Summary

  • Updates from Monday 7 December to Sunday 13 December

  1. More bird flu cases investigatedpublished at 10:07 Greenwich Mean Time 9 December 2020

    BBC Radio Hereford and Worcester

    A number of potential bird flu cases in Worcestershire are being investigated by Defra.

    The Canal and Rivers Trust found a number of dead birds along the River Severn in Worcester and six swans found dead in Evesham have tested positive for the H5N8 strain of the virus.

    Last month, a protection zone was declared after bird flu was found on a chicken farm in Herefordshire.

    And from Monday all bird keepers will be required by law to keep their flock indoors or under nets.

  2. Patients in Stoke-on-Trent to get Covid-19 vaccinepublished at 09:43 Greenwich Mean Time 9 December 2020

    Patients in Stoke-on-Trent will start to be given the coronavirus vaccine from today.

    The Royal Stoke Hospital delayed giving out the vaccine by one day to ensure enough people had appointments and doses were not wasted.

    Michelle Rhodes, chief nurse at the site, said it was a "very exciting day."

    On Tuesday, Margaret Keenan become the first person in the world to be given the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.

    The Royal Stoke HospitalImage source, Reuters

    Ms Rhodes told BBC Radio Stoke: "Everyone is so excited, it's such a big day for everyone, we've planned everything to the nth degree.

    "It really will make a difference to the whole population and the staff who have been working so hard to get this right for our patients, it finally feels like a light out of the tunnel."

    University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust took delivery of 975 doses of the vaccine on Monday and will be administering them over the next five days, averaging just under 200 a day.

  3. Everyone ok after flat firepublished at 09:27 Greenwich Mean Time 9 December 2020

    West Midlands Ambulance Service said nobody needed treatment after the flat fire in Selly Oak this morning.

    It said an ambulance was called to Bristol road at 03:00, but none of the evacuated occupants needed help.

  4. Stoke City going through 'run of bad luck with injuriespublished at 09:11 Greenwich Mean Time 9 December 2020

    BBC Radio Stoke Sport

    Michael O'Neill said his side are going through a run of bad luck with injuries and the team he put out against Cardiff "looked very young".

    They lost 2-1 and missed the chance to go joint-top of the Championship.

    Both topscorer Tyrese Campbell and Jacob Brown both went off injured.

    Tyrese Campbell going off injuredImage source, Getty Images

    But O'Neill said the injuries would give opportunities to others.

  5. Fines after police break in to football clubpublished at 08:39 Greenwich Mean Time 9 December 2020

    BBC Radio WM

    Fines have been handed out to a group of people breaking covid regulations at a football club premises.

    Breaking into Walsall Wood football clubImage source, West Midlands Police

    At the weekend officers cut through a padlock at Walsall Wood FC and found people inside cheering and chanting and continuing to party while they were forcing entry.

    West Midlands Police say 17 people were issued with £200-pound fines and the organiser a £1,000 fine

    The venue's licence is also being reviewed.

  6. Fire crews tackle mid-terrace blazepublished at 08:16 Greenwich Mean Time 9 December 2020

    About 40 firefighters have been tackling a fire in the roof of a mid-terraced, three-storey building.

    The fire happened on Bristol Road South in Selly Oak, Birmingham.

    A section of the road between Oak Tree Lane & Chapel Lane remains closed for investigations, the fire service said.

    The fire service tweeted, external at 05:46 to say the fire had been brought under control.

    Fire engines at the sceneImage source, West Midlands Fire Service
  7. Weather: Cold with some thick cloud laterpublished at 08:09 Greenwich Mean Time 9 December 2020

    BBC Weather

    It's going to be another chilly day, with temperatures rising to not much higher than 5C (41F).

    This afternoon we could see some thick cloud and possibly some light rain.

    NantwichImage source, Lisa Lacking
  8. Live updates for the West Midlandspublished at 07:59 Greenwich Mean Time 9 December 2020

    Andy Giddings
    BBC News

    Welcome to the start of our live service for Wednesday.

    We’ll be bringing you all the latest updates for the West Midlands.

    You can let us know about stories in your area via email, Twitter, external and Facebook., external

  9. End of live updates for Tuesdaypublished at 19:05 Greenwich Mean Time 8 December 2020

    Allen Cook
    BBC News

    We'll be back tomorrow from 08:00 with the latest news, sport, travel, weather and more for the West Midlands.

