Updates from Friday 9 September 2016
Chains to keep children off playgrounds in parts of Telford are having to be replaced, because someone has cut them.
Hollinswood and Randlay Parish Council said it had regularly had seals off the Boulton Grange and Dallamoor sites.
Image source, Getty ImagesCouncil Clerk Katrina Baker has contacted the police and said it was potentially putting children's lives at risk.
John Bray
BBC News
Members of a sailing club in Shropshire have returned to the water after coronavirus lockdown restrictions were eased.
Chelmarsh Sailing Club, near Bridgnorth, has allowed its sailing dinghies and paddleboards back out on to the reservoir for the first time in three months, but with new safety measures brought in.
The changing rooms remain off-limits and social distancing rules remain in place, on and off the water.
Sailing Club members delighted to return to the water
About £19m is being spent in Telford to build 500 new homes along with buildings for businesses and leisure facilities.
The money has come from the Marches Local Enterprise Council and Telford and Wrekin Council and will be used to transform brownfield sites.
The local authority said up to 60 new jobs would be created and the homes would be built around Telford town centre, Donnington and Wellington.
Several homes were flooded in Shropshire during the thunderstorms yesterday and people had to be rescued from cars stranded in floods.
Image source, Shropshire Fire and Rescue ServiceFire crews were called to houses in Oswestry and Albrighton., external
Image source, Shropshire Fire and Rescue ServiceThey also helped several stranded cars on the A41, near Cosford, including a family of five who had to be rescued from their vehicle., external
Members of Chelmarsh Sailing Club in Shropshire are able to return to their sport after lockdown.
Read MoreThe singer said a group of students singing I'm Still Standing "really cheered me up".
Read MoreSuperstar Sir Elton John has said he was "blown away" by a music video made by a group of students.
Read MoreHeavy rain has brought flash flooding and road closures in some places.
These pictures were taken at Cosford and Albrighton by Craig Jackson from Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service.
Firefighters had to pull a number of cars clear of the water.
Image source, Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service
Image source, Shropshire Fire and Rescue ServiceWe've had thunder, lightning and some heavy rain around the West Midlands and the BBC Weather Watchers have been photographing it for us.
These pictures were taken in Telford, Penkridge and Bromyard this afternoon.
Image source, Liam Ball
Image source, Hazelnut
Image source, Postman LesThe coarse fishing season started this week and Chris Bainger from the Environment Agency said it's been the busiest he's seen in years.
He took these photos of people fishing in the Severn in Shrewsbury earlier and said the online booking system to help with social distancing appeared to be working.
Image source, Chris Bainger
Image source, Chris Bainger
BBC Shropshire
Two sculptures have been installed in Ellesmere, to celebrate the town's links to Save the Children.
One represents the charity's founders Eglantyne Jebb and her sister Dorothy-- who were born in Ellesmere, The second represents a refugee child finding shelter.
Image source, Save the ChildrenThe art was commissioned for the centenary of the charity.
Image source, John Shone
Image source, John ShoneThunderstorms are expected across the West Midlands for the next couple of days with lightning strikes expected.
Some of the BBC Weather Watchers were able to capture strikes across the region last night.
These were taken in Telford by Bigolives; Crewe by AlexG595; Dawley in Shropshire by Liam Ball and Nuneaton by Loony3110.
Image source, Bigolives
Image source, AlexG595
Image source, Liam Ball
Image source, Loony3110The Iron Age-era sheep are eating bracken which could damage the site's archaeology.
Read MoreBBC Shropshire
Reopening charity shops is "massively important" to the survival of good causes, a Shropshire hospice says.
Image source, Hope House Children’s HospicesHope House Children’s Hospices, based in Oswestry, says it will reopen four of its 15 stores from today as lockdown rules are eased.
However, the charity says its Wellington shop is staying permanently shut. , external
Commercial director Andrew Fergus said it was vital to the charity the remaining stores got back up and running.
"We were hoping from operating 15 shops throughout this year in our original budget to generate over £750,000 for the charity. Now, obviously the coronavirus crisis is going to put a big hole in that so it's massively important that we get back on track now."
Heavy rain brought sewage into the cafe just days after repairs had been completed.
Read MoreBBC Shropshire
With churches now allowed to open for private individual prayer after lockdown, a vicar in Shropshire says one of their big issues may be coaxing older worshippers out of their homes.
Image source, GoogleThe Reverend Chris Thorpe, vicar of St Andrew's, Shifnal, says they've made changes including limiting where people can go in the church and cleaning between each person's visit.
But he says lockdown has been tough emotionally for some of his older congregation who have been inside since it began.
"When you've had such a closed down time, it's a big thing to come out," he added.
A head teacher says the chance for some secondary pupils to be back in school this week is vital for the ones who have been struggling to work from home.
Image source, Getty ImagesOnly 25% of the chosen year groups, 10 and 12, can be on site at a time.
Bryn Thomas, head of Wolverley CofE Secondary School, near Kidderminster, said staff had seen a "digital divide" between some of their students.
"It could be as simple as they're from a large family and there aren't enough PCs to go around at home. We know the government has promised laptops but they're still not with us.
"Some students are literally trying to do homeworking off their phones which is just not easy."
While Holly Rigby, head of the Telford Park School in Stirchley, Shropshire, told BBC Shropshire staff had worked to make the school safe for returning students.
"It's very different but I think they will enjoy being here and being back in that community that they're used to. It has been 11 weeks, it's along time so it very much feels like the first day of a new term today."
Allen Cook
BBC News
Spare a thought today, among the usual non-essential shops reopening, for a business opening its doors for the first time.
Image source, Shropshire CouncilShropshire artist and homeware designer Meg Hawkins was forced like many others to close her giftware shop in the Pride Hill Centre, Shrewsbury, in March.
At the time on her Facebook page, , externalshe said she was "fighting back the tears" and the future felt "a bit scary".
With the lease running out at Pride Hill, she said her and her team decided to move to the Darwin Centre and opened today., external
Here are some fantastic photos of flowers in bloom from across the West Midlands, care of our BBC Weather Watchers.
These three are from users Balding Baggie in Studley, Warwickshire, Lee Nuttall in Wolverhampton and EmW in Shrewsbury, Shropshire:
Image source, Balding Baggie
Image source, Lee Nuttall
Image source, EmWA few of the headlines appearing on the Shropshire Star website today:
