A new book explores the naturalist's lost childhood garden at The Mount in Shrewsbury.

Residents are asked to close doors and windows as demolition takes place following the Telford fire.

Peter Nutting lost to Lib Dem Rob Wilson, but his party keeps control of Shropshire Council.

Despite losing some seats, including leader Peter Nutting's Copthorne ward, the Conservatives have been able to maintain their ruling majority on Shropshire Council.

The party needed 38 seats to keep control of the authority.

They've managed to cross that threshold with just four wards left to be declared.

They expect to announce the winner of the final ward, Whitchurch south, by 20:15

Image source, Shropshire Council

Some counting has already been done in Shropshire and we had the first 13 results late last night.

There were seven Conservatives elected, four Labour candidates and two Greens.

Yesterday there was talk a couple of senior Conservatives, including council leader Peter Nutting, could be at risk.

We'll find out if those rumours were true when we get the results from the count at Shrewsbury Sports Village.

Image source, Google

The overall number of the Army's tanks will be cut from 227 as the Challenger 2 tanks are replaced.

Giving evidence, a witness says he saw Dalian Atkinson kicked "like you'd kick a football".

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Keri Trigg

A Labour candidate in the Shropshire Council elections says she could have missed out on votes because her name was printed incorrectly on the ballot papers.

Elisabeth Roberts is standing in Harlescott division, which has consistently voted Labour at every election since the council was formed in 2009.

Ms Roberts said she put Lisa on her nomination forms - as a name she is also known as - but did not intend for this to be the name on the ballot papers.

When her name appeared as Lisa on the Statement of Persons Nominated, published four weeks ago, she said she contacted the council multiple times to get it corrected. So she said she was shocked to see it on the ballot papers.

Shropshire Council has been asked to comment.

Results of and reaction to council, mayoral and police and crime commissioner elections.

A murder trial hears a PC repeatedly stamped on the head of Dalian Atkinson after Tasering him.

People in the area are being warned not to touch dead animals after the discovery.

A couple have thanked midwives who helped deliver their surprise baby.

Richard and Jo Bennett, from Dawley Bank in Telford said they had no idea they were expecting, when Mrs Bennett started feeling stomach pains during a regular quiz night.

"After a couple of hours, and with Jo now in constant pain, we attended A&E.

"A short time later we were told that the stomach pains were in fact contractions and that Jo was in labour," Mr Bennett said.

"[Sixteen] hours later she gave birth to our son, Jacob at a weight of 9lb."

Image source, Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust

"Our world has been flipped upside down," he said.

Mr Bennet said the couple wanted to thank all the staff at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust who helped with baby Jacob's delivery.

BBC Weather

Things are looking a lot drier today than they have done so far this week.

We will have some showers today, mainly towards the east of our region, but it will be mainly dry with some sunshine.

Temperatures are expected to reach a high of 12C, so still a bit cold for this time of year.

It's election day across England, Wales and Scotland and voters are heading to the polls with thousands of council seats in England up for grabs. Elections are also taking place for mayors, including in the West Midlands, and police and crime commissioners.

Image source, PA Media

Polling stations will be open from 07:00 - 22:00 BST and voters are being asked to take their own pencils as a Covid safety measure.

So, where are votes being cast?

Councils

County councils:

• Staffordshire
• Warwickshire
• Worcestershire

Metropolitan councils:

• Coventry
• Dudley
• Sandwell
• Solihull
• Walsall
• Wolverhampton

District councils:

• Nuneaton & Bedworth
• Cannock Chase
• Redditch
• Rugby
• Tamworth
• Worcester
• Wyre Forest

All the seats in Shropshire Council, a unitary authority, are also up for election.

Police and crime commissioners

• West Midlands
• West Mercia
• Warwickshire
• Staffordshire (includes Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service)

Read more about the candidates by tapping the links.

Image source, Staffordshire Police

West Midlands Mayor

The combined authority mayor, covering the seven metropolitan boroughs, is responsible for planning and strategy for regional transport, skills training and local economic development. Click here to see the candidates.

For a reminder of all the candidates standing in your area and information about what they will do, use our handy look-up tool.

The trial hears former Aston Villa star Dalian Atkinson was Tasered, kicked and hit with a baton.

Shrewsbury Railway Station is to be lit up in honour of the work being carried out by the NHS.

The station will be lit up in blue on 5, 12 and 14 May.

Image source, Shropshire Council

It marks three dates set up to celebrate medical professionals - 5 May is International Day of the Midwife, 12 May is International Nurses Day and 14 May is National Operating Department Practitioners Day.

Julia Clarke, Director of Corporate Services at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, said: “Lighting up the railway station in blue is a great way of paying tribute to the hard work that these, and all the other professions within the NHS, are continuing to deliver as we come out of the latest lockdown, and certainly the worst wave of the pandemic.”

West Midlands elections come along like busespublished at 12:14 British Summer Time 5 May 2021

12:14 BST 5 May 2021

Elizabeth Glinka
Political Editor, BBC Midlands

The prime minister has been campaigning in the West Midlands this morning.

Here in the region, it feels like elections arrive like buses; you wait for one and then 25 come along at once.

Tomorrow's vote brings a combination of those postponed last year due to the coronavirus outbreak, and those due this year.

All county council seats are up for grabs in Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire.

All are Conservative controlled, and are unlikely to deliver any surprises. Likewise Unitary Shropshire.

Warwickshire has traditionally been most likely to swing, but with the Conservatives holding more than double the seats of Labour and the Lib Dems combined, recent revelations about the prime minister would have to have some serious cut through for either party to make inroads.

Normally, the big Metropolitan Boroughs that elect by thirds are less likely to have a change of control.

This time Solihull, Coventry, Dudley, Walsall and Sandwell all have elections, but there are definitely some ones to watch, not least because of the changing voting behaviour, which saw Labour’s ‘red wall’ collapse across the Black Country at the last general election.

Conservative-run Walsall and, to an even greater extent, Dudley, are finely balanced between blue and red.

Solihull, too, is currently Conservative-led, but the loss of just one seat, would mean losing control.

The Greens who are the main opposition party, have been building their base here for the last decade.In our smaller district councils - Nuneaton and Bedworth, Cannock Chase and Worcester are all on a knife edge.

It's a nippy start to Wednesday following a cold night. Today we'll see highs of around 12C but it will feel a little bit warmer than yesterday as the winds drop.

There will be some heavy, sharp showers developing throughout the day and possibly even thunder in some areas.

By this evening those showers should stop and clear skies could leave some frost overnight but scope for lots of sunshine on Thursday.

Dalian Atkinson was Tasered for six times longer than standard by PC Benjamin Monk, a court is told.

Gunner has a rare genetic condition which means he cannot break down his body's natural sugars.