Two women and a man died in the four-vehicle collision near Andover on Wednesday morning.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Coventry’s housing chief has vowed to step up efforts to bring some of the 3,000 empty homes in the city back into use.

Image source, Local Democracy Reporting Service

It has about 1,661 long-term empty dwellings, down from the 3,212 reported earlier in February.

Covid-19 has been partly blamed for recent annual rises in long-term empty homes in Coventry: the city had 1,451 in October 2019. The council (pictured) said many properties had sat empty in recent months while university students remained at home addresses, although some had started to return.

A new five-year strategy will be outlined to councillors on Tuesday. Cabinet member for housing David Welsh said "eyesore" long-term empty properties that have sat vacant for six months or more would be the focus of a new push.

The council wants to increase engagement with property owners to bring homes back into use - or take enforcement action.

The authority wants to step in before properties become hard to handle, with a greater push on its 'Let’s Rent' scheme, which offers guaranteed rent for landlords who let to people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Fourteen trees on a new housing estate in Telford are now protected by a council order, despite the developer calling the measure late and unnecessary.

Image source, Local Democracy Reporting Service

Haygate Fields, a 289-home development on the west side of Wellington, received planning permission three years ago and the developers' tree specialists say veteran, mature and semi-mature oaks - which date back at least 140 years - are being protected from damage during construction.

Telford and Wrekin Council placed a provisional tree protection order [TPO] on them - and a 15th tree, a sycamore, which has since been felled due to its poor condition - in April and the borough’s Planning Committee has confirmed it, making it permanent.

Senior arboricultural consultant Mark Mackworth-Praed argued, on behalf of Vistry Homes and Anwyl Construction, that planning conditions already offered protection.

But council tree and woodland officer Gavin Onions said there had been "continual breaches".

He stated an "excavator, dumper truck and roller have continually tracked across" the root protection areas of four trees.

BBC Sport

The third round draw for the Carabao Cup has taken place and a number of West Midlands clubs remain in the tournament.

Stoke City will take a trip down south to play Watford.

Aston Villa are also away and will take on Thomas Tuchel's Chelsea side.

And it's another all premier league affair for Wolves who will host Tottenham - whose new manager is former Wolves man Nuno Espírito Santo.

The games will take place in the week commencing 20 September.

A doctor supporting the new role says odour from a landfill site "really is getting people down".

Shropshire Star

From the Shropshire Star:

• Talks held to find more Shropshire homes for Afghan refugees fleeing Taliban, external
• Number of coronavirus patients at Shropshire's main hospitals rises in three months, external
• Boredom and isolation blamed after dozens of drug finds at Shropshire prison, external

Jamie Arnold is set to stand trial next year accused of racially abusing the ex-England footballer.

A man has been found dead at his home in Brierley Hill, police said, external.

The 68-year-old man was discovered in his flat in Dean Court, The Promenade, by family members just after 18:00 on Wednesday.

He had suffered head injuries, West Midlands Police said.

Image source, Google

His death is currently being treated as suspicious, the force said.

A post-mortem examination will take place tomorrow, officers added.

BBC Sport

Sir Lee Pearson said winning his 12th Paralympic title at the Tokyo Paralympics on a home-bred horse is "literally fairytale stuff".

Image source, PA Media

The Para-equestrian star, who made his debut at Sydney 2000, and his horse Breezer, claimed victory in the Grade II individual test.

Speaking on Channel 4, Pearson said winning was emotional and he was proud of his horse.

"I just feel so lucky I've got horses in my life, They give me their legs, I'm useless at dancing in real life but we can dance here," he said.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

A new apartment block is to be built on the site of a post office that closed two years ago.

Image source, Google

Sai Developments Limited has been given the green light by City of Wolverhampton Council planners to demolish a staircase and annexe building in Pipes Meadow, Bilston, and build an eight-apartment block in its place.

The new development will be created on land behind the former post office, which was cleared in 2005, with the existing building being incorporated within.

