HERE are some of the stories which you might have missed from across our sister papers in the Black Country and North Worcestershire.

A WOMAN who was driven from her home near Redditch by "doubters and cynics" wept in court as the man who raped her 28 years ago was finally jailed for the crime.

Professional burglar Steven Hearl, now a balding and bespectacled 63-year-old, was sentenced to six years and four months at Worcester Crown Court for the sex attack he carried out in an Alvechurch cornfield when he was 35 and she was 16.

Hearl, who had a long list of convictions for theft offences, was caught in July when a "cold case" review matched his DNA and he confessed to rape, indecent assault and attempted buggery.

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STOURBRIDGE Football Club will be in the spotlight next Saturday when their Amblecote ground plays host to BBC's popular Football Focus programme.

The programme will be broadcast live from the ground ahead of Stourbridge's epic FA Cup tie with Eastleigh, which takes place later in the afternoon at 3pm; when the Glassboys will be bidding to reach the Third Round for the first time in their history.

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A POPULAR Stourport pub faces an uncertain future after it was put on the market by the company that owns it.

The Ye Old Crown Inn, which is based in Bridge Street, is one of 34 ale houses across the country put up for sale by pub giant JD Wetherspoon.

A spokesman for the company said the firm had carried out a review of its 950-strong national pub estate and has decided to put a number up for sale.

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MULTI-purpose community hubs dealing with a range of council services could be created across Dudley borough as part of invest-to-save plans set out by the cash-strapped authority.

Council bosses – tasked with saving £21 million over the next three years – are also planning to increase customer and staff self-service by using more digital technology.

Non-essential council buildings will also be sold off.

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BROMSGROVE-based Marlbrook Travelodge has just completed a £150,000 revamp at its Birmingham Road premises.

Part of the improvements include the addition of truckle beds which have been installed into family rooms, which provide children with their own individual bed while creating additional storage space at the same time.

There has also been a complete revamp of all public areas within the hotel which only opened in Bromsgrove back in 2010.

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DUDLEY people are being urged to help tackle terrorism by being vigilant as the country's threat level remains “severe”.

Following the recent attacks in Paris, there has been heightened concerns that an attack is "highly likely", as the threat level, which has been in place since August 2014, suggests.

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West Midlands Police has the largest counter terrorism unit outside London and the team has increased its activity in the wake of recent events.