birminghammail--2020-11-11--Will A-level and GCSE exams be cancelled in England?

Wales has cancelled next year ’ s A-level and GCSE exams .
The decision has added fuel to a debate that was already taking place , about whether exams should be cancelled in England .
Pupils are missing school due to the Covid-19 pandemic .
This is likely to affect their performance when exams take place .
And given that levels of coronavirus are higher in some places than others , your chances of being sent home vary depending on where you live .
It means some young people are at an unfair disadvantage .
What ’ s more , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infection , including cities and other major urban areas in the North and Midlands , tend also to include neighbourhoods with higher rates of poverty .
Given that there is a connection between wealth and school results , disruption caused by Covid could make existing inequalities worse .
Government figures show that one in seven Birmingham secondary pupils are missing school .
The data is a snapshot of the situation on October 15 this year , when 11,170 Birmingham secondary school pupils were away from the classroom , 16 per cent of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us exactly how many people are absent due to Covid .
But Government figures show that in previous years , 5.6 per cent of secondary pupils in the city were away from school at any given moment , on average .
So the figure is much higher this year .
Thousands of Birmingham children of all ages have been ordered to self-isolate .
A single child testing positive for coronavirus triggers quarantine for every pupil or staff member deemed to have been in contact with them , and this can mean an entire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year group is sent home for a fortnight .
It ’ s also possible that some parents are simply choosing to keep their children off school because they don ’ t think classrooms are safe .
They key point is that absence rates in Birmingham are far higher than in many other parts of the country .
Government data shows that in Shropshire , a county in the wider West Midlands region , the absence rate was eight per cent , much lower than Birmingham ’ s 16 per cent .
In West @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was six per cent .
Birmingham is not alone .
Children are also missing school in other places with high levels of coronavirus infection.. Take the North East , for example .
In Sunderland , Government data shows 22 % of secondary pupils were off school - more than one in five .
In Newcastle it was 21 % .
Pupils in the cities and major towns of the Midlands and the North are more likely to be off school than those in other parts of the country .
The Welsh Government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will not be fair .
Instead , pupils will receive grades based on assessments from their teachers .
Welsh education minister Kirsty Williams said the ongoing pandemic made it “ impossible to guarantee a level playing field for exams to take place ” .
She said : “ The well-being of learners and ensuring fairness across the system is central in our decision-making process.
” In England , the plan is for exams to go ahead , albeit a little later than usual .
The Government hopes this extra teaching time will make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Prime Minister ’ s official spokesman said this week : “ We ’ ve set out that they will take place slightly later this [ academic ] year to give students more time to prepare .
“ I think we fully understand that they ’ ve experienced considerable disruption and it ’ s right that we get them and their teachers that extra time.
” Exams were cancelled this summer , with pupils awarded grades based on teacher predictions .
There was a row when the grades were modified by a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students , and the Government had to carry out a u-turn and use the unmodified grades instead .
However , that wasn ’ t the only problem with cancelling exams , according to the head of school inspection service Ofsted .
Speaking to MPs , Chief Inspector Amanda Spielman said using predicted grades made pupils feel powerless .
Ms Spielman said : “ I think it ’ s very important before making sudden , drastic changes in how a system works to think about how it will go down at the receiving end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the messages that came across really strongly from young people themselves last summer in the face of the calculated grades model was how much they resented not having the chance to show what they could do for themselves .
“ There were many , many who believed that they could do better than their teachers had suggested that they could , so taking away the opportunity of young people ’ s own agency in demonstrating what they can do is something that we should think very carefully ( about ) before doing.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ exams went ahead next year , it would be hard to ensure they were fair .
“ It ’ s very clear that those coming through for exams this year have actually had a tougher time than last year ’ s Year 11s and Year 13s .
“ There are difficult and conflicting issues of fairness here which everybody involved is doing their utmost to balance , to come to something that does everything that can be done .
”

Something went wrong, please try again later.
Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.
Get all the latest politics news straight to your inbox with our bi-weekly newsletter
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Get all the latest politics news straight to your inbox with our bi-weekly newsletter
Wales has cancelled next year’s A-level and GCSE exams.
The decision has added fuel to a debate that was already taking place, about whether exams should be cancelled in England.
Pupils are missing school due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This is likely to affect their performance when exams take place. And given that levels of coronavirus are higher in some places than others, your chances of being sent home vary depending on where you live.
It means some young people are at an unfair disadvantage.
What’s more, areas with the highest rates of coronavirus infection, including cities and other major urban areas in the North and Midlands, tend also to include neighbourhoods with higher rates of poverty. Given that there is a connection between wealth and school results, disruption caused by Covid could make existing inequalities worse.
Government figures show that one in seven Birmingham secondary pupils are missing school. The data is a snapshot of the situation on October 15 this year, when 11,170 Birmingham secondary school pupils were away from the classroom, 16 per cent of the total.
This doesn’t tell us exactly how many people are absent due to Covid. But Government figures show that in previous years, 5.6 per cent of secondary pupils in the city were away from school at any given moment, on average. So the figure is much higher this year.
Thousands of Birmingham children of all ages have been ordered to self-isolate. A single child testing positive for coronavirus triggers quarantine for every pupil or staff member deemed to have been in contact with them, and this can mean an entire ‘bubble’ of a class or year group is sent home for a fortnight.
It’s also possible that some parents are simply choosing to keep their children off school because they don’t think classrooms are safe.
They key point is that absence rates in Birmingham are far higher than in many other parts of the country.
Government data shows that in Shropshire, a county in the wider West Midlands region, the absence rate was eight per cent, much lower than Birmingham’s 16 per cent. In West Berkshire, in the South East, it was six per cent.
Birmingham is not alone. Children are also missing school in other places with high levels of coronavirus infection..
Take the North East, for example. In Sunderland, Government data shows 22% of secondary pupils were off school - more than one in five. In Newcastle it was 21%.
Pupils in the cities and major towns of the Midlands and the North are more likely to be off school than those in other parts of the country.
The Welsh Government has decided that holding exams next year will not be fair. Instead, pupils will receive grades based on assessments from their teachers.
Welsh education minister Kirsty Williams said the ongoing pandemic made it “impossible to guarantee a level playing field for exams to take place”. She said: “The well-being of learners and ensuring fairness across the system is central in our decision-making process.”
In England, the plan is for exams to go ahead, albeit a little later than usual. The Government hopes this extra teaching time will make up for schooling that has been missed.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said this week: “We’ve set out that they will take place slightly later this [academic] year to give students more time to prepare.
“I think we fully understand that they’ve experienced considerable disruption and it’s right that we get them and their teachers that extra time.”
Exams were cancelled this summer, with pupils awarded grades based on teacher predictions. There was a row when the grades were modified by a computer system which lowered marks for some students, and the Government had to carry out a u-turn and use the unmodified grades instead.
However, that wasn’t the only problem with cancelling exams, according to the head of school inspection service Ofsted. Speaking to MPs, Chief Inspector Amanda Spielman said using predicted grades made pupils feel powerless.
Ms Spielman said: “I think it’s very important before making sudden, drastic changes in how a system works to think about how it will go down at the receiving end with children and parents.
“One of the messages that came across really strongly from young people themselves last summer in the face of the calculated grades model was how much they resented not having the chance to show what they could do for themselves.
“There were many, many who believed that they could do better than their teachers had suggested that they could, so taking away the opportunity of young people’s own agency in demonstrating what they can do is something that we should think very carefully (about) before doing.”
But she also said that if exams went ahead next year, it would be hard to ensure they were fair.
“It’s very clear that those coming through for exams this year have actually had a tougher time than last year’s Year 11s and Year 13s.
“There are difficult and conflicting issues of fairness here which everybody involved is doing their utmost to balance, to come to something that does everything that can be done.”


