Vanessa Pearce
BBC Local Live

Organisers of Coventry's bid to become to become UK City of Culture 2021 have welcomed news that the competition has officially been launched by the government., external

Image source, Coventry City of Culture 2021

Bids have to be registered by the end of February and submitted by the end of April, with the winner being announced at the end of the year in Hull.

Chairman of the city's bid David Burbage says what his team needs now is for local people to get behind the initiative.

BBC Midlands Today

A pilot scheme to help ease tensions between students at Coventry University and local residents is being rolled out across the city permanently. 

Student wardens have been carrying out patrols since January last year listening to residents' concerns. 

It follows complaints about litter and noise nuisance in some neighbourhoods close to the university.   

Stratford Herald

A man accused of murdering Bethany Hill in Stratford-upon-Avon last year told police that he blacked out on the night she died., external

Image source, Stratford Herald

BBC Coventry & Warwickshire Sport

The Sky Blues have been drawn away to Swansea City's under-21s in the quarter final of the Checkatrade Trophy. 

The City reached the quarters after beating Brighton's Under 23s 3-0 at the Ricoh on Tuesday night.  

Vanessa Pearce
BBC Local Live

Here are some of our headlining stories from the Coventry newsroom:

• NHS trust apology for MP over death of father who was 'sent home'
• Weather warning for snow issued for Warwickshire
• Man dies after being hit by train

Alec Blackman
BBC Coventry & Warwickshire

A man has died after being hit by a train on the line at Stoney Road in Nuneaton, says the ambulance service.

Crews were called to the site at about 08:30 to find a man who was "injured consistent with being struck by a train".

Stephanie Barnard
BBC Local Live

Compare the temperature where you are with more than 50 cities around the world, including some of the hottest and coldest inhabited places. 

Here in the West Midlands it's certainly not as cold as some places.

It's nothing compared to Baker Lake in Canada where it’s a rather nippy -37C and Moscow -8C. 

Click here to compare your local area to the rest of the world.

Charlie Slater
BBC Weather presenter

Rain is likely to turn to snow across Coventry and Warwickshire this afternoon, with further sleet and snow showers tonight.

Feeling cold, with highs of 5C (41F).

John Wheeler, GE's project manager for the Swansea Bay tidal lagoon, explains how the whole supply chain could benefit from the £1.3bn investment.

Atherstone & Coleshill Herald

On our front page this week: Plans to transform a former factory into apartments in Atherstone are to be discussed by borough planners next week., external

Image source, Atherstone & Coleshill Herald

BBC Travel

Traffic is being diverted away from a serious crash on The Long Shoot, in Nuneaton, which is closed in both directions.

Vanessa Pearce
BBC Local Live

The NHS trust in charge of University Hospital in Coventry says it's changed practices and increased training for surgical teams following the death of an MP's father.

Toby Perkins told a Commons debate on the NHS his father  "died in my arms" following an aneurysm, after being sent home from the hospital due to a shortage of beds.

A spokesman said it would like to apologise to Mr Perkins and his family for the "distress caused".

Warwick Courier

A county-wide meeting will be taking place on Friday to discuss the ongoing issue with travellers, external.

Image source, Warwick Courier

BBC Weather

Some tricky driving conditions could be caused by rain turning to snow across the West Midlands this afternoon, evening and into tomorrow morning.

There could be an impact on schools, travel and services.

Keep across your local radio station for updated news.

Coventry Telegraph

NHS chiefs spent £343,000 on private consultants to help produce a plan to drive down costs and shave millions from local spending.  , external

An MP has told how his father 'died in my arms' after being sent home from A&E due to a bed shortage.

A Midlands challenger bids to overthrow a top Jeremy Corbyn ally in a battle for leadership of Britain's biggest trade union.

Vanessa Pearce
BBC Local Live

Some of our headlining stories today are:

• MP tells Commons how his father "died in my arms" after being sent home from A&E
• Gardening expert Steve Brookes faces jail after admitting voyeurism
• Woman continues to be questioned after man's body found

BBC Travel

National Rail say all the lines have reopened between Tamworth and Nuneaton after the earlier incident attended by emergency services this morning.

Alec Blackman
BBC Coventry & Warwickshire

A person has died after being struck by a train between Nuneaton and Tamworth, British Transport Police says.  

It's not treating the death as suspicious and the line's expected to be blocked until about 12:00.