Express and Star

From the Express and Star:

• 11,000 potholes reported in four years on Sandwell roads, external
• Independent cinema planned for Wolverhampton's Wulfrun Centre, external
• Work on Midland Metropolitan Hospital likely to re-start in January, external

BBC Weather

It's been a misty and murky start to the day for most of us and it'll stay cloudy but often dry today with the odd spot of drizzle. High: 7C/45F.

It will be mainly cloudy and dry overnight, turning misty in places, but it should be frost free. Low: 6C/43F.

Keep up-to-date with the BBC Weather website here.

Allen Cook
BBC News

Welcome to our live service for Friday, back after Christmas.

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.

Conor Hourihane comes off the bench to score the only goal against fellow strugglers Norwich and give Aston Villa their first league win in six.

Stoke score twice in injury time to earn a dramatic comeback win over Sheffield Wednesday and move out of the Championship drop zone.

Barnsley draw with West Bromwich Albion for the second time this season but the Baggies stay top of the Championship on Boxing Day.

Birmingham City end a run of three straight Championship defeats as they come from behind to draw at Blackburn Rovers.

Mansfield Town score twice in the last 10 minutes as they come from 2-0 down to draw with Port Vale.

Walsall stretch their unbeaten League Two run to six games with a battling victory at Scunthorpe.

Michael Smith comes off the bench to head the winner deep into stoppage time as Rotherham complete a victory at Shrewsbury.

Solihull Moors level late on to deny Chesterfield a precious victory in their battle against National League relegation.

Salford City score twice inside the first 12 minutes en route to beating League Two high fliers Crewe Alexandra 3-1.

The five-year-old's family says they will learn if the treatment has been successful within a week.

Police are investigating the death of a man in his 50s who was found unresponsive in a caravan.

Crewe Alexandra hammer Stevenage to soar into the League Two automatic promotion places.

Southampton climb out of the Premier League bottom three with a convincing win over a dismal Aston Villa at Villa Park.

Harlequins produce a great comeback from 17-0 down to beat Wasps with a bonus-point win at the Ricoh Arena.

Birmingham City appoint Alberto Escobar as assistant coach following Paco Herrera's unexpected return to Spain.

Liam Boyce's brace helps Burton beat Tranmere and record their first back-to-back League One wins this season.

A behind-the-scenes look at the making of the yuletide offering from children's author, Sir Michael Morpurgo.