Rail passengers face "another difficult year" with more major timetable changes and engineering works, MPs warn.

Last May, Network Rail attempted to roll out timetable changes which affected 46% of all services with passengers in the north west severely affected.

The MPs' report found it caused "unprecedented disruption" for weeks across the south-east and north of England.

Govia Thameslink Railway and Northern failed to run 780 scheduled services on average each day, the equivalent of one in 10 trains.

Image source, Stephen Pimlott

BBC Midlands Today

More than 200 places across the West Midlands are breaching air pollution limits, according to new data from Friends of the Earth.

Image source, Google

The campaign group says Holyhead Road in Coventry recorded the worst nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels in the region.

Coventry City Council says it's working on a Local Air Quality Action Plan to submit soon to the government to cut pollution levels.

Friends of the Earth says these are the top 10 areas in the West Midlands which recorded the worst NO2 levels:

• Holyhead Road, Coventry
• Halesowen Road, Netherton, Dudley
• Watery Lane, Birmingham
• Priory Queensway, Birmingham
• Moor Street, Birmingham
• Etruria Road, Stoke-on-Trent
• A50, Uttoxeter
• Moor Street Quarter, Birmingham
• Islington Row, Birmingham
• Lawley Middleway, Birmingham

Branwen Jeffreys
Education Editor

Language learning is at its lowest level in the UK's secondary schools since the turn of the millennium, with German and French falling most.

A BBC analysis has also revealed five north-west boroughs are among the 10 in the UK where the study of languages at GCSE level has fallen sharply.

Department for Education figures show a drop of just more than 50% in Knowsley, and more than 30% in Blackpool, Warrington, Wigan, and Rochdale.

Alex Hamilton
BBC Weather

It is going to be another day of fine, sunny weather with a maximum temperature of 17C.

But make the most of it because the temperatures are reverting back to their seasonal norms overnight with more unsettled weather for the rest of the week.

BBC News Travel

Two lanes have been shut on the M6 northbound this morning in Staffordshire., external

Image source, Highways England

Highways England says it's taken the action between J11 and J11A, near Cannock, to rehang a barrier after a crash last night involving a lorry:, external

Image source, Highways England

We are here to bring you the latest news, sport, travel and weather from across the north west.

Alex Hamilton
BBC Weather

A chilly and sunny start to Wednesday in the West Midlands - here's how the rest of the day's looking:

You can get an up-to-date forecast for your part of the West Midlands at any other time by going to the BBC Weather website.

The guide wire from a catheter was found 12 hours after the young patient had surgery at Royal Stoke.

Sara Blizzard
BBC Weather

It will be a dry clear night, with some mist and fog expected to develop and lows of 1C (34F).

Attacks by dogs on livestock have cost Midlands farmers £900,000 in the past four years, according to research by the NFU Mutual insurance group, external.

It found that many of the attacks are caused by dogs which have escaped when left unsupervised in gardens.

The peak time for attacks on sheep is between January and April whilst sheep are lambing.

Attacks across England and Wales cost £4.2m between 2015 and 2018, it said.

HPR Stoke, in Milton, is currently in administration, North Staffordshire Justice Centre heard.

Lisa Bennett, 39, was reported missing by her mother in May 2013.

Two people have been charged with murdering a woman who has been missing since 2013.

The pair have also been charged with preventing her lawful burial and fraudulently claiming her benefits payments.

Image source, West Midlands Police

Lisa Bennett, 39, from Burton-upon-Trent, but believed to have been living in Selly Oak, was reported missing by her mother in May 2013.

Kevin Flanagan, 39, of Redbrook Covert, Kings Norton, and 40-year-old Kathleen Salmond, of Farnhurst Road, Hodge Hill, both face three charges of murder, fraud and preventing burial.

At Birmingham Crown Court today they were bailed and a provisional trial date set of 2 September.

Keira Ball was nine years old when she died in a car accident. But her donated organs saved the lives of four people, including Max Johnson from Cheshire, who received her heart.

He told the BBC he was "ready to die" and thought he'd had his last hug with parents, before news came of the donated organ.

New legislation named Max and Keira's Law is set set to clear its final hurdle in Parliament.

Pro and anti-fox hunting campaigners in Cheshire have told a public meeting that the law needs strengthening.

Image source, AFP/GETTY IMAGES

It follows calls for a change in the Hunting Act amid claims that Cheshire Police was failing to crack down on illegal hunting despite the ban.

There has only been one prosecution for hunting in Cheshire since 2004.

Cheshire Hunt Saboteurs say loopholes make prosecutions "almost impossible" while the Countryside Alliance wants more protection for landowners.

Image source, jimfeng

BBC News Travel

A section of the M6 in Staffordshire has reopened after a swan was rescued from the southbound carriageway.

Highways England said it affected traffic on the motorway between junction 12 at Gailey to 11 at Shareshill, for about half an hour.

Cheshire Police say enforcing the law is a priority despite claims of foxes being killed illegally.

Stoke-on-Trent Live

Here are three of the top stories from the Stoke-on-Trent Live website today:

• Disgruntled gas engineer stole tools from employer, external
• £300,000 haul of heroin and crack cocaine found hidden in wood, external
• Popular high school unveils its new headteacher, external

Eight police officers have been attacked in Warrington in a week.

Ch Insp Simon Meegan, of Cheshire Police, said the assaults were "completely unacceptable".

Of the officers hurt last week, six were female and two required operations. One female officer was attacked twice in four days, suffering a head injury in one assault.

Ch Insp Meegan said three people had been charged over the unconnected attacks so far.

Fergus Walsh
Medical correspondent

Plans to change the rules on organ donation consent in England are set to clear their final hurdle in Parliament.

Image source, Family photos

The legislation will be known as Max and Keira's Law after Max Johnson, from Winsford in Cheshire, who received a heart transplant and Keira Ball, from Devon, who donated it.

Under the new system, which comes into effect next year, consent will be presumed unless people have opted out.

Currently, there is a voluntary opt-in scheme. Presumed consent has been operating in Wales since December 2015.