Inquests into the deaths of 21 people in the Birmingham pub bombings will start on 11 February.

A pre-inquest hearing today heard they are expected to last nine weeks.

Fresh inquests were ordered in 2016 and senior circuit judge and former chief coroner Sir Peter Thornton QC was appointed to oversee the new hearings, but they were delayed because of a legal battle over the naming of suspects.

The attacks ripped apart the Tavern in the Town and Mulberry Bush pubs in the city centre on 21 November, 1974, killing 21 people and injuring more than 220 others.

Six people were convicted of the murders but their convictions later overturned.

A four-year-old who designed an elephant print to raise money for Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital has been shortlisted for its "charity supporter of the year" award.

Clarissa Greenfield designed the cushions, mugs and prints to say thank-you for caring for her grandmother.

Image source, Felicity Greenfield

The youngster earlier tried to help her grandmother, who was being treated in the hospital, by launching a Facebook campaign to get people from all over the world to write letters to her.

Her mother, from Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire, said Clarissa is a determined girl.

The winner will be announced on 16 November.

Tributes have been paid to an 18-year-old medal-winning swimmer who was found dead following a house fire.

Tazmin Pugh's former headteacher at Ellesmere College described her as "a very talented swimmer but, more importantly, an outstanding young woman with an effervescent personality, who was a friend to so many."

Among her achievements were three bronze medals at the 2015 Commonwealth Youth Games. Swim England added: "This tragic news has been a real shock to all of us in the swimming community."

Image source, Getty Images

She was found after a fire in Cotheridge, near Worcester, on Sunday night along with 21-year-old Josh Kirk, whose friends on social media described him as funny, kind hearted and passionate about music.

It's not yet clear how the fire started, but police say they're not looking for anyone else in connection with it.

It employs about 2,700 people in IT-related roles with almost 2,000 of those jobs in Leeds.

Allen Cook
BBC News

A motorist ran off after the car he was driving hit two other cars and was launched at the first floor of a house., external

Image source, West Midlands Police

It happened overnight in the Amblecote area of Dudley and nobody else was hurt.

They add that the mark on the side of the house, at the first floor level, is where it struck.

The driver then ran off and officers say he will be reported for several offences.

Anne Delaney
BBC News

Police searching for clues in relation to missing estate agent Suzy Lamplugh appear to be concentrating their efforts in the garden.

What looks to be another forensic tent has been put up in the garden of the property in Sutton Coldfield.

Image source, PA

Forensic teams have been at the site all morning as the search continues for Ms Lamplugh, from London, who disappeared in July 1986 aged 25.

Her body has never been found and the hunt at the Sutton Coldfield home began on Monday.

BBC Coventry & Warwickshire

A competition has been launched to create a flag for Coventry.

The city wants one before it becomes the UK City of Culture in 2021 and BBC Coventry and Warwickshire is asking its listeners to pick from a shortlist of six designs.

The designs include images associated with the city, including elephants, Lady Godiva, triangles representing the city's three famous spires and the phoenix representing the city rising from the ashes.

The voting is taking place online and closes at midday on Wednesday 14 November.

Tazmin Pugh, who represented England and Great Britain, was found dead with her partner Josh Kirk.

BBC Coventry & Warwickshire Sport

Nuneaton Borough are believed to be close to securing a new owner.

The club's future has been in doubt because of financial difficulties and there were concerns it might have to fold if new investment couldn't be found.

The club's academy side has been withdrawn from all competitions as the financial struggles continue.

Now, talks with the mystery backer are thought to be at an advanced stage and it could all be agreed by the weekend.

Russ Powell, who inspired teams worldwide with his tips for making sport fun, has died aged 38.

BBC Business News

A consortium attempting to take over shopping centre giant Intu has been given more time to make a firm offer or walk away from the £2.8bn deal.

Intu's centres include the Potteries in Stoke-on-Trent and Merry Hill in Dudley. , external

The Takeover Panel said the group, led by John Whittaker's Peel Group, now has until 5pm on 15 November to either "put up or shut up".

