BBC News Travel

A broken-down train between Nuneaton and Birmingham New Street is blocking rail lines.

Bus services will be replacing services, said CrossCountry Trains.

Stoke-on-Trent, Sandwell, Dudley and Stafford are among the places in England with the highest rates of coronavirus in people over the age of 60.

The areas were all placed in the highest tier three restrictions when the national lockdown ended on Wednesday.

The BBC has analysed the latest figures for areas with both the highest infection rates among the over-60s, and places where the virus is more common in older people than those younger.

The virus has been said to move from younger people to older more often. This could be partly explained by the high number of people over 60 receiving care compared with those in younger age groups.

You can read more on the story here.

Spire Healthcare also sets up a free phone helpline for former patients to speak to a specialist.

Public health workers in Sandwell have been working with the national test and trace programme to help it increase effectiveness.

The proportion of people being contacted in England increased last week to 72.5% up from 60.5% after a change in the way figures were recorded.

But a local scheme in Sandwell had been reaching about 90% of those people who been in contact with someone who tested positive for the virus, a weekly coronavirus update meeting has heard.

Clive Wright, Covid-19 regional convenor for the West Midlands, said while the national programme was still necessary, "it has to work better".

BBC Sport

Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Nuno Espirito Santo has not been surprised by the support for Raul Jimenez since he fractured his skull against Arsenal because he "means a lot to this city".

Image source, Getty Images

Jimenez, 29, will not be released from hospital until next week.

Nuno admitted he was "worried" and "everything goes through your mind" when Jimenez was hurt on Sunday.

Wolves fans raised £7,500 in two hours for a giant flag for the Mexican in the Steve Bull Stand at Molineux.

The Tamworth dancer had part of her lower limb attached backwards to have a prosthetic fitted.

Coventry Live

Some of the Coventry Live headlines today include:

• Covid-19 infection rate in Coventry at its lowest since early October, external
• Vacuum cleaner horror left Nuneaton tot battling life-threatening infection, external
• First look at ice rink at Coventry Cathedral, external

Two men have been arrested for drugs offences after trying to escape police in Rugby.

Warwickshire Police said they attempted to drive off in a BMW after officers asked them to stop and had to flee on foot when their car crashed on Clifton road, just before midday yesterday.

The force said a "number of individuals left the area" and drugs were found on the road and in the vehicle.

A 25-year-old man from Birmingham was arrested later on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of controlled drugs.

Another 25-year-old man from Moseley was questioned on suspicion of driving dangerously, failing to stop and being concerned in the supply of controlled drugs.

They have been bailed until the end of the month.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Shropshire's hospitals have been taking in coronavirus patients from elsewhere in the West Midlands, because they had spare beds.

The chairman of the Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group, Julian Povey, said it was because hospitals in Stoke-on-Trent and Wolverhampton struggled at times during the height of the second wave.

But neither Telford's Princess Royal Hospital nor the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital have been called on in the last few weeks.

Dr Povey said: “Overall across the country, across the Midlands, there’s plenty of capacity, but some hospitals are struggling more than others."

Hereford Times

Here are three of the stories from the Hereford Times today:

• Probe into river Lugg destruction, external
• Rejection for homes plan, external
• Hereford bypass change of direction, external

Nicholas Pointon used police computers to find a woman he had been in a crash with, the watchdog says.

A man from Nuneaton has been charged with assaulting a police officer during an incident on Lister Street in the town on Thursday.

Image source, Google

The 50-year-old along with another man, 56, and a 47-year-old woman have also been charged with being concerned in the supply of heroin and possession of class B drugs.

The three are set to appear at Coventry Magistrates' Court later.

Coventry City chief executive Dave Boddy says his club will not benefit at all from the Championship's £200m Premier League rescue package.

About 250 hot meals are set to be handed out from Birmingham's New Street station on Christmas Eve.

Image source, Network Rail

Image source, Network Rail

Network Rail and the Midland Langar Seva Society charity usually provide a three-course sit-down meal for the city's homeless, but have had to make alternative Covid-safe arrangements.

The food and gifts will be given out on the Eastern plaza between 17:00 and 19:00 on Thursday 24 December.

A queuing system will be set up to ensure people keep at a safe distance from one another to help stop the spread of coronavirus, said the rail company.

Ice could cause problems on untreated roads and pavements, the Met Office is warning.

Image source, Met Office

A yellow warning for ice , externalhas been issued for parts of the West Midlands from 21:00 today to 10:00 on Saturday.

Tamer Moustafa murdered the two women in a "drug-fuelled rage", say police.

A Staffordshire police officer has been sacked for getting involved in an "inappropriate relationship with a member of the public."

The force said DC Nicholas Pointon, who worked in the regional organised crime unit, was also found to have:

• Viewed information held on police systems for a non-policing purpose
• Made a dishonest entry into his pocket notebook entry
• Used a police vehicle for a non-policing purpose to visit the member of the public
• Took an unauthorised absence from duty in order to visit the member of public
• Deleted contents of his mobile phone prior to it being seized

A public misconduct hearing found it amounted to gross misconduct.

The Environment Agency has just tweeted , externalto say it has used "powers of entry" to gain access to land near the River Lugg, where clearance work is believed to have been carried out.

It said the team, made up of 14 people, includes representatives of the Environment Agency, Natural England, Forestry Commission, West Mercia Police and Herefordshire Council.

Image source, Environment Agency

They are concerned about reports land near the river in Herefordshire has been cleared of vegetation and the river itself straightened.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

A Birmingham councillor has called for part of the M6 to be slowed to 20mph, to cut the level of noise for people living nearby.

Majid Mahmood said there was constant noise pollution from the motorway and passing aeroplanes heading to and from Birmingham Airport and wants the limit applied to a 400m stretch around his Bromford and Hodge Hill ward.

Mr Mahmood also suggested the M6 Toll road should be made free to drivers to allow traffic to be shifted elsewhere.

He said the noise was a "constant source of stress for residents." and said sound barriers would also help.

Highways England introduced a 60mph speed limit trial on the M6 between junctions six and seven to improve air quality.

Its route manager Adrian Johnson, said: “We’re committed to reducing the number of people affected by noise on our road network."

BBC Radio Stoke Sport

The Crewe Alexandra chairman believes the return of fans this weekend will be a success and it will lead to more being allowed in the future.

With Crewe being in a tier two area the club is allowed 2,000 fans at Gresty Road and John Bowler said it's ready to "put in our plans for the next stage".

Image source, Getty Images

Mr Bowler also said he thought most the tickets would be taken up by season ticket holders.