PC Sunil Narr, of West Midlands Police, used "unacceptable" force as he made arrests in Coventry.

BBC Shropshire

A new inquiry into the safety of maternity services in England has been launched today by a group of MPs.

Image source, Getty Images

The Health and Social Care Committee said, external it would build on investigations into concerns at NHS trusts including the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust.

Earlier this week, it was revealed the probe into the Shropshire trust was examining nearly 1,900 cases, the vast majority since the year 2000.

In the new inquiry, which will be accepting evidence until 4 September, MPs will consider what actions need to be taken to improve maternity safety at all hospitals.

It'll also look at the extent to which a “blame culture” affects decision-making and whether litigation and clinical negligence processes need to change.

Allen Cook
BBC News

Teenagers are climbing into toddler swings and getting trapped, a fire service said.

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service said, external its crews were being called to these cases instead of "dealing with real emergencies".

The play equipment is then left out of use as it needs repairs, it added.

Allen Cook
BBC News

Dozens of firefighters have spent the morning battling a large barn fire involving 50 tonnes of straw.

Image source, Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service

Six fire engines were called to the farm on Radway Green Road, Barthomley, near Alsager, just before 09:00, Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service said., external

It said the animals inside the barn were believed to have been moved to a safe place.

By lunchtime, the crews were allowing some remaining hay bales to burn out under supervision and had reduced a plume of smoke from the blaze "considerably".

Image source, Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service

Any small rise in coronavirus cases across Warwickshire could be down to increased testing, a public health official has said.

Image source, Reuters

Rates in Nuneaton and Bedworth are still higher than the national average, but are now dropping said the county's Director of Public Health Dr Shade Agboola.

"The overall picture is one of decline," she said, "so whilst it is still higher the numbers are coming down."

"We are in a very different position to where we were a couple of weeks ago in Nuneaton and Bedworth and people seem to have done the right thing."

She said there were no outbreaks or clusters of Covid-19 in the area but there are cases still being diagnosed.

"It doesn't mean that the risk is over," she added, urging residents to continue to be vigilant.

See the Covid-19 rates for every council in the West Midlands.

Worcester News

A few of the headlines from the Worcester News today:

• Man injured trying to protect his dog from attack, external
• Council faces 'serious questions' over spending £180,000 on land, external
• Farm says it has identified source of coronavirus outbreak and it is 'business as usual', external

A Covid-19 outbreak at an Evesham food packaging firm is being linked to another in Sandwell.

Birmingham Commonwealth Games organisers are criticised for having an almost all-white line up.

Allen Cook
BBC News

Efforts are continuing to tackle a spike in Covid-19 cases in Burton upon Trent even as new figures show cases are now falling.

Image source, Staffordshire County Council

Earlier this week, Staffordshire County Council set up a mobile coronavirus test centre in the town with 54 cases confirmed between 4 July and 18 July.

Staff also started a pilot testing scheme for residents without symptoms at the mosque on Uxbridge Street which continues today. , external

However, latest data from Public Health England shows there are now 15.2 people in East Staffordshire testing positive for every 100,000 population in the week up to 20 July - down from 29.5 the previous week.

Food banks in Wolverhampton are to be supported by the council for a further two months, it has been announced.

Image source, Getty Images

The services have been "hard hit" by the pandemic, with many of their usual volunteers needing to shield and fewer donations coming in, the council said.

It will continue to supply 1,000 food parcels a week until the end of September "to give them a chance to get back on their feet," said council leader Ian Brookfield.

"As unemployment increases due to the impact of the virus, we know that need will sadly also increase,” he added.

Stoke-on-Trent Live

The Stoke-on-Trent Live website's covering these stories today:

• Police pull over two cars and make six arrests after 'disorder' in Stoke-on-Trent, external
• Major operation underway to clean-up Staffordshire's most fly-tipped road, external
• Thug used a kettlebell to attack his ex, external

BBC Hereford and Worcester

Health officials say they are happy with the protective measures at a food packaging site where 14 staff tested positive for Covid-19.

Hundreds of workers at Evesham Vale Growers Limited in Worcestershire will now be tested today after the outbreak.

The county council and Public Health England said they would get the results over the weekend and then decide on their next course of action.

But Kathryn Cobain, Worcestershire's director for public health, said the firm had installed good precautionary measures including screens and extra handwashing.

