Allen Cook
BBC News

A dog walker has suffered serious injuries after being punched in the face, police said.

Image source, Google

The man was walking the pet on Bradfield Road, Crewe, on Friday evening near the Coppenhall Working Men’s Club when Cheshire Police said he was assaulted. , external

His attacker turned up in a grey Vauxhall Astra, punched him and then fled in the car, police said.

Officers said the 28-year-old needed hospital treatment for serious injuries to his face and has since been discharged.

BBC Shropshire

A drive-through coronavirus test centre's being replaced with a home visiting service as just three people a day have been using the facility.

It was opened at the International Centre in Telford last month , externalsoon after an assessment centre launched at Shrewsbury Town Football Club.

Both sites required patients to be referred by GPs.

Health bosses said , externalpeople who were housebound or unable to travel would now be assessed for coronavirus in their own homes.

The drive-through facility will remain at Shrewsbury Town while the Telford one is to close on 29 May.

A lorry driver says he has given away hundreds of meals to hungry truckers after finding he "couldn't get a coffee for 100 miles".

For four weeks, Patrick Owens went every Wednesday to Warwick Services handing out home cooked meals to drivers.

Prepared by his wife at their home in Chipping Campden in Gloucestershire, Mr Owens estimates he gave out around 50 meals each morning and dinner time, plus drinks, for the time he was there.

His trips to the site stopped as of last week. The service station itself has also reopened some of its restaurants.

The food has been funded out of Mr Owens' pocket, but a GoFundMe page was also launched which raised £1,240.

Worcester News

Headlining stories from the Worcester News today:

• Woman taken to hospital after car crash in Worcester, external
• Pedestrian 'could be hit by a lorry' at 'dangerous' new junction, external
• School prepares for return of pupils after coronavirus, external

A boy aged 15 is among those arrested after a man suffers "potentially life-changing injuries".

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Tom Davis

Social distancing measures have been put in place at Coventry station following the easing of coronavirus lockdown restrictions in England.

Image source, Avanti West Coast

Floor markers and signage have been placed around the station, while additional staff have been on-site this morning to manage the flow of visitors.

Avanti West Coast, which manages Coventry railway station, is also encouraging people to travel with a reservation only due to limits on the number of passengers allowed to board each service.

Only about 15-17% of the usual capacity is being permitted.

Donna Selvey shouted "drop dead of coronavirus", the West Midlands Police force says.

BBC Shropshire

A council leader has warned it will have to make staff redundant and close services if it doesn't get more cash from the government to cover the cost of the coronavirus outbreak.

Image source, Google

Telford and Wrekin Council's Shaun Davies told BBC Shropshire his local authority was predicting a £25m shortfall due to the pandemic and that could rise to £60m if it lasted 12 months.

"If I'm not going to get the money as a council leader that I need to cover this £25m black hole this financial year, that means I will need to make staff redundant this financial year, I need to close services this financial year," he said.

The government said it had provided "an unprecedented £3.2bn" to councils.

Allen Cook
BBC News

A hospital's started giving families a print out of their loved one's heartbeat when they die.

They made the move after a nurse saw how upset relatives were getting due to not being able to visit during the pandemic.

Image source, University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust

Holly Minshalll works in critical care at the Royal Stoke University Hospital and had the idea of a "Heartbeat in a Bottle" to bring families some comfort.

The hospital NHS trust said , externalstaff print off a strip which shows the heartbeat of a patient and seal it in a test tube which is then placed in their belongings after they die.

Holly said: "There were so many times when I held the phone to a patient whilst their relatives spoke to them, often saying their last goodbyes, and I just thought - surely there is something we can do to offer a small glimpse of light in the darkness?"

Nurses from other critical care units are now getting in touch about using the idea at their hospitals, the NHS trust added.

Letters and drawings from primary school pupils are proving a "great pick-me-up" for police officers, Staffordshire Police has said.

Officers tweeted a photo, external of the contributions from St Mary's CE, in Tunstall, and added they'd been made into a collage for staff to admire them:

Image source, Staffordshire Police

A campaign's been launched to repair a Grade II listed monument after it was vandalised.

