Hospital staff are being offered vouchers as an incentive to have the flu vaccination jab this winter.

The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust is trying to persuade at least 90% of its staff to have the injection, after a quarter of frontline staff didn't take up the free jab last year.

Image source, Getty Images

That was an improvement on previous years, but the trust is looking for a better take-up.

A report said the main reason for opting out was that "staff were concerned about the possible side effects of the vaccine", followed by needle phobia.

The vouchers will give the staff £3 to spend in the hospital cafe, and former hospitals chief executive David Sandbach offered to donate a bottle of champagne if the hospitals also wanted to hold a raffle.

Local Democracy Reporting Service
David Lawrence

Maintenance work has been put on hold at Warwick Hospital because the wards are so busy.

Image source, Google

Jayne Blacklay, managing director of the South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust, told managers at this week’s board meeting.

In her report, she explained: “The board should note that the trust continues to experience high levels of demand for emergency care during a period when demand is generally lower. It is a time of year when we plan to carry out essential maintenance and refurbishments within some of our facilities.

“We have prioritised and limited the work that we have carried out this year but this has still compromised our ability to open up further capacity to respond to the demand.”

Figures showed that more than 280 people attended A&E last month with 250 seen the previous month – both of these were above average.

Port Vale sign free-agent midfielder Will Atkinson for a second spell with the club on a short-term deal.

BBC Sport

Coventry Blaze face the Cardiff Devils again on Sunday and will be looking to make amends for their 5-1 cup defeat in the Welsh capital last Saturday.

Head coach Danny Stewart said the team was "unfortunate with a couple of bad bounces and that mad couple of minutes cost us", but added he thought this team matched up well when they were at full strength.

Image source, Dave Williams

Blaze travel to Guildford tomorrow to play the Flames and Telford Tigers have just one fixture in the National League this weekend - at home to the league leaders Hull Pirates on Sunday.

More than 50 people in Coventry attempt to break the world record for the most diverse conga line.

The Park Run in Stafford has been called off tomorrow after tree fell on the route yesterday, killing a 58-year-old man.

Image source, Zoe Napierska

The organisers of the weekly 5k run say the event will be cancelled out of respect to all those involved in the incident.

Staffordshiire Police said the path remains closed this morning.

BBC Shropshire

Residents of Ironbridge will now get a full week’s notice ahead of the demolition of the iconic cooling towers.

Harworth, the owner of the former power station there, had originally suggested giving just 48 hours notice.

The firm is looking to build 1,000 homes on the site and the change of heart followed a plea for residents who wanted to watch the controlled explosion.

Police have arrested a 41-year-old man on suspicion of murder.

Parts of the West Midlands could experience heavy rain causing travel disruption on Sunday.

A yellow warning for rain, external has been issued and lasts until 18:00.

Image source, Met Office

A murder investigation has been launched after a man was found dead with stab wounds in Coventry.

The 37-year-old was found in the back garden of a property in Armfield Street, Wood End at about 21:15 last night, police said.

A 41-year-old arrested in the area shortly afterwards is being questioned on suspicion of murder.

Officers are carrying out house to house inquiries in the area, said West Midlands Police.

The Home Office might have to step in help the West Mercia and Warwickshire police forces agree their break-up plans.

The two forces have been in talks since the West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner, John Campion and the Chief Constable, Anthony Bangham, announced they wanted to end their strategic alliance. West Mercia said negotiations have now ended without an agreement.

In a statement, the West Mercia force said: "We now anticipate intervention from the Home Office in the coming days to allow further time for Warwickshire to transition to a standalone model."

The force said it also understands a High Court injunction is being applied for by Warwickshire to try to prevent the termination of the current alliance arrangements.

"We cannot simply accept the continuation of the current arrangement, which sees West Mercia significantly subsidising a neighbouring force," the statement added.

A fresh picture of Viktorija Sokolova's "unhappy" life has emerged in a serious case review.

BBC Weather

The BBC Weather Watchers have been out early today capturing autumnal scenes across the West Midlands.

These pictures of Sutton Coldfield, Barlaston in Staffordshire and Mancetter in Warwickshire were taken by Sutton Walker, Jon and Walty.

Image source, Sutton Walker

Image source, Jon

Image source, Walty

Wolves manager Nuno Espírito Santo has praised fans who travelled to Istanbul.

Just over 1,000 of them saw the 1-0 win away to Besiktas in the Europa League.

This was a long awaited and historic victory for Wolves, who two seasons ago were in the Championship and last played in Europe almost four decades ago.

Image source, Getty Images

"We'll keep on fighting," the head coach said, "it's a competitive group but we'll just keep looking forward.

"We were in the Championship two years ago, we must be proud, the fans were superb tonight.

"We have to improve and keep believing in the things that we do."

Birmingham Live

Some of the Birmingham Live headlines today include:

• Former Aston Villa star and Wolves boss to appeal against drink-drive jail sentence, external
• Mum-of-three let Birmingham drugs gang use flat as it was 'an earner', external
• Man who 'stamped, punched and head butted' his female victim is jailed, external

Detectives investigating an arson attack in Packmoor, Stoke-on-Trent, earlier this year, have release CCTV footage of the incident.

Image source, Staffordshire Police

Graffiti was sprayed on to a trailer and fuel was used to set fire to a horsebox and a van on Samuel Street back in May.

Anyone with information is being asked to contact Staffordshire Police.

BBC Midlands Today

A record number of volunteers have signed up to sleep in the ruins of Coventry Cathedral tonight, to raise awareness of youth homelessness.

Hundreds of people are expected to spend the night sleeping rough to raise money for the charity, St Basil's, which supports young people living on the streets.

It follows a 42% rise in homelessness in the West Midlands during the last year, says the charity.

A large collection of chocolate-themed memorabilia has gone on show as part of a new exhibition at Cadbury World in Birmingham.

It was donated by chocolate fan Gill Cocks who inherited some of the items from her father.

Cadbury's has recreated her living room as a way of displaying some of the 5,000 pieces which have been part of her life since she was a student in Birmingham.

BBC Radio Stoke

A man has been banned from teaching for two years after being found to have sent inappropriate emails to a pupil at the school where he worked. , external

Desmond Leung had been employed as a science teacher at the Ormiston Horizon Academy in Stoke-on-Trent. He was found to have breached "appropriate professional boundaries" by sending emails of a personal nature.

He was warned about his conduct by the school and moved to a different class.

Mr. Leung admitted the behaviour to a disciplinary panel at the Teaching Regulation Authority, but denied a further allegation that he'd said he wanted to stay in touch with the pupil after she had left school.

The panel, though, found against him. He's now been banned from teaching at any school, and from home-schooling children, until October 2021.

BBC Sport

Fans will be asked to "pay what you like" to see National League club Solihull Moors' home game against Sutton United on 8 October.

Image source, Google

The Moors are replacing ticket prices with "honesty boxes" for the fixture, allowing fans free entry or a payment of "whatever they think is a fair price".

Buckets will be situated around the ground for donations, instead of payment being taken at the turnstiles.

All proceeds will go "to the community side of the club", the Moors said., external