Conservatives increase majority on Shropshire Council
Labour group leader "concerned" by national picture
Man jailed after admitting for two armed raids
Further closures at Ludlow maternity unit
Updates on Friday 5 May 2017
A fire affecting a tyre business in Wrockwardine Wood is now out.
Firefighters are remaining at Plough Road as a precaution and say it now appears no serious damage has been done to a neighbouring bungalow.
A 33-year-old man has been jailed for seven years after admitting robbing the One Stop Shop in Market Drayton and attempting to rob the Barclays in Shifnal.
Image source, Oliver JonesMark Gillon, of no fixed address, appeared at Shrewsbury Crown Court for sentencing, after admitting the charges earlier this week.
He also pleaded guilty to stealing a car and number plates and possessing an imitation firearm, but prosecutors accepted not guilty pleas relating to the robbery of Lloyds in Madeley.
Alex Seftel
Journalist, BBC Shropshire
The Shropshire Athletics Association has a shortage of officials for next weekend's county championships at Telford's stadium and the Shropshire Schools Championships next month.
It's putting out a call for volunteer track and field judges and timekeepers.
Image source, GoogleMargaret Afford from Oakengates, who's been travelling the country with a stopwatch for nearly three decades, covering the likes of Linford Christie and Mo Farah, says there are plenty of perks to the job. .
Quote MessageA lot of officials give up once their children grow up and don't compete anymore. The rest of us get bitten by the bug. We're all volunteers, we don't get paid but we keep coming back, having fun, meeting friends as well as service to the athletes. We are there to ensure there is fair competition for everybody."
Margaret Afford, Track and field judge
Firefighters are dealing with a large tyre fire in Wrockwardine Wood and say it has now spread to a nearby bungalow.
They say they were called out to Pine Lodge Tyres on Plough Road at 11:26 and there are now four fire engines there.
We've just had it confirmed - the Green Party has lost Oswestry South to the Conservatives.
And the former Conservative councillor Keith Barrow is celebrating - it used to be the seat he held, before he stood down, triggering a by-election.
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A motorcyclist in his 70s has been seriously hurt in a crash in Market Drayton.
The police say the man was injured in a collision with a black VW van on Adderley road at 18:30.
He suffered serious arm and leg injuries and was taken to the Royal Stoke University Hospital.
The Green Party had only just been celebrating gaining a councillor in the Porthill ward, but now it's bad news for them - it looks like they might have lost the Oswestry South seat to the Conservatives.
That was the one Duncan Kerr (pictured below) had taken from the Conservatives in a by-election after the resignation of the former council leader Keith Barrow.
Image source, Duncan KerrThe Green Party have taken the Porthill ward in Shrewsbury from the Lib Dems.
It's been a morning of few surprises so far in the Shropshire Council elections, with most of the wards being held by the parties which held them before the election.
The leaders of the three main parties on Shropshire Council have held their seats
We've had our first Shropshire Council seat changing hands - the Conservatives have taken Broseley from Labour.
The leaders of the Conservatives, Lib Dems and Labour on Shropshire Council have all kept their seats on the authority.
We are waiting to see how many of their colleagues will join them, but so far there have been no wards changing hands.
Joanne Gallacher
Political reporter, BBC Shropshire
The Lib Dems believe they may have lost the Porthill ward in Shrewsbury to the Green Party.
The former leader of Shropshire Council, Keith Barrow, is in a confident mood as the results start to come in for the local authority elections.
We have six results in so far - five wins for the Conservatives and one for the Lib Dems.
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Turnout in the Shropshire Council elections was 36.39% and 35.38% in the town and parish elections.
Counting is now under way in Shrewsbury and the first result has been announced - the Conservatives have retained Hodnet.
Ian Perry
BBC Radio Shropshire
A group that represents businesses in Shrewsbury says it wants to see more taxis in the town.
Shrewsbury Business Improvement District, external says that to have a "vibrant and safe late-night economy" people need to know they can get home safely and without delay.
It says it's talking to taxi operators and is considering the possibility of a new taxi rank on Shoplatch, next to the Market Hall.
A long-established fun-fair operator has been granted an extension to stay on the grounds of the former primary school at St Martin's, near Oswestry.
Image source, GoogleThere was some local opposition when Alan Stokes and his extended family were originally allowed to move their caravans and fairground machinery on to the site.
Part of the original agreement was that Mr Stokes would maintain the site.
Quote MessageI think they thought we were going to operate the funfair on the school and be playing loud music and having generations running late at night. Hundreds of teenagers coming down, making a noise and that kind of thing. But they soon realised we were only using it as a base."
Alan Stokes, Fun fair operator
James Bond
Sports Producer, BBC Shropshire
The Shropshire Women's Cup has been won by The New Saints Ladies Reserves. They beat Shrewsbury Town Ladies 4-2, last night at the Greenhous Meadow.
Image source, New Saints FCThe trophy was presented by Maureen Farmer, widow of the late Tom Farmer, who was chairman of the Shropshire FA for many years.
A man's due to be sentenced today after admitting two armed hold-ups in the county - one at the One Stop shop in Market Drayton six weeks ago and an attempted robbery at Barclays Bank in Shifnal.
On Tuesday, Mark Gillon, 33, of no fixed address, also admitted the theft of a car and number plates and two charges of possessing an imitation firearm.
Counting in the local elections here in Shropshire will get under way at 10:00, although we understand the ballots were verified overnight, which should save some time.
As well as the 74 Shropshire Council seats, they'll also be totting up totals for the town and parish elections, although those won't be announced till tomorrow.
Image source, GoogleMore than 150 people will be counting the votes, at the Sundorne Sports Village, on the outskirts of Shrewsbury.
Shropshire Council was controlled by the Conservative Group.
For a different outcome, the Tories would have to lose nine seats and the other parties join forces in a coalition to get the magic number of 38.
Phil Maiden
Reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester
The West Midlands UKIP MEP, Jim Carver, has told the BBC he won't be standing as a candidate at the general election.
The Worcester-based politician resigned as his party's foreign affairs spokesman over what he called its "misguided" plan to ban the wearing of the burka.
Quote MessageYou know my personal position over a policy so I made the decision I won't be standing."
Jim Carver, UKIP MEP