Summary

  • Coronavirus death nurse 'helped everyone'

  • Coventry to shut its parks to vehicles

  • Hospitals ready as Covid-19 deaths rise

  • Showground identified as potential mortuary

  • School mentor dies after contracting Covid-19.

  • Ambulance sets alight as crew treats patient

  • Public transport services cut back further

  • Injured police officer returns to work

  • Updates from Monday 6 April

  1. The pastor delivering pizza to help a food bankpublished at 14:43 British Summer Time 6 April 2020

    Matthew Murray is delivering pizzas and donating his wages to his church's food bank.

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  2. Bin crews thanked with 'wheelie' supportive messagespublished at 14:25 British Summer Time 6 April 2020

    Rob England
    BBC News

    As the country comes together to give thanks to emergency service workers on the frontline, it's important to remember the essential role of other key workers across the country, such a bin crews.

    That's exactly what residents in Birmingham have been doing as waste crews have been greeted on their rounds with messages of support attached to bins.

    On social media, the city council thanked people for the kind words around Quinton and Harborne.

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    Last week, similar messages appeared, external around the city, saying things like:

    “Thank you for carrying on and doing this. We appreciate it. Take care and stay safe."

    “Thank you for helping keep us safe. I have cleaned handles. We are currently symptom-free. Much appreciated chaps."

    "Thank you to our binmen – you are appreciated.”

    Cllr John O’Shea, from Birmingham City Council, said the positive words were having "a great effect on morale" among workers.

  3. Coronavirus delays clean air zone planpublished at 14:04 British Summer Time 6 April 2020

    The government has agreed to postpone the introduction of the zone until January 2021.

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  4. Showground site earmarked for temporary mortuarypublished at 13:41 British Summer Time 6 April 2020

    Staffordshire County Showground could become a temporary mortuary site "if required", the council says.

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  5. 'Super Specials' support police forcepublished at 13:11 British Summer Time 6 April 2020

    Rob England
    BBC News

    Volunteer officers have put in more than 2,000 hours of frontline policing over the past two weeks, a force has said., external

    West Midlands Police said 19-year-old Special Constable Harry Sarkar was one of those to step up during the coronavirus crisis.

    Special Constable Harry SarkarImage source, West Midlands Police

    The student, whose lectures have been suspended because of coronavirus, said: "It’s a difficult time; helping and protecting people is what I love doing so the more I can do the more I enjoy it. It always feels like it's my first day every day I put the uniform on – and I’m helping take some strain off my colleagues."

    Specials constables are normally required to dedicate 16 hours a month to policing duties, but this has been relaxed due to many being employed in key worker roles, the force said.

    West Midlands Police has said it was "making more use of special constables" and working with the government to "pay those that are now unable to work during the coronavirus crisis" to make "even more use of them".

  6. PC struck by car returns to workpublished at 12:53 British Summer Time 6 April 2020

    A police officer struck by a car breaking her leg and knee-cap has returned to work.

    PC Claire Bond

    PC Claire Bond was on duty when she was deliberately pinned against a fence by the driver during the Stafford 10k in September 2018.

    She can no longer work as a a frontline officer - but is instead training new cadets.

    Gurajdeep Malhi was jailed for 12 years and nine months, having admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent, dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, and conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.

  7. Pub admits 'mistakes' but denies lock-inpublished at 12:28 British Summer Time 6 April 2020

    A landlady has admitted breaking restrictions on food and drink sales at her Shropshire pub.

    Heather Teale from the Sun Inn in Clun said she made a mistake letting customers putting their own beers in glasses as they were waiting for takeaway food.

    She told BBC Radio Shropshire "lessons had been learned".

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    Quote Message

    We had turned everything off in the kitchen but because they were regulars and locals we didn't like to turn them away so we said we would do them. Rather than having them sit outside waiting at half past nine we told them they could come in - and because they'd bought takeaway drinks we stupidly let them put it in glasses and it was classed as a lock-in then wasn't it. We hold our hands up, we were in the wrong, we shouldn't have done it and we learn from our mistakes - we won't do it again.

    Heather Teale, Landlady, Sun Inn

  8. Nurse who died with coronavirus 'helped everyone'published at 12:24 British Summer Time 6 April 2020

    Mother-of-three Areema Nasreen was an "amazing person" who "put herself last", her sister says.

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  9. Transport services cut backpublished at 11:54 British Summer Time 6 April 2020

    Public transport services have been scaled back across the West Midlands as demand has fallen.

    The number of trains running around the region has been cut again from today because of the coronavirus outbreak.

    Birmingham-based National Express has also suspended all of it's coach services as the number of passengers using public transport continues to fall.

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  10. Showground identified as potential mortuarypublished at 11:28 British Summer Time 6 April 2020

    Local Democracy Reporting Service

    The biggest agricultural showground in Staffordshire has been identified as a site for a temporary mortuary as part of measures to deal with an expected surge in deaths during the coronavirus pandemic.

    Staffordshire showgroundImage source, Google

    A Staffordshire County Council committee has backed the plan for the temporary use of the 60-acre County Showground, on Weston Road, Stafford.

