A costume workshop run by the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is to open to the public for the first time after an £8.7m restoration.

Image source, PA Media

The RSC has the largest in-house costume-making department of any British theatre.

Newly created spaces have been added alongside the grade-II listed buildings in Stratford-upon-Avon to house the 30-strong team.

The RSC said it would be able to offer training and apprenticeships to the community in the West Midlands and guided tours are expected to begin in 2022.

Image source, PA Media

Image source, PA Media

You might get the chance to witness some of a solar eclipse this morning.

Image source, Getty Images

Today's event is termed an annular eclipse, with the Moon moving across the face of the Sun but not completely blocking out the light coming from it.

While the best of the action will be witnessed in the Arctic, the West Midlands region will see about 20% of the Sun eclipsed at some time between 11:00 and 11:30 BST.

As ever, the advice is not to try to look at the Sun with the naked eye. This can do severe damage.

Anyone gazing skyward should only do so with the aid of protective viewing equipment, such as approved eclipse glasses or a pinhole projector.

BBC Weather

There'll be a mix of sunny spells and patchy cloud today and we could see the odd shower drifting in at times. A gentle breeze and a high of 23C (73F).

It will stay largely dry tonight with clear spells, but again there could be the odd spot of light rain. Low: 15C (59F).

You can get a latest forecast for your area by going to the BBC Weather website.

Welcome to the start of our live service for Thursday.

We’ll be bringing you all the latest updates for the West Midlands.

You can let us know about stories in your area via email,Twitter , externaland Facebook, external.

Christopher Wright says he longs to regain enough movement to hold hands with his wife.

Worcestershire hold Notts to a last-ball tie, after Liam Livingstone-inspired Lancashire win the first game of the 2021 T20 Blast.

One is found guilty of murder and two are convicted of manslaughter following Shane Mayer's death.

West Midlands Ambulance service says it is facing unprecedented delays outside hospitals.

Benjamin Monk's apparent memory loss about events surrounding the death is "convenient", jury told.

Preston North End sign defender Liam Lindsay from fellow Championship club Stoke City for an undisclosed fee.

We will be back from 08:00 on Thursday with the latest news, sport, weather and travel for the West Midlands.

A mobile vaccination clinic, in the form of a bus, will be in Phoenix Park car park, in Blakenhall, from today.

The bus will be open until 19:00 and then every day from 11:00 to 19:00 until Sunday, the city council says.

Councillor Jasbir Jaspal, cabinet member for public health and wellbeing, said: "Infection rates in Wolverhampton are low in comparison to other areas, but we are starting to see them rise, so now is the time to get ahead of the virus and make sure as many people as possible can get their vaccine.

"This is particularly important as we see Variants of Concern such as the Delta variant, becoming more dominant across the country."

BBC Four

The story of Coventry Cathedral during and after World War Two will be told in a new documentary on BBC Four on Wednesday night.

In November 1940, German bombers destroyed much of the city centre and reduced the city’s medieval cathedral to rubble.

Just 22 years later, in May 1962, a new cathedral designed by Basil Spence was consecrated on the site and is recognised today as one of Britain‘s greatest post-war buildings.

Building for a New Britain will start at 21:00 and feature rarely seen archive film.

Abdi Mohamed was found with serious neck injuries and died in hospital, police say.

The prime minister has paid tribute to a West Midlands man who set up a helpline for Sikhs suffering from problems including substance abuse, domestic violence and grooming.

Giani Singh first set up the service, which operates from an office in Oldbury, 25 years ago.

His achievement was raised at Prime Minister's Questions in the Commons by the Conservative MP for West Bromwich East, Nicola Richards, who said the team at Sikh Helpline are now planning a 350m bike ride between Edinburgh and West Bromwich.

Boris Johnson said he wished the team the "very best of luck" with their charity bike ride.

Shropshire Star

Here are some of the stories from the Shropshire Star:

• Major 340-home housing estate gets official go-ahead in Shrewsbury, external
• Vandals slash police car's tyres in Telford as officers deal with incident, external
• Residents evacuated in fire at care home near Shrewsbury, external

A police vehicle's tyres were deliberately punctured while officers were attending an incident, West Mercia Police said.

Image source, West Mercia Police

The pick-up vehicle had been parked on a road in Donnington, Telford, on Tuesday.

The force initially said , externalit appeared someone had let the tyres down, forcing it to be taken out of use so it could be repaired.

On Wednesday, officers said , externalchecks revealed the sides of two of the tyres had been punctured with a small, sharp object and appealed for information.

Part of the A41 is going to be shut for three hours this evening to carry out repairs after a huge tractor fire at the weekend.

Image source, Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service

The blaze happened on Saturday afternoon, external at Rosehill, near Market Drayton.

Shropshire Council said, external the road will be closed from 18:00-21:00 with traffic diverted via the A53 and A529.