Five men have been arrested by West Midlands Counter Terrorism police on suspicion of being concerned in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.

Two of the men, aged 32 and 37, were arrested in the Stoke area of Staffordshire, another two, aged 18 and 24, were arrested from their home addresses in Birmingham and one other man, aged 28, was arrested at a further location in Birmingham.

Following the arrests, an Army Bomb Disposal Team have been called in as a precautionary measure to the Lee Bank area of Birmingham.

All five men are being held in the West Midlands.

Police are searching a number of properties in the Stoke and Birmingham areas as part of the investigation. Police say the arrests were intelligence-led and part of an on-going investigation.