The council says it hopes the move will help "kick start" Herefordshire's economy.

Birmingham City Women sign defender Arabella Suttie on a one-season contract following a successful trial.

Dudley News

The Dudley News has covered these stories today:

• Driver caught doing 91mph with child in car, external
• Man arrested in Brindley Place murder investigation, external
• Dudley Kingswinford runners back in action, external

BBC Weather Watchers

Grey and cloudy weather today and our BBC Weather Watchers have been reflecting the conditions.

Here are three of their photos from today, from users Melanie in Coventry, Serena in Gnosall, Staffordshire, and Step Counter in Hereford:

Image source, Melanie

Image source, Serena

Image source, Step Counter

Express and Star

A few of the headlines from the Express and Star:

• Drug driver avoids prison after eight-mile police chase through Cannock, external
• Teenager charged with killing bus driver in pavement crash, external
• JCB to recruit 100 new welders as demand for machines hits ‘historic highs’, external

Kevin Peachey
Personal finance reporter

Students facing a financial shortfall have increasingly turned to cryptocurrency investment to fund life at university, a survey has suggested.

The proportion of students investing in cryptocurrencies tripled in a year, website Save the Student found.

Daniel Tones, who studied psychology at the University of Warwick tried this method.

The 22-year-old said that income from a role as a student ambassador had been limited during the Covid crisis, but he had managed to bring in some money by making Amazon deliveries.

Group chats had planted the seed of interest in cryptocurrency investment, he said.

Image source, Daniel Tones

"I gave it a try," he said, "but very quickly I made a loss."

He said he wished, after talking to economics students about it, that he had learned a lot more before choosing to take the risk.

It was very easy to start putting money in, he said, but he ended up losing a few hundred pounds.

The accused 19-year-old appears in court over the death of "respected, polite and friendly" Ghulam Nabi.

Hundreds of objectors to plans for a Shrewsbury ring road claim it will increase emissions.

A 15-storey apartment block with hundreds of plants on all sides is proposed.

BBC News Education

Parents have been sharing their contrasting emotions as schools in England welcome back pupils for the new term.

Measures to limit the spread of coronavirus - such as masks and social distancing - have been lifted in England, but regular testing remains.

Image source, Pete Campion

Pete Campion, from Warwickshire, says that while his 15-year-old son Luke is excited to get back to school to see his friends, the teenager fears things won't be the same.

"He wants to get back to normal but he is apprehensive about draconian rules like not being able to mingle or run around in the playground because of Covid," says Pete.

"That's what he is worried about, whether things will go back to normal."

Even if he tests negative for coronavirus, Luke won't be returning to school full-time until 9 September.

"I understand why we need to do that, we've still got Covid [in society], but we can't keep living our lives like this, with kids being pushed from pillar to post - he's already going back a week late."

Going forward, Pete thinks Covid-19 tests should be used "when people are ill or feeling poorly".

"My son has to shove that thing up his nose every week - they aren't adults, they are kids and I think we forget that."

Ladislav Demeter told his neighbours to "pipe down" after they said he was making too much noise.

Four men and a teenage boy have been arrested after a disorder in Stoke-on-Trent left two men in hospital and properties damaged.

Image source, Google

Staffordshire Police said officers had been called to a "large scale disorder" in Church Street at about 01:30 BST on Saturday.

They arrived to find two men in need of hospital treatment and a number of smashed shop windows and damaged cars.

The men, aged between 17 and 35, were arrested on suspicion of affray.

Police are appealing for any witnesses to come forward as their investigation continues.

Matthew Carroll was with his son and some of his friends in Birmingham city centre.

Birmingham City's new signing - boyhood Blues fan Troy Deeney - wants to see the Tilton Road End rocking again at St Andrew's.

Dudley residents made more noise complaints to the council during lockdown than any other local authority area, figures show.

Image source, Getty Images

Research by Churchill Home Insurance found people living in Dudley made 26,000 noise complaints between 2020 and 2021.

Across the UK, the insurance provider said councils had received about 1,000 complaints a day.

Psychologist Donna Dawson told the Press Association the rise in complaints was understandable given the upheaval in people's routines.

She said: "Even small changes in sound can cause increased anxiety and stress for many people, especially if it disrupts home life and makes it difficult to relax, work or look after family."

This morning will continue overcast but it will remain largely dry with just the chance of the odd patch of drizzle, especially earlier on.

Later in the afternoon a few sunny spells will develop in places. Highs of 16C to 19C (61F to 66F).

This evening and tonight thicker cloud will build back in and it will become overcast throughout the night.

It should stay mostly dry but the small chance of a spell of drizzle remains under thick cloud. Lows of 12C to 15C (54F to 59F).

Parents have contrasting feelings as safety measures in schools are eased at the start of the new year.

Darren Stevens hits a ton as Kent beat Leicestershire to earn their first win and Essex also beat Glamorgan inside three days.

Warwickshire take an 82-run lead into day four despite Josh Bohannon hitting 170 for Lancashire.

It is part of a £1bn government project targeting 50 schools across the country.