Sandwell named Covid-19 'area of concern'
Girl 'gravely neglected' in lockdown
Further easing of lockdown measures across England halted amid spike in cases
Ex-football coach admits more sexual offences
Peerage for former pro-Brexit MP
Muslims celebrate Eid
Updates from Friday 31 July
A woman was flown to hospital yesterday evening after falling on Bury Ditches near Clun.
West Midlands Ambulance Service said it was called to the Iron Age fort at 18:52 and took her to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital with "serious injuries".
Image source, WMASA McDonald's in Sandwell has temporarily closed after staff members tested positive for Covid-19.
Sandwell has seen rates of infections rise to 32.4 per 100,000 people in the week up to 26 July, up from 23.2. The number of new cases has tipped over 100 a week for the first time, according to the latest figures from Public Health England.
Image source, GoogleSandwell's Council's director of public health Dr Lisa McNally said the store was likely to remain closed for up to two weeks.
"Obviously the staff who have tested positive are at home and self-isolating," she said.
She added the company has "good infection control in place, so there's no risk to the public".
"People who've been in for a burger don't need to worry."
Despite the rise in cases in Sandwell, the rate is still less than half that in Blackburn & Darwen, England's latest hot spot.
BBC News Travel
A police incident has closed a stretch of Wheeler Street in the Lozells area of Birmingham.
It's closed from the Newtown Health Centre to King Street North.
Buses are being diverted away from the area.
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An archaeological dig planned at Nesscliffe Hill this summer has been put off until 2021 because of coronavirus.
Nesscliffe once had an impressive Iron Age hill fort and last year an excavation took place there for the first time since the 1950s.
Image source, Shropshire CouncilShropshire Council said the discovery of guard chambers there was of "national significance" were discovered and were due to be explored further.
It also said the team had been "very excited" about the possibility of a return this year.
Black pupils are disproportionately hit with fixed-term exclusions in England - by three times as many in some places, data shows.
Ranae James, now a graphic designer, was excluded dozens of time during a tough period
In Harrow and Bath and North East Somerset, black pupils are just under three times as likely to be disciplined in this way compared to all pupils.
In a further seven council areas, including Herefordshire and Solihull, the exclusion rate for black pupils was double that for all pupils in these areas.
Some of these areas have small black populations, others large and there was no clear pattern as to why black pupils were disproportionately affected.
You can read more on the story here.
West Midlands mayor Andy Street tried to help mediate in the ongoing row between Coventry City and Ricoh Arena owners Wasps.
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BBC Shropshire
Retailers in the Pride Hill shopping centre in Shrewsbury have been asked to leave by its owner, Shropshire Council.
The authority wants it emptied to turn the centre into a leisure facility and it is in talks to turn it into a cinema and food hall.
Shop owners have been offered space at the nearby Darwin Centre.
The authority’s deputy leader Steve Charmley said “nobody is being kicked out”, but he confirmed “everyone needs to move”.
It will be a fine and dry day with plenty of sunshine and highs of 27°C (81°F).
This was the scene earlier in Edgbaston, as captured by BBC Weather Watcher Jo.
Image source, BBC Weather Watchers/Jo
Vanessa Pearce
BBC News
Welcome to our live service for Thursday.
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
A group recall saving three swimmers just before going to the rescue of a second group of four.
Read MorePeople who visited the Crown and Anchor pub between 16-18 July are urged to take Covid tests.
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Andy Giddings
BBC News
We'll be back with the news, sport, travel and weather from 08:00 tomorrow.
Local Democracy Reporting Service
Gurdip Thandi
Fears have been raised that council services for Walsall residents could take an "enormous" hit if the government fails to cover costs incurred due to Coronavirus.
Walsall Council leader Mike Bird said he continues to push Whitehall to honour pledges made by the prime minister in the early days of lockdown that local authorities will be recompensed for all coronavirus-related expenditure having to be made.
At a scrutiny committee meeting on Tuesday he was backed by opposition Labour group leader Aftab Nawaz and Liberal Democrat group boss Ian Shires who said they would support his efforts.
Walsall has been allocated almost £26m in grants to support the Covid response as well as £54m in business relief.
The authority is currently looking at a budget deficit of £11m with worst-case scenarios suggesting that could rise to £23m.
The number of new cases of coronavirus in Sandwell has risen to 98 for the week up to 25 July, up from 75.
The latest figures from Public Health England show the rate of infections has gone up to 29.9 per 100,000 people, up from 22.9.
It is some way off the 121 new cases in Blackburn & Darwen, England’s current hot spot.
Another two people at a travellers site in Craven Arms have tested positive for coronavirus.
It brings the total up to 25 and 47 people have now been tested.
Image source, GooglePub customers are being urged to get tested for Covid-19 after 10 cases of coronavirus were confirmed at a bar.
Read MoreDo you recognise any of these photos?
They're from a collection of thousands of photographs from the early 80s discovered in the loft of Uma Thai Boxing Gym, in Crewe.
Image source, Uma Thai Boxing GymThe building used to be a chemist and the photos were developed but never collected.
A Facebook group is now reuniting people with their lost pictures.
Image source, Uma Thai Boxing GymFootball will be played at Sixways next season following the takeover of local soccer side Worcester Raiders by the owners of the Worcester Warriors.
The club is in West Midlands Regional League Premier Division, but hopes to eventually play in the Football League.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe Raiders were only formed 19 years ago and had been set to groundshare with Worcester City at Claines Lane.
Worcester Warriors said rugby fixtures would continue to take precedence, but that "“Our vision has always been to make Sixways a multi-sport centre."
And the club said the arrival of the Raiders, now the artificial pitch has passed an FA inspection, would "significantly increase" the use of the stadium.
Local Democracy Reporting Service
David Irwin
Bereaved families in Solihull could be set to face charges for a video-link to funeral services under plans being considered.
Image source, GoogleThe council launched a free service in April, which enabled mourners unable to attend in person – because of Covid-19 – to watch via a webstream.
Now it has faced pleas not to start charging, with fears this would be “an extra burden” for those grieving the loss of a loved one.
Proposals for the “introduction of fees” at crematoriums will be discussed later today, although the decision will be taken behind closed doors after the council suggested sensitive financial information would be discussed.
The M6 near Walsall was shut for eight hours as police investigated nurse Victoria Kavanagh's death.
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