Maria Spollin set up a makeshift coronavirus ward when residents at a care home began falling ill.

The family of Errol Graham, who starved to death after his benefits were cut, apply for a judicial review.

Neil Heath
BBC News Online

Work has been continuing remotely and on site on major repairs to the A52 Clifton Bridge despite the coronavirus outbreak.

The bridge was shut in February, causing congestion throughout Nottingham, after an inspection found steel in the structure had corroded.

It led to the city becoming the most congested in the world at one stage, according to sat-nav creator TomTom.

Image source, Highways England

Only one lane currently remains open heading out of Nottingham.

Catherine Brookes, from Highways England, said its repair work will ensure the bridge will be used for years to come.

"The priority is to complete this work as soon as we safely can and to keep disruption to a minimum where we can," she said.

Image source, Highways England

"The repair we need to carry out is intensely complex.

"In recent weeks, we’ve been working with industry-leading engineers on the details of the programme.

"We will open more lanes as soon as we are able and thank everyone affected for their patience while we carry out this essential work."

Highways England said its engineers have been adhering to social distancing guidelines and sharing information remotely.

Image source, Highways England

Neil Heath
BBC News Online

About 1,000 volunteers across Derbyshire and Staffordshire have been using their sewing machines to provide medical staff with new surgical scrubs.

The group, called Derby For The Love of Scrubs, is led by Verity Ruane from Allestree, Derby, and has already provided the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust with 400 sets of scrubs in all sizes, colours and patterns.

Image source, University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust

Ms Ruane said she has been blown away by the support from hundreds of volunteers.

She said: "When I set out, I thought that we might be lucky to get 20 sets of scrubs made, but now we have almost 1,000 members in our Facebook group with around 800 of those sewing."

Image source, University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust

The group has also been donating scrubs to GP practices in the region as well as Chesterfield Royal Hospital.

Deputy chief nurse Gill Ogden said: "The response from the Love of Scrubs group and others who have kindly made scrubs for UHDB has been amazing.

"Our staff have loved the variety and quality of scrubs provided."

The scrubs donated range from Winnie the Pooh to Peppa Pig, which Ms Ruane hopes can bring a smile to staff's faces in difficult times.

Image source, University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust

Neil Heath
BBC News Online

A seasonal bus service in the Peak District National Park has been cancelled for 2020 due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The Hope Valley Explorer was scheduled to begin running at the end of May after it was introduced in 2019.

The route provided links for people in Chesterfield, Dronfield and the outskirts of Sheffield, as well as those arriving by train in the Hope Valley to visit the national park without using their cars.

Image source, Daniel Wildey

It was funded as a pilot scheme by the Peak District National Park Authority and operated by Stagecoach.

Last year the service ran every day for six weeks in July and August, and this year it was due to be extended to include every weekend from the end of May to the end of September.

David Marsden, from the authority, said it was "critical" people are kept safe during the coronavirus outbreak and are following the government’s social distancing guidance.

"We were really looking forward to extending the Hope Valley Explorer's period of operation following the fantastic response from the people who used the bus last year," he said.

"In light of the ongoing crisis, we hope people will understand our decision."

Danielle and Sarah Pryor assaulted officers after being confronted for lockdown breaches, police say.

Greig Watson
Reporter, BBC News Online

A man has admitted arson over a fire which badly damaged a Leicester shopping centre.

More than 60 firefighters tackled the blaze at the Belgrave Commercial Centre, on Belgrave Road, in January 2019.

Image source, Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service

Leicestershire Police said Parvinder Singh, 28, of no fixed abode but originally from Nottingham, was identified from CCTV footage and arrested in October.

At a hearing at Leicester Crown Court on Friday, Singh admitted arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered and will be sentenced on 12 June.

Det Con Gemma Allen said: "Businesses were completely destroyed and it is extremely fortunate that there were no injuries in the fire. Lives could have been lost on that night because of the actions of one man.

"I am pleased that a guilty plea has been entered and hope this helps those affected by Singh's actions as they continue to rebuild from the devastation that was caused that night."

Matthew Guy and his partner Claire welcomed baby Osian just after lockdown was announced.

Neil Heath
BBC News Online

A council has installed a huge thank you message to NHS staff and all key workers who are serving during the coronavirus outbreak.

Ashfield District Council created the sign on land opposite King's Mill Hospital in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire.

The message was also aimed at other key workers such as police officers, supermarket and petrol station staff, cleaners, teachers, postal workers, care workers, delivery drivers, refuse collectors and many more.

Image source, Ashfield District Council

Jason Zadrozny, leader of the authority, said: "In these uncertain times, a shining light is that our key workers are finally receiving the recognition they deserve, especially the brilliant nurses, doctors and carers."

The sign on Mansfield Road has been accompanied by a new flower bed, picnic table and hand-painted lettering on the grass.

A second sign will be installed later outside the council offices in Urban Road, Kirkby-in-Ashfield.

Neil Heath
BBC News Online

Image source, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust

A woman has left hospital to be reunited with her husband after she spent 29 days in hospital recovering from coronavirus.

Paula McDonald, of Hucknall, received care at the Queen's Medical Centre, in Nottingham, to help her recuperate from the virus.

Mrs McDonald, 56, was admitted to the hospital on 2 April after her husband called an ambulance when she became unwell at home.

She had a range of symptoms including a high temperature, a cough and shortness of breath.

