Summary

  • Updates from Friday 9 September

  1. The nightclub meeting hours before park deathpublished at 12:50 British Summer Time 5 August 2020

    CCTV footage shows Keeley Bunker at the same venue as the friend who would be convicted of her murder.

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  2. Coronavirus: How many cases are there in your area?published at 11:56 British Summer Time 5 August 2020

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

    A test sample is held at a COVID-19 testing centreImage source, Reuters

    The borough was named as an area of concern by Public Health England last month after a rise in cases.

    But data from Public Health England shows there were 66 new cases in the week up to 31 July. Figures for the seven days to 24 July showed 96 cases.

    That means 20.2 people tested positive for every for every 100,000 population (up to 31 July), down from 29.3 a week earlier.

    Here are the rate of infections (per 100,000 people) for all local authorities in the West Midlands - for the seven days up to 31 July, compared with the previous week.

    • Birmingham down to 12.7 from from 13.4
    • Bromsgrove down to 6.1 from 7.1
    • Cheshire East up to 6.6 from 1.3
    • Coventry up to 14.7 from 8.7
    • Dudley up to 4.7 from 3.4
    • East Staffordshire up to 9.3 from 8.4
    • Herefordshire remains at 5.7
    • Lichfield up to 6.7 from 2.9
    • Newcastle-under-Lyme up to 7.0 from 3.1
    • North Warwickshire is down to 6.2 from 9.3
    • Nuneaton and Bedworth up to 17.8 from 8.5
    • Redditch remains at 1.2
    • Rugby up to 6.5 from 1.9
    • Sandwell down to 20.2 from 29.3
    • Shropshire up to 6.2 from 5.0
    • Solihull up to 7.0 from 4.2
    • South Staffordshire down to 3.6 from 6.2
    • Staffordshire Moorlands up to 6.1 from 1.0
    • Stoke-on-Trent down to 3.1 from 4.3
    • Stratford-on-Avon up to 3.1 from 0.8
    • Tamworth up to 2.6 from 1.3
    • Telford and Wrekin remains at 3.9
    • Walsall remains at 8.1
    • Warwick remains at 4.2
    • Wolverhampton up to 16.8 from 14.5
    • Worcester down to 3.9 from 7.9
    • Wychavon down to 4.7 from 7.9
  3. Heritage railway sets October reopening datepublished at 11:43 British Summer Time 5 August 2020

    A heritage railway has said it will be October before it reopens to visitors after the coronavirus lockdown.

    Steam trainImage source, Foxfield Railway

    Foxfield Light Railway runs steam and diesel trains through the Staffordshire Moorlands near Blythe Bridge.

    But, despite other heritage lines like Severn Valley Railway having already reopened, Foxfield said it needed to spend August and September getting ready.

    Under the plan, public trains will run every Sunday in October, but the group said it would not be holding its annual Santa Specials this year., external

  4. Family reach spine surgery fundraising targetpublished at 21:06 British Summer Time 4 August 2020

    Florence Seager's family needed £50,000 to pay for life-changing scoliosis surgery in Turkey.

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  5. No further action over child deaths house firepublished at 17:50 British Summer Time 4 August 2020

    Police say the fire which killed four children in Stafford in 2019 has been ruled accidental.

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  6. Pair to face no further action over fire deathspublished at 17:10 British Summer Time 4 August 2020

    There's set to be no further action against a man and a woman arrested following a Stafford house fire which killed four young children.

    Riley Holt, who was eight years old, died with six-year-old Keegan Unitt, four-year-old Tilly Rose Unitt and three-year-old Olly Unitt on 5 February 2019.

    Stafford fireImage source, PA Media

    The man, aged 30, and the woman, aged 26, were initially arrested and released under investigation but after what Staffordshire Police called a "lengthy process", the Crown Prosecution Service has decided not to pursue the case further.

  7. Fire at former pottery works investigatedpublished at 16:54 British Summer Time 4 August 2020

    A fire which damaged two floors of a former pottery works in Stoke-on-Trent is being investigated.

    Firefighters were called to the Price and Kensington site on Newcastle Road in Burslem just before 01:00 and they remained there until 05:00.

