Worcester's new mayor has been selected.

Councillor Stephen Hodgson was voted in at Worcester City Council's annual meeting.

Councillor Adrian Gregson was voted in as deputy mayor.

Image source, Worcester City Council

Mr Hodgson (pictured) said: “It’s a great privilege to be chosen as mayor of Worcester, having lived in the city for over 30 years.

“It’s now time for us to come together and celebrate our great city, as we move forward and recover from the pandemic."

Signs have been put up in Shropshire to raise awareness about why grass verges in part of the county are not being cut until late summer.

Image source, Shropshire Council

The areas in the south of the county are being left to grow wild to benefit plants and wildlife.

Shropshire Council said , externalvolunteers from the Restoring Shropshire’s Verges Project had put up signs which say: "Don’t mow, let it grow."

BBC Weather Watchers

Our local BBC Weather Watchers get out snapping photos from sunrise onwards, by the look of this selection from some we have had sent in.

These are from users Photo Phil, in Cannock, Staffordshire; Johnny_laser, in Bedworth, Warwickshire; and Grum, in Nesscliffe, Shropshire:

Image source, Photo Phil

Image source, Johnny_laser

Image source, Grum

Birmingham City re-sign midfielder Riley McGree on loan from North Carolina-based franchise Charlotte FC until 1 January.

Rugby union monuments in Rugby have been covered in knitted forget-me-not flowers to mark a dementia awareness week.

Image source, Rugby Borough Council

Volunteers produced the 1,200 woolly flowers and placed them on the Webb Ellis Cup, statue of William Webb Ellis and crown planter in the town centre.

The local council said, external the forget-me-nots had become a symbol of understanding of dementia.

Two "living walls" made of plants and mosses are going to be placed in Staffordshire as part of a national clean air trial.

Image source, Staffordshire County Council

The theory is they will filter out or capture pollutants including nitrogen dioxide and nitrous oxide, the county council said.

One of the walls will be placed along the early years playground at Hassell Community Primary School, Newcastle-Under-Lyme, with the other at the junction of Shobnall Road and Wellington Street, Burton-upon-Trent.

The national £22.9m programme is being funded by the Department for Transport.

A Brierley Hill man has been recognised for his work helping youngsters stay out of trouble.

Kevin Dillon was named as a Hometown Hero by the organisers of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

The head coach of Lions Amateur Boxing Club was one of 14 named across the region as “inspiring local champions of community sport”.

Image source, Dudley Council

Councillor Patrick Harley, leader of Dudley council, said: "I was delighted to hear that Kevin had been recognised and I could not think of a more deserving recipient of such a title.

"He gives so much to help others and asks for nothing in return. We need people like Kevin Dillon in our communities – he is a modern-day hero."

A hospital is being given the freedom of Newcastle-under-Lyme for their "dedication and care" during the coronavirus pandemic.

The borough council is set to formally approve the honour for the Royal Stoke University Hospital on Wednesday evening. , external

The nomination states the authority is "expressing its admiration and appreciation" of the hospital.

Later this year, the hospital's chief executive will be formally given the scrolls of freedom.

Door-to-door Covid tests are going to start on Thursday in part of Nuneaton after positive cases of the Indian variant were found.

Image source, Reuters

Warwickshire County Council said, external the cases of the strain known as VOC-21APR-02 were in the Abbey Ward area.

A team will knock on doors in the ward between 10:30 and 18:30 BST to offer a free PCR test kit to residents.

The county's director of public health Dr Shade Agboola said: "The tests are really easy to do and will need to be registered online before dropping them off at a collection point or getting them picked up by the door knocking team."

All 4,500 home fans who are preparing to watch Wolves face off against Mancheter United at Molineux on Saturday have been sent a rapid Covid-19 test.

The game is the first back at the stadium since lockdown restrictions began and Wolverhampton City Council said it was hoped the test would encourage those attending to get checked within 48 hours before kick-off.

Anyone testing positive ahead of the game should not attend and will receive a full refund.

Image source, Getty Images

Wolves head coach Nuno Espirito Santo said: “We can’t wait to welcome our fans back to Molineux after 14 months without them – it has been a long time to wait, and it will be a very special moment for all of us.

“The most important thing is that it is a safe environment for everyone to attend, so we hope all our supporters can test themselves before Sunday, with the rapid test kit they have been sent.”

Fans will also be required to complete a health declaration 72 hours before the match and anyone not doing so will not be allowed into the stadium.

People are being asked to take extra care in the kitchen, after a fire in Cannock.

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue crews were called to a home in Mosswood Street shortly before 17:30 BST on Monday after reports of a small fire.

After extinguishing the blaze, it was discovered it had ignited after items had been left on top of the cooker.

All occupants got out of the property and no-one was hurt.

Image source, Google

Dez Stoddart, Station Manager at Staffordshire Fire and Rescue, said: “Incidents like these are relatively commonplace in the home and are known to have serious consequences.

“Fortunately, most of these were dealt with quickly, safely and without injury but we still want to remind people that they take extra care when in the kitchen and prevent incidents like this from happening in the first place.”

Worcester News

From the Worcester News website today:

• Covid cases at primary school, external
• 'Worcestershire County Council want me to make my autistic son homeless', external
• Biker injured in crash near Worcester is moved to Queen Elizabeth hospital, external

BBC Midlands Today

Horse racing fans will attend a jump race meeting in the Midlands for the first time since September.

Warwick held a Covid test event for 500 people in September and since then only owners have been allowed to attend.

Later on Wednesday they will be hosting about 1,500 racegoers, with the first race at 13:15 BST.

Premiership side Wasps sign former Exeter winger Luke Mehson after a successful trial at the club.

BBC Radio Shropshire

Coronavirus has created a backlog of more than 1,100 criminal cases in courts across Shropshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

According to figures seen by the BBC, the caseload of Crown courts in West Mercia is now almost two thirds bigger than at the start of the pandemic, with some cases delayed by years.

A spokesperson from the Ministry of Justice said it had kept the justice system moving, with urgent cases such as domestic abuse being prioritised.

Dr Anushua Gupta describes saying final goodbyes to her family before being placed on life support.

Three people have been arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice by detectives investigating a missing person.

Kayleigh Weston, 33, was last seen in Longton town centre on 22 April..

A 30-year-old man from Stoke-on-Trent, a 46-year-old man from Birmingham and a 36-year-old woman from Stoke-on-Trent remain in police custody.

Image source, Staffordshire Police

Staffordshire Police said investigators are still concerned for Ms Weston’s safety and wellbeing.

She is described as white, about 5ft 4in (1.6m) tall, of thin build, with long brown hair which is sometimes worn up in a bun, with tatoos on her arms and neck.

There have previously been reported sightings of her in the Fenton area of Stoke-on-Trent and she may be sleeping rough.

Anyone with information is urged to call police.

BBC Radio Stoke

Crewe's new indoor market has reopened after improvements costing £3m.

The building in Earle Street now has room for 10 new traders, with more than 30 stalls inside.

Image source, Google

Express and Star

The Express and Star has these headlines today:

• Hospital trust must make 'significant improvements' to medical services within three months, external
• Wolverhampton Arts Park 'will help shape area's future', external
• Elderly 'struggling to get out of the house' after Wolverhampton bus stop move, external

Families with school-age children in Newport are being urged to get a Covid-19 test.