birminghammail--2020-11-11--Fresh dates announced for strikes at Heartlands Hospital

New dates have been announced for fresh porter strikes at Heartlands Hospital .
Porters have been striking over changes to the rota system which union bosses say will severely impact their pay .
Some porters work permanent nights and weekends with extra pay but the new rota system will force them to work day shifts as well .
A two day strike took place on October 30 and 31 and Unison have confirmed further strike action will take place later this month .
The next two day strikes will take place on November 23 and 24 with another nine planned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tudor , regional organiser for Unison , told BirminghamLive that there had been ongoing talks with hospital bosses at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust but they had so far turned out to be fruitless .
ACAS have also been in talks with the two parties .
He said : `` We have been in talks with University Hospitals Birmingham but so far we have n't been able to resolve the situation .
`` We have informed the hospital and ACAS that we will be carrying out 10 48 hour strikes starting on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Janaury 13 .
`` We 've been in talks 12 months in reality .
The new shift patterns will impact greatly on our members .
`` Porters work for low pay and these new proposed working conditions will severely impact them and make some much worse off .
`` I have had grown men crying to me .
Men who have been on the same late and weekend shifts for 20 years and now say they wo n't be able to pay the mortgage if these new rota systems come into force .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ people at the hospital and it impacts them greatly .
Eight of the workers are in their 70 's and our eldest is 79 .
They will be greatly impacted by this . ''
Porters from Queen Elizabeth Hospital were sent to to Heartlands Hospital to help during the first strike last month .
The hospital had previously said proposed shift changes would create a fairer environment .
They said the proposals would `` enable the Trust to ensure a safe and consistent portering service across our departments . ''
They said it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerns and make `` adjustments where possible for that small number who had legitimate concerns . ''

Something went wrong, please try again later.
Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.
Get all the latest politics news straight to your inbox with our bi-weekly newsletter
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Get all the latest politics news straight to your inbox with our bi-weekly newsletter
New dates have been announced for fresh porter strikes at Heartlands Hospital.
Porters have been striking over changes to the rota system which union bosses say will severely impact their pay.
Some porters work permanent nights and weekends with extra pay but the new rota system will force them to work day shifts as well.
A two day strike took place on October 30 and 31 and Unison have confirmed further strike action will take place later this month.
The next two day strikes will take place on November 23 and 24 with another nine planned strikes up until January 13.
Rick Tudor, regional organiser for Unison, told BirminghamLive that there had been ongoing talks with hospital bosses at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust but they had so far turned out to be fruitless.
ACAS have also been in talks with the two parties.
He said: "We have been in talks with University Hospitals Birmingham but so far we haven't been able to resolve the situation.
"We have informed the hospital and ACAS that we will be carrying out 10 48 hour strikes starting on November 23 and leading all up to Janaury 13.
"We've been in talks 12 months in reality. The new shift patterns will impact greatly on our members.
"Porters work for low pay and these new proposed working conditions will severely impact them and make some much worse off.
"I have had grown men crying to me. Men who have been on the same late and weekend shifts for 20 years and now say they won't be able to pay the mortgage if these new rota systems come into force.
"These porters are the lowest paid people at the hospital and it impacts them greatly. Eight of the workers are in their 70's and our eldest is 79. They will be greatly impacted by this."
Porters from Queen Elizabeth Hospital were sent to to Heartlands Hospital to help during the first strike last month.
BirminghamLive has contacted University Hospitals Birmingham for a statement.
The hospital had previously said proposed shift changes would create a fairer environment.
They said the proposals would "enable the Trust to ensure a safe and consistent portering service across our departments."
They said it would be willing to listen to individual concerns and make "adjustments where possible for that small number who had legitimate concerns."


birminghammail--2020-11-11--Airline boss claims rivals' failure to pay Covid refunds is a 'bit like theft'

Failure to issue prompt refunds for cancelled holidays is “ a bit like theft ” , according to the boss of tour operator and airline Jet2 .
Chief executive Steve Heapy claimed delays in making payouts during the coronavirus pandemic has given “ a very bad impression ” of the travel industry and expressed hope that his firm ’ s commitment to paying timely refunds will be rewarded with future bookings .
In July , the Civil Aviation Authority published a report stating that Virgin Atlantic , easyJet , Ryanair and Tui were among the operators that initially did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of requests .
The CAA said its discussions resulted in those carriers changing their practices .
Jet2 - which has 10 UK operating bases including Birmingham , Manchester , Stansted and Leeds - was found to be the only UK airline consistently processing cash refunds quickly from the outbreak of the virus .
Mr Heapy told the PA news agency : “ Some companies in the travel sector have not been refunding customers , which I think gives a very bad impression for the travel industry as a whole .
“ We ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ money at the end of the day , and they should have it back .
That ’ s been our guiding principle .
We have given our customers their refund as quickly as possible and I think they will remember that .
“ Going forward , people may want to book with a company they know they ’ re going to get their money back from if there ’ s no holiday to be provided .
We have no problem refunding our customers ’ money .
At the end of the day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the money , well , it ’ s a bit like theft really.
” Mr Heapy , who has led Jet2 since 2013 , claimed there is “ a hell of a lot ” of pent-up demand for overseas holidays .
“ People want to get away and have their bit of sunshine , ” he said .
“ When destinations have been opened up , such as the Canaries a few weeks ago , we saw demand go through the roof .
People just wanted to get away , get a bit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scene.
” The amount of flights operated by Jet2 this winter will be “ significantly down on last year.
” Mr Heapy said : “ We ’ ve just got to sit tight and hopefully wait for the lockdown to finish and people to be allowed to go away again.
” He claimed shorter quarantine periods would boost air travel , but the introduction of a Covid-19 vaccine will be “ a silver bullet ” .
He went on : “ In the longer term , I think we ’ ve all got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made available to the wider population and distributed to everyone so we can all get back to normal life .
“ I ’ m not one of these people that subscribes to the new normal .
I want the old normal back , there was nothing wrong with it .
”

