Our reporter Ben Godfrey says the Conservatives have secured an overall majority of Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council.

Rob Mayor
Political reporter, BBC Radio WM

We need more results before it's official but there is no doubt the Conservatives are well on their way to taking control of Dudley in a big win.

Tories here are excitedly chatting about possibilities elsewhere eyeballing the potential for gains in Walsall, Wolverhampton and even the rock solid Labour territory of Sandwell.

The following ward areas have all declared as a gain for the Tories from Labour:

• Brierley Hill
• Upper Gornal & Woodsetton
• Brockmoor & Pensnett
• Quarry Bank & Dudley Wood

Ben Godfrey
BBC Midlands Today

Vote verification is under way in Dudley.

We have been allowed a very brief moment to film the counting from the floor.

There are screens up separating the counting staff from candidates and staff.

I'm told the council ordered more than 30,000 masks and more than 1,600 bottles of hand sanitiser for the local election counting.

The Conservative leader Patrick Harley has told me he believes his party is heading for a large number of gains from Labour and a clear overall majority, but just two wards on Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council have declared so far.

Results of and reaction to council, mayoral and police and crime commissioner elections.

A murder trial hears a PC repeatedly stamped on the head of Dalian Atkinson after Tasering him.

Warwickshire's Rob Yates strikes a fine century but rivals Worcestershire fight back in the County Championship.

Several staff at S&A Produce are affected and the firm has made changes to stop the virus spreading.

Mahmood Sarwar is jailed for perverting the course of justice in connection with a fatal stabbing.

Work to create a new 36-apartment scheme in Coventry city centre has begun.

Image source, EDG Property

The £5.5m Sirius project will see 28 one-bedroom apartments along with eight two-bedroom properties created at Ironmonger Row, at the top of The Burges and Cross Cheaping.

Two storeys clad in a bronze coloured metal will be added to the current mid-century building.

The building will also feature office space for use by residents, developers EDG Property said.

It is set to be completed in summer 2022.

A probation officer says he did not know about an MI5 probe into Usman Khan, who killed two people.

Several members of staff working for Mitie at the hospital caught Covid-19.

People in the area are being warned not to touch dead animals after the discovery.

Great-grandmother Peggy Wright died after jumping from the window of her burning home in Birmingham.

Ciaran Morris was struck as he was being pushed by his parents on Easter Sunday.

A couple have thanked midwives who helped deliver their surprise baby.

Richard and Jo Bennett, from Dawley Bank in Telford said they had no idea they were expecting, when Mrs Bennett started feeling stomach pains during a regular quiz night.

"After a couple of hours, and with Jo now in constant pain, we attended A&E.

"A short time later we were told that the stomach pains were in fact contractions and that Jo was in labour," Mr Bennett said.

"[Sixteen] hours later she gave birth to our son, Jacob at a weight of 9lb."

Image source, Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust

"Our world has been flipped upside down," he said.

Mr Bennet said the couple wanted to thank all the staff at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust who helped with baby Jacob's delivery.

Esa Juwara raped five women, punching one so hard during an attack she lost a tooth.

New technology being introduced in hospital labs is expected to help patients with certain form of cancers to get a faster diagnosis.

Wye Valley NHS Trust is one of the first hospitals in the region to introduce this latest technology which will assist in the more rapid detection of cancers including breast, kidney and colon.

Image source, Wye Valley NHS Trust

It will allow the hospitals’ laboratories to process patient tissue samples within 14 hours, half the time of the traditional method.

Andrea Johnson, histopathology manager a the trust, said: “This processing technology is significantly advanced for use in histopathology and we are delighted to secure this for the benefit of our patients to provide a quicker diagnosis."

BBC Midlands Today

A West Midlands footballer who traded Aston Villa reserves for a place in the same team as Pele has written a book about his experiences.

Steve Hunt also played for Coventry City and West Bromwich Albion in a career that saw him win two England caps.

He was only 20 and newly married when Villa told Hunt they were selling him to the New York Cosmos.

BBC Weather

Things are looking a lot drier today than they have done so far this week.

We will have some showers today, mainly towards the east of our region, but it will be mainly dry with some sunshine.

Temperatures are expected to reach a high of 12C, so still a bit cold for this time of year.

It's election day across England, Wales and Scotland and voters are heading to the polls with thousands of council seats in England up for grabs. Elections are also taking place for mayors, including in the West Midlands, and police and crime commissioners.

Image source, PA Media

Polling stations will be open from 07:00 - 22:00 BST and voters are being asked to take their own pencils as a Covid safety measure.

So, where are votes being cast?

Councils

County councils:

• Staffordshire
• Warwickshire
• Worcestershire

Metropolitan councils:

• Coventry
• Dudley
• Sandwell
• Solihull
• Walsall
• Wolverhampton

District councils:

• Nuneaton & Bedworth
• Cannock Chase
• Redditch
• Rugby
• Tamworth
• Worcester
• Wyre Forest

All the seats in Shropshire Council, a unitary authority, are also up for election.

Police and crime commissioners

• West Midlands
• West Mercia
• Warwickshire
• Staffordshire (includes Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service)

Read more about the candidates by tapping the links.

Image source, Staffordshire Police

West Midlands Mayor

The combined authority mayor, covering the seven metropolitan boroughs, is responsible for planning and strategy for regional transport, skills training and local economic development. Click here to see the candidates.

For a reminder of all the candidates standing in your area and information about what they will do, use our handy look-up tool.