Summary

  • Updates from Monday 18 January to Sunday 24 January

  1. West Brom: Club will 'make 250 inquiries' in Januarypublished at 09:25 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2021

    BBC Sport

    Sam Allardyce says West Brom will make "maybe 250 inquiries" during January before hopefully signing "three or four good players".

    West Brom secured a 3-2 away win at Wolves on SaturdayImage source, Getty Images

    The Baggies won 3-2 at Wolves on Saturday but with Brighton defeating Leeds, they are six points from Premier League safety.

    Allardyce, who was appointed as manager on 16 December, said he wanted signings "who can go straight into the first team - or at least not take very long before they can because we need that boost".

    The impending exit of playmaker Filip Krovinovic, a loan signing from Benfica that former boss Slaven Bilic pushed through, will create some space on the West Brom wage bill.

    But with no additional income from the club, Allardyce will have to wheel and deal in the market, which he says he is "very adept in".

  2. Your photos: Stunning sunrisepublished at 09:05 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2021

    BBC Weather Watchers

    We had a great sunrise this morning across the West Midlands, by the look of the photos coming in from our BBC Weather Watchers.

    These are just three of them, from users Ejbvisuals, in Broome, Worcestershire; Hazelnut, in Penkridge, Staffordshire; and Liam Ball, in Dawley, Shropshire:

    BroomeImage source, Ejbvisuals
    PenkridgeImage source, Hazelnut
    DawleyImage source, Liam Ball
  3. Critical care wards full in some English hospitalspublished at 08:45 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2021

    Rob England
    BBC England Data Unit

    Ten hospital trusts across England consistently reported having no spare critical care beds in the most recent figures available.

    Medical staff treating patientsImage source, Getty Images

    They include University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Trust and Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals.

    It comes as hospital waiting times, coronavirus admissions and numbers of patients requiring intensive care are rising.

    The total number of critical care beds available across all England's acute trusts is 5,503, with 4,632 in use on 10 January.

    University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Trust said it had "significantly" more patients in hospital with Covid-19 than in April last year.

    The trust has 147 critical care beds available across its hospitals, all of which were full as of the latest figures.

  4. Weather: Turning cloudy with rain laterpublished at 08:23 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2021

    BBC Weather

    It'll be bright at times this morning but will turn mainly cloudy for most parts of the West Midlands later on. It will be mostly dry and breezy with a high of 7C (45F).

    This morning in Leek, StaffordshireImage source, BBC Weather Watcher Billington_Photo
    Image caption,

    This morning in Leek, Staffordshire

    This evening it should stay cloudy and breezy with some showers moving in from the south west. The rain will turn persistent in the first half of tonight before easing. Low: 6C (43F).

    You can stay up-to-date with the latest weather forecast for your area by going to the BBC Weather website.

  5. Live updates for the West Midlandspublished at 08:08 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2021

    Allen Cook
    BBC News

    Welcome to the start of our live service for Monday.

    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