Our live coverage across the daypublished at 19:00 British Summer Time 29 April 2020
Andy Giddings
BBC News
We'll be back with the latest on coronavirus in the West Midlands from 08:00 tomorrow.
Summary
Pet scammers target lockdown residents
Tips could reopen by next week
Passenger numbers could be restricted post-lockdown
Poetry festival cancels...but will be bigger next year
Updates from Wednesday 29 April
Our live coverage across the daypublished at 19:00 British Summer Time 29 April 2020
Secondary school could grow by a thirdpublished at 18:54 British Summer Time 29 April 2020
Local Democracy Reporting ServiceA Telford secondary school could expand to take on another 300 students, increasing its capacity by a third.
The Telford Langley School, in Dawley, has applied to build an extension with 14 classrooms and other facilities, saying its expecting to see student numbers increase in the coming years.
Image source, Telford and Wrekin Council
Image source, LDRSUK 'will not risk second peak', Dominic Raab sayspublished at 18:46 British Summer Time 29 April 2020
The foreign secretary told the coronavirus briefing the government won't "gamble away" people's sacrifices.
Read MoreCrematorium to live stream funeralspublished at 18:44 British Summer Time 29 April 2020
Some funerals could be streamed online in the Warwick area in order to allow more people to watch if they cannot attend.
Social distancing rules have limited the number of mourners allowed at a crematorium to six.
Image source, GoogleWarwick District Council said Oakley Wood Crematorium has now installed Wifi to enable the live streaming.
Weather: Mix of sunny spells with more showerspublished at 18:39 British Summer Time 29 April 2020
There'll be some sunshine around this evening but it'll turn cloudy again with showery rain overnight. Low: 6C/43F.
Image source, JJ infinityThen tomorrow, early sunny spells will be followed by a cloudier afternoon with scattered showers around which could turn heavy at times. High: 11C/52F.
Keep up-to-date with your local weather on the BBC Weather website.
Ballet film aims to keep dancing alive during lockdownpublished at 18:30 British Summer Time 29 April 2020
BBC Midlands TodayThe Birmingham Royal Ballet have released a film to mark International Dance Day and to try and get people moving during the lockdown.
Image source, Birmingham Royal BalletThe short video titled Alone I Together, external features many of the company's dancers in their homes.
All their ballet performances were suspended , externaldue to the pandemic but choreographer Kit Holder said they are still keeping their passion alive.
"We've had to adjust, we've been finding ways that we can continue dancing at home," he added.
Sandwell to resume garden waste collectionspublished at 18:20 British Summer Time 29 April 2020
There's good news for keen gardeners in Sandwell and others who've missed getting their garden waste collected.
Following on from other councils like Worcester and Stafford, Sandwell's local authority's going to restart collections from Monday., external
Image source, Sandwell CouncilCoronavirus leaves charity facing £250k shortfallpublished at 18:13 British Summer Time 29 April 2020
Bob Hockenhull
BBC Midlands TodayAn emergency appeal's been launched by a homeless charity as the coronavirus outbreak's badly affected its funds.
Sifa Fireside, in Digbeth, Birmingham, has a shortfall of nearly a £250,000 because much of the funding has dried up during the pandemic.
Chief executive Carly Jones said: "A lot of people just don't have that same capacity to give that they did previously so we are looking at quite a significant gap in funds at the moment."
The charity's organising an event called the Big Brummie Camp Out, external on 8 May to get people building a den at home and donating to their appeal.
Women charged after doctor has bank cards stolenpublished at 18:02 British Summer Time 29 April 2020
Two women in their 30s have been charged after a doctor had his bank cards and NHS ID stolen.
His car was broken into outside a pharmacy on Hamall Lane in Coventry.
West Midlands Police said one woman was charged with theft and the other was charged with handling stolen goods and possession of an offensive weapon.
Rail passenger numbers 'could be restricted'published at 17:51 British Summer Time 29 April 2020
BBC Midlands TodayThe number of passengers carried by trains could be severely restricted if social distancing rules remain after lockdown's lifted.
West Midlands Trains said under normal circumstances their carriages can take 150 passengers seated or standing but that drops to 15 if people have to stay two metres apart.
Spokesman Francis Thomas said they want people to think carefully before making a trip.
