A house in Birmingham is captivating passers-by with its Stranger Things inspired festive light display in the front window.

A GP and a senior NHS manager diverted £153,600 meant for patients into their company's bank account, a court hears.

We'll be back with our usual mix of news, sport, travel and weather from 08:00 tomorrow, but keep an eye out here for more updates this evening and into the morning.  

BBC Weather

Clear to start tonight then low cloud and mist and a chance of patchy rain. Lows of 6C (43F).

The rain should clear tomorrow morning, leaving a dry and cloudy day. Highs of 10C (50F). 

You've already been giving your reaction on social media to us to the news that Birmingham City have sacked manager Gary Rowett after two years in charge.

Image source, Nathan Stirk/Getty Images

Jim Crabtree, who describes himself as a lifelong Birmingham City supporter, tweeted to say, external: "I am flabbergasted! This is a massive gamble."

On the Midlands Today Facebook page Alex Barker posted, external: "Absolute disgrace! We need to get BCFC back into British hands!"

BBC Midlands Today

One of the biggest films of the year is released this week, Rogue One.

It's the latest instalment in the Star Wars franchise and while it may be a Hollywood blockbuster, it's bursting with Midlands talent. 

Its female lead, director and composer are all from this region. 

Lindsay Doyle has the report on BBC1 from 18:30. 

BBC Midlands Today

A farmer from Knowle is paying £900 to have rubbish cleared from his land after an articulated lorry load of waste was dumped illegally there. 

Rupert Inkpen has hired a skip to clear it and says there has been similar cases of loads of rubbish being dumped in the area. 

A spokesman from the National Farmers Union say incidents like this are becoming more and more common with farmers being left to pick up the bill for disposing of waste.

Great Barr Observer

A busy road in Great Barr had to be closed during rush hour – after a five-car pile-up, external. 

Sian Grzeszczyk
Reporter, BBC Midlands Today

I've been filming with two men who’ve had very different experiences of extremism but managed to turn away from it.

They have joined together to share their stories to try and discourage people across the West Midlands from being drawn into extremist groups. 

Nigel Bromage joined the National Front at 15 after being recruited at school, his hatred of the IRA fuelling the decision.

Now he's working with Shahid Butt who fought with the Taliban in Bosnia & Afghanistan and was later jailed in Yemen for conspiracy to commit terrorism, charges he still strongly denies. 

He says the five years he spent behind bars gave him time to think about the decisions he’d made and change. 

Image source, bbc

Nigel and Shahid hope that by having more of these types of conversations with the local community will go some way to resisting extremism in the West Midlands. 

You can see my story on the BBC iPlayer here. 

Monica Rimmer
Journalist, BBC Online

A friend of 21-year-old Matt Greenwood has paid tribute to him calling him a "hero" after he lost his battle with cancer. 

Last month, Matt's friends launched a campaign to help him complete his bucket list, however the BBC understands sadly Matt did not get chance to tick off the items on his bucket list.

His friend, Alec John Burns, shared a tribute on social media, calling him a "dear friend" and said he'll be "sorely missed".  

He went on to say Matt "fought to the end" before posting a touching quote from poet Emily Dickinson.

Image source, Facebook/Alec John Burns

A stained glass window set in a bathroom window in Church Stretton could be worth thousands of pounds.

Designed by artist Margaret Rope, whose works are held by New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, among others, its origins were discovered by homeowner Rosalind Garrard after moving in four years ago.

Ms Garrard said the window is believed to have been created while Rope was a student at the Birmingham Municipal School of Art.

Image source, Rosalind Garrard

It depicts a scene from the Apocrypha showing Judith's beheading of of Holofernes, a subject also covered by artist Caravaggio.

A similar window also designed by Rope while a student in Birmingham recently sold at auction to a USA buyer for £30,000, Ms Garrard said.

She is hoping someone can help shed some light on how it came to be in Church Stretton.

Peter Plisner
BBC Midlands Today

Rail unions are warning of strike action if a scheme to remove guards from trains is introduced in the West Midlands.   

Drivers and guards are currently on strike on the Southern Rail network in a dispute over who should operate train doors.

The RMT Union says the same thing could happen in the West Midlands and Ken Usher from the union says they don't believe the change would be safe for passengers.

On Tuesday, the government said it may consider banning strikes on the railways.  

BBC Weather Watchers

This brilliant picture from one of our BBC Weather Watchers looks like it was taken in the summer, not the middle of December! 

Elle Niño. sent us the snap from Solihull. 

Image source, Elle Niño.

If you have a picture you'd like to share, sign up to become a BBC Weather Watcher here.   

Monica Rimmer
Journalist, BBC Online

The BBC's Pat Murphy described the sacking of Birmingham City manager Gary Rowett as "ridiculous."  

The dug-out seat is still warm from Rowett's departure and already the rumours have started on who will replace the outgoing Rowett. 

Zola seems to be the early favourite. 

Former Villa player Ian Taylor expressed his thought with this popular emoji...

BBC Sport

Birmingham City would like to speak with Gianfranco Zola about succeeding Gary Rowett as manager, BBC Sport understands.

Former Chelsea forward Zola, is high on the list of prospective candidates to replace him at St Andrew's.

Zola, who has managed in England at West Ham and Watford, was in the running to take over at Hull in the summer but the deal did not materialise.

Image source, Getty Images

BBC Sport

More on the departure of Gary Rowett at Birmingham. After guiding Burton to successive League Two play-off campaigns, he replaced Lee Clark as Blues boss in October 2014 and steered the club away from relegation to a 10th-place finish in the Championship that season.   

Image source, Steve Welsh/Getty Images

His first full campaign in charge last term again brought a 10th-place finish. 

Birmingham are three points off third place and host title-chasing Brighton on Saturday. 

Victory, combined with several other results going their way, could actually see the Blues finish the evening in third place in the Championship table. 

BBC Weather

Dry and fairly cloudy this morning but a little brighter this afternoon. Highs of 11C (52F).  

Cloudy and mostly dry tonight some mist in places. Lows of 7C (45F).

TTAL said it has been reviewing all playing and non-playing matters since taking over.

The deal was completed in October but the company said it had been involved with the Blues for 18 months.

Director Panos Pavlakis said: “Such a parting of the ways is always difficult, particularly so on a personal level as I have worked very closely with Gary and have got to know him well. 

"Our relationship was very strong but in football you can never stand still. 

"I would ask that our supporters trust our judgement and look forward to and embrace the future as we begin to implement the exciting vision of TTAL.” 

Monica Rimmer
Journalist, BBC Online

"Madness" and "crazy stuff" are just some of the phrases being used to describe the shock sacking of Birmingham City manager Gary Rowett.

Fans were quick to share their thoughts on social media, external. 

Image source, Facebook

Image source, Twitter

What do you think? Get in touch, you can email, tweet @bbcwm, external or visit the BBC WM Facebook page, external.     

James Liddiard
Blues fan

Fans have started to react to the news of Gary Rowett's departure.

James Liddiard said it was shocking and that Rowett had turned the Blues into a credible force.

"He's done a superb job considering under the previous manager we'd struggled to stay in the division," he said.

"I can't help thinking that the new owners want to spend money and don't trust him to spend it wisely.

"Whoever takes over needs to be proven at Championship level. We can't afford to take a chance on an unknown foreign manager, like Wolves did."

What do you think? Get in touch, you can email, tweet @bbcwm, external or visit the BBC WM Facebook page, external.