Updates from Monday 20 July to Sunday 26 July
Local Democracy Reporting Service
New railings have been installed at a Coventry park just a day after an unauthorised traveller encampment left.
Image source, Councillor Allan AndrewsThe railings at Top Green park in Earlsdon were put up by Coventry City Council.
An unauthorised encampment was on site for most of last week and left on Sunday.
Businesses in Sandwell are being reminded to notify health officials if they have two or more cases of coronavirus in a two-week period.
Sandwell's Director of Public Health Dr Lisa McNally said a "sharp" rise in cases had been recorded in the area. It includes a third of employees being affected at a West Bromwich factory.
Dr McNally said trying to fight the outbreak without better data was like being "blindfolded".
She said: “Unfortunately the data we receive from government on cases does not include employment information, which leaves us reliant on businesses to keep us informed."
Dr McNally also emphasised that people should engage fully with the national test and trace service.
Carol Player cashed in her pension to help raise £160,000 for a cancer trial halted by coronavirus.
Read MoreA defibrillator has been stolen from a Worcestershire village.
West Midlands Ambulance Service said the theft of the equipment from a phone box in Shatterford was "abhorrent".
The nearby village of Highley is lending a machine to Shatterford until it can be replaced.
Local Democracy Reporting Service
Free Wi-Fi could become available in Worcester city centre.
The city council is looking to spend £10,000 to help set it up and enter into a five-year contract with a provider.
Image source, GoogleThe equipment will be installed on lampposts and CCTV columns, covering an area between Sabrina Bridge to the south and Lowesmoor to the north and between south Silbury to the east and Castle Street to the west.
The council has been looking for a Wi-Fi provider since December 2017 and councillors will consider the plan when they meet next Monday.
Here are three stories from the Worcester News today:
Kathryn Stanczyszyn
Political Reporter, BBC WM
Birmingham is in the "bottom half" of the country when it comes to coronavirus testing rates, a meeting has heard.
Councillors have been looking at a report on the impact of the pandemic on communities in the city, where there has been a slight rise in cases over the last seven days.
Up to 9 July, the city had 4,822 confirmed cases of Covid-19, with 1,190 deaths attributed to it.
The city's public health director, Dr Justin Varney, said testing rates were "lower than the majority of the rest of the West Midlands and certainly in the bottom half, when you compare it to the rest of the country".
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People must wear face masks and book online from 1 August, the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust says.
Read MoreIt's not always easy to find positive signs lately, so how about a funny one?
These road markings say "school keep clear".
The spelling is fine, and the words are in the right order. So can you guess what's wrong this picture?
Image source, PA MediaGive up? Okay, we'll tell you - the markings have just been added outside a place where there haven't been lessons for more than ten years.
Council contractors refreshed the paint outside the old Tettenhall Wood School site in Wolverhampton which is now a housing development.
Image source, PA MediaWolverhampton City Council said it would be arranging for the markings' swift removal.
A spokesman said: "We maintain around 800km (497 miles) of roads across the city, and occasionally mistakes do happen.
"Clearly this re-marking, which was carried out as part of routine maintenance work in the area, was completed in error and we will be reviewing our procedures."
Championship-bound Coventry City agree to re-sign versatile Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Ryan Giles on a season-long loan.
Read More
BBC Radio Shropshire Sport
Newport Rugby Club has signed the fomer captain of Fiji, Akapusi Quera.
The 36-year-old was capped 64 times by his country and was their captain at the 2015 World Cup.
Image source, Getty ImagesHe has also played Premiership rugby for Gloucester and joins Newport in a dual player-coach role.
It looks like the rain has left us, for the time being at least, and we're seeing photos of blue skies from the BBC Weather Watchers today.
Image source, JoAzure Edgbaston
Image source, Angus and meBlue sky in Hednesford
But if sunshine's not your thing, there's always bovine, courtesy of Solihull.
Image source, Sarah and AnnabelleHere are three stories from the Shropshire Star today:
Roadworks on the M50 will be gone by the middle of next month, Highways England has said.
A long section of the motorway has been reduced to one lane with a 50mph speed limit since last year to allow repairs to three bridges.
Image source, GoogleThe Queens Arms Bridge reopened last week, Bury Court will be fully open this week, and the work on Pendock Bridge is set to be completed after that.
A number of overnight and weekend closures are planned to allow the work to be finished.
BBC Sport
Worcestershire's Moeen Ali has been named named vice-captain for the upcoming one-day internationals against Ireland.
Eoin Morgan will lead the side in the three-match series, with the final side to be selected next week.
Image source, Getty ImagesMoeen will take charge of one of the sides in Tuesday's first intra-squad game, with Morgan leading the other.
A man arrested in connection with the fatal stabbing of a 22-year-old in Redditch has been released without charge.
Colton Bryan was found critically injured in his flat on Guinness Close last Wednesday night and later died at the scene.
The released man, in his 20s, was suspected of murdering Mr Bryan.
Coventry Live
From Coventry Live:
A teenager has been arrested after more than 40 cars were vandalised on a Birmingham road.
West Midlands Police said 42 vehicles had damage to paintwork, impressions on the bonnets and wing mirrors broken off.
Officers were alerted at about 04:20 to the damage on Bell Barn Road and nearby.
A 17-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and has been taken into police custody.
Coventry City announce plans for a new stadium on land owned by the University of Warwick on the south-west edge of the city.
Read MoreImages of two women have been released by police investigating a "nasty assault" in a Birmingham park.
Image source, West Midlands PoliceA 20-year-old woman required stitches to her head after being hit by a glass bottle, the West Midlands force said.
Another aged 19 suffered minor injuries.
Police are asking for help to identify the pictured pair in connection with the incident in Canon Hill on 25 June.
