Coventry Live

Some of the Coventry Live headlines today include:

• Councillor's offensive LGBT comments did not break council rules, probe finds, external
• 496-bed student scheme gets the nod in Coventry, external
• Teen arrested after police chase ends in van smash near Rugby, external

Pavandeep Daudher, 19, died from a stab wound to his thigh after the March attack in Coventry.

Coventry City Councillor Glenn Williams likened the sight of two women kissing to pornography.

Coventry's City of Culture Trust has been given a further £500,000.

Its year as UK City of Culture has been pushed back to start in May 2021, due to the coronavirus crisis.

Image source, Coventry 2021

The latest grant has been made by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, external, which supports the arts.

The funding will go towards ensuring the "cultural sector activity makes a significant contribution to economic, environmental, social and health and wellbeing targets for the city," the charity said.

Twycross Zoo says it is "super careful" and has in place "all the measure that are expected of us".

SC Paderborn winger Marcel Hilssner becomes promoted Coventry City's fourth summer signing for an undisclosed fee.

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Tom Davis

Approval has been given for a new 496-room student block in Coventry.

Image source, Vita Student

Applicant Vita Student said its purpose-built student block towards the edge of the ring road on Warwick Road responds to an “unmet need” in the city and will cater for students with higher disposal incomes, particularly those attending the University of Warwick.

The scheme spans 15,837 sqm and consists of 496 ‘studio apartments’ across one 12-storey block and a second 14-storey block.

Three courtyard gardens have been incorporated within the plans, while it will also includes communal study, fitness and social areas, a breakfast canteen and 102 cycle storage bays.

Coventry Live

Some of today's headlines on Coventry Live include:

• Court action as travellers in Coventry remain in Earlson park, external
• Earthquake 'large enough to feel' recorded in Nuneaton, external
• Staff member assaulted in 'extremely frightening' robbery at off-licence, external

A man has died after paramedics were called to a medical emergency on a Warwickshire canal boat earlier.

He was found in a critical condition on the boat on the canal at Bulkington Road near Bedworth shortly after 07:40, said the ambulance service.

He was confirmed dead at the scene.

A fire has closed Foleshill Road in Coventry to traffic and pedestrians.

Image source, West Midlands Police

The fire is in a building opposite Edgwick park, police say.

The road is closed between Queen Mary's Road and Blackwell Road with traffic being diverted away from the area.

A shop worker has been assaulted during a robbery at an off licence in Nuneaton, police say.

Cash was stolen after the College Street store was targeted on Wednesday.

Image source, Google

Damage was also done to the shop, said Warwickshire Police.

Det Sgt Paul Sartoris from the force said:“This was undoubtedly an extremely frightening incident for staff at the shop."

He urged any witnesses to get in touch.

BBC Midlands Today

Plans to increase the number of rail services to Birmingham International and Coventry along with new direct services to the West Midlands have been submitted to the government.

The proposals from regional transport lobby group Midlands Connect , externalcould cost up to £180m and it says construction could begin as early as 2024 if ministers approve them.

The scheme would include the first direct services to northern cities such as Sheffield and Durham and a doubling of services to Birmingham International and Coventry from places such as Leamington Spa and Reading.

The lobby group said the improvements would come from double tracking sections of the existing railway and using additional capacity created by the HS2 rail project.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

The leader of Stratford-on-Avon District Council has warned shops in the town are facing a "perfect storm" as a result of coronavirus and that "a lot of closures are going to be inevitable".

Councillor Tony Jefferson said: "Even before the crisis hit, there were too many shops - that’s well accepted."

He said businesses were already suffering from internet competition, plus rates and rents that were "too high".

Image source, Google

Mr Jefferson said the shops would also suffer because tourists had been staying away from the town and had been unable to visit places such as the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

"I think there is going to be the need for some very creative reinvention of the high street and hopefully lower rents and lower rates will make that possible,” he said.

He predicted it could be 2022 before the town's economy recovered to 2018 levels.

Coventry City sign Aston Villa midfielder Callum O’Hare – their main summer transfer target – on a three-year deal.

Wasps agree new "long-term" contracts with 15 players, including England's Joe Launchbury, Brad Shields and Dan Robson.

Three people have been taken to hospital, including one with potentially serious injuries, after a head-on collision.

The two cars crashed on Heath Road, Bedworth, Warwickshire, shortly before 20:30, said the ambulance service.

The passenger of one car had to be cut free with the help of the fire service.

She was treated at the scene, along with the drivers of both vehicles, and taken to hospital in Coventry.

A motorcyclist has been seriously injured after coming off his bike in Coventry.

He was treated at the scene, at the junction of the Coventry Ring Road and Sky Blue Way, at about 17:15 before being taken to hospital for further treatment.

A man has been left with serious wounds to his face after an assault in Leamington Spa.

Officers say the man in his 30s was attacked with a knife in an alleyway near Avenue Road at about 23:45 on Sunday.

Detectives say they're looking for two men.

It's being treated as an isolated incident the Warwickshire force added. , external

Aftab Khan, from Coventry, denies using the messaging service to distribute videos glorifying terror groups.

Jennifer Meierhans
BBC News

Some of the region's top athletes were back in competition for the first time since lockdown, after a pilot meeting took place in Nuneaton.

It was the first trial event in the country, to see how the sport could make a return with social distancing measures in place.

Track and field events returned to the Pingles Stadium in Nuneaton - but were socially distanced and spectator-free.

Nuneaton Harriers Athletics Club hosted about 100 competitors over five events - 100m, 400m, hammer, shot and long jump.

For some athletes it was a chance to get back into the swing of things after lockdown, while others are chasing qualifying times and dates for the British Championships.