West Midlands Police says officers have discovered a sizeable cannabis grow in Dudley.

Local councillor Damian Corfield, who visited the site on Thursday, described it as a "great result"., external

Paedophile Barry Bennell has shown "no remorse" for abusing youth footballers, a victim says.

A Birmingham GP says he has had to cancel "several hundreds" of appointments at his clinic.

Telford and Wrekin Council says it plans to bring at least 375 long-term empty properties back into use over the next five years as part of a "robust enforcement regime".

Image source, Getty

The borough has 1,009 properties classed as "long-term empty" as they have been vacant for more than six months; while 214 have been empty for more than two years, it said.

The local authority said such homes could attract anti-social behaviour and be an environmental issue for neighbours.

It plans to take action from the moment a property is reported empty in a bid to "provide homes for those in housing need, particularly the most vulnerable".

Deputy leader of the Labour-run council Richard Overton said: "We are committed to working with owners but will also use our enforcement powers where we need to.

"Tackling these properties and improving the visual amenity and street scene in our neighbourhoods will have a knock-on positive effect by increasing the value of surrounding property and the overall attractiveness of the borough for investment.”

Express and Star

Here are some of the stories on the Express & Star website:

• PCR test centres to close early despite rising Covid rates, external
• Chubby Brown hoping to return to city next year despite Bilston show controversy, external
• Motorbike rider critically injured in crash with van near Sedgley, external

Image source, Nick Potts/PA Media

The head of Wasps Group, which owns Coventry Building Society Arena, says news the venue will host this year's MOBO awards is "very special indeed".

Fans can attend the awards, which have celebrated music of black origin since 1996, with tickets for the 5 December event on sale on the arena's website from midday tomorrow.

The arena, which hosts Wasps' teams and sawthe Sky Blues returnthis season, has also hosted some of the music industry's biggest names, including the Rolling Stones and Bruce Springsteen.

Former England back-row James Haskell is forced to abandon a career in mixed martial arts - and wants to become a stand-up comic.

Inspectors find "unacceptable" techniques at two Staffordshire hospitals rated inadequate once again.

The pair's injuries are consistent with those from a shotgun being fired, detectives say.

BBC Radio Stoke

A Stoke City fan died on his way home from the team's defeat in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.

Image source, Reuters

The man suffered a cardiac arrest on a footpath off Highfield Drive, Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent, just before 22:00 on Wednesday, the ambulance service said.

Several fans came to help and gave him CPR before paramedics arrived.

The ambulance service said he was taken to hospital, but died shortly after arriving.

Stoke City said the thoughts of everyone at the club were with the man's family and friends.

Fans will be able to get tickets to attend the show, which takes place on 5 December 2021.

The artworks, designed by young people, highlight biodiversity loss and climate change.

The leader of Coventry City Council says the city is "absolutely delighted" to host this year's MOBO awards on 5 December.

Organisers announced the awards will be held at Coventry Building Society Arena, with fans able to attend.

Image source, MOBO

Councillor George Duggins said: "We feel Coventry is the perfect venue to welcome the UK’s biggest celebration of black music and culture.

"As a proud and modern multi-cultural city and one that has an excellent national reputation for successfully hosting major events, I’m sure the MOBO awards will be another great success, and great that it’s the first time they’ve been held in the Midlands too."

He added the move also fitted its pride and ambition in its year as UK City of Culture.

Tickets, which start from £35, will go on sale at the arena's website, external from 12:00 on Friday. The event will also be live-streamed on YouTube and there will be coverage on BBC One and Radio 1Xtra.

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Alex Moore

The chair of a regional economic body has cautiously welcomed Rishi Sunak’s budget, but is “disappointed” at the lack of clarity over the future of organisations like hers.

The Marches Local Enterprise Partnership covers Herefordshire, Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin, distributing grants and helping businesses set up and grow.

A government-commissioned a review of England’s 38 LEPs, looking at their role, has yet to report.

Marches LEP chairman Mandy Thorn MBE said the “unreasonable” lack of clarity over their future is “putting the partnerships and the jobs of their dedicated teams at risk”.

Covid-19 rates have fallen for the first time in several weeks in many parts of the West Midlands.

However, 18 of the 30 local authority areas in the region continued to see rises, including Warwick, which remains among England's hotspots.

Its rate rose from 625 new infections per 100,000 people to 704 in the seven days up to and including 23 October.

Worcester saw a 42% rise in its rate, to 484 per 100,000 people in the same period, although it remains low compared with many other areas in England.

Image source, EPA

Several parts of the West Midlands that have been among the worst affected in England in recent weeks have continued to see falls in their rates, including Nuneaton, Staffordshire Moorlands, Cannock Chase and Lichfield. Cases in Rugby were also stable.

Many other areas also saw falls, including Stoke-on-Trent, Wyre Forest, Redditch and Shropshire.

Telford & Wrekin, however had a 9% rise in new cases - reaching 1,133 in the week up to 23 October.

BBC Midlands Today

More than one million people across the Midlands have now had their Covid-19 booster as the NHS vaccination programme continues.

People who received their second jab before the end of April and are over 50 or considered to be at risk are eligible for the top-up jab now.

The NHS will contact people for the booster, if it has been at least six months since their last vaccination.

BBC Midlands Today

The giant puppet Little Amal will arrive in Birmingham on Thursday following an 5,000-mile journey across Europe.

The puppet, representing a nine-year-old Syrian refugee and her journey across Europe was in Coventry on Wednesday.

Crowds of people greeted the 3.5m (11.5ft) puppet in the city centre in the afternoon.

She will be visiting Erdington High Street from 15:00, with other events such as live music and street games taking place beforehand.

Today, it will be a largely cloudy and dry day for many, but with some brighter spells.

It will remain mild with moderate southerly winds. Highs of 16C (61F).

Tonight, it will remain cloudy, with a band of rain slowly moving in from the west. The rain will turn heavy and persistent in the early hours. Lows of 11C (52F).

BBC Weather Watchers

Our local BBC Weather Watchers update us on the forecast where they are and many of them also take great photos while they are out and about.

Here are three of the many sent in today, from Suttonwalker in Birmingham, Biking Mike in Cheadle, Staffordshire and Hedgehog in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire.

Image source, Suttonwalker

Image source, Biking Mike

Image source, Hedgehog

The 3.5m giant puppet has crossed seven countries on its journey to the UK.