Image source, Dave Cooper

The Wedgwood Monument has stood on Bignall Hill, near Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, since the 19th Century in memory of coal mine owner John Wedgwood.

But local resident Dave Cooper told the BBC he found graffiti had been painted on it earlier this month and he and a friend had cleaned it off.

Image source, Dave Cooper

While doing so, he said he felt the monument was in need of repair and started a Facebook group towards that end with 800 people already backing it.

Severn Trent Water is to reopen some of its smaller visitor sites from Wednesday after they were closed to keep people safe during the coronavirus crisis.

Image source, Severn Trent

The Coventry-based company said these would include sites in Shustoke near Birmingham, Trimpley in Worcestershire and Priorslee in Telford.

Playgrounds will remain shut and the number of toilets available will be reduced, it said.

It's hoped larger sites, including Draycote Water in Warwickshire, will reopen in June, it added.

John Bray
BBC News

The nephew of a New Zealand soldier who died in England during World War One travelled halfway around the world to pay his respects - only for his plans to be scuppered by the coronavirus pandemic.

Geoff McMillan, 78, intended to lay a wreath at the grave of his uncle Charlie at Cannock Chase War Cemetery in Staffordshire.

He arrived in the UK in February and within weeks was caught up in lockdown in Somerset, preventing him from journeying to the site where annual Anzac Day commemorations were cancelled.

Step forward a war historian whom Mr McMillan met on previous visits to the grave. His actions have meant the around-the-world venture did not come to nothing.

A cat's been rescued by firefighters after hiding under the floorboards in her owner's house so she could give birth.

Image source, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service

The fire crews came to the aid of Luna in Stafford on Sunday.

Both mum and five kittens are safe and sound after being rescued from their hiding place, the fire service added., external

The death has been announced of one of Coventry's "most pre-eminent post-war photographers".

Image source, Richard Sadler

Richard Sadler, born in the city in 1928, spent 60 years capturing life in and around the city, according to Dr Ben Kyneswood, of Coventry University.

Image source, Richard Sadler

The photographer worked for major businesses in the city, including Wimpey, Jaguar, Courtaulds and the Belgrade Theatre, for whom he photographed for 40 years.

He was also the photographer for the Royal Shakespeare Company for many years and the official photographer for Coventry Cathedral, said Dr Kyneswood.

Image source, Dr Ben Kyneswood

"His most famous image came in Coventry – a photograph of Arthur Fellig, also known as WeeGee – taken outside of Owen Owen - now Primark - when WeeGee was touring England to promote Zenith cameras," he added.

A body of his work has been digitized by Dr Kyneswood and colleagues as part of the city's Photo Miners project. , external

He died aged 92 years after a short illness.

Footage of the pair embracing has been viewed millions of times on social media.

Rail users are being urged to wear face coverings while travelling by the West Midlands mayor.

Andy Street said he hoped to see more people following the advice, but reiterated it was "not an instruction".

Image source, PA Media

Image source, PA Media

Figures show demand for rail travel in the UK on the first day of increased timetables is similar to last week - despite more people returning to work this week.

Network Rail says passenger numbers in the morning rush hour were around 93% below average.

Image source, PA Media

Security guards are being based at stations and some seats on board will be blocked off to limit passenger numbers.

Hereford Times

The Hereford Times is covering these stories today:

• Five new coronavirus cases confirmed in Herefordshire since Thursday, external
• Busy day for Herefordshire's roads police, external
• Support service users create lockdown memory capsule, external

Nigel Clough is to step down as Burton Albion manager and will be replaced by current captain Jake Buxton.

Theo Leggett
BBC International Business Correspondent

A number of car factories across Britain have resumed work after closing their doors during the lockdown, including Jaguar Land Rover's plants in Solihull and Wolverhampton.

Image source, AFP

The car industry ground to a halt in the second half of March as lockdowns across Europe meant that parts were becoming difficult to get hold of - and with consumers unable to go into dealerships, cars themselves were becoming increasingly difficult to sell.

Now, larger factories have begun producing cars and engines again – albeit in relatively small quantities, and largely destined for overseas markets.

However some plants – including two of Jaguar Land Rover’s factories in Castle Bromwich and Halewood, and Nissan’s Sunderland base - are not expected to reopen until June.