A piece of decayed wood found by a dog in Nantwich has turned out to be a tool that could date back 500 years, according to a historian.

Rescue dog Sasha unearthed the wood while being exercised after a recent flood near the Fairfax Bridge, Nantwich Museum said.

Image source, Nantwich Museum

Image source, Nantwich Museum

Seeing the strange shape and seemingly man-made hole, Sasha's owner Dave Shepherd showed it to a historian, who said it was part of a rake once used to remove salt from pans in which brine was being evaporated.

The salt-making industry was at its height during Tudor times so the rake head could be more than 500 years old, Nantwich Museum said.

The rake head will be conserved there and eventually be displayed as part of a story of salt making in the town.

Birmingham Live

The latest stories on the Birmingham Live site include:

• Hooded machete-wielding robbers raid Verdo Lounge in Sutton Coldfield at closing time, external
• The West Midlands' 23 Most Wanted: Police want to bang them up in time for Christmas, external - can you help them
• What it's like to be a delivery driver in Birmingham at Christmas, external - and how much they get paid

The parents of a five-year-old boy who has travelled to Singapore for further cancer treatment say they will have to wait a week to find out if it is working.

Worcester schoolboy Oscar Saxelby-Lee, who has leukaemia, has started pioneering CAR-T therapy after a crowdfunding drive helped raise £500,000.

His mother Olivia Saxelby spoke to BBC Hereford and Worcester from Singapore and said it was difficult waiting for news.

Image source, Hand-in-Hand for Oscar

Ms Saxelby said: “It feels surreal, it really does. But it also feels like nothing’s changed yet because we haven’t seen any difference and we don’t know what’s happening.

“It’s Christmas Eve and it doesn’t feel like Christmas Eve here at all – it’s really tough.”

The therapy uses the body's own cells to fight cancer.

Oscar underwent a second stem cell treatment in October.

Hooded men with knives or machetes have carried out an armed robbery at a bar and restaurant.

Image source, Google

It happened at Verdo Lounge in Birmingham Road, Wylde Green, Sutton Coldfield, at about 23:40 on Sunday.

West Midlands Police said it received a call to reports of three black men going into the bar and all were armed with knives or machetes.

They made threats to a staff member with a knife and made off with cash.

The men were said to be dressed in dark clothing - tracksuit tops with their hoods up and made off on foot, police said.

They are believed to have gone down Broadfields Road and back towards Chester Road.

The force has appealed for information.

Birmingham's Bullring and Merry Hill in Dudley have been named in the top 10 pest performing shopping centres in the UK for 2019.

The report by data firm GlobalData, external analysed annual turnover, size, footfall and shopper ratings, among other measures.

Image source, Getty Images

Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City took the top two spots, with the Bullring in eighth and Merry Hill at number 10.

Telford Shopping Centre and the Kingfisher Centre in Redditch also made the top 50.

BBC Coventry & Warwickshire

Improvement works are due to begin in Stratford-upon-Avon town centre early in the new year.

Henley Street is to be repaved, with new lighting installed between Windsor Street and Meer Street.

Image source, Google

The contractors are due to arrive on 6 January and will be there until the middle of April.

BBC News Travel

Despite a major crash on the M6 involving six vehicles, nobody is thought to be injured, firefighters say.

It happened between Crewe and Stoke-on-Trent just before midday and caused the southbound carriageway to be closed.

Image source, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue

Highways England says all lanes are now open, external between J16 and J15, although long queues remain in the area.

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue said one woman who was trapped is now free and crews are preparing to leave the scene.

Marley, from Stoke-on-Trent, needed emergency treatment after scoffing toxic Christmas treats.

Worcester News

Here are some of the headlines on the Worcerster news:

• Ex serviceman aims to convert double decker bus into Worcester homeless shelter, external
• Worcester’s HMV store closing after Christmas, external
• Bedwardine crowned Pub of the Year for a second year running, external

PA Media

Pet owners have been warned about leaving Christmas puddings and mince pies unattended amid a rise in dogs needing emergency treatment after wolfing down the toxic treats.

Raisins, sultanas and currants can be potentially lethal to dogs, with even small amounts capable of causing organ failure.

Image source, PA Media

It comes after Marley, a five-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier from Stoke-on-Trent, needed a fluid drip and emergency medication after eating Christmas pudding and chocolate brought into the house by its owners.

"We had just been shopping and left the bag on the side while we went to pick my granddaughter up from school." Polly Bloor, 41, (pictured below right) said.

BBC News Travel

One lane has reopened southbound at J16-J15 on the M6, Highways England says.

Emergency services and traffic officers are at the scene dealing with the crash.

After video emerged yesterday of deer roaming a housing estate in Telford, here's another seemingly festive surprise for motorists.

BBC Radio Shropshire Sport

Shrewsbury Town manager Sam Ricketts knows he'll face stiff competition if he wants to bring back Greg Docherty on loan.

He returned to Rangers in the summer after a successful spell, but could be on the move again in January after failing to nail down a regular place at Ibrox.

Image source, Getty Images

Ricketts said that two or three Championship clubs had shown an interest in the summer and said "there will certainly be a few sides desperate to take him".

He hasn't ruled out making a bid himself, describing Docherty's involvement last season as "the perfect loan".

Ambulance workers are attending a "multiple-vehicle" crash on the M6 between junction 15 and 16 near Crewe, West Midlands Ambulance Service says.

A spokeswoman said crews were alerted at 11:08 and one ambulance was currently on the scene.

BBC News Travel

Delays are already starting to build around J16 at Crewe.

BBC News Travel

The crash on the M6 between Crewe and Stoke-on-Trent looks to be a major one and you might want to try and avoid the area.

Several vehicles are involved, Highways England says, external, and the southbound carriage is completely blocked between J16 and J15.

We'll bring you more on that when we get it.

West Midlands Railway says that due to a shortage of train crew at Birmingham Snow Hill fewer trains are able to run and some services "may be cancelled".

Tickets will be accepted on other services, it added.

Yesterday West Midlands Mayor Andy Street gave train operator West Midlands Railway an ultimatum - improve services by 31 January 2020, or he would ask the government to cancel its franchise.

The firm has faced criticism from many sides in recent months for the number of delays and cancellations, with a shortage of staff and carriages being a common issue.

Parent company West Midlands Trains has said it expects a new timetable to improve services and would introduce new trains next year.

A spokesman for the Department for Transport said it it was "disappointing to see the poor performance on West Midlands Trains" and would be "closely monitoring the steps WMT are taking to address the performance problems and expect to see significant improvements".

Last week, West Midlands Railway said 73% of its trains were within five minutes of schedule, with the firm responsible for delays/cancellation in 61% of the remaining services.

Express and Star

here are some of the stories making the headlines on the Express & Star website today:

• Christmas crackdown as police hit the streets to target gangs, external
• Cousins locked up after man stripped in attack at hairdressers, external
• Bullring, Intu Merry Hill and Telford Centre among best shopping centres in UK, external

A boy has been found with what police describe as a "horrific looking bladed knuckle duster".

The 15-year-old from Nuneaton has been arrested and released under investigation, external.

Officers said there was "no telling what harm could have happened" with the weapon.

Image source, Warwickshire Police