Some authorities say waste sites will reopen at the weekend, while others say further guidance is needed.

BBC WM

Being deliberately coughed or spat at by people who then say they have Covid-19 is a new risk for police officers, its federation says.

West Midlands Federation chairman Jon Nott told BBC WM officers are used to threats, but the addition of Covid-19 to the risk is an extra strain for them and can affect their mental health.

Image source, PA Media

"With Covid-19, it's the unknown and it's having to deal with the waiting and the not knowing as to whether you've been infected and then whether you're infecting your family," Mr Nott added.

Earlier this week, a man was jailed for deliberately coughing on three police officers as they broke up a party of 20 people in Birmingham.

Stoke-on-Trent Live

Headlines from Stoke-on-Trent Live:

• Army brought in to carry out more coronavirus tests in Stoke-on-Trent from today, external
• Dad's disgust as dog poo bag lobbed into garden of home where son plays, external
• Rule-breaking pub hit with council warning after staging lockdown lock-in, external

Allen Cook
BBC News

Walkers and cyclists aren't going to be allowed to use part of a canal towpath from Monday as a water leak is investigated.

Image source, South Staffordshire Water

South Staffordshire Water said, external they'd need to shut the Kingfisher Trail in Burton-upon-Trent from Horninglow Road to Eton Park School for up to two weeks.

The trail is a 2km (1.2mile) footpath which runs along the Trent and Mersey Canal between Princess Way, Stretton and the Shobnall Leisure Complex.

Three guns, 28 knives and drugs with a street value of more than £100,000 were seized during a series of raids in Coventry.

Twelve properties were visited and 26 people arrested. Police also took £26,000 in cash and seized 26 vehicles.

Image source, West Midlands Police

West Midlands Police said the raids were part of a crackdown on drugs and gangs in the city and the raids would continue for several months.

Image source, West Midlands Police

A scrapyard fire involving 200 tonnes of waste metal's expected to burn for much of the day., external

Image source, West Midlands Fire Service

Dozens of firefighters have spent the morning at Shredmet Ltd on Aston Church Road, Nechells, Birmingham.

No injuries had been reported, the ambulance service said.

Image source, West Midlands Fire Service

The fire service added diggers were being used to create fire breaks in the pile of metal.

Hereford Times

Here are three of the stories from the Hereford Times today:

• Three deaths and others with symptoms at care home, external
• Refurb for church's organ, external
• Hereford Enterprise Zone looks to future, external

The Dyson Perrins Academy in Malvern is shutting its sixth form and won't take any new A-Level students from September.

It consulted parents and the local community, external earlier this year, following a fall in pupil numbers.

Image source, Google

The governors are now applying to the Regional Schools Commissioner, who will make the final decision.

Birmingham Live

Birmingham Live website's headlines:

• Birmingham tips boss issues statement on when they could re-open, external
• Healthy dad with no health conditions dies from coronavirus, external
• Motorists advised to avoid Nechells after fire sends plumes of smoke across roads, external

Allen Cook
BBC News

Oatcake making and a sing-a-long to Robbie Williams' song Angels are among events to mark Staffordshire Day - this year being held online.

Image source, Staffordshire County Council

The county council, which is behind the 1 May celebration, said it's moved events to social media and the Enjoy Staffordshire website., external

They include live music and a big quiz this evening to end the activities., external

A mobile coronavirus testing centre will be in Stoke-on-Trent from today after the prime minister was asked why key workers were having to travel to Manchester to get tested.

Image source, AFP/Getty Images

Boris Johnson was responding to a question from the Stoke Sentinel at yesterday's Downing Street news conference.

They said a warehouse worker from Trent Vale who suspected he had Covid-19 was told to drive an an 80-mile round trip to Manchester Airport to be swabbed., external

Mr Johnson promised to get to the bottom of the issue: "We will bring it up immediately with the NHS and the huge team that we now have responsible for testing."

The mobile testing unit will be based on Forge Lane, Etruria, for the next few days with people needing to go online to book a test.

An appeal to keep the Severn Valley Railway running has now raised £650,000.

The historic railway launched the fundraising bid in March to pay for 'care and maintenance', with an initial target of £250,000.

General manager Helen Smith said the railway has "already suffered a huge loss in income from tickets and secondary spend, and don’t know how long this will continue."

She said in a normal year the railway would look to spend around £4.5m on the railway, with the money coming from visitor revenue.

The 16-mile railway, which operates between Kidderminster, Bewdley and Bridgnorth, ran its last service on 15 March and has had to cancel a number of big revenue-making events.

Smoke billowing from a scrapyard fire affected visibility in the area and could be seen from miles around.

Drivers were urged to avoid Heartlands Parkway in Birmingham due to the smoke.

Image source, West Midlands Police

Fire crews battled the blaze on Aston Church Road, Nechells, for several hours.

West Midlands Police tweeted , externalsmoke is affecting visibility in the surrounding area.

West Midlands Fire Service's station commander Lee Baker tweeted a video of the fire, adding they expected to be there most of the day:

The New Saints are one of a handful of clubs pushing for the Welsh Premier League season to be completed - because of the European places up for grabs.

The Oswestry club is currently second, with six games to go, and is looking to retain its league title and manager Scott Ruscoe said last season European football brought in around £900,000.

Ruscoe said some clubs just want the season to end, but added the European money helps fund players and staff and the football club for the following season.

"If that's taken away from us, it's a massive chunk of money that will have to be found from somewhere."

BBC News England

Ray and Moreen Williams's home was flooded when rivers swelled following February storms.

Within weeks, there was another crisis - Covid-19 was rampant and the UK went into lockdown.

Quarantine brings its own challenges, but there are even more when crucial home repairs have to be put on hold.

The couple, aged 91 and 89, are largely confined to the upstairs of their house in Hereford, but are managing to find a bright side to their situation.

Express and Star

These stories are being covered by the Express and Star today:

• Army staffs drive-though coronavirus testing centre in Walsall, external
• RSPCA deals with 1,500 incidents in West Midlands and Staffordshire since start of lockdown, external
• Hospice shares donations to support women and children amid virus outbreak, external

Andrew Dawkins
BBC News

A lorry driver has been giving free food to fellow truckers at motorway services, after finding he "couldn't get a coffee for 100 miles".

On his day off on Wednesdays, Patrick Owens has been handing food out at Warwick Services, 35 miles from home, with his wife cooking about 40 meals.

In one area at night, Mr Owens said he found five petrol stations were either closed or had stopped customers using the toilet or getting coffee there.

Truck drivers delivering freight and keeping the supply chains moving are regarded as key workers.

BBC Weather

Today's going to see a mixture of sunshine and showers with the chance the rain could turn heavier this afternoon. High: 14C (57F).

Image source, Pringle

Those showers will mostly ease after sunset with just the odd one lingering through the night. Low: 5C (41F).

Head to the BBC Weather website at any time for a latest forecast for your area.

A large scrapyard fire is being tackled by dozens of firefighters in Birmingham this morning.

West Midlands Fire Service tweeted , externaljust after 08:15 it had five crews at the site on Aston Church Road, Nechells.

It said people should avoid the area.

The US Food and Drug Administration gives emergency approval for the experimental antiviral drug remdesivir.