The woman leading the independent review into maternity failings at Shropshire two main hospitals has said the launching of a police investigation won't affect her inquiries.

Yesterday, West Mercia Police said it would look into the possibility that criminal charges need to be brought, and Donna Ockenden she would continue to work with the force.

Ms Ockenden said in the coming weeks she would look to identify cases which the police might want to pursue and would ask the parents if they're happy to have their details passed on.

She also said the initial findings of her inquiry would be published later this year and the full report in 2021.

A plan to deal with the next phase of the coronavirus pandemic has been published by Telford and Wrekin Council.

It sets out how different organisations will work together to try to protect vulnerable people in the community and to prevent outbreaks of Covid-19.

The plan also describes what might happen if an outbreak does occur, including testing, contract tracing and isolation.

Warwickshire and England batsman Ian Bell signs a new deal with the club until the end of the 2021 season.

BBC Radio Stoke Sport

Stoke City's manager Michael O'Neill says his players should "hang their heads in shame" after their 3-0 defeat at Wigan.

Image source, Getty Images

Stoke are now just one point above the Championship's relegation zone going into Saturday's game at home to Barnsley.

Shropshire's three largest towns are getting £17m to regenerate land and create new training and health facilities.

The Marches Local Enterprise Partnership said Shrewsbury's Riverside medical practice (pictured below) would receive £2m to relocate to The Tannery on Barker Street.

Image source, Google

Another £7m will be spent to regenerate land at Station Quarter, Donnington and Wellington.

And £5m will go towards infrastructure works in Oswestry.

The Telford projects also include a Marches Centre of Excellence in Health, to develop medical training.

Two large garden fires have been tackled by fire crews after they got out of control.

Image source, West Midlands Fire Service

The first was in Selly Oak, Birmingham, yesterday evening and had spread to trees and fencing, external, West Midlands Fire Service said.

Then today at 04:00 they were called to a garden blaze in Sutton Coldfield and stopped it spreading to nearby homes., external

Image source, West Midlands Fire Service

Express and Star

A few of the early headlines from the Express and Star today:

• Tens of thousands missed out on cervical cancer screening, external
• Former Walsall cinema and pub goes under the hammer, external
• UK's biggest touring art exhibition to open in Wolverhampton, external

Stoke boss Michael O'Neill admits his side face a "fight for survival" in their final six games of the season.

BBC Weather

A grey morning with scattered showers will be followed by some sunny spells this afternoon mixed with some sharp showers which could be thundery. High: 19C/66F.

Image source, BBC Weather Watcher Dee

Then a pretty cool, cloudy night which could see the odd shower mixed with some brief, clear spells. Low: 12C/54F.

You can keep up-to-date on the latest forecast for your area by going to the BBC Weather website.

Caroline Gall
BBC News

A decision to delay any prosecutions against a recycling firm over the deaths of five African men in 2016 is "utterly shocking", an MP has said.

The men were clearing scrap metal when they died at Shredmet, in Birmingham.

Relatives said the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) put back its decision despite promises, leaving them feeling like their lives did not matter.

The HSE said the inquiry took "longer than we had hoped" but shadow minister Seema Malhotra criticised the delay.

BBC Radio WM

There have been no discussions about the possibility of a West Midlands-wide lockdown akin to the situation in Leicester, the region's mayor, Andy Street, has said.

Image source, PA Media

"The idea is to act as local as you can to prevent the situation going to a whole city of region," Mr Street said, adding every local authority within the West Midlands Combined Authority has a local outbreak plan.

"The [infection] trend is down and the data is encouraging," the Conservative mayor said, "but there is no room for complacency."

"If we were in a position where the virus was re-established across the conurbation, we would have to do that [lockdown] but I see no likelihood of that from our current position."

Allen Cook
BBC News

Welcome to the start of our live service for Wednesday.

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

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

In-form Wigan continue their winning run against Stoke, who are only one point above the relegation zone.

The Brewery Arms is the only pub which can reopen in Saltney, which sits on the border with Wales.

Hundreds come forward amid a review into infant deaths and maternity care at Shropshire hospitals.

The losses at Steelite International in Stoke-on-Trent follow a trade "downturn" amid the pandemic.

Andy Giddings
BBC News

We'll be back with the news, sport, travel and weather from 08:00 tomorrow.

Staffordshire Police took 2,020 calls relating to reports of lockdown breaches in Stoke-on-Trent between 14 April and 20 June.

The figure for the whole of lockdown is likely to be higher, but the calls weren't categorised as being related to coronavirus before 14 April.

Image source, Staffordshire Police

The force said the majority of the calls were about groups of people gathering.

Over 1,000 families are in contact with a review into Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust.

Just 10 people were held in the police detention cells in Shrewsbury and Kidderminster during April, compared to 421 the previous month.

West Mercia Police said it was keeping them empty in reserve in case another station was put out of action by a coronavirus outbreak.

Image source, Google

Ch Insp Keith Gee said public safety wasn't compromised, adding that lockdown brought with it a “dramatic fall” in the number of crimes, arrests and detentions.