BBC Radio Shropshire

There has been a small explosion on High Street in Bridgnorth, believed to have been caused by a gas leak.

Firefighters were called at 09:25 to the scene where nearby homes were evacuated. The road was closed by authorities but has since reopened.

An investigation into the explosion is being carried out by Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, along with gas and electricity officials.

Image source, Andrew Corfield

Emma Truscott said she was was parking her car nearby when she heard a "loud bang", and told BBC Radio Shropshire: "I thought something had come down from the roof or something.

"Then I looked down at the pavement and I could see a bit of the pavement go up in the air a little bit and some of the bricks around it were cracked."

Image source, Andrew Corfield

A cardiac surgeon's specialist operating glasses were snatched from his car outside the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham on Saturday.

Stephen Rooney's "loupes" are necessary for him to perform life-saving surgery, says West Midlands Police.

The glasses are custom-designed for him to carry out intricate heart procedures and are of no use to anyone else, the force adds.

It has launched an appeal to find them.

They have a black frame with Mr Rooney's name engraved in the arms and were in a black and aluminium box when they were taken.

With heavy rainfall expected across the West Midlands, there's the chance of localised flooding later, the Met Office is warning.

Travel could be disrupted as rain moves northeastwards across much of the country, with thunder also expected.

Some places could see up to 40mm of rain, and intense rain of up to 70mm possible in a few places.

A yellow warning, external is in place until the end of the day.

The company is told to take action to control vermin and prevent landfill gas outside its boundary.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Balsall Common in Solihull could see a radical redesign within the next five years as part of plans to "modernise" the centre of the rapidly expanding village.

Image source, Arup/Urban Silence

A redesigned roundabout, outdoor "lounge" areas, increased parking and new access to the park are among the proposals.

Plans will also tap into the European-style "Shared Space" schemes, giving greater priority to pedestrians at busy locations and aiming to slow down traffic.

A revised set of plans should be available this autumn, although a finished project on the ground is still several years away.

Parish councillor Andrew Burrow said: "We need the project because Balsall Common is going to expand; it’s going to expand very radically - about two thirds an increase in its size."

Image source, Arup/Urban Silence

Rich Davis
BBC Weather presenter

It will be a wet day with heavy rain at times and highs of 17°C (63°F).

Welcome to our live service for Tuesday.

We'll be bringing you all the news, sport, travel and weather for the West Midlands.

We love to hear from you so share your news, thoughts and photos of the area with us via email, Twitter, external and Facebook., external

Police say the man is suspected of being a high-ranking member of a people-smuggling network.

Division Two leaders Essex continue their dominance of Surrey while Durham's lower order set landmarks at Northants.

Jessica Crane enters her plea following the death of Janet Mason whose body was discovered in March.

Yorkshire lose England's Dawid Malan late on as their low-scoring contest with Warwickshire swings the Bears' way at Headingley.

Live updates have now ended for the day but we'll have any breaking news here on Monday evening and updates on news, sport, weather and travel from 08:00 on Tuesday.

Coventry Live

Here are some of the stories on the Coventry Live website:

• London Burger Kitchen items removed by rugby club after sudden closure, external
• Gunshots fired in Coventry at house next to Cheylesmore primary school, external
• Large crowd of firefighters in Coventry city centre not all that it seems, external

Peter Corr says he was saved by "guardian angels" after suffering a cardiac arrest while running.

Small businesses and social enterprises in Telford and Wrekin are going to be offered a chance to get grants to help them recover from the pandemic.

The council said, external applicants will have to show they have been or continue to be badly affected by Covid-19 and the restrictions around it.

Grants will range from £2,000 to £10,000 with more details to be released on Tuesday and applications opening a week later.

The council said applications will be assessed on a "first come, first served basis".

Local Democracy Reporting Service

A trial lane closure planned for next month outside Shrewsbury railway station has been postponed.

Shropshire Council had intended to bring in the temporary measure in a bid to combat pollution. The authority now says it needs more time to weigh up the benefits and potential impacts of the scheme.

The right-hand lane closure was designed to reduce the amount of traffic pollution reaching nearby properties and was set to be the first intervention trialled as part of a plan in the Shrewsbury Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) to cut overall nitrogen dioxide levels to below legal limits.

Image source, Google

Councillor Dean Carroll, board chairman and cabinet member for public health, said he wanted to see more work done to investigate the proposed measures.

He said: "There are some suggested proposals made in the report that we feel actually need further consultation and engagement with stakeholders and with internal colleagues as to how they have a knock-on impact on other plans and policies of the council.

"I think it's right that we take all of that on board first before we ask health and wellbeing board to endorse that as an approach."

Members agreed to defer consideration of the report to a future meeting.

Wolverhampton's old Elephant and Castle pub will form part of a £23m museum expansion.

Stuart Devereux says he was keen to take part after losing family members to the disease.

More than 20,000 jobs have so far been created as part of the HS2 high speed rail link project, the company behind it says.

Image source, HS2 Ltd

It is 12 months since the Prime Minister announced the formal start of construction on phase one between London and Birmingham, through Warwickshire.

Work in the county includes a giant boring machine being used to create a tunnel under Long Itchington Woods.

Image source, HS2 Ltd

Contracts have been awarded to more than 2,200 businesses, with further opportunities worth a total of £25bn expected over the coming years, says HS2 Ltd.

But the project has not been without criticism, including complaints on environmental grounds.

Their roles at GKN in Erdington are due to be carried out in Poland and France when the site shuts.