"We will do everything we can to improve the way people move through stations and travel on trains observing social distancing but ultimately we need cooperation from the travelling public," he added.
City's free music festival cancelledpublished at 17:38 British Summer Time 29 April 2020
"Alternative options" are being explored by organisers of a festival in Staffordshire after they announced it would not be held in July due to the pandemic.
The Lichfield Fuse Festival's been an annual free event in the city since 2001 with around 18,000 attending last year for live music and other activities.
Organisers said the coronavirus outbreak's forced them to cancel holding it from 10 July, external but they haven't ruled out creating an alternative event later in the year.
Sisters' street performance inspires NHS fundraisingpublished at 17:23 British Summer Time 29 April 2020
Clare Lissaman
BBC NewsTwo sisters who have been playing the violin and singing to their neighbours during 'Clap for Carers' have raised more than £1,200 for the NHS.
Freya James, aged 10 (left in video) and sister Orla, eight, from Sutton Coldfield, were inspired to raise money online for the University Hospitals Birmingham Charity after being given a donation through their door for performing “Over the Rainbow”.
Media caption, Sisters sing to raise money for NHS
Their proud aunt Sarah Kelly said neighbourhood police officers supported their second performance on Thursday with a “blue-light salute” from their vehicle.
The sisters say they are “overcoming their nerves” to learn and perform a different song each week and hope to help “spread love and positivity".
Hospital launches £1m appeal for coronavirus patientspublished at 17:04 British Summer Time 29 April 2020
Allen Cook
BBC NewsAn appeal's been launched to raise £1m to help patients and staff at hospitals in Birmingham through the coronavirus outbreak.
Image source, University Hospitals Birmingham CharityThe fundraising scheme's been started by the University Hospitals Birmingham Charity.
Solihull-based National Grid Ventures has donated £100,000 to the appeal to pay for nearly 400 tablets so patients can talk to their families while in isolation.
The charity's also looking to pay for schemes including activity packs, reclining chairs for staff and bereavement boxes.
Council lorries get 'thank you' repaintpublished at 16:49 British Summer Time 29 April 2020
Refuse lorries are getting a repaint in the Wychavon District Council area to say thank you to NHS staff and other key workers.
The work will be carried out over the next few weeks and this is how it's going to look.
Image source, Wychavon District CouncilSafe taken in museum burglarypublished at 16:34 British Summer Time 29 April 2020
Local Democracy Reporting Service
Gurdip ThandiBurglars have damaged windows at a museum as they broke in and took a safe.
Image source, GoogleWest Midlands Police said the break-in was on Monday night , externalat the Walsall Leather Museum on Littleton Street.
The safe was later found on the museum's grounds.
A 39-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of burglary and released while investigations continue.
Walsall Council said none of the artefacts or displays were damaged but they'll have to carry out repairs and replace the windows.
Tens of thousands more book virus tests in Englandpublished at 16:22 British Summer Time 29 April 2020
Staff and residents of care homes, over-65s and people who cannot work at home are now eligible for testing.
Read MoreMore streets painted to thank key workerspublished at 16:21 British Summer Time 29 April 2020
Another six streets in Telford are being painted with messages of thanks to NHS staff and other key workers.
Newport High Street is the latest to get the treatment and Telford and Wrekin Council said it would be painting the others today and tomorrow.
Image source, Telford and Wrekin CouncilAround the web: £1m for state-of-the-art cycling centrepublished at 16:06 British Summer Time 29 April 2020
Here are three stories from the Worcester News today:
- £1m to build state-of-the-art cycling centre, external
- Parkinson's sufferer walks distance of Hadrian’s Wall, external
- Indian restaurant donates food vouchers to ‘unseen’ care home workers, external
City's vulnerable get 3,000 food parcelspublished at 15:49 British Summer Time 29 April 2020
BBC Radio StokeThree thousand food parcels have been delivered by volunteers in Stoke-on-Trent since the pandemic began.
The city council, which is co-ordinating the scheme with volunteer group VAST, said , externalnearly 700 people had joined up to help residents who are self-isolating.
They've also delivered 500 prescriptions as well as collecting shopping and making calls to combat loneliness.
Town centre hotel houses rough sleeperspublished at 15:35 British Summer Time 29 April 2020
Mike Matthews says the rough sleepers he has given rooms to have become "extended family".
Read More
