A popular 1,000-seat venue is to return to Coventry from the spring to host music, comedy and arts performances as part of the City of Culture festival.

Image source, Dylan Parrin

More than 80,000 tickets have so far been snapped up for events at the Assembly Festival Garden, on derelict land near the council house in the city centre.

As well as theatre, circus and music acts, the gardens have hosted live outdoor screenings including the BBC's Last Night of the Proms and Ed Sheeran's recent performance in the city.

It has also played host to series of community events including Pride and Motofest.

Performances at the venue, on the site of the demolished former Civic Centre buildings, will end on 30 September, but will now return in the spring, said the City of Culture Trust.

A petition calling on organisers to keep the site open has attracted more than 1,500 signatures.

Image source, Dylan Parrin

BBC Midlands Today

The owners of Coventry City say building a new stadium is part of their aspirations to establish themselves as a Premier League club.

Image source, PA Media

The Sky Blues made the announcement in July 2020 to relocate to the south-west edge of the city, on land owned by the University of Warwick.

The club returned to Coventry after two years playing in Birmingham and have been sharing the Coventry Building Society Arena with owners Wasps rugby club.

But chief executive Joy Seppala said having their own stadium would benefit them financially.

"We are an aspiring football club and aspiring hopefully to the Premier League and beyond and every aspiring football club requires their own stadium and I think that we need to have our own revenue stream," she said.

A tram has crashed with a car in Wolverhampton partially blocking the ring road in both directions.

The A4150 is affected around the Bilston Road Island.

There is congestion to all approaches to the island and it is also causing queues for inbound traffic from both Heath Town and Moseley, travel firm Inrix is reporting.

Tram services are still running with delays.

BBC Weather

Today we're forecast some light cloud again and temperatures up to 21C (70F).

And that weather is going to remain with us tomorrow, but some rain is expected over the weekend.

You can get a full forecast for your area on the BBC Weather page.

Image source, Tippytoes

BBC Sport looks at the chances of all 13 sides ahead of the new Premiership rugby union season.

The company says it is committed to having more opportunities away from London.

Cauley Woodrow scores a world-class screamer to earn Barnsley a point in a hot-tempered draw at Stoke.

Fulham return to the top of the Championship by winning at Birmingham thanks to two-goal Aleksandar Mitrovic, Denis Odoi and Harry Wilson.

Coventry City move into the Championship play-off places as Viktor Gyokeres's goal caps a comfortable win over Cardiff City.

Leicestershire captain Callum Parkinson takes the final wicket to beat Sussex after earlier Division Three wins for Kent and Middlesex - and one in Division Two for Gloucestershire.

Gloucestershire Police commend woman's bravery after Ezron Needham is sentenced to five years.

Jack Marlow spent 12 days in a coma after a gas bottle exploded and caused third-degree burns.

A dispersal order has been issued for the centre of Dudley amid fears of crime and anti-social behaviour, police said.

Image source, West Midlands Police

West Midlands Police said residents have told them of people aged 10 to 18-years-old gathering in large numbers in the town centre and nearby streets.

They said some people have said they feel intimidated by the groups and added the force has seen a rise in criminal damage and public order offences in the town.

Dispersal orders provide the police with the extra powers to break up groups of two or more people where they believe their behaviour is causing a nuisance, harassment or distress.

It is in place from Wednesday until 14:30 on Friday.

People planning to use Chiltern Railways services this weekend are being warned of major timetable changes due to engineering work.

Image source, Chiltern Railways

The line will be closed between Leamington Spa and Wembley Stadium, the operator said., external

The planned works mean changes including no through trains between London Marylebone and Birmingham.

Passengers have been warned by Chiltern Railways to check their journey before travelling and allow extra time.

An attendee at a Birmingham City full council meeting has tested positive for Covid-19, the authority said.

After taking advice from public health, it said, all those who attended the meeting on Tuesday could meet the definition of a contact and have been advised to follow government guidance.

Attendees who have not been double vaccinated have been informed they need to isolate for 10 days.

Those who have been double vaccinated have been advised to book a PCR test via the NHS but do not need to self-isolate whilst awaiting the result, although they have been advised not to gather with vulnerable people.

Cornish Pirates bring in Dragons hooker James Benjamin and Worcester centre Seb Atkinson on short-term deals.

BBC One

The birth of the 2-Tone era of music in Coventry and how it became a global sensation is going to be told on BBC TV later this year.

BBC One will air 2 Tone: The Sound of Coventry on 30 September across the West Midlands and on BBC Two across the UK later this year.

The style started in Coventry in the 70s with the name coming from the 2-Tone record label founded by Jerry Dammers of The Specials in 1979.

The BBC hour-long documentary, made with Coventry UK City of Culture 2021, will feature a rare interview with Dammers as well as others including The Specials’ Neville Staple, Pauline Black and Neol Davies of the Selecter and music mogul Pete Waterman.

2-Tone fans can also apply for an exclusive screening of the film on 28 September at Assembly Festival Gardens in the city by going to the BBC Shows and Tours website.

The programme has been commissioned by BBC England and is a co-production between Coventry UK City of Culture Trust and Full Fat Television.

It is part of the BBC’s commitment to the cultural celebrations in Coventry this year.

Express and Star

Here are some of the headlines from the Express and Star website today:

• Midlands cricket in mourning as Penkridge captain dies aged 37, external
• Controversial care home closure plan to be probed by scrutiny chiefs, external
• Nightingale courts open for another six months to ease backlog, external

Wasps sign South African lock Sebastian de Chaves on a short-term deal from Major League Rugby side Austin Gilgronis.

Two paramedics who were stabbed while on duty in Wolverhampton last year have been recognised with a Hero Award from The Sun newspaper.

Mick Hipgrave and Deena Evans, from West Midlands Ambulance Service, were attacked while responding to a welfare check at Martyn Smith's home in Wolverhampton on 6 July 2020.

He has since been jailed for the assault which left the Mr Hipgrave needing surgery for cuts to his back and Ms Evans with a chest wound and nerve damage.

They received their award on Tuesday night, presented by the Duke of Cambridge who commended their bravery in "high pressured, challenging situations".