The delivery office closed in 2019 but an adjacent sorting office remains on site and still operates.

The five most promising entries in a National Highways competition to identify new solutions for dealing with graffiti have been announced.

Image source, National Highways

They include a wall-climbing robot (pictured), created by Birmingham-based HausBots, which can apply graffiti-preventative paints.

The winning ideas also include audio sensors detecting the application of graffiti in order to alert authorities and trigger audio and visual deterrents (Innovation Factory) and AI software analysing behaviour to detect vandals at graffiti hotspots before deterrents such as alarms and lights can be activated (Sensing Feeling).

These ideas will each get up to £30,000. The winners will use the money to develop their idea and produce a feasibility study for National Highways, which will decide the most promising products to take forward for using on the road network.

Image source, National Highways

Trials, which took place at Spaghetti Junction in Birmingham, included this system above that blasts off graffiti with recycled glass pellets.

Express and Star

The Express and Star has these headlines today:

• Afghanistan refugees arriving in region as deadline to flee Taliban approaches, external
• Peaky Blinders writer helping to create Commonwealth Games opening ceremony, external
• Storm 'Dudley' set to blow across UK this winter, external

BBC Sport

Aldridge swimmer Tully Kearney said she was determined to take gold in the women's S5 100m freestyle today at the Tokyo Paralympics.

Image source, Reuters

She made up for the disappointment of her narrow defeat in the S5 200m freestyle on Wednesday with victory in the 100m freestyle event in a world record time.

Speaking to Channel 4 afterwards, she said she turned her frustration at yesterday's silver into gold today.

"I was determined no-one was going to beat me," she said.

"It was so worth it – I have so many people to thank, if it wasn’t for my mother... after Rio I was told I could never swim again, because of my limitations. If it wasn't for her forcing me to swim again, I wouldn’t be here."

Former England and Sussex captain Ted Dexter has died aged 86.

Image source, Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Nicknamed 'Lord Ted', Dexter was an aggressive batsman and useful seam bowler who played 62 Tests for England and was captain between 1961-1964.

He led Sussex to victory in the first two editions of the limited-overs Gillette Cup and went on to make a surprise two-Test comeback in 1968.

In a statement, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) described Dexter, who lived in Wolverhampton, as "one of England's greatest ever cricketers".

Pop star Ed Sheeran has performed to 700 fans in Coventry to celebrate the opening of HMV Empire in Hertford Street.

Image source, Jamie Carter/hmv/PA Wire

Image source, Jamie Carter/hmv/PA Wire

The concert last night was part of celebrations for the company's centenary, with tickets issued in a free draw.

Those not able to snag a ticket were able to watch Sheeran's set on a live stream in Assembly Festival Garden.

Image source, Paul Greenwood/hmv/PA Wire

Image source, Paul Greenwood/hmv/PA Wire

Among the lucky 700 fans were Margaret, aged 77, who came to the gig with daughter Marie, who had just finished a 12-hour shift on a trauma ward.

BBC Weather

Today will start mainly cloudy with the chance of the odd spell of sunshine in the morning. Through the afternoon, most areas of cloud will clear to leave sunshine. Highs of 15C to 18C (59F to 64F).

This evening and tonight: This evening should see extensive spells of sunshine. Overnight low clouds will move in along with some mist and fog patches. Lows of 10C to 13C (50F to 55F).

BBC Sport

We told you yesterday West Brom would be fielding a weakened side against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup due to a busy fixture schedule.

Unfortunately for the Baggies, they crashed out of the cup, suffering a 6-0 defeat.

Image source, PA Media

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's hat-trick helped Arsenal to a confidence-boosting first win of the season as they thumped the young West Brom side.

Welcome to our live service for Thursday.

We’ll be bringing you the latest news from the West Midlands.

You can let us know about stories in your area via Twitter , externaland Facebook, external.

A food bank opens as a temporary clothing centre for parents in need of uniform.

It has been accused by a council of operating as a hostel without planning approval.