The rubbish is believed to have been dumped at a derelict factory but much of it has spread out into the street.

Allen Cook
BBC News

With a warm, sunny bank holiday weekend forecast, people planning to visit beauty spots in Staffordshire are being urged to be more considerate to local communities.

The county's police and fire services, along with local councils, said they also wanted people to make sure they maintain social distancing.

Image source, Staffordshire Police

Last weekend saw cases of inconsiderate parking blocking access for emergency vehicles and large amounts of litter left behind, the organisations said, external.

Hot spots this weekend are expected to include:

• The Staffordshire Moorlands where police said they would be stepping up patrols, external
• Cannock Chase , external
• Reservoirs including Chasewater and Blithfield with the county's fire service saying its seen a 20% increase in call outs in the last year with 31 since May 2019 , external
• The Roaches in the Staffordshire Moorlands where firefighters are urging people not to hold barbecues as the area's still recovering from a huge blaze in 2018, external

Kathryn Stanczyszyn
Political Reporter, BBC WM

The biggest hospital trust in the West Midlands has told BBC WM new arrangements to deal with coronavirus patients will have to last "at least a couple of years".

Image source, Getty Images

University Hospitals Birmingham Trust will reopen Solihull Hospital as a Covid-free site on 1 June to undergo non-coronavirus surgery and procedures.

Back on 10 April the trust hit a peak - with more deaths than any other in the UK. Then - they had 708 inpatients with Covid - now there are 220.

Now the man in charge says new measures will have to remain in place for the forseeable future - and that they're now preparing for a second surge.

Chief Operating Officer Jonathan Brotherton said the biggest group of patients affected "are those that are waiting for their surgical proceedures to be undertaken.

"We've been able to keep a lot of surgery going but not enough and not to the levels we did pre-Covid."

Image source, Rex Features

As well as football clubs and their employees, there are thousands of businesses across the country that rely on matchday revenue.

The Wild Pig pub - also known as the Brooklands Hotel - is a 10 minute walk from Shrewsbury Town's ground and is normally packed with home and away fans before and after games.

A council grant and suspension of their Sky Sports subscription - normally costing £1,500 a month - has helped soften the blow but the financial hit has been hard nonetheless.

"Part of the reason for taking over the pub was the benefit of the football," said James Hopkins, who became landlord in October.

He told BBC Radio Shropshire: "Even when we reopen I don't think we're going to be seeing the football open as it was, as we know the norm.

"We have no clue when we can reopen. Possibly at the earliest August - and then we're going to have to practise social distancing."

Image source, Rex Features

The EFL Board announced on Thursday a draft framework to adopt into their regulations in the event the League One season needs to be curtailed.

League Two has already taken the decision to end its campaign but opinion is split among the 23 League One clubs.

"You’re dealing with a lot of self-interest," Burton Albion chairman Ben Robinson told BBC Radio 5 live earlier this week.

“Individual clubs have their own agendas.

"Some clubs don’t want to play these games or complete the season because their players are on basic wages and would receive a significant amount of appearance money if those games were completed.

“Our club, we’re 12th. Hopefully we’re not in the relegation picture and we’re not really in place to get into the play-offs. So for us to be asked to spend £140,000 out of our own pockets (to provide coronavirus testing) over a timeframe of we’re not sure how long, seems unnecessary."

The Muslim call to prayer will be heard on loud speakers in Birmingham later - despite lockdown restrictions meaning people can't attend mosques.

Image source, Google

The city council has granted special permission for some buildings to play it this lunchtime to mark the final Friday of Ramadan.

Jehangir Malik, from the Solihull Hub Mosque, has been helping preparations at the Golden Hillock Mosque in Small Heath, and said the move is appreciated.

"It may be a first time experience for those who've never heard it to hear it live."

"It's a very spiritual, moving, uplifting experience for both Muslim and non-Muslim alike."

Image source, Rex Features

In August 2018, the BBC Sport and data unit revealed research which showed that 11 of the 20 Premier League clubs during the 2016-17 season would have made a profit even if not a single fan came through the turnstiles.

Those figures were stunning, but the top-heavy distribution of funds from media rights and other revenues means such statistics are merely a top flight phenomenon.

Take League Two side Port Vale, for instance. Their chair Carol Shanahan highlights the importance of ticket sales, money taken at the club shop and the refreshment kiosks, to the running of the business.

"In the higher leagues, funding comes more from media, from major sponsorship, and although we do get some sponsorship from local companies, there's very little in comparison to the higher leagues, you don't have the reach," Shanahan told BBC Midlands Today.

