Sophie Madden
BBC News

A baby born at 25 weeks and chosen as the face of a £2m hospital campaign has turned one and is home for Christmas.

Arlo Watson, of Broseley, Shropshire, was the size of his mother's hand when he was born on 14 December last year.

Image source, BIRMINGHAM CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL

Birmingham Children's Hospital warned the family he may not survive and he spent almost 200 days in hospitals.

He is now set to spend his first Christmas at home and his family are planning a special thank you, making hampers for hospital staff and parents, which they'll be delivering on Christmas eve.

Mum Laura Watson says he's doing well: "He's just started sitting up this week. He's still quite wobbly, but he can manage a minute.

"He's commando crawling everywhere. He's a really happy little boy."

Virgin Trains says it will be running the majority of services tomorrow during industrial action by rail workers on the West Coast Main Line.

Image source, Virgin

Tickets are valid today and Saturday if trains are no longer serving a station on the strike day.

Members of the Rail, maritime and Transport union (RMT) and Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) will walk out tomorrow over over pay.

The firm said: "We remain open to talks with the RMT and TSSA, and urge them to call off these strikes which will cost their members pay for no gain."

Details of the revised services can be found on the company's website., external

Coventry's success in winning the UK City of Culture for 2021 has been given parliamentary recognition.

Ten MPs have signed a Commons motion, welcoming the decision in the face of "strong bids" from elsewhere, saying the city has an "incredible depth of culture and heritage".

The city was congratulated by the prime minister in the Commons yesterday after Coventry MP Colleen Fletcher told the House the city was "bursting with pride".

More staff and better security are being introduced at HMP Hewell to combat people using drones to fly in contraband including weapons, drugs and mobile phones.

A gang was caught flying items into the Worcestershire prison by cameras set up to film wildlife in the area.

Packages were often attached to fishing lines and flown over prison walls. In all, 10 people were sentenced - the gang is thought to have carried out at least 49 drone flights.

The gang's ringleader has since been sentenced to more than seven years in jail.

BBC News Travel

The A54/A537 Cat and Fiddle road is closed in the Staffordshire Moorlands, due to heavy snow.

Derbyshire County Council says vehicles trying to use the route are hampering efforts to clear it.

Image source, Flash Bar Stores

Just two schools remain shut in Staffordshire due to the icy conditions:

• St Modwen's Catholic Primary School, in Burton upon Trent
• The Bridge Centre School, in Lichfield

Almost all schools are open today in Shropshire, with hundreds of children in rural locations returning for the first time in a week.

Only two are closed, Bicton Primary, because of problems with heating, and Dothill Primary in Telford, due to a burst water main.

There could still be icy stretches on untreated roads, pavements and paths, says the Met Office, which has issued a warning for ice across some of the region.

Image source, Met Office

It says there's a chance of travel disruption due to the drop in temperature overnight, with the warning in place until 11:00.

Hereford FC are hoping to create a shock in the FA Cup this evening when they face League One side Fleetwood Town.

Student teacher Calvin Dinsley scored for Hereford in the original tie and has been working at Ledbury Primary School.

In contrast Fleetwood are full time and play four divisions higher.

Earlier in the week, the club enlisted the help of a JCB and fans with shovels at snowbound Edgar Street to ensure that tonight's televised replay goes on.

Chris King
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

More than £43,000 has been spent maintaining the old swimming baths in Crewe since they closed last year - almost half of which was on securing the building.

Image source, Google

The baths on Flag Lane shut in April 2016 when Cheshire East Council opened the town’s new Lifestyle Centre.

Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act showed the building's been resecured 34 times since it closed, at a cost of just over £7,000 and metal sheeting for the windows cost £19,000.

Officials say they've put in place security measures to deter vandals and are considering a number of options for the building's future.

The number of people being prosecuted or given fixed penalty notices for fly-tipping in the West Midlands is almost five times higher than it was five years ago, bucking the national trend.

The number who've paid fines or been taken to court for dumping rubbish, has gone up from 229 in 2012 - to 1,401 this year.

Elsewhere in the UK numbers have fallen to a record low.

Charlie Slater
BBC Weather presenter

A showery start with some snow flurries over hills and high ground but this will clear leaving drier and brighter weather.

More showers are possible later this afternoon with top temperatures of 4C (39F).

Vanessa Pearce
BBC News

Welcome to our live service for Thursday.

We'll be bringing you all the news, sport, travel and weather for the West Midlands.

We love to hear from you so share your news, thoughts and photos of the area with us via email, Twitter, external and Facebook., external

Arlo Watson's parents were told he may not survive, but he is now one year old and home for Christmas.

Liverpool fail to unpick West Brom's defence during a frustrating stalemate at Anfield that leaves the Reds outside the top four.

Danny Graham's first-half goal is enough for Blackburn to beat Crewe and secure an FA Cup third-round tie against Hull.

Andy Giddings
BBC News

We'll be back with the latest news, sport, travel and weather from 07:00 tomorrow, but keep an eye out here for more updates this evening and into the morning.

BBC Hereford and Worcester

Worcester Warriors’ head coach Carl Hogg says it’s vital his side starts on the front foot in Friday night’s European Challenge Cup match at Oyonnax.

Image source, ALLSPORT/Getty Images

Warriors know a win in France would keep up the pressure on Connacht at the top of their pool.

On Saturday, Worcester won 35-14 when they hosted Oyonnax but are expecting a tough game from the same opposition.

We now have seven flood alerts, external around the West Midlands, affecting parts of Worcestershire, Shropshire and Warwickshire.

The river Severn, the Rea and Cound Brooks, the Tern and Perry, the Vyrnwy, the river Worfe the river Blythe and the river Wye are all included in the Environment Agency list this evening.

Alec Blackman
BBC Coventry & Warwickshire

Coventry Rugby Football Club are preparing for potentially their biggest clash of the season, against second-placed Darlington Mowden Park in National League Division One this weekend.

Image source, Google

Coventry are top of the table by 13 points and, in their last match, scored nine tries in a 63-14 win over Ampthill and District.