Stoke-on-Trent Live

The Stoke-on-Trent Live website's covering these stories today:

• Free-loaders pleading poverty handed pram and milk by charity - only to sell them , external
• Street bingo game turns into 'drunken party with loud music, hugging and dancing', external
• Former Labour leader reported to police over 'alleged criminal offence', external

BBC Radio Stoke

A memorial could be placed at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire in memory of the essential workers who have died from Covid-19.

Image source, Getty Images

In the House of Commons, Health Secretary Matt Hancock was asked by former minister Heather Wheeler if he would support her campaign for a memorial at the Alrewas site.

Mr Hancock said he'd be happy to look at the idea: "It is important as a nation we remember and we commemorate the sacrifice of those who have lost their lives while serving on the front line of this war."

More than 100 NHS staff and other healthcare workers have died with coronavirus since the outbreak began.

BBC WM

The home of Warwickshire County Cricket Club is going to be used to store and distribute food to local food banks and community groups.

Image source, Warwickshire County Cricket Club

The club said their official charity, the Edgbaston Foundation, had, external made an agreement with the charity Thrive Together Birmingham.

No food can be donated at the stadium, the club warned, as they said all donations had to go to the nearby St Mary and St Ambrose Church on Raglan Road.

It's not the first use of the stadium for coronavirus-related work as the car park's already been offered to the government as a drive-through test centre.

Former health minister Philip Dunne has said the UK can't describe its response to the coronavirus pandemic as a "success".

The Ludlow MP was speaking on the BBC's Newsnight programme last night, as Britain overtook Italy to have the highest number of recorded coronavirus deaths. He said it was "too early to say if we're going to be an outlier in Europe".

He added:"It seems to me that we're in the same sort of range as France, Spain and Italy. It's not a success to be talking in these terms."

"We're getting towards similar numbers to civilian deaths in the Second World War."

He said it was, "a matter of doing what we can at this point" and "taking full advantage of scientific advice in order to handle the situation that confronts us today".

The number of bin collections is being gradually stepped up again around the West Midlands and there is still plenty of gratitude for the work the refuse collectors do.

These messages were left around Rugby and Worcester.

BBC News Education

Teaching unions across the UK and Ireland are warning national leaders not to reopen schools too early.

The British Irish Group of Teacher Unions has written to the education ministers of all five nations in which the million staff it represents work.

Its letter warns the ministers of the "very real risk of creating a spike in the transmission of the virus by a premature opening of schools".

Test and trace measures must be fully operational before reopening, it says.

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Joe Burn

A former leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council is being investigated over an alleged criminal offence, Staffordshire Police has said.

The force said it was in the "early stages" of a probe into Mohammed Pervez, who stood down as a councillor on Monday after 14 years.

Mr Pervez was first elected for Labour in 2006 and went on to lead the local authority for five years from 2010 before becoming leader of the opposition.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said it had not been disclosed when the complaint was made.

It added Mr Pervez had so far declined to comment.

When he announced he was standing down on Monday, he said in a statement "I have reflected on my work-life balance and have decided to step down as a councillor to focus more on my daytime job and family."

Sophie Madden
BBC News

Some sheep farmers have said they are facing difficulties as coronavirus has left them unable to bring over shearers from Australia and New Zealand.

Image source, National Sheep Association

One shearing firm said it had given up a quarter of its work because it had been unable to bring in foreign staff.

Steve Wagstaff, who runs S&J Wagstaff in Rugby, Warwickshire, said he had three workers booked to travel from Australia but all had declined.

"They had flights booked which they have had to cancel," he said.

The National Sheep Association (NSA) has launched a service to link farmers with shearers in their area.

Shearer Owen Davies, from Herefordshire, added: "It is certainly going to be testing times."

Express and Star

From the Express and Star's website today:

• Region's coronavirus care home deaths almost as high as hospitals, external
• Murder investigation launched as man dies two weeks after Smethwick attack, external
• Deliveries of PPE to Midlands hospitals stepped up but quality of supplies is questioned, external

A salad dressing business from Herefordshire says it's going to donate all its profits to charity this year.

Tiggs, which is based at Kings Acre, will be sharing the money between the Samaritans and NHS charities.

The business was founded by brothers Sam and Jacob James, who said they were inspired by the efforts of Colonel Tom Moore.

Sophie Madden
BBC News

A 15-year-old has created a series of videos teaching British Sign Language (BSL) during lockdown.

Image source, Sense

Tyrese Dibba, who has Charge Syndrome, and is deaf and partially sighted, released the videos with charity Sense in a bid to tackle isolation among people with disabilities.

The Birmingham student said more people learning BSL would "help the deaf community feel part of wider society".

More than 7,000 people have signed up for the free classes.

BBC Weather

A dry day with plenty of sunshine around and just the odd patch of cloud at times. Feeling a bit warmer than yesterday and less windy with a high of 17C/63F.

Image source, Les at Large

Then, after a fine evening, a dry night with clear spells and turning quite cool with a low of 5C/41F.

You can keep up-to-date on the latest forecast for your area by going to the BBC Weather website.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

A church is set for the Southwater area of Telford town centre.

The Diocese of Lichfield has been given permission to convert part of the enlarged Meeting Point House

The application says Telford Minster aims "to be used throughout the week, not only for their regular Sunday service, but as a rentable venue for events, conferences and performances".

Allen Cook
BBC News

Welcome to our live service for Wednesday.

We'll be bringing you all the latest news for the West Midlands.

We love to hear from you so share your news, thoughts and photos of the area with us via email, Twitter, external and Facebook., external

A 15-year-old creates a series of videos to teach people British Sign Language during lockdown.

The National Sheep Association has launched a service to link farmers with shearers in their area.

Vanessa Pearce
BBC News

Updates for the West Midlands have now ended but we'll be back with you from 08:00 on Wednesday.

Officers say the female suspect was known to the deceased who has not been named.

Nine vehicles have been seized and four people have been arrested in a police operation in Stoke-on-Trent to tackle off-road bikes and anti-social behaviour.

The officers used off-road bikes themselves to search areas where the bikers are known to gather, including Tickhill Quarry.

Image source, Staffordshire Police

Over two days about 40 stops were carried out and three of the vehicles seized were motorbikes.

Staffordshire Police says similar operations are set to continue.

Watch live coverage from the second ePL Invitational as Jose Enrique, Andre Gray and boxer Tony Bellew take part.