Six congregational prayers and sermons are being held today at Green Lane Mosque in Birmingham to mark Eid al-Adha.

Image source, Green Lane Masjid and Community Centre

An event usually held in Small Heath has been cancelled due to coronavirus measures, the mosque has said. , external

Due to the large numbers set to attend the mosque has asked worshipers to register for places, external, with normal precautions in place such as social distancing, a one way system, and individual prayer mats.

It's also advising children under the age of 12 to stay at home.

Volunteers will also be delivering Eid food parcels to vulnerable people across the city.

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Mark Cardwell

Plans for 1,000 flats in the Digbeth area of Birmingham have been approved by city councillors.

Image source, Glancy Nicholls

Court Collaboration’s Stone Yard development aims to place 995 one and two-bed apartments in apartment blocks ranging from six to 30 storeys high on the site of the Bull Ring Trading Estate.

Image source, Glancy Nicholls

The £280m scheme is set to include commercial space for uses such as restaurants, bars, cafés, a fitness club and cinema along Deritend High Street.

The plans have been contested including by residents and traders at the nearby Custard Factory, and the council received petitions signed by more than 1,300 people.

Councillors on Birmingham City Council’s planning committee approved the plans despite some opposition by members.

BBC Weather

It will be a dry and hot day for most of the West Midlands with plenty of sunshine.

Later in the afternoon, some patchy cloud will build up, with the small chance of catching a sharp shower but temperatures could reach 32°C (90°F).

This was the scene in Eckington, Worcestershire, this morning and taken by BBC Weather Watcher Jo.

Image source, BBC Weather Watchers/Jo

Vanessa Pearce
BBC News

Welcome to our live service for Friday.

We'll be bringing you all the news, sport, travel and weather for the West Midlands.

We love to hear from you so share your news, thoughts and photos of the area with us via email, Twitter, external and Facebook., external

Two paramedics stabbed in Wolverhampton say it will take a while to recover from the mental "scars".

Deena Evans and her colleague Michael Hipgrave were stabbed while attending a patient in Wolverhampton.

Queues for the beach and free drinks from struggling restaurants - what are holidays like now?

This is despite government advice that face masks "in educational settings are not recommended".

Andy Giddings
BBC News

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

Muslims across the West Midlands will be celebrating the festival of Eid al-Adha on Friday.

Worshipers are being asked celebrate virtually due to social-distancing measures brought in during the coronavirus pandemic, and not gather in large family groups.

West Midlands Police is also asking people not to gather this evening causing anti-social behaviour including "revving engines and blowing horns into the early hours."

"Police ANPR operations and officers [will be] on duty until the early hours of the morning to deal with this problem should it arise," the force said., external

Hereford Times

Here are three stories from the Hereford Times today:

• Chef and waitress killed in car crash, external
• Police hunt man wanted on recall to prison, external
• Crash causes delays on A49, external

Kevin Reide
Reporter, Midlands Today

An aspiring horse rider from Coventry has launched a campaign against racism in equestrian sports after suffering abuse, he said.

Reece McCook, 18, said he was verbally abused for several weeks whilst on work placement from a college course, "because obviously I don't look like your stereotypical rider".

He nearly dropped out, but decided to tackle the issue himself with his initiative called "ride out racism".

"I feel like horses could be a prime opportunity for those who are involved in gang activity to have a new way to express themselves without having to go on the streets," he said.

Worcestershire's Moeen Ali bowled his full 10 overs in England's limited overs match against Ireland today, but didn't take any wickets.

England had threatened to bowl Ireland out for less than 100, before Curtis Campher added 59 and Andy McBrine 40.

Ireland were eventually dismissed for 172.

Image source, Getty Images

Moeen's overs went for 37 runs and he didn't bowl any maiden overs.

David Willey took five wickets.

The number of people to test positive for Covid-19 at the Long Lane travellers site in Craven has risen by four to 29 .

So far 51 people have been tested on the site and contact tracing is being carried out.

Image source, Google

Shropshire Council says most people have been co-operating, but it was aware of a small number who had left the site, rather than self-isolating.

From tomorrow people living elsewhere in the town will also be offered testing at two locations:

• A drive-through site at the Craven Arms Business Park 10:30-15:00.
• A walk-in service at the Halo Community Centre 10:30-13:30.

The organisation representing businesses in Hereford has described new social distancing restrictions as "over the top".

Temporary barriers were introduced this week to widen footways, partial road closures and dedicated cycle lanes to allow people more space.

Image source, Google

Mike Truelove, the Chief Executive of Hereford BID said "there are people around, but it certainly doesn't warrant cordoning off metres and metres of road."

The number of deaths in Birmingham peaked at three and a half times its usual rate during the pandemic, new data shows.

The Office for National Statistics says , externalEngland saw the second highest peak rates of death in Europe, after Spain, but had the highest levels of excess deaths in Europe between the end of February and the middle of June.

Madrid, Barcelona and Milan all saw higher peaks in death rates than cities in the UK, but Birmingham, London and Manchester all saw significant increases.

The ONS said the epidemic was more widespread in the UK, which had seven of the 15 cities with the biggest rise in death rates.

Free parking at hospitals in Herefordshire comes to an end on Saturday.

It will affect the car parks at the County Hospital in Hereford as well as the community hospitals in Bromyard, Leominster and Ross-on-Wye.

Image source, Google

The free car parking was introduced at the start of coronavirus lockdown in March.

Yesterday about 500 people were tested in Stone, Staffordshire, after the outbreak centred on a local pub.

There are so far 10 confirmed cases in the town, but that is likely to rise after intensive testing.

A mobile testing unit is staying there until at least Sunday, but it is no longer a walk-in service and you'll need to book it online, external.

Part of the southbound A500 in Stoke-on-Trent will be closed overnight for more than three months, starting on 10 August.

Highways England said it was necessary to allow repairs to Shelton New Road bridge, after it was hit by a vehicle.

Shropshire Star

Here are three stories from the Shropshire Star today:

• Woman airlifted to hospital after fall, external
• Bomb squad searches Telford allotment, external
• More than 250 email addresses exposed in council data breach, external