Summary

  • Updates from Monday 1 March to Sunday 7 March

  1. Two injured in gas explosion at housepublished at 10:36 British Summer Time 30 March 2021

    The explosion in Walsall caused significant damage to the property and a passing car.

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  2. Coventry's MotoFest 'is going to be different this year'published at 09:36 British Summer Time 30 March 2021

    Organisers of Coventry's MotoFest said the car festival would return to the city in the summer but it was going to be different this year due to coronavirus restrictions.

    The festival could not go ahead last summer due to the pandemic

    It will be spread out over a month, running over four separate weekends from 17 July to 8 August, rather than its usual single weekend programme.

    Moto Fest

    "What we're doing is each weekend we'll have a different theme, appealing to a different section of the MotoFest audience," festival director James Noble said.

    Themes include future technology and an 'Italian Job' style weekend.

    "We want MotoFest to be free, we want Moto Fest to be openly accessible," he said. "It always has been."

  3. Fresh appeal after teenager died in moped hit-and-runpublished at 08:54 British Summer Time 30 March 2021

    Officers have returned to the scene of a crash after a boy died in a suspected hit-and-run collision on a moped.

    Liam MooneyImage source, Family handout

    Liam Mooney is believed to have been a pillion passenger when there was an incident involving a car in Perry Barr, Birmingham, at 19:20 GMT on 22 March.

    The car left the scene and police believe another moped was being ridden in tandem with Mr Mooney's motorbike.

    Officers returned to the scene on Monday to speak to drivers and members of the public in the hope someone might have information about the incident, said West Midlands Police.

    “Our thoughts remain with Liam’s family at this awful time. They deserve to know what happened to their son that night," the force added.

  4. Aston Villa condemn anti-Semitic abusepublished at 22:15 British Summer Time 29 March 2021

    Aston Villa condemn anti-Semitic abuse posted online after the club wished fans a happy Passover.

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  5. Golfers at border club 'can leave or enter Wales'published at 21:01 British Summer Time 29 March 2021

    The course includes 15 holes in Wales, two in England and one that crosses the border itself.

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  6. 'Guests cut from 180 to 6 - but we're getting married'published at 19:43 British Summer Time 29 March 2021

    With weddings back on in England, couples prepare to celebrate with their closest loved ones.

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  7. Fly-tippers made to pick up own motorway rubbishpublished at 18:29 British Summer Time 29 March 2021

    The group was spotted on the M6 by "eagle-eyed" officers and escorted back to the scene to tidy up.

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  8. Moseley folk festival 'not for the people of Birmingham'published at 17:39 British Summer Time 29 March 2021

    Local Democracy Reporting Service

    The annual Moseley folk festival is "not for the people of Birmingham" and should not be granted permission to relocate this summer, local residents say.

    Their views were to be aired at a licensing meeting to decide whether the event could go ahead at Highbury Park in the city, instead of Moseley Park, mainly due to space issues prompted by Covid-19.

    Organisers say they have worked with local groups and plan an ecology impact report, traffic management plan and road marshalling for the event.

    But several residents and local groups had written to the council about their concerns.

    Jenny McCabe, of the Seaton Grove Residents Association, said the organisers had listened, but agreeing to host the event it set a precedent and made it "harder to defend the park from future applications for other commercial events".

    Highbury ParkImage source, LDRS

    "Our feeling as a group of residents – and it's a large group, I think we had about 80 signatures – was that this park has been bequeathed to the people of Birmingham, and this event isn't for the people of Birmingham, and regular park users," she said.

    The price of tickets - from £50 to £130 - were "for people that can afford" them, she said.

    "It’s not an accessible festival, lovely though it is, and a lot of the concern was that this park is something that has held deeply precious by the people that live in the area, and to have a commercial venture, regardless of how community-orientated it is – and it is community orientated – we don’t feel that that’s appropriate."

    A decision on the application is due within five working days.

  9. 'Absolutely amazing, I've got a wife'published at 16:45 British Summer Time 29 March 2021

    A couple, who met online during the pandemic, are married after Covid restrictions relaxed on Monday.

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  10. Man arrested after shots firedpublished at 16:29 British Summer Time 29 March 2021

    A man has been arrested after shots were fired in Wolverhampton earlier.

    Officers were called to the incident on Hall Park Street shortly after 09:00, said West Midlands Police.

    A 21-year-old man was arrested nearby on suspicion of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.

    No one was injured, the force added.

  11. Bird flu outbreak at Cheshire poultry farmpublished at 16:21 British Summer Time 29 March 2021

    While the public health risk is "very low", officials establish a temporary restriction zone.

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  12. More than £1m raised for baby's cancer treatmentpublished at 16:12 British Summer Time 29 March 2021

    The million-pound target was met within 24 hours, with extra money pledged to other families.

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  13. Bike hire scheme goes live in Coventrypublished at 15:51 British Summer Time 29 March 2021

    People in Coventry can now hire bikes to get around the city.

    West Midlands Cycle Hire says it costs £1 to unlock a bike and then 5p per minute of cycling.

    Docking stations have been set up in the city and organisers said they hope to expand the service to Birmingham, Sandwell, Solihull, Stourbridge and Walsall.

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  14. More at-home Covid tests availablepublished at 14:19 British Summer Time 29 March 2021

    BBC Radio Stoke

    More people in Staffordshire can now collect Covid-19 tests to do at home.

    Lateral flow test - genericImage source, PA Media

    The tests are for people who live with children or staff at schools, nurseries or colleges.

    If you're eligible and don't have Covid-19 symptoms, you can book a test at one of the centres and collect two packs to do at home.

    The rapid lateral flow tests take about half an hour to show a result.

    The county council says with restrictions easing on Monday it needs to do as much as possible to stop the virus spreading.

  15. Around the web: Police dashcam plea in hunt for dog-napperspublished at 13:44 British Summer Time 29 March 2021

    Stoke-on-Trent Live

    Here are some of the stories on the Stoke-on-Trent Live website:

  16. Keeper does post-match presser in his pantspublished at 13:12 British Summer Time 29 March 2021

    Hereford keeper Brandon Hall celebrates reaching Wembley in the FA Trophy on his birthday by talking to the media - in his underwear.

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  17. Five receive organs after art student's deathpublished at 12:55 British Summer Time 29 March 2021

    A man on a waiting list for eight years receives a kidney following the death of Shane Dineen.

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  18. Poultry flocks checked after bird flu casepublished at 12:12 British Summer Time 29 March 2021

    BBC Radio Stoke

    Flocks of poultry are going to be checked near a farm in Staffordshire after a case of avian influenza was found.

    ChicksImage source, Getty Images

    The disease was confirmed in broiler chickens at a commercial premises near Uttoxeter.

    A temporary control zone has been put in place around the site and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said all poultry at the site would "be humanely culled".

    Stephanie Young, from Staffordshire County Council, said there is no risk to the general public at the moment.

    "If we can make sure we get the biosecurity right and that people do everything that they can do to stop the spread of disease then hopefully this is an isolated incident," she said.

  19. Long Covid sufferer's body 'won't let her live'published at 11:49 British Summer Time 29 March 2021

    Michelle Palser says she contracted the virus four months ago and has since got "progressively worse".

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