    A "reserve site" has been identified at Alrewas Hayes Grain Store, near Burton, Cheshire.

    Council leader Philip Atkins said local authorities across the country were required to put emergency planning measures into place but added he hoped the contingency measures would not be needed.

  11. New UK car registrations plunge by more than 40%published at 11:15 British Summer Time 6 April 2020

    Motor industry records the worst March for two decades as the Covid-19 outbreak keeps buyers at home.

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  12. Tributes paid to school mentorpublished at 11:03 British Summer Time 6 April 2020

    Tributes have been paid to a "fun-loving and kind" school mentor who has died after testing positive for Covid-19.

    Carole FlynnImage source, Family handout

    A spokesperson for Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School in Coventry, part of the Romero Catholic Academy, said everyone was."deeply saddened" by Carole Flynn's death.

    She had been at the "heart and soul" of the school for 16 years, the spokesperson said.

    “The children of Corpus Christi, past and present, were at the forefront of all that she did in her role as a learning mentor, and she carried a special place in her heart for each and every one of them."

    She leaves behind her two sons, her daughter and her newly arrived grandson, the spokesman said.

  13. How EFL is helping communities & the NHSpublished at 10:38 British Summer Time 6 April 2020

    With top-flight football under fire for its response to coronavirus, BBC Sport highlights EFL managers and players doing their bit for the NHS.

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  14. Thieves target NHS hospital staffpublished at 10:23 British Summer Time 6 April 2020

    Thieves targeted NHS staff cars at Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

    In a tweet the Worcester Safer Neighbourhood Team said nurses coming off shift on Saturday returned to their vehicles to find catalytic converters had been stolen.

    "The depths some people sink to never cease to amaze us," it added.

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  15. Further social distrancing restrictions 'hard to police'published at 10:01 British Summer Time 6 April 2020

    Further restrictions on social distancing rules would be "hard to police," West Midlands Police said.

    Canon ParkImage source, PA Media

    Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the government was "not planning any changes imminently" to social distancing policies but he "could not rule out further steps".

    Canon ParkImage source, PA Media

    Assistant Chief Constable of West Midlands Police, Jayne Meir, said it was up to the government to put restrictions in place "in terms of the scientific advice that they're given."

    "But it would be really difficult to police individuals on a daily basis and everybody has to take personal responsibility for this.

    "It is a collective responsibility to stay at home to protect the NHS and save lives."

    "In the West Midlands the vast majority of people are being really sensible and adhering to the government's restrictions and they're maintaining social distances when they do go outside."

  16. Coronavirus: 24 hours on lockdown published at 09:37 British Summer Time 6 April 2020

    A group of 24 photographers record one hour each of life under restrictions imposed because of coronavirus.

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  17. Man due in court over stab murderpublished at 09:11 British Summer Time 6 April 2020

    A man is due in court later over the death of Pavandeep Daudher.

    Pavandeep Daudher,Image source, Family handout

    The 19-year-old was fatally stabbed at a BP garage in Lockhurst Lane, Coventry, on Tuesday evening.

    A post-mortem examination found he died from a stab wound to his left thigh.

    Ethan Lilley, 22, of Queen Isabels Avenue, Cheylesmore, has been charged with murder.

  18. Domestic abuse calls up 25% since lockdownpublished at 08:50 British Summer Time 6 April 2020

    The charity which runs the National Domestic Abuse helpline says it's seen a 25% increase in calls and online requests for help since the lockdown began.

    Woman at window

    Refuge says there's also been a daily rise in people accessing the helpline's website, and last week that figure was up by 150%.

    The West Midlands Deputy Chief Constable, Louisa Rolfe, the National Police Chiefs' Council lead for domestic abuse, encouraged women and men facing abuse at home during lockdown to seek help.

    Quote Message

    We would always seek to remove the perpetrator because often victims in their home where family, friends and neighbours can look out for the victim are much safer than if we remove them. However we do know in certain circumstances sometimes victims need to flee their home and we will be working with refuge providers to ensure that they have access to safe accommodation."

    Deputy Chief Constable Louisa Rolfe, West Midlands Police

  19. 'Huge challenge' ahead for region as Covid-19 cases risepublished at 08:32 British Summer Time 6 April 2020

    Work on the new Nightingale hospital at the NEC near Birmingham is to be "accelerated" as the death toll for the region rises.

    Latest figures from hospital trusts show the region recorded a higher coronavirus death toll than London at the end of last week,

    NECImage source, PA Media

    West Midlands Mayor Andy Street said while there was a "huge challenge" ahead, the region was ready.

    "All of our hospitals have prepared well, have capacity, so the reassuring thing for citizens is that at least there is available and appropriate medical care should they need it," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

  20. Live updates for the West Midlandspublished at 08:13 British Summer Time 6 April 2020

    Vanessa Pearce
    BBC News

    Welcome to our live service for Monday.

    We'll be bringing you all the latest news on coronavirus for the West Midlands.

    We love to hear from you so share your news, thoughts and photos of the area with us via email, Twitter, external and Facebook., external