Several new-build homes in Hereford have been vandalised.

Image source, West Mercia Police

The houses are under construction on St Andrews Close and were damaged on Monday night, West Mercia Police said, external.

Locks were broken, windows smashed, fire extinguishers let off inside the buildings and graffiti sprayed on walls.

BBC Hereford and Worcester

BTec students at a college in Worcester have been praised for being "incredibly resilient" after their results were pulled on the eve of them being released.

Image source, Google

Pearson said it would be re-grading all its BTecs to bring them in line with A-levels and GCSEs, which are now being graded via school-based assessments.

Neil Morris, head teacher of Christopher Whitehead Language College, said the move had left his pupils with no idea what they would do next.

"They have been amazing, they have been incredibly resilient and I suppose in the long-term, if we get the right results eventually they will cope with it. It's not any way to treat young people, certainly in a pandemic."

Pearson apologised and acknowledged the additional uncertainty the decision would cause.

Coventry Live

The Coventry Live website's headlines today include:

• Hundreds of plants seized in Coventry cannabis factory raid, external
• Council ordered to change unfair school transport policy, external
• Community raises £1,500 for Coventry sports ground after traveller incursion, external

BBC Sport

West Bromwich Albion's return to the Premier League will begin with a home game against Leicester City.

Image source, PA Media

The game is scheduled for Saturday 12 September but depends on decisions by broadcasters which may move it.

Aston Villa's opening game, away to Manchester City, will be delayed due to the Manchester club's involvement in the latter stages of the Champions League.

Wolves are due to begin their campaign on 14 September away to Sheffield United.

You can read more about the Premier League fixtures including when some of the local derbies are here on the BBC Sport website.

George Byatt's family are devastated as "non-essential" care home visits are banned in Birmingham.

BBC Radio 5 Live

Pupils at a college in Warwickshire are in limbo as there is no timescale on when they will get their BTec results, according to the man in charge of them at their school.

Image source, Google

Exam board Pearson pulled its BTec results on the eve of releasing them and said it would be re-grading them to bring them in line with A-levels and GCSEs.

Simon Carey, at Etone College, Nuneaton, is in charge of ensuring the quality of BTecs at the school and said his students did not know what they could do next in life.

"Their portfolio of qualifications will be empty in some places and if they are moving on to another institution where they are looking for a certain set of grades in order to get in there, or a number of points, then they have no proof whatsoever because they will be missing those qualifications for BTecs."

Pearson has apologised and acknowledged the additional uncertainty the decision would cause.

Bob Hockenhull
BBC Midlands Today

The same gang of thieves may be behind more than 100 burglaries and thefts from allotments in Worcestershire, police have said.

The criminals are taking tools and other equipment from sheds with a combined total so far running into tens of thousands of pounds.

Allotment holders have been given advice on security measures by police officers.

The thieves tried to take a rotavator from Alison Billington's shed before abandoning it due to its weight.

"I'm very upset because you can't leave anything in your shed now, nothing at all. We used to worry about car boot sales and your equipment ending up at a car boot sale, but now it's probably into containers and gone."

West Mercia Police said the thefts had declined in recent days but gardeners still needed to be vigilant and security conscious.

Express and Star

The Express and Star's headlines today include:

• GCSE results: Black Country students nervous to get grades, external
• Commonwealth Games aquatics centre 'will not suffer same fate as athletes' village', external
• Councillors hoping to find new occupier for Pizza Express' 'prime site' in Stafford, external

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Tom Davis

School holiday dates have altered in Coventry this year after complaints.

The city council says it is to bring it in line with the half-term dates in Warwickshire after complaints from parents.

Some were having to pay for twice as much childcare if their children went to schools in two different authorities.

The autumn term in Coventry will start on 1 September with the first half-term holiday from 26 October.

BBC Weather

It will be mainly dry today with sunny spells and just the odd shower is possible at times. It could be breezy with a high of 23C (73F).

Image source, BBC Weather Watcher Triggy Stardust

The dry conditions are expected to continue through tonight with clear spells mixed with patches of cloud. Low: 15C (59F).

You can keep up-to-date on the forecast for your area by going to the BBC Weather website.

Allen Cook
BBC News

Welcome to our live service for Thursday.

We'll be bringing you all the latest updates for the West Midlands.

You can let us know about stories in your area via email,Twitter , externaland Facebook, external.

Residents in Normacot, Stoke-on-Trent, are urged to stay home as coronavirus cases rise to 57.

Birmingham City Council said rising coronavirus cases were "extremely concerning".

Telford and Wrekin Council says 13 people are self-isolating after testing positive for Covid-19.

A man is detained in Birmingham following the death of Reece Cox in Sedgley.

We'll be back tomorrow with the latest news, sport, travel and more for the West Midlands from 08:00.

BBC Shropshire

The number of positive Covid-19 cases in Telford and Wrekin is "going in the wrong direction", the local council's said.

Image source, Reuters

The rate of infection in the borough's increased from 2.8 cases per 100,000 in the week up to 7 August to 14.5 for the next seven days.

The council's confirmed some of the increase is due to an outbreak of Covid-19 at a care home where 13 staff and residents have tested positive.

Councillor Andy Burford, cabinet member for health, said they're not at the level where a local lockdown is needed but they need the figure to come down.

"What we're trying to do is avoid getting to that level. It's not at worryingly high levels at this stage but it's going in the wrong direction."

Strong winds are being forecast for Friday with people being warned they could cause transport disruption.

Image source, Met Office

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning, external from 04:00 on Friday until 18:00 the same day, covering the West Midlands.

Stoke-on-Trent Live

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

• Covid testing station to reopen in Normacot as number of outbreak cases rises to 45, external
• Stoke-on-Trent Pizza Express to close, external
• Pregnant mum and toddler catapulted into air in horrific collision caused by racing cars, external

Worcester Warriors full-back Melani Nanai is banned for three matches for a no-arms tackle on England winger Jonny May.