BBC Midlands Today

The Midlands Air Ambulance charity is marking its 30th anniversary today by releasing a collection of old photographs.

Image source, Midlands Air Ambulance

The organisation is also asking people, external to "go red" on Friday to show support, by wearing red or something similar.

The charity says the last 12 months have been exceptionally challenging due to a significant reduction in fundraising during the pandemic.

Andy Giddings
BBC News

Public Health England (PHE) said it was now dealing with a "small number of cases" of the new Indian variant of Covid-19 in each local authority area in the West Midlands.

PHE regional director Dr Sue Ibbotson said she was aware of 157 cases around the region yesterday and most had a link to foreign travel.

But she said a few appeared to have spread within local communities and teams were working hard to contain the new variant.

Image source, WMCA

Dr Ibbotson also said, with lockdown set to be further eased next month "we have to carefully think about the freedoms we're given" and continue with social distancing and other safety measures.

Coventry Live

The Coventry Live website has these headlines:

• Azaylia Cain funeral: Applause and cries of 'Let's Go Champ' as hundreds watch, external
• Three women arrested in connection to Exhall incident which saw pensioner die, external
• Government will not step in to stop 3,000 new homes 'invading Coventry's greenbelt', external

Rain abandons day two in the Derbyshire-Durham, Northants-Lancashire, Gloucestershire-Somerset and Notts-Worcestershire games.

Shropshire Star

From the Shropshire Star:

• Police urge caution as extra officers hit the streets for lockdown relaxation, external
• More than 200 homes to be built on former Telford coal mining site, external
• Fraud team saves Telford council nearly £300,000 in a year, external

Some of the children were due to go on their first holiday before the pandemic struck.

Police thank Tilly Rae for her charity work despite undergoing a rare multi-organ transplant.

Tyrelle Harris stabbed Karl Gallagher during a chance meeting as the victim picked up a pizza.

Police say the newborn baby boy could have been in the water for up to four days.

The victim, who is yet to be identified, died at the scene in Exhall, Warwickshire.

Orange decorations adorn streets for Azaylia Cain's funeral after she died last month with cancer.

Police say the newborn baby boy could have been in the water for up to four days.

The Environment Agency responds to criticism of its handling of issues at Walleys Quarry.

The Environment Agency is accused of being "repeatedly too slow to react".

Express and Star

The Express and Star has these headlines this morning:

• Baby boy found dead in canal in Walsall nature reserve, external
• Extra police drafted in at night across region after restrictions eased, external
• Number of people living with dementia in region expected to soar by 2030, external

The baby's arrival as the first of its kind at Chester Zoo makes it "extra special", a keeper says.

Shefali Oza
BBC Midlands Today

Another cool day is in store with showers across the West Midlands.

Wildlife to thrive as a charity secures funding to recreate almost 100 acres of natural heathland.

Villagers raise £270,000 to buy the Fox Inn in Loxley, Warwickshire, amid fears it could close.