Former police officer charged with sex offences
Men smuggled guns into UK on coach
Warning over school places 'shortfall'
Council out of pocket over bridge smash
Updates from Friday 1 September 2017
The three lanes shut on the M6 northbound between J1 (Rugby) and J2 (Coventry) have been reopened following a lorry crash earlier, Highways England says.
It's still on an embankment along the route and is set to be recovered later today when there is less traffic.
According to Warwickshire Police, a tyre blowout was behind it, with the occupant sustaining only a minor injury.
Image source, OPU Warwickshire
BBC Sport
Warwickshire go into the final day of their county championship match with Lancashire on 275 for 6 in their second innings, still 29 runs behind the home side.
Bears wicket keeper Tim Ambrose said: "We dug our heels in a bit in that second innings.
Image source, Getty ImagesOld Trafford where back-foot Bears play Lancashire
"We had something to prove after not getting quite as many runs as we'd have liked in the first innings. They showed us how to bat on it.
"We're only 29 behind and we've still got people to come who can bat."
The number of serious incidents rose in seven of England's 10 ambulance areas.
Read More
Charlie Slater
BBC Weather presenter
A mainly dry, bright and chilly start, but showers across the far west, will become more widespread through the day.
The showers will turn heavy and thundery in places, but in between some pleasant spells of sunshine will develop - highs of 18C (64F).
Weather for the West Midlands.
We'll bring you the latest news, sport and travel from across Coventry and Warwickshire.
There's a weather forecast for you shortly.
We'll be back with our usual mix of news, sport, travel and weather from 08:00 on Thursday, but keep an eye out here for breaking news before then.
The chief financial officer of Aston Martin says today's announcement of a £500m deal with Japan secures the long-term future for the firm in Warwickshire.
Mark Wilson told BBC Coventry & Warwickshire agreeing £400m in exports from bases in Gaydon and St Athan would have a great benefit to the local and British economies.
Image source, Getty ImagesQuote MessageGaydon will always be our HQ, it will always be the place where we produce sports cars and this investment programme strengthens that commitment as we move forward
Mark Wilson, Aston Martin CFO
Alec Blackman
BBC Coventry & Warwickshire
A parenting blogger has hit out at a multimillion-pound new leisure centre saying it isn't family friendly.
Newbold Comyn Leisure Centre, in Leamington, opened just a week ago.
But Nikki Francis, who runs the website www.takeitfrommummy.com, said the revamped centre wasn't family friendly.
Quote MessageThe family changing facilities are way below standard and I struggle to see how anyone with a small child, baby or toddler could use them at all, they're very small and cramped. It's logistically a complete nightmare
Nikki Francis, Mother of two
Warwick District Council says the re-design isn't complete, but will be by the time it's fully reopened next spring.
Shefali Oza
BBC Midlands Today
Autumn appears to have arrived early in the West Midlands and there are more showers forecast for tomorrow.
Afternoon weather forecast for the West Midlands
BBC Coventry & Warwickshire
A worker at a petrol station in Rugby was put in a headlock until he was unconscious by a thief who stole cigarettes, alcohol and his car.
The attack happened at the Gibbetts Cross Service Station on the A5 near Rugby at about 04:30.
Image source, GoogleThe robber fled in the member of staff's car, a silver Vauxhall Astra, which was later in a crash on the M1.
Police said the suspect was a white man who spoke with an Eastern European accent. He was wearing a dark flat cap, olive green ‘North Face’ jacket, grey tracksuit and white trainers.
Quote Message"We are appealing for lorry drivers who may have given a lift to anyone matching the description of the suspect, or seen them getting out of a lorry, to get in touch
Det Insp Paul Thompson, Warwickshire Police
Warwickshire's England all-rounder Chris Woakes will be available to play for the Birmingham Bears on T20 Blast Finals Day at Edgbaston this Saturday.
Image source, EmpicsWoakes was recalled by England for this week's second Test against the West Indies at Headingley after missing most of the season with a side injury, making 23 and 61 not out with the bat - and taking a wicket in each innings.
But, after returning from a month's duty with Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL, his only other first-class appearance this summer was for Warwickshire in the day-night County Championship game against Lancashire in June.
Woakes has twice appeared at Finals Day for the Bears, helping them to win the trophy in 2014 - but he has not previously made a single appearance in this year's competition.
The Bears' semi-final with Glamorgan starts at 11:00 BST on Saturday morning. The other semi is between Hampshire and Notts Outlaws.
Rebecca Woods
Senior Broadcast Journalist, BBC News Online
Police officers in the West Midlands have some of the lowest levels of morale in the country, a survey suggests.
A Police Federation poll shows 60% of the force feel pay, work-life balance and the treatment of police officers is affecting their job.
The Home Office said policing offered competitive pay and a good pension.
A knife-wielding man tried to rob a man and woman as they took their business takings to a bank in Henley-in-Arden, external.
Image source, GoogleThe couple refused and he fled empty handed down the alleyway at the side of Arden Television Services before being picked up by a car.
Wasps and England netball star Tamsin Greenway is backing Birmingham's 2022 Commonwealth Games bid, with netball matches due to be played at the Ricoh Arena if successful.
The arena is the home of Wasps Netball Club.
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Image source, GoogleA family was refused entry to the Staffordshire theme park earlier this year
Read MoreA boy has been been arrested on suspicion of arson by police investigating a fire at a derelict pub in Warwick.
The Great Western Arms was set ablaze last Thursday afternoon.
The boy was later bailed and police are continuing to appeal for information.
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
Drayton Manor Theme Park says it will now allow Sikh visitors to wear ceremonial daggers.
It follows an incident in June which saw a family refused entry after an adult declined to exchange his Kirpan, worn as a symbol of his faith, for a replacement necklace.
Image source, @THESECRETPSYCHA friend had said the family from Coventry was celebrating their son's sixth birthday and had spent hundreds of pounds on tickets.
Now, the theme park near Tamworth says, after discussions with the Sikh Council, it will allow Sikhs to enter wearing them as long as they meet health and safety guidelines.
Those include that the dagger isn't longer than six inches and it should be worn out of sight and securely.
Chris Mason
Political Correspondent
Aston Martin has announced a huge multimillion-pound deal with Japan today which will see the luxury carmaker in Warwickshire open a new site in Tokyo and secure jobs at Gaydon.
The prime minister is in Japan with representatives of Aston Martin and other delegates, meeting with the country's business leaders.
Image source, Getty ImagesWhat they’re hoping to do is build something on top of the EU-Japan trade deal that is currently under negotiation. The UK has been a big part of working that up.
They hope they can kind of cut and paste that deal to form the basis of a UK Japan deal in the medium to long term.
