The winning candidate will have responsibility for housing, transport and boosting the economy.

Charlie Slater
BBC Weather presenter

Clear spells are expected this evening but it will gradually turn a little cloudier overnight . It will feel rather chilly by dawn, especially under clear skies. Lows of 6C (43F).

Coventry City has shared the official number of Sky Blues fans at Wembley to see their team lift the cup. 

BBC Weather Watchers

It's been a cloudy day so far and we're seeing plenty of grey in the photos being shared by the BBC Weather Watchers .

These pictures were taken in Coleshill (top) and Southam (below).

Image source, Rons Review

Image source, Old Salt

Pete Durnell of UKIP, Sion Simon representing Labour and Conservative Andy Street are among the six candidates who have confirmed that they are standing in the West Midlands Metro Mayor election.

The polls open on Thursday 4 May.

The deadline to register to vote is 13 April. If you haven't registered yet - you can do it online., external

Green party's James Burn, Lib dem candidate Beverley Nielsen, and communist Graham Stevenson.

Spencer Stokes
Journalist, BBC News

Eight years in captivity and he's now adjusting to being a free man.

Janusz, not his real name, was trafficked from Poland to the West Midlands picking vegetables from fields, as well as working at a a recycling plant for 12 hours a day, six days a week. 

Figures show the number of potential victims of slavery and people trafficking in the UK has risen to 3,805 in 2016 - a 118% increase in three years.

Many that are rescued are taken to safe houses run by the Salvation Army.

Janusz was freed after a police investigation and now lives in one of these safe houses.

Anne Read from the organisation says: "They are often trapped, not by keys or padlocks but by threats which we are seeing continually."

See more on this story on BBC Midlands Today at 18:30.

Six candidates are standing for mayor in the West Midlands Combined Authority election , external . The polls open on Thursday 4 May: 

• James Burn – Green Party
• Pete Durnell – UK Independence Party (UKIP)
• Beverley Anne Nielsen – Liberal Democrats
• Sion Llewelyn Simon – Labour and Co-operative Party
• Graham John Stevenson – Communist 
• Andy Street – Conservative Party

Changes to the way schools are funded could leave to cuts of £29m to Coventry budgets, according to one of the city's MPs.

Jim Cunningham, Labour MP for Coventry South, has raised the proposed cuts with Nick Gibb, a minister at the Department of Education.

The MP says changes to the school funding formula "is likely to [hit] Coventry harder than other areas across the country".

Coventry Rugby Club has signed two members of the current English Counties squad for next season.

Second row George Oram, 23, and 24-year old scrum half Dave Brazier both join from neighbours and rivals, Birmingham Moseley.

Image source, Google

Coventry's museums are set to receive support as the bid for UK City of Culture continues, the council says.

Culture Coventry Trust runs the Coventry Transport Museum, the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum and the Lunt Roman Fort.

The council says recent work means the trust has been forced to spend its cash reserves and needs help so it has time to build a plan for the future.

At a cabinet meeting on 11 April, members will be asked to support the Trust. Support will include approving a short term loan which will help it restructure the way it works and develop projects over the next year to generate income.  , external

Image source, Festival of Motoring

Warwick Courier

Jobs could be at risk after proposals to close Phillips 66’s Warwick site. , external

A project to look at the difference in degree grades obtained by students from different backgrounds is to be led by Coventry University.

Research suggests what class of degree a student ends up with depends on their ethnicity, age, whether they study full-time, or if they have a physical impairment. 

Image source, PA

Experts at Coventry say the "degree attainment gap" can only be properly dealt with once universities stop identifying students by race and background and concentrate on what they need to study effectively.  

Bad news if you were planning to take the plunge at Stratford Leisure Centre tomorrow morning - the pool is closed for the annual school swimming gala between 09:00 and 11:30.

Jeetan Patel is back at Warwickshire County Cricket Club after international duty with New Zealand ready to resume what the club is calling his "Indian summer".

The 36-year-old spinner needs only 20 more wickets to reach 700 in first-class cricket - at 680, he stands sixth in the all-time wicket-taking list of New Zealanders.

Image source, Getty Images

Stephanie Barnard
BBC Local Live

Acapella group The Sons Of Pitches sang their hearts out across BBC Local Radio last night on Georgey Spanswick's show.

They did a fabulous rendition of Ed Sheeran's Shape of You. If you missed it - check it on BBC Georgey Tonight Facebook Live video., external

The gents from Birmingham rose to fame after winning in Gareth Malone's Naked Choir  quitting their jobs and going full-time. Remember this?

You can listen to the programme again on the iPlayer Radio.

Coventry Telegraph

A new gay nightclub is set to open in Coventry - but it’s location is being kept under wraps for now.   , external

A motorcyclist has been left with "serious injuries" after a hit-and-run collision near Atherstone, police say.

Warwickshire Police say the collision, involving a motorbike and a car,  happened in Nuneaton Road, Mancetter, at the junction of Grange Road and Mancetter Road, at 00:30 on Saturday.

The motorcyclist, a man in his 40s, suffered serious injuries. 

The car, which is thought to be a blue coloured Volvo, failed to stop, police say.

A 59-year-old man has been airlifted to hospital with serious injuries after his motorbike collided with a camper van.

The man was on his motorcycle on Astley Lane near Bedworth at about 14:20 yesterday. , external

Image source, West Midlands Ambulance Service

Paramedics say the man is being treated for a serious lej injury at the University Hospital Coventry.

Warwick Courier

A Leamington man has attended a special reception at Number 10 Downing Street , external in recognition of his charitable work in the West Midlands.  

With the 2017 county season here, keep up to date with the latest signings, departures and rumours ahead of next season.