The HS2 route through Warwickshire has been labelled "unachievable" by an official watchdog.

The Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) has given a "red" warning for the first two phases, which will see the line travel from London to Birmingham and then onto Crewe.

Both phases of the high speed rail link have faced significant delays and the review said the whole project may need to be "reassessed".

Estimates say the project has increased in costs from £33 billion in 2010 to at least £71 billion, but the UK Government says it is still committed to the project.

The IPA report into major projects across the country said: "Successful delivery of the project appears to be unachievable.

"There are major issues with project definition, schedule, budget, quality and/or benefits delivery, which at this stage do not appear to be manageable or resolvable.

"The project may need re-scoping and/or its overall viability reassessed."

The local leg of the line - which was visited by Transport Secretary Mark Harper earlier this month - was due to open in 2026, but is now not expected until at least 2029.

The Department for Transport said the visit "marks [the] Government's ongoing commitment to the high-speed line".