  10. Margaret Keenan: Family 'tremendously proud'published at 18:55 Greenwich Mean Time 8 December 2020

    To round our day off we remind you of the story that was making the headlines earlier.

    The family of the first person to receive the Pfizer Covid vaccine have said they are "tremendously proud" of her.

    Margaret Keenan, who turns 91 next week, received the injection at 06:31 GMT at University Hospital, Coventry from matron May Parsons.

    Margaret Keenan, 90, is applauded by staff as she returns to her ward after becoming the first person in the United Kingdom to receive the Pfizer/BioNtech covid-19 vaccine at University Hospital, CoventryImage source, PA Media

    In a statement, released through NHS England, Mrs Keenan's family said: "We are tremendously proud of our mum and granny for stepping forward to receive the first COVID vaccine.

    "The interest and well wishes we have received today as a family have been overwhelming.

    "We would like to thank May Parsons and the whole team at the hospital for the care they have provided in recent days and of course to everyone involved in developing the lifesaving jab that our mum and granny was given this morning."

  11. Knife held to shop worker during attempted robberypublished at 18:41 Greenwich Mean Time 8 December 2020

    A knife was held to the stomach of a shop worker during an attempted armed robbery, police say.

    Two members of staff at Carats, on Station Street in Burton-upon-Trent, were closing on Friday when two men entered and held the knife to one of them, Staffordshire Police said.

    The two men then smashed the Covid-19 protective screens at the store and demanded the workers open the safe, the force said.

    But when the staff could not access it they fled on foot towards High Street, it added.

    CaratsImage source, Google

    Officers are examining CCTV footage but are also appealing for witnesses to help identify the two men.

  12. Stabbing victim named as fifth arrest madepublished at 18:33 Greenwich Mean Time 8 December 2020

    Sohail Ali was fatally attacked in a park in Winson Green, Birmingham, on Friday afternoon.

    Read More
  13. Charge after man has hand sliced in attackpublished at 18:21 Greenwich Mean Time 8 December 2020

    A man is recovering after his hand was sliced in a knife attack at a block of flats in Biddulph, Staffordshire, on Monday.

    The victim, in his 40s, was taken to hospital after the incident in John Street shortly before 10:00 GMT.

    An 18-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of wounding with intent, possession of an offensive weapon and attempted robbery and has since been charged, Staffordshire Police said.

  14. 'Painful' stabbing CCTV 'shows knife crime impact'published at 18:18 Greenwich Mean Time 8 December 2020

    Jack Donoghue was the victim of an "appalling and senseless" attack during a night out in Solihull.

    Read More
  15. Witness appeal over fatal car crashpublished at 18:10 Greenwich Mean Time 8 December 2020

    Police say they have some new information but still need people to come forward.

    Read More
  16. Police blow full-time on football club lock-inpublished at 18:03 Greenwich Mean Time 8 December 2020

    Officers issue a raft of fines and believe Covid-19 restrictions have been flouted there since April.

    Read More
  17. Coach demand soars as students bus home for Christmaspublished at 18:01 Greenwich Mean Time 8 December 2020

    National Express has said demand for its coach services from Birmingham has more than doubled as students head home for Christmas.

    The provider said demand had increased by 159% during the "travel window" whereby students were allocated staggered departure times to leave university and which closes tomorrow.

    National Express coachImage source, National Express

    Birmingham is home to three major universities and about 80,000 students.

    "We added extra vehicles to safely increase the number of seats available on routes that serve university locations during the travel window," National Express commercial director John Boughton said.

  18. Firearm and axe seized in raidspublished at 17:28 Greenwich Mean Time 8 December 2020

    Drugs, an axe, a firearm and ammunition have been seized by police during raids at four addresses in the West Midlands.

    Two women and two men have been arrested following the raids in Erdington, Acocks Green and Oldbury earlier.

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  19. William Shakespeare: 'A very worthy recipient'published at 16:49 Greenwich Mean Time 8 December 2020

    The second person to be given the coronavirus vaccine in Coventry today was 81-year-old William Shakespeare from Warwickshire - prompting puns on Twitter.

    His niece Emily Shakespeare tweeted that she was "proud" of her uncle Bill, who she described as a "very worthy recipient."

    And to the question posed by Piers Morgan, external among others - was she actually related to the Bard - she replied that the family was "around 86% sure" .

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