Further flood defences are being deployed across parts of the West Midlands as a yellow warning for rain, external is extended.

Image source, Environment Agency

Barriers are being erected at Beales Corner and Severnside South in Bewdley, Worcestershire, says the Enivonment Agency.

Temporary defences will be put up in Ironbridge, Shropshire, from tomorrow.

The Met Office warning for rain is in place from 06:00 Wednesday until 06:00 Thursday (Christmas Eve) and is set to affect parts of Herefordshire, Shropshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire.

An unknown substance has been thrown at people at a bus stop at Merry Hill shopping centre in Brierley Hill, police say.

Image source, Google

West Midlands Police and other emergency services were called to the site just before midday.

"Fortunately, there are no reported injuries and inquiries are now under way to find out what the substance was," police said.

Ellie Wain has been sentenced to life in prison over Kieran Brown's death.

Cases of coronavirus in Birmingham are increasing by about 20 to 25% every seven days, says the city's director of public health.

Image source, PA Media

People travelling from tier-four areas to the West Midlands are being asked to "assume" they have the new coronavirus variant and self-isolate.

Dr Justin Varney said he was watching the figures "very carefully" for signs of the new variant of the virus that causes figures to "rise very rapidly - doubling their numbers every four to seven days".

He said: "It's that rapid increase that's the first sign that the variant is here.

"If we continue to climb, and if we start to climb any faster then we will see tighter restrictions, not just here but other parts of the country.

"This new variant spreads faster to more people - if we do not act quickly, if we do not act responsibly, the NHS will buckle in January and more people will die that could have not."

Shefali Oza
BBC Midlands Today

It will be a cloudy day with patchy rain and highs of 9°C (48°F).

Areas of England outside the South East say the new variant of Covid-19 is likely to be circulating.

Unison says University Hospital Birmingham should be prioritising front-line staff for vaccinations.

The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) has been awarded a £51m grant to redevelop brownfield sites in the region.

Image source, West Midlands Combined Authority

The money will be used to build houses on former industrial sites, the WMCA said, including a development at the former MG Rover plant in Longbridge.

"The new year has the potential to be a very good one for our future housing plans," Metropolitan Mayor Andy Street said.

"We must keep up the momentum as housebuilding and brownfield land remediation will have a key part to play in our economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.”

A further three defendants were jailed for violent disorder over the death of Harvey Waterfield.

Nathan Maynard-Ellis, 30 and his boyfriend David Leesley, 25, killed Ms Rawson and hid her body.

Julia Rawson's friends remember her not as a murder victim but a talented, vibrant and humorous woman.

Jennifer Batty, 59, died in hospital after being hit on Friday at the junction of Brettell Lane.

Alex Hamilton
BBC Weather

Get ready for some wet and blustery conditions across the region this morning.

It’s going to feel quite mild for this time of year and expect some showers across the day.

The latest news, sport, travel and weather across the West Midlands and south Cheshire.

David Jamieson said the change of Christmas restrictions is likely to heap pressure on police.

Birmingham's new test centre has been set up in the Ultima Arena.

Helen Edwards, an NHS doctor from the West Midlands in the UK takes us through her week's spending.

Simon Bramhall branded his initials on two patients' livers during operations in Birmingham.

Lobbying is going to continue into the new year to try and get more support for the struggling hospitality sector, West Midlands politicians said.

Businesses in the area have been forced to close under tier three measures.

Image source, Getty Images

The government said it had extended the furlough wage support scheme until March and offered loans, grants and tax cuts to businesses.

But Birmingham City Council Leader Ian Ward told a regional Covid-19 briefing on Friday the sector needed more.

"We had a meeting earlier of West Midlands' leaders and there was unanimous push for more support, we will keep pushing through Christmas and new year," he said.

The region's mayor, Andy Street, said it was an important industry with 135,000 jobs in the urban part of the West Midlands.

"We have all been doing lots of lobbying but as yet there has been no positive white smoke from government but we are resolute we need to continue," he said.

Daniel Bracher was speeding and driving on the wrong side of the road, prosecutors say.