New technology being introduced in hospital labs is expected to help patients with certain form of cancers to get a faster diagnosis.

Wye Valley NHS Trust is one of the first hospitals in the region to introduce this latest technology which will assist in the more rapid detection of cancers including breast, kidney and colon.

Image source, Wye Valley NHS Trust

It will allow the hospitals’ laboratories to process patient tissue samples within 14 hours, half the time of the traditional method.

Andrea Johnson, histopathology manager a the trust, said: “This processing technology is significantly advanced for use in histopathology and we are delighted to secure this for the benefit of our patients to provide a quicker diagnosis."

BBC Weather

Things are looking a lot drier today than they have done so far this week.

We will have some showers today, mainly towards the east of our region, but it will be mainly dry with some sunshine.

Temperatures are expected to reach a high of 12C, so still a bit cold for this time of year.

It's election day across England, Wales and Scotland and voters are heading to the polls with thousands of council seats in England up for grabs. Elections are also taking place for mayors, including in the West Midlands, and police and crime commissioners.

Image source, PA Media

Polling stations will be open from 07:00 - 22:00 BST and voters are being asked to take their own pencils as a Covid safety measure.

So, where are votes being cast?

Councils

County councils:

• Staffordshire
• Warwickshire
• Worcestershire

Metropolitan councils:

• Coventry
• Dudley
• Sandwell
• Solihull
• Walsall
• Wolverhampton

District councils:

• Nuneaton & Bedworth
• Cannock Chase
• Redditch
• Rugby
• Tamworth
• Worcester
• Wyre Forest

All the seats in Shropshire Council, a unitary authority, are also up for election.

Police and crime commissioners

• West Midlands
• West Mercia
• Warwickshire
• Staffordshire (includes Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service)

Read more about the candidates by tapping the links.

Image source, Staffordshire Police

West Midlands Mayor

The combined authority mayor, covering the seven metropolitan boroughs, is responsible for planning and strategy for regional transport, skills training and local economic development. Click here to see the candidates.

For a reminder of all the candidates standing in your area and information about what they will do, use our handy look-up tool.

Tara Tomes of East Village PR firm in Birmingham explains why she's ditching the office.

Classic cars, military vehicles and showman's vehicles are among those eligible for exemptions.

The trial hears former Aston Villa star Dalian Atkinson was Tasered, kicked and hit with a baton.

Ronald Mowbray died while in prison ahead of standing trial for his wife's murder.

The Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has been in Birmingham today, supporting the party's candidate in the West Midlands mayoral election, Liam Byrne.

He spoke to students and asked them how they'd been coping with the pandemic.

Image source, Reuters

Local elections, including those for directly elected mayors take place tomorrow and a full list of the candidates standing to be West Midlands Mayor can be found here.

Earlier we told you about a number of people who were injured in an incident where shots were fired in a Walsall street, after a crash involving two cars.

West Midlands Police said it believed the incident was a "targeted attack".

The force said four people had been arrested as detectives continued to establish what happened on Cobden Street on Tuesday.

A man, 33, was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender while another man, 26, was arrested on suspicion of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life - both remain in police custody.

A 20-year-old man was arrested for possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and a woman, 34, was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder.

They are both being treated for their injuries in hospital and will be questioned at a later stage, the force said.

The man has a bullet wound and is in a serious but stable condition.

The woman has injuries to her legs which are not thought to be life-threatening.

Police have also recovered a VW Polo, which it believes was involved.

It will be forensically examined and the force said it is still working to trace its occupants.

Shrewsbury Railway Station is to be lit up in honour of the work being carried out by the NHS.

The station will be lit up in blue on 5, 12 and 14 May.

Image source, Shropshire Council

It marks three dates set up to celebrate medical professionals - 5 May is International Day of the Midwife, 12 May is International Nurses Day and 14 May is National Operating Department Practitioners Day.

Julia Clarke, Director of Corporate Services at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, said: “Lighting up the railway station in blue is a great way of paying tribute to the hard work that these, and all the other professions within the NHS, are continuing to deliver as we come out of the latest lockdown, and certainly the worst wave of the pandemic.”

Matt Hancock calls on the Environment Agency to "urgently" resolve problems at Walleys Quarry.

Birmingham City Council has published its Clean Air Zone Charging Order which sets out how the scheme will operate.

