Updates from Friday 9 September 2016
Despite all the flooding about, we've seen some brilliant blue skies today and these are two of the photos shared by the BBC Weather Watchers.
They were taken in Whittington, Shropshire and Etruria, Staffordshire.
Image source, Grum
Image source, JeffThe inquest into the death of a former Shropshire poultry farmerwho died in a plane crash in northern Canada is under way in Shrewsbury.
Alan Simpson, 72, and from Prees, near Whitchurch, was bringing his new Piper aircraft back to the UK from the USA when it crashed into a mountain last May.
Image source, NORFOLK AVIATIONShropshire coroner John Ellery has been hearing from a lawyer employed to represent Mr Simpson's family and from representatives of his co-pilot, Samuel Rutherford, who lived in Brussels.
Mr Rutherford, who survived the crash said Mr Simpson had been flying at the time of the crash.
Here are three of the stories from the Shropshire Star today:
An 81-year-old woman has been knocked to the ground and robbed in Telford.
West Mercia Police said she was attacked on a footpath near Meadcroft in the Madeley area at 11:20 GMT yesterday, had her cash stolen and suffered facial injuries, but didn't need to go to hospital.
A 38-year-old woman from Telford has been arrested on suspicion of robbery and remains in custody.
A doctor's surgery in Ludlow has moved its receptionist to a back office and is asking patients to check in using a monitor at the front desk, to reduce the risk of coronavirus spreading to staff.
The Portcullis practice is also asking patients to book over the phone or online and collect their prescription letters from the pharmacist, to avoid them having to go into the surgery.
Image source, GoogleThe surgery has also reminded people they shouldn't come in if they have a fever or coronavirus symptoms and to phone for advice instead.
The Knightwick Surgery, in Worcester ,has taken a different approach and has locked the door to patients and is asking them to ring a bell and wait for a member of staff.
There is also this advice for people who have health conditions.
These two Environment Agency graphs, for the river gauges in Shrewsbury and Ironbridge, show how the peak of the flooding is moving downstream.
The Severn peaked in Shrewsbury this morning at 3.25m, slightly less than feared last night.
Image source, Environment AgencyIn Ironbridge the river rose to just over 4m at 10:00 and has been steadily climbing.
Image source, Environment AgencyWorkers have started removing the road surface along a 1.4km (0.86-mile) stretch of the A442 Queensway in Telford, Shropshire.
They're installing new drains and kerbs as part of the work and will be recycling the old surface material to re-use it as the base for the road, before laying a new surface.
Image source, Telford and Wrekin CouncilThe southbound carriageway will be closed until early June and a contraflow has been put in place on the road heading north.
Image source, Telford and Wrekin CouncilTelford Tigers won the National Cup final with a convincing 8-3 win last night, to make the aggregate score over two legs 14-7.
They were comfortably 4-1 by the end of the first period and head coach Tom Watkins said afterwards: "We had a fantastic start and really never looked back from there."
Image source, Steve BrodieBrandon Whistle was named man of the match after scoring a hat-trick and Tigers could make it a league and cup double this weekend if they claim a point or more against Romford on Sunday.
Image source, Steve BrodieA drive-through coronavirus testing point is being set up in Shrewsbury today.
A second will be installed in Telford at the weekend.
The facilities will be for patients with appointments only, following a telephone assessment by NHS 111.
It's hoped the centres will minimise the impact of testing on local hospitals, which is where cases have been tested in recent weeks.
The BBC's health editor, Hugh Pym, was shown a demonstration of how a "drive-through" testing facility works.
Coronavirus: How a 'drive-through' testing facility in London works
The River Severn peaked overnight in Shrewsbury a couple of metres lower than it did during the recent floods following Storm Dennis, said the Environment Agency.
"Although levels are high, they're nothing we're not used to," said the agency's Dave Throup.
The peak will be replicated at Ironbridge later today, he added.
Flood defences at Frankwell are expected to remain in place as more rain is forecast at the weekend.
