Stoke-on-Trent Live

The Stoke-on-Trent Live website's headlines today include:

• Stoke-on-Trent NHS worker desperate to be a mum told to lose 10 stone to qualify for IVF, external
• Royal Stoke issues update on coronavirus visiting rules, external
• 'Ridiculous' council refuses to clear fly-tipped rubbish from Stoke-on-Trent street, external

We're starting to get more reports of roads being flooded due to the heavy rain now spreading across the West Midlands.

Drivers are being urged to avoid Warwick Road in Acocks Green, Birmingham,, external due to flooding.

While BBC Weather Watcher Julie's Garden took this photo this afternoon in Moseley:

Image source, Julie's Garden

BBC WM producer Lisa Smith, external said a thunderstorm had left a huge puddle on this Birmingham road:

BBC News Travel

Trains are being disrupted between Birmingham New Street and Whitlocks End due to heavy rain flooding the railway line.

National Rail Enquiries said, external it expected disruption until at least 18:00.

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for thunderstorms and said they were moving into Birmingham this afternoon bringing "awful conditions".

Work is under way to return a statue of Birmingham's first member of parliament to Chamberlain Square, following the refurbishment works in the Paradise area.

The statue of Thomas Attwood was removed in late 2015 and placed into storage.

Image source, Getty Images

Attwood, external was a leader of the movement which led to the Great Reform Act of 1832 and the creation of MPs for the new industrial towns in the Midlands and North of England.

Originally commissioned in 1993 by Attwood’s great, great granddaughter, Priscilla Mitchell, it was designed by sculptors Sioban Coppinger and Fiona Peever.

Fans of horse racing's biggest meeting are dressing up at home for four charities.

The Met Office said some parts of England had nearly 50mm of rainfall over three hours.

BBC Radio WM Sport

Aston Villa kick-off against Sheffield United this evening, as the Premier League returns, and they will be desperate for a win to get out of the relegation zone.

Image source, PA Media

The side are in the bottom three but with a game in hand over their rivals and three points would move them out of the danger zone.

Influential Villa midfielder John McGinn (pictured) could feature for the first time since Christmas after he suffered a fractured ankle in December.

In other team news, goalkeeper Jed Steer has recovered from an Achilles injury but Tom Heaton and Wesley are out until next season.

Birmingham Live

A few of the headlines from the Birmingham Live website today:

• Sutton Coldfield house set on fire after being struck by lightning bolt, external
• Met Office issues new 21-hour weather warning for Birmingham with power cuts and more flooding expected, external
• Cops slam drivers stranded in floods after ignoring road closures, external

This is a photo of the food distribution centre in the Woodside area of Telford which has been helping to feed more than 100 children.

It was set up by Telford and Wrekin Council because children weren't getting the support they would normally get from school breakfast clubs during lockdown.

Sarah, a single mum with seven children, said it had been "a lifeline" and that it was "a relief" that the government had done a u-turn on food vouchers for the summer holidays.

The Premier League returns today after a 100-day absence because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The first of 92 league games in 40 days will begin with Aston Villa hosting Sheffield United today from 18:00.

Image source, PA Media

BBC Sport's been looking at what will be different due to Covid-19 and other things to be aware of:

• A minute's silence will be held before the first matches to remember those who have died with coronavirus, and heart-shared badges will be worn on kits in tribute to NHS staff
• For the first 12 matches all player names on the back of shirts will be replaced by "Black Lives Matter" following the death of George Floyd in the United States
• All 92 games will be broadcast live with four shown on the BBC, the first made free-to-air on terrestrial television since the Premier League began in 1992
• All matches will be behind closed doors with a limit on 300 key people allowed inside stadiums
• Teams will be able to make five substitutions instead of three in each match with nine substitutes named instead of the usual seven
• You won't see any handshakes before kick-off and players and staff will make staggered entry on to the pitch
• Fans on big screens, specific cameras to celebrate towards, audio from the coin toss and artificial crowd noise could all feature
• Extra disinfection's likely to happen during matches and at half-time, such as the substitution board after it's used
• Post-match interviews you'll see on TV will take place pitch-side and VAR will continue to be in operation

BBC Weather

We're forecast more storms this afternoon, mainly in the southern and eastern parts of the West Midlands.

The Environment Agency's Dave Throup tweeted, external "Ready for round two?" and warned the storms would bring torrential rain, lightning and more flash flooding.

Image source, Keggy7

Image source, Grace16

Local Democracy Reporting Service
David Irwin

Two popular wooden sculptures have been vandalised at a Solihull nature reserve by a gang with power tools, according to park bosses.

Image source, Chris Dunster/Karen Grinsell

The pair, an owl and a squirrel, were sawn off at Palmers Rough, in Shirley, leaving just two bare stumps.

West Midlands Police are investigating the vandalism which the council believes happened on 9 June.

The local authority's deputy leader Karen Grinsell told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "This is mindless vandalism. I literally could have cried, they must have come up with proper cutting equipment."

Matt Bone, from Portsmouth, disappeared in 2018 while visiting the Malvern Hills.

Image source, West Midlands Fire Service

A lightning strike on a house in Sutton Coldfield caused a "big explosion", which frightened neighbours and prompted them to head outside to see what had happened.

Smoke began to pour from the roof before the property in New Leasow Road, New Hall, caught fire.

The incident was one of 200 weather-related calls West Midlands Fire Service received.

"We heard a big explosion. I screamed. I said 'what's that?'", said neighbour Karen Phapitis.

"The next thing, we came outside and we saw several of the neighbours round next door's house.

"We looked up, there was smoke everywhere coming from the roof and then it went into fire."

Allen Cook
BBC News

Lichfield Cathedral proved a magnet for last night's thunderstorms as these photos of lightning around the building show.

They were taken by Peter Walker, the cathedral’s Artist in Residence:

Image source, Peter Walker Sculptor

Image source, Peter Walker Sculptor

Chains to keep children off playgrounds in parts of Telford are having to be replaced, because someone has cut them.

Hollinswood and Randlay Parish Council said it had regularly had seals off the Boulton Grange and Dallamoor sites.

Image source, Getty Images

Council Clerk Katrina Baker has contacted the police and said it was potentially putting children's lives at risk.

Leighton Webster's wife Emma says they were told on two occasions he may not survive.

Leighton Webster spent 59 days on the unit at Alexandra Hospital, Redditch.

Worcester News

Here are three stories from the Worcester News today:

• Woman has hijab ripped off in racist attack, external
• Rise in benefit claims, external
• Report recommends homes approval, external

John Bray
BBC News

Members of a sailing club in Shropshire have returned to the water after coronavirus lockdown restrictions were eased.

Chelmarsh Sailing Club, near Bridgnorth, has allowed its sailing dinghies and paddleboards back out on to the reservoir for the first time in three months, but with new safety measures brought in.

The changing rooms remain off-limits and social distancing rules remain in place, on and off the water.