The deadline has been extended from 1 November.

Allen Cook
BBC News

A football coach has been described as "inspirational" for the work he did to put the fun back into sport for children.

Image source, Russ Powell

Russ Powell drew up Russ's Rules, telling youngsters to play fair, avoid arguing and respect officials.

Kidsgrove Athletic says the 37-year-old, who had cancer, died on Monday night., external

BBC Stoke producer Matt Lee, who worked closely with him, tweeted to say, external he was "one of the most inspirational people I’ve ever met."

On the BBC Radio Stoke Facebook page, Gemma KJ CJ Barfoot wrote, external: "He will be very sadly missed. A wonderful man who inspired us all."

While Sarah Firth added, external: "So upset reading this. God bless Russ. You’ve done a great deal for children’s football."

BBC Business News

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) says sales plunged 13.2% to 129,887 vehicles for the three months to 30 September.

The UK’s largest car maker, which has its headquarters in Coventry, reported revenues of £5.6bn and a pre-tax loss of £90m on the back of lower sales.

Image source, Getty Images

JLR has currently stopped production at plants in the West Midlands, beginning with a two-week shut-down at the Solihull plant last week.

Production at Castle Bromwich then stopped on Monday due to a scheduled holiday. The factory is also running a three-day week until Christmas.

Carson Wishart
Journalist, BBC Hereford and Worcester

A coroner has recorded a verdict of accidental drowning after a five-year-old Worcestershire boy was found face down in a swimming pool on the Algarve.

The county coroner's court heard Archie Skidmore, from Belbroughton, had "somehow become unsupervised" when playing in the pool with his two siblings on holiday in July.

A fundraising appeal to raise three thousand pounds to buy playground equipment in his memory, has so far raised nearly £9,000.

A Worcestershire garden centre says Halloween has become more important than Christmas to its profits.

Recent estimates suggest the UK spends more than £350m on the the occasion and Whitlenge Gardens and Tea Rooms in Hartlebury offers a spooky garden walk, crafts and childrens activities to celebrate.

The garden centre said between 30% and 50% of it's yearly profit now comes from Halloween.

Keith from Lichfield thought he was an only child for his entire life, that is until a few months ago when he discovered that he is in fact, one of 10 siblings.

Images for Shrewsbury's regeneration have been published by agents working for local traders and the town and county councils.

One of the ideas is to redesign the area around the train station, to move the car park and taxi rank elsewhere.

Image source, Shrewsbury Big Town Plan

The blueprint also includes ideas for the redevelopment of the town's Flaxmill building and suggests making more of the riverside.

Image source, Shrewsbury Big Town Plan

The Big Town Plan, external also sets out 10 goals for the town, including making it better for pedestrians and cyclists, making the town a more pleasant place to work and creating more green spaces.

A Falklands war veteran is staging a hunger strike.

Gus Hales from Brecon in mid-Wales is camped outside the Combat Stress charity in Newport, Shropshire, which stopped offering residential care earlier this year.

He says former soldiers aren't getting enough mental health support

Mr Hales has post traumatic stress disorder and says he won't eat until Remembrance Day.

Combat Stress said: "We’re concerned with his decision to stage a hunger strike, especially in this wintry weather, and are keen to resolve this matter quickly."

It also said it has offered to talk to Mr Hales on a number of occasions, but he has turned the offers down.

Shropshire Star

Here are three headlines from the Shropshire Star today:

• Blueprint for the future of Shrewsbury is revealed, external
• Telford bungalow blaze victim named, external
• Cheap cocaine 'fuelling violence in Shrewsbury pubs', external

BBC Midlands Today

More than 7,500 people have signed a petition against plans for a housing development at a beauty spot., external

Image source, Google

Campaigners say the ‘luxury’ homes could devastate the Saltwells Nature reserve in Dudley by ‘killing off” woodland.

But the developer says there’s a demand for eco-friendly properties. , external

Dudley Borough Council has yet to reach a decision on the application.