"We rely on fans through the gates. I've been blown away by the number of Vale fans who have gone out and bought season tickets for next season, even though they know they might not be able to come into the ground.

"I think that is amazing, we haven't asked them but that's their way of supporting us, and in the lower leagues that is all we've got. Otherwise, at the moment all we have coming in is the furlough money from the government's [job retention] scheme so we are really grateful."

Stoke-on-Trent Live

The Stoke-on-Trent Live website's headlines today include:

• Visitors fail to stay away from Staffordshire's Peak District hotspots, external
• Ten residents have died at Staffordshire care home after getting coronavirus, external
• 'Stroppy' prisoner jailed after coughing and spitting at police during coronavirus lockdown, external

BBC Hereford and Worcester

A pilot's been praised for safely making an emergency landing in a field and avoiding any injuries, including to himself.

It came down yesterday at Shirlheath, near Leominster, Herefordshire, the fire service said., external

The aircraft is a Titan T-51 Mustang, a modern, scaled-down replica of the World War Two fighter plane, and registered to an owner from Leominster, according to Civil Aviation Authority records.

Image source, Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service

Image source, Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service

BBC CWR

Ukrainians living in Coventry have been celebrating their national Vyshyvanka Day in lockdown this year.

All over the world Ukrainians celebrate the day of the national embroidered shirt - or vyshyvanka - on the third Thursday in May.

There are currently about 300 members of the Association of Ukrainians in Coventry, which was started about 72 years ago.

They usually meet in the city centre for celebrations, but this year are having to have a virtual meet-up.

BBC Midlands

One hundred jobs are being created at Birmingham Airport.

STS Aviation Services has won a contract from aircraft manufacturer Boeing.

The company, which is based in the former Monarch hanger at the airport, will convert Boeing 737 "next generation" airliners into battle management planes for the RAF.

The contract will start later in the year.

BBC WM

Handmade thank you cards are being sent to NHS workers in the Midlands by a greeting card firm.

Image source, Curious Pencil

Curious Pencil is based in Birmingham and has set up a crowdfunding page to raise £10,500 to pay for 21,000 of the cards.

The family-owned firm said several hospitals and GP surgeries had welcomed the idea as a way of boosting the mental health of their staff.

Image source, Curious Pencil

Co-owner Simone Smith told BBC WM people in the community were already sponsoring the cards.

"Just reaching out to say actually, this is our way of clapping for the NHS, this is our way of doing something different, actually reaching out to people," she said.

Birmingham Pride has been cancelled for this year.

The two-day festival had been postponed until September because of the coronavirus pandemic but now won't go ahead until May 2021, organisers said.

Festival director, Lawrence Barton, it was a "very tough" decision, "but the right one".

BBC Hereford and Worcester

Work's started to repair a road which collapsed during flooding in the wake of Storm Dennis three months ago.

The heavy rain in February caused a landslide along a 6.5m section (21ft) section of the B4224 between Holme Lacy and Fownhope, near Hereford.

There was also a partial collapse of 100m (109yds) of retaining wall., external

Workers from Balfour Beatty have begun removing 4,000 tonnes of soil , externaland said they're working to make sure the new road design can cope with current and future traffic loads.

BBC Weather

Early rain should clear leaving much of the day dry and sunny, with just the odd shower. However, there will be brisk south-westerly winds with highs of 19°C (66°F).

Image source, BBC Weather Watchers/KarenJ

Vanessa Pearce
BBC News

Welcome to the start of our live service for Friday.

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

You can get let us know about stories in your area via email, Twitter, external and Facebook., external

BBC Sport looks at the impact of coronavirus on lower league football clubs, players and fans, and how the game might recover.

Judy Murray described Cathie Sabin as "an absolute tennis gem".

Allen Cook
BBC News

We're ending our live coverage for today and we'll return with updates from 08:00 on Friday.

A secondary school in the education secretary's own constituency has said it won't reopen on 1 June, despite the government targeting that date.

Image source, PA Media

Earlier this week, ministers said they hoped those facing exams next year - Years 10 and 12 - would get some time in school before the summer holidays.

But Codsall High School, situated in Gavin Williamson's constituency, said in a letter to parents , externalsuch a move would need more staff available to supervise those pupils due to social distancing rules.

It said that would mean a "significant reduction" in staff available to teach other pupils online.

In the letter, the head teacher and chair of governors said they would reconsider opening on 15 June if guidance from the government changes between now and then.