newsdesk@birminghamlive.co.uk (Neil Lancefield, PA, Brett Gibbons)

Something went wrong, please try again later.
Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.
Never miss breaking news by signing up to our free email updates
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Never miss breaking news by signing up to our free email updates
Failure to issue prompt refunds for cancelled holidays is “a bit like theft”, according to the boss of tour operator and airline Jet2.
Chief executive Steve Heapy claimed delays in making payouts during the coronavirus pandemic has given “a very bad impression” of the travel industry and expressed hope that his firm’s commitment to paying timely refunds will be rewarded with future bookings.
In July, the Civil Aviation Authority published a report stating that Virgin Atlantic, easyJet, Ryanair and Tui were among the operators that initially did not offer cash refunds or had large backlogs of requests.
The CAA said its discussions resulted in those carriers changing their practices.
Jet2 - which has 10 UK operating bases including Birmingham, Manchester, Stansted and Leeds - was found to be the only UK airline consistently processing cash refunds quickly from the outbreak of the virus.
Mr Heapy told the PA news agency: “Some companies in the travel sector have not been refunding customers, which I think gives a very bad impression for the travel industry as a whole.
“We’ve respected that it’s customers’ money at the end of the day, and they should have it back. That’s been our guiding principle. We have given our customers their refund as quickly as possible and I think they will remember that.
“Going forward, people may want to book with a company they know they’re going to get their money back from if there’s no holiday to be provided. We have no problem refunding our customers’ money. At the end of the day it’s theirs. Not refunding the money, well, it’s a bit like theft really.”
Mr Heapy, who has led Jet2 since 2013, claimed there is “a hell of a lot” of pent-up demand for overseas holidays.
“People want to get away and have their bit of sunshine,” he said.
“When destinations have been opened up, such as the Canaries a few weeks ago, we saw demand go through the roof. People just wanted to get away, get a bit of sun and have a change of scene.”
The amount of flights operated by Jet2 this winter will be “significantly down on last year.”
Mr Heapy said: “We’ve just got to sit tight and hopefully wait for the lockdown to finish and people to be allowed to go away again.”
He claimed shorter quarantine periods would boost air travel, but the introduction of a Covid-19 vaccine will be “a silver bullet”.
He went on: “In the longer term, I think we’ve all got to hope that the vaccine will be made available to the wider population and distributed to everyone so we can all get back to normal life.
“I’m not one of these people that subscribes to the new normal. I want the old normal back, there was nothing wrong with it.”


birminghammail--2020-11-11--Radioactive material leak at Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Radioactive material leaked from a toilet pipe on a cancer ward into a seminar room at Birmingham 's Queen Elizabeth Hospital .
The hospital today confirmed the leak saying the incident was reported to the Environment Agency .
A Queen Elizabeth Hospital spokesman said initial tests and assessments identified a 'very low level of radioactivity ' which would n't cause harm to people .
The immediate area where the material was detected has been decontaminated and has not affected any patient services .
The incident happened last Monday ( November 9 ) at 11.30am after staff reported a leaking toilet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leak was radioactive iodine which was administered to an inpatient and subsequently excreted .
Radioactive iodine is given in a capsule and used to treat people who have an overactive thyroid or thyroid cancer .
A Queen Elizabeth Hospital statement said : `` The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham has reported an incident to the Environment Agency in which radioactive material leaked from a toilet soil pipe .
`` Initial tests and assessments identified a very low level of radioactivity that would cause no significant harm or long-term effects to a person , even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
`` The immediate area where the material was detected has been decontaminated and has not affected any patient services .
`` The incident was discovered at 11.30am on Monday ( November 9 ) with reports of a leaking toilet waste pipe .
`` The source of the leak was radioactive iodine which was administered to an inpatient and subsequently excreted .
Radioactive iodine is given in a capsule and used to treat people who have an overactive thyroid or thyroid cancer . ''

We have more newsletters
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.
Never miss breaking news by signing up to our free email updates
We have more newsletters
Thank you for subscribing!
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Never miss breaking news by signing up to our free email updates
Radioactive material leaked from a toilet pipe on a cancer ward into a seminar room at Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
The hospital today confirmed the leak saying the incident was reported to the Environment Agency.
A Queen Elizabeth Hospital spokesman said initial tests and assessments identified a 'very low level of radioactivity' which wouldn't cause harm to people.
The immediate area where the material was detected has been decontaminated and has not affected any patient services.
The incident happened last Monday (November 9) at 11.30am after staff reported a leaking toilet waste pipe.
The source of the leak was radioactive iodine which was administered to an inpatient and subsequently excreted.
Radioactive iodine is given in a capsule and used to treat people who have an overactive thyroid or thyroid cancer.
A Queen Elizabeth Hospital statement said: "The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham has reported an incident to the Environment Agency in which radioactive material leaked from a toilet soil pipe.
"Initial tests and assessments identified a very low level of radioactivity that would cause no significant harm or long-term effects to a person, even if their shoe came into contact with it.
"The immediate area where the material was detected has been decontaminated and has not affected any patient services.
"The incident was discovered at 11.30am on Monday (November 9) with reports of a leaking toilet waste pipe.
"The source of the leak was radioactive iodine which was administered to an inpatient and subsequently excreted. Radioactive iodine is given in a capsule and used to treat people who have an overactive thyroid or thyroid cancer."


birminghammail--2020-11-11--Leaving home in Sandwell is ‘hazardous’ as Covid deaths rise

