People are being asked to have their say on the future of Oswestry.

Shropshire Council, Oswestry Town Council and Oswestry Business Improvement District want to develop a masterplan for the town.

A survey, where people are being asked to share their views, closes on 13 November., external

Image source, Shropshire Council

Councillor Steve Charmley, from Shropshire Council, says the plan will "show areas we think can be developed, ways we can showcase certain areas of town better and aspirations to attract more people and help boost the economy".

He added: “But we want to have as many people’s ideas on board as possible, to ensure the masterplan is more representative of the wants and needs you have."

BBC Midlands Today

Traders in a Birmingham suburb say measures to reduce traffic and improve air quality is deterring shoppers and threatening livelihoods.

Some Kings Heath residents have welcomed the scheme which has involved closing about six roads to cars to encourage walking and cycling instead.

But Leanne Poole, who runs a pet shop, said delivery drivers were struggling to navigate the closures.

Pet shops are among essential stores allowed to keep trading during the second lockdown, along with food shops, garden centres, hardware stores and others.

Councillor Lisa Trickett said: "What we're doing is to try and create a sense of destination, that when people come to King's Heath they can feel it is somewhere they want to stay...somewhere they want to walk about and spend money."

The city council said it would respond to feedback, but cutting traffic and emissions was not negotiable.

Horror fan Nathan Maynard-Ellis and his partner David Leesley killed and dismembered Julia Rawson.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

A hospital trust says it has more Covid-19 positive patients than it saw during the height of the virus's first wave.

As of today, there are now 258 Covid-19 positive patients at the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust, six more than the previous peak on Monday 13 April.

There are 16 coronavirus patients being cared for in the trust’s intensive care units, with eight each at Royal Derby and Queen’s Hospital in Burton-upon-Trent.

Gavin Boyle, the chief executive of the hospital trust, has said Covid-19 presents a “huge challenge” to the organisation, its partners and for the community.

Image source, Google

Mr Boyle wrote in trust board papers to be discussed at a meeting this week: “We always knew a second wave was likely and in some respects it is better that this started before the winter pressures season."

He added: “One of the main differences between now and the first wave is the availability of testing.

"We are one of a small number of trusts who have been selected to test staff without symptoms as part of a national pilot to help us understand the disease better and prevent its spread.

"This, and our own internal testing, is helping to support us to reduce cases of hospital-acquired Covid-19.”

BBC Radio Shropshire

More than 300 people across Shropshire have been waiting more than a year for routine operations.

The backlog has been partly caused by the cancellation of all but the most serious procedures during the first lockdown, which started in March and eased during late summer. A second lockdown was rolled out in England on Thursday.

Health commissioner Dave Evans said work was under way to resolve the situation.

Image source, Google

He said all those on the waiting list were being reviewed by clinicians to "make sure they are being treated in priority order".

The males aged between 16 and 17 are set to face trial later this month.

Hereford Times

From the Hereford Times today:

• Man found with head injury nine hours after crash, external
• Fundraisers collecting money for Hereford park, external
• Family of student who took her own life look to help others during lockdown, external

BBC Midlands Today's Rebecca Wood trawls the archives to mark the charity's 40th birthday.

People in Wolverhampton are being urged to celebrate Diwali safely, as the second coronavirus lockdown restricts events.

Diwali is the five-day festival of lights, celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains. It begins on 12 November with the main day of celebrations taking place on 14 November.

The city council is urging people to continue to follow lockdown guidelines as they celebrate, and avoid gathering in one another’s homes.

Image source, Getty Images

Councillor Jasbir Jaspal said: "Families are encouraged to keep in touch with one another virtually and celebrate Diwali through video calling apps like Zoom.

"People can of course still decorate their homes, and families who live together, or are in a support bubble, can enjoy a feast or sweet treats at home."

It comes as the organisers of Birmingham's Festival of Light event arranged for their celebrations to be held online.

Philip Taylor was based at Cannock as a probationary constable before leaving the force.

Police are warning people to be aware of lottery scammers after victims were duped of more than £60,000 in the last three months.

West Midlands Police said residents were contacted over the phone and told they had won either a UK or international lottery.

They were then told to keep their win secret and asked to provide money to cover taxes, or to ensure they were "authorised" to collect their "winnings".

Image source, Getty Images

The force said it was aware of at least 10 fake lottery winners across the region since August.

A spokesperson said fraudsters "can be very convincing".

She added: "They are capable of exploiting anyone with their powers of persuasion; even to the point of getting people to believe they could be a winner even without doing a regular lottery."

Coventry Live

From Coventry Live:

• Coventry driver's rookie error as he gave police fake name and address, external
• Big change in dropped kerb rule to encourage legal driveways in Coventry, external
• Covid-19 rates more than double in a month in Coventry, external

There are celebrations over at BBC Radio WM today which is celebrating its 50th birthday.

As well as looking back at some of the big moments the station has covered, it is also launching the Make a Difference Heroes Awards to celebrate people across Birmingham and the Black Country.

An MP has paid tribute to Port Vale Football Club for the work it has done to support the local community during the coronavirus pandemic.

Jonathan Gullis, who represents Stoke-on-Trent North, made the comments ahead of a debate on a petition today calling for football fans to be allowed back into grounds. He is for supporters' return.

The Hubb Foundation Charity, founded by Port Vale owner Carol Shanahan, has been delivering food and care packages to vulnerable people.

Image source, Parliament UK

Birmingham Live

From Birmingham Live today:

• Bull Ring Market traders' fury as city council demands full rent payments during lockdown, external
• Search for owner after huge pile of cash found at Birmingham scrap yard, external
• Fury as Tesco blocks off huge part of store with booze barricade, external

The NSPCC says thousands of children have been seeking help from Childline during lockdown.

Two rail bridges in the West Midlands have been named among those most regularly hit by vehicles.

Network Rail has released a list of the most commonly-struck bridges, saying there have been an average of five crashes per day nationally, with repairs costing an average of £13,000 per strike.

Second on the national list was Bromford Road bridge, Dudley, which was struck 24 times in a 12-month period.

And third was the St John's Street bridge in, Lichfield, Staffordshire with 23 strikes.

Image source, Network Rail

Most regularly hit was the Watling Street railway bridge on the A5 in Hinckley, Leicestershire, which saw crashes almost once a fortnight on average in the 12 months to the end of March.

Worcester News

From the Worcester News today:

• Worcester employee stole £29,000 from company that 'put food on his table', external
• Five injured in crash on City Walls Road in Worcester, external
• PICTURES: Remembrance Sunday in Worcester, external

Staffordshire Police is asking parents and carers to have conversations with young people about knife crime as part of a national campaign week.

The county has seen an overall reduction in knife crime, but the issue has still not gone away, despite restrictions under coronavirus, the force says, highlighting the Ditch the Blade message.

According to police, 124 young people were victims of knife crime last year, and 110 young people committed a crime while carrying a knife.

Image source, Getty Images

A Shropshire brewer said he fears for his job after the latest lockdown closed England's pubs.

Eric Berril, head brewer at St Anne's Brewery, outside Shrewsbury, says the future for the industry looks bleak.

He says he has been left with "loads" of beer, much of which will end up being poured down drains.

Image source, Getty Images

"I don't know what is going to happen tomorrow," he said.

"From being secure in my little job, I don't know if I am going to have a job next week and I am in limbo."