BBC Radio Shropshire

Concerns have been raised over the future of school means in Shropshire, after the council said it is "no longer financially viable" to keep subsidising them.

A review says funding cuts leave the authority needing to save £600,000 and it is not viable to subsidise meals for pupils in years three to six.

The report said increased costs would reflect the rise in public sector pay and the impact of Covid-19.

Image source, Shropshire Council

Liberal Democrat Councillor Roger Evans said he believes smaller schools could be heavily affected by a proposed rise in fees.

He said he is also concerned that money meant to be used on education will be used for meals and parents could end up footing the bill.

He has put in a question to discuss the issue at a cabinet meeting today.

Fire crews in Warwickshire have been fighting a blaze in a derelict former Royal British Legion building.

Firefighters were called to the building on Leamington Road in Ryton-on-Dunsmore at 03:30 GMT.

BBC Radio Shropshire

Labour is to announce its candidate in the by-election for the North Shropshire constituency "in the coming days".

The seat is under contention following the resignation of Conservative MP Owen Paterson.

Speaking to BBC Radio Shropshire, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the "process is under way" to put forward its candidate.

Image source, Getty Images

Sir Keir also said he intends to visit the area before the election on 16 December.

Speaking about what the party needs to do in the area, he said: "I think the first thing need to do is show humility and listen to what is of concern to people in Shropshire."

The party previously ruled out standing aside in favour of a cross-party "anti-sleaze" candidate and Sir Keir said he didn't think a unity candidate would have increased chances of taking the seat from the Tories.

With Aston Villa looking for a new manager, BBC Sport asks whether Jack Grealish's exit caused irreparable damage to Dean Smith's prospects of success at Villa Park.

On a Monday afternoon in an affluent Birmingham suburb, a husband rings 999 to say he has killed his wife. The man is covered in blood when he is arrested outside his home but when he is brought to police custody and interviewed, he initially claims not to remember anything. Both houses are sealed off and it’s the job of crime scene coordinator Jo Ward to lead the search for forensic clues that could prove or disprove the suspect’s account. Forensic scientist Phil Field goes to the scene to carry out Blood Pattern Analysis to help map out the sequence of events surrounding the attacks. The investigation takes a significant turn when digital forensics experts manage to crack the suspect’s mobile and an insight into his motive is revealed.

A 34-year-old man is fatally stabbed as he visits a group of friends who are socialising in one of the bedrooms of a multi-occupancy property in Birmingham.

With vital evidence compromised during the attempts by paramedics to save his life, detectives use CCTV and financial transactions to track their suspect and apprehend him just before he boards an international flight out of the country.

The forensic team employ a mixture of traditional and digital methods to try to determine whether or not the witnesses are telling the truth.

As the victim of a violent knife attack fights for his life in hospital, Crime Scene Coordinator Jo Ward is dispatched to his home in Birmingham to lead the forensic investigation into identifying his attacker.

The victim is unable to tell police what happened because he has been put in a medically induced coma, and the investigation becomes more challenging when no witnesses are prepared to give a statement to the police. Jo and her team work to gather vital evidence that could help police quickly identify and arrest the attacker.

Arthur Labinjo-Hughes died after allegedly being poisoned and enduring months of punishment.

Bus driver Ghulam Nabi, described by his employer as a "fantastic mentor", was killed in August.

Darren Collins accessed images of crime scenes, murder victims and post-mortem examinations.

The meditation and mindfulness classes were introduced after lockdown to help pupils' wellbeing.

Princess Anne, the charity's patron for 50 years, launched the academy which is named after her.

A junior doctor has followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, becoming the third generation to work on a hospital's haematology ward.

Dr Faheez Shafeek has undergone a training placement on the ward at Worcestershire Royal Hospital where his father, consultant haematologist, Dr Salim Shafeek has worked for the last 19 years treating patients with different forms of blood cancer.

His grandfather, Prof Kasim Salim, also worked as a locum consultant haematologist in Worcestershire’s hospitals for 18 months.

Image source, Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

Dr Salim Shafeek said: "It is such a race coincidence to have three generations of the same family to have worked in the same department.

"My father was one of the first fully UK-trained haematologists in India and set-up a pioneering haematology service in South India which inspired my choice of specialism."

He said he was "really proud" to have his son working alongside him.

Dr Faheez Shafeek added: "Medicine runs in the family with my father and grandfather both spending most of their lives treating blood cancer patients.

"I feel lucky to be able to work alongside my father and follow in the footsteps of his father too by helping patients with blood cancer in Worcestershire."

The seven-metre diameter (23ft) globe by Luke Jerram has been to locations around the world.

A reported case of Avian Influenza has been identified, close to the Welsh border.

The case was identified within a backyard flock of birds in Chirk, Wrexham, with a control zone put in place which extends into parts of north Shropshire, in a bid to limit the risk of the disease spreading.

Image source, Shropshire Council

Commercial poultry keepers in the area have been informed and will be putting in place increased biosecurity measures to protect their birds, Shropshire Council said.

The risk to public health is very low, and the Food Standards Agency has said that bird flu poses a very low food safety risk for UK consumers with properly cooked eggs and poultry safe to eat.

Rachel Robinson, Shropshire Council’s director of public health, said it is asking the public to be vigilant, and keepers of birds in the affected area to monitor their general health and wellbeing, reporting any suspected cases to the Defra Rural Services Helpline.

Signs of illness in birds include:

• Unusual quietness, decreased activity levels
• Decreased levels of vocalisation.
• Decreased levels of feed and water consumption
• Decreased egg production.

William Bratton from Market Drayton is charged over the death of Joshua Spender who died in Crewe.

BBC Radio CWR

A charity set up to support pregnant women and babies marked its 40th anniversary with an "emotional" event at Coventry Cathedral.

Image source, Jas Sansi/Baby Lifeline

Baby Lifeline was set up by Judy Ledger in 1981 after she lost three babies.

She wanted to support maternity services through a charity.

The organisation, based in Balsall Common, said it trains more than 3,000 health professionals each year to improve care.

They have also raised more than £14m to provide equipment including incubators in baby units across the UK.

Image source, Baby Lifeline

Sunday was the 40th anniversary of the date Mrs Ledger set up the charity and a thanksgiving service took place at the cathedral.

"It was quite an emotional day really, I cried when the procession went forward representing all those years and the health professionals [we have trained], it was incredibly emotional," she said.

Daniella Kantor was part of the procession as she was born prematurely in 1983 and was kept alive with the use of equipment the charity had funded.

"I have always known that I am lucky to be alive and Judy fundraised for the incubator that saved my life effectively," she said.