Coronavirus in the West Midlands: Latest updates

Summary

Twenty phone mast attacks over Easter
Ebook demand spikes as hundreds join libraries
Poo plea to racecourse dog walkers
Doorstep portraits of lockdown life
Park closed over social distance flout
Windmill lit blue for NHS workers
Updates from Tuesday, 14 April

Live Reporting

Boy's garden marathon raises £4,000 for NHSpublished at 13:56 British Summer Time 14 April 2020
A seven-year-old boy's raised more than £4,000 for the NHS after completing a marathon in his garden.
Image source, Peter Wharton
Herbie Wharton ran and walked the 420 laps round his front and back garden in Wellesbourne, near Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, on Sunday.
Herbie's dad Peter said he had aimed to raise £1,500 but the figure passed £4,000, with donations still coming in today.
Peter added he had "never been so proud".
Huge pile of burning waste tackled by 60 firefighterspublished at 13:28 British Summer Time 14 April 2020
Allen Cook
BBC News
Dozens of firefighters are tackling a huge rubbish fire in Willenhall this afternoon.
Image source, @thewulfran
West Midlands Fire Service was, external called just before 12:30 to Straight Road, Short Heath.
It said the blaze involved "palleted waste" about 70m by 15m in dimension, with 60 firefighters at the scene.
Several people have tweeted, external that they can see a huge plume of smoke from the fire.
Around the web: Coronavirus deaths near 2,000 in citypublished at 13:27 British Summer Time 14 April 2020
Birmingham Live
From Birmingham Live:
Bonfire plea after lockdown blazespublished at 13:07 British Summer Time 14 April 2020
People are again being urged not to light bonfires during lockdown after firefighters in Shropshire were called to more than a dozen during the Easter period.
Image source, West Midlands Fire Service
The county's fire service said residents should compost instead following 15 call-outs over the four days. , external
Fire crews in Wolverhampton , externalissued the same reminder, having extinguished an out-of-control garden blaze.
Woman 'still critical' after car crashpublished at 12:48 British Summer Time 14 April 2020
Allen Cook
BBC News
A 19-year-old woman is still in a critical condition in hospital two days after a crash in which a car hit a tree, police say.
West Mercia Police said, external the white BMW came off Hagley Wood Lane, Clent, near Halesowen, on Saturday.
The driver and all four passengers were hurt, with three being taken to hospital.
Officers said two had since been released but a 19-year-old woman continued to receive care.
Coronavirus bag-makers have 'an army of machinists'published at 12:30 British Summer Time 14 April 2020
BBC WM
A group of volunteers in Dudley has produced more than 500 drawstring bags for NHS workers to put their worn scrubs in.
Lisa Maidment set up the Facebook group "Dudley For The Love Of Scrubs" on Thursday, issuing a call to volunteers to help produce the items so staff exposed to coronavirus could take uniforms home to wash them safely.
Image source, Lisa Maidment
"I've got an army of machinists and helpers that I've put together," Ms Maidment said.
"People are raiding their lofts [for materials], getting old duvets, pillow cases; washing them to make sure they're nice and clean, and then just cutting them up and making these bags.
"We just want to be helping those angels that are helping us."
You can read about a similar initiative in Worcestershire here.
Motorcyclist dies after crashpublished at 12:05 British Summer Time 14 April 2020
A man's died after his motorbike crashed in Nuneaton.
Warwickshire Police said, external he was on Kingswood Road on Saturday afternoon when it happened and no other vehicles were involved.
The man, in his mid-20s, was taken to hospital but died on Sunday.
Ebook demand spikes as hundreds join librariespublished at 11:32 British Summer Time 14 April 2020
Hundreds of people have joined libraries in Warwickshire to get hold of ebooks and audiobooks, managers say.
All libraries in the county were closed to visitors on 23 March. , external
But the council told BBC CWR that with people staying home, interest in books that were accessible online had increased.
The council's principal librarian, Stella Thebridge, said: "People can borrow ebooks and audiobooks from the comfort of their own home.
"We've bought a lot more books in and we've had yet another 500 people [join] in the last couple of weeks which is fantastic."
Make a Difference: Couple use 3D printer to create visorspublished at 11:10 British Summer Time 14 April 2020
BBC Make A Difference
Bob Turner originally thought her husband's purchase of a 3D printer would not be useful, but she says she's been proved wrong after they used it to make protective visors for care homes and NHS staff.
"I saw a post about people needing the visors and managed to find a patent and said to my husband 'can you do that'?"
