BBC Midlands Today

A Worcestershire father who spent 70 days in intensive care with Covid-19 says he feels like he's been given a "second chance at life".

Forty-three-year-old James Stevenson, from Kidderminster, was in hospital for 100 days after getting the virus in December.

At one point his condition got so bad doctors told his partner Kate to come in and "say goodbye".

Image source, Family handout

Mr Stevenson is urging people under 50 to get vaccinated.

"I was having a niggling feeling in the back of my mind that I wasn't going to get home, so I'm over the moon," he said.

"Just thankful that I am here, I've got a second chance at life."

A lorry has overturned on the M6, closing a section of the road northbound, between junctions 15 and 16.

The lorry was transporting 35 tonnes of cargo which needs to be removed before it can be righted and recovered, Highways England said.

Overnight roadworks between junctions 14 and 15 were also over-running, but those northbound lanes are now open

Image source, Highways West Midlands

River, Beau and Leo were born 10 weeks early at Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

A man says £120,000 for his four-bed semi is not enough to buy a similar property in Birmingham.

Davinder Prasad, 70, is self-isolating in Coventry after returning from Delhi six days ago.

A judge accused Tesco of playing "Russian Roulette" with customer safety by selling out-of-date food.

John Blake, 61, targeted his victims with the help of his partner Emmalene Jones, 31, police say.

People in the West Midlands will head to the polls on 6 May to elect a regional mayor.

Peggy Wright, 83, sustained serious injuries jumping from a window to escape the fire at her home.

Deena Evans and Michael Hipgrave were attacked by Martyn Smith, 52, while they attended a call-out.

The trust which runs Shropshire's two main hospitals will no longer be able to admit any new patients under 18, who have acute mental health needs and no other condition.

It comes after an inspection of Children and Young People's services in February by the Care Quality Commission found a child was twice given double the "safe" dose of a rapid tranquilizer at Telford's Princess Royal Hospital.

The watchdog has now downgraded the trust from 'requires improvement' to 'inadequate'.

A spokesperson for the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, said they are "accelerating the actions needed to improve the care they provide to children and young people".

The family of William Burns, who died on Sunday, say they have "lost our legend".

Telford's hospital must halt new admissions of under 18s with acute needs as it is rated inadequate.

BBC Weather

It is set to be a mild day with some sunny spells and highs of 16°C (61°F).

Gavin Parry, 31, was found dead at an industrial site in Birmingham on 13 April.

Offending items were found at three stores in Birmingham between 2016 and 2017.

Professor David Loughton CBE has been chief executive at Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust for 17 years.

Pop-up coronavirus testing centres will be placed around Staffordshire, in a push to encourage people to get tested regularly.

Staffordshire County Council said, as restrictions continue to be relaxed, it is urging people to get tested twice a week, even if they don't have symptoms and is hosting outdoor pop-up testing sites, to help make it easier.

Image source, Getty Images

Chasewater Country Park, Cannock Chase Visitor Centre and a local car boot held pop-up testing over the weekend.

This week Tutbury Castle and various supermarkets a will see rapid testing available for the first time.

Director for health and care at the council, Dr Richard Harling, said: "The move to setting up outdoors where people already visit makes it even more convenient - people can get a supervised test whilst they are out doing their shopping or enjoying the fresh air and warmer weather."

The officer is dismissed for gross misconduct, after he "tried it on" with four abuse victims.

Worcester News

Here are some of the stories on the Worcester News website today:

• Worcester students university president: 'Students have behaved well throughout the pandemic', external
• Extinction Rebellion Worcestershire holds Climate Crime Scene protest, external
• Worcester man placed on sex offender's register, external