James Teer was shot twice in the face at close range from a stolen car in Birmingham.

BBC Business News

The UK should focus on improving bus and rail links rather than regional airports, a charity which focuses on sustainable transport has said.

Image source, Getty Images

"Improvements to regional connectivity are sorely needed, and with an imperative to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2050, the review on regional connectivity should ensure a focus on sustainable transport," Darren Shirley, chief executive of the Campaign for Better Transport, said.

"Better bus and rail connections, including reopening disused rail lines and stations, and better connections with a new generation of transport interchanges will bring social, economic and environmental benefits to communities across the country."

The comments come in the light of the government's rescue plan for low-cost airline Flybe.

Should Midlanders bung in a bob for a Big Ben Bong?

Stuart George
Presenter, BBC Radio Stoke

An agricultural show will return this summer just months after it was cancelled due to falling visitor numbers.

In October, organisers of the Leek Show blamed a drop in attendances and revenues over the previous two years for the decision to end the event after 57 years.

But now they say funding's been secured for the show to return in July, external and a five-year plan drawn up for the future.

Allen Cook
BBC News

A teenage boy's been arrested on suspicion of robbing four other teenagers at knife point.

Police in Coventry said, external the crimes happened in the city centre on Saturday and Sunday with the victims aged between 14 and 17.

They arrested the 15-year-old this morning.

New West Midlands MPs Gary Sambrook and Zarah Sultana have been giving their maiden speeches in Parliament during a debate on the Green Industrial Revolution.

Mr Sambrook won the Birmingham Northfield seat for the Conservatives in the general election in December, beating Richard Burden who had held it for Labour since 1992.

Ms Sultana took over the Coventry South seat from fellow Labour member Jim Cunningham, who stood down at the last election.

Image source, UK Parliament

Both new MPs highlighted their constituencies' industrial pasts and presents.

During an often entertaining speech, Mr Sambrook described his upbringing on a Birmingham council estate. He also called for a move towards greener technologies and their manufacture to benefit people across the country.

Ms Sultnana meanwhile took a swipe at recent Conservative governments and cuts to public services, as well as praising her constituency's diversity and tolerance.

Sitting her GCSEs only a decade ago, she said she would love to tell teenagers in 10 years' time that her generation had helped save the planet.

BBC Coventry & Warwickshire Sport

Birmingham City fans are expected to have the away end at St Andrew's for their FA Cup match against Coventry City later this month.

Coventry were drawn to be the home team for the tie and will also get the home dressing room.

Image source, Getty Images

Coventry reached the fourth round after a 3-0 win over Bristol Rovers in a replay last night.

Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust was put into special measures in November 2018, in part due to its A&Es.

It has also faced long-running problems with A&E recruitment going back over many years, not just with consultants but also middle-grade doctors and nurses - partly due to a national shortage.

Details of the departures of two consultants, due to resignation and maternity leave were highlighted in a hospital trust board meeting in November.

With the appointment of one extra locum, it was understood to leave the trust with a total of 10 emergency consultants - compared with a safe staffing level of 20, as established by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine.

Image source, PA Media

Speaking to the Telford and Wrekin CCG governance board last night, accountable officer David Evans said he was "sure" staffing levels were "affecting performance".

Christine Morris, Telford and Wrekin CCG's quality and safety lead, told the board meeting "given the challenges the trust has, particularly around their workforce, that they are doing the best they can in very difficult circumstances.”

The Local Democracy Reporting Service reported Ms Morris also called for "deeper analysis" given the number waiting more than 12 hours for a bed.

The hospital trust was also one of the worst in England for the number of A&E patients waiting more than fours to be treated.

In December just 60.5% of patients were seen within the four-hour target - it's worst figures for the year, despite attendances being broadly in line with recent months.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Almost 600 patients have had to wait more than 12 hours for a bed after arriving at A&E units in Shrewsbury and Telford over the last six weeks, a health committee has heard.

Last week, figures released by NHS England showed 348 patients faced waits of more than 12 hours in December - the worst figures in England by some margin.

So far in January, 226 people have faced similar waits.

Image source, SATH

That is despite admissions being lower than forecast, according to Telford and Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Group governance board member Adam Pringle.

He said it suggested "volume is not the issue".

David Evans, the accountable officer for Shropshire's CCGs said the A&Es had faced a "difficult Christmas period" but it was "impossible to say" whether higher demand or a stretched workforce was the main cause.

The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust has recently lost two consultants due to resignation and sick leave, with a third due to go off on maternity leave soon.

Finley Hill, seven, has undergone a transplant for an immune system disorder.

Hereford Times

Here are three of the stories featured on the Hereford Times website today:

• Tip closed again after stone throwing, external
• Health bosses blasted for using ‘false’ statistics, external
• Fleet of electric buses mooted, external

River levels across the West Midlands are expected to stay high over the next few days, the Environment Agency has said.

It's still got flood alerts, external affecting the rivers Severn, Avon, Teme, Lugg, Dene, Leam, Swift, Sow, Penk, Worfe, Tern and Perry.

Image source, Environment Agency

More rain is forecast tomorrow and the Environment Agency warned that people in towns and cities may see floodwater rise up through drains.

A 78-year-old man died after crashing his car into a brick wall in Broseley yesterday morning.

West Mercia Police has said it doesn't yet know why his car mounted the pavement on Church Street, but no other vehicles were involved.

Image source, Google

BBC Coventry & Warwickshire Sport

Wasps winger Josh Bassett got a surprise when he returned from their European Challenge Cup tie in France - a second child.

His partner Rosie ended up going into hospital before her due date, to give birth. "I took off from Toulouse airport a father of one and landed in Heathrow a father of two," he said.

Image source, Getty Images

Bassett said "everything was fine" before he left and he was "very fortunate that her family was there to help her out, because there wasn't very much that I could do".

BBC Weather Watchers

Plenty of blue sky around today in the West Midlands after the stormy conditions yesterday.

Here are three photos from our BBC Weather Watchers Mikesnapper in Martley, Worcestershire, Suttonwalker in Sutton Coldfield and Stormchaser Al in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire:

Image source, Mikesnapper

Image source, Suttonwalker

Image source, Stormchaser Al

Shropshire Star

Here are three headlines from the Shropshire Star website today:

• Man dies after car crashes into wall, external
• Arsonist pensioner spared prison, external
• Tawny owl rescued from wood burner, external

A man is being treated for serious injuries after being stabbed in Leamington Spa this morning.

West Midlands Ambulance Service said another man died of his injuries at the scene.

Emergency services were called to Tachbrook Road at 10:58, but West Mercia Police hasn't said if officers are looking for anyone or if any arrests have been made.

Warwickshire Police say they are responding to a report of two people being stabbed on Tachbrook Road in Leamington Spa.

The force said one person has died at the scene and another taken to hospital.

A restaurant's been left badly damaged by a fire that ripped through 80% of the site.

The cause of the blaze at the African Village in Perry Barr, Birmingham, yesterday is still under investigation, but West Midlands Fire Service said it was believed to have been started accidentally.

Fire crews have checked the building this morning and found no hotspots or smoke after putting the fire out overnight.

BBC Radio Shropshire Sport

Shrewsbury Town's FA Cup game-winner, Aaron Pierre, said he didn't know what to do after scoring in the 89th minute against Bristol City last night.

The players were mobbed by fans after the final whistle and Pierre said: "It's a great bond with us players and the fans and it was just a crazy, crazy moment."

Afterwards, Shrewsbury Town took a little dig at their Championship opponents, who decided not to sign Pierre after a trial at Ashton Gate a couple of years ago.