    Fire engine

    Crews were back earlier to make sure the fire was fully extinguished.

    The listed building is being examined by the city council.

  8. Burton sign ex-Lincoln defender Eardleypublished at 13:38 British Summer Time 4 August 2020

    Burton Albion have signed defender Neal Eardley on a one-year deal after his contract at Lincoln City expired.

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  9. Man arrested over stabbing near shopping centrepublished at 10:47 British Summer Time 4 August 2020

    A 19-year-old man has been arrested following a stabbing in Hanley on Sunday night.

    The victim was taken to hospital with a stab wound to his armpit after the attack on Bryan Street, near The Potteries shopping centre.

    Potteries shopping centre

    The man was arrested on suspicion of wounding with intent and has been released while investigations continue.

  10. Theme park sold after entering administrationpublished at 21:10 British Summer Time 3 August 2020

    Drayton Manor was forced to close during Storm Dennis and was unable to reopen due to coronavirus.

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  11. Port Vale sign midfielder Whiteheadpublished at 17:56 British Summer Time 3 August 2020

    Port Vale sign midfielder Danny Whitehead on a two-year deal following his departure from Salford City.

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  12. About 1,000 tested for Covid-19 in Stonepublished at 17:51 British Summer Time 3 August 2020

    BBC Radio Stoke

    About 1,000 people have been tested for Covid-19 after an outbreak at the Crown and Anchor pub in Stone.

    An NHS employee holds a sample at a testing centre near the Crown and Anchor pubImage source, Reuters

    So far, 19 people have tested positive in the town.

    Last week, police said officers had visited the Crown and Anchor after concerns were raised about social distancing. Footage also emerged of a packed beer garden.

    The has also been criticism from health officials of the standard of the pub's contact tracing information.

    The Crown and Anchor has yet to respond.

    The county council said a mobile testing unit finished its work yesterday and final test results were expected in the next couple of days.

  13. Covid-19: Stone like a 'ghost town'published at 17:35 British Summer Time 3 August 2020

    Trade in Stone falls over the weekend following outbreak linked to a pub in the Staffordshire town.

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  14. Covid-19: 'We hope people will overcome their nervousness'published at 17:09 British Summer Time 3 August 2020

    Cafe, pub and restaurant owners across the West Midlands have told the BBC they are hoping the new Eat Out To Help Out scheme does encourage more customers to enjoy a meal out.

    A sign for the schemeImage source, EPA

    Diners can now get up to 50% off their bill under the government initiative which runs all day Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 3 to 31 August across the UK.

    Darren Dunn from Heavenly Desserts in Coventry said he hoped the benefits extended beyond this month.

    "It's not only putting money in our tills now and allowing us to continue to operate at the levels we are operating at but it also means down the line we've gained new customers we might not have without this incentive."

    While Ann Ager, from the Bakehouse Cafe, Stafford, said staff had seen trade fall off last week after a Covid-19 outbreak in nearby Stone.

    "We're hoping this week people will overcome their nervousness and appreciate most establishments if not all establishments are now safe."

  15. AO creates 250 jobs to cope with online demandpublished at 15:46 British Summer Time 3 August 2020

    A new warehouse will also open in Stafford later this month as part of the recruitment drive.

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  16. Fire crews scaled back at woodlandpublished at 10:11 British Summer Time 3 August 2020

    The number of firefighters tackling a blaze in a woodland in Staffordshire has been scaled back.

    Firefighter fighting the blazeImage source, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service

    About 8.5 acres (3.4 hectares) have been affected by the fire near Enville, between Bridgnorth and Stourbridge, which began on Friday afternoon, and was still not under control at Sunday lunchtime.

    This morning, the fire service wouldn't say if it was out but said it had reduced the number of fire engines at the site from five to one.

  17. Woodland blaze still alight after two dayspublished at 14:49 British Summer Time 2 August 2020

    About 8.5 acres are affected over three days in Staffordshire.

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  18. Crewe sign Gillingham striker Mandronpublished at 12:22 British Summer Time 1 August 2020

    Crewe Alexandra sign striker Mikael Mandron on a free transfer following the expiration of his contract with Gillingham.

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