Leaving your home in some areas of Sandwell is now ‘ hazardous ’ , a health boss has warned .
Dr Lisa McNally , director of public health .
issued her stark message as fatalities and rates of infections for coronavirus continue to climb .
Publishing figures showing deaths in the West Midlands are now running at almost 80 a week , she said : “ The graph showing Covid-19 related deaths in the West Midlands is a reminder that this virus can and does kill – and it ’ s no exaggeration to say that going out in some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ If you have symptoms , stay at home , book a test and self-isolate .
This can save lives.
” The latest figures for Sandwell show Great Bridge and Hateley Heath are the two worst affected areas in the borough .
In the seven days up to November 3 new cases in Great Bridge increased by 81 and infections were above 597 per 100,000 people .
Hateley Heath recorded 71 positive tests with an infection rate of 464 .
In all , Sandwell recorded 1,175 new cases in 24 wards .
Over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospitals with Covid-19 matching levels last seen in April during the first wave of coronavirus .
Warning more families could be devastated by the loss of a loved one , deputy council leader Cllr Maria Crompton said : “ The number of people in hospital continues to rise rapidly .
“ Please , follow all the advice and government restrictions to keep yourself , your loved ones and your community safe .
“ We are particularly concerned about high infection rates among people aged 65 plus , who are most at risk of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if you possibly can and , if you must go out , stay two metres away from other people , wash your hands regularly and wear a face covering in enclosed spaces , on public transport and wherever you are required to .
”

Something went wrong, please try again later.
Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.
Get the latest Black Country news straight to your inbox
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Get the latest Black Country news straight to your inbox
Leaving your home in some areas of Sandwell is now ‘hazardous’, a health boss has warned.
Dr Lisa McNally, director of public health. issued her stark message as fatalities and rates of infections for coronavirus continue to climb.
Publishing figures showing deaths in the West Midlands are now running at almost 80 a week, she said: “The graph showing Covid-19 related deaths in the West Midlands is a reminder that this virus can and does kill – and it’s no exaggeration to say that going out in some areas is frankly hazardous right now.
“If you have symptoms, stay at home, book a test and self-isolate. This can save lives.”
The latest figures for Sandwell show Great Bridge and Hateley Heath are the two worst affected areas in the borough.
In the seven days up to November 3 new cases in Great Bridge increased by 81 and infections were above 597 per 100,000 people.
Hateley Heath recorded 71 positive tests with an infection rate of 464.
In all, Sandwell recorded 1,175 new cases in 24 wards.
Over 2,200 people are now in West Midlands hospitals with Covid-19 matching levels last seen in April during the first wave of coronavirus.
Warning more families could be devastated by the loss of a loved one, deputy council leader Cllr Maria Crompton said: “The number of people in hospital continues to rise rapidly.
“Please, follow all the advice and government restrictions to keep yourself, your loved ones and your community safe.
“We are particularly concerned about high infection rates among people aged 65 plus, who are most at risk of severe illness.
“Stay at home if you possibly can and, if you must go out, stay two metres away from other people, wash your hands regularly and wear a face covering in enclosed spaces, on public transport and wherever you are required to.”


birminghammail--2020-11-12--Food bank use shoots up as coronavirus pandemic leaves more hungry

The number of people forced to turn to foodbanks to feed themselves and their families shot up during the first national lockdown .
New figures from foodbank charity the Trussell Trust show that it provided 108,395 emergency parcels in the West Midlands , in the six months between April 1 and September 31 this year .
And 42,369 of these parcels went to children .
That 's a 45 % increase compared to the same period last year , when 74,641 emergency parcels were provided in the West Midlands , including 26,492 that went to children .
In Birmingham , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from 17,927 .
That 's an increase of 30 per cent .
The biggest increase was in the Sandwell borough , where 10,699 food parcels were provided - more than double the figure for the same period last year , which was 4,165 .
The data covers much of the first national lockdown .
which began on March 23 .
It was lifted gradually , with pubs and restaurants allowed to re-open on July 4 .
However some restrictions remained in place , and local restrictions were re-introduced in many parts of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Birmingham on September 15 .
The lockdown led to job losses , despite government attempts to limit job cuts through the furlough scheme .
Many of those placed on furlough had their incomes cut by 20 per cent .
Funding was also available for self-employed people who lost their incomes , but in practice many people were forced to get by on lower incomes than they had been used to .
The Trussell Trust said its figures were only the tip of the iceberg , as many people had been helped by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ executive of the Trussell Trust , said : `` Throughout 2020 , communities across the West Midlands have stepped in to provide vital support to people left without enough money .
Volunteers in food banks have been working hard under extremely difficult circumstances to make sure support is there for people struggling to afford essentials .
But it ’ s not right that any of us are forced to a charity for food , at any time of year .
`` In the last few weeks , we ’ ve seen incredible compassion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Marcus Rashford ’ s brilliant campaigning .
And it 's hugely welcome to see the government build on steps already taken by providing significant new funding for local councils in England .
This vital local support must work in coordination with a national welfare system that is strong enough to act as a lifeline to anyone struggling to afford the essentials .
`` This pandemic has shown the unexpected can hit us suddenly , with devastating consequences for people ’ s lives .
But it ’ s also shown we can make huge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ look after each other .
It ’ s shown that when we come together to push for change , the government responds .
Together , we can build a hunger free future . ''

