BBC Radio Hereford and Worcester

Five towns in the West Midlands are set to get more than £8m of government cash to help them make the most of their heritage.

The funding from Historic England will be used to encourage visitors and help local businesses to improve footfall during these tough times on the high street.

Image source, Google

Towns in line for funding:

• Brierley Hill
• Leominster
• Oswestry
• Stoke town
• Wednesbury

In Leominster (pictured above), the cash will be used to restore shop fronts and buildings, and create a heritage app.

There's also a chance to get match funding to improve the town's roads, pavements and public areas.

During the pandemic, community musicians have been helping people with dementia feel less isolated.

Express and Star

These are some of the Express and Star headlines today:

• Man seriously injured in Oldbury stabbing, external
• Boy, 4, flung through air and teenager hurt in hit-and-run, external
• Soaring demand for food banks, external

Full-time residents of England's university towns and cities fear a rise in coronavirus cases as students return, suggests a survey for the University and College Union.

Image source, Coventry University

Survation polled 1,012 people living in 25 towns and cities with large student populations, including Birmingham, Coventry, Stoke-on-Trent and Wolverhampton.

The union has previously urged universities to scrap face-to-face teaching until Christmas.

Universities have said steps are being taken to minimise risks on campuses.

A "small number" of individual cases of coronavirus have been identified at the University of Warwick.

Image source, University of Warwick

Its own test and trace service has been in operation since 9 September, it said, and had identified people who needed to isolate for 14 days.

"Over the course of the full academic year we will inevitably require others to isolate for 14 days," it said in a statement.

An "unauthorised gathering" had been dispersed on 13 September, the university added.

Teachers describe the teenager killed in the suicide bombing as a "fabulous role model".

Two boys and a woman have been injured after being hit by a car that mounted the pavement in Wolverhampton and then failed to stop.

Image source, Google

The vehicle also hit a parked car on Springfield Road, Heath Town at about 15:00 on Saturday, police said.

A four-year-old was flung into the air, said West Midlands Police, and taken to hospital with leg injuries.

His mother also received minor injuries.

A 13-year-old sustained cuts and bruises, the force added.

West Midlands Police described it as a "shocking incident".

A man, woman and two teenage girls were taken to hospital following the collision on the A49.

BBC Sport

Wolves are in talks with Barcelona over Portugal defender Nelson Semedo.

Image source, Getty Images

Explaining forward Diogo Jota's £41m move to Liverpool on Saturday, boss Nuno Espírito Santo said he wanted to sign a replacement for Matt Doherty.

The Wolves boss told chairman Jeff Shi the identity of the player he wanted.

It is understood Semedo, 26, is the man in question and, with Barca boss Ronald Koeman wanting to generate funds to overhaul his squad, Wolves may be able to sign the player for around £30m.

BBC Entertainment and Arts

Shropshire-born screenwriter and producer Jesse Armstrong has picked up an Emmy for his show Succession.

Image source, HBO

The HBO series won the top prize, best drama series, as well as prizes in the drama categories for best writing and best directing during the virtual ceremony.

Mr Armstrong, from Oswestry, said it was "such a very nice moment... but it's sad not to be with the cast and crew to share it."

He listed a number of "un-thank yous" during his acceptance speech, criticising President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Boris Johnson for their respective responses to the coronavirus pandemic.

Up to a third of the National Trust's 300 UK houses have links to colonialism, a project found.

Parents in Warwickshire are being asked to wear a mask on the school run in a bid to tackle a rise in coronavirus cases.

The UK is at a "critical point" in the coronavirus pandemic and "heading in the wrong direction", the government's chief medical adviser will warn later.

Rugby is the area with the highest rate in the county - recording 54.2 cases per 100,000 in the week up to 10 September.

BBC Radio Stoke

A secondary school in Stoke-on-Trent says it will remain closed today, because of an increased number of staff absences.

Image source, Google

A second year 11 pupil at Discovery Academy in Bentilee tested postive for Covid-19 last week.

A message on the school's Facebook page, external said it had taken the "precautionary measure" while staffing levels were being reassessed.

Birmingham Live

Some of the Birmingham Live headlines today include:

• Latest coronavirus rate in each part of West Midlands with Birmingham, Solihull, Wolverhampton falling, external
• Hunt for driver after boy, 4, and teen injured in hit-and-run, external
• Drunk chef refused Prosecco on train threatened to 'smash' rail worker, external

Racing will go ahead with spectators at Warwick later as part of the ongoing pilot scheme to get people back into sporting events.

Just 474 people are being allowed in for the meeting, which is only the second to have a crowd since racing resumed in June.

The restricted capacity will be filled by annual members, hospitality bookers and racehorse owners, said the course.

Jacob Billington, an Everton fan, died in a spate of stabbings in the city earlier this month.

Cath Mackie
BBC News

When Aston Martin unveiled the Bulldog 40 years ago it quickly became the stuff of legend for car fans.

Only one was ever built and its futuristic design and high-performance engine helped it become the fastest car on the road when it reached a record-breaking 192mph (308km/h).

Now the son of the former head of Aston Martin has tracked it down and thanks to a wealthy American Bulldog fan, it's been bought and is being restored by classic car specialists in Shropshire.

BBC Weather

Early fog or low cloud should clear leaving a fine day with lots of sunshine and highs of 23C (73F).

Image source, Weather Watchers/Les at large

Vanessa Pearce
BBC News

Welcome to our live service for Monday

We'll be bringing you all the news, sport, travel and weather for the West Midlands.

We love to hear from you so share your news, thoughts and photos of the area with us via email, Twitter, external and Facebook., external