BBC Travel

There's slow traffic on the M6 northbound between J2, for the M69, and J3, at the A444 (Coventry), because of an accident.

A bright start across the West Midlands this morning, followed by a warm and mostly dry day, with some sunshine too. 

However, some may see the odd slow-moving, heavy and perhaps thundery shower during the afternoon - staying warm with highs of 24C (75F).

Good morning. Is that the weekend we can see, over there in the corner, pretending not to notice us? 

We're here with a mix of news, sport, travel and weather throughout the morning and guess what? We'll even take you into the afternoon and through to evening.

We'll bring your morning weather forecast soon and let you know how it's looking on the roads. Until then, sit back, relax and enjoy the fli... Sorry, wrong 'welcome'. But do enjoy.

We're back with more news, sport, travel and weather from 08:00 tomorrow, but keep an eye out here for updates this evening and into the morning.

The Rwandan national cycling team has been spending a day looking around Coventry while taking a break from their tour of Britain.

The small group is heading for London tomorrow and coach Sterling Magnell has described them as the African nation's "cream of the crop".

He explained they're preparing to turn professional and were over here for exposure and the experience.

Clive Eakin
BBC Coventry & Warwickshire Sport

Coventry Rugby Club, external could be a Championship outfit but they are currently struggling to compete with sides at the top of National League One.   

Image source, Google

That's according to their new director of rugby Rowland Winter. 

He's told BBC Coventry and Warwickshire that they've adopted a more professional approach.

Coventry Telegraph

Health and safety officers have forced a Wetherspoons pub in Nuneaton to close, external due to a pest problem.  

Image source, Coventry Telegraph

Home-made meals for babies and toddlers are not always better than shop-bought ones, researchers say.

A study by the Universities of Warwick and Aberdeen found that while home-cooking costs half the price, they actually contain almost treble the levels of saturated fat and salt compared to shop-bought food.

Image source, PA

Experts also found a greater vegetable variety per meal in ready-made foods, despite a broader range of ingredients overall included in home-cooked recipes.

Parents in North Warwickshire have been told a plan to start charging for their children's school bus has been postponed. 

Families in Warton have campaigned against the idea to charge £375 a year for the two-mile journey to Polesworth.

Image source, Google

The county council has now promised to keep the service free until at least September 2017.

Coventry's cathedral is to get £870,000 for slate for its Chapel of Unity.

The money is part of a £14.5m grant, shared between cathedrals nationwide, to mark the centenary of World War One and to repair these "powerful symbols" of British history, Culture Secretary Karen Bradley said.

Image source, bbc

BBC Coventry & Warwickshire

This afternoon's headlines include:

- The former site at Long Marston airfield near Stratford could become a 'garden village'  

- Record numbers of people are expected at Warwick Folk Festival that gets under way tonight 

- Coventry and Rugby CCG is placed in special measures

Sam Allardyce is the new England boss. Here is his life, and career, in pictures.

The body that plans health care services in Coventry and Rugby is among nine Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) to be placed in special measures today, external.

The status, which follows an NHS rating of 'inadequate', is applied to CCGs that are not meeting their financial commitments.

The NHS says it has taken action to "sharpen the direct accountability of trusts and CCGs, external to live within public resources".

Damian Gannon, chairman of Coventry City Council's health committee said: "It is disappointing that the CCG has been placed into special measures. I will be working with health partners across the city to ensure that everyone is doing what they can to ensure that necessary improvements are made.

"It is reassuring that the CCG have been open about the difficulties they are facing and have demonstrated their appetite for improvement in recent Scrutiny meetings."

BBC News Education

The implementation of a new national funding formula for schools will be delayed by a year, Education Secretary Justine Greening has told MPs.

The government had been planning to bring in the new scheme in England from 2017-18, saying it was needed to address uneven levels of funding across the country.

But Ms Greening said it would now apply from 2018-19 and told MPs she did not want to rush into changes without being sure of their ramifications. 

In the 2016-17 financial year, external, Coventry schools were allocated about £3,500 per pupil and those in Birmingham about £5,200.

Labour's shadow education secretary Angela Rayner criticised the delay as "woeful".  

BBC Travel

Albert Street in Rugby is shut both way at the King Edward Road junction because of a water leak.

BBC Coventry & Warwickshire Sport

The Coventry Bees went down to a 36-56 defeat at Poole on a tough night against the defending Elite League Champions. 

A strong display from Krzysztof Kasprzak wasn't enough for the Bees.  

Image source, Getty Images

They now have just four away matches remaining to improve a record of one win on the road this season. 

A signalling problem at Banbury is causing disruption to rail services in Birmingham and Warwickshire, Network Rail says, external.

Delays of up to an hour can be expected.

BBC Coventry & Warwickshire

Record numbers of people are expected at the Warwick Folk Festival, which gets under way tonight.

The main programme of the festival, which is in its 37th year, is taking place at Warwick Boys School.

BBC Coventry and Warwickshire will be live at the event on Friday afternoon and again on Sunday.

A new time lapse video shows the 1,000 tonnes of steel appearing in Coventry over the last three months in just 39 seconds.

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