The number of coronavirus cases in the West Midlands Combined Authority area has gone up by more than 80%, a briefing has heard.

Dr Lola Abudu, from Public Health England, said there were 39,587 cases in the area, with 2,960 over the past week, compared with 1,620 in the previous seven days.

Image source, PA Media

Clive Wright, representing the Department of Health and Social Care in the region, said we were at "a pivotal point" with the disease "spreading more rapidly".

There was some good news, with Stoke-on-Trent being removed from the government watchlist.

Mr Wright added that demand for tests was outstripping supply.

Leisure workers in Sandwell have voted to go on strike in a row over pay and conditions.

The GMB Union members, who work for the Sandwell Leisure Trust, said it was threatening to sack and rehire staff on new terms.

Image source, Getty Images

That claim has previously been disputed by the company, which runs leisure centres on behalf of Sandwell Council.

Kathryn Stanczyszyn
Political Reporter, BBC WM

The deputy leader of Birmingham City Council has confirmed the authority is asking for military support to help with its testing programme in city hotspots.

At a weekly coronavirus briefing this afternoon, Councillor Brigid Jones said the council had been in talks with the Ministry of Defence for extra capacity for its drop off and collect programme.

Image source, Getty Images

She added that personnel would assist civilian efforts in order to maximise the numbers of tests able to be done, and not in an enforcement capacity.

The programme is aimed at areas with high rates of infection, to provide a service to people who can’t leave their homes and to encourage those who may not be proactive in getting tested.

Coventry City defender Fankaty Dabo signs a new three-year contract, with an option for a further 12 months.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

The planned Lowesmoor development in Worcester has come about after two years of discussions between Godwin Developments and Lowesmoor Wharf Developments and Worcester City Council.

If it goes ahead it will link up to the city's marina and make use of some of the existing industrial buildings there, which would be rennovated.

Image source, Godwin Developments

There are plans for balconies and roof gardens and the developers have said the scheme will be "car-free", with hundreds of cycling spaces provided.

Image source, Godwin Developments

The CEO of Telford's Southwater Events Group believes the government has unfairly left the hospitality and events industry out of its Job Support Scheme.

Tom Gray, who's business includes the Telford International Centre, said the sector was worth about £70bn to the UK economy and added: "We were not an industry that was struggling, we were booming."

Image source, LDRS

Under the chancellor's scheme.employees must be in ''viable jobs" to benefit from the scheme. Those in industries currently closed - such as those in the entertainment industry - may lose out as there isn't any work.

Mr Gray said he'd already had to let his casual staff go and there have been "significant other redundancies to full time staff".

But without further help, he warned more job losses are likely.

On Wednesday, the NEC Group in Birmingham warned job losses were inevitable.

Chris Burnham, who was left in a coma after trying to stop a car in Coventry, has returned to policing.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

An £85m plan to transform Lowesmoor Wharf in Worcester has been revealed.

It is currently a small industrial park, but if the plans are approved it would include 271 apartments, as well as shops, restaurants and office space - all based around the outline of the canal basin.

Image source, Godwin Developments

The tallest building would be 12 storeys high and contain more than 50 apartments.

Image source, Godwin Developments

Aston Villa forward Mbwana Samatta joins Turkish side Fenerbahce on an initial loan until the end of the season.

Shropshire Star

Here are three stories from the Shropshire Star today:

• New coronavirus testing centre opening in Telford, external
• Police patrols after flowers stolen from graves, external
• 'My croc fell off' says driver caught speeding, external

A lack of staff is thought to be one of the main reasons intensive care is running at full capacity.

Police caught 88 people during an operation to stop dangerous driving on the Birmingham ring road last week.

West Midlands Police said it was in response to figures revealing more than 40 serious or fatal collisions took place on the route in 12 months.

Image source, Getty Images

The offences included going through a red light, speeding, using a mobile phone at the wheel, not wearing a seat belt and having no insurance.

Raven Meadows in Shrewsbury is temporarily closed to traffic and pedestrians because of glass falling from the shopping centre.

West Mercia Police said it would remain shut until the area could be made safe.

Image source, West Mercia Police

Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service said it was using a ladder to make the window on the Darwin Centre safe.

Police are still trying to identify four men in connection with a fall from a flat balcony in Coventry last month and have released CCTV images.

Officers were called to Bath Street on 17 August and the 31-year-old man who fell is still in a critical condition in hospital.

Image source, West Midlands Police

CCTV cameras recorded the four leaving the flats straight after the incident.

Two men, aged 25 and 33, were arrested at the scene on suspicion of attempted murder and have both since been released without charge.

Image source, West Midlands Police

A man in his 20s is in hospital with life-threatening stab wounds after an attack in the Aston area of Birmingham this morning.

West Midlands Police said a 21-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of wounding with intent to cause GBH after the incident on Trinity Road at 02:30.

A 20-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and both are in custody.

The scene has been cordoned off while examinations are carried out.

Chris Johnson was diagnosed a few months after being promoted to assistant chief constable.

The West Mercia force is distributing letters via schools to soothe concerns about pupils' safety.

Worcester News

Here are three stories from the Worcester News site today:

• Multimillion-pound plan to transform Lowesmoor, external
• Murder case delayed because of prison videolink, external
• Government called upon to save Worcester Warriors, external

People had to be evacuated from their homes after the blaze in Walsall on Thursday night.

Private coronavirus tests are being offered in Stoke-on-Trent for as much as £250, but the city council is advising people not to use them.

Dr Paul Edmondson-Jones from the local authority said the quality of private tests were unknown, the results won’t feed back into the national system and they won’t be picked up for test and trace.

Image source, Getty Images

The rise in the price of private tests comes as some people have been struggling to book slots at testing sites at Stoke City's ground, Fenton Manor and Ryecroft, in Newcastle-under-Lyme.