Chaz Powell says the award from the Scientific Exploration Society is "pretty crazy".

John Ashton, a third generation postmaster, says the best part of the job is the people he meets.

Work will begin next week on a new cycle route and footpath in Telford.

The route will run alongside the A518, connecting Newport with Donnington and Muxton.

When complete, the new cycle path will also connect to the wider National Cycle Network route (NCN) 55 - creating links with Ironbridge and beyond through to Staffordshire.

Work will begin on the path on 18 October, with temporary traffic management to be put in place.

Image source, Getty Images

The route forms part of the cycling and walking plans for the borough and a £2.4m investment into active travel.

Telford & Wrekin Councillor David Wright said: “This new route will make a big difference to both cyclists and walkers looking to extend their activities - be they travelling from Telford into Newport and Staffordshire or for visits into Telford.

“This investment further ensures that people have safe routes that provide greater access to green spaces and allows more freedom to explore in a healthy way.”

The marsupial is captured on camera by a farmer working in a field on Tuesday.

BBC Midlands Today

Pub group Marston's says sales have risen above pre-pandemic levels after the last Covid-19 restrictions ended in July.

Image source, Marston's

The Wolverhampton-based firm said, for the quarter between July and October, takings were 2% higher across its estate of around 1,500 pubs than for the same period in 2019.

However the company said total sales for the year to 2 October stood at £402m, down 22% on the year before.

Mr Smith filmed the wallaby on his phone and shared it on social media with friends.

A business has been given a £25,000 grant to create new support services to help companies post Covid-19.

Enterprise South West Shropshire, based in Bishop’s Castle, was awarded nearly £25,000 from the Shropshire Wider Economic Recovery Grant by Shropshire Council.

Image source, Shropshire Council

Manager Rob McKay said: "We will be able to quickly deliver a wider economic benefit to the region post Covid-19.

“We currently provide services for between 150 and 200 businesses in the region. We are looking forward to helping many more."

Kimani Martin died when a shotgun was fired at him from another car in Tividale.

Tyrese Dibba, 16, created a series of videos to teach people British Sign Language during lockdown.

BBC Midlands Today

There are calls this morning for greater investment in swimming pools in the Midlands.

Latest research from Swim England shows many are in a state of disrepair and need refurbishing or even replacing.

The organisation says the region faces a predicted shortage of 83 pools by 2030. It's written to the government urging them to take action.

A 16-year-old from Birmingham who helped thousands of people to learn British Sign Language through online lessons has been given a Points of Light award by the prime minister.

Tyrese Dibba is a deaf and partially sighted student who has a rare genetic disorder which can affect many areas of the body including sight and hearing.

The disability charity Sense said he was the star of its Sense Sign School and estimated he had helped up to 80,000 people.

Image source, Sense

The Points of Light , externalawards recognise one individual each day who has made an outstanding contribution to volunteering in their community.

Tyrese said he was "a bit surprised" to be recognised for his work.

A 15-year-old school girl has been selected as the new Young Poet Laureate for Staffordshire.

Erin Gascoigne-Jones, from Sir Thomas Boughey Academy in Newcastle-under-Lyme, will be mentored during her one-year post by the county's current Poet Laureate, Mel Wardle-Woodend.

Erin will be creating poems to mark special occasions celebrated by the libraries service as she works with Mel and develops her poetry writing skills.

Image source, Staffordshire County Council

“Hearing my name when it was announced really shocked me because the other shortlisted poets were so impressive," she says.

“It's such an honour to have this role and I'm very grateful for all the opportunities I'll have throughout my year."

Councillor Victoria Wilson added: “We’re very proud of our Young Poet Laureate scheme and I’m delighted to welcome Erin to the role.

“This is all about promoting a love of poetry across our great county and showcasing the creative writing talent of teenagers across the area."

PCs Lee Phillips and Christopher Donovan saved a man's life, the police federation says.

His family pay tribute to the "happy person" who played football "seven times a week if he could".

The 80-bed home will be built after the demolition of the former Guttercrest factory in Oswestry.

BBC Midlands Today

Jobs within the ceramics industry could be at risk if the soaring costs of energy are not tackled, according to the body representing firms.

Royal Overhouse Manufactury in Burslem - once operated by the Wedgwood family and now Royal Stafford - is spending £2,000 a day a day on gas and electricity and is joining calls for prices to come down.

There are reports that the government is considering business loans to help firms, but Norman Tempest managing director of Royal Stafford, said firms just want to prices to come down.

"People still have Covid loans so don't loan us money, get the price down," he said.

"We pay more [in energy] in the UK than anybody else in Europe.

"If I picked this factory up and took it to France, I could halve my energy bill."

The British Ceramic Confederation, which represents pottery firms, says energy usage usually accounts for about a third of some of its members production costs, but now that's gone up to 65%, which the organisation says means without help, jobs are at risk.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has been meeting representatives of firms which rely heavily on energy - like those producing steel, ceramics or paper.

Spin bowler Danny Briggs extends his contract with county champions Warwickshire until the end of the 2024 season.

More than 4,000 people have objected to plans for Shrewsbury's north west relief road.

BBC Radio CWR

Coventry's plans for a tram system is a great example of collaboration", the West Midlands Mayor Andy Street has said.

City councillors have approved £3.2m extra funding for it and the local authority says when it's complete, the very light rail system could offer people a London-style transport service that's more reliable than buses.

Image source, Coventry City Council

Mr Street said: "Lots of people have come together to make this happen, the city council, the combined authority, also the University of Warwick have done a lot of the design work and now Coventry manufacturing companies have actually built the first prototype, so it's a great example of collaboration."

About £14m has already been spent on the project - with bids in for almost £100m of future funding.

A Newport couple said they were worried after being left without a working landline for a month.

Elizabeth Beeston, who is in her 80s, is disabled, blind and has type one diabetes. She and her husband Philip say they rely on the landline for emergencies.

Mrs Beeston said she had "cried every day" over the issue since they moved to their home. Her husband has a mobile, but she is unable to use it because of her disabilities.

Image source, Getty Images

Mr Beeston said they were on priority at their old address, but moved about half a mile away into a bungalow, where a phone was fitted but they were told there was an existing fault.

They were put on a temporary line, but that also failed.

"We just can't understand what has happened," he said.

Provider Shell Energy said they were told about the fault two weeks ago, and have chased Openreach every day since and hope the fault can be repaired quickly.