"We are taking the precautionary steps, jointly with the business who have been really supportive of taking these steps, to make sure their workforce is protected and to make sure we're protecting this vital food chain."

The number of people testing positive for coronavirus in Sandwell has risen again, according to new figures.

The data from Public Health England shows there were 86 new cases in the week up to 20 July. Figures for the seven days to 19 July showed 76 cases.

That means 26.3 people tested positive for every for every 100,000 population (up to 20 July), up from 12.2 a week earlier.

Dr Lisa McNally, the Director of Public Health for Sandwell, said on Monday it hadn't yet reached the stage where a local lockdown was needed, but she was monitoring the rise.

Image source, Reuters

Here are the rate of infections (per 100,000 people) for all local authorities in the West Midlands - for the seven days up to 20 July, compared with the previous week.

• Birmingham up to 12.9 from from 7.0
• Bromsgrove up to 5.1 from 4.1
• Cheshire East down to 3.9 from 4.2
• Coventry up to 7.4 from 2.5
• Dudley down to 0.9 from 2.2
• East Staffordshire down to 15.2 from 29.5
• Herefordshire down to 16.1 from 43.7
• Lichfield up to 4.8 from 3.8

• Newcastle-under-Lyme down to 2.3 from 5.4
• North Warwickshire is up to 9.3 from 1.5
• Nuneaton and Bedworth up to 10.9 from 10.1
• Redditch up to 3.5 from 0.0
• Rugby down to 3.7 from 10.3
• Sandwell up to 26.3 from 12.1
• Shropshire down to 0.9 from 3.4
• Solihull down to 5.1 from 7.9
• South Staffordshire stays the same at 2.7

• Staffordshire Moorlands down to 0.0 from 4.1
• Stoke-on-Trent down to 2.7 from 9.0
• Stratford-on-Avon down to 0.0 from 5.5
• Tamworth down to 2.6 from 3.9
• Telford and Wrekin stays the same at 7.3
• Walsall down to 8.8 from 11.3
• Warwick up to 2.1 from 1.4

• Wolverhampton up to 5.7 from 4.2
• Worcester up to 4.9 from 2.9
• Wychavon down from 1.6 from 4.7

Allen Cook
BBC News

Dozens of firefighters are battling a large fire in a farm building this morning.

They were called just before 09:00 to Radway Green Road, Barthomley, near Alsager, Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service said., external

A man is set to appear in court charged with murder after a fatal stabbing at a hotel.

Image source, West Midlands Police

Panashe Bako, 20, (pictured) was stabbed at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Holliday Street, Birmingham, at about 19:20 on Tuesday and later died in hospital.

Muhammad Khan, 19, of Gowan Road, Washwood Heath, who is also charged with robbery, is due before magistrates in Birmingham.

West Midlands Police said they were trying to trace another man, Ceasar Bello, in connection with the killing.

Birmingham Live

Some of the Birmingham Live headlines today include:

• Taxi driver stabbed and punched as passengers refuse to pay £8 fare, external
• Jess Phillips' fury over fake article putting her family and staff 'at risk', external
• Family tribute to teen allegedly murdered at Crowne Plaza hotel, external

The group behind the plans hope to get the site upgraded by 2026 in time for HS2.

The high street in Bridgnorth will close to traffic on Saturday because of concerns there isn't enough space for social distancing when the market is on.

The town has been attracting large numbers of people on Saturdays.

Image source, Google

The street will shut between 05:00 and 15:00 and the town's mayor said the closure decision would be reviewed after the weekend.

A minibus bringing people to work has been identified as the origin of an outbreak of coronavirus at a food packing company.

Image source, Google

All staff at Evesham Vale Growers Limited in Worcestershire are to be tested for Covid-19 and advised to isolate when not in work.

About 340 workers are employed at the site in Blackminster, which packs and distributes vegetables and salad products.

The bus had been taking staff to work at a tomato packing site.

Other sites including a spring onion packing area at Springhill Farm, along with employees working in fields and greenhouses, are unaffected the company said.

BBC Weather

It will be a largely dry day with areas of cloud and the chance of some showers with highs of 23°C (73°F).

This was the view in Bromyard, Herefordshire, earlier taken by BBC Weather Watcher Mrs Baggins.

Image source, BBC Weather Watchers/Mrs Baggins