The West Midlands Police employee asked the woman to send him photos on Facebook, the watchdog says.

A 59-year-old dies in hospital after being hit by a car near Brierley Hill, Dudley.

A network of 69 specialist clinics are operating across England aiming to support people suffering from the long-term effects of coronavirus, NHS England has announced.

It comes as doctors say patients in hospital with coronavirus should be offered a follow-up six weeks later to check for "long Covid" symptoms.

Image source, Getty Images

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) says the longer-term effects can be "significant".

It has identified 28 of the most common symptoms, from breathlessness and dizziness to chest pain.

Seven hospital trusts in the West Midlands will operate the clinics:

• University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust
• Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
• Shropshire Community Health Trust
• Birmingham Community Healthcare Trust
• Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust
• Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust
• The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust

Shefali Oza
BBC Midlands Today

After a dry start for some it will be a mainly wet day with some heavy rain and highs of 13C (55F).

The mayor of the West Midlands said he would be seeking "urgent clarification" from the government over the decision not to move Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire from tier three to tier two.

He described the announcement as "incredibly disappointing" after the areas had made "immense progress".

Andy Street said he would also press the government for more cash to support businesses following the announcement that much of the region would remain in tier three.

Mr Street said the current package of financial measures allowing affected businesses to claim up to £3,000 a month "just is not going to cover it" for firms struggling with overheads and a bleak Christmas trading period.

He said the Treasury would "have to do more on this", adding he had already written to the Chancellor.

Post-Covid rehab centres to help treat people suffering with the after-effects of the disease are set to be up and running in the West Midlands "within weeks", it has been revealed.

Image source, Google

The deputy chief medical officer from Birmingham and Solihull Clinical Commissioning Group Will Taylor told a meeting on Wednesday that work had been ongoing for a "couple of months" to set up centres.

The long-term effects of coronavirus are not well known, with some sufferers of "long Covid" experiencing a wide range of symptoms such as fatigue and aches months after their initial diagnosis.

Mr Taylor said that the rehab centres would be used to treat two types of patient – one suffering with the impact of long Covid, and one for those who had suffered with a particularly aggressive form of the disease.

Restrictions ease in Herefordshire, but stay the same everywhere else in the West Midlands.

Other than Covic-19 restrictions relaxing in Herefordshire, there have been no further changes to tier restrictions across the West Midlands.

Image source, PA Media

It had been hoped some areas would move from tier three to tier two - but rates have been creeping up across Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Coventry and Solihull.

Politicians in Stratford-upon-Avon had threatened legal action after being put into the most stringent tier three measures but withdrew their action, saying at the time they were satisfied the government had listened to their concerns.

Birmingham, Coventry, Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent, Walsall and Warwickshire remain in tier three.

Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin and Worcestershire remain in tier two.

The health secretary, Matt Hancock, will announce the outcome of his review of the tier system later today.

Image source, Getty Images

Most of the West Midlands has been in tier three, the toughest restrictions, since lockdown ended on 2 December.

At that time, with infection rates falling, there were hopes from many local politicians of moving to a lower tier before Christmas.

However, places including Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Coventry and Solihull have seen their rates creeping up again.

Stoke-on-Trent's infection rate has fallen, but city council leader Abi Brown said she wasn't confident of a move to tier two as other factors were being considered, including pressure on the NHS.

The leader of Warwick District Council Andrew Day said with low rates in part of the county there was a chance its tier three measures could be eased.

But MP for Warwick and Leamington, Matt Western, said for his area the "numbers don't look so good".

Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin have until now been in tier two where restrictions are slightly more relaxed.

Shefali Oza
BBC Midlands Today

After a sunny morning it will be a cloudy day with the odd shower and highs of 10°C (50°F).

There could be a "terrible price to pay" for Christmas celebrations, West Midlands council leaders say.

Hopes are fading in parts of the West Midlands for areas to see their Covid restrictions loosened ahead of Christmas.

Image source, PA Media

Ministers are due to review the English tier system today with an announcement of any changes on Thursday.

Most of the West Midlands has been in tier three, the toughest restrictions, since lockdown ended on 2 December.

At that time, with infection rates falling, there were hopes from many local politicians of moving to a lower tier before Christmas.

However, places including Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Coventry and Solihull have seen their rates creeping up again.

Stoke-on-Trent's infection rate has fallen, but city council leader Abi Brown said she wasn't confident of a move to tier two as other factors were being considered, including pressure on the NHS.

"The hospital has done an amazing job over recent weeks but there is still quite considerable pressure on there. So, disappointingly, I think it is unlikely we will be moving down a tier," she said.

Four children had to be rescued from the fire in Round Road, Erdington on 31 October

BBC Politics

The West Midlands is set to get a slice of £67m in new funding for brownfield housing schemes under revised planning reforms in England.

Image source, Reuters

The changes have been made to the proposals after new targets prompted a backlash among many Conservative MPs.

A computer-based formula used to decide where houses should be located has been "updated" to focus more on cities and urban areas in the North and Midlands.

Ministers said cash for brownfield sites would be distributed more fairly outside London and the South East.

A taskforce has been set up to advise on inner-city regeneration, and how best to respond to the hollowing out of many areas by the pandemic and the fall in demand for office and retail spaces.

The West Midlands and Greater Manchester Mayoral Combined Authorities will receive £67m in new funding between them for brownfield developments.

BBC Weather

Mild and windy today with rain forecast.. High: 9C/48F.

Image source, BBC Weather Watcher Dammo

The rain will clear to the east later to be followed by clear spells overnight. Feeling mild for the time of year with a low of 4C/39F.

You can keep up-to-date by going to the BBC Weather website.

A volunteer group aims to deliver more than 350 hampers to struggling families.

The England and Aston Villa player has also been hit with an £80,000 fine.

Shefali Oza
BBC Midlands Today

Plenty of sunshine but there will be a few cloudy spells and the chance of the odd shower with highs of 10°C (50°F).

The Black Country Living Museum amasses more than 360,000 followers on the social media platform.

Witnesses described "a barbaric attack" with the ringleader being seen to hold "a bloodied knife".