She was intubated and put on a ventilator for 20 days to help her breathe and also had a tracheostomy to help her wake up out of a medically-induced coma and to help with her breathing.

Once stabilised on 23 April, Mrs McDonald was taken to newly-built rehabilitation units at the QMC to focus on her recovery.

Image source, Google

"Everyone at the hospital has been fantastic and I really cannot praise them enough," she said.

"There are some parts of my journey during all of this that I am unable to remember and it has felt like a rollercoaster."

Cat Goodwin, a physiotherapist who looked after Paula, said: "It is amazing to see some of them speak to their families for the first time, enjoy a first cup of tea in weeks and take their first steps."

Mrs McDonald added she is now looking forward to going home and spending time with her husband.

PA Media

Disabled people are struggling to get supermarket delivery slots and are being judged or challenged when they go out to buy food, according to a charity.

A "triple whammy" of higher infection risk, inaccessible measures such as long queues, and negative attitudes is being faced by shoppers with disabilities, Scope said.

One woman from Nottingham said she gets "questioned" every week about why she is at the supermarket.

Image source, PA Media

Of 585 disabled adults surveyed for the disability equality charity, a quarter said they have experienced negative attitudes from shoppers, while one in seven said this had come from supermarket staff.

More than a third (36%) of disabled shoppers reported long queues were aggravating their conditions or impairments.

In addition, about two in five (38%) of all those who had needed or tried to book delivery slots in the past three weeks were not able to.

About half (46%) said they had issues getting essential items, and access to food and essentials is the top coronavirus concern among callers to Scope's helpline.

There are about 14m disabled people in the UK.

Image source, PA Media

Gail Lendis, who has left-side weakness and mental fatigue after a stroke during surgery and struggles with every day activities, said she gets questioned "every week" about why she is shopping during the time reserved for disabled people.

The 49-year-old, from the city, said: "I show my blue badge but have to explain my disability, then explain further why my husband is with me.

"I get very confused with the one-way arrows and get in trouble with staff for going the wrong way.

"If we can't get all we need from this store, we go to another and it starts all over again."

Scope's findings will be sent as evidence to an inquiry into food supply during coronavirus, which is being led by the Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee.

The government said it was working to support people who do not fall into the category of being "clinically extremely vulnerable" but still need help getting essential food supplies.

BBC Weather

It is going a be a day of sunshine and rain, with some heavy showers developing in the afternoon. Many areas will stay dry though.

Image source, Bri

Showers will ease for most after sunset, but one or two are likely to linger throughout the night. Temperatures will feel slightly cool for early May.

Families are posting virtual maypole dances online to celebrate May Day and the coming of summer.

Elmo has stolen more than a dozen garden gloves from neighbours over the past year.

PC Anthony Brice was spat at while dealing with a domestic incident during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Samantha Noble
BBC News Online

A fire which has been burning in Derbyshire's Peak District for a week has been extinguished.

The fire at Rakes Moss, near Crowden, started on Thursday.

Crews from across Derbyshire, with colleagues from Greater Manchester, Peak Park Rangers, landowners United Utilities and the RSPB have been working to extinguish the fire and to protect the ecosystem and wildlife.

Image source, Glossop Fire Station

Station manager Colin Winterbottom, from Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service, said teams are expected to be there for another 24 hours.

He said: “Despite the fire being out, there is still a lot of hard work to be undertaken as we start to remove all of the firefighting equipment that has been supporting firefighting operations.

“We will continue to monitor the moorland and will be looking to hand it back into the care of the RSPB and landowners in the next couple of days."

He added they would like to thank the Salvation Army who provided food and drinks for the workers.

A fire investigation into the cause is ongoing.

Rocco Hawkins wants to help others by putting messages about his story on every bridge in Derbyshire.

Graham Walters is the oldest man to row any ocean in the world, multiple times.

Samantha Noble
BBC News Online

Hundreds of people have been fined by East Midlands police forces for flouting lockdown restrictions in the last month.

Figures released by the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) show between 27 March and 27 April Leicestershire Police issued 230 fines, Derbyshire Police handed out 128 and Nottinghamshire fined 89 people.

Police have had powers to issue fixed penalty notices for alleged breaches since 26 March.

On Monday, a man and woman from Sheffield were fined for breaking restrictions by Derbyshire Police after they were found camping in woodland near Longshaw in the Peak District.

A total of 8,877 fixed-penalty notices were issued by police in England, and a further 299 in Wales.

Nearly 400 were for repeat offenders - with one individual given six.

Police can issue an initial £60 fixed penalty, which is lowered to £30 if paid within two weeks, before issuing £120 fixed penalties for second-time offenders - a fee which is doubled on each further repeat offence.

Image source, Getty Images

Gavin Bevis
BBC News

The world-famous Belper moo is to become the Belper "woo" for one night only in honour of Captain Tom Moore's 100th birthday.

The Bedfordshire war veteran has raised more than £31m for the NHS by walking laps of his garden.

People in Belper, who have been joining in the daily bovine call for the past few weeks, are being encouraged to call "woo" in his honour at 18:30 this evening instead.

Image source, Getty Images

Moo creator Jasper Ward said: "The Belper moo was founded on the principle of trying to shine a little bit of light in this gloomy time.

"Captain – now Colonel – Tom has been the brightest light of all and so the wonderful townsfolk of our quirky little town are dedicating our world-famous Belper moo to this amazing man, on his 100th birthday."