BBC Shropshire

A hotel could expand on to the site of a gas explosion which destroyed a house and injured 11 people in Shrewsbury a decade ago.

The house in Hills Lane was demolished and screened off following the blast on 3 January 2010.

Gas ignited from a fractured pipe in a unpredicted failure, the Health and Safety Executive found.

The site's since been unoccupied but Wetherspoons, which runs the hotel next door, wants to expand on to the site with an extra 23 guest rooms.

Shropshire Council says it's now discussing potential changes to the plans but hopes to reach a conclusion in the next couple of months.

BBC Weather

Dry tonight with some long, clear spells mixed with some patches of cloud. Low: 3C (37F).

Image source, Les at Large

Then the weekend starts cold and clear before Saturday will be mainly fine with sunny spells and scattered cloud. High: 9C (48F).

Get a latest forecast for your area at any time from the BBC Weather website.

Hereford Times

The headlines in the Hereford Times today include:

• Pet goat stolen from Herefordshire school, external
• Mountain rescue team called to fallen walkers, external
• Taser use by Herefordshire's police force increases, external

BBC Weather Watchers

Wow, we have had a stunning sunset this evening by the look of the photos we've had from our local BBC Weather Watchers.

Here are three from users Sooty in Clive, Shropshire, Dammo in Knowle, Solihull and Trish in Belbroughton, Worcestershire:

Image source, Sooty

Image source, Dammo

Image source, Trish

BBC Politics

Jess Phillips is expected to announce later that she is joining the race to replace Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader.

Image source, Reuters

The Birmingham Yardley MP would join shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry and shadow Treasury minister Clive Lewis in confirming her candidacy.

Other MPs considering a leadership bid include Sir Keir Starmer, Rebecca Long-Bailey and Lisa Nandy.

Mr Corbyn is due to stand down after the party's election defeat last month.

BBC Hereford and Worcester

The family of a five-year-old boy with leukaemia say he's been allowed out of his isolation room after treatment in Singapore but they don't yet know if it's worked.

Image source, Hand in Hand for Oscar

Oscar Saxelby-Lee, from Worcester, had stem-cell treatment in the UK, but tests showed cancer was still present.

He flew to Asia with his parents for CAR-T therapy over Christmas, with the help of £500,000 raised through crowdfunding.

His mother said it was still not clear if the treatment had worked, but being let out of his room was a big step for her son.

BBC Shropshire

The parents of a Shrewsbury Town player look set to be split over who they want to win the team's FA Cup match tomorrow at Bristol City.

Image source, Getty Images

Defender Scott Golbourne's from Bristol, is a fan of the Robins and started his career as a junior with the side.

But, while he'll be donning the Shrewsbury kit tomorrow, he's admitted his dad's still a huge City supporter and is a season ticket holder.

Worcester News

A few of the top stories from the Worcester News today:

• Pub forced to shut after three fights involving same family, external
• Speeding to blame for more than 9 in 10 driving offences in West Mercia, external
• Praise for hospital staff after parish council chairman's heart attack, external

Birmingham City Women sign former Sunderland midfielder Emma Kelly.

We brought you news earlier of a quirky robot being used to speed up roadworks on the M6 and make the work safer for engineers.

We feel a little let down however that it's called the WJ Robotic PreMarker.

But it has proved so successful that contractor WJ Group has now invested in a second robot.

Image source, Highways England

Nor is it the end of Highways England's experiment with automation.

Julian Lamb, construction director, said a similar project in Cambridgeshire was trialling a self-driving dumper truck in a bid to complete roadworks "quickly, safely and efficiently".

"These technologies are also supporting new jobs, with the engineers of tomorrow needing to learn new skills such as programming this autonomous equipment," he said.

BBC News Travel

A road's going to be shut for up to three hours this evening in Worcester so flood pumps can be removed.

Worcestershire County Council says, external they'll close Hylton Road from 19:00 and put up a diversion.

Military life "could break" youngsters who lack confidence, says Afghanistan death soldier's mother.

Police are warning people across the West Midlands to be vigilant, after "an unusual phone box scam" was reported in Wolverhampton.

Image source, Google

An 89-year-old man was parked in a lay-by on Dudley Road (generic image above) on Monday when he was approached by a man who told him that he was parked illegally and the matter had been captured on camera.

The elderly man was tricked in to going to a nearby phone box, where he was advised to insert a bank card into a reader followed by his car registration and PIN "in order to pay a 'reduced fine'", police said.

He was led to believe the machine swallowed his card, but once he'd left, the trickster retrieved the card and used it to withdraw £1,650.

BBC Hereford and Worcester

The mother of the youngest British soldier to be killed in Afghanistan says she's "appalled" at the Army's latest recruitment drive.

The scheme is targeting social media addicts, gym junkies and binge drinkers.

Image source, Karmarama

Posters and adverts in the campaign claim members of the armed forces enjoy a "lasting confidence" as opposed to the short-lived satisfaction gleaned from fast fashion and Instagram likes.

But Lucy Aldridge, whose son, rifleman William Aldridge (pictured) of Bromyard, Herefordshire, died aged 18 in 2009, has criticised it, saying she's "absolutely appalled".

"They're actually targeting people who are lacking in confidence and suggesting army training is something that will give you confidence. It will be a minority of people that that would act as a confidence-boosting exercise," she said.

Only about 10% of recruits make it through basic training and, despite the Army's best efforts, it it is still 8,000 people short of its target strength.

The Army has defended its campaign, saying it needs younger recruits and careers in the forces offer people "fantastic opportunities" to learn new skills.

Police use social media to chastise driver’s “unacceptable” lack of spoon.

Allen Cook
BBC News

A pet goat's been stolen from a school.

The black pygmy goat was taken between New Year's Eve and New Year's Day from Fairfield School, Peterchurch, west of Hereford, police said. , external

The force adds the animal was "much loved" by pupils.

Stoke-on-Trent Live

A few of the stories making the headlines on Stoke-on-Trent Live today:

• Frustrated man's 30-year fight to fix blocked drain outside his Staffordshire home, external
• Giant new store to be built on Stoke-on-Trent retail park, external
• NHS blunder mum backs new report after Royal Stoke wrongly diagnosed her , external

Barnsley are charged by the Football Association after Stoke's James McClean was allegedly subjected to sectarian abuse at a game in November.

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

Three puppies have been found in a field afters it's suspected they were dumped and the RSPCA thinks there could still be more in the area.

Image source, RSPCA

A driver spotted cavapoo-type dogs on Knowsley Lane, Church Lawton, near Kidsgrove, Staffordshire, and managed to capture one of them on Monday.

Two more black puppies were found the following day and the RSPCA says it believes potentially three more may be in the area.

The charity says the ones that have been discovered are now in care.

BBC News England

A teacher who was found dead at a house on New Year's Day "made a real difference" to pupils, her school said.

Image source, Family photos

Helen Hancock taught at Fountains High School, Burton-upon-Trent, Staffordshire, and the school's statement added staff and students were "all deeply saddened" by her death.

The bodies of the 39-year-old and her partner Martin Griffiths, 48, were found by police in New Zealand Lane, Duffield, Derbyshire.

Today, her estranged husband, Rhys Hancock, 39, of Portland Street, Etwall, appeared at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates' Court charged with murdering the pair.

He did not enter a plea, was remanded in custody and is due to next appear at Derby Crown Court on Monday.