Birmingham gymnast Alice Kinsella will head to the Commonwealth Games full of confidence after winning a medal at the World Cup.

Image source, Getty Images

The 17-year-old from Sutton Coldfield, who's a member of the Park Wrekin club in Telford, took bronze in the all around-event.

It's her first senior medal at an individual major championships, following three silvers at European junior level in 2016.

A man has been arrested after two taxi drivers were robbed at knifepoint in Atherstone, Warwickshire, police said. , external

Cash was stolen in the separate incidents on 20 and 21 March.

The 38-year-old was arrested on suspicion of robbery.

Herefordshire's Kiko Matthews has completed her record-breaking row across the Atlantic.

She set off from Gran Canaria in January and has become the fastest woman to make the crossing solo.

She's raising money for the hospital which saved her life when she was diagnosed with a rare brain tumour.

Students at Coventry University are being trained to become motor racing engineers with a new Formula One simulator.

Image source, Coventry University

The simulator, of the same type used by some of the top racing teams in the world, has been installed in the engineering and computing building.

Coventry is one of only two universities in the country to have one.

Image source, Coventry University

Lecturers say it will help address shortages of data and motorsport engineers by training students to the highest possible standard.

The government says £13m in homeowner payments are still unclaimed by those living in rural areas along the route of HS2 through the Midlands.

It's a year since royal assent was granted for the first phase of the line between London and Birmingham, through Warwickshire.

About £70m has already begun to be distributed to those affected by the construction of the railway.

BBC News Travel

A safety inspection has closed the rail line between Hereford and Ledbury.

Bus replacement services will run from Worcester Shrub Hill to Hereford; and between Great Malvern and Hereford.

Tickets are being accepted with Arriva bus services between Hereford and Shrewsbury for passengers travelling to Birmingham, said West Midlands Railway.

Vanessa Pearce
BBC News

Coventry will host the UK's first Shop Front Festival, external from today bringing drama, dance and music to the heart of the city.

Image source, Theatre Absolute

Existing stores and empty shop units will be turned into performance venues for the next two days.

Even the very British art of queuing will be celebrated., external

The idea is to encourage people to see the city centre as somewhere to visit for more than shopping.

It's the first major arts event since Coventry won City of Culture 2021 status.

A special remembrance service will be held in Birmingham this weekend for the footballer who became the first black officer in the British Army.

Walter Tull gave up his playing career to join the Army at the outbreak of World War One.

He was killed in action leading his men into battle on the Western Front, in 1918.

He was recommended for a Military Cross but never received one.

Campaigners are calling for the government to posthumously award him the medal.

A new £3m technical academy is opening in the Black Country today, with the capacity to train up to 1,600 apprentices.

In-Comm Training designed the centre in Aldridge after talking to local employers about the skills they felt they needed now and for the future.

It will also provide local firms with a place where they can use the latest technology to develop and test new products.

Gareth Jones, managing director of In-Comm Training, said the centre would enable SMEs in the whole region to "have access to the workforce and the technology that will make them globally competitive".

Sara Blizzard
BBC Weather

A largely dry day with bright or sunny spells is forecast once the early morning rain clears, with highs of 12C (54F).

Vanessa Pearce
BBC News

Welcome to our live service for Friday.

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

Solihull Moors re-sign forward Omari Sterling-James on loan from Mansfield Town until the end of the season.

A man died after his head became trapped by an electronic footrest of a "Gold Class" chair.

Monica Rimmer
BBC News

We'll be back with the news, sport, travel and weather from 07:00 on Friday.

Keep an eye out here for more updates before then.

Sutton Coldfield's Alice Kinsella is competing in the Gymnastics World Cup in Birmingham tonight alongside team mate Amy Tinkler.

You can watch the pair live on the BBC Red Button and online from 19:00.

BBC Midlands Today

Herefordshire rower Kiko Matthews is due to finish her record breaking row across the Atlantic by tomorrow morning.

She set off from Gran Canaria in January and is on course to become the fastest woman to make the crossing solo.

She's raising money for the hospital which saved her life when she was diagnosed with a rare medical condition.

Coventry Observer

Some of the main stories on the Coventry Observer website today are:

• Enforcement action taken over Wasps' late accounts, external
• Dog left to die in minus temperatures oldest to be rehomed, external
• Businessman pays thousands to upkeep road 'plagued' by fly-tippers, external

Health chiefs in Staffordshire are being urged to rethink plans to close a dedicated centre in Stoke-on-Trent to deal with children who've suffered sexual abuse.

The Grange Park Centre in Cobridge will continue to deal with cases involving adults.

But young people will have to travel to Walsall where the NHS is promising a greater range of services round-the-clock.

Labour MP for Stoke North, Ruth Smeeth (pictured centre), told the Commons it wasn't good enough.

BBC Weather

A dry evening followed by overnight rain, lows of 5C (41F).

Three schoolboys have been taken to hospital with knife wounds which are said to be serious.

The boys, aged 17 and 18, were injured during a disturbance in Sutton Road, Erdington, Birmingham, this afternoon, West Midlands Police said

Image source, Google

Police were called at 15:45 and searched the area.

Three arrests have been made so far in relation to the incident, but officers are keen to hear from any witnesses who saw what happened.