Summary

  • Updates on Monday 4 April 2016

  1. Former X Factor rapist's victims 'have justice'published at 17:51 British Summer Time 27 July 2020

    One woman said she would finally get "some kind of peace" after Phillip Blackwell was jailed.

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  2. Two large public gatherings broken up by policepublished at 16:25 British Summer Time 27 July 2020

    Two large public gatherings have been broken up by police in the West Midlands due to breaking Covid-19 laws.

    About 200 people had gathered on Lillington Road, Coventry, and more than 100 on the park off Highfield Lane, Birmingham, on Friday night, the region's police force said. , external

    Both were broken up after residents had raised concerns with officers.

  3. Coventry deny ending Wasps Ricoh talkspublished at 15:35 British Summer Time 26 July 2020

    Coventry City reject Wasps' claims they withdrew from negotiations to play home games at the Ricoh Arena next season.

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  4. Ex-Tory campaign chief admits child image offencespublished at 18:02 British Summer Time 24 July 2020

    Mark Lerigo, 49, from Coventry had an iPad containing the most serious abuse pictures of children.

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  5. Families benefit from school food bankpublished at 17:56 British Summer Time 24 July 2020

    Food, furniture and bedding has been handed out by a school in Warwickshire to struggling families in the area.

    Siobhan Evans, Principal at Ashlawn School in Hillmorton, Rugby, said it had been "overwhelmed by the generosity of our staff, parents and neighbours".

    Ashlawn School signImage source, Google

    She said the school had "a really caring community" and had "received so many donations we have started to work in partnership with other schools in our trust".

    Labour councillor Jim Ellis told a full council meeting redundancies and bereavement in the wake of coronavirus had hit parts of the community not normally associated with hardship - places like Hillmorton - the Local Democracy Reporting Service reported.

  6. Your photos: Under blue skiespublished at 16:13 British Summer Time 24 July 2020

    BBC Weather Watchers

    Plenty of sunshine around today and our local BBC Weather Watchers have been making the most of it.

    Here are three of their photos from users OgySnaps in Warwick, Caraman On Tour in Dudley and Snow Crystals in Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire:

    WarwickImage source, OgySnaps
    DudleyImage source, Caraman On Tour
    Newcastle under LymeImage source, Snow Crystals
  7. Overseas schools 'avoiding UK over Covid-19 fears'published at 14:56 British Summer Time 24 July 2020

    Some French school groups are not returning for two years, a business owner says.

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  8. Police officer sacked for striking suspectspublished at 14:47 British Summer Time 24 July 2020

    PC Sunil Narr, of West Midlands Police, used "unacceptable" force as he made arrests in Coventry.

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  9. Coronavirus: How many cases are there in your area?published at 11:10 British Summer Time 24 July 2020

    The number of people testing positive for coronavirus in Sandwell has risen again, according to new figures.

    The data from Public Health England shows there were 86 new cases in the week up to 20 July. Figures for the seven days to 19 July showed 76 cases.

    That means 26.3 people tested positive for every for every 100,000 population (up to 20 July), up from 12.2 a week earlier.

    Dr Lisa McNally, the Director of Public Health for Sandwell, said on Monday it hadn't yet reached the stage where a local lockdown was needed, but she was monitoring the rise.

    Infection rate slideImage source, Reuters

    Here are the rate of infections (per 100,000 people) for all local authorities in the West Midlands - for the seven days up to 20 July, compared with the previous week.

