Elderly people will be badly affected if the government goes ahead with proposals that could see thousands of pharmacies close across the country, according to the Labour party. 

It says 25 are threatened in Coventry because ministers are changing the way they fund them.

Midlands "Metro Mayor": what's the point of new-style regional boss?

A road in south Warwickshire closed following a collision. 

There's high praise for photos taken by BBC Weather Watcher Graham's Vista in Shuttington today.

His image of autumn leaves has been highlighted by BBC Midlands Today, while his view of Shuttington (below) is a BBC Weather Watchers Editor's Pick.

Image source, Graham's Vista

An investigation into historical sexual assault at a former children's care home in Stratford-upon-Avon came about after police were contacted by several people in August last year who made claims concerning alleged offences committed in the 1970s and 80s. 

As part of the investigation a man in his 50s was arrested last December on suspicion of the rape of a female and a number of sexual offences in relation to a boy.  

He voluntarily agreed to be interviewed and was released from police bail.

A file has been submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service and police are awaiting their decision.

Here are our top stories this afternoon: 

- Claims of historical sexual abuse at a former children's home in Stratford are investigated by the police

- Investigations are under way in Coventry's Wyken area after about 60 cars had their tyres slashed 

- The author of the World War One children's book War Horse is to address Coventry's Peace Festival next week   

Andy Giddings
BBC Shropshire

Used Halloween pumpkins are being used to create electricity by Severn Trent, which is throwing them into its anaerobic digestion plant located in Coleshill.

The company has been asking its staff to bring them in and says one 600g (1.3lb) pumpkin could power a light bulb for 24 hours.

The Coleshill plant produces 2.4MW of energy a year – the equivalent of powering 4,000 homes.

Emergency services are at the scene of crash on Luddington Road in Stratford-upon-Avon, which is believed to involve a car and a motorbike.

It was reported just after 03:15.

The motorcyclist has been airlifted to hospital.

The road is blocked and, although diversions are in place, motorists are advised to avoid the area.

The police say the incident is ongoing and no further details are available at the moment. 

Coventry Observer

Ricoh Arena owner Wasps has recorded a group operating loss of £3.8m with rising debts of £43m, external, newly published accounts show.  

Image source, Wasps

Investigations are under way in Coventry's Wyken area after around 60 cars had their tyres slashed.

The attacks took place Saturday into Sunday last weekend. 

The BBC has been told it's left everyone confused and angry.   

The popular children's writer will be in Coventry next week. 

A cyclist was punched and knocked off his bike when he was attacked by three men, police say. 

It happened on Coventry Road, Kenilworth, on Friday, 28 October at about 06:40. 

The victim, a man in his 40s, was hit again and had a bag and a folder taken from him but wasn't seriously hurt. 

Police are appealing for witnesses.  

These are some of the stories we are looking at this afternoon: 

- An investigation is under way into allegations of historical sex abuse at a children's care home in Stratford in the 1970s and 80s 

- BT insists 90 per cent of phone calls are made on mobiles, meaning public pay phones are no longer needed 

- Severn Trent has been making electricity out of old pumpkins   

Pumpkin power is being harnessed to create clean energy by Coventry-based Severn Trent which has been collecting the unwanted fruits and turning them into electricity. 

The company asked members of staff to bring in their old Halloween pumpkins – that otherwise would have gone to landfill – so they could be fed to an anaerobic digestion plant to create clean energy.

Image source, Severn Trent Water

Chris Jellett, commercial business manager, said: "By using our anaerobic digestion plant we can make good use of those pumpkins – in fact one 600g pumpkin could power a lightbulb for 24 hours.”  

BT is insisting 74 phone boxes it wants to disconnect in South Warwickshire are no longer needed. 

The company says use of public pay phones has declined by 90 per cent over the last decade and around a third of the phones are only used once a month.

A consultation into the plans is now under way in Stratford district and is due to end 9 December 2016.   

Police have confirmed an investigation is under way into allegations of historical sexual abuse at a Stratford children's home in the 1970s and 80s. 

It follows the arrest of a man in his 50s, last December, on suspicion of the rape of a female and a number of sexual offences in relation to a boy. 

The force says a file has been submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service and police are awaiting their decision.

A councillor has attacked proposals to disconnect around 70 pay-phones in the south of the county., external

BT says it's reviewing their usage saying more people have access to mobiles and they're being used to make calls in rural areas.

But some local politicians aren't convinced.  

BBC Sport

Coventry's Ricoh Arena will stage international rugby league for the first time this weekend. 

Four countries are taking part in the Four Nations tournament, including England who've been training at the University of Birmingham. 

Following last weekend's narrow defeat by New Zealand, England are hot favourites to beat Scotland on Saturday. 

Moira Rawlings
BBC Coventry & Warwickshire

Twenty-five pharmacies in Coventry could shut according to the Labour Party - because of changes to the way the government fund community services. 

They say 3,000 are under threat across the country, and their closure would put extra pressure on GP surgeries.

There's confusion in the Tile Hill area of Coventry after the city council attempted to paint double yellow lines on roads around the railway station. 

Workers on Duggins Lane and and Conway Avenue have painted short lines between the parked cars instead of solid lines.

A spokesperson for Coventry City Council said: “Although it might look a bit odd, it’s common for work to be completed in this way when there are obstructions. In fact, if we waited to get yellow lines done in one hit – we’d never be able to start a job.

“Most of the work has been completed – but the parked cars, which are the cars we are trying to prevent from parking, are there for most of the day so our crew will return to do the rest as soon as possible".