Police are urging people selling goods online to remain vigilant, after con artists scammed West Midlands residents out of more than £125,000.

Image source, West Midlands Police

People who advertise goods on sites such as Facebook, Gumtree and eBay are being urged to take extra care before handing over items.

It's amid ongoing fraud reports in the last six months, mainly involving high-value goods such as watches and mobiles, West Midlands Police said.

At a meeting someone will inspect an item and agree to pay for it via bank transfer, although a fraudulent cheque will be paid into the victim's account with the funds showing as pending.

The victim will hand over goods thinking a payment has been completed, but the cheque will later bounce back unpaid. Det Con Edward Spokes said: "Anyone selling goods online should check with their banks that any payments have cleared their accounts before handing over goods.

"Funds shown as pending in the account do not necessarily mean that the payment has been completed."

The government announces first stages of plans to get superfast broadband to the majority of UK homes.

Investigations are underway into the cause of a fire in a commercial building in Shropshire.

Image source, Market Drayton fire station

Crews from Shropshire, Staffordshire and Cheshire fire services were called to assist with the fire in the building in Market Drayton from 23:33 GMT.

The fire was contained to the single story building.

Talented saxophonist Colton Bryan had been stabbed several times and died at the scene, police say.

Ameen Thabet is told he will serve a minimum of 18 years in prison for the murder of Najeeba Al-Alriqy.

The corporation is to relocate some news services and make more primetime shows in the region.

Evha Jannath's death at Drayton Manor was an "utterly tragic waste of a young life", the judge says.

Disabled rower Xander Van Der Poll has been selected for the British Rowing's talent programme

BBC Midlands Today

At least one new drama series and one new entertainment series will come from the West Midlands under plans by the BBC.

Changes to the corporation will include relocating Radio 1's Newsbeat team to Birmingham, which will also be the base for the Asian Network.

The BBC is to move some of its key departments and staff outside London to make it more reflective of the UK as a whole.

BBC Radio Wolverhampton is to continue beyond its current temporary period and learning hubs are to be opened in the city and Birmingham to train young people for careers in digital media.

The corporation said its plans represent a "top-to-bottom change" and its biggest transformation in decades.

Chris Hopkins wants to try to prevent more children losing their mothers to cervical cancer.

Kyra King had rented her Cannock home for 16 years before she died of Covid-19 in February.

Shropshire Star

Here are some of the stories on the Shropshire Star website:

• Couples left waiting at the altar over wedding confusion, external
• West Mercia Police launches new improvement charter, external
• 'We're staying': Thorntons franchise in Bridgnorth will remain open, external

BBC Midlands Today

West Midlands Police says it is stepping up efforts to prevent knife crime ahead of the easing of lockdown.

There will be extra patrols on the streets in problem areas as restrictions change, the force said.

This week officers have used knife arches to scan members of the public and searched parks and green spaces.

It is the work of Project Guardian, the force's youth violence prevention team.

BBC Midlands Today

Firefighters in Shropshire have given almost 10,000 Covid-19 vaccinations to residents in just over a month.

It is to help support the government's target with the rollout of the vaccine.

Sixty staff at Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service have been trained and redeployed at three centres across the county.

Thomas Ball is jailed after pleading guilty to six "carefully planned" child sexual offences.

BBC Hereford and Worcester

Herefordshire families will be getting help to feed their children during the Easter holidays.

The local authority said it will use money from the government's winter Covid grant to pay for the scheme, which helped more than 3,600 children during the Christmas holidays and following half term.

Image source, Getty Images

Primary and secondary age children who are eligible for free school meals will get £80 each directly through their school.

BBC Weather

It is set to be a dull and cloudy day, but it should stay dry, with highs of 12°C (54°F).

The Brine Memories campaign hopes to collect stories relating to the Droitwich's spa heritage.

The suspect is released on bail after being questioned about the death of Stuart Lubbock in 2001.

Families met with the Home Secretary as part of their campaign for a full account into the blasts.