A serving soldier in the British Army, who kept his talents as a dancer secret from his fellow soldiers, is to appear on stage in Birmingham.

Image source, PA

Alex Smith, 22, a trooper from the Queen's Dragoon Guards, studied ballet, tap and contemporary dance before joining the Army three years ago.

He is now back on stage, having been cast in 10 Soldiers, which "tells the stories of men and women serving on the front line" and opens at Birmingham Hippodrome in May.

Image source, PA

Smith, from South Wales, who's on secondment from his regiment, says being a dancer is "a different strain on your body".

"You've got bruises on your back, your shoulders are hurting. It still hurts every day. It's physically taxing."

He's also taking part in BBC Arts DancePassion, a live-streaming day on Friday featuring performance, rehearsals and behind-the-scenes glimpses from across the UK.

Birmingham Live

Some of the Birmingham Live headlines today are:

• Murder probe launched after man found injured at Selly Oak property dies, external
• Future of pub hangs in the balance after man was stabbed, external
• Members of public detain suspect after 'woman mugged' at shopping centre, external

A police investigation involves a bus travelling in the Kingstanding area of Birmingham.

Giles Latcham
BBC Midlands Today

The coroner at the Birmingham pub bombings inquests has completed his summing up and sent the jury out to consider its verdicts.

Image source, Birmingham Inquests

Sir Peter Thornton QC has been reviewing evidence about the emergency services' response to the explosions in November 1974.

He’s also dealt with claims that the police may have had forewarning of the bombings.

Twenty-one people died and scores were injured in the blasts in two city centre pubs.

He is due before a court in May accused of causing Ryan Willoughby-Oakes's death by dangerous driving.

Chief executive Colin Garlick outlines Port Vale's aim to rid football of verbal abuse, following an FA charge.

BBC Weather Watchers

BBC Weather Watchers have been posting pictures of snow in parts of the West Midlands this morning.

This was the scene in Clee Hill, Shropshire, earlier as captured by Skye.

Image source, Skye

Postman Les took this shot in Bromyard, Herefordshire.

Image source, Postman Les

And residents of Mainstone, Shropshire, woke up to this covering as photographed by Kevin Onion.

Image source, Kevin Onion

Here's the moment a Virgin train was named Lady Godiva, after one of Coventry's icons.

BBC Coventry and Warwickshire presenter Lorna Bailey did the honours, supported by rail enthusiast and music producer Pete Waterman.

The train bears the flag designed by the winner of a competition by the radio station.

MPs have voted by a majority of one to force the prime minister to ask for an extension to the Brexit process, in a bid to avoid a no-deal scenario.

Labour's Yvette Cooper led the move, which the Commons passed in one day.

The bill is due to be considered by the Lords later and will need its approval to become law, but it is the EU which decides whether to grant an extension.

You can find out how your MP voted here.

Jonnie Meek's parents believe he was killed by an allergic reaction to milk fed to him by nurses.

A man has been charged in connection with the death of a teenage cyclist who suffered a critical head injury after being hit by a car in Coventry.

Image source, Google

Ryan Willoughby-Oakes, 17, a trainee electrician from the city, was killed in Binley Road in October 2018.

Tajinder Singh Rai, 36, of Chelney Walk, Coventry, has today been charged with causing death by dangerous driving, said West Midlands Police.

He is due to appear before Birmingham Magistrates' Court on 2 May.

Daniel Heath, 35, appeared at York Magistrates' Court and has been granted unconditional bail.

A man has suffered serious burns after a fire engulfed a house in Herefordshire.

Image source, Hereford and Worcester Fire Service

Fire crews were called to the property in Crockers Ash just off the A40 at Whitchurch at about 13:25 on Wednesday afternoon.

Image source, Hereford and Worcester Fire Service

He was flown to the regional burns unit at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.

A Virgin train is to be named Lady Godiva bearing Coventry's new flag, today.

The flag was chosen after a competition organised by BBC Coventry and Warwickshire and is based on a winning design from Simon Wyatt of Hatton, Warwickshire.

The Lord Mayor of Coventry is travelling to the ceremony along with local schoolchildren and local train-enthusiast and music producer Pete Waterman.

The train's first voyage will be the 10:43 service from London Euston to Edinburgh, stopping at Coventry.

BBC Sport

British heavyweight Kash Ali has apologised for biting rival David Price, saying his behaviour was not a "true reflection of who I am".

Image source, Getty Images

The Birmingham boxer has had his boxing licence suspended pending a hearing and his fight purse withdrawn.

"I am hugely embarrassed for my actions and the way the whole fight unfolded," Ali, 27, said.

Price, 35, says Ali chose to bite him because he "wanted to get thrown out" of their bout in Liverpool on Saturday.

BBC News Travel

Snow and ice are affecting driving conditions in Herefordshire and Shropshire.

The A4103 Fromes Hill is closed in both directions in Five Bridges, Herefordshire, as well as the A4117 High Street in Clee Hill, Shropshire.

About 20,000 bees are removed from a house in Coventry and rehomed with a beekeeper in Lichfield.

Nearly 2,000 people travel between Glasgow and London every day by Virgin Trains - an increase of almost a third in six years, according to new figures.

Image source, Virgin Trains

The figure represents a 29% increase from 2012-13.

Journeys between Edinburgh or Glasgow and Birmingham have also risen by nearly 60,000 from 94,544 to 152,673.

Virgin Trains claimed the current growth rate means annual passenger numbers could hit 50 million by 2026, which is when HS2 is due to open between London and Birmingham.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Warwick District Council has 39 rubbish bins in storage which haven't yet been found a home.

It has ordered 75, but only 36 have been installed so far around Warwick, Leamington and Kenilworth.

Another 57 damaged bins had been replaced.

Image source, Getty Images

Members of the council's overview and scrutiny committee heard there had been problems in the past with some bins being overused and they'd been removed because they'd attracted fly-tippers.

The work of a Birmingham photographer will be shown at a new gallery showcasing British Muslim artists.

Image source, Maryam Wahid

Maryam Wahid, 23, will exhibit her self-portraits at the 62 Gladstone Street gallery in Peterborough later this year.

Her self-portraits show her dressed in the clothes of her mother, who migrated to the UK in 1982

"As I was growing up, [museums] would never really reflect my life as a British Asian girl. I didn't really feel I was represented."

Image source, Maryam Wahid

She said the gallery was a great initiative and she wanted to hear more stories "from all backgrounds".

"I don't see my religion," said Ms Wahid. "Faith really inspires me and motivates me to keep doing this."

Playwright Aisha Zia, who's behind the new gallery says she wants to challenge Islamophobia as the "biggest issue of our time".