Sophie Calvert
Political Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

Protesters have blocked the entrance to a landfill site that has received thousands of complaints about a terrible smell.

The group of about 10 people outside Walley's Quarry in Silverdale, Staffordshire blocked the entrance for about an hour and a half.

Cones and tape have been used to stop any vehicles moving on and off the site.

Some lorries have driven away or are parked up waiting.

Police officers are on site to speak to members of the group who are, so far, refusing to move.

Parts of Shrewsbury which were closed to traffic for social distancing reasons will remain as pedestrian-areas after 19 July, for a trial period.

Under the plans, until 31 October the upper section of Wyle Cop and High Street will be closed to all traffic between 11:00 and 16:00 on weekends, and closed to all traffic other than buses, taxis and cyclists between 11:00 and 16:00, Monday to Friday.

Milk Street and The Square, on the southeast side, will also be closed to traffic during the same time.

Shropshire Council's cabinet will be asked to consider the measures on 21 July and a public consultation is set to be carried out this autumn to ask residents, business and visitors if the measures should remain permanently.

Image source, Shropshire Council

Currently High Street, Shoplatch and the uphill of Wyle Cop is closed to all traffic to encourage social distancing.

Steve Charmley, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member with responsibility for highways, said: "As restrictions come to an end, we are taking a proactive approach and trialling measures to create the best possible environment for the town centre to thrive."

Alan Butler denies charges of misconduct in a public office while working for the police.

Elizabeth is taking on the challenge to raise funds for a laser machine for a children's hospital.

BBC Radio Shropshire

Compulsory vaccinations for care home staff in England will make it harder to recruit staff in the future, a care home provider said.

Image source, Getty Images

MPs have approved the proposal which will mean, from October, anyone working in a Care Quality Commission-registered care home must have two vaccine doses unless they have a medical exemption.

Mandy Thorn, from Marches Care, which runs the Uplands home in Shrewsbury, said the sector was already having issues with recruitment over the issue.

"Certainly we are already seeing evidence of that in the metropolitan areas around the country and if you cannot recruit, you cannot offer services," she said.

An overturned lorry is blocking the northbound carriageway of the A500 in Stoke-on-Trent.

The crash happened on the Hanchurch roundabout just after 05:30.

Image source, Staffordshire Police

Ambulance crews said the driver escaped with only minor injuries.

The road is not expected to be clear until after midday, said Highways England.

The unannounced inspection came following concerns about staffing levels.

Midlander Andy Sullivan led the Open Championship for most of his first 10 holes on the opening day at Royal St George's, Sandwich.

The 35-year-old from Nuneaton, playing in the first group out, in his fifth Open, birdied the first and fourth holes to top the famous yellow leaderboard on two under before his first dropped shot at the long sixth.

He then immediately got back to two under with a birdie at the seventh, then bogeyed the ninth to go to the turn in 34 strokes before birdieing 10 to get back to two under. But he then bogeyed the 11th to stand one behind two fellow Englishmen, Cheltenham-born Paul Casey and Manchester's Sam Horsfield..

Image source, Getty Images

The other Midlander in the field, Wolverhampton's Aaron Rai, tees off later this morning in his first Open, at 11:26 BST.

Royal St George’s, Sandwich, on the Kent coast, is the first Open to be staged in England since Royal Birkdale in 2017.

It was staged at Carnoustie in Scotland in 2018, Royal Portrush jn Northern Ireland in 2019 and was not contested last year, when it was cancelled at Sandwich because of Covid fears.

BBC Open golf live online coverage

Audiences have returned to the Royal Shakespeare Company for the first time in 16 months.

The theatre company held a production of Phillip Breen's The Comedy of Errors in the newly opened Lydia & Manfred Gorvy Garden Theatre, a specially constructed outdoor performance space in the Swan Theatre Gardens, in Stratford-upon-Avon.

The show had originally been planned as part of the RSC’s 2020 season but was postponed due to the pandemic.

Image source, Pete Le May/Royal Shakespeare Company

The Garden Theatre is currently selling to 50% of capacity, which will be gradually increased as coronavirus restrictions are lifted from 19 July.

A robbery suspect was arrested within minutes of taking a delivery man's car, police said.

West Midlands Police said officers were flagged down by the delivery man at about 07:45 after he'd been threatened and robbed of his Ford Galaxy in Parkhill Drive in Coventry.

The man demanded the driver, in his 40s, hand over the keys to the Galaxy and then he drove off in the stolen vehicle.

But it was soon spotted in Hersall Lane and the car was brought to a stop following a pursuit, in Radford Road just after 08:00.

Image source, Google

Officers arrested a 26-year-old man on suspicion of robbery, dangerous driving, failing to stop and drink-driving and he remains in custody for questioning, the force said.

A van which was waiting in traffic in Radford Road, suffered minor damage as the Galaxy came to a halt.

British number one Birmingham's Dan Evans has pulled out of the Tokyo Olympic Games after testing positive for Covid-19.

Image source, PA Media

Evans, 31, said he was "hugely disappointed" and is currently self-isolating according to government guidelines.

On Tuesday, Britain's top female player Johanna Konta also withdrew from this summer's Olympics as a result of contracting coronavirus.

The Games takes place from 23 July until 8 August.

The 149th Open Championship is under way at Royal St George's, Sandwich in Kent this morning.

And already Midlander Andy Sullivan is leading the way after making a flying start.

Image source, Getty Images

The 35-year-old from Nuneaton was in the first group out at 06:35 BST - and he birdied the par-four first hole to top the leaderboard.

He then holed a 30-foot putt to birdie the fourth hole too to go to two under par - and maintain a one-shot lead over the field after five holes.

The Midlands has one other contender in Kent this week - Wolverhampton's Aaron Rai, playing in his first Open, goes off at 11:26.

This morning will start dry with sunny spells and variable cloud. It will then become largely sunny and warm for the rest of the day, with just a few patches of cloud in places.

Highs of 23C (73F).

This evening will continue to be dry with plenty of sunshine. Overnight, it will continue to see clear skies, but a few patches of mist may develop in places. Lows of 11C (52F).

Welcome to our live service for Thursday.

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The plant at Coventry Airport could create 6,000 new jobs, those behind the plans say.

The use of face masks on public transport outside London will be voluntary from 19 July.

An organisation representing doctors says the problem is particularly acute in Staffordshire.

A senior officer says had it not been for police action, the final could have been abandoned.

Warwickshire coach Mark Robinson says the ECB must protect this season's One-Day Cup and ensure it goes ahead.

Only six teams can now become county champions this summer at the end of the competition's initial group stage.