Summary

  • Updates from Tuesday 1 September to Sunday 6 September

  1. Selfies, words of wisdom and a 'friend for life'published at 15:15 British Summer Time 4 September 2020

    What could go wrong when 20-year-old, party-lover Sophie moved in with teetotal Eunice, 85?

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  2. Differences in UK quarantine rules 'confusing'published at 14:50 British Summer Time 4 September 2020

    The transport secretary admits varying approaches to international travel restrictions are frustrating.

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  3. Brexit lorry park planpublished at 14:47 British Summer Time 4 September 2020

    The government has given itself powers to grant emergency planning permission to build temporary lorry parks and inspection posts in 29 council areas across England, without the need for local approval.

    FreightImage source, Getty Images

    Areas affected by the law change - brought about through a statutory instrument, external- include Solihull and Warwickshire.

    The government said the lorry parks, which can stay in place until the end of 2025, would contribute to "an orderly transition to the new system of controls to secure the border" and would help to address the impact coronavirus may have had on port operators' ability to provide the necessary infrastructure themselves, in time for the end of the transition period.

    Road hauliers are warning the UK is "sleepwalking into a disaster" over its border plans for the end of the Brexit transition period on 31 December.

  4. Askey impressed by 'pace and ability' of trialist McKirdypublished at 14:06 British Summer Time 4 September 2020

    BBC Radio Stoke Sport

    Port Vale manager John Askey has said trialist Harry McKirdy has got "good ability, pace, what you want from your wide men".

    But he wants to see more of him before making a decision on whether to offer a contract.

    Harry McKirdyImage source, Getty Images

    McKirdy is a former Stoke City youth player who spent time on loan at Crewe and is a free agent, having been released by Carlisle.

    Askey said: "There's one or two players out there... that we're having a look at and it's good to be in a position though where we've not got to rush in too much."

  5. Care home visits restricted as Covid-19 cases risepublished at 13:57 British Summer Time 4 September 2020

    Coventry City Council says there is a spike in the St Michael's and Lower Stoke areas.

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  6. HS2 contractor expects to be 'biggest recruiter' in regionpublished at 13:44 British Summer Time 4 September 2020

    Companies behind the HS2 rail project say they expect to create 22,000 jobs.

    HS2 map

    HS2 is set to link London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds.

    The main works contractor for the West Midlands, the Balfour Beatty Vinci Joint Venture, has said it expects to be one of the biggest recruiters in the West Midlands over the next two years.

    It says up to 7,000 skilled jobs are required to complete its section of the HS2 route, with women and under-25s the core focus for recruitment and skills investment.

  7. Team-by-team guide to the 2020-21 WSLpublished at 13:26 British Summer Time 4 September 2020

    BBC Sport gives you the lowdown on each Women's Super League team before the 2020-21 season gets under way on Saturday.

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  8. Seven towns to get cycling and walking schemespublished at 13:25 British Summer Time 4 September 2020

    BBC Radio Stoke

    Safer cycling and walking schemes are to be tried out in seven towns across the Cheshire East area.

    The council said they would include measures to make it easier to ride into Crewe and Congleton town centres.

    Lodge Road, AlsagerImage source, Google

    The schemes are also set to create more space for people along Lodge Road (pictured above) in Alsager, by making traffic one way.

  9. Funeral held for 'pivotal' Windrush campaignerpublished at 13:01 British Summer Time 4 September 2020

    Paulette Wilson's story has helped others to share their experience, says a fellow campaigner.

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  10. Hundreds of cannabis plants found at business unitpublished at 12:59 British Summer Time 4 September 2020

    Hundreds of cannabis plants have been found at a former business unit in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

    Staffordshire Police raided the building this morning and said it was still at the scene, assessing the find.

    Staffordshire police carImage source, Staffordshire Police

    Officers entered the site, on Loomer Road Industrial Estate, just before 09:00.

  11. 'Can we dispose of bombs on your farm, please?'published at 12:38 British Summer Time 4 September 2020

    A farmer said police turned up to her house yesterday to ask whether nine unexploded mortar bombs could be destroyed on her site.

    Sue Morgan who lives near Rotherwas in Herefordshire said officers inspected the site before deciding it was suitable for the operation.

    This morning, bomb disposal experts moved in to carry out a controlled explosion.

    Several didn't go off however and a squad remains at the scene.

  12. HS2 project work begins with pledge of 22,000 jobspublished at 12:37 British Summer Time 4 September 2020

    Work on the controversial rail line formally starts on Friday, with Boris Johnson saying it will "fire up growth".

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  13. Fire at The Hive in Worcesterpublished at 12:19 British Summer Time 4 September 2020

    Firefighters had to deal with a fire at The Hive library in Worcester last night.

    Hereford and Worcestershire Fire and Rescue Service said it appeared to have started in the kitchen area of a cafe and crews were at the scene for four hours.

    Hive

    The Hive was closed while they dealt with the incident and some traffic was disrupted.

  14. Council proposes adopting 'Rooney Rule'published at 11:21 British Summer Time 4 September 2020

    Phil Mackie
    Midlands correspondent, BBC News

    Birmingham City Council has proposed adopting the so-called “Rooney Rule” in all of its future appointments.

    Birmingham council house

    Introduced by the NFL in 2003, the rule states organisations must interview at least one black, Asian or minority ethnic candidate for each vacancy.

    The city’s cabinet will be asked to approve the changes next week.

    Nearly half of the 1.1m people who live in Birmingham are from ethnic minorities, but the council has come in for increasing criticism about its own lack of diversity.

    A report to the authority recommends that at least one such candidate and one woman be considered for every job, and that the make-up of interview panels follows the same rules.

    The council says that as one of the largest employers in the city it wants to set an example to other businesses.

  15. Controlled explosion after 'WW1' shells foundpublished at 11:03 British Summer Time 4 September 2020

    Nine are discovered at a site formerly part of a major munitions base.

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  16. Funeral of Windrush campaigner to be held todaypublished at 10:53 British Summer Time 4 September 2020

    The funeral of Windrush campaigner Paulette Wilson takes place later, external.

    Paulette moved to Telford from Jamaica in 1968, later moving to Wolverhampton. She died at the age of 64.

    Paulette Wilson

    Ms Wilson faced deportation when the Home Office classed her and thousands of others as illegal immigrants, but was reprieved when the government did a u-turn.

    You can read more about the Windrush story here.

  17. Second controlled explosion to be carried outpublished at 10:33 British Summer Time 4 September 2020

    A second controlled explosion is needed to dispose of a collection of what are thought to be World War One bombs.

    They were found yesterday in Rotherwas, Herefordshire, at an industrial site that was formerly home to a large munitions factory.

    Bomb disposal experts have packed the devices with about 12 tonnes of sand and topsoil at a farm to which they've been taken, and have evacuated homes in Hampton Bishop because the explosions could shatter glass.

    Farm

    It appeared that at least three bombs didn't go off in an earlier controlled explosion, meaning plans were made for a second attempt.

  18. HS2 work beginspublished at 10:13 British Summer Time 4 September 2020

    BBC News

    Construction work on HS2 officially begins on Friday, with companies behind the controversial high-speed rail project expecting to create 22,000 jobs in the next few years.

    HS2Image source, HS2

    Prime Minister Boris Johnson said HS2 would "fire up economic growth and help to rebalance opportunity".

    He endorsed the rail link in February, with formal government approval granted in April.

    But critics said HS2 would also cost jobs, and vowed to continue protesting.

    The project is set to cut through a swathe of the Midlands.

    You can read more on this story here.