Get all the latest politics news straight to your inbox with our bi-weekly newsletter
Get all the latest politics news straight to your inbox with our bi-weekly newsletter
The number of people forced to turn to foodbanks to feed themselves and their families shot up during the first national lockdown.
New figures from foodbank charity the Trussell Trust show that it provided 108,395 emergency parcels in the West Midlands, in the six months between April 1 and September 31 this year. And 42,369 of these parcels went to children.
That's a 45% increase compared to the same period last year, when 74,641 emergency parcels were provided in the West Midlands, including 26,492 that went to children.
In Birmingham, 23,389 food parcels were provided, up from 17,927. That's an increase of 30 per cent.
The biggest increase was in the Sandwell borough, where 10,699 food parcels were provided - more than double the figure for the same period last year, which was 4,165.
The data covers much of the first national lockdown. which began on March 23. It was lifted gradually, with pubs and restaurants allowed to re-open on July 4. However some restrictions remained in place, and local restrictions were re-introduced in many parts of the country, with some lockdown rules imposed in Birmingham on September 15.
The lockdown led to job losses, despite government attempts to limit job cuts through the furlough scheme. Many of those placed on furlough had their incomes cut by 20 per cent. Funding was also available for self-employed people who lost their incomes, but in practice many people were forced to get by on lower incomes than they had been used to.
The Trussell Trust said its figures were only the tip of the iceberg, as many people had been helped by community organisations.
Emma Revie, chief executive of the Trussell Trust, said: "Throughout 2020, communities across the West Midlands have stepped in to provide vital support to people left without enough money. Volunteers in food banks have been working hard under extremely difficult circumstances to make sure support is there for people struggling to afford essentials. But it’s not right that any of us are forced to a charity for food, at any time of year.
"In the last few weeks, we’ve seen incredible compassion and concern for people facing hunger following Marcus Rashford’s brilliant campaigning. And it's hugely welcome to see the government build on steps already taken by providing significant new funding for local councils in England. This vital local support must work in coordination with a national welfare system that is strong enough to act as a lifeline to anyone struggling to afford the essentials.
"This pandemic has shown the unexpected can hit us suddenly, with devastating consequences for people’s lives. But it’s also shown we can make huge changes to the way we live and look after each other. It’s shown that when we come together to push for change, the government responds. Together, we can build a hunger free future."


birminghammail--2020-11-11--Warning after residents left unable to call 999 from landlines

Thousands of people in the Black Country have been warned there is a problem with the 999 service tonight .
West Midland Fire Service warned callers that they could only call emergency services using a mobile .
An issue with the 999 service has blocked incoming calls made from a landline phone .
The urgent update was revealed on November 11 , just after 8.20pm .
The problem affects people in Walsall , Wolverhampton , Cradley Heath , Kingswinford , Sedgley and Brierley Hill .
It is not yet known how long the call restrictions will be in place .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ said : `` There is currently an issue with the 999 service in the following areas : parts of Walsall , Wolverhampton , Cradley Heath , Kingswinford , Sedgley , Brierley Hill .
`` You will be unable to call from your landline ( home number ) however calls can be made from your mobile phone . ''
A concerned resident expressed their fear for elderly callers with restricted access to mobile phones .
@ zoe2901 tweeted : `` How long is this issue likely to last ?
Need to let relatives know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ''

We have more newsletters
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.
Get the latest Black Country news straight to your inbox
We have more newsletters
Thank you for subscribing!
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Get the latest Black Country news straight to your inbox
Thousands of people in the Black Country have been warned there is a problem with the 999 service tonight.
West Midland Fire Service warned callers that they could only call emergency services using a mobile.
An issue with the 999 service has blocked incoming calls made from a landline phone.
The urgent update was revealed on November 11, just after 8.20pm.
The problem affects people in Walsall, Wolverhampton, Cradley Heath, Kingswinford, Sedgley and Brierley Hill.
It is not yet known how long the call restrictions will be in place.
A spokesman for West Midlands Fire Service said: "There is currently an issue with the 999 service in the following areas: parts of Walsall, Wolverhampton, Cradley Heath, Kingswinford, Sedgley, Brierley Hill.
"You will be unable to call from your landline (home number) however calls can be made from your mobile phone."
A concerned resident expressed their fear for elderly callers with restricted access to mobile phones.
@zoe2901 tweeted: "How long is this issue likely to last? Need to let relatives know as grandparents don't have mobiles."


birminghammail--2020-11-11--ITV announces big change to GMB, Lorraine and This Morning for Christmas

One-off special episodes of Good Morning Britain , Lorraine and This Morning will air on Christmas day in a `` @ @ @ @ @ to an ITV boss .
Kevin Lygo , managing director of media and entertainment at @ @ @ @ @ programmes would air on December 25 during an online presentation about the Christmas television schedule @ @ @ @ @ In a festive first , we will be showing one-off specials of our hit daytime @ @ @ @ @ , '' he said .
The programmes are normally shown in morning and daytime slots @ @ @ @ @ Britain is normally presented by Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid , Lorraine Kelly fronts Lorraine @ @ @ @ @ Willoughby host This Morning .
A `` special Christmas helping '' of cooking programmes featuring @ @ @ @ @ will also be broadcast , Mr Lygo added .
James Martin 's Christmas Day and @ @ @ @ @ both be shown .

We have more newsletters
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.
Join the Secret Elves to get first access to our exclusive reviews of the must-have products this year
We have more newsletters
Thank you for subscribing!
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Join the Secret Elves to get first access to our exclusive reviews of the must-have products this year
One-off special episodes of Good Morning Britain, Lorraine and This Morning will air on Christmas day in a "festive first", according to an ITV boss.
Kevin Lygo, managing director of media and entertainment at the broadcaster, confirmed the programmes would air on December 25 during an online presentation about the Christmas television schedule for this year.
"In a festive first, we will be showing one-off specials of our hit daytime shows on Christmas day itself," he said.
The programmes are normally shown in morning and daytime slots on ITV.
Good Morning Britain is normally presented by Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid, Lorraine Kelly fronts Lorraine and Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby host This Morning.
A "special Christmas helping" of cooking programmes featuring James Martin and Ainsley Harriott will also be broadcast, Mr Lygo added.
James Martin's Christmas Day and Ainsley's Festive Food will both be shown.


birminghammail--2020-11-11--Nurse charged with murders of eight babies

A nurse has been charged with eight counts of murder and 10 of attempted murder following a probe into the deaths of babies at a Cheshire hospital .
Lucy Letby , 30 , who worked at Countess of Chester Hospital neonatal unit , is due to appear at Warrington Magistrates ' Court to face the charges .
Letby , of Arran Avenue in Hereford , was arrested for a third time on November 10 as part of an investigation into the hospital , which was launched in 2017 .
A Cheshire Police spokesman said : `` The Crown Prosecution Service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ healthcare professional with murder in connection with an ongoing investigation into a number of baby deaths at the Countess of Chester Hospital .
`` Lucy Letby , of Arran Avenue , Hereford , is facing eight charges of murder and 10 charges of attempted murder .
`` The charges relate to the period of June 2015 to June 2016 . ''
On Tuesday , police said parents of all the babies involved were being kept fully updated on developments and were supported by officers .
Letby was arrested by police in 2018 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She had worked at the unit as a student nurse during three years of training before qualifying as a children 's nurse at the University of Chester in 2011 .
Letby said she started working at the unit after graduating .

newsdesk@birminghamlive.co.uk (Press Association, Sarah Probert)

