'Significant' fall in coronavirus patients seen in West Midlands
Covid-19 possible treatment trialled
Black people in UK 'twice as likely to die' from Covid-19
Man found at home named by murder probe police
More festivals cancelled for 2020 amid lockdown
Long queues as recycling centres open
Updates from Thursday 7 May
As we count down to the 75th anniversary of VE Day tomorrow, plenty of our local archives have been sharing their photos on Twitter of the event in 1945.
Shropshire Council's Shrewsbury library team tweeted, external these photos and asked if anyone could spot people they know:
Image source, Shropshire Council
Image source, Shropshire CouncilSchools across the UK have been closed to the vast majority of pupils since the end of March.
No date has been set, but a partial return to school before September has not been ruled out.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson told the Education Select Committee on 29 April that the government was working with "the whole education sector" to decide the best time to reopen schools in England.
Image source, PA MediaThere was no more on that issue from the government's daily briefing today, but Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said any changes to lockdown measures would be "modest, small, incremental".
We might find out more from Sunday's briefing.
Simon Gilbert
Political Reporter, BBC Coventry & Warwickshire
A council leader has told the BBC his local authority might not survive the coronavirus crisis saying it's not currently a "going concern".
Councils across Coventry and Warwickshire say they are wrestling with multimillion-pound losses as a result of the lockdown.
Image source, GoogleLong-term cuts to council services and tax rises could be implemented as a result of the Coronavirus crisis, councils have said.
Stratford-on-Avon District Council leader Tony Jefferson told BBC CWR: "I think, when you look at the extent of the economic hit we are going to take, then there are some real issues about how we move forward.
"If this was a private sector organisation, at the moment, I would say we could not be considered to be a going concern."
Rob Mayor
Political reporter, BBC WM
The mayor of the West Midlands has described the government's decision to "disband" community testing early on in the coronavirus pandemic as "tricky".
Andy Street was asked at the region's weekly coronavirus update if, with hindsight, things might have been done differently now we know more about the scale of the pandemic.
He compared the current situation with "designing the plane and flying it at the same time" .
Quote MessageWe are trying to set up the testing regime now and actually if you look back, I don’t think it’s beyond the wit of man to work out that at some point we would have needed that, so to have disbanded it when we were at particular stage of the epidemic, then to rebuild it, that looks tricky to me."
Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands
Sandish Shoker
BBC News
A brother and sister from Derby have been reunited for the first time since lockdown began as they joined the front line at Birmingham's Nightingale Hospital.
Doctors Francis and Janet Okoroh worked their first ever shift together earlier this week.
Dr Francis Okoroh said although they couldn't hug, it was good to see each other and catch up.
"It was nice to see her because it was her birthday during lockdown and I didn't get to see her then," he said.
Image source, Francis OkorohDr Janet Okoroh works in A&E at the Royal Derby Hospital which her brother said had been busy.
"She's been stressed with work and had also lost one of her consultants to Covid-19 so she's been through a lot," he said.
There's been a "significant" fall in coronavirus patients being treated by an NHS trust in Birmingham, the region's weekly briefing meeting has been told.
Image source, ReutersDr David Rosser, of University Hospitals Birmingham, said "less then 300 patients" were now being treated, down from a peak of about 1,000.
"There has been a small increase in the past two or three days," he added, but "this could be down to more aggressive testing".
The regional briefing by the West Midlands Combined Authority heard the trust was now treating 49 Covid-19 patients on ventilators - down from a peak of 172.
An increase of non-coronavirus patients contacting the city's A&E services - some through an app - was welcome, he said.
Plans are now under way to increase non-coronavirus operations at the trust's hospitals.
This pile of what appears to be sacks of earth was fly-tipped in Kidderminster, West Mercia Police has said., external
Officers caught two men in the act of dumping the waste near the town centre, it added.
Image source, West Mercia PoliceIt's set to be a dry night with clear spells, the odd fog patch around and generally feeling milder. Low: 10C (50F).
Image source, TWSpicerThen hazy sunshine tomorrow mixed with some cloudy spells and there could be some scattered heavy showers around. High: 21C (70F).
You can stay up-to-date with the latest weather for your area via the BBC Weather website.
Facebook
With Prime Minister Boris Johnson set to announce on Sunday his plans to restart the economy and ease lockdown restrictions, you've been having your say on the BBC Midlands Facebook page.
Image source, Getty ImagesAdam Stone reckoned, external: "Restrictions have to be relaxed to a degree. People need to get back to work..The economy needs to get going again."
Hamish Burke wanted more help from the PM, external: "I’ve lived on my boat since I left the forces six years ago. I had a good career but now I’m in the process of being unemployed thanks to the lockdown and can’t go to my home because I’m not allowed in the marina but have to keep it there at my continuing expense."
Holly Trust was concerned at the timing, external: "Children - how can they protect their self from (sic) school. It’s too early"
David Lowry was also worried, external: "There's still a high number of deaths every day, it doesn't make sense to lift lockdown now. They will cause a second wave at this rate."
But Stuart Waring's ready for restrictions to be eased, external: "All these people - "far too soon". Aye, so we'll all just keep being cooped up like chickens for ever then? Lockdown has to be eased at some point in time!"
David Gomoh's mother praises her son, who was killed days after his father died with coronavirus.
Read More
Allen Cook
BBC News
"So much for the war, and about time too!"
This is how a letter ends, written as World War Two drew to a close in May 1945 by a man to his parents in Shropshire.
Image source, Lawrence ChampionLawrence Champion, from Harborne, in Birmingham, shared it with us today ahead of the VE Day anniversary tomorrow and said it was written by his late father John Champion on 5 May 1945.
With the war set to officially end within days, Mr Champion wrote to his parents in Church Stretton about entering Hamburg unopposed when the city surrendered and of the devastation in the area.
He added the night before they had fired every grenade in the camp, burnt old maps and photos on two huge bonfires and wrote "the end is too big a mental change to take in at one gulp".
Mr Champion says his father went on to live in Hereford with his wife Olive, was chair of the city's blind college and died in 1994.
The long queues for the recycling centres in Birmingham are being reflected in Telford and Wrekin, according to the local council.
Image source, Telford and Wrekin CouncilIt's posted a photo on Facebook, external of a long string of cars waiting to go into the Halesfield tip and said waiting times had reached 75 minutes by 15:45.
With the site due to close at 17:00, the council said people should avoid coming as "chances are you won’t get to the gates before they close".
Who did BBC Sport users select as each county's greatest overseas player?
Read MoreA seven-year-old girl who wanted to raise £50 for the NHS during lockdown by making and selling rainbow ribbons has seen donations rise to £2,300.
Image source, Charlotte GibsonMaisie Gibson, from Malvern, Worcestershire, made a few ribbons and her mum Charlotte put them on social media.
That was a couple of weeks ago and, since then, more than a hundred of them have been mailed out and the family's had stamps, 90m of ribbon and pins donated.
Charlotte told BBC Hereford and Worcester "we're going to aim to get all those used up" and keep making them as long as people want them.
Worcester Warriors back row Marco Mama signs a one-year contract extension with the Premiership club.
Read MoreWho did BBC Sport users select as Worcestershire's greatest overseas player?
Read MoreWho did BBC Sport users select as Warwickshire's greatest overseas player?
Read MoreBirmingham City Council will widen streets in Kings Heath and Erdington to help social distancing.
Read MoreThe Hereford Times is following these stories today:
How are communities in England preparing to celebrate VE Day in lockdown?
Read More
