The importance ofJaguar Land Rover's (JLR) decision to adapt its Castle Bromwich plant to make electric vehicles cannot be overstated, according to David Bailey, professor of business economics at Birmingham Business School.

Image source, Getty Images

As well as securing jobs at the site itself, Prof Bailey says batteries will be supplied by a nearby JLR plant in Hams Hall near Birmingham while electric motors will be produced at another factory in Wolverhampton.

"In fact, without this investment, the Castle Bromwich plant would effectively be dead," he says.

Parents from Birmingham are heading to Westminster to protest about schools closing early on a Friday.

They claim the schools are struggling to stay open because of budget pressures and say they will ask politicians how they would deal with finding childcare on a weekday afternoon.

Image source, UK Parliament

The Labour MP for Yardley Jess Phillips has previously joked she would leave her son at the gates of 10 Downing Street to highlight the issue.

Ms Phillips says her son's school is one of 20 closing early in Birmingham.

The Department for Education (DfE) previously said it did not hold figures on how many schools had changed their hours.

A spokesman said: "We know schools face budgeting challenges and schools are being asked to do more.

"However, Birmingham receives per pupil funding significantly above the national average: in 2019-20, an average of £5,080 per pupil; well above the national average of £4,689.

"So we are also clear that schools in Birmingham should have no need to move to a shortened week for financial reasons."

BBC News Travel

No trains are expected to run between Leamington Spa and Banbury until about 10:00, said National Rail.

Tickets are being accepted on alternative routes.

BBC Business News

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is expected to announce later today an investment worth hundreds of millions of pounds in electric vehicle-making.

Image source, Getty Images

The money will prepare its Castle Bromwich plant for building electric cars.

A six-week shutdown will be needed, but the move is expected to secure hundreds of jobs at the Birmingham site.

It will mean the end to the XJ luxury car in its petrol- and diesel-burning form, which has been made since 1968.

The news follows January's announcement, when the firm said it would cut 4,500 jobs, with the majority coming from the UK.

You can find more on this story here.

Friends of Andy Webster, who lost his arm in a farming accident, hope to help him buy a bionic limb.

BBC News Travel

Trains are unable to run between Leamington Spa, Banbury and Oxford due to a signalling fault.

Chiltern, CrossCountry and Great Western Railway service are expected to be affected until 09:45.

Sara Blizzard
BBC Weather

It will be a dry day with long sunny spells with highs of 25C (77F).

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

Sandwell and West Birmingham hospitals are banning lighting up outdoors and in cars.

Fred Johnson reflects on life 10 years after the discovery of the Staffordshire Hoard in his field.

Bacca the dog was slashed in the head eight times and PC Mike Davey suffered a deep cut to his hand.

Louise Porton, accused of murdering her two daughters, sent nude photos while one was being treated.

An inquest hears staff made regular checks on Taylor Williams on the afternoon of her death.

Police say despite the warning they cannot protect the family "day by day".

Andy Giddings
BBC News

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

Tammy Minshall was in the back of the ambulance which was in a crash with a car in Needwood.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Shropshire Council has decided not to sell off its stock of 4,100 homes.

It says it has been carrying out a review of its housing stock to make sure it has enough homes for those who need them.

The properties will continue to be managed by Shropshire Towns and Rural Housing, the company the council set up to maintain them.

Eight children have been taken to hospital and 16 others were treated at the scene after a collision between two coaches this morning.

West Midlands Ambulance Service said they'd been on a school trip at Millichope Park in south Shropshire when the crash happened at 10:42.

It said the injuries had all been relatively minor.

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

Hundreds of drivers are set to get refunds after a council admitted it wrongly gave them parking fines.

Image source, Google

Cheshire East Council issued them over nearly three-and-a-half years from October 2015 for seven car parks in Alsager, Sandbach and Holmes Chapel.

But now the authority's admitted that due to a legal technicality, 675 fines weren't enforceable at a total cost of £19,467. , external

Drivers who received one are being urged to claim back their money.

Sara Blizzard
BBC Weather

A sunny end to the day and then a dry night with long, clear spells.

Here's the full forecast for tonight and tomorrow in the West Midlands:

You can stay up to date with the latest forecast for your area at any time by heading to the BBC Weather website.