BBC Midlands Today

A firm of software engineers has designed a website that aims to get masks, gloves and other protective kit to those on the front line who are combating coronavirus.

Developer Shoothill, which is based in Shrewsbury, designed the site called PPE Exchange.

Managing director Rod Plummer told BBC Midlands Today it was about matching up firms making personal protective equipment (PPE) with the carers who need it.

"It's completely free to use, they register, tell us who they are, what they need more importantly and then we can build up an understanding of what PPE is needed," he said.

Mr Plummer added the government had been in touch along with the NHS and they now want to work with them on understanding what's needed.

A homelessness charity is calling on people to join a camp-out in their own homes to raise funds as part of an emergency appeal to keep it afloat.

The Birmingham-based Sifa Fireside is looking to raise £50,000 over the coming months in its #SIFASurvives appeal, prompted by a drop in income it said was due to the coronavirus lockdown.

Image source, Sifa Fireside

Sifa provides a number of services targeted at vulnerable and homeless adults.

Its Big Brummie Camp Out will take place on the Early May Bank Holiday on Friday 8 May.

The charity urged people to pitch a tent in the garden or just create a "cushion castle in the living room".

Follow the latest developments on the pandemic from across the region.

Residents - especially children - are getting creative with cards, pictures and messages of thanks.

Care worker Caroline and her partner Kevin are coming up with ways to occupy the family at home.

BBC North West Tonight weather presenter Owain Wyn Evans has caused a storm on social media when he finished his forecast with a video of him playing the drums to the BBC News theme tune.

Owain tweeted: "When they said try working from home, I didn't realise they'd expect me to do the music too."

The footage has already had more than 1.4m views on Twitter.

BBC WM

We've seen rainbows going up everywhere during the coronavirus outbreak, starting off in house windows, then across buses, fire stations - and now t-shirts.

Image source, Sue Dunnigan

Five-year-old Leo Dunnigan, of Selly Park, decided to create tie-dye t-shirts for his family and a friend but his dad Stu told BBC WM they started to get orders from their neighbours.

"They were sort of noticed by other people up and down the road who started putting in their orders because they quite liked the look and the brightness that he was bringing to the street," he added.

Stu told BBC WM they now have orders for 70 t-shirts, a local firm's supplying them with materials and, through donations, Leo's already raised £500 for the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham.

A man's been arrested after a paramedic was reportedly chased with a metal bar in Stoke-on-Trent.

Staffordshire Police said, external the ambulance service was called to a home in Blurton last night after being told a man had collapsed.

When they arrived, the crew called for police support after a man allegedly threatened the paramedic with the bar.

Officers said a 40-year-old man from Stoke-on-Trent was arrested on suspicion of affray and assault of an emergency worker and released under investigation.

Birmingham Live

These stories are being covered today on the Birmingham Live website:

• Sparkbrook family stranded in Pakistan after flying in for wedding, external
• Four coronavirus deaths at Birmingham care home, cases confirmed at 23 others, external
• Floral tributes left after woman killed in Walsall home explosion, external

Simon Fan says his experience shows "health is never guaranteed" even if you're fit.

Bob Hockenhull
BBC Midlands Today

Residents in Birmingham are being urged not to put out extra waste from spring cleaning during lockdown as they could overwhelm the bin service.

In some areas, bin staff have been faced with overflowing household bins and the city council's warning people it might not be able to maintain a full service if the problem gets worse.

Councillor John O'Shea said: "If you've got excess waste you produce because you're spring cleaning or from your garden then please, store it. Store it safely because we will reopen the tips as soon as we can."

Allen Cook
BBC News

A decision to restart work on the huge Paradise Birmingham scheme was taken to support construction and supply jobs , the developer has said.

Image source, Paradise Birmingham

Development Managers Argent said, external work resumed on 6 April with a "considerably smaller" workforce after new risk assessments were carried out following the coronavirus outbreak.

The firm added all staff on site would wear full personal protective equipment and practise social distancing during their work.

The big development's seen the old central library and the Paradise shopping precinct demolished to make way for two new office blocks.

BBC Business News

Eastern European farm workers are being flown to the UK on charter flights to pick fruit and vegetable crops.

Image source, Getty Images

Air Charter Service has told the BBC that the first flight will land on Thursday carrying 150 Romanian farm workers.

The firm told the BBC that the plane is the first of up to six set to operate between mid-April and the end of June.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has not yet responded to a request for comment.

British farmers recently warned that crops could be left to rot in the field because of a shortage of seasonal workers from Eastern Europe. Travel restrictions due to the coronavirus lockdown have meant most workers have stayed at home.

BBC Weather Watchers

There's plenty of blossom on trees across the West Midlands, by the look of these photos sent in by our local BBC Weather Watchers.

These are from users Sarahlou86 in Stone, Staffordshire, Shropshire Lass in Diddlebury, Shropshire and Kingfisher Whisperer in Coventry:

Image source, Sarahlou86

Image source, Shropshire Lass

Image source, Kingfisher Whisperer

A man's being sought by police who want to question him about a suspected arson attack at a house while a woman and two children were inside.

Image source, West Midlands Police

West Midlands Police said , externalthe home was set on fire on Farren Road in Northfield, Birmingham, on Monday morning.

The woman and youngsters managed to get out and didn't need medical treatment.

Officers said David White, 34, is known to the trio and they want to speak to him urgently.

An 81-year-old man's been applauded by hospital staff as he left their care in Worcester after recovering from Covid-19.

Worcestershire Acute NHS Trust said David Ray had feared he'd never see his family again and spent 22 days battling the disease.

After posting their video on Facebook, Mr Ray's wife Anne commented on the pos, externalt saying "I salute you. Thank you will never be enough".

The owner describes the past three weeks as "truly heart-breaking for everyone involved".

BBC Weather

Fine and dry this evening and staying that way with mainly clear skies and gentle winds. Low: 3C (37F).

Image source, Sal

Tomorrow will see a cool start before becoming another fine, mostly sunny day and turning warm by the afternoon. High: 20C (68F).

Keep up-to-date on your local forecast with the BBC Weather website.

Worcester News

The Worcester News has these stories today:

• Worcester park and ride used as coronavirus testing centre for NHS staff, external
• 'Love our NHS' banners on M5 were 'illegal', external
• Worcester-based free website tackles home delivery during pandemic, external

There have been claps for the NHS over the past few weeks during the pandemic, now an NHS trust wants people to #clapforbusinesses.

Image source, Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust

Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust tweeted, external it wanted to show appreciation to local firms for their support during the outbreak.

The trust tweeted staff would be clapping at 17:00 today at the corner of Dudley Road and Western Road, outside Birmingham City Hospital.

For the past few Thursdays, there have been rounds of applause from people across the UK for all of the people working in the fight against coronavirus.