A permanent memorial to police officers and staff from across the UK who have died while protecting the public will be unveiled next week.

It will be dedicated to them in a ceremony at National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire on 28 July, says West Mercia Police., external

Image source, West Mercia Police

The ceremony will be attended by representatives from forces across the country and the families and friends of officers killed on duty.

BBC Midlands Today

Wolverhampton judo player Elliott Stewart has been selected to compete at the Paralympics in Tokyo later this summer.

The 33-year-old world and European medallist is competing at his first games and is currently ranked fourth in the world.

Stewart's father Dennis was an Olympic judo bronze medallist in 1988..

A man's been shot in Wolverhampton.

West Midlands Police said , externalthere were several reports of gunshots on Lowe Street, Whitmore Reans, just before 01:30.

Image source, Google

Police said they believed a number of people in several cars were involved.

Five areas have been cordoned off on Lowe Street and surrounding roads.

The victim, a 33-year-old who was shot in the arm, needed hospital treatment. His wound is not thought to be serious.

BBC Weather Watchers

It's another hot one and our BBC Weather Watchers have been taking plenty of pictures reflecting the sunshine.

Here are three, from Tippytoes in Aldridge; Alan M in Kidderminster; and Grum in Ellesmere, Shropshire:

Image source, Tippytoes

Image source, Alan M

Image source, Grum

Worcester News

From the Worcester News:

• Malvern Morrisons evacuated after fire, external
• Why this Worcester primary school is reducing the number of classes, external
• Police hunting wanted man who has links to Malvern and Worcester, external

Shropshire Council is set to make the £2.9m switch in 2022 in a bid to encourage greener residents.

BBC Sport

Image source, BBC Sport

Aston Villa are in advanced talks to sign Norwich City's 23-year-old English midfielder Todd Cantwell.(Football Insider), external

Villa are also ready to move for Bayer Leverkusen's 23-year-old Jamaican winger Leon Bailey, who is valued between £25m and £30m.(Mail), external

West Brom's Brazilian playmaker Matheus Pereira, 25, has attracted fresh interest from clubs in the Premier League and Bundesliga.(Express and Star), external

West Midlands Ambulance Service says it has "never been busier" due to the combined impact of the heatwave and Covid-19

The trust said it had more than 6,400 calls last Monday; its busiest day to date.

Communications director Murray MacGregor said: “Whether it is very hot or very cold, [extreme weather] exacerbates a lot of medical conditions, particularly people with breathing difficulties, people with COPD - it makes it much more difficult for them and that leads to many more 999 calls.

“But equally we see a lot of particularly elderly people who don’t drink enough fluid so they get dehydrated which ends with them needing extensive treatment for urinary tract infections, things like that.

“There are a lot of calls that could be mitigated or removed if people were a bit more careful, but many are genuine calls so the message is still very clearly if you do need 999 then do call it but please try and look out for your mates, look out for your family, and look out for yourself."

Audiences are invited to a drive-in cinema for a screening of two documentaries celebrating Coventry, the UK City of Culture.

As part of the programme's 'Summer of Surprises' project, the BBC will be showing Classic British Cars: Made in Coventry and Coventry Cathedral: Building for a New Britain.

They're being screened on Wednesday 4 August and Thursday 5 August at Millennium Place in the city.

People can apply for free tickets for the event on the BBC Shows and Tours website.

Abdul Salam Khan, cabinet member for events at the city council, said: "These are really interesting documentaries that will delve into Coventry’s rich history and heritage, from its iconic Cathedral to its legacy as being birthplace of the UK motor industry – and how fitting that a documentary about cars is shown at a drive-in with the city’s Transport Museum as the background."

Shropshire Star

From the Shropshire Star:

• Council could trial traffic ban for historic road, external
• More than 38,000 Shropshire people could lose 'lifeline' funding, external
• Shropshire school battles through more than a year of lockdowns to stage musical, external

BBC Sport

Aston Villa boss Dean Smith has been forced to miss the club's first pre-season match of the summer as he isolates with his family.

His absence for the game against League Two side Walsall was confirmed just 90 minutes before kick-off., external

Image source, Reuters

Smith's assistant Craig Shakespeare was put in charge for the match at Banks's Stadium - the first of Villa's five pre-season friendlies.

The Premier League club did not release any more details about Smith's absence.

Express and Star

The Express and Star has these headlines today:

• Jeff Astle's death should have prompted concussion action years ago, new report concludes, external
• MP calls for rethink over 'unachievable' HS2, external
• Dudley Hippodrome demolition a 'missed opportunity', campaigners say, external

Applause at a Stoke City pre-season friendly for young goalkeeper Ashton Hulme was "one of the most emotional moments of my life", his mum said.

Image source, Stoke City

Ashton, 12, from Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, was diagnosed with bone cancer and had to have part of his leg amputated earlier this year.

Stoke and Crewe Alexandra played each other at the Alexandra Stadium on Tuesday to raise money for the youngster.

Image source, Crewe Alexandra FC

The players formed a guard of honour as they and fans applauded Ashton on to the pitch.

His mum Vicky tweeted, external she was "full of pride" at the reception and thanked both clubs for the support.

A tractor has been destroyed in a fire.

The blaze, on Wednesday evening in Moreton Corbet, near Shrewsbury, also involved a baler attached to the vehicle, the fire service said., external

Image source, Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service

Firefighters took nearly two hours to put the fire out which had also spread to a nearby hedgerow.

Image source, Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service

Philippa Roxby
Health reporter, BBC News

Sport has been allowed to "mark its own homework" on reducing the risks of brain injury, an MPs' inquiry says.

Image source, Getty Images

The report calls for a standard definition of concussion that all sports must use, and a paid medical officer at every major sporting event.

As one example, there is mounting evidence that heading a football repeatedly over many years may cause brain damage.

Previous research has found former professional footballers are three-and-a-half times more likely to die with dementia than people of the same age in the general population but there is still no definitive proof that one causes the other.

The issue hit the headlines after former England and West Bromwich Albion player Jeff Astle died with dementia aged 59 nearly 20 years ago, and a coroner ruled that he had the brain of a boxer which had been damaged by years of heading heavy leather footballs.

During the inquiry, his daughter Dawn Astle told MPs that she felt let down by the lack of research that had taken place since.

"I want to make sure that the game is safe, safe for players now, players in the future, and children coming into the game. Sport just has not done enough and they should hang their heads in shame, in my opinion," she said.

BBC Weather

The dry, hot, sunny weather mostly continues today, with just the small chance of the odd, heavy shower this afternoon. High: 29C/84F.

Image source, BBC Weather Watcher Anna L

Things are set to stay sunny this evening but with a small risk of a shower before turning dry and clear overnight - and uncomfortably warm with a low of 16C/61F.

You can stay up to date with your local forecast by going to the BBC Weather website.

Dozens of firefighters have been called to a "severe" blaze in the roof of a house in Birmingham.

Eight fire engines were sent to Kingsbury Road, Erdington, at about 07:00, the fire service said, adding everybody inside the house had been found and no injuries were reported.

Good morning, welcome to Midlands Live on Thursday.

We'll bring you all the latest news, sport, weather and travel until 18:00.

You can get in touch with us via Twitter,, externalFacebook , externaland email.

Up to 5,000 tickets will be given to children in care in Birmingham for the Commonwealth Games.

Moving events online kept the industry going during the pandemic and now they're here to stay.