New Year is the "worst time" to have tougher Covid-19 rules imposed, says Cheshire's hospitality sector.

Parts of Shropshire and Staffordshire could see travel disruption lasting into the afternoon due to ice and snow.

The Met Office has a yellow weather warning in place until 14:00., external

Image source, Met Office

Express and Star

The Express and Star is covering these stories:

• Black Country and Staffordshire plunged into Tier 4 and tougher restrictions, external
• Unsung heroes in the Black Country and Staffordshire named in New Year's Honours, external
• Frosty mornings and cold nights expected as West Midlands heads into the New Year, external

BBC Midlands Today

Thousands of people are now living under the toughest coronavirus restrictions as the majority of the West Midlands has been moved into tier four.

Image source, PA Media

Birmingham and the Black Country, Coventry, Solihull, Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent and Warwickshire are now tier four zones.

This means people are urged to stay at home following a rapid increase in Covid-19 infections.

While accepting the need for tougher restrictions, Paul Faulkner from the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce said more support was needed from the government.

"It is really quite staggering that while the new tiers are introduced and businesses are forced to obey these restrictions there is no additional support for them to help them through this period."

BBC Weather

Another cold day, mainly dry but with some lingering patches of fog or freezing fog. Sunny where the fog clears with a high of 3C/37F.

Image source, BBC Weather Watcher Videoman

A largely clear night for most but some places will have some patchy cloud and more fog will develop. Frosty with a low of -1C/30F.

You can keep up-to-date on your local weather forecast via the BBC Weather website.

Major Rob Cross says wife Margaret always worked alongside him, raising £109,000 for veterans.

David and Christine Bagley are honoured for their 30 years of charity work in Bolton.

Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce says the government must provide more financial support.

Sophie Calvert
Political Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

While the number of coronavirus cases in the Stafford and Cheshire East authority areas are going up, they've been falling in Stoke-on-Trent, Newcastle-under-Lyme and the Staffordshire Moorlands.

So you can see why some people might say they're not impressed and today's announcement was the news that probably no-one wanted to hear.

But it's also not a shock because we did think this was going to happen.

Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent will move to tier four from Thursday.

The decision to move Staffordshire into tier four from midnight tonight "will come as a devastating blow to businesses", the leader of the county council has said.

Alan White also said: "The priority for 2021 is to get cases back under control and persuade the government that restrictions can be eased in Staffordshire."

Image source, Staffordshire County Council

Mr White also said that while the news about the Oxford vaccine is welcome, "it will be some months before we see the benefits and we must stay vigilant to protect lives this winter".

With infection rates continuing to rise, a number of West Midlands authority areas have moved into tier four restrictions.

They are:

• Dudley
• Birmingham
• Sandwell
• Walsall
• Wolverhampton
• Coventry
• Solihull
• Rugby
• Nuneaton and Bedworth
• Warwick
• North Warwickshire
• Stratford-upon-Avon
• East Staffordshire
• Stafford
• South Staffordshire
• Cannock Chase
• Lichfield
• Staffordshire Moorlands
• Newcastle-under-Lyme
• Tamworth
• Stoke-on-Trent

Image source, Parliament Live TV

The latest news, sport, travel and weather across the West Midlands and south Cheshire.

Snow and ice is expected to cause further travel disruption this week, with fresh weather warnings issued for the West Midlands.

Image source, West Mercia Police

A Met Office yellow warning of ice, external for much of the West Midlands remains in place until 10:00 on Wednesday.

A yellow warning for snow across the whole region has been issued from 18:00 on Wednesday until 14:00 on Thursday.

Roads around Staffordshire and Shropshire have been affected.

Image source, Reuters

Snow caused some supermarket delivery orders to be cancelled, with Tesco saying it was unable to reach some customers in Stoke-on-Trent and the West Midlands.

West Mercia Police said officers in Telford had attended multiple crashes due to the snow and warned drivers to only travel if necessary.

A Met Office weather warning of snow and ice is issued for much of England and Wales.

A charity in Stoke-on-Trent moved 66 people into a hotel during the first lockdown.

Police issue a warning to pet owners, believing at least one dog "chased the majority of the sheep".

The fire in 2018 at the Staffordshire Roaches raged for days and destroyed 50 years' worth of peat.

Some 15 areas across England have been guaranteed £255m as part of improvement work.

Will Smith, from Staffordshire, spent his Christmas Day cycling 277 miles for charity.