Sale Sharks sign prop Nick Schonert on a three-year deal following his departure from Worcester.

Express and Star

The Express and Star has these stories today:

• Police investigate after shots fired at Coseley house, external
• Man denies racially abusing Rio Ferdinand at Molineux, external
• Child killer's prison death 'was natural causes', external

It is part of a £22,500 set presented to the footballer to mark a record England appearance.

A van passenger has died after a crash in which the vehicle ended up on its side, trapping him.

Image source, Google

The van collided with a Toyota Yaris on Thursday at the junction of Mayfield Road and Fox Hollies Road, Acocks Green, Birmingham, the ambulance service said., external

The 20-year-old was cut free by the fire service but died at the scene.

Paramedics said the drivers of both vehicles were checked but did not need hospital treatment.

West Midlands Police said, external the driver of the Yaris was helping with inquiries.

BBC Weather Watchers

We get some spectacular views of the West Midlands sent in every day by our BBC Weather Watchers:

Image source, Chris

Image source, Mr Twister

Image source, Peter Steggles

These were taken in Kingsbury, Warwickshire, by Chris; Leek, Staffordshire, by Mr Twister; and Condover, Shropshire, by Peter Steggles.

Businesses are being urged to "seize the opportunity" of Birmingham hosting the Commonwealth Games in 2022.

Image source, Birmingham 2022

A Business and Tourism Programme has been unveiled by organisers with the aim of creating jobs and boosting investment and exports.

Minister for sport, Nigel Huddlestone, says the scheme is designed so "businesses in the West Midlands and across the country can seize this opportunity and capitalise on the profile of the Games and its audience".

West Midlands mayor Andy Street said the event would be a "once-in-a-generation opportunity" for the region and "we absolutely have to make the most of it".

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Calls to make the pedestrianisation of Leamington's Parade permanent have been backed by councillors.

The route was closed to traffic during the pandemic, but a number of businesses presented a petition to Warwick District Council, arguing if it remained closed, it would allow more dining outside, boost tourism and improve air quality.

Image source, Google

Gareth Dore, who owns the Cellar Club on the Parade, said: “Town centres will need to be increasingly innovative with a look to the future," adding they could no longer rely on big stores, which have moved out of town or gone online.

He said pedestrianising the Parade would support the hospitality, service and tourist industries and the independent stores based there.

Some councillors expressed concerns the move would displace traffic to neighbouring streets, but they agreed to support the proposal and send it on to Highways England for final approval.

Birmingham Live

Some of today's Birmingham Live headlines include:

• 'Show-off' driver ploughed into best friend filming him test-drive, external
• Paedophile, 77, jailed for historic sex offences, external
• CCTV cut as Rottweiler puppy 'stolen' from West Bromwich home, external

A silver tea set presented to footballing legend Sir Stanley Matthews has been put up for sale for £22,500.

The set, consisting of a monogrammed teapot, hot water jug, sugar bowl and milk jug, was presented to the Stoke City hero in 1946 to mark his then record 44th England appearance.

Image source, Wick Antiques

Sir Stanley was born in Hanley in 1915 and joined Stoke City FC at the age of 15 before returning as "the Wizard of Dribble" on the same pitch in his 40s, after a 14-year stint with Blackpool.

He was the inaugural winner of the Ballon d'Or in 1956 and also made history as the first player to be knighted while still playing.

Image source, PA Media

The teapot is inscribed with the words: "Presented by Stoke City Football Club to their player S Matthews in recognition of his creating a record of 44 appearances for England which he established when playing against Belgium on January 19th 1946".

Antiques dealer Charles Wallrock, who runs Wick Antiques, said the set was "unique because of the inscription and who it was presented to".

Jamie Arnold also denies using homophobic language during a Wolves game against Manchester United.

BBC Radio Hereford and Worcester

Worcestershire swimmer Matt Richards says the decision to pull out of the 100m freestyle to help Great Britain win gold in the freestyle relay was a "really tough call".

Speaking to BBC Hereford and Worcester, he said he sat down with his coach and the management team and they all agreed he needed to withdraw to make sure he was in the best possible shape for the team event.

