The River Teme in Shropshire and the River Leam in Warwickshire will be cleaned up, to make the water clean enough to swim in.

Severn Trent is planning to spend £78m on the work and aims to reduce the amount of waste getting in to the rivers.

The money will be spent on a number of projects, which will focus on reducing the amount of discharge from storm overflows, installing disinfection processes at three water treatment works, more river quality monitoring and more work to advise farmers on run-off from fields.

The work has been welcomed by the MP for Ludlow, Philip Dunne, who introduced a Private Members Bill last year, calling for action on sewage pollution.

He said: "I am hopeful that these £78m pilots will show not only an improvement in water quality for wild swimming, which is becoming increasingly popular, but also wider ecological benefit to the Teme.”

Anthony Gelling told the court he was trying to stop his then-partner reversing their car into him.

Shropshire Star

Here are three of the stories from the Shropshire Star today:

• Man in 20s dies in crash, external near Ludlow
• Waiting list for 'routine' hospital treatment at highest point ever, external
• Shrewsbury's new mayor outlines vision, external

Lucy Letby is accused of killing eight babies while working on a hospital neonatal unit.

A hit-and-run driver who admitted causing the death of a grandmother by dangerous driving has had his jail term increased.

Krishna Devi Droch, 62, was struck by a Vauxhall Zafira travelling on the wrong side of the road in Handsworth, Birmingham, on 9 November 2017.

In March, Mohammed Ishfaq, 34, from Leonard Road, Lozells, was jailed for six years and three months and disqualified from driving for 10 years.

But Court of Appeal judges have ruled Ishfaq had been given an unduly lenient sentence.

Image source, West Midlands Police

His jail sentence was increased to eight years.

Image source, Family handout

The Shropshire County Show will go ahead this year but it will be limited in its scale because of coronavirus concerns.

Ian Bebbington, chief executive of the Shropshire West Midlands Agricultural Society, said there would be no marquees or entertainment in the main ring when the event returned to the West Mid Showground on 17 July.

Mr Bebbington said it was being scaled down to reduce the show's financial risk and added: "If we have to cancel the show at very short notice then our expenses are limited."

There will also be fewer trade stalls this year and he said: "It's the Shropshire County Show, Covid-style."

Hereford Times

Here are three of the stories from the Hereford Times today:

• Controversial bird farm on Herefordshire border before planners, external
• Former chef banned from the roads after taking drugs, external
• Crisp manufacturers' sustainability drive, external

People living in Newcastle-under-Lyme are being warned about callers posing as workers for the Environment Agency (EA).

The EA said it was aware of an incident where an individual was claiming to work for it.

It says staff will always carry ID and never ask to enter your home.

The agency has been carrying out checks in the area over continuing concerns about the odour surrounding Walleys Quarry, in Silverdale.

The festival garden site will host comedy and music gigs as well as food outlets and a box office.

A man has died after being hit by a car in Birmingham.

The pedestrian, believed to be 41, was struck by a white Range Rover in Spring Hill just before 19:00 on Monday, West Midlands Police said.

He was pronounced dead in hospital a short time later.

Image source, Google

The driver of the car stopped at the scene and is helping with police inquiries.

No-one has been arrested, the force added.

It has appealed for anyone with information to come forward.

Shropshire Council has voted in its first female leader since becoming a unitary authority.

Conservative Lezley Picton replaces Peter Nutting, who lost his seat in the recent council elections.

Image source, Shropshire Council

Ms Picton, who represents the Tern ward, was previously the member responsible for leisure and culture.

She was elected by her party ahead of the former deputy leader Steve Charmley and said she was "thrilled humbled and excited".

BBC Weather

The forecast for today is for more of the same, with bright sunshine in-between rain showers.

Temperatures will reach 14C (57F) in parts of the West Midlands and tonight they will drop to about 7C (45F).

It's a similar forecast for the rest of the week, but for more informationgo to the BBC Weather page.

The photos donated at a photographic show are believed to have been found in an attic clear-out.

Sandra hasn't hugged her daughter Sam for more than a year due to coronavirus restrictions.

Graduates Jack Merritt and Saskia Jones were killed at a Learning Together event in November 2019.

Sophie Madden
BBC News, West Midlands

A Shropshire bar-owner said the latest lifting of restrictions was the closest he had got to being able to properly reopen his venues.

David Gregg, who runs Telford's Albert's Shed, plus Albert's Shed and Albert's Pour House in Shrewsbury, said it was "a step closer to fully reopening".

Under the new restrictions, live performances will be able to resume at his Telford venue.

"There are still a lot of restrictions in place," he said.

"It will mean having a fully seated audience of 100 people, instead of a couple of hundred people jumping up and down in front of stage, but we had experience of it at the end of last year, we're all set up for it and it is something which is better than nothing."

Image source, Albert's Shed

“One of our venues in Shrewsbury has not opened since the 20th March last year, but it will reopen on Friday for live music.

"It is the closest we have got to getting properly open in well over 12 months.

“We are hesitant really, there is no guarantee all restrictions will be lifted on 21 June, there is a chance we will have to carry on under the current restrictions for a little while longer, but.. it is a step in right direction.”

Liz McIvor explores the heritage of our canal network. After years of decline in the postwar period much of the network was eventually restored. Once places of labour and industry, they became places of leisure and tranquillity. The newly renovated canals were increasingly popular for boating holidaymakers. Liz visits the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct in Wales and travels to Birmingham where canals have become catalysts for property development and urban regeneration. Canals offer so many benefits today. Perhaps, Liz suggests, it is time to construct a few more?

David Gregory-Kumar
Science correspondent, BBC Midlands Today

As ever with coronavirus, today is all about risk.

The government has decided that despite an incomplete vaccination campaign and the arrival and spread of the Indian variant (B.1.617.2) it is still opening things up today.

Image source, PA Media

There are scientists who are very worried the new variant could be much more infectious meaning there's a real chance we will see another peak in deaths as big as any that have gone before.

But the government has decided to go ahead with relaxing lockdown. That's a risk on their part.

And now each of us have to make a decision about what sort of personal risk we are prepared to take with our health and the health of those around us.

Asking people if they've been vaccinated before deciding whether or not to hug them? Sitting inside a badly ventilated pub where people are shouting and singing? It's all about risk.

Whatever any of us decide today, we'll be watching the numbers as all those little decisions we all take add up to the big picture the government has to deal with in a few weeks' time.

The charges do not directly relate to the continuing fire at Greenway Polymers in Telford.

Among the businesses reopening today are cinemas, with some limits on numbers.

The Regal Cinema in Evesham has had a revamp during lockdown, including a new bar, new toilets and a new roof.

Image source, Google

Eva Moeskops, from the cinema said: "175, 200 max we can get in at the moment, when we usually do have 280 people.

"Already Friday might is looking really busy, the first Monday is looking really busy so we're very, very excited about that."