"He started printing them and we've been doing them for a few weeks now and they've been going out to care homes, doctors surgeries."
Speaking to BBC Radio Shropshire, she said between her and a friend who is also printing them, about 150 visors had been made.
Image source, PA Media
Image caption,
The couple are making visors similar to the one pictured here
To keep up production, they need 250 micron binder covers, which are "see-through bits of plastic, but are nice and thick and clip round the front to make the shield".
Mrs Turner said the price of them had "shot through the roof".
She said: "We are hoping someone has some hidden away that they would kindly donate to the cause."
Services 'managing well'published at 10:52 British Summer Time 14 April 2020
West Midlands mayor Andy Street says the region's services are "managing really well" amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Mr Street was asked about the number of deaths locally - the highest outside London.
"The numbers don’t lie", Mr Street said. "We probably shouldn’t be surprised by that, it is the second biggest urban area and we knew we were quite early in the curve."
Mr Street added: "Our services are managing really well, particularly our hospitals. They have capacity, they prepared brilliantly, and they have the insurance of the Nightingale Hospital as well."
That provision at the NEC has been operational since Friday.
Poo plea to racecourse dog walkerspublished at 10:26 British Summer Time 14 April 2020
Dog walkers are being urged to dispose of their pet's poo properly after staff at Uttoxeter Racecourse filled 19 bin liners with the stuff.
Image source, Uttoxeter Racecourse
The site's not being used for horse racing during lockdown, although it's been made available for locals to walk dogs.
On Facebook, , externaldog owners were urged to act responsibly as the venue's bins weren't being emptied as usual.
Doorstep portraits capture lockdown lifepublished at 10:07 British Summer Time 14 April 2020
Birgitta Zoutman takes pictures of people on their doorsteps during her daily exercise.
Read More
Park closed 'as people not social distancing'published at 09:51 British Summer Time 14 April 2020
BBC WM
A park's been shut because visitors haven't been following social distancing restrictions, Walsall Council says., external
Image source, Google
Walsall Arboretum was closed yesterday following a request by West Midlands Police.
The council said the site would stay shut "for the foreseeable future".
Woman and dog rescued from house blazepublished at 09:24 British Summer Time 14 April 2020
Allen Cook
BBC News
A woman and her dog had to be rescued by firefighters after they said a cigarette started a fire in her home in Birmingham.
Image source, West Midlands Fire Service
West Midlands Fire Service said, external they were called yesterday evening to Court Lane, Erdington.
They said the woman and pet were led to safety but haven't revealed if they needed medical treatment.
Image source, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service
Elsewhere overnight, five fire engines were called to Wombourne, Staffordshire, after three large vehicles were reported to be on fire.
Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service said, external they stopped the blaze from spreading to a nearby building and the cause will be investigated this morning.
Birmingham driver fined for Welsh lockdown journeypublished at 09:03 British Summer Time 14 April 2020
BBC WM
A driver from Birmingham has been fined for making a non-essential journey to the Welsh coast during the lockdown.
Image source, Dyfed-Powys Police
The motorist and a passenger were stopped in their car on Easter Monday by police in Pembrokeshire. , external
They told the officers they were going to collect a motorbike but were given fixed penalty notices and told to immediately return home.
Around the web: Coronavirus death toll risespublished at 08:48 British Summer Time 14 April 2020
Express and Star
These stories are from the Express and Star this morning:
Weather: Chilly start turning dry and sunnypublished at 08:27 British Summer Time 14 April 2020
BBC Weather
After the chilly start, we're in for a dry day with mainly clear skies bringing plenty of sunshine. High: 13C/55F.
Image source, Les at Large
Then a fine evening turning into a dry night with mainly clear skies which will lead to it turning chilly again. Low: 2C/36F.
You can get a latest forecast at any other time by heading to the BBC Weather website.
The 400-year-old windmill being lit up for the NHSpublished at 08:15 British Summer Time 14 April 2020
Chesterton Windmill, which has stood on a hilltop for nearly 390 years, is being lit blue every night.
Read More
Live updates for the West Midlandspublished at 08:12 British Summer Time 14 April 2020
Allen Cook
BBC News
Welcome to our live service for Tuesday.
We'll be bringing you all the latest on the impact of the coronavirus outbreak today in the West Midlands.
You can get in touch via email,Twitter , externaland Facebook., external