    • Birmingham up to 12.9 from from 7.0
    • Bromsgrove up to 5.1 from 4.1
    • Cheshire East down to 3.9 from 4.2
    • Coventry up to 7.4 from 2.5
    • Dudley down to 0.9 from 2.2
    • East Staffordshire down to 15.2 from 29.5
    • Herefordshire down to 16.1 from 43.7
    • Lichfield up to 4.8 from 3.8
    • Newcastle-under-Lyme down to 2.3 from 5.4
    • North Warwickshire is up to 9.3 from 1.5
    • Nuneaton and Bedworth up to 10.9 from 10.1
    • Redditch up to 3.5 from 0.0
    • Rugby down to 3.7 from 10.3
    • Sandwell up to 26.3 from 12.1
    • Shropshire down to 0.9 from 3.4
    • Solihull down to 5.1 from 7.9
    • South Staffordshire stays the same at 2.7
    • Staffordshire Moorlands down to 0.0 from 4.1
    • Stoke-on-Trent down to 2.7 from 9.0
    • Stratford-on-Avon down to 0.0 from 5.5
    • Tamworth down to 2.6 from 3.9
    • Telford and Wrekin stays the same at 7.3
    • Walsall down to 8.8 from 11.3
    • Warwick up to 2.1 from 1.4
    • Wolverhampton up to 5.7 from 4.2
    • Worcester up to 4.9 from 2.9
    • Wychavon down from 1.6 from 4.7
  10. Museum and art gallery prepares for limited reopeningpublished at 12:57 British Summer Time 23 July 2020

    Coventry's Herbert Art Gallery and Museum is set to reopen in 11 days, but some of the site will be closed to visitors.

    It said it was redeveloping some of the gallery, to prepare for Coventry becoming UK City of Culture next year.

    Herbert galleryImage source, Herbert Art Gallery and Museum

    The What’s In Store Gallery, Elements Gallery, Art Since 1900 Gallery, Godiva Gallery and Sculpture Gallerywill all remain closed and the main gallery won't open until October.

    The museum hopes to be fully open again in January.

  11. Motorway reopens after lorry firepublished at 11:21 British Summer Time 23 July 2020

    Congestion on the M6 in Warwickshire is starting to ease after a lorry fire in the early hours of this morning.

    The emergency services were called to the southbound carriageway between junction three and the M6 Toll junction at around 04:00 and this photo shows the extent of the damage.

    Burnt lorryImage source, Highways England

    The road surface was also damaged by the fire and while all three lanes have now reopened, Highways England said it was still at the scene.

  12. Motorcyclists seriously injured in crashpublished at 10:22 British Summer Time 23 July 2020

    Two people needed emergency treatment after their motorbike was involved in a crash with a car in Nuneaton yesterday.

    West Midlands Ambulance Service said it happened near Bridge Street at 16:45 and the man and woman suffered "serious injuries".

    Ambulance

    The police were first on the scene and were giving first aid when the ambulance arrived.

  13. Long delays on M6 after lorry firepublished at 08:56 British Summer Time 23 July 2020

    BBC News Travel

    Drivers are being warned of long delays on the M6 this morning after a lorry fire near Nuneaton.

    Lorry after fireImage source, Highways England

    The vehicle was completely destroyed in the blaze at about 04:15 on the southbound side between J3A and J3. Two lanes remain closed.

    Highways England said there was more than five miles of congestion with delays of up to 45 minutes by 07:30., external

    It added emergency resurfacing work would be needed on the motorway , externaland drivers should consider alternative routes.

  14. Lotus to create technology centre at uni campuspublished at 06:55 British Summer Time 23 July 2020

    More than 100 engineers are expected to move to the site, the car maker says.

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  15. 'My hotel is losing about £40,000 a month'published at 11:36 British Summer Time 22 July 2020

    Despite restrictions being eased, many firms have been unable to fully restart operations.

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  16. Coventry to host Rugby League World Cup 2021 matchpublished at 18:54 British Summer Time 21 July 2020

    Coventry's Ricoh Arena has been chosen to host a Rugby League World Cup game next year.

    Ricoh ArenaImage source, Getty Images

    Organisers anticipate that the tournament will be the biggest ever staged in the event's 67-year history.

    Coventry is set to host the current men's World Cup holders, Australia, in a match against Scotland planned for October 2021.

    The council says it'll be a great opportunity to showcase the city.

  17. Railings installed at Coventry parkpublished at 18:20 British Summer Time 21 July 2020

    Local Democracy Reporting Service

    New railings have been installed at a Coventry park just a day after an unauthorised traveller encampment left.

    FenceImage source, Councillor Allan Andrews

    The railings at Top Green park in Earlsdon were put up by Coventry City Council.

    An unauthorised encampment was on site for most of last week and left on Sunday.

  18. Shakespeare's birthplace to reopen to visitorspublished at 15:57 British Summer Time 21 July 2020

    People must wear face masks and book online from 1 August, the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust says.

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