Aftab Khan, from Coventry, denies using the messaging service to distribute videos glorifying terror groups.

Stoke-on-Trent Live

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

• Paramedics battled in vain to try to save man's life after 'medical emergency' at flat, external
• Staffordshire NHS warns of 'delayed surge' in Covid-19 mental ill health, external
• Council bans vehicles from three Stoke-on-Trent roads for next 12 months, external

Burton Albion boss Jake Buxton makes former Livingston winger Steven Lawless his first new signing since taking charge.

BBC Shropshire

A tattoo artist says he's got quite a waiting list now he's allowed to work again in England after the lockdown.

Image source, Getty Images

Businesses will be required to follow government guidelines to reduce the spread of coronavirus.

Paul Porton runs the Splattered Inks Tattoo Studio in Trench, Telford, and says it already has screens but he will now only have one customer at a time.

The studio door will be locked while he works, he will have a break to clean up and change clothes and says the changes will mean it takes longer to tattoo people.

"We haven't had a lot of time, it has been a bit vague. The information from Boris has been a bit vague but I think everybody's in the same boat really aren't they?"

Jennifer Meierhans
BBC News

Some of the region's top athletes were back in competition for the first time since lockdown, after a pilot meeting took place in Nuneaton.

It was the first trial event in the country, to see how the sport could make a return with social distancing measures in place.

Track and field events returned to the Pingles Stadium in Nuneaton - but were socially distanced and spectator-free.

Nuneaton Harriers Athletics Club hosted about 100 competitors over five events - 100m, 400m, hammer, shot and long jump.

For some athletes it was a chance to get back into the swing of things after lockdown, while others are chasing qualifying times and dates for the British Championships.

BBC Hereford and Worcester

A group of 140 people have marched in protest over a blocked footpath.

A bridge over a stream's been removed near Ross-on-Wye and fences and barriers put up where the public right of way crosses the Cubberley House estate in the Wye Valley.

On Sunday, the group of residents installed a temporary bridge and marched along the route with placards.

Dene Godfrey was one of the organisers: "Somebody had to do something about it and I thought it would be good to show the level of annoyance."

The owners of Cubberley House have failed to respond to BBC Hereford and Worcester while Herefordshire Council said it was taking appropriate action in accordance with its enforcement policy.

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Tom Davis

A freshly painted road marking had to be changed in Coventry after workers made a spelling error.

Instead of directing drivers on the ring road to one of the city's most famous landmarks, Coventry Cathedral, they spelt it "caihedral" with the letter T not crossed.

Before the council could make a change, one resident wrote the correct spelling under the words on the A4053, near junction five.

The local authority thanked the "eagle-eyed" member of the public who spotted it and said the word had now been correctly spelt.

Sean Sadler denied murdering 21-month-old Lily Hanrahan in Birmingham in November 2017.

Wesley Streete is accused of killing Keeley Bunker whose body was found in a park in Tamworth.

Birmingham Live

Some of the Birmingham Live headlines today include:

• Murder probe launched after woman's body discovered, external
• Jaguar Land Rover hit by huge delay in wake of coronavirus, external
• Prolific teenage burglar jailed and told to 'grow up' by judge, external

A man has been charged with arson after a series of fires in wheelie bins in a Coventry neighbourhood.

Flames also spread to a house in one attack, causing significant damage.

The 40-year-old from the city has been charged with six counts of arson and one count of arson with intent or reckless behaviour to endanger life, said West Midlands Police.

He has been bailed with conditions to appear at Coventry Magistrates' Court next month.

A row has erupted after Coventry City Council council loaned £1m to a luxury hotel.

The local authority granted the loan, under emergency Covid legislation, which council leader Councillor George Duggins said would help Coombe Abbey safeguard its future.

Image source, Google

The council is the majority shareholder in the hotel, which it bought three years ago.

But Conservative Councillor Gary Ridley criticised the Labour-run authority for making the decision “without scrutiny”.

