Updates on Friday 18 March 2016
More news, sport, travel and weather from 08:00 Monday
That's the end of the live updates for this week, but we're back from 08:00 on Monday with more news, sport, travel and weather.
Have a great weekend, from everyone here in the newsroom.
Dan Freeman
BBC Coventry & Warwickshire Sport
The Coventry Bees are in action at Brandon for the first time this season tonight, when they take on Poole in the second leg of the Elite Shield, external.
Coventry went down 56-34 at the Pirates on Wednesday night but team manager Gary Havelock is more concerned about his riders getting some much needed race action.
Image source, Coventry BeesQuote MessageYou can practice as much as you like but you can't really tell how your bike's going unless you're in a race with three other guys.
Gary Havelock, Coventry Bees manager
Coventry's Lord Mayor will unveil the newly restored Joseph Levi memorial clock in Stoke tomorrow.
The clock, erected at Godcake Island in 1934, was removed after being ruled unsafe, but it has now been restored to tell the time to future generations.
Image source, Gosford Park Residents Association
BBC Coventry & Warwickshire Sport
Coventry City say they've signed Dagenham and Redbridge midfielder Jodi Jones on an emergency loan deal, with a view to a permanent move.
They say 18-year-old Jones will train with the Under-21s squad over the weekend and could feature in their match against Bristol City on Monday.
Kathryn Stanczyszyn
Political Reporter
Questions were asked of Highways England over why it took so long to identify the resurfacing work that was needed. It was also criticised for discrepancies in its own internal debrief report.
It did defend the fact that Operation Freeway - the free use of the M6 toll - wasn't instigated, saying that current guidance suggested the measure should only be considered for 48-hour closures, on approval of the Transport Secretary. It confirmed this was now under review.
West Midlands Police's chief constable, Dave Thompson, earlier told the hearing any of the agencies involved could have declared a major incident. Police did not because they thought the humanitarian impact was insufficient, despite the fact he was sat in the delays himself for hours.
Rebecca Wood
BBC Midlands Today
The cloud will continue overnight, with drizzle falling under the thicker cloud, particularly over higher ground.
Three men have been jailed for a crowbar raid on a Coventry store that left a staff member with a fractured skull, police say, external.
The gang targeted B&M Bargains in Walsgrave, having bought balaclavas and crowbars from another discount store just an hour before the robbery.
Crucially they left a crowbar at the scene – with a partially removed sticker on the handle.
From it, detectives were then able to trace their steps, ending with the trio admitting robbery and wounding with intent to cause GBH.
It was a game conjured up on the pages of Harry Potter, but now the best quidditch teams in the country will compete for the British Quidditch Cup.
Thirty-two teams will take part in the games in Rugeley on Saturday, including one made up of students from the University of Warwick, who were filmed in training.
Alec Blackman
BBC Coventry & Warwickshire
Here's a recap of some of our main stories today:
- Boy shot and man found stabbed in Rugby
- Highways England admits it should have declared a major incident during M6 closure
- Co-op drivers to strike over Coventry staff transfer
Kathryn Stanczyszyn
Political Reporter
Highways England has admitted it should have declared a major incident following chaos on the M6 after a fatal accident near Birmingham shut the road for 24 hours.
A hearing has been listening to evidence from West Midlands Police, local authorities and Highways England.
Some motorists were stuck for more than nine hours after the crash between two lorries and a car, with the cost to the regional economy put at an estimated "tens of millions of pounds".
The call comes from Coventry Council and other local authorities in the region which have been driving the CSE awareness day campaign , external
Image source, Coventry ObserverCalls for a region-wide plan for major incidents in the wake of an accident that closed the M6 for around 24 hours have been backed by Coventry City Council.
A hearing into the chaos has been gathering evidence from police, councils and Highways England about why the motorway was closed for so long.
Coventry's assistant director of highways, Colin Knight, said the council had its own strategy for dealing with problems on the M6, but there weren't currently "any formal arrangements between ourselves and Highways England".
Leamington Spa Courier
The River Avon reached its second highest level on record in Warwick last week, external when flooding and rising waters caused chaos in the district.
Dai Young has named his squad to take on Sale Sharks at the Ricoh this Sunday, external.
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Alec Blackman
BBC Coventry & Warwickshire
These are the stories making the headlines this afternoon:
- Teenager treated for gunshot wound in Rugby, external
- Cheltenham success for Alcester-based Skelton brothers
- Co-op drivers to strike for 48 hours
A 17-year-old's being treated for a gunshot wound, and an 18-year old for a knife wound, after being found injured at a house in Rugby, external last night.
Police say they were called to an address in Oxford Street just before 21:00.
Detectives have cordoned off the area around the scene, including Argyle and Cambridge Streets, while they search the area.
Both victims are currently being treated in hospital for their injuries which are not believed to be life-threatening.
There's been success for the Alcester-based trainer Dan Skelton at the Cheltenham Festival.
Superb Story, ridden by his brother Harry, won the Vincent O'Brien County Handicap at odds of 8-1.
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BBC Travel
Slow traffic on the A45 Stonebridge highway eastbound in Coventry between Festival Island and Tollbar Island in the roadworks area.
Applications are open to apply for an amazing opportunity to train to be a Digital Journalist with the BBC in Coventry.
It's a two-year scheme, with a diploma in journalism at the end of it.
Scheme coordinator Carole Foster explains what we're looking for:
The funeral of a popular Coventry cricket coach killed in a tragic car crash, external is set to take place today.
