FIVE things you need to know this week:

  1. Yellow weather warnings have been issued as strong winds and heavy rain batter the Five Valleys. The wet weather is expected to clear up at around 2pm today making way for some sunshine; however showers are expected to fall throughout the week.
  2. We are remembering those bereaved by the Paddington Railway disaster 15 years ago today. A total of 31 people were killed in the 1999 crash and many people have been marking the anniversary by placing flowers at a memorial site high above the railway line at Ladbroke Grove in west London.
  3. Comedians, columnists, historians and novelists are in Cheltenham over the next nine days for The Cheltenham Literature Festival kicks and household names such as Caitlin Moran, Damien Lewis and Brian Blessed are just some of the stars to grace the tents in the town this year. To see if there are still tickets available click here
  4. For all the football fans, Shortwood United are in FA Cup action on Saturday when they travel to face Conference outfit Bath City in the third qualifying round.
  5. Two days into the Liberal Democrats Conference in Glasgow, deputy PM Nick Clegg has said that taxes ‘must’ be increased to cut the deficit after the next general election. He also confirmed plans to collect a ‘mansion tax’ on high value properties through new council tax bands.