Neil Hames hopes people will stop flouting the rules if they see the faces of coronavirus victims.

A man has pleaded guilty to shoplifting following claims he spat and coughed at shop staff while shouting "I've got coronavirus".

West Midlands Police said, external they were called to a B&M store on Stechford Retail Park, Birmingham, at 15:45 on Wednesday after reports a suspected shoplifter had been detained in the car park.

The 35-year-old, from Saltley, appeared at Birmingham Magistrates' Court on Thursday, accused of stealing two beard trimmers and then deliberately coughing in the faces of security staff.

Image source, Google

He pleaded not guilty to common assault, but admitted shoplifting.

The man, who was deemed by a nurse as not having coronavirus, will next appear in court in June.

Keele University is giving personal protective equipment to Royal Stoke Hospital and local GPs to help boost their supplies.

It says kit from its research and teaching labs including gloves, aprons, visors and masks, is going to those working to treat coronavirus patients.

Image source, Google

The university said 17 doctors' surgeries across north Staffordshire have had deliveries of the equipment this week.

It hopes to eventually offer it to charities and schools caring for the children of key workers.

Worcester News

Here are three of the stories on the Worcester News website today:

• NHS staff to get free parking, external
• List of shops are still allowed to open, external
• Farm building caught on fire, external

A Facebook group has been set up to help find accommodation for frontline NHS staff around the West Midlands.

Healthcare workers are being invited to leave comments to set out their needs and property owners can post information about suitable buildings.

Image source, Getty Images

A number of hotels have also agreed to host NHS staff, including the Park House in Shifnal.

Around 5,000 people have applied to have their council tax bill deferred in Telford and Wrekin.

The local authority is allowing people to put off payments for April, May and possibly June, with the tax spread out across the rest of the year.

Council leader Shaun Davies said it had to be agreed in advance though and urged people not to simply stop paying.

Letters are also being sent to every household and business to explain what help and support is avalable to them during the coronavirus crisis.

One couple are facing up to life on a canal during the coronavirus outbreak.

The dairy firm Muller, which has factories in Market Drayton, Telford and Minsterley, is hiring more workers because of the virus.

It wants to recruit 300 extra people because of workers being in self-isolation, and an increase in demand.

Image source, Google

The company is looking to hire delivery drivers, factory workers, packers and mechanics.

West Mercia Police are going to start randomly stopping drivers, to check their journeys are essential.

The force said the majority of people are following instructions to stay indoors, but it will fine or arrest "the minority who think it’s still okay to ignore the warnings".

Image source, West Mercia Police

Officers will also be out speaking with the public to make sure the message gets through.

Shropshire Star

Here are three stories from the Shropshire Star today:

• Woman's urgent cancer operation cancelled, external
• Overwhelming orders for Shropshire milkmen, external
• Post Office staff face longer appeal wait, external

A charity says it is getting calls from owners worried they will catch coronavirus from their pets.

BBC Radio Shropshire Sport

AFC Telford United is asking fans to buy tickets for a non-existent match, to help them raise funds.

The club has set up a "dummy game" on its website for 6 June and the club's chairman Andy Pryce said it was needed to pay bills now, with no regular forms of matchday income coming in.

The National League, which Telford play in, is waiting to hear from the Football Association as to whether the current season, which has been suspended, will be terminated early.

There have now been three deaths at Royal Stoke Hospital linked to coronavirus

The latest to be confirmed is that of an 89-year-old man with underlying health conditions.

Image source, Google

The other two, both men aged 51 and 73, also had underlying health conditions.

A nurse practitioner based in Birmingham has appealed to young people to "do their part" in helping to slow the spread of coronavirus.

Nathan Aycee, who is also a DJ, said people with no symptoms could cause harm to people they don't even know by spreading the virus.

He recorded this video message:

NHS staff will be allowed to park for free at hospitals and in council car parks.

The government has agreed to cover the costs for hospitals and come to an agreement for local authorities.

Image source, Google

NHS Trusts are responsible for setting car parking charges locally, but the health secretary is urging them to immediately make use of government funding to abolish parking charges.

The National Car Parking Group confirmed earlier that it will also provide NHS staff free parking at all 150 of their car parks in England.

This is something to cheer you up this morning - birdsong on a beautiful spring morning from Soulton Hall, near Wem in Shropshire.

Weeks after their homes were damaged by rising water, many people are now self-isolating.

BBC Business News

Tens of thousands of people have lost their jobs because of the coronavirus crisis as restaurants, bars, hotels and gyms have been forced to close.

But many companies still in business are urgently seeking more staff to meet orders, help with deliveries and just to keep things moving.

Image source, Getty Images

The major supermarkets are searching for 35,000 additional workers, but many other firms supplying essential goods or services are also looking for extra help so they can cope with the increased demand.

Home care company Cera has just created 10,000 new jobs for people to work as part of the home carer community.

Meanwhile, chemist chain Lloyds Pharmacy is seeking 1,500 workers across the country in the next few days. And Virgin Media says it needs 500 new people at Birmingham, Sheffield, Manchester and Teesside.

A Herefordshire mum whose five-year-old son tested positive for coronavirus has described seeing him in hospital as a traumatic experience.

Lauren Fulbrook, from Brockhampton, said her son Alfie had a temperature of more than 40 degrees and was taken to the Worcestershire Royal by ambulance.

Image source, Lauren Fulbrook

After being isolated in hospital, Alfie is now recovering at home, but Lauren is urging people to take the infection seriously, saying it can happen to anyone:

The NHS Trust running the Royal Stoke and Stafford's County Hospitals is appealing for hand cream for its staff.

It says many health workers have dry and cracked skin because they are washing their hands more than ever, to keep themselves and patients safe.