Updates from Monday 13 January to Sunday 19 January
The cloud has certainly rolled in this afternoon.
Here are a couple of cloudy shots from BBC Weather Watchers Terragait in Clent, Worcestershire and SteveC in Warwick:
Image source, Terragait
Image source, SteveC
Facebook
People have been commenting the BBC Midlands Facebook page, external on radical plans to ban private cars from travelling through Birmingham city centre in a bid to cut pollution.
Image source, Getty ImagesVehicles will be able to drive into the city, but would have to go back out to the ring road to access other areas.
Wayne Platt posts: "I have a disability and I will be unable to travel by public transport. I need my car!! What a mess it will be."
Geraldine Roper came up with an innovative solution, writing: "Provide electric solar powered battery driven "Tuk tuks" in cities."
And Robert F Kirby commented: "Well done this does not solve pollution it just moves it to the suburbs along with all of the traffic."
One of the few people to support the measures, Matthew Gray said: "Bring it in.....central London has become so much nicer, but the tram, train, bus and cycling infrastructure has to be there first to support it."
Evening rain will move away to the east later leaving some clear spells with lows of 4C (39F).
Another spells of wet and fairly windy weather will push across the region tomorrow morning, with heavy and persistent rain expected.
Image source, BBC Weather Watchers/Suttonwalker
BBC Shropshire
Shrewsbury Town defender Ryan Sears is "back with a bang" from his knee injury, manager Sam Ricketts has said.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe 21-year-old had been out since April but played the full 90 minutes in their draw with Lincoln City at the weekend.
Quote MessageHe got injured just at the wrong time, he'd just broken into the team, just had a couple of performances were I thought he did well and unfortunately got injured. But he's worked incredibly hard to get back and myself and the players are delighted for him, back with a bang with 90 minutes."
Sam Ricketts, Shrewsbury Town manager
Five candidates have been confirmed in the Labour leadership challenge, including Birmingham Yardley MP, Jess Phillips.
Sir Keir Starmer, Rebecca Long Bailey, Lisa Nandy and Emily Thornberry have also qualified for the next stage.
As part of her pitch, Ms Phillips is calling for the creation of a universal childcare service, based on provision in some Scandinavian countries.
She told LBC the last Labour's government offer of 15 hours free childcare a week had been a "lifeline" for her as a young mother at the time, but current level of provision was now "very limited and needed massive improvement".
She said the state needed to think of affordable childcare as an economic catalyst for families, in the same way as transport and broadband connections, and not just focus on whether a woman's earnings made her eligible for support.
"Universal free childcare will not only provide thousands and thousands of jobs to groups of people who are desperately in need of good, secure income, it will also enable masses more people to properly go out to work and make their families' lives better," she said.
A few of the stories on the Worcester News site today:
People who buy a £2 ticket could win the property, which failed to sell when it went on the market.
Read MoreJada Joshi
BBC News
A new temporary homeless shelter has opened in Birmingham for when temperatures fall below 0C.
Birmingham homeless shelter opens as temperatures fall
The shelter on Lionel Street is being run by As-Suffa Institute.
Eunice Chidzomba, who's a homeless asylum seeker, was one of the first to use it this month.
A lorry driver who fell from his cab on to the M6 after being almost three times over the drink drive limit has been disqualified from driving.
Image source, Warwickshire PoliceWarwickshire Police said he was originally thought to be suffering a cardiac arrest having fallen out of his cab and ending up in lane one of the M6 northbound near junction two, on Saturday night.
The motorway near Coventry was closed and an ambulance was called, police said. The man was later arrested.
Pawel Kwik, 31, of Wojsławice, Poland, admitted the charge of drink driving.
He was fined £416, plus a victim surcharge of £31 and costs of £135.
He was also disqualified from driving for 22 months, said Leamington Spa Magistrates' Court.
Police said they were "extremely thankful" that no one was killed or seriously injured.
Quote MessageHe not only put his own life at risk but that of everyone else using the M6 motorway on Saturday evening. Several members of the public put themselves in considerable danger by stopping their vehicles on the hard shoulder of the motorway to help this man."
Insp Jem Mountford, Warwickshire Police
The coroner read details of a pathology report into Helen Hancock and Martin Griffiths' deaths.
Read MoreTwo 16-year-old boys have been charged in connection with a series of knife-point attacks on taxi drivers in Birmingham.
Five drivers were targeted in the Newtown area of the city between 20 December and 7 January, in which cash and phones were stolen, police said.
A driver also suffered a knife wound to his arm during an attack in Old Bridge Street on 2 January.
They're set to appear in court on 24 January, said West Midlands Police.
A few of the stories making the headlines on the Hereford Times website today:
A trampoline park, destroyed by fire, is set to reopen later this year, it's been announced
Image source, Warwickshire Fire and Rescue ServiceFlames engulfed the RedKangaroo attraction near Coventry in October 2018, leaving it "beyond repair".
Demolition of the previous building on School Lane, Exhall and development of the new site is now underway, the company says, with the opening scheduled for the autumn.
“A lot of time, effort and hard work has gone in to securing the rebuild of our Coventry site, and when the park venue returns later this year it’s going to be much, much more than just a trampoline park” said chief executive Paul Wrightman.
Staffordshire's New Vic Theatre is looking to crowdfund £225,000 towards a major revamp this summer.
Image source, GoogleManagers at the theatre in Newcastle-under-Lyme said Arts Council England was putting £350,000 towards the plan and they now have to raise the rest of the money.
The work in the auditorium is set to start in June and would include replacing all 597 seats, the stage floor and revamping the balcony.
The site was Europe's first purpose built theatre-in-the-round when it opened in 1986.
Burton Albion sign defender Conor Shaughnessy from Championship side Leeds United on loan until the end of the season.
Read MoreThe works at junction 6, were initially expected to be completed in late 2018.
Read More
Allen Cook
BBC News
A 19th Century mansion has been left badly damaged after a large fire, according to photos released by Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service.
Image source, Cheshire Fire and Rescue ServiceAt its height, dozens of firefighters battled the blaze on Sunday evening at Tilstone House on Nantwich Road in Tarporley, near Nantwich. , external
The fire service said the fire swept across all three floors of the former stately home, which is now used as a wedding venue.
By 15:30, just one fire engine was still at the house., external
Image source, Cheshire Fire and Rescue ServiceWorcester lock Michael Fatialofa remains in intensive care but is "beginning to make progress", says wife Tatiana.
Read More
BBC Business News
The potential collapse of Flybe threatens a further 1,400 jobs in the supply chain as well as 2,000 jobs at the airline, a union has warned.
Image source, Flybe“If Flybe goes belly up, it won’t just be direct employees at risk but 1,400 supply chain jobs as well," said Nadine Houghton of the GMB Union.
“Our economy is tanking. The last thing we need is an airline to go under – especially one which provides a vital public service in some parts of the country.
“If government is serious about infrastructure investment in the regions, it must step in and protect what already exists.”
Ged Scott
BBC Sport
Former Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina is undergoing a medical at Aston Villa today before completing his loan move from AC Milan for the rest of the season.
Image source, Getty ImagesVilla manager Dean Smith moved for Reina to strengthen their goalkeeping options after Tom Heaton was ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee injury sustained at Burnley on New Year's Day.
The 37-year-old was given clearance to switch to Villa Park after AC Milan set up a deal for Bournemouth keeper Asmir Begovic and the formalities are expected to be completed today.
