Stoke-on-Trent Live

Some of today's top stories from Stoke-on-Trent Live include:

• Covid couple married for 67 years die on same Royal Stoke ward 25 hours apart, external
• Pregnant mum, 20, demands move from 'mouldy' home, external
• The covidiots breaking the rules during lockdown, external

Mark Elliott died with coronavirus at the Royal Stoke Hospital on Sunday.

Seamer Olly Hannon-Dalby signs an extended deal, which will keep him at Warwickshire until at least 2023.

An inquest opening heard she was attacked by a family dog in Kitts Green, earlier this month.

The carving was used by children to balance on in a country park before it was stolen in July.

Plans for Dudley's new bus and tram interchange have been released as the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) announces the £23m project has been given the green light.

Image source, West Midlands Combined Authority

Due to be completed in 2023, the interchange will link the Metro tram extension between Wednesbury and Brierley Hill as well as bus routes - extending to Sprint Bus services further down the line.

West Midlands Mayor Andy Street said the interchange, built on the existing bus station, would be a "fitting gateway to what will be a revitalised and reborn town centre.”

Shropshire Star

Here's a look at this morning's top stories from the Shropshire Star:

• Shropshire farmer facing end of his tenancy has to find homes for his 37 cats, external
• Fears over traffic chaos in Chirk during bypass works, external
• Shrewsbury Town Council clerk lifts lid on 'pulling a Jackie Weaver', external

A paraplegic patient at University Hospitals of North Midlands has thanked the nurse who has cared for him since his diagnosis by nominating him for an award.

Brian Sirrell, of Welshpool, Powys, has neurological disorder CIPD, external, which targets the body's nerves and has been cared for by Scott Dobing, for 20 years.

Mr Sirrell said he spent five hours handwriting the letter to nominate Mr Dobing for the trust's Hero award.

Image source, UHNM

"Without Scott I wouldn’t be here today. I have known him for so long, he almost feels like a son," Mr Sirrell said.

Mr Dobing said he felt "proud and honoured" to have been given the award.

A giant wooden eel taken from a country park in Shropshire has been found on a beach 200 miles away.

The three-metre eel was amongst play equipment, believed to be worth thousands of pounds, taken from Severn Valley Country Park, near Bridgnorth, last July.

It’s believed vandals threw it in the river and it floated downstream as part of it has now been discovered on a beach in Portishead.

"It’s magnificent it’s been found but it raises the question, what happened in the first instance?," Cllr Dave Temellen said.

"My immediate thoughts are, this would be an excellent project for the children at Highley Primary - they could write about the adventures of the eel - imagine all the bridges it’s been under and adventures it’s had.”

He added the park warden plans to go down to Bristol to pick up the eel.

After carrying out up to 7,000 coronavirus tests in Walsall, after a South African variant was found in the town's WS2 area, another case has not yet been found.

Walsall was one of eight areas across England where the South African variant was detected in early February, leading to the roll-out of enhanced - or surge - testing via mobile sites to trace any further transmission.

Image source, PA Media

Stephen Craddock, the council's portfolio holder for health and wellbeing, said they were feeling "optimistic" as the authority had expected further cases to be picked up in the area.

On Friday, the council said a further case of the South African variant, external - not linked to the WS2 case - had been found in the Pleck area and targeted testing will be carried out later this week.

Cllr Craddock said volunteers will be doing "door-to-door" testing from Wednesday, adding the council was confident in the "fool-proof" plan following the success of its surge testing earlier this month.

Aerial footage shows the London to Birmingham leg of the HS2 high-speed rail network – and the current state of its construction.

A misty and foggy start with variable cloud.

Most areas will remain dry and escape any rain.

Click here for an up-to-date weather forecast.

A man has been found dead in Staffordshire.

The 47-year-old was found on Laches Lane in Coven on Sunday morning but was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.

Staffordshire Police is treating his death as unexplained and is appealing to anyone who might have been in the area during Saturday evening and Sunday morning to get in touch.

"It is understood that the man was last seen alive in the area of New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton and officers are trying to establish his movements between this time," the force said.

Welcome to our live service for Monday.

We'll be bringing you all the news, sport, travel and weather for the West Midlands.

We love to hear from you, so share your news, thoughts and photos of the area with us via email, Twitter , externaland Facebook., external