Summary

  • '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

  1. Seriously injured man 'stable' in hospitalpublished at 18:43 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    A 23-year-old man who suffered a serious head injury in an attack in Meir on Friday evening remains in hospital.

    Staffordshire Police says he is in a serious but stable condition.

    A man from Stoke-on-Trent who was arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm remains in custody.

  2. Villa 'ready and keen' to restart seasonpublished at 18:20 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    Aston Villa, who lie second bottom in the Premier League, are "ready and keen" to restart the season when it is "right to do so", says boss Dean Smith.

    Read More
  3. UK car sales plunge to lowest level since 1946published at 18:19 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    Peter Plisner
    BBC Midlands Today

    New car registrations almost ground to a halt in April after coronavirus lockdown measures were introduced, the motor industry has said.

    Figures from industry body the SMMT show only 4,321 cars were registered, the lowest monthly level since 1946.

    CarsImage source, Getty Images

    It's likely that the West Midlands will be one of the hardest hit by the downturn, with both manufacturers and suppliers based in the region.

    Jaguar Land Rover will start building cars again later this month at Solihull and engines at Wolverhampton, with Warwickshire-based Aston Martin restarting production at its factory in Wales today.

    You can see my report on the impact for the region on Midlands Today on BBC One at 18:30.

  4. Rail freight hub plans approved by governmentpublished at 18:02 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    The move will see the loss of 297 hectares of Green Belt land.

    Read More
  5. Household recycling centres set to re-openpublished at 17:42 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    Kathryn Stanczyszyn
    Political Reporter, BBC WM

    Four of Birmingham's household recycling centres will re-open on Thursday, the city council has confirmed.

    The waste centres, which have been closed since the beginning of the coronavirus lockdown, will be open for limited hours and only one adult will be permitted to leave the car.

    The sites on Lifford Lane in Kings Norton, Holford Drive in Perry Barr, Norris Way in Sutton Coldfield and James Road in Tyseley will be open Monday to Friday between 11:00 and 20:00 - and between 08:00 and 14:00 at the weekend.

    The council says vans and large trailers will not be permitted and the only exceptions to the single person rule will be Blue Badge holders and lone parents who have no other option but to bring children.

    It also says all four sites are expected to be very busy, so residents should only make the trip if it is "absolutely essential".

  6. Struggling charity suffers theft blowpublished at 17:34 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    The brain injury support charity said it despaired someone could do that as £1,200 of equipment stolen.

    Read More
  7. Number of pothole repairs trebledpublished at 17:24 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    More than 1,500 potholes were repaired during lockdown in Stoke-on-Trent last month - three times the usual number.

    The city council said it was made possible because there were fewer vehicles on the road.

    pot holeImage source, Getty Images

    At the same time, the authority carried out resurfacing work on seven miles of roads.

  8. Murder probe as man dies weeks after 'attack'published at 17:23 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    Jagdev Lally was found with head injuries in an alleyway last month and died in hospital on Friday.

    Read More
  9. Black market booze fraudsters jailedpublished at 16:57 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    HMRC says the men operated at the expense of the taxpayer, with £2m lost in revenue.

    Read More
  10. Scarecrows displayed for enjoyment of villagerspublished at 16:29 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    People in parts of Stratford-on-Avon have been making and displaying scarecrows during lockdown.

    "The purpose is for enjoyment for those walking around the [areas] and to give families some arts and crafts entertainment," said local councillor Edward Fitter.

    More than one has an NHS theme...

    ScarecrowImage source, Edward Fitter
    ScarecrowImage source, Edward Fitter
    ScarecrowImage source, Edward Fitter
  11. The warehouses where goods are piling uppublished at 16:06 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    BBC Business News

    Shops and restaurants are selling less, but goods are still arriving at warehouses around the country. And as they pile up on the shelves, the warehouse owners worry how they will stay in business.

    Business correspondent Katy Austin reports.

  12. Biker critical after crashpublished at 16:00 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    Police are appealing for information after a biker suffered serious head injuries in a crash in Tipton on Friday night.

    Crash sceneImage source, Google

    The 22-year-old remains in hospital in a critical condition after his bike hit a lamppost at the junction of Ocker Hill Road and Spring Street.

    Detectives say they believe he was travelling with another biker, who decided to leave the scene.

  13. Councils want ministers to match words with actionpublished at 15:38 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    Second City and Second Town want a first-rate slice of the pot.

    Read More
  14. 'Mothball' plan for Nightingale Hospitalpublished at 15:07 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    It's expected Birmingham's Nightingale Hospital would first be mothballed for a couple of months before being dismantled, a health chief says.

    NHS Nightingale BirminghamImage source, NHS Nightingale Birmingham

    An exact timeline over the pop-up site's future is unclear. No patients have been admitted to the facility at the NEC since it opened last month.

    London's Nightingale Hospital is expected to be placed on standby in the coming days, and will no longer be admitting patients.

    Dr Justin Varney, Birmingham’s director of public health, told BBC WM he expected an easing of lockdown to not come in straight away, describing it as a "balancing act" between whether to open schools or businesses first.

  15. Dalian Atkinson death: Trial of two PCs expected in Septemberpublished at 14:42 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    A judge says he still expects the trial of a police officer accused of the murder of former footballer Dalian Atkinson to take place in September.

    Dalian AtkinsonImage source, Getty Images

    The former Aston Villa striker died after being tasered at his father's house in Shropshire in 2016.

    Melbourne Inman QC told Birmingham Crown Court during a hearing earlier that he expected an eight-week trial would be able to begin on 14 September.

    PC Benjamin Monk, an officer with West Mercia Police, is charged with murder and faces an alternative charge of manslaughter. He did not formally enter a plea on Tuesday.

    His colleague, PC Mary Ellen Bettley-Smith, denies a charge of assault causing actual bodily harm in connection with the case.

  16. Make a Difference: Bin workers handed wash bagspublished at 14:20 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    BBC CWR

    A Coventry sewing circle has been making wash bags to allow essential workers to separate work clothes from other garments, allowing them to be washed safely.

    Bin crews in the city have been given 170 of the bags by the Balsall Common group.

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  17. Make a difference: Pride group to host 'coffee morning'published at 14:06 British Summer Time 5 May 2020

    BBC CWR

    Warwickshire Pride is hosting a virtual coffee morning at the weekend.

    It will be held from 10:00 to 12:00 on Saturday, with details on how to join posted on their Twitter feed. , external

    The group said it was to offer virtual "chats, laughs and support" during lockdown.

    Coffee mugImage source, Warwickshire Pride