Two officers who wrestled a violent shop robber to the ground after lying in wait for him have been commended for ending his crime spree, police say. , external

Image source, West Midlands Police

Sgt Dave Stevens (left) and PC Steven Doherty tackled Ryan Ledger as he targeted B&M in Ansty Road Walsgrave, threatening staff with a crowbar, police said.

He had previously struck at a service station and Aldi on Hinckley Road.

They managed to detain the 31-year-old from the city with the help of a member of public, and after later admitting robbery he was jailed for seven years at Warwick Crown Court on 24 June.

Coventry Observer

Some of the Coventry Observer headlines today include:

• Man has leg amputated after hit-and-run collision, external
• Police arrest man on suspicion of drink driving following Leamington crash, external
• Green light for 2,500 homes despite fears, external

Premiership referee Craig Maxwell-Keys says the rugby network has been supportive after he came out as gay via WhatsApp.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Some of today's Local Democracy Reporting Service stories in the West Midlands include:

• Hundreds of old green wheelie bins are still waiting to be removed at people’s homes in Wolverhampton, months after the introduction of the new purple bin scheme.
• Young people with special educational needs and disability (SEND) in Wolverhampton, are being asked by the city council to give their views on the local services available to support them emotionally.

• A pub in Bilston has applied to Wolverhampton licensing bosses for a temporary event notice to hold a second year anniversary party – despite concerns from local police about the risk of anti-social behaviour.

Rebecca Wood
BBC Midlands Today

The weather's continuing to be unsettled tonight as it's set to be cloudy and windy with blustery showers:

You can get a latest forecast for your area at any other time by going to the BBC Weather website.

BBC Sport

Hollie Doyle has broken the record for British victories by a female jockey in a calendar year after riding her 107th winner of 2019 at Southwell.

Image source, Getty Images

The 23-year-old, from Hereford, triumphed aboard Class Clown to pass the landmark set by Josephine Gordon.

Doyle is only the third British woman to reach a century in a year after Hayley Turner and Gordon.

She regularly rides against men, and was beaten in a race on Wednesday by her jockey boyfriend Tom Marquand.

Xinge Zhang is alleged to have fired the imitation weapon numerous times in Coventry city centre.

Five men are on trial accused of sexually abusing a girl nearly two decades ago.

Cheshire Live - Crewe

A few of the stories making the headlines on the Cheshire Live - Crewe website:

• Family pay tribute to 'loving' football fan killed in collision, external
• Elderly Beechmere evacuees still sleeping on sofas four months after fire, external
• Alsager man to appear in court after over a year on the run, external

Jack Donoghue was attacked near Popworld nightclub in Solihull in the early hours of Saturday.

Regulars trying to save their village pub in Warwickshire want politicians to do more to help rural communities.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

An elderly woman was left lying in a street with a broken leg in the rain for nearly an hour, a council meeting has heard.

Image source, Google

West Midlands Ambulance Service confirmed the victim fell on Bridge Road, Horsehay, Telford, on 14 November but paramedics had trouble finding her.

The issue was raised at a Dawley Hamlets Parish Council meeting and it was suggested better signs would have helped the emergency services - an issue Telford and Wrekin Council is going to investigate.

The section where the woman slipped and fell doesn't have a sign saying it's Bridge Road and councillors heard several neighbours had to guide paramedics to her.

She's now recovering at home after breaking her hip and femur.

The ambulance service said there was “an extremely high level of demand in Shropshire” at the time of the accident and its target is to get to such 90% of such cases within 120 minutes.

Matt Sandoz
Stoke City commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

Stoke City midfielder Joe Allen says the whole squad believes new manager Michael O'Neill can keep them up this season.

Image source, Getty Images

Since taking charge, O'Neill won his first two games but then lost the next two, leaving Stoke 23rd in the Championship.

The English Football League says Macclesfield Town will face disciplinary action if the club does not fulfil its fixture against Crewe on Saturday.

BBC Shropshire

Several roads are going to be closed tomorrow to allow the demolition of the four cooling towers at Ironbridge Power Station, the local council's said.

The structures are due to come down at 11:00 tomorrow, as long as factors such as the weather don't delay it.

Telford and Wrekin Council's released details of which routes will be shut, external until the all clear is given, including part of Buildwas Road and Benthall Wood.

The local authority adds it'll also be keeping an eye on parking and congestion at the foot of the Wrekin as it expects a number of people to climb the hill to watch the demolition.

Lock Anton Bresler becomes the latest Worcester Warriors player to extend their contract with the Premiership club.

BBC Sport

Crewe Alexandra's match this Saturday against Macclesfield Town could be in doubt as the home side's players say they intend to boycott the League Two game.

Image source, Getty Images

The Macc playing squad have put in writing their intention not to play.

As of Wednesday evening, the staff and players' wages remain unpaid, following last month's late payments.

The club's first team have already been on strike over unpaid salaries this season, forcing the club to field an inexperienced team in their FA Cup first-round tie at home against Kingstonian on 10 November.

BBC Sport has asked the club's owner, Amar Alkadhi, for comment.

BBC News Travel

A three-car crash is blocking one lane of the A38 Queensway northbound in Birmingham.

All lanes have now reopened on the southbound carriageway after an earlier incident, but traffic is still slow in the area.

Allen Cook
BBC News

A woman who was allegedly passed around a group of men for sex and abused as a schoolgirl and abused picked out five suspects at photo-based identification parades up to 17 years later, a court's heard.

Image source, Helen Tipper

On the fourth day of the trial in Birmingham, a police officer told the crown court the woman said the men she picked out were responsible for attacking her in about 2002 at locations in the Telford area.

A defence lawyer asked if any thought was given to the fact appearances could have been "a lot different" up to 17 years ago.

The officer said it was considered and the law "allows for us to use a current image, an older image or both sets of images".

All five men deny wrongdoing and the trial continues.

Maximus was found severely underweight in Great Barr, and has been sent aid from as far as Texas.