The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel
We have more newsletters
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.
Stay in the know. Share your email to get all the latest Court and Crime news from Birmingham Live directly to your inbox
We have more newsletters
Thank you for subscribing!
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Stay in the know. Share your email to get all the latest Court and Crime news from Birmingham Live directly to your inbox
A nurse has been charged with eight counts of murder and 10 of attempted murder following a probe into the deaths of babies at a Cheshire hospital.
Lucy Letby, 30, who worked at Countess of Chester Hospital neonatal unit, is due to appear at Warrington Magistrates' Court to face the charges.
Letby, of Arran Avenue in Hereford, was arrested for a third time on November 10 as part of an investigation into the hospital, which was launched in 2017.
A Cheshire Police spokesman said: "The Crown Prosecution Service has authorised Cheshire Police to charge a healthcare professional with murder in connection with an ongoing investigation into a number of baby deaths at the Countess of Chester Hospital.
Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Play now
"Lucy Letby, of Arran Avenue, Hereford, is facing eight charges of murder and 10 charges of attempted murder.
"The charges relate to the period of June 2015 to June 2016."
On Tuesday, police said parents of all the babies involved were being kept fully updated on developments and were supported by officers.
Letby was arrested by police in 2018 and 2019 but was bailed pending further inquiries.
She had worked at the unit as a student nurse during three years of training before qualifying as a children's nurse at the University of Chester in 2011.
Letby said she started working at the unit after graduating.


birminghammail--2020-11-11--Gareth Southgate makes confession over Villa captain Jack Grealish

Gareth Southgate admits Jack Grealish has risen to the challenge he laid down to the Aston Villa captain .
Grealish is in line to make his third England appearance under Southgate in Thursday 's friendly against the Republic of Ireland at Wembley .
But many feel the 25-year-old should have many more caps to his name having consistently impressed at Premier League level for Villa .
Southgate previously spoke of Grealish 's end product and intense competition for places when asked why he was n't being picked but the playmaker 's record of four goals and five assists in just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ itself .
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday , Southgate said : `` We have got three matches and it is quite possible he could start in any of those three .
For sure he is going to play an important role for us in this camp .
He is playing extremely well .
`` The biggest things for me , I talk to Jack a lot about end product and in the last 22 games of last season he was one goal .
He is four goals in seven Premier League @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year .
`` His assists are high so the numbers that he is hitting now , when we were talking at the end of last season the likes of Raheem [ Sterling ] and Marcus [ Rashford ] , 20 goals plus , Jack is hitting those figures this season and that is a great step forward . ''
England take on Belgium and Iceland to decide their Nations League group after facing Ireland .
`` We know his all round game has always been good , to hit those numbers when you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' added Southgate .
`` He is doing that well .
And his work without the ball is really improving as well .
`` His pressing , his discipline on his defending .
I coud n't be happier with what he is doing .
It is a really good moment for him and for sure he is going to play a big part for us this week . ''
Grealish made his debut away at Denmark in September and shone in a man-of-the-match performance against Wales during the last international break .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ subsequent clashes with Belgium and Denmark at Wembley .
Former Villa defender Joleon Lescott told Sky Sports recently : `` For whatever reason , Grealish is not getting enough minutes .
He definitely deserves more opportunity and needs more minutes to showcase what he can do .
`` Everyone wanted him in the squad and he deservedly got his place .
But he did n't get many minutes in the last games , and it looked like England were struggling [ against Denmark ] . ''

Something went wrong, please try again later.
Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Gareth Southgate admits Jack Grealish has risen to the challenge he laid down to the Aston Villa captain.
Grealish is in line to make his third England appearance under Southgate in Thursday's friendly against the Republic of Ireland at Wembley.
But many feel the 25-year-old should have many more caps to his name having consistently impressed at Premier League level for Villa.
Southgate previously spoke of Grealish's end product and intense competition for places when asked why he wasn't being picked but the playmaker's record of four goals and five assists in just seven top-flight matches this season speaks for itself.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Southgate said: "We have got three matches and it is quite possible he could start in any of those three. For sure he is going to play an important role for us in this camp. He is playing extremely well.
"The biggest things for me, I talk to Jack a lot about end product and in the last 22 games of last season he was one goal. He is four goals in seven Premier League games and five in all competitions this year.
"His assists are high so the numbers that he is hitting now, when we were talking at the end of last season the likes of Raheem [Sterling] and Marcus [Rashford], 20 goals plus, Jack is hitting those figures this season and that is a great step forward."
England take on Belgium and Iceland to decide their Nations League group after facing Ireland.
"We know his all round game has always been good, to hit those numbers when you are an attacking player is really important," added Southgate. "He is doing that well. And his work without the ball is really improving as well.
"His pressing, his discipline on his defending. I coudn't be happier with what he is doing. It is a really good moment for him and for sure he is going to play a big part for us this week."
Grealish made his debut away at Denmark in September and shone in a man-of-the-match performance against Wales during the last international break.
But he was then dropped for the subsequent clashes with Belgium and Denmark at Wembley.
Former Villa defender Joleon Lescott told Sky Sports recently: "For whatever reason, Grealish is not getting enough minutes. He definitely deserves more opportunity and needs more minutes to showcase what he can do.
"Everyone wanted him in the squad and he deservedly got his place. But he didn't get many minutes in the last games, and it looked like England were struggling [against Denmark]."


birminghammail--2020-11-11--Liverpool receive 'upsetting' Gomez update ahead of Wolves clash

