Hundreds of people are expected to pay their respects today to the late Mayor of Wolverhampton.

Image source, City of Wolverhampton Council

Councillor Elias Mattu, who represented Wolverhampton's Graiseley ward for almost 18 years, died at the age of 59.

He's been described him as a "true man of the people," who "worked tirelessly for our city's diverse communities".

A horse and carriage carrying Mr Mattu's coffin will lead the cortege from his home in Penn Fields into the city centre where it will stop in St Peter's Square for a minute's silence at approximately 10:30.

Prince Harry and his fiancee Meghan Markle's visit to Birmingham will begin with a walkabout before meeting young women at an event hosted by the social enterprise Stemettes at Millennium Point.

Image source, Kensington Palace

The group offers information on work experience and apprenticeships for women in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects.

In Nechells they'll meet Core Coach apprentices on a scheme set up by the Royal Foundation.

The scheme trains people aged 16 - 24 with limited opportunities to become sports coaches and mentors within their communities.

Plans to reopen a railway line in south Birmingham to passengers will be considered by the Transport Secretary Chris Grayling when he visits the city today.

The proposals would see the Camp Hill line connecting Kings Norton, Moseley and Kings Heath with the city centre.

Local passenger services on the route ended in 1941 and the stations shut.

The couple are visiting Birmingham's Millennium Point before going over to Nechells where projects aimed at getting young people to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and maths are taking place.

Monica Rimmer
BBC News

Marcus Rashford, striker for Manchester United has sent a signed shirt to the family of Corey and Casper Platt-May, the brothers who died crossing a road in Coventry last month.

The boys, aged six, and two were United fans and their father, Reece said the arrival of the shirt was "amazing... a great surprise for me."

The news was shared on Twitter and Rashford replied saying it was the least he could do.

Reece Platt-May, 30, also replied to Rashford saying the footballer's kind words "brought a brief smile."

Charlie Slater
BBC Weather presenter

Early rain and sleet, or even snow, should clear away leaving a bright and breezy day highs of 8C (46F).

You can find a detailed forecast for your area on the BBC Weather site.

A yellow warning for snow, external is in place for much of the West Midlands until 11:00, but it seems to be affecting only higher areas at the moment.

Image source, Met Office

To give you an idea of what the snow's like in the highest parts of the Staffordshire Moorlands, this was the scene at Flash Bar Stores at 06:45.

Image source, Flash Bar Stores

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

A motoring group described the figures as "frightening" and said drivers were "right to appeal".

Leeds owner Andrea Radrizzani questions the legality of the link-up between Championship leaders Wolves and agent Jorge Mendes.

Wolves restore their six-point lead at the top of the Championship with a routine win over Leeds at Elland Road.

Corey, six, and Casper Platt-May, two, were run over as they walked to a park in Coventry.

Andy Giddings
BBC News

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

CCTV images of a man police want to speak to in connection with an armed robbery in Walsall yesterday, have been released.

He went into a store at 17:55 and asked for cigarettes, before spraying the cashier in the face with an unknown substance, punching him and threatening him with a handgun.

Image source, West Midlands Police

He is also said to have threatened customers with the gun before leaving, but no-one was seriously hurt.

The incident is not being treated as an acid attack.

Graham McGarry
Crewe Alexandra commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

Crewe boss David Artell says he's started watching players he wants to bring to the club in summer.

With two months left of the football season, he said they haven't got long to identify targets and can't afford to miss the boat.

Image source, Getty Images

Crewe are 19th in League Two at the moment, six points clear of the relegation places with 11 games to go.

BBC Weather

It's going to be a clear start to tonight in the West Midlands although there will be a chance of showers at times - low 1C (34F).

Image source, Eddy

Then tomorrow, any overnight rain, sleet and snow should soon clear to the east. Skies will then brighten with a few showers also developing. High 7C (45F).

There is a yellow weather warning for snow from the Met Office, external in place for tomorrow, from 00:05 to 11:00, for the region.

You can get a latest forecast for your part of the West Midlands at any other time by heading to the BBC Weather website.

Emma Thomas
Reporter, BBC Midlands Today

Contaminated recycling bins are costing Walsall Council about £400,000 a year and the authority says it has to stop.

It says items such as nappies, black bags and food waste are turning up, meaning the recycling can't be properly processed., external

It's launched a new campaign urging people to be more careful about what goes in what bin.

A man who smuggled cocaine worth more than £100,000 into the UK has been jailed after two packages containing the drugs were intercepted at Coventry's international postal hub.

Vincent Dolan, who is 42 and from Clydebank in Scotland was given a sentence of five years and three months.

Image source, Google

Border Force officers who made the discovery found the cocaine had been impregnated into cardboard and passed their find onto the National Crime Agency.

The NCA described Dolan as a "career drug trafficker" who had previously served sentences in Scotland, Italy and Spain for similar offences.

Louise Hancock
Newsreader, BBC WM

Bus passengers are being asked their views on four new proposed routes in Birmingham city centre., external

Image source, Transport for the West Midlands

Transport for West Midlands is setting them out, saying the aim is to help reduce the impact of building work to extend the Midland Metro.

The changes are scheduled to start this summer and will see new bus priority measures, including at Bath Row, where some services will divert, and at Great Charles Street Queensway.

The consultation's being run until 21 March.

Sophie Calvert
Political Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

A brand new £15m civic centre in Newcastle-under-Lyme should be finished in June, more than six months later than planned.

Image source, Staffordshire County Council

The county council says the Castle House hub, next to Queens Gardens, has been delayed because of damage to the cladding of the building. , external

Once open it'll be home to services from both Staffordshire County Council and Newcastle Borough Council, as well as police and Aspire Housing.