhodes has said it's a "very special feeling" to be leading "such a big club with a lot of history".

He will replace Jeetan Patel. "I've always had it in my personality that I want to lead from the front with my performances," Rhodes added.

Image source, Getty Images

The 24-year-old scored 972 championship runs last season at an average of 44.18 and recognised the role would bring added responsibility, but said: "I'm really looking forward to getting going and seeing how it goes."

BBC Midlands Today

A special clinic is being held in Walsall today to help members of the Windrush generation with their immigration status.

Image source, PA Media

A scheme was set up by the government after individuals arriving from Commonwealth countries between 1948 and 1971 were wrongly told they were in the UK illegally, despite living in the country for decades.

The generation was named Windrush after one boat used to transport people from the Caribbean Islands as a response to post-war labour shortages in the UK.

The Windrush Movement UK is hosting an advice surgery for those affected at Green Lane Baptist church until 15:30., external

BBC News England

Transport spending per person in the West Midlands is nearly half the amount spent in London, new figures have shown.

Treasury data shows that in 2018-19, £903 was spent in the capital for every resident, while the West Midlands had £467.

The government said its spending decisions were "rigorous and fair", and that the figures did not include money for future projects like HS2.

A motorcyclist has died in a collision with a lorry just outside Redditch in the early hours of this morning.

West Midlands Ambulance Service said it was called to Ravens Bank Drive in Beoley at 00:29 and he died from his injuries at the scene.

BBC Midlands Today

The South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust has been rated as outstanding overall , externalby the Care Quality Commission.

The trust provides hospital and community health services for more than 200,000 people in the county and the CQC said it was particularly impressed with the leadership at the trust and the passion of staff.

Image source, Google

One of the hospitals it runs, Warwick Hospital, was previously rated as requiring improvement, but is now rated as "good".

John Acres
BBC Radio Stoke

Robbie Williams says his one-off charity show in Stoke-on-Trent next year is about him getting "reacquainted" with his hometown.

It will be the first time he’ll have played at the city’s Vale Park stadium, despite growing up nearby.

The pop star told BBC Radio Stoke he'll appreciate this gig more than his famous Knebworth gig in 2003 and he's very passionate about coming from Stoke-on-Trent.

Birmingham Live

The headlines from the Birmingham Live website this morning:

• Jack Donoghue murder: Fifth man arrested hours after parents pay tribute, external
• Birmingham Irish Centre closing down to create 'Irish village' in Kings Heath, external
• Dad hoping for dream wedding after runny nose turned out to be terminal cancer, external