BBC News UK

The government is to set aside £3.1m for services helping children who experience domestic abuse during the coronavirus epidemic.

Image source, Getty Images

The funding will be given to councils, charities, and police and crime commissioners in England and Wales.

Labour has put forward a plan for a fund of £75m for domestic abuse services as part of charity funding.

MPs will debate the Domestic Abuse Bill later, amid evidence it is rising during the coronavirus lockdown.

There has been a "surge" in violence in the weeks since the lockdown was introduced, a report by MPs said, with a rise in killings and the number of calls to the National Domestic Abuse helpline run by Refuge up 49% after three weeks.

A police force has praised more than 600 "rookie officers", external joining the beat during the lockdown.

West Midlands Police said: "Hundreds of our student officers are cutting their teeth as PCs during the Covid-19 outbreak. They are doing a fantastic job keeping people safe during these unprecedented times."

Irfan Shafiq, a student officer from Birmingham, described the last few weeks as "surreal" but said there had been many uplifting moments, with people thanking him for his service while on patrol.

Image source, West Midlands Police

BBC Make A Difference

When a 92-year-old recovering from pneumonia needed help to get her TV repaired her family asked for help.

Daughter Janice contacted BBC CWR on Monday to say her bed-bound mother, also recovering from sepsis, had run out of reading material and needed help to repair her TV.

Image source, Getty Images

After a few calls, the station put the pair in touch with Doreen from Coventry Aerial Installations, external who was able to help.

"I'd like to say a great big thank you to everyone," Janice said.

A 16-year-old girl who's gone missing from her home in Leeds left the city on a train for Oxford via Birmingham, police have said.

Image source, West Yorkshire Police

Rawan Hussain was last seen at her home in Chapel Allerton on Sunday morning, prompting police to search nearby Gledhow Valley Woods to find her.

West Yorkshire Police have released CCTV images (pictured) of her at Leeds station at about 09:00 on Sunday, and confirmed she travelled to Birmingham.

Officers are now trying to work out if she travelled on towards Oxford.

Rawan is Asian, about 4ft 9ins and of medium build, with curly dark brown hair.

She was reported missing from her home at 13:00 on Sunday after last being seen there at about 05:00.

Det Insp Richard Holmes said: "We remain very concerned for Rawan's welfare and urgently need to find her and make sure she is safe."

Police are appealing to anyone who has seen Rawan Hussain, 16, in either Birmingham or Oxford.

Two women have shaved their heads in an attempt to raise money for children around the world affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

Claire Martin, who is 59 and her 71-year-old friend Sheila Martin, both from Coventry, are aiming to raise £2,626 for Global Care’s Children at Risk fund and have so far collected more than £1,600.

Image source, Global Care

Fire crews at Kings Norton in Birmingham were among those who held a minute's silence this morning.

More than 100 NHS and care staff have died with the virus, as have many transport and other key workers.

The minute's silence was to remember them.

Cain Jackson died in a Rugby street after being stabbed last year.

BBC Politics

Ministers are facing competing demands from councils across England for a £1.6bn emergency coronavirus fund.

Image source, PA Media

County councils are seeking assurances that up to £1bn in added social care costs will be met to support nursing homes, recruit carers, source equipment and relieve pressure on the NHS.

But district councils have warned they risk financial collapse if the new money is not allocated "fairly".

The government said councils were getting "significant support".

Motorists are being asked to be extra careful, with more runners, walkers and cyclists choosing to take their daily exercise outdoors.

Warwickshire Police said they need to be given extra room and asked drivers to slow down.

The warning follows a collision involving a car and a cyclist in Nuneaton last Thursday, which left the cyclist in hospital with a broken arm.

More than 400,000 pieces of personal protective equipment have been delivered to care homes and providers.

The masks, gloves and gowns have been sent to Staffordshire companies who have been unable to get their own PPE.

Image source, Getty Images

Staffordshire County Council said it is also making over £13m available for care firms to cover PPE and staffs costs buring the outbreak.

The victim, 16, is in a stable condition in hospital following the stabbing.

Players of League One leaders Coventry City opt to take a 25% wage deferral because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Stafford Rangers says supporters have raised £42,500 to help the club make up for money lost during the coronavirus lockdown.

It had been aiming to raise £50,000, with the help of a government grant, and said it is now aiming to reach £90,000 to make the club debt free.

Image source, Getty Images

"We will be reviewing all aspects of the running the club and will be launching some very exciting fund raising initiatives," the club said.

It is also continuing the search for a new manager and after reviewing the applications, will be carrying out interviews via video calls.

Four men are held on suspicion of murder over the knifing at Smethwick's West Cross Shopping Centre.

BBC News Education

Adults at home during the coronavirus lockdown, including millions furloughed from their jobs, are being offered free online courses in digital skills.

Image source, Getty Images

The Department for Education is launching a collection of job-related online courses, teaching numeracy, coding and internet skills.

The Open University and Google are among the providers.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said businesses should encourage staff to "boost their skills".

And he urged furloughed employees to "improve their knowledge, build their confidence and support their mental health so they have skills they need to succeed after the coronavirus outbreak".

Khuzaimah Douglas and Waseem Ramzan were shot with a crossbow after a robbery at a cannabis factory.

A motorcyclist has died in a crash in Droitwich.

West Midlands Ambulance Service was called to York Avenue during Monday afternoon and found a man lying on the ground next to a motorbike.

The service said it appeared he had hit a tree and was confirmed dead at the scene.