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The MP for Shrewsbury and Atcham has held a Parliamentary debate on flooding on the River Severn.
Daniel Kawczynski spoke about the number of businesses in his constituency who have been affected by the recent flooding, and called for more "action for hardworking entrepreneurs".
He said he had been told by Shropshire Council the cost of the clear-up just in his constituency would be over £1m.
Image source, UK ParliamentJoined at the debate this afternoon in Westminster Hall by colleagues from Shropshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire, he argued for a strategy that would allow communities all along the River Severn to come up with a fresh approach to flooding.
Minister for the Environment, Rebecca Pow, said she hoped the MPs welcomed pledges made in the budget for £120m in emergency relief for English communities affected by this winter's flooding and a further £200m for flood resilience.
Quote MessageProblems with insurance and future floods will finish off many independent traders."
Daniel Kawczynski, Shrewsbury and Atcham MP
The River Severn in Shrewsbury could reach 3.5m overnight and a flood warning has been put in place, but it's not clear if it will get that high.
This is a graph plotting water levels at the Welsh Bridge and as you can see it's been rising steadily today.
But the dotted line plotted for tonight and tomorrow suggests the peak may be lower that forecast.
Image source, Environment AgencyThere is also a flood warning in place for the River Severn in north Shropshire, close to where it meets the River Vyrnwy, but the water level is falling there.
Flood alerts are in place on other rivers around the region and the Environment Agency said river levels are expected to remain high for several days.
Campaigners opposed to housing developments near Oswestry's Iron Age hill-fort site say they're expecting another bid to build homes there.
On Monday, Galliers Homes withdrew two applications and when the Hands Off Old Oswestry Hillfort (HOOOH) group contacted Shropshire Council to ask why, they said they were told another revised application was in the pipeline.
Image source, Alastair ReidHOOOH said it would keep up its opposition, but added: "It is clear to us that the sustained opposition and compelling arguments from stakeholders, heritage organisations and members of the public are taking their toll on this highly controversial planning bid."
A motorcyclist has been flown to hospital with what West Mercia Police said were significant injuries after he crashed at the Five Crosses roundabout on the A5 at Oswestry.
West Midlands Ambulance Service said the man had collided with a barrier just after 10:20, where the road meets the B5069.
Nobody else was hurt.
Image source, GoogleBernard Rebelo showed a "blatant disregard for risk of death" by selling the pills, the judge said.
Read MoreA 17-year-old volunteer who set up a group in London said: "It's only right that we help out."
Read MorePlenty of blue skies around this morning as showcased by our BBC Weather Watchers.
Here are three of their photos, from users Lilith in Rubery, Birmingham, Peter Steggles in Cardington, Shropshire and OnTheCut in Warwick:
Image source, Lilith
Image source, Peter Steggles
Image source, OnTheCutThe readings at the Welsh Bridge river gauge in Shrewsbury show the flooding in the town isn't serious yet, but the water is steadily rising.
The Environment Agency has forecast the River Severn could rise to 3.6m there - well below the peak we saw a fortnight ago, but still enough to cause problems for some properties.
Image source, Environment Agency
BBC Radio Shropshire Sport
Telford Tigers take a two-goal lead into the second leg of their National Cup final against Peterborough Phantoms tonight.
They won the away leg 6-4 on Friday, with two goals from returning defenceman Jonathan Weaver.
Image source, Steve BrodieBut the Tigers will remember going into the second leg of their semi final against Swindon with a similar deficit and how that was overturned in a high-scoring game.
That tie was eventually decided by a shoot-out.
Two car parks are closed in Shrewsbury because the River Severn is rising.
Frankwell car park during February's flooding
Frankwell Main is closed, external due to the threat of flooding while Frankwell Riverside is shut as the Environment Agency needs it., external
The authority added St Julian's Friars car park is open, external but with a reduced number of spaces.
The Environment Agency has a flood alert covering the River Severn, external in Shrewsbury, meaning flooding is possible.
Last month, large parts of Shrewsbury along the waterway were flooded after three successive storms.
