Flooding may hit "many thousands" more properties in the future if no action is taken, a report says.

Shrewsbury Town sign defender Marlon Fossey on a season-long loan deal from Premier League side Fulham.

Shropshire Star

The Shropshire Star is covering these stories today:

• Serial burglar stole items worth £3,800 as family visited mother in hospital, external
• Newport street remembers five residents who died during lockdown, external
• Ironwork centre to create new monument against violence from weapons haul, external

The Coalbrookdale cafe was ready to reopen as lockdown measures eased when floods brought sewage in.

BBC Shropshire

A dog owner has offered a £5,000 reward to help her find dachshunds which were stolen from a caravan outside her house.

Image source, Keri Arbel

Keri Arbel was asleep at her home in Gobowen on 31 July when she was woken up as three of the dogs were stolen by thieves, who took them away in a van.

"I was awoken to a noise that I'd never heard before an animal make, it just sent chills down your spine."

She said one of the three dachshunds, Nancy, was found a week later in Widnes, Cheshire, but Emily-Rose and Greta are still missing.

West Mercia Police said it was investigating the theft.

Image source, Keri Arbel

Shropshire Star

Here are a few of the stories making the headlines on the Shropshire Star website:

• Crime plummets during pandemic, external
• Report outlines mental health cost of Covid-19 crisis in Telford, external
• Pub near Ironbridge devastated by flooding prepares to reopen after six-month revamp, external

BBC Weather Watchers

Here are three of the photos picked from the many sent in by our local BBC Weather Watchers.

They are from users BoardWalk in Droitwich, Worcestershire, Snapper Simon in Church Stretton, Shropshire and Anna L in Stourbridge, Dudley:

Image source, BoardWalk

Image source, Snapper Simon

Image source, Anna L

Roger Hallam is one of five people charged with conspiracy to cause criminal damage.

BBC Weather Watchers

We've got a wildlife theme going on in today's selection of photos taken by our local BBC Weather Watchers.

These are from users Liam Ball, in Ironbridge, Shropshire; Poetic Verse, in Burton-upon-Trent, Staffordshire; and Cumulo Jimbus, in Colwall, Herefordshire:

Image source, Liam Ball

Image source, Poetic Verse

Image source, Cumulo Jimbus

"Brave" Josh made the call when he found his mum lying unconscious on the floor at their home.

A five-year-old boy rang emergency services after his mum fell into a diabetic coma.

Josh, from Telford, made the call last month when he found his mum lying on the floor.

He dialled 112, the number on the side of his toy ambulance, which connected him to a police communications operator.

The number 112 is a European emergency number which provides the same purpose as 999, West Mercia Police said., external

Image source, West Mercia Police

Officers arrived and found the boy and his younger brother in the house and their mother who was lying unconscious on the floor.

Paramedics were then able to treat his mum.

BBC Shropshire

An inquest into the death of a 70-year-old man who was found in the Shropshire Hills has been opened and adjourned.

Image source, West Mercia Police

The body of Richard Hall (pictured) was discovered on Brown Clee Hill, near Bridgnorth, on 14 August.

During a short hearing, Shropshire coroner John Ellery adjourned the inquest and said it would resume after legal proceedings had been concluded.

Moses Christensen, 21, from Corser Street, Stourbridge, has been charged with Mr Hall's murder and possession of a bladed article in a public place.

He is due to appear at Stafford Crown Court next month.

Shropshire Council is trying to get the listed status of its Shrewsbury headquarters waived.

It wants to demolish the building and sell the land for up to £10m, but the Shirehall's listed status could be a barrier.

The council has asked for a certificate of immunity from Historic England.

Falling trees damage homes and cars and block roads, with people evacuated due to flooding.

"We're in a really difficult position," say the owners who describe the decision as "heartbreaking".

With winds now blowing at more than 50mph in Shrewsbury, the town council has decided to close the Dingle gardens.

It said it was "to ensure the safety of visitors".

Image source, Shrewsbury Town Council

Shrewsbury Town promote Dean Whitehead to assistant manager under boss Sam Ricketts, succeeding Graham Barrow.

Chris King
News editor, BBC Shropshire

Three police officers who posed with a group of wedding-goers in Telford have been reminded about the need for social distancing.

It comes after a picture emerged of them with a number of people who were going to a wedding in Birmingham.

Officers were called to the Arleston area of Telford amid reports from local residents of inappropriate driving.

As part of that the officers agreed to pose for a photo with several people who were clearly not social distancing, and neither were the officers.

In a statement, West Mercia Police said they should have reminded people to stay apart and those officers would "be spoken to".

All this comes amid a rise in the number of Coronavirus cases in Telford and Wrekin which led the council to take steps to avoid a local lockdown.

Thousands of extra seats are being introduced on West Midland and London Northwestern Railway services from next month.

West Midland Trains says the new timetable, which comes into effect from Sunday 6 September, will see available space increased in time for the return of schools and workplaces.

Image source, West Midlands Rail

Services were reduced in March in response to the coronavirus pandemic, with passenger numbers dropping by about 95% at the height of the lockdown.

The latest news means the capacity "in many places" on the West Midlands Railway network is to be returned "to near pre-Covid levels".

Among the key changes are:

• Train frequency on Birmingham’s Cross-City Line increases from three to four trains an hour on the majority of the route and will be the maximum six carriages in length
• Services on the Birmingham-Hereford and Birmingham-Shrewsbury lines increase to two trains per hour in the peak
• Snow Hill Line services increase to six trains per hour while services to Birmingham International increase to two trains per hour
• Services between Walsall and Rugeley step up to two trains per hour both peak and off-peak. In order to improve reliability, Chase Line trains will remain self-contained in the West Midlands rather than continue through to London Euston

WMR said the "simpler timetable would be more reliable for passengers with longer trains to help social distancing" and people were being reminded wearing a face covering was compulsory on trains and in stations unless exempt for medical reasons.

David Gomoh was stabbed to death days after his father died from contracting Covid-19.