BBC Radio WM

More than 200 kits designed to control bleeding in the event of stabbing and other injury are in place at locations across the West Midlands.

The packs, which include bandages, tourniquets and gloves, have been paid for by the office of the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), David Jamieson.

In total, there are 227 bleed-control kits situated in bars, pubs, shopping centres and schools across the force area.

Stoke-on-Trent Live

From Stoke-on-Trent Live:

• Former headteacher loses Covid fight after catching virus working with Stoke-on-Trent's most vulnerable, external
• Families frustrated as 'never-ending cycle' of roadworks leave Stoke-on-Trent congested, external
• Stoke City fan Mitch, 21, wins £50k Mercedes and £30k cash, external

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Birmingham Airport is set to receive an emergency loan of £5.7m from Coventry City Council, taking the total package from West Midlands authorities to £32.8m.

The airport says the aviation industry has taken a hit during the pandemic, with passenger volumes from April to December 2020 down by 91%.

Image source, Birmingham Airport

Coventry City Council along with six other local authorities is a shareholder of the airport holding company, BAH; with four of the seven providing financial support.

Birmingham City Council confirmed a loan of up to £18.5m in February, alongside one of up to £3.7m from Solihull Council and up to £4.9m from Walsall Council.

Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan - a 48.25% shareholder - will also provide a loan.

Coventry’s cabinet will discuss the matter on Tuesday before a full council meeting on 16 March where approval is set to be given.

The loan would be made available as and when needed by the airport to ensure it could have the maximum impact on recovery.

BBC Sport

Aston Villa head coach Dean Smith said his overriding emotion was one of "pure frustration" after watching "the better team" lose in the 1-0 defeat at Sheffield United.

Image source, BBC Sport

The Premier League's bottom club had defender Phil Jagielka sent off in the 57th minute, but Smith admitted his team "lacked that little bit of quality for probably the last 35 minutes".

He said David McGoldrick's first-half effort was "a poor goal from our point of view".

Shropshire Star

From the Shropshire Star today:

• Funding to repair damaged roads in Shropshire, external cut
• Call for veteran support centre to become mental health 'hub', external
• Hilltop knife killer guilty of murdering 70-year-old, external

BBC Weather

It will be a mostly cloudy and dry start to the day, staying cloudy in the afternoon when a band of showery rain moves in from the north. Highs of 3C to 6C (37F to 43F).

This evening, it will turn dry and the low cloud looks set to persist for much of the night. However, there may be a few clearer breaks at times. Lows of 1C to 4C (34F to 39F).

You can find more weather forecasts here.

Welcome to our live service for Thursday.

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

Andre Ayew's last-gasp penalty gives Swansea City a contentious 2-1 victory at Stoke City and sees them close the gap on the automatic promotion places to a point.

Bottom club Sheffield United survived for more than 30 minutes with 10 men to claim a rare win and dent Aston Villa's European ambitions.

A 39-year-old man and 44-year-old woman are being questioned over the death.

Richard Hall was stabbed multiple times by Moses Christensen while at a Shropshire beauty spot.

The list of places in England receiving funds is dominated by the north west, Yorkshire and Midlands.

Police raid 18 properties in Reading and seven across Blackburn, Sunderland, Birmingham and London.

That's the end of our live updates for today.

We'll be back with more news, sport, travel and weather from across the West Midlands at 08:00 on Thursday.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has unveiled a £50m grant for the HS2 Interchange Station in Solihull as part of the Budget announcement.

The funding is set to be matched with a £45m contribution from the local area.

Image source, HS2

Solihull Council said the original plans to build 7,400 parking spaces would have seen approximately 22 acres of green belt land tarmacked over for surface level parking, but a multi storey will mean less land will be needed.

"We were never comfortable with the prospect of such a connected location in the borough being simply used for a surface car park," Ian Courts, leader of Solihull Council, said.

“Constructing a multi-storey car park as opposed to tarmacking swathes of valuable land allows us to maximise the benefits that the HS2 Interchange Station brings directly to Solihull and its residents."

The victim, who was attacked in Perry Barr, is yet to be formally identified, say police.

Businesses can apply to receive a one off cash payment of up to £18,000 as part of a "restart grant" announced by the chancellor.

Rishi Sunak said those in hospitality, accommodation, leisure, personal care and gym businesses can apply through the new UK-wide Recovery Loan Scheme to help businesses of all sizes through the next stage of recovery.

Image source, Getty Images

Two nurses, one recovering from Covid-19, are walking 100 laps around a park in memory of Captain Sir Tom Moore.

Health care assistant, Vikki Morris, 44, from Bushbury, said after contracting coronavirus she wanted to set herself a personal challenge to help raise funds for the emergency department at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton, where she is based.

Also taking par is Sally Williamson, 56, also from Bushbury, who works as a senior sister in the department.

Image source, Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust

They are aiming to complete 10 laps per day, having so far completed 60 laps. Each lap is around one mile. They have raised £190 so far.

Ms Morris said: "This is also in memory of Captain Tom. He has inspired me, I thought if he can do it then I can too.”

The Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, has announced the first 45 towns to get funding from its Towns Fund, external. They include Wolverhampton, Kidsgrove, Rowley Regis, Smethwick, West Bromwich, Burton-on-Trent and Nuneaton.

The £3.6bn pot of money would help the govermment in its aim of "levelling up" the country.

Delivering his Budget in the Commons, he paid tribute to the work done by the West Midlands Mayor, Andy Street.

Image source, House of Commons/PA Wire

Wolverhampton is to get £25m share of Towns Fund having bid for £48m.

Council Leader Ian Brookfield said: "Of course we welcome the investment, but we are disappointed that the sum falls significantly short of what we bid for.

"Rest assured we'll make best use of the funding we have."

BBC Radio Stoke

A house fire which led to five people being taken to hospital was started accidentally by "careless disposal of smoking materials", Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service said.

Three children and two adults were treated for smoke inhalation after the fire at the property in Standersfoot Place in Chell Heath on 16 February.

Image source, Google