After 1 June 2021, specified vehicles that do not meet emissions standards set out in the order, external will be required to pay a charge to drive in the Birmingham Clean Air Zone, within the A4540 Middleway.

Image source, Getty Images

The order also sets out the exemptions available, how the council will approach any enforcement associated with non-payment of fees and how it intends to use any income generated from the zone.

A Stoke-on-Trent beauty salon says its customers were made to feel uncomfortable by drinkers.

Aamer Araf repeatedly stabbed the woman until she lost consciousness, police say.

Boris Johnson has arrived in the West Midlands to show his support for the region's Conservative mayoral candidate, Andy Street.

Image source, PA Media

Mr Johnson joined the current mayor, who is seeking re-election, on one of the region's cycle-for-hire bikes which he said "looked very familiar".

Polls for the West Midlands mayor, as well as police and crime commissioners and local councils open tomorrow.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is due to arrive in the region later to join the campaign for his party's mayoral candidate Liam Byrne.

The Ricoh Arena in Coventry is to be renamed the Coventry Building Society Arena, after a new deal.

Wasps Group, which owns the site, has agreed a new naming rights deal, which means the venue will take on the new name for the next 10 years.

The Coventry-based venue is the home of Wasps Rugby and Wasps Netball – and will welcome back Coventry City Football Club in August.

Image source, Getty Images

Stephen Vaughan, Wasps Group Chief Executive, said: “We are thrilled to be joining forces with Coventry Building Society as we embark on a hugely exciting period for the venue with the imminent return of Wasps and Coventry City supporters, along with the reopening of our conferencing, event facilities and hotel.

“Coventry Building Society, like our venue, has strong local roots and a national reach, and we are looking forward to supporting each other over the coming years."

Steve Hughes, CEO of Coventry Building Society, added: “This is a fantastic partnership for us, for Wasps and for the city of Coventry."

A new on-demand bus service is being introduced in Coventry and parts of Warwickshire.

Image source, West Midlands Network

Users can book a journey without needing to use a specific bus number or stop.

The bus will serve Balsall Common, Kenilworth, Leamington Spa, Meriden, the University of Warwick, Warwick Parkway and Wellesbourne.

Passengers will have to register before being able to book a journey via an app.

Rachel Elwell says she is facing bankruptcy after losing money to a scammer.

West Midlands elections come along like busespublished at 12:14 British Summer Time 5 May 2021

12:14 BST 5 May 2021

Elizabeth Glinka
Political Editor, BBC Midlands

The prime minister has been campaigning in the West Midlands this morning.

Here in the region, it feels like elections arrive like buses; you wait for one and then 25 come along at once.

Tomorrow's vote brings a combination of those postponed last year due to the coronavirus outbreak, and those due this year.

All county council seats are up for grabs in Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire.

All are Conservative controlled, and are unlikely to deliver any surprises. Likewise Unitary Shropshire.

Warwickshire has traditionally been most likely to swing, but with the Conservatives holding more than double the seats of Labour and the Lib Dems combined, recent revelations about the prime minister would have to have some serious cut through for either party to make inroads.

Normally, the big Metropolitan Boroughs that elect by thirds are less likely to have a change of control.

This time Solihull, Coventry, Dudley, Walsall and Sandwell all have elections, but there are definitely some ones to watch, not least because of the changing voting behaviour, which saw Labour’s ‘red wall’ collapse across the Black Country at the last general election.

Conservative-run Walsall and, to an even greater extent, Dudley, are finely balanced between blue and red.

Solihull, too, is currently Conservative-led, but the loss of just one seat, would mean losing control.

The Greens who are the main opposition party, have been building their base here for the last decade.In our smaller district councils - Nuneaton and Bedworth, Cannock Chase and Worcester are all on a knife edge.

Musicians and experienced marchers are being sought to help run West Midlands Police's new Cadet Corps of Drums.

The force said the unit, for up to 30 teenagers aged 13 to 17, will open as soon as it recruits enough volunteers as cadet leaders.

Image source, West Midlands Police

Liz Curran, cadet youth engagement officer, said the role may suit ex-military drummers or people with a drill background.

"We’re also keen to hear from anyone who’d like to get involved who doesn’t have specific experience, but who is interested in learning. The more people we have the better," she said.

The unit will meet in Chelmsley Wood Police Station's gym and take part in parades.

Anyone interested can email cadets@west-midlands.pnn.police.uk, external