Police found snakes, spiders, tortoises and lizards at addresses in Telford, Shropshire.

The A&E unit at Warwick Hospital has reopened this afternoon after it was shut when a pipe was accidentally cut earlier today during maintenance work.

South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust announced a "temporary closure" just after 10:30 but said it was still shut at 13:15., external

But after 15:30 it said, external the unit had reopened and was "fully operational".

Some Wasps rugby players have been spotted wearing a charity t-shirt similar to the one worn by the first person to be given the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine.

Pictures of Margaret Keenan, 90, receiving the vaccine on Tuesday in Coventry were viewed online and on TV around the world, with many on social media praising her festive t-shirt.

The blue top is being sold to raise money to buy presents for patients on the wards in Coventry.

The charity tweeted a picture of players Josh Bassett, Tom Cruse, Simon McIntyre, Jimmy Gopperth and Brad Shields backing the campaign.

Worcester News

A few of the headlines from the Worcester News today:

• Worcester teen sent 'revenge porn' video to woman's friends, external
• Mum says damp and mould is harming daughter's breathing, external
• University students offered free Covid tests in January, external

A man has reportedly been assaulted near a school and his attacker tried to drag him out of his car, Warwickshire Police said., external

Image source, Google

The victim, in his 30s, was getting into his vehicle on Thursday afternoon when it happened close to St Michael's Academy on Hazel Grove, Bedworth.

The force said another man was believed to have come up, attacked him and tried to pull him from the car.

An argument started and both men ended up with injuries to their face.

A 33-year-old man from Nuneaton has been arrested on suspicion of assault causing grievous bodily harm and is still in custody.

The 2024 Paris Games will see breaking make its debut as an Olympic event.

BBC Radio WM

GPs in Wolverhampton are due to start delivering the Covid-19 Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine to patients next week.

Image source, Reuters

So far the jab has only been administered at hospital hubs.

The city council said , externalhealth teams would be in touch with those eligible for a vaccine as soon as appointments were available.

Figures from Public Health England show the infection rate in Wolverhampton at 246.1 per 100,000 people for the week up to 6 December compared with 257.4 for the week before.

All the swimming pools at Sandwell's new aquatic centre for the 2022 Commonwealth Games have been completed, according to the local council., external

Image source, Sandwell Council

Work started on the new centre, which will host the diving and swimming events, earlier this year.

The council released photos this week showing the latest building work and said the pools were now being filled and tested.

Image source, Sandwell Council

Tom Edwards
Reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester

People have lined the streets for the funeral of the former Worcester Warriors' owner Cecil Duckworth.

He died last month at the age of 83 and has been remembered as much for his charity work, such as with Acorn Children's Hospice, as his business and sporting achievements.

Duckworth founded the Worcester Engineering Co Ltd which he sold to Bosch and funded the development of Sixways and inspired Warriors' rise to the Premiership for the first time.

As his funeral procession took a tour of the city ahead of a private family funeral, warm applause broke out spontaneously on the streets.

BBC Midlands Today

Birmingham boxer Sam Eggington is targeting a future world title bid as he returns to the ring tonight.

The 27-year-old is in a bio-secure bubble ahead of the bout against Ashley Theofane in Redditch, Worcestershire.

Eggington has already won British, Commonwealth and European titles while his opponent fought unsuccessfully for a world title four years ago.

"Winning against Ashley would set me up nice for next year," he said.

"If I lost against Ashley, I'd have to have a think and see where I am going. We'll wait and see, I'm confident of going there and doing a job and looking good doing it."

BBC Radio WM

It is "in the balance" as to whether Birmingham and other parts of the Black Country will see their Covid-19 restrictions loosened next week, according to the West Midlands mayor.

Image source, Reuters

After lockdown, most of the West Midlands was placed under the toughest rules, tier three, which included a ban on households mixing indoors.

The government said it would review the tier allocations on 16 December.

Mayor Andy Street told BBC Radio WM the infection rate in the area had come down to 192 per 100,000 people but other factors like pressure on hospitals would affect the decision.

"I would say it is absolutely in the balance.

"Therefore what we have got to continue to do over the next few days, we have got to make sure the latest numbers that the government will be looking at on Monday are as good as we can make them which means everyone has to follow the rules."

Birmingham Live

The Birmingham Live website is covering these stories today:

• Dad died after 'contracting Covid while being treated for leukaemia', external
• Thieves strip entire Mercedes in night-time raid, external
• Mum says kids 'won't even get a selection box' after thieves stole Christmas presents, external

BBC Weather Watchers

Our BBC Weather Watchers snap some great scenes across the West Midlands, as well as updating us on their local weather conditions, so here are some from today.

They are from users David S in LIchfield, Staffordshire, Mightyship in Bucknell, Shropshire and Marciaspictures in Broadway, Worcestershire:

Image source, David S

Image source, Mightyship

Image source, Marciaspictures

The A&E unit at Warwick Hospital has been closed today due to what health bosses say is an emergency maintenance issue.

South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust said , externalstaff were unable to treat patients in the department and they would have to use alternative urgent care services.

The issue was said to be temporary.

CCTV shows Shahzeeb Shazad Khan, 25, stamping on his eight-month-old dog Rico.

BBC Radio Hereford and Worcester

The first Covid-19 vaccinations are expected to start in Herefordshire and Worcestershire on Saturday.

Image source, Reuters

BBC Radio Hereford and Worcester understands NHS staff will start getting their first injection of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine at the Alexandra Hospital, Redditch.

People aged over 80 years old and some of the most vulnerable will also be getting the jab.

Health officials said some large vaccination centres in the counties will open next year including the Three Counties Showground, Malvern, and the Artrix centre, Bromsgrove.

Some GP surgeries in the area have also told the BBC they will start to vaccinate older patients from Monday.

Pressure is being put on a hospital trust for it to follow through on a promise to make changes following a review of a scandal-hit maternity unit.

Image source, PA Media

Telford and Wrekin Council leader Shaun Davies said, external it was important "now more than ever" for Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS (SaTH) trust to act on recommendations from the report.

The review found mothers were blamed for their babies' deaths and a large number of women died in labour with deaths often not investigated.

SaTH has committed to bringing in all the report's 27 actions which include twice daily consultant-led ward rounds and drug use following national guidelines.

However, Donna Ockenden's review highlighted past failings to implement recommendations, which she said may have prevented some of the cases brought to her attention.

The statue in Wolverhampton will commemorate the 1897 Battle of Saragarhi.

BBC Radio Shropshire

The father of a baby who died at a scandal-hit maternity unit says an interim report into the failings of the unit was a "shocking and harrowing read".

Richard Stanton and Rhiannon Davies's daughter Kate died hours after her birth in March 2009.

The couple have campaigned ever since her death for a review into maternity care at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust.

Image source, Richard Stanton

"I was shocked yesterday reading the extracts," he told BBC Radio Shropshire.

He said the stories mentioned in Donna Ockenden's report highlighted where "care has been so poor".

The interim report lists numerous traumatic birth experiences including the deaths of babies due to excessive force of forceps and stillbirths that could have been avoided.

Stoke-on-Trent Live

The Stoke-on-Trent Live website is covering these stories today:

• Police called in after 'disgusting couple' verbally abuse charity champion, external
• Police visit pub accused of breaking coronavirus rules twice in five days, external
• 'Large-scale' vaccination site being lined up in north of Stoke-on-Trent, external