Two people have been taken to hospital after a serious crash in Redditch on Wednesday night.

West Midlands Ambulance Service said it was called to the junction of Breaches Lane and Icknield Street Drive at about 20:23 GMT after reports of a two-vehicle crash.

Image source, Google

The driver of one of the cars, a man, had to be cut free and was treated at the scene by paramedics for serious injuries before being taken for further treatment at the Queen Elizabeth hospital in Birmingham.

His passenger, a second man, had injuries which paramedics said were "potentially serious" and was taken to Worcester Hospital.

The driver of the second car was discharged at the scene.

West Mercia Police said it had to close a number of roads in the area overnight - including Breaches Lane, Icknield Street Drive, Morsefield Lane and Bartleet Road. The force is yet to confirm whether the roads have since reopened.

It's a wet and windy start this morning but that should be out of the way by this afternoon, with temperatures reaching a maximum of 9C.

Into the evening things will be dry for a time, although it'll be a chilly night, and there's more rain waiting in the wings for tomorrow.

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, external and Facebook, external.

Christmas lights and trees are left up late to raise spirits during the pandemic.

Tracey Green, from the West Midlands, uncovered the inscribed book at a railway station she is renovating.

Thousands tune in for the latest Handforth Parish Council meeting but Jackie Weaver is not present.

We will be back tomorrow from 08:00 for the latest updates for the West Midlands.

BBC Radio WM

West Midlands Police says it looks set to have the highest recorded number of domestic abuse crimes of any year in the force's history (generic image below).

Image source, PA Media

It has seen a rise of 41% so far this financial year and says the 'exponential' increase is attracting national attention, but may be down to some victims being more willing to come forward.

At Christmas, the force said it was called to 1,250 incidents of domestic abuse between 24 and 29 December, an increase of more than 60 per cent on the same period last year.

Assistant Chief Constable Jayne Meir says more than 50 police officers have been hired to work on the cases.

The royals thank medical staff while visiting a vaccine programme at a Birmingham hospital.

BBC CWR

Coventry City will be forced into at least one change for tonight's Championship match against Norwich at St Andrews.

Left back Sam McCallum, who's on loan from Norwich, is ineligible to play against his parent club.

Image source, Getty Images

After a 3-1 defeat to Cardiff, the Sky Blues are currently 20th in the league.

Kick off is at 19:00 GMT.

Two paramedics who won a wedding worth £10,000 in a competition have been forced to reschedule due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Megan Baker, 28, and Tristan Holmes, 31, were set to get married at the Rugby School tomorrow after they entered a contest open to NHS workers. Their first wedding scheduled for May was also cancelled due to the virus.

Mr Holmes said they have both had their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine and are hoping the roll-out means they will be able to have a bigger celebration on their new date in October.

Image source, Megan Baker

"Although we have had to reschedule we have not had to do anything, so we are feeling very lucky and looking forward to being married," he said.

The pair are currently on leave from work and Mr Holmes said they will mark the day tomorrow by walking their dogs and enjoying a glass of bubbly.

Current restrictions, external mean weddings or civil partnerships already booked can only go ahead in exceptional circumstances with up to six people.

A man has been charged with firearms offences, external after being arrested by counter-terrorism officers.

West Midlands Police said they searched two houses in Leamington Spa on Monday and added at the time there was no immediate threat to the public.

The 23-year-old, from the town, has been charged with possession of a component part of a prohibited weapon and ammunition and possession of Class A drugs.

He is due to appear before magistrates in Coventry today.

BBC Midlands Today

Festival organisers are hoping the prime minister's roadmap to end Covid restrictions will allow their event to go ahead this summer.

Warwick Folk Festival had to be postponed in 2020 due to the pandemic but plans are in place for it to happen from 15 July at a new venue, Castle Park, in the grounds of Warwick Castle. , external

Boris Johnson is due to reveal the government's plan to move England out of lockdown on Monday.

Festival director Dick Dixon says he is confident their event can go ahead under the prime minister's plan and they will keep people safe.

"You cannot just go out and think it is all a free-for-all now. We will still have to keep all the safety, everything that we need to do to make sure we have a safe, secure festival," he said.

BBC Radio WM Sport

Struggling Birmingham City take on Millwall at The Den later.

Blues have won just one of their last 12 Championship games - eight of which have ended in defeat.

Former skipper Martin O'Connor says it's a desperate situation at the moment.

Image source, Rex features

"It all looks worrying at the moment, but also they've been flirting with relegation for a while now and I think the trap door is welcoming them at the end of the season unfortunately."

Kick off is at 19:00 GMT.

Shropshire Star

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

• More Shropshire firms offered rapid Covid-19 testing for staff, external
• Hit-and-run victim near Shrewsbury complains to police over compensation claim, external
• Firms crippled by export rules, Shropshire Chamber of Commerce warns, external

A Covid-19 testing site has been relocated after problems with heating.

Community testing, using the lateral flow tests which give results in about 30 minutes, had been ongoing at Burntwood Leisure Centre in Staffordshire.

But it has been moved to Lichfield City FC on Brownsfield Road until the heating issue has been resolved.

Image source, Google

Fourteen new Nightingale Courts, including in Birmingham and Wolverhampton, have been announced by the government to clear a backlog of more than 50,000 cases.

Event spaces in Birmingham and London are among the latest venues to be confirmed dealing with mostly non-custodial Crown Court cases.

Image source, Google

There will be three additional hearing spaces at Maple House in Birmingham (pictured) and two in Wolverhampton.

A total of 23 Nightingale Courts are now up and running.

Hearings in crown courts have slowed due to social distancing measures put in place limiting the numbers in court buildings for lawyers, defendants, witnesses and jurors.

Coventry Live

Here are some of the stories on the Coventry Live website.

• Revealed: How forensic teams helped solve horrific killing of teenage boy in Coventry, external
• Rogue landlords in Coventry could be slapped with £30,000 fines, external
• How Covid-19 cases in Coventry neighbourhoods have changed, external over three weeks.

Express and Star

From the Express and Star:

• Only one in four Covid fines paid in West Midlands, external
• Jail for Black Country cannabis farmer put to work to pay back traffickers, external
• Lack of disabled access criticised as Wolverhampton train station work puts lift out of action, external

The southbound M6 has reopened in Cheshire after being shut since Tuesday afternoon due to two crashes.

Image source, Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service

A fuel tanker hit a bridge and was torn open, spilling half its 28,000 litres across the motorway.

The other crash saw a van collide with a lorry carrying vodka and gin which spilt onto the road.

Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service said , externalthe road reopened just before midday on Wednesday.