HS2's Curzon Street station in Birmingham has been granted planning permission by the city council. , external

Image source, HS2 Ltd

Three applications for the station and surrounding landscape were approved by councillors on Thursday.

It is the first HS2 station to get the go-ahead, said developers.

It incorporates the existing Grade I listed Old Curzon Street building, linking it to the new station’s eastern concourse at New Canal Street.

Highways workers in Coventry have painted a message of thanks to NHS workers.

Image source, Coventry City Council

It's been painted on the approach to University Hospital, said the city council.

The Midland Metro tram network is to get funding from central government to keep key routes running.

It's unclear how much funding will be provided, but the government said it would be made available within weeks after talking to operators and local authorities.

Image source, WEST MIDLANDS COMBINED AUTHORITY

Similar tram networks in Manchester, Sheffield, Nottingham and Tyne and Wear will also receive support.

The funding is designed to keep services running for people travelling to hospitals, supermarkets or those who cannot work from home, such as NHS staff.

Two men have been arrested after a man was found with stab wounds in Leamington Spa last night, police say.

Image source, Warwickshire Police

Paramedics were called to Holly Walk in the town shortly before 23:00, said West Midlands Ambulance Service.

The man was taken to hospital suffering minor injuries.

It’s believed he had sustained a suspected stab wound to his shoulder in an earlier altercation on Mason Avenue, said Warwickshire Police.

A 33-year-old man and another, aged 58, were arrested on suspicion of assault and grievous bodily harm - both remain in police custody.

A four-year-old boy has received birthday treats delivered by police officers in Stoke-on-Trent.

Ch Insp Mark Barlow, of Staffordshire Police, tweeted that Oliver's mum had asked for officers to call by as he loves police cars.

These are some of the headlining stories from news sites across the West Midlands:

• Coventry Live is reporting: Prison time for Coventry man who attacked doctor and police officer, external
• The Express and Star has: Leading West Midlands neonatal doctor dies after catching Covid-19, external
• And the Shropshire Star has: Shropshire doctor reveals coronavirus battle, external

A charity says it's seeing the "best of the best people" as it works to put food on the table of struggling families during the pandemic.

Moat House Community Trust runs the Grub Hub for anyone living in the Wood End, Manor Farm and Henley areas of Coventry who doesn't qualify for food vouchers.

Before the outbreak, 80 families had signed up to the £4-a-week food service, but now it says volunteers have seen demand double.

Dr Vishna Rasiah was "passionate about the care of babies and their families" Birmingham Women and Children's Hospital said.

Birmingham's Pen Museum has launched an urgent appeal to raise funds during the lockdown.

Image source, Google

The tourist attraction in the Jewellery Quarter says it's at risk of closure - because it's not insured for business interruption and doesn't receive outside funding.

The museum is largely run by a group of volunteers.

Up to 400 people lined the streets of Willenhall, Coventry to pay tribute to a woman who touched their community.

Carole Flynn who worked at Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School as a learning mentor, died after contracting Covid-19.

Ms Flynn, 54, had recently become a grandmother and leaves behind three children.

Her funeral cortege was met with applause from well-wishers who stood apart from each other as it travelled through Willenhall on Wednesday.

Design and technology teachers at a Coventry school have now made 10,000 face shields to help protect NHS workers from coronavirus.

Image source, Stuart Sweetman

Stuart Sweetman, of King Henry VIII School, and two other DT staff have been making the masks inside the closed school and said they were working to keep facilities as sterile as possible.

The shields have gone to local hospitals and care homes.

The school tweeted it would be closing the "factory" later this week.

A man has been charged after two sawn-off shotguns, drugs and £25,000 in cash were found at a property in Coventry.

Police raided the home in Swan Lane on Wednesday morning - and also found an antique revolver.

The 40-year-old has been charged with possessing banned weapons and two others have been bailed, said West Midlands Police.

Hats off to the 150 volunteers doing a great job in Eccleshall, Staffordshire.

If you need their help, don't miss out.

A government appeal to find volunteers to support 2.5 million people across the UK saw 750,000 sign up - three times the original target.

If you're a volunteer or know someone who relies on one, let us know.

Brides and grooms say they are being charged thousands of pounds in cancellation and postponement fees for weddings that can't go ahead because of the coronavirus lockdown.

Image source, Jenny Maybury

Jenny Maybury, 39, and Michael Bromwich, 36, both from the Midlands, had their wedding moved from a Sunday in May, to a Wednesday in September.

Only 12 of the 75 guests could make the new date in September, so Jenny decided to ask the hotel for a refund of £5,355.

The venue, Abel's Harp in Shropshire, told the couple no weekends were available, but has refused to compensate them for the difference in price, or for a reduction in the number of guests.

Unfortunately the couple do not have insurance for their wedding.

"They've backed us into a corner and taken it out of our control. We feel angry and heartbroken," said Ms Maybury.

Abel's Harp did not respond when approached by the BBC for comment.

Cath Mackie
BBC News

Like many parents, Chris Hill is trying to home-school his children but they just want to be with their friends.

So along with Phoebe who's six, and seven-year-old Elijah, Chris wrote a song and filmed a video to help pass the time at their home in Warwick.

Rob England
BBC News

Councils in England say they have to plug funding gaps worth hundreds of millions of pounds within weeks to avoid "significant" cuts.

Image source, LDRS

Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council said it had used already all of its £65,000 grant from the government to house 21 homeless people.

Deputy council leader Stephen Sweeney said: "It's gone now. We have £1.5m in reserves, you don't need to do the maths to see how long before we get problems."

The council has closed markets and leisure centres and has "effectively waived" parking fees, leading to a drop in income.

Read more.

Vulnerable people are now able to phone a direct line to request assistance from volunteers who have signed up to help during the coronavirus crisis.

More than 750,000 people have joined the "volunteer army" - three times the government's original target - to help relieve pressure on services.

Image source, PA Media

The volunteers may have to deliver food and medicines, drive patients to appointments and phone those people who are isolated.

Sabrina Ellis, 32, from Wolverhampton, said: "It has been lovely to hear about people's different stories and be able to use my mental health training to help some of the most vulnerable people.

"It feels really rewarding to know that I am doing my small bit to help in such uncertain times and hopefully relieving some pressure on the NHS."

People who are considered to be at high risk, and have been advised to shield, can refer themselves to the service by calling 0808 196 3646.

The former chief prosecutor Nazir Afzal said his brother's body was kept in an industrial fridge for six days due to a "300 body backlog".

Mr Afzal said his older brother and ex-Home Office interpreter Umar, 71, died from coronavirus at his Birmingham home on 8 April.

"He went to bed that night and then didn't wake up", he said.

Image source, Family photo

Mr Afzal added: "They didn't have any space in the morgue, so arrangements were made with a private undertaker."

You can read more on this story here.

Two sisters and their brother have painted more than 100 rainbows to brighten up their street during the coronavirus lockdown.

The Wallbank siblings - Maisy, 15, Isobel, 11, and four-year-old Olly - delivered the rainbows to neighbours living near their home in Staffordshire.

The rainbows have come to symbolise people's support for NHS staff and other key workers.

Vanessa Pearce
BBC News

Good morning and welcome to our live page for the West Midlands.

We'll bring you the latest news, pictures and analysis.

If there's a story you think we should be looking at please contact us via email, Twitter , externaland Facebook., external