A "much-loved" healthcare assistant has died after testing positive for coronavirus.

Image source, NHS

Janice Glassey spent 14 years providing care for people in their own homes as part of the district nursing service in Halton, Cheshire.

The 66-year-old, who worked for Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, died on 24 April.

"She was a much-loved and valued colleague and friend," said Colin Scales, chief executive of the trust.

"She had worked for 14 years, providing care and compassion to many Halton patients and families," he added.

BBC Radio Stoke

Three thousand food parcels have been delivered by volunteers in Stoke-on-Trent since the pandemic began.

The city council, which is co-ordinating the scheme with volunteer group VAST, said , externalnearly 700 people had joined up to help residents who are self-isolating.

They've also delivered 500 prescriptions as well as collecting shopping and making calls to combat loneliness.

Mike Matthews says the rough sleepers he has given rooms to have become "extended family".

Visors and face mask clips have been donated to Birmingham Children's Hospital.

Medical staff said they'd come from Solihull-based flooring firm Amtico and King Henry VIII School, Coventry.

Cheshire Live - Crewe

These headlines are from the Cheshire Live website for Crewe:

• Painting of inspirational Captain Tom to stay on show on Nantwich Square, external
• Man jailed for 'shocking' hammer and knife attack in Crewe, external
• Leighton Hospital's first ventilated coronavirus patient is successfully discharged, external

Cheshire Fire Service is reminding people not to set off sky lanterns tomorrow to show appreciation for the NHS.

The warning comes after an incident in Winsford where a sky lantern landed in a residential street after the weekly clapping tribute.

A Bridgnorth stonemason is hoping to donate this carved angel wing to the NHS, to show his appreciation for the work its doing.

Christopher Lawrence carved it for the Backyard Stone Carving Festival, which was held over four days over last weekend and encouraged people to create works of art at their home.

Image source, Christina-Clare Photography

Mr Lawrence said he will contact the NHS today, to see if it can be displayed at the town's hospital.

Image source, Christina-Clare Photography

Janice Glassey, 66, cared for people in their own homes as part of the district nursing service in Halton.

Allen Cook
BBC News

Dog owners are being urged to keep their pets on leads after a Shetland pony was attacked.

Image source, Sandwell Council

Sandwell Council said , externaltheir animal Rocky suffered the injuries, including to his neck, on Monday at Sandwell Valley Country Park.

He's had several stitches after the attack and is now recovering, the authority added.

Thousands of cancer patients will be operated on at new centres designed to be kept clear of coronavirus.

Image source, Queen Victoria Hospital

The regional "virus-free" centres have been set up in 21 areas of England to carry out urgent surgery during the pandemic.

Trusts have been told all essential cancer treatments must continue despite the NHS focus on coronavirus.

But it is estimated cancer referrals have dropped by about 70%.

A survey by NHS England of 1,000 people found a third were worried about seeking help from their GP.

Top reasons included fear of catching coronavirus, giving it to family members, and being a burden on the health service.

The 2020 Ledbury Festival, which bills itself as the UK's biggest poetry festival, has been cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

It was due to take place in July, but organisers said next year's festival, which marks its 25th anniversary, will be the biggest ever.

Image source, Google

Birmingham Live

From the Birmingham Live website:

• Couple set up takeaway business from their home but met with backlash, external
• Dad jailed for deliberately coughing at cops breaking up banned house party, external
• Couple's baby being delivered early so dad with incurable cancer can cuddle his newborn, external

BBC Weather Watchers

There have been some grey skies around this morning but our BBC Weather Watchers have still been out taking photos across the West Midlands.

These three are from users Suttonwalker in Sutton Coldfield, Ken M in Lydbury North, Shropshire and Angus and me in Hednesford, Staffordshire.

Image source, Suttonwalker

Image source, Ken M

Image source, Angus and me

People with coronavirus symptoms who need to get to the testing centres in Shrewsbury and Telford will be offered.

Shropshire Council is leasing vehicles to help those without any way of getting to the the Telford International Centre or Shrewsbury Town stadium by themselves.

Image source, Shropshire CCG

There have also been discussions with the county's clinical commissioning groups about the possibility of sending out clinical staff to the patients.

Rob Mayor
Political reporter, BBC WM

Tips could reopen next week depending on how long it takes councils to implement social distancing measures.

Image source, Birmingham City Council

Many closed in March after Prime Minister Boris Johnson said people should stay at home, except for “essential travel”.

But yesterday, Local Government Secretary Robert Jenrick told the Commons, external he’d tell councils to start the organised reopening of household waste sites.

Councils are now looking to carry this out in a co-ordinated way to avoid any area getting overwhelmed by visitors.

The scheme could lead to a one-in, one-out traffic light controlled system.

Shropshire Star

Here are three of the stories from the Shropshire Star:

• Coronavirus toll on Shropshire care homes revealed, external
• Sculpture firm to create face shields, external
• Support website for Bridgnorth businesses, external

BBC Newsbeat

NHS staff are being gifted free access to video games to say thank you for their work during coronavirus.

Image source, Getty Images

Big companies like EA, Konami, Xbox and Sega, as well as independent studios, are part of the Games for Carers initiative.

The studios say NHS workers can use the games "when they get some well-earned down time, or to provide relief for their families".

More than 85,000 games will be available to download.

To get access NHS workers need to visit the Games for Carers website, external and enter their NHS email address.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

The planned £8m refurbishment of Telford Central fire station could be delayed because of the impact of coronavirus on builders and suppliers.

The fire station on Stafford Park was built in the 1980s and the upgrade involves two extensions, along with a multi-agency incident room and an improved control room.

Image source, SFRS

The work will also add solar panels to the roof and improve the training facilities.

A fire authority report said the architects hope to invite bids for the work over the summer and it's still possible work could start late in the year.

Stoke-on-Trent Live

The Stoke-on-Trent Live website's headlines:

• Lockdown flouters leave empty beer cans and vodka bottles after partying at beauty spot, external
• Hunt for 'evil' pet killer as raw meat laced with rat poison lobbed onto patio, external
• Well-wishers raise thousands of pounds after 'kind-hearted' biker killed in crash, external

PA Media

A former evacuee said she is looking forward to the country winning a "victory" over coronavirus as the 75th anniversary of VE Day approaches.

Betty Price was 10 when World War Two broke out, which led to her evacuation from her home in Birmingham to Oakthorpe in Leicestershire.

She returned seven months later after "hating every minute" of what she said was an "utterly miserable" experience, and later married veteran Albert Price.

Last year Mr Price, 93, showed his wife the beach where he had landed on D-Day during a visit with the Royal British Legion to mark the 75th anniversary of Operation Overlord.

The couple, who have been married for 68 years, are now isolating at their home in Solihull due to the coronavirus pandemic, and Ms Price is feeling optimistic the current difficulties will be over soon.

Image source, PA Media