The hotel’s managing director Richard Harrison, said the loan had been a “lifeline”, as it was unable to source funding through banks.

BBC Shropshire

The owner of a beauty salon says she's facing huge financial struggles as she can't reopen after lockdown because of the kind of treatments they do.

Image source, YLB Salon

Salons along with spas, tattoo parlours and nail bars have started welcoming back clients as lockdown restrictions ease further in England.

But some treatments, mainly facial ones such as eyebrow threading and face waxing, are still banned.

Image source, YLB Salon

Danni Dennis runs YLB Salon Shrewsbury, on Wyle Cop, which is a lash and eyebrow specialist.

She says she was also newly self-employed when the pandemic hit so was ineligible for financial help.

"I've got about £135 in my bank account. My mortgage payments are back up, I pay rent on my salon, I've got three children at home so I don't know [how long I'll be able to cope]."

Express and Star

The Express and Star's headlines today include:

• Cannabis possession rises in schools and colleges, external
• Concerns pupils won't learn to swim as Staffordshire service to be axed, external
• £1m of grants given out across Staffordshire during crisis, external

There are no "particular concerns" about the health of workers at a farm where 73 have tested positive for Covid-19, health officials have stressed.

The positive tests have led to a lockdown for the 200 staff at A S Green and Co, in Mathon, Herefordshire, which produces mainly beans and broccoli.

The pickers are largely from Eastern Europe and translators have been on the site over the weekend, officials said, while some local workers are self-isolating as a precaution.

Karen Wright, director of public health for Herefordshire, added: "This is people’s homes that live on the farm and it’s important that people stay on the farm and look after their health and wellbeing on the site.

“Overall people are well and we haven’t got any particular concerns about any individual’s health.”

BBC Weather Watchers

Comet Neowise has been spotted by BBC Weather Watchers across the West Midlands as it heads past Earth.

It was discovered in late March and became one of the few comets in the 21st Century that can be seen with the naked eye as it approached the sun.

The comet will be closest to the Earth on 23 July but will still be about 64 million miles (103 million km) away.

These were captured in Burnhill Green, Staffordshire by Th3Edge; in Pattingham near Wolverhampton by Sonny Intervals and in Ledbury, Herefordshire by Fluff.

Image source, Th3Edge

Image source, Sonny Intervals

Image source, Fluff

Phil Mackie
Midlands correspondent, BBC News

There are fears that the easing of lockdown will lead to an increase in criminal activity by gangs.

The West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson has warned that teenagers who have not been in school, and young adults who have lost their jobs are especially vulnerable.

Between September 2018 and the beginning of April 2020, Coventry saw a surge in stabbings and shootings. Seven people lost their lives.

Joseph Squire, a youth worker for the St Giles Trust based at the University Hospital, Coventry, is a former criminal who has spent time in prison. He is now working on an intervention project to steer young people away from gangs.

Stoke City goalkeeper Adam Federici heads the list of players released by the Championship club.

BBC Weather Watchers

Plenty of grey clouds around today but don't worry, our local BBC Weather Watchers have kept snapping pictures despite the dull skies.

These three are from users Quinndrew in Oswestry, Shropshire, Wayne Linskey in Mow Cop, Staffordshire and Di's Walk in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham:

Image source, Quinndrew

Image source, Wayne Linskey

Image source, Di's Walk

Vanessa Pearce
BBC News

There's a further easing of lockdown today as beauty salons, spas, tattoo parlours and nail bars can reopen in England.

Image source, Kat Douglas

Kat Douglas who runs Katwalk Ink tattoists in Kings Norton, Birmingham said she was "over the moon" to be reopening but the government should have given businesses more notice.

"Don't get me wrong I'm elated that we're opening," she said, "but three days is not enough."

"We're an appointment-only business, plus most of our clients are going back to work as well, so it's been a hard push."

"My guys have been fantastic, they've been up until midnight getting people booked in, but three days notice to get the studio ready ... It's been hard work."