QPR coast to their biggest win of the season as they beat struggling Coventry at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium.

Barnet's miserable National League run continues as they slip to a 16th defeat in 18 with a loss to Solihull Moors.

Theatres, cinemas and cathedrals are also among the beneficiaries in the West Midlands region.

Lee Collins, defender and captain of National League club Yeovil Town, dies at the age of 32.

The family-run business is raising the cash in memory of a friend who died of the disease.

West Brom manager Sam Allardyce does not want to "mess about" if the club are relegated from the Premier League.

Fidel Glasgow, 21, was killed during disorder outside a Coventry nightclub in 2018.

The seller of a watch given to troops after the 1989 protests feared for their safety, auctioneers say.

Jonathan Bailey - known as Baz - had particularly spoken out about the use of the drug monkey dust.

Live updates have now ended for the West Midlands.

We'll be back with you on Tuesday 6 April with all the regular news, sport, travel and weather.

Wolverhampton's Grand Theatre is set to reopen on 4 July, more than a year since it closed due to Covid-19 restrictions.

A new production brochure is due to be released in May.

Chief Executive and Artistic Director Adrian Jackson said the government's roadmap for ending restrictions suggested there was "light at the end of the tunnel" and he described the prospect of reopening as "incredibly exciting".

The venue hopes its pantomime Cinderella can go ahead as scheduled in December.

About 94% of everyone aged 50 and over have received their first coronavirus vaccine dose in the Midlands, according to the latest official figures.

The figures are based on estimated populations, so are open to a margin of error.

Data from the Office of National Statistics show that 59% of people aged between 16 and 80 have also received their first dose.

The area with the highest rate of vaccinations in the West Midlands is the Malvern Hills and the lowest is Birmingham with 79%.

The figures show the rates from 8 December 2020 to 28 March 2021.

A cannabis factory with 81 plants has been shut down by police in Stoke-on-Trent.

Staffordshire Police said officers raided a property on Hamilton Road in Normacot yesterday, after concerns were raised by people living nearby.

Image source, Staffordshire Police

Targeted testing has come to an end on the border between Oldbury and Tipton following a case of the South African coronavirus variant.

More than 2,500 tests were carried out between 16 March and yesterday, with people offered a test at Dudley Port or a test they could carry out at home.

Image source, Getty Images

Sandwell’s Director of Public Health Dr Lisa McNally thanked everyone who had taken part and said: "The response has been an unbelievable effort between staff, local volunteers and residents."

Given the fact it's the first day of April, here are a few "unusual" stories that have been catching our eye.

Azam Mangori, 24, is found guilty of Lorraine Cox's "deeply disturbing" murder.

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Gurdip Thandi

A colourful scheme to light up Dudley Zoo’s entrance and enable it to take part in national events have been given the go-ahead.

Image source, Dudley Zoo

Feature lighting will be installed on the Grade II Listed Tecton entrance to the attraction, on Castle Hill, after Dudley Council planners granted approval for the project.

Funding for the new lighting scheme will come through the borough’s £1m Town Fund, while it is hoped a similar project can be undertaken for the castle.

Zoo Director Derek Grove said: “The site regularly receives requests to illuminate the castle in various colours to highlight fantastic causes and we are sadly unable to assist due to the aged lighting systems currently in place on both the Tecton entrance and Dudley Castle."

An appeal urging black Britons to take the Covid-19 vaccine by Sir Lenny Henry has been backed by health chiefs in Dudley.

The actor and comedian grew up in the borough,

His open letter has been signed by high-profile figures such as actor Chiwetel Ejiofor, YouTube star KSI and actress Thandie Newton.

Karen Wright, director of public health at Dudley Council, said: "We’re very pleased and proud that Sir Lenny, one of our own, has used his public platform to get this absolutely critical advice out there about the vaccine. It is a very emotional message and I hope it hits home with people."

BBC Midlands Today

A teenager from Sandwell has completed a challenge to raise money for a local charity.

Student Okechukwu Achusiogu, 17, has done 10,000 push-ups throughout March.

He decided to raise the money to support Brushstrokes Community Project.

The charity, which supports vulnerable people, said it needed to raise £85,000 to keep going in the pandemic and beyond.

Police are trying to identify the man in these security camera images after a shop-worker was stabbed during a robbery in Telford yesterday.

A man was seen entering Eyton Stores on Eyton Road at 14:00 and demanded cash from the till before attacking the member of staff.

The victim's injuries are not life-threatening.

Image source, West Mercia Police

Image source, West Mercia Police

A man was later arrested on suspicion of assault and robbery, before being bailed.