A picnic is set to take place in Coventry in a peace orchard organised by a charity founded by a Normandy D-Day veteran.

Image source, Alison Baskerville

Dennis Davison, from Coventry, set up the Normandy Day UK , externalcharity which has seen veterans speak to 3,500 students in the city.

The 96-year-old was recognised by Prime Minister Theresa May for his "extraordinary work" making a change in his community and inspiring others.

Image source, The Normandy Day

Mr Davison, who previously received an British Empire Medal in recognition of his services to World War Two commemoration and memorialisation, also oversaw the creation of a peace orchard in Coventry two years ago.

The city's lord mayor, Linda Bigham, said the event was "symbolic of Coventry, that we move through the awe, we move through the sacrifice and end the day in peace and reconciliation".

"How fantastic of Dennis to have this wonderful idea... carrying everything forward and ending in peace."

His daughter Heather Davison said her father was currently in hospital but was doing "brilliantly".

There has been morning rain at Edgbaston - and they will not be starting on time.

But BBC Coventry & Warwickshire's Clive Eakin has just been on air to say that that the sun is now out and that he does not think it will be "too long" before they get started.

Warwickshire will attempt to turn a strong position into a second successive Championship victory on the final day of the match against Nottinghamshire at Edgbaston.

Yesterday the captain Jeetan Patel ran through Notts' first innings, taking six for 16 as the visitors were dismissed for 97.

After following-on, Notts were 116 for 1 at the close, still 178 runs behind.

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Joe Sweeney

The only rough sleepers still on the streets of Wolverhampton are those that choose to be there, the leader of the city council said this week.

Image source, Google

Councillor Ian Brookfield told cabinet members that there was now "no street sleepers who didn’t have the opportunity of a bed for the night".

Although the number of homeless in Wolverhampton is still rising steadily, the problem of people sleeping outside has now been almost eliminated except for a handful who choose to stay on the streets, he said.

Mr Brookfield said the council was establishing an "alternative giving" internet page on its website, which would be up and running in a matter of weeks and was the safest and most useful way of donating money to help the city’s homeless.

A report shows the number of young renters who moved for a job has almost halved in 20 years.

BBC Sport recalls Brian Lara's 501 not out for Warwickshire, the highest individual score made in first-class cricket.

Shropshire Star

Here are three of the stories featuring in the Shropshire Star today:

• Hospital chief's departure is ‘crazy’, says medic, external
• Call for new designer outlet in Ironbridge Gorge, external
• Visitor Information Centre moving into library, external

Worcestershire are without a game this week as they lick their wounds following successive County Championship defeats.

But they have been given a boost by the impending return of Wayne Parnell when they get going again following their 10-day break at home to Lancashire at New Road next Monday.

Image source, Getty Images

The South African all-rounder scored 63 and took five wickets in Lancashire’s first innings when the Pears narrowly lost at Old Trafford last month in what was then the battle of the Division Two top two.

Parnell suffered a hamstring injury, did not bowl in the second innings and also then missed the home defeat by Middlesex. But he has already been declared fit to return on Monday.

BBC Radio Stoke

A house in Stafford where four young children died in a fire is set to be demolished.

The cause of the fire on Sycamore Lane in Highfields in February is yet to be released, but Stafford and Rural Homes, which owns the property, has been granted planning permission to knock it down.

Image source, PA

Two people were arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter, and released under investigation.

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Tom Davis

A Clean Air Zone in Coventry could be decommissioned by 2028 as vehicles achieve compliance – but not after £147m costs incurred by road users, according to a report.

Charges of £8 for cars and LGVs, and £50 for HGVs and buses have also been initially put forward.

Image source, Coventry City Council

Details of how a Clean air zone (CAZ) in the city could look have been drafted up in an outline business case submitted by Coventry City Council to the government in March.

As well as highlighting indicative CAZ boundaries and charges, it also assesses the impact on the economy.

