Warwickshire boss Ashley Giles hopes to get the Bears, winners in 2012, moving again in the County Championship.

Alec Blackman
BBC Coventry & Warwickshire

Mums-to-be are getting a new midwife-led birthing unit at Warwick Hospital, the local NHS trust has announced. 

Image source, Google

Due to open in 2018, it will have four delivery rooms with birthing pools and new relaxation rooms for the use of parents.

They've launched a £20,000 appeal to help pay for specialist cribs and furnishings.

Listen to BBC Radio London commentary from the opening day of the County Championship as Surrey host Warwickshire.

Police said Gregory Kelly was hit by the car and then assaulted on Manor Road, Atherstone.

The candidates have been announced and experts say it could be a closely-fought election.

Vanessa Pearce
BBC Local Live

Two men from Atherstone have been arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with the death, last month, of Gregory Kelly.

Image source, Google

Police said the 26-year-old from New Arley was hit by a car and then assaulted on Manor Road, Atherstone, on Saturday 25 March - he died in hospital on 30 March.

Both men being questioned, aged 33 and 55, had previously been arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm with intent in connection with the incident.

A 38-year-old man from Atherstone remains on bail after also being arrested on suspicion of causing grievious bodily harm with intent.

Coventry Observer

Since her date of birth in 1909, the world has hosted many iconic moments – the sinking of Titanic, two world wars, celebrations of the first man to land on the moon, and the transformation in modern technology , external .  

Image source, Coventry Observer

Victoria Derbyshire

Sam, whose father died when he was five years old, sent a letter to Chris White MP about his concerns over changes to benefits for bereaved families. 

His letter was then read out by the Shadow Pensions Secretary Alex Cunningham in Parliament.  

The rule change will limit payments to widowed parents to a maximum of 18 months.

A DWP spokesman said: "We're modernising the support we offer, replacing an outdated system that doesn't reflect people's lives today. 

"The new Bereavement Support Payment is simpler, easier to understand, tax-free and doesn't affect the amount received from other benefits, so families can access wider welfare support".

BBC Coventry & Warwickshire Sport

Two former Sky Blues players brought Coventry back down to earth after their EFL Trophy win, as Mark Robins' side went down 2-0 to Sheffield United.

Image source, PA

Leon Clarke and John Fleck were both on target for the Blades, who missed out on securing promotion after Oxford took a point against Fleetwood.

Robins said Sunday's exertions took their toll on City's players.

Rugby Advertiser

Six homes in Rugby were targeted by burglars, external in five days with numerous items stolen including an Xbox One, car keys and cash  

Vanessa Pearce
BBC Local Live

Coventry University has been listed as one of the world's top 200 "young" universities.

Image source, Coventry University

It's among a total of 27 UK institutions that have made the Times higher education's league table, external of the best 200 universities under 50 years old.

The university is also highlighted as being in the top 50 young universities for "Generation Y" - those with birth years between the 1980s and early 2000s.

The university's vice-chancellor, Professor John Latham, said the recognition was "further evidence of the hard work, innovation and excellence" of the staff.

With the County Championship season starting on Friday, BBC Sport takes a look at some of the main talking points.

Eight-year-old Sam reads a letter he wrote to his MP about changes to bereavement payments.

Leamington Observer

On our front page this week: Warwick Hospital is looking to provide a home from home for expectant mums with the opening of a new £1.5m birthing unit – but they need your help.  , external

Image source, Leamington Observer

Victoria Derbyshire

A Warwickshire mother has been talking about how widowed parents are being hit  by cuts to bereavement benefits, introduced today.

Beth was left to bring up two boys when her husband, Duncan, died of an undiagnosed heart condition while playing football four years ago.

Her son Ben, who's eight, wrote to Kenilworth and Southam MP Jeremy Wright to try and get the changes stopped.

Coventry Observer

Proposals for a "student village" on a former social club site in Canley instead of housing are being opposed by residents and local councillors.  , external

Tom Cooke
BBC Coventry & Warwickshire

A five-year-old from Coventry was so pleased when he won his school's "pupils of the week" award he wrote to Buckingham Palace to tell the Queen.

Evan West got the prize from St Christopher school in Allesley earlier this year and his mum Samantha said she was amazed when the Queen wrote back.

It was important to write to her, Evan said, because "she's the boss of the country".

Kenilworth Weekly News

A rural organisation has claimed the latest consultation on Warwick District’s Local Plan is ‘a sham’ because of the ‘secretive way’ it was changed., external

Experienced Warwickshire players Jeetan Patel and Ian Westwood sign new contracts with the Edgbaston club.

David Gregory-Kumar
Science correspondent, BBC Midlands Today

It's a prickly subject but the number of hedgehogs in the West Midlands is down by 70% on last year. 

Numbers have been in decline for decades but there was some hope last year with an unexpected boom. 

Image source, Getty Images

Stuart Edmunds, from Shropshire Wildlife Trust, says: "Last year was looking like a really good year for hedgehogs - the numbers were quite high but this year for some reason they have plummeted, with about 70% less recorded than last year."