Summary

  • Updates from Monday 17 February to Sunday 23 February

  1. Man rescues stranded goose stuck in mudpublished at 16:22 Greenwich Mean Time 26 March 2021

    Footage shows a man wading through thick mud to help the bird from a lake which has been drained.

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  2. What might a third wave look like?published at 15:27 Greenwich Mean Time 26 March 2021

    Restrictions are easing, but with parts of Europe seeing rising infections, should the UK be worried?

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  3. Murder probe victim named as suspects releasedpublished at 14:59 Greenwich Mean Time 26 March 2021

    The 29-year-old was found dead at a house in Overdale on Tuesday, a day after she was assaulted.

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  4. 'Cowardly' toddler murderer jailed for lifepublished at 13:56 Greenwich Mean Time 26 March 2021

    Babysitter Sean Sadler will serve at least 20 years in jail for the murder of Lilly Hanrahan.

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  5. Jackie Weaver: Don't stop virtual council meetingspublished at 13:26 Greenwich Mean Time 26 March 2021

    The council officer says more people get involved with council meetings when they take place online.

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  6. 'I've become friends with the man who burgled me'published at 12:36 Greenwich Mean Time 26 March 2021

    Anne Linton and a man who burgled her swap Christmas gifts and he regularly does her gardening.

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  7. Four West Midlands MPs oppose extension of Covid powerspublished at 09:31 Greenwich Mean Time 26 March 2021

    On Thursday night there were four West Midlands MPs among 76 who opposed the extension of emergency coronavirus powers for the government.

    Tories Harriett Baldwin (West Worcestershire) and Craig Tracey (North Warwickshire); and Labour's John Spellar (Warley), and Zarah Sultana (Coventry South) all voted the powers are no longer needed, but 484 members voted to extend them for another six months.

    Health Secretary Matt HancockImage source, UK Parliament

    Other MPs to oppose the extension included former Conservative Cabinet ministers David Davis, Esther McVey and John Redwood, former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who now sits as an independent, ex-shadow chancellor John McDonnell and one-time Labour leadership contender Rebecca Long-Bailey.

    The Liberal Democrats also opposed the extension, along with the only Green Party MP Caroline Lucas.

  8. Covid: Over-50s offered vaccines with no appointmentpublished at 09:04 Greenwich Mean Time 26 March 2021

    BBC Midlands Today

    People over the age of 50 will be able to receive a Covid vaccine without an appointment at three centres in the Black Country for the next week.

    One of the vaccine centres

    Anyone eligible for a jab can turn up at The Saddlers Centre in Walsall, Tipton Sports Academy and VW Active Aldersley, in Wolverhampton.

    Some people who are due to have a first vaccination have not booked and organisers hope the move will ensure all available vaccine is used.

    Sally Roberts, chief nurse for Black Country and West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Groups, said the move came after feedback from the public.

    "People, when they are waiting for appointments, they would rather be seen quickly, come and get their vaccine and get about their daily work and this opportunity is here now for a week," she said.

  9. Disabled workers welcome factory rescuepublished at 09:01 Greenwich Mean Time 26 March 2021

    About 600 people were made redundant when a car parts firm went into administration last year.

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  10. What's the weather got in store?published at 08:34 Greenwich Mean Time 26 March 2021

    BBC Weather

    It will be a cloudy morning with outbreaks of rain followed by a brighter afternoon with highs of 10°C (50°F).

    Weather map
  11. 'Woman feared PC rape would not be believed'published at 18:16 Greenwich Mean Time 25 March 2021

    PC Michael Darbyshire denies rape and five counts of sexual assault at Worcester Crown Court.

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  12. Tribute to teen killed in moped hit-and-runpublished at 18:09 Greenwich Mean Time 25 March 2021

    Liam Mooney is thought to have been a pillion passenger on a moped which was in collision with a car.

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  13. Covid-19: More than four million in Midlands vaccinatedpublished at 17:50 Greenwich Mean Time 25 March 2021

    More than four million people in the Midlands have now received a Covid-19 vaccine, according to the latest NHS figures.

    In total, 4,638,951 people in the wider region had received their first dose by 21 March.

    Among the 50s age group - the current priority for vaccinations - 1,092,448 have received a first dose.

    Some 89% of those aged over 50 are now thought to have had at least one dose of a vaccine.

    Graphic
  14. Hospital boss relieved at falling Covid numberspublished at 17:40 Greenwich Mean Time 25 March 2021

    The chief executive of the Royal Stoke and County hospitals has said there is a sense of relieft as coronavirus patient numbers fall.

    Tracy Bullock said they're currently treating about 50 patients across both hospitals, with seven in critical care.

    Royal Stoke HospitalImage source, Google

    Ms Bullock said staff have "faced problems that have required all of us to think very differently" while they were "dealing with a highly infectious disease that none of us had ever encountered".

    And she said the trust had been forced to redesign the hospitals, to reduce the risk of infection.

  15. Teenager denies 20 terror-related chargespublished at 17:11 Greenwich Mean Time 25 March 2021

    Nuh Raheel, 19, is accused of collecting terrorist information and will face trial in June.

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  16. Murder accused denies deliberately mutilating bodypublished at 15:39 Greenwich Mean Time 25 March 2021

    Azam Mangori, 24, tells the court "the only thing I have ever cut up in my life is chicken meat".

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  17. Shrewsbury baby deaths prompt plan for more midwivespublished at 15:31 Greenwich Mean Time 25 March 2021

    The BBC understands as many as 1,000 more midwives and 80 obstetrics consultants will be hired in England.

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  18. Family appeal three years after double murderpublished at 13:04 Greenwich Mean Time 25 March 2021

    Johnny Robbins went missing in 2018 and police say his death is linked to another murder in Coventry.

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  19. Santander to close some branches in the West Midlandspublished at 11:37 Greenwich Mean Time 25 March 2021

    Santander is going to close five of its branches around the West Midlands by the end of August.

    They're among 111 to go around the country, with the bank saying it's because fewer people are visiting them.

    SantanderImage source, Getty Images

    Santander said the 840 staff affected will be found other jobs.

    These are the affected sites and their expected closure dates:

    • Dudley Merryhill - 24 June
    • Newcastle-under-Lyme - 15 July
    • Halesowen - 22 July
    • Birmingham Erdington - 29 July
    • Harborne High Street - 5 August