Liverpool defender Joe Gomez faces an extended spell on the sidelines , England manager Gareth Southgate has confirmed .
The centre-back suffered an `` upsetting '' injury during a training session on Wednesday ahead of England 's clash against the Republic of Ireland .
Wolverhampton Wanderers travel to Anfield to take on Premier League champions Liverpool after games against Southampton and Arsenal later this month .
Gomez , 23 , is now all but certain to miss that fixture having sustained damage to his knee and has been sent back to his club for treatment .
Speaking to reporters , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tell you how serious it is because [ Gomez ] is yet to have scans .
`` What was upsetting to see , he was in a fair bit of pain .
There was nobody around him when the injury happened .
I did n't like that element of it .
`` But we 've just got to wait and see what the scans show .
We 're all hopeful for him that it 's not what it might be .
`` But it 's not a good situation .
I do n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with us , that 's for sure . ''
There 's a quick and easy way to stay on top of all the Wolverhampton Wanderers news with our daily newsletter .
Delivered straight into your email inbox each day , the bulletins will feature the latest Wolves news , views , gossip and opinion .
All you have to do is punch your email in at the top of the article - it looks just like this ... And what 's more , it 's absolutely free !
You can also get all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Facebook and Twitter .
We also have a free app which you can download .
It is always up-to-date with the latest news from across the region .
Google Play Store and App Store Gomez ’ s absence is likely to lead to more game-time for Wolves captain Conor Coady in defence after he won his first three caps earlier this season .
England have Nations League fixtures against Belgium and Iceland to decide their group after the Ireland friendly .
Asked whether it could be an ACL injury for Gomez , Southgate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the exact nature of the injury .
It 's not possible until we 've seen scans .
`` My immediate thoughts are with him .
He 's had some difficulties with injuries in the past .
We 're hoping and praying it is not going to be a long-term one .
We 'll just have to see . ''
It comes as a huge blow for Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp with star defender Virgil van Dijk and full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold already out .

Something went wrong, please try again later.
Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.
Get Wolves transfer latest, team news, match updates and analysis delivered straight to your inbox
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Get Wolves transfer latest, team news, match updates and analysis delivered straight to your inbox
Liverpool defender Joe Gomez faces an extended spell on the sidelines, England manager Gareth Southgate has confirmed.
The centre-back suffered an "upsetting" injury during a training session on Wednesday ahead of England's clash against the Republic of Ireland.
Wolverhampton Wanderers travel to Anfield to take on Premier League champions Liverpool after games against Southampton and Arsenal later this month.
Gomez, 23, is now all but certain to miss that fixture having sustained damage to his knee and has been sent back to his club for treatment.
Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Play now
Speaking to reporters, Southgate said: "I can't tell you how serious it is because [Gomez] is yet to have scans.
"What was upsetting to see, he was in a fair bit of pain. There was nobody around him when the injury happened. I didn't like that element of it.
"But we've just got to wait and see what the scans show. We're all hopeful for him that it's not what it might be.
"But it's not a good situation. I don't see him being involved in the games with us, that's for sure."
Wolves daily newsletter. Free. To your inbox There's a quick and easy way to stay on top of all the Wolverhampton Wanderers news with our daily newsletter. Delivered straight into your email inbox each day, the bulletins will feature the latest Wolves news, views, gossip and opinion. All you have to do is punch your email in at the top of the article - or sign up here. And what's more, it's absolutely free! You can also get all the latest updates by following us on Facebook and Twitter. We also have a free app which you can download. It is always up-to-date with the latest news from across the region. Google Play Store and App Store
Gomez’s absence is likely to lead to more game-time for Wolves captain Conor Coady in defence after he won his first three caps earlier this season.
England have Nations League fixtures against Belgium and Iceland to decide their group after the Ireland friendly.
Asked whether it could be an ACL injury for Gomez, Southgate added: "We can't speculate the exact nature of the injury. It's not possible until we've seen scans.
"My immediate thoughts are with him. He's had some difficulties with injuries in the past. We're hoping and praying it is not going to be a long-term one. We'll just have to see."
It comes as a huge blow for Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp with star defender Virgil van Dijk and full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold already out.


birminghammail--2020-11-11--Fans make same point over footage of Grealish and Bellingham

Jack Grealish and Jude Bellingham are getting accustomed with one another in England training for the first time .
The Birmingham duo are both in Gareth Southgate 's squad for the clashes against the Republic of Ireland , Belgium and Iceland .
Aston Villa captain Grealish is hoping to win his third cap against Ireland while Birmingham City graduate Bellingham is in line for his senior debut for the Three Lions in Thursday 's friendly at Wembley .
Much has been made of Bellingham 's inclusion in the squad a matter of months after his move to Borussia Dortmund from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Boothroyd 's Under-21s aged just 17 , the midfielder is poised to become the third youngest player in England history after Theo Walcott and Wayne Rooney .
The latest step in Bellingham 's meteoric rise comes as no surprise to Villa defender Tyrone Mings , who trained with the teenager this week .
“ It doesn ’ t surprise me , ” said Mings .
“ I get surprised every time I get called up so I ’ m not sitting here surprised every time different people get called up .
I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in training over the last couple of days and what a fantastic talent he looks .
“ I know he ’ s from the blue side of Birmingham but I ’ ve got no problem admitting what a fantastic player and lad he seems for someone who ’ s achieved so much in his career in such a short space of time .
“ He seems to be very grounded and very humble .
I wouldn ’ t say I ’ m surprised , no , it ’ s a huge occasion for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overshadowed of what should or shouldn ’ t have happened .
“ I remember my first call up , I was a lot older than him but I remember the feelings I had surrounding that so fair play to him.
” Grealish made his England debut against Denmark in September and there is a strong chance the pair - developed by their respective boyhood clubs - could become fully-fledged international teammates on the same pitch in the coming days .
Grealish and Bellingham were filmed together in high spirits at St George 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the former Blues youngster in a training exercise .
The footage , which can be viewed here , attracted a huge response on social media with many fans speaking of their pride at seeing two local players in the same squad despite the Second City rivalry .
`` Sorry but I ’ ve always said I can ’ t wait for both Grealish and Bellingham to be in the England squad , I love , '' wrote another .
A third responded : `` Whether you ’ re Blues or Villa .
Good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the England squad . ''
`` That ’ s my city there , '' added another supporter .
While a fifth said : `` I 'm telling you now that these two are gon na be good mates .
Birmingham connection . ''