"The heats of the 100m freestyle were 25 minutes before the heats of the four by 200m freestyle and that's a really difficult double for somebody to do, especially at your first Olympics."

Image source, Getty Images

But the 18-year-old, who now lives in Cardiff, said: "I'll absolutely be working towards and training towards doing both events events in the future."

And he added:"As far as I'm concerned this is just the very beginning of what I hope is a long journey in the sport."

BBC Radio Hereford and Worcester

A chronic shortage of drivers has forced a Herefordshire haulage firm to launch its own apprenticeship scheme.

Image source, Getty Images

Chris Brooks, managing director of ABE Haulage, Ledbury, said:"Hopefully by the end of next month we will be in a position to take on a couple of people with no experience of this industry at all."

The Road Haulage Association (RHA) has estimated there is a shortage of 100,000 HGV drivers across the UK.

Staffordshire boxer Frazer Clarke has reached the quarter finals of the men's super-heavyweight class at the Tokyo Olympics with victory over Ukraine's Tsotne Rogava.

"I'd rate it as a six out of 10," he said of his performance.

"There are a few more gears for me to get through first, the first one is always a bit nerve-wracking but I went in there confident, trusted myself, trusted my coaching team and I think I did myself proud."

Organisers of Congleton Pride say the removal of two of their banners around the town is "a clear act of discrimination".

One had been put up near the New Life Church on West Road, which the group said was found neatly folded on the floor.

"We felt clearly this was painting a clear picture that in that area the LGBT message wasn't welcome," said trustee Richard Walton.

He added a second advertisement, near a supermarket in the town centre, had also been "torn down with considerable force".

He said it was the first time in 20 years it had happened.

Cheshire Police confirmed officers were investigating. The New Life Church has declined to comment.

BBC Radio Shropshire

Tree planting and more wetlands on farmland could stop widespread flooding along the River Severn in Shropshire, the government hopes.

Towns and villages along the waterway have suffered repeated bouts of flooding.

In January, properties flooded in Shrewsbury while Ironbridge and Bridgnorth residents have suffered considerable damage in the past few years.

The government has announced a £10m project to manage water in the Severn Valley and a further £4.5m for smaller projects, using natural flood management techniques such as dams, wetlands and a tree-planting programme.

Minister Rebecca Pow said the government would be targeting the upper Severn catchment to try to stop flooding further down the river.

"Shropshire is a key area with the Severn coming right down but we have to go back to the source of the Severn, right back into Wales," she said.

Residents are being warned to be alert over a scam offering Covid-19 passes.

Image source, Getty Images

Wolverhampton City Council said scam emails and texts appearing to come from the NHS had been sent, inviting people to register for the Covid-19 Pass, which shows an individual’s vaccination status.

The council said the emails were not real, and passes could be secured for free through the NHS website, app, or by calling 119.

Police searching for a missing teenager have found a body.

Seventeen-year-old Charlie Johnson, from Solihull, was last seen on Saturday.

Officers were called to a stretch of canal in Finwood, near Warwick, at about 13:25 BST on Wednesday after a member of the public spotted a bike similar to Charlie's.

West Midlands Police confirmed a body, believed by the force to be that of the teenager, was later discovered. The stretch of canal was sealed off for investigations.

The force said the family had been informed. and there was nothing to suggest the teen's death was suspicious.

A scheme to boost tourism and business investment during the Birmingham Commonwealth Games has been unveiled.

Image source, Birmingham City Council

The programme aims to create 1,000 new jobs - with 600 based in the West Midlands - and increase overseas investment and exports, organisers say.

The Business and Tourism Programme has been given nearly £24m in funding and runs until the end of 2023.

Wednesday marked the one-year countdown to the 2022 sporting event.

We've got a break from this week's stormy weather - Thursday is set to be largely dry and sunny.

Image source, Ladyday/ BBC Weather Watchers

It won't last too long though with more rain forecast on Friday.

Temperatures today are due to reach a high of 21C (70F).

Welcome to our live coverage for Thursday.

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

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