An animal rescue charity in Birmingham is caring for a dog who has suffered "heart-breaking cruelty".

Known as Nelly, the dog was found tied up and "lying in a ditch full of water" in Balsall Heath early on Monday morning, before being rescued by firefighters.

Image source, The Animal House Rescue

"She is underweight, her paw was de-gloved and her toes were hanging off," The Animal House Rescue said.

She also has an infection in her leg which the charity said "will have to be removed as the flesh and foot is decaying".

Nelly is being treated at a vets in Sandwell and her leg will be amputated once she is a bit stronger.

"Despite the fact she was in pain, cold and frightened, she has wagged her tail and shown nothing but gentleness to the fire crew that rescued her and to all of us."

John Bray
BBC News

The new extension to Birmingham's tram network has officially opened to passengers this morning.

This tram's even got into the Christmas spirit after being named Prancer.

A new line take passengers from Grand Central to Centenary Square, outside the Library of Birmingham.

It was due to open at the end of the month, but is now ready to start operating.

The service will eventually go on to Broad Street and an extension into Edgbaston should be completed in time for Birmingham to host the Commonwealth Games in 2022.

Express and Star

These are some stories making headlines in the Express and Star today.

• Developers swamp council with 'horrendous' number of housing proposals, external
• Eyesore Cavendish House could finally be bulldozed early next year, external
• Former Wolverhampton Royal headteacher jailed for stalking ex, external

BBC Radio Stoke

High Lane Oatcakes in Stoke-on-Trent said the shop has been "ridiculously busy" after Robbie Williams told a press conference he wouldn't have oatcakes from anywhere else.

The musician grew up in Tunstall, about half a mile away from the shop.

People were queuing out the door when Radio Stoke went to see the shop, which now has a reputation for providing "oatcakes to the stars".

"His mum always comes in to get them for him," Milly, who works there, said. But only the fruit ones, mind - "he doesn't like the plain ones".

No trams are running between Wolverhampton St Georges and Wednesbury Parkway this morning due to damage to overhead power lines.

West Midlands Metro said the disruption would continue until further notice.

Tickets are being accepted on Avanti Trains, West Midlands Trains and National Express buses.

Plans to eradicate street homelessness in Coventry by 2022 have been approved by councillors.

The number of rough sleepers in the city is a growing problem, with official figures showing a 316% rise from six in 2014 to 25 in 2018.

The pledge has been included in a new Rough Sleeping Strategy 2019-24, which was approved by the city council’s cabinet on Tuesday.

Image source, Getty Images

Cabinet member for housing and communities Tariq Khan said: “Clearly this will be a challenge but it is absolutely right to do that.

“I am pleased to be presenting such an ambitious agenda to cabinet.”

The authority already works with local agencies to support rough sleepers, but part of the latest plans is for a public donation system to be set up.

Residents can donate money which homelessness organisations can apply for on behalf of rough sleepers.

BBC Sport

Coventry City FC won 2 - 1 win last night against Ipswich Town securing a place in the third round of the FA Cup.

There were first-half goals from Jordan Shipley and Max Biamou and Ipswich scored in the 84th minute.

Click here for a full match report.

It was a 3-0 win for Stoke City who took on Luton Town with two goals from Joe Allen and another from James McClean.

Stoke City manager Michael O'Neill told BBC Radio Stoke: "I'm delighted with the result and there's a lot of positives. The individual performances were very good and as a team we showed a lot."

Click here for a full match report.

Birmingham Live

Here are some of the top stories from the Birmingham Mail today.

• How ruthless Birmingham chop shop gang created 'Frankenstein' cars, external
• Jewellery Quarter clean team almost wiped out Banksy mural, external
• Former Birmingham City manager Jim Smith dies aged 79, external

Singer Liam Payne has spoken about his relationship with alcohol.

Image source, JASON HETHERINGTON

"There were a couple of very dark years of me going through extreme peril with different mental health things," the 26-year-old said.

"I just didn't know where I was going to end up."

The former One Direction star told the BBC's Mark Savage how he was "partying too hard" and his behaviour became "erratic".

"It was a tough little time. My family were very worried," he said.

Read the full interview here.

Lots of you have got in touch with us to ask what might happen with HS2 depending on the result of the election.

Here's a breakdown of each of the main party's plans:

• The Conservative Party calls HS2 a "great ambition" but says it will consider the findings of the review before making a decision.
• Labour says the party is committed to "completing the full HS2 route to Scotland, taking full account of the environmental impacts of different route options".
• The Liberal Democrats say they support HS2 and pledge to "ensure that HS2 opens as early as possible to meet our decarbonisation goals while minimising the destruction of precious UK habitats and woodland".
• The Brexit Party wants to cancel HS2 and "invest at least £50bn in local road and rail schemes in our development-starved regions".
• Plaid Cymru says scrapping the project "would not only avoid the destruction of important habitats, it would also allow us to instead invest public transport infrastructure more fairly across the UK".
• The Green Party says the funds freed up will be spent on more effective sustainable public transport options.
• The SNP don't mention the rail link in their manifesto.

Image source, HS2

There's only one day to go, but if you've got an election question you'd like us to answer, you can get in touch here- and we have more answers on HS2 here.

Lisa Smith
BBC WM

Yesterday, engineers from Network Rail installed a protective covering for a new Banksy mural in Birmingham.

But, since then, the covering has been damaged.

The artwork, which highlights homelessness, appeared on Vyse Street in the city's Jewellery Quarter last week.

It was revealed on Banksy's Instagram account on Monday and shortly afterwards someone jumped protective barriers to spray red noses on the reindeer.

BBC Hereford and Worcester

A 28-year-old man from Kidderminster has been found guilty of murder.

Jurors at Worcester Crown Court deliberated for just one day before returning a guilty verdict for Nathan Calder, of Eddy Road, who was convicted of the murder of Paul Lundy, 48.

Mr Lundy's body was discovered by police at a house on Broad Street in May.

Calder, who had denied murder, will be sentenced on Friday.

BBC Sport

Former Birmingham City manager Jim Smith has died at the age of 79.

He managed the club between 1978-1982, although the manager known throughout football as the 'Bald Eagle' managed nine different clubs across the leagues during his lifetime.

Birmingham City said it was "deeply saddened" to hear of Mr Smith's death, after fighting an illness for some time.

You can read more about Mr Smith's career here.

Rich Davis
BBC Weather presenter

Looks like we've got a fairly chilly day ahead, although we're going to see the return of some brightness.

Riyah Collins
BBC News

Good morning from the BBC West Midlands newsroom.

We'll be bringing you the latest news, sport, travel and weather for the region until 19:00.

If you want to get in touch, you can find us on Facebook, external and Twitter., external

Readers share their thoughts on the high-speed rail link and ask what each party pledges to do.

First-half goals from Jordan Shipley and Max Biamou send Coventry into the FA Cup third round following a replay win at Ipswich.

Substitute Chuma Anene's double helps Crewe ease past National League Eastleigh to book a place in the FA Cup third round.

Stoke City pull to within three points of safety in the Championship as they comfortably beat Luton Town.

Our live updates will be back from 07:00 on Wednesday.