Shropshire Star

The Shropshire Star's headlines include:

• Two more coronavirus cases in Telford as residential home is revealed as focus of cluster, external
• Work begins soon on new £1.7 million Telford Minster church project, external
• Whitchurch pub reopens following £126,000 investment, external

A cafe owner in Craven Arms has said a coronavirus outbreak at a travellers' site in the town has "decimated" her business.

At its peak, 29 people tested positive at the caravan park in Long Lane in July and the town was given the all clear 10 days ago.

Image source, Google

Naomi Denton, who runs Laila's Cafe, said she is "desperate" for customers to return and is doing all she can to reassure visitors when it comes to social distancing and hygiene.

Her message - that Craven Arms is "open for business" - was echoed by independent supermarket Tuffins, which reported a drop in sales of 40% following the outbreak.

BBC Weather Watchers

We've had a morning of blue skies from the look of the photos sent in by our local BBC Weather Watchers.

Here are three from users Quinndrew in Oswestry, Shropshire, Mikes Lens in Hereford and Kath Snapper in Warwick:

Image source, Quinndrew

Image source, Mikes Lens

Image source, Kath Snapper

Telford and Wrekin Council says 13 people are self-isolating after testing positive for Covid-19.

BBC Shropshire

The number of positive Covid-19 cases in Telford and Wrekin is "going in the wrong direction", the local council's said.

Image source, Reuters

The rate of infection in the borough's increased from 2.8 cases per 100,000 in the week up to 7 August to 14.5 for the next seven days.

The council's confirmed some of the increase is due to an outbreak of Covid-19 at a care home where 13 staff and residents have tested positive.

Councillor Andy Burford, cabinet member for health, said they're not at the level where a local lockdown is needed but they need the figure to come down.

"What we're trying to do is avoid getting to that level. It's not at worryingly high levels at this stage but it's going in the wrong direction."

Shropshire's finds liaison officer said both would have given their owners "divine protection".

The Royal Air Force Museum Cosford has paid tribute to a World War II veteran, and one of its long-standing volunteers, who has died,

Desert Rat Les Cherrington, 101, from Shifnal, Shropshire, died on Saturday.

He was the only survivor from his tank when it was engaged by German forces in Tunisia during the Battle of the Mareth Line.

The museum said he was "well-known and loved by all at Cosford".

Image source, RAF Museum Cosford

Mr Cherrington had volunteered at the museum each Tuesday.

"He was a popular member of the team, cheerful, kind and modest, with a unique insight and an engaging manner," it added.

"He was generous with his time and always up for a chat.

"He will be deeply missed by those he worked with and we shall always be thankful for the inspiring stories he shared with us all."

Shropshire Star

From the Shropshire Star today:

• Telford man caught with 3,000 indecent images of children, external
• Bravery of Desert Rat WWII hero remembered after death aged 101, external
• Shirehall will never fully reopen, Shropshire Council confirms, external

A 'Nightingale' court is set to start hearing its first cases.

Image source, Google

Ten temporary courts, known as Nightingale courts, are being set up nationally to help clear a backlog of hearings caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

An annex of Telford Justice Centre will hear civil and family cases, boosting the capacity of the centre by adding three more court rooms.

Almost half of all courts were closed in March 2020, with jury trials paused to help stop the spread of coronavirus.

Hospital staff applaud as the iconic plane marks their efforts during the coronavirus pandemic.

People are urged to "play their part" after the spike in Telford and Wrekin.

Les Cherrington was badly injured when his tank was attacked during the Battle of the Mareth Line.

A 28-year-old is arrested after a lorry driver is seriously hurt in a road rage row, police say.

BBC Shropshire

Students who lost their places at university after having their A-level marks downgraded say they feel angry and let down by the government.

Image source, Google

Samantha Smith, from Woodside, Telford, told BBC Shropshire she overcame being homeless in her teens and was anticipating getting three As in her subjects.

But instead, the student, who goes to Newport Girls High School, was given a B, an E and a U by a controversial modelling system and lost her offer from Cardiff University.

"I've called up several universities and the motto seems to be 'we understand how difficult it is, we don't understand how this has happened to you but if you get the grades on appeal we'll let you in and if not, we don't know what we can do'."

Fellow Newport Girls High School student Lucy Dover had been predicted three As but ended up with two Bs and a C and lost her offer from the University of Nottingham.

"I feel like the government's let me down a bit. We trusted them to work out our exam results for us and here I am unable to go to the universities I want to, to do the course I wanted to do, so I'm quite disappointed and a bit angry."

Labour has called on ministers to act immediately to sort out an "exams fiasco" in England and a "flawed system" had led to 280,000 pupils having their marks downgraded.

The Prime Minister Boris Johnson has defended what he said were a "robust set" of grades and said that pupils who believed they were treated unfairly would be able to appeal or, if they wanted, sit exams in the autumn.

BBC Weather Watchers

Our local BBC Weather Watchers keep us updated on the forecast in their area and they also snap some great photos of the West Midlands.

Here are three we've had sent in today from users Videoman in Leek, Staffordshire; Mrs Baggins in Bromyard, Herefordshire; and Liam Ball in Horsehay, Shropshire:

Image source, Videoman

Image source, Mrs Baggins

Image source, Liam Ball

BBC Shropshire

Thousands of pounds have been donated to help a church after it was struck by lightning this week and suffered electrical damage.

Image source, Google

The Reverend Zoe Heming said St Andrew's in Church Aston, near Newport, was hit on Wednesday night. , external

She said she didn't know how much repairs would cost but more than £2,000 had already been raised on a crowdfunding website.

Mrs Heming told BBC Shropshire the response had been "utterly humbling" and residents have also been coming forward to make sure a wedding took place this weekend.

Shropshire Star

From the Shropshire Star today:

• Woman rescued as fire tears through Shrewsbury house, external
• Poor care at Shropshire's hospitals 'normalised' and fuelled by 'failing leadership', report finds, external
• Community rallies to help young couple marry after Shropshire church hit by lightning, external

Cornelius Van Der Ploeg smothered his ex-wife 'believing it was in her interest', say police.

BBC Shropshire

A flower show is going ahead today but in a virtual way due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Image source, Shrewsbury Flower Show

It's the 133rd Shrewsbury Flower Show but organisers had to make changes due to Covid-19. , external

The two-day event will see gardening and cookery demonstrations online and the best of last year's entertainment.

Organisers say they "very much hope" they can return to their usual home of the Quarry next year.

BBC News England

"Failing leadership" at two troubled hospitals is "perpetuating poor care," the chief inspector of hospitals has said.

Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust has been in special measures since November 2018. Since then further concerns have come to light.

More services have been downgraded and "further serious concerns" identified.

SaTH said it was taking "immediate action" to improve performance and delivery of care.