Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

Train passengers in Staffordshire who looked set to lose a rail route to London are being told now there will be a direct service.

Last week it was revealed West Midlands Trains Ltd was taking over the routes currently operated by London Midland from December.

Image source, West Midlands Rail

At the time, the Department for Transport said passengers from Stoke-on-Trent would in future have to change at Stafford.

Today, West Midlands Trains says it has finalised details of its routes and there will be a direct service from December 2018.

The operator says it will call at Stone, Kidsgrove and Stoke-on-Trent and then go via Birmingham via Coventry on the way to Euston without people having to change trains.

Nuneaton News

The woman who was involved in the tragic collision which claimed the life of a popular Nuneaton rugby player has failed to attend, external a hearing at the magistrates' court in Leamington.

BBC Sport

England take on the West Indies at Edgbaston today in the first day-night Test in England.

The teams will be wearing traditional white clothing but using a pink Dukes ball. But that ball has split opinion.

After practicing under the Edgbaston lights on Monday, England all-rounder Moeen Ali acknowledged that the pink ball is "different".

Image source, Getty Images

He added: "It feels lighter off the bat. Sometimes you don't feel like you've hit it and it goes; other times you've nailed it and it doesn't. But you get used to it. I did by the end of the session."

Warwickshire coach Ashley Giles said that on day one of the day-night match against Lancashire in June there were "a couple of incidents where guys were not sure where the ball had gone".

However, Durham all-rounder Paul Collingwood, was less positive after making 25 off the pink ball in a rain-affected draw against Worcestershire in June.

He described it as "shocking" and "like plastic when you hit it".

Coventry Telegraph

A crash involving two vehicles is causing major tailbacks on the A46 , externalthis morning.

BBC Coventry & Warwickshire

Plans to turn the old Dairy Crest site in Leamington into affordable housing have been approved by councillors.

Warwick District councillors backed the proposals - 18 new homes will be sold at cost or below the market value.

A man who died after being caught in a rip current off the coast of Cornwall was from Coventry, police say.

The 27-year-old holidaymaker died, and two others were taken to hospital, after being swept out to sea off Crantock beach, near Newquay, just before 19:30 on Tuesday.

They were rescued by two local surfers and airlifted to the Royal Cornwall Hospital.

The man died shortly after arriving.

Diluted hydrochloric acid has leaked from a chemical container in Dordon, Warwickshire.

Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service say they were called to a warehouse on Jim Casey Way at 00:12 this morning to reports of a leaking and smoking container.

The warehouse had been evacuated - no-one was injured and the chemical was "contained".

BBC World Service

The Dukes pink cricket ball will be used for the first time in the day-night Test match at Edgbaston later today, when England play the West Indies.

Dilip Jadojia, the owner of Dukes, is confident the pink ball will be a success.

BBC Coventry & Warwickshire

A new study by the University of Warwick has found only two in every three doctors who are completing their training to become GPs want to work in NHS general practice.

Of those intending to remain in the NHS, most plan to work as locums or salaried GPs, rather than entering a GP partnership.

Image source, Thinkstock

The study found the quality of general practice experience during training and concerns about workload pressure and morale were among the reasons for their decision.

Thousands of students across Coventry and Warwickshire are getting their A-level results this morning.

Those who don't get the grades they want can go through clearing to get a place at university.

Coventry University and the University of Warwick both have advice for students and details on how to get in touch with their clearing service.

Alex Hamilton
BBC Weather

It's been a wet start for many of us in the West Midlands - here's how the rest of Thursday is looking.

You can also find the latest forecasts at any other time on the BBC Weather website.

Monica Rimmer
Journalist, BBC Online

Good morning, we'll be bringing you the latest news, sport, travel and weather updates for Coventry and Warwickshire between now and 18:00.

If you'd like to get in touch, you can reach us on Facebook , externalor tweet @BBCC&W, external.

We'll be back with our usual mix of news, sport, travel and weather from 08:00 on Thursday.

Keep an eye out here for more updates and breaking news before then.

BBC Midlands Today

Cricket history will be made at Edgbaston tomorrow when the first day-night Test match played in England gets under way.

West Indies are the opposition under the lights and 70,000 tickets have already been sold.

Joe Root's side is the odds-on favourite to win the three-match series.

Image source, Getty Images

The West Indies have a good record at Edgbaston, they've won four of the last five test matches at Warwickshire's home.

Our reporter will have more on BBC One from 18:30.

James Bovill
Reporter, BBC Midlands Today

A newly formed taskforce will meet later today after a summer of complaints by people waiting for baggage at Birmingham Airport.

Local councils, businesses and travel agents will meet airport bosses to discuss improvements.

Some passengers have been warned to turn up to the airport at least three hours before their flights are due to leave.

Birmingham Airport confirms that ground handler, Swissport, is at times experiencing staffing issues which are intermittently affecting the operation. It has employed more than 250 additional staff for the summer peak season.

Some passengers tell us they are having to wait hours for luggage and have been stuck on planes waiting for stairs and buses to take them to the terminal.

BBC Coventry & Warwickshire

The new principal of Coventry College has told BBC Coventry and Warwickshire he's looking forward to the challenge of improving the newly-created institution.

It's been formed through a merger of City and Henley colleges and starts teaching students at the beginning of the new academic year.

Peter Brammall said it was an opportunity he didn't want to miss.

Monica Rimmer
Journalist, BBC Online

Unemployment went up by 5.8% across the West Midlands in the three months to June, according to data.

Image source, PA

Figures from the ONS show 164,000 people are registered as out of work across the region - an increase of 3,000 people compared with the first three months of the year.

Shefali Oza
BBC Midlands Today

Skies will cloud over this evening as rain erratically moves east with brisk winds.

Rain will continue overnight, with some heavy bursts at times.

However, rain will start to clear towards dawn. Lows of 15C ( 59F).

BBC Coventry & Warwickshire

The charity Crimestoppers has been granted £16,000 by Warwickshire's Police and Crime Commissioner to encourage more people to report information about offences.

The funding, from Philip Seccombe’s Commissioner’s Grants Scheme, will enable the charity to run targeted campaigns.

The funding includes recruiting a youth worker to deliver the charity's "Fearless" initiative to schools and youth groups across the county.

Leamington Observer

Braving the three peaks challenge has led to a £3,000 donation for Warwick Hospital’s Special Care Baby Unit. , external