By 2027, few or no non-compliant cars will be on the roads as vehicles are upgraded to meet expected standards – albeit at a “significant detrimental impact for some of the most deprived communities within the city” who cannot afford the extra costs, the report warns.

The city council doesn't want to introduce the zone, which would result in charges for motorists travelling in the area, but has until 14 June to come up with an alternative.

Police are cracking down on drivers who use small, restricted access roads around Ironbridge as short cuts.

It follows complaints from people living on streets such as Lincoln Hill, Church Hill, Paradise and Hodge Bower, who are worried about damage to their properties and getting run over.

Image source, Google

Signs on the streets say "no vehicles exept for access" and "unsuitable for HGVs".

West Mercia Police says it will be carrying out random checks to "educate drivers" and will take action against those who ignore the warnings.

BBC Business News

A report by the Resolution Foundation shows the number of young renters who moved for a job has almost halved in 20 years.

BBC News spoke to young people in Birmingham to find out whether they were looking to make a move or not.

Birmingham Live

Here are some of the stories making the headlines on the Birmingham Live website this morning:

• HS2 high-speed rail project could be scrapped, government confirms, external
• The commando, the medic and the Wren: Walsall heroes of D-Day remembered, external
• Market worker paying £21k extra for fault-riddled £105k Range Rover , external

Today marks 25 years since Brian Lara set a world record 501 not out for Warwickshire against Durham at Edgbaston.

Image source, Getty Images

It came less than two months after the prolific Lara had made his then-world record Test score of 375 for the West Indies against England in Antigua.

Lara was bowled by an Anderson Cummins no-ball and dropped by Durham wicketkeeper Chris Scott before he had reached 20.

Image source, Royal Mail

A postbox has been painted blue on New Street, Birmingham, to celebrate Lara's record first-class innings score in 1994.

Clive Eakin, still commentating for the BBC on the Bears 25 years later, was there to record the moment when Lara went past 500.

There are still "serious problems" with bin collections in Birmingham, the city council has admitted.

Up to 900 missed rubbish collections a day are being reported across the city just three months after the council's dispute with unions ended.

Image source, PA

The councillor in charge, John O'Shea said the service "isn't good enough", and that they are looking at ways to solve the problems.

A strike this year saw a series of walkouts start in February, following other strikes dating back to 2017.

The cabinet member for waste and recycling says new shift patterns may be partly behind the problems.

"We have a number of issues with the new round structure - some of that is the crews getting used to the new rounds, some of it's about ironing out the problems where the rounds don't quite work - and we're doing that now," he said.

A service of remembrance and wreath laying will take place at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas, Staffordshire today to mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day.

Image source, National Memorial Arboretum

A service will be held in Heroes’ Square led by the Honorary Arboretum Chaplains.

Culminating in a two-minute silence, the service will be followed by a small procession to the Normandy Campaign Memorial for a wreath laying ceremony featuring veterans, invited dignitaries and school children.

Veterans will be joined in northern France by Theresa May, Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron for a second day of events.

Hundreds of veterans have gathered in Normandy for the anniversary of the largest combined land, air and naval operation in history.

An 18-year-old has been arrested on suspicion of drug offences in Leek, Staffordshire Police say.

Drugs were seized from his Cheddleton home along with cash, the force said.

He was been interviewed by officers and released under investigation.

BBC News Travel

A crash has closed one lane of the M6 northbound from J5 to J6 close to Birmingham.

People travelling in the area are being advised to drive carefully.

Express and Star

Some of the early headlines on the Express and Star website today are:

• Flats plan revealed for trouble-hit nightclub, external
• Mayor calls for rates overhaul to boost high streets, external
• Petition launched to save A&E services at hospital, external

BBC News Travel

Part of the A50 in Stoke-on-Trent remains closed in both directions due to a collapsed manhole.

The stretch between Duke Street and Heron Cross and Fenton has been shut since Wednesday afternoon.

Motorists are being warned of heavy delays in the area.