Something went wrong, please try again later.
Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.
Get Villa transfer latest, team news, match updates and analysis delivered straight to your inbox
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Get Villa transfer latest, team news, match updates and analysis delivered straight to your inbox
Jack Grealish and Jude Bellingham are getting accustomed with one another in England training for the first time.
The Birmingham duo are both in Gareth Southgate's squad for the clashes against the Republic of Ireland, Belgium and Iceland.
Aston Villa captain Grealish is hoping to win his third cap against Ireland while Birmingham City graduate Bellingham is in line for his senior debut for the Three Lions in Thursday's friendly at Wembley.
Much has been made of Bellingham's inclusion in the squad a matter of months after his move to Borussia Dortmund from Blues.
Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Play now
Having been promoted from Aidy Boothroyd's Under-21s aged just 17, the midfielder is poised to become the third youngest player in England history after Theo Walcott and Wayne Rooney.
The latest step in Bellingham's meteoric rise comes as no surprise to Villa defender Tyrone Mings, who trained with the teenager this week.
“It doesn’t surprise me,” said Mings. “I get surprised every time I get called up so I’m not sitting here surprised every time different people get called up. I’ve had the opportunity to see him in training over the last couple of days and what a fantastic talent he looks.
“I know he’s from the blue side of Birmingham but I’ve got no problem admitting what a fantastic player and lad he seems for someone who’s achieved so much in his career in such a short space of time.
“He seems to be very grounded and very humble. I wouldn’t say I’m surprised, no, it’s a huge occasion for him and it shouldn’t be overshadowed of what should or shouldn’t have happened.
“I remember my first call up, I was a lot older than him but I remember the feelings I had surrounding that so fair play to him.”
Grealish made his England debut against Denmark in September and there is a strong chance the pair - developed by their respective boyhood clubs - could become fully-fledged international teammates on the same pitch in the coming days.
Grealish and Bellingham were filmed together in high spirits at St George's Park, with the Villa midfielder chasing the former Blues youngster in a training exercise.
The footage, which can be viewed here, attracted a huge response on social media with many fans speaking of their pride at seeing two local players in the same squad despite the Second City rivalry.
One said: "Birmingham United."
"Sorry but I’ve always said I can’t wait for both Grealish and Bellingham to be in the England squad, I love," wrote another.
A third responded: "Whether you’re Blues or Villa. Good to see some Birmingham boys getting into the England squad."
"That’s my city there," added another supporter.
While a fifth said: "I'm telling you now that these two are gonna be good mates. Birmingham connection."


birminghammail--2020-11-11--Watch dramatic moment alleged car thieves sniffed out by police dog

Dramatic body cam footage shows the moment a police dog sniffs out two suspected car thieves caught hiding in a scrap metal yard .
The pair was found by a newly trained sniffer dog police were using to search a site in Anchor Road , Wolverhampton following a police chase .
Officers were pursuing a stolen Ford Fiesta in the early hours of this morning ( November 11 ) .
The car , which was taken four days earlier from Kingswinford , had sped away from a patrol car and at one stage drove on the wrong side of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspects after the vehicle was abandoned in Anchor Road at 4.15am but two others climbed metal fencing into a nearby compound where they tried lying low among the scrapped vehicles .
In the video , which can be viewed above , Police Dog Pancho can be seen frantically scanning abandoned and damaged cars .
He sniffs out a man hiding in one of the wrecked vehicles .
Police can be heard shouting , `` Mate , show me your hands .
Get out now '' , to which the offender replies , `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The man claimed he was 13 years old .
Officers later discovered that he was in fact a 20-year-old .
Handler PC Dan Benton said : “ I couldn ’ t see anything but she was insistent .
Pancho jumped on the bonnet of one of the cars and started indicating at the door .
That ’ s when I spotted a pair of legs sticking out from underneath a pile of car seats .
“ I threatened to release the dog and , unsurprisingly , the lad came out and quickly followed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ It was all Pancho ’ s work…she sniffed them out.
” The Belgian Malinois , who turns two next month , is poignantly named after former detective DC Andrew Taylor , who died in 2018 .
He was known as Pancho to his colleagues in West Midlands Police .
Two men aged 20 have also been arrested for car theft , including the driver who will be questioned on suspicion of dangerous driving , failing to stop for police and driving while disqualified .

Something went wrong, please try again later.
Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.
Stay in the know. Share your email to get all the latest Court and Crime news from Birmingham Live directly to your inbox
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Stay in the know. Share your email to get all the latest Court and Crime news from Birmingham Live directly to your inbox
Dramatic body cam footage shows the moment a police dog sniffs out two suspected car thieves caught hiding in a scrap metal yard.
The pair was found by a newly trained sniffer dog police were using to search a site in Anchor Road, Wolverhampton following a police chase.
Officers were pursuing a stolen Ford Fiesta in the early hours of this morning (November 11).
The car, which was taken four days earlier from Kingswinford, had sped away from a patrol car and at one stage drove on the wrong side of the A4123 dual carriageway.
(Image: WMP)
Cops arrested two suspects after the vehicle was abandoned in Anchor Road at 4.15am but two others climbed metal fencing into a nearby compound where they tried lying low among the scrapped vehicles.
In the video, which can be viewed above, Police Dog Pancho can be seen frantically scanning abandoned and damaged cars.
He sniffs out a man hiding in one of the wrecked vehicles.
Police can be heard shouting, "Mate, show me your hands. Get out now", to which the offender replies, "I'm only a kid".
The man claimed he was 13 years old. Officers later discovered that he was in fact a 20-year-old.
(Image: WMP)
Handler PC Dan Benton said: “I couldn’t see anything but she was insistent. Pancho jumped on the bonnet of one of the cars and started indicating at the door. That’s when I spotted a pair of legs sticking out from underneath a pile of car seats.
“I threatened to release the dog and, unsurprisingly, the lad came out and quickly followed by another chap who was hiding nearby.
“It was all Pancho’s work…she sniffed them out.”
The Belgian Malinois, who turns two next month, is poignantly named after former detective DC Andrew Taylor, who died in 2018. He was known as Pancho to his colleagues in West Midlands Police.
Two men aged 20 have also been arrested for car theft, including the driver who will be questioned on suspicion of dangerous driving, failing to stop for police and driving while disqualified.


birminghammail--2020-11-11--Coady's simple message with Liverpool speculation about to intensify

Conor Coady is finally beginning to receive the national acclaim that his performances for Wolverhampton Wanderers over the past three seasons have deserved .
The Wolves captain has been near faultless in the club 's rise from Championship promotion hopefuls to Premier League top-six challengers and has now forced his way into the England squad .
Gareth Southgate has already handed Coady three caps and the defender is in line to earn more during this latest round of England fixtures .
Coady 's performances have , for the first time in his Wolves career , prompted speculation about a move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former club Liverpool .
That 's because of an injury to Virgil van Dijk , with the Dutch defender set to miss the rest of the campaign .
And news has now emerged from England training to suggest Joe Gomez - van Dijk 's defensive partner - could be set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines .
Coady has been touted by many as the ideal addition for Liverpool , and former Reds defender Mark Lawrenson believes he is a 'ready-made ' replacement for van Dijk .
“ If Liverpool are going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ January , they want absolutely ready-made , '' said