Coronavirus in the West Midlands: Latest updates

Summary

Face masks found spilling out of bin
Boy's lockdown 'haircut disaster'
Midwives use football stadium to support new mums
School pays tribute to ex pupil who died of coronavirus
Call for drones to be used to disinfect public spaces
Car park charges suspended to help key staff
Updates on Thursday 2 April

Live Reporting

Car park charges suspended to help key staffpublished at 08:59 British Summer Time 2 April 2020
Local Democracy Reporting Service
George Makin
Town centre car park charges are being suspended until the end of June in Sandwell to help key workers do their jobs during the pandemic.
The council said it wanted to make it easier for essential staff to get the shopping they need.
However, people are being urged not to use the suspension to make unnecessary trips.
The move doesn't cover Sandwell Valley and on-street charges will still apply.
School pays tribute to ex pupil who died of coronaviruspublished at 08:43 British Summer Time 2 April 2020
A school in Shropshire has paid tribute to one of its former pupils who has died from coronavirus.
Retired doctor, Alfa Saadu, spent more than 40 years in the NHS - holding several senior posts in London.
He attended Adams Grammar School in Newport in the late 1960s and early 70s and the school said it was "deeply saddened" to learn of his death.
Push for drones to be used to disinfect public spacespublished at 08:32 British Summer Time 2 April 2020
BBC Technology
A group of drone experts is calling on the UK government to relax regulations on chemical spraying from the air during the coronavirus pandemic.
It wants to train drone pilots from the emergency services to spray public areas with disinfectant.
Image source, Harper Adams University
Jonathan Gill, from Harper Adams University, in Shropshire, has spent four years researching spray drones used on farm crops in several countries outside of Europe.
He said drone pilots would be more protected than people walking the streets or driving vans with spray equipment, because they would be further away,
"The spray drones would keep people away from dull, dirty, dangerous jobs," he said.
Such spraying has been done in China and India but is largely banned in Europe.
The Department of Health and Social Care said there were no plans to disinfect outside on a large scale.
Showers around in a cloudy daypublished at 08:21 British Summer Time 2 April 2020
BBC Weather
We're in for a cloudy day with more showers at times coming in from the west.
There's a chance of some brighter spells by late afternoon. High: 12C (54F).
Image source, Angus and Me
Then staying cloudy tonight with a chance of more showers through the evening with some clear spells around as well. Low: 4C (39F).
Get a latest forecast for your area from the BBC Weather website.
Live updates for the West Midlandspublished at 08:05 British Summer Time 2 April 2020
Allen Cook
BBC News
Welcome to our live service for Thursday.
We'll be bringing you all the latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak for the West Midlands.
You can get in touch via email,Twitter , externaland Facebook , externaland let us know how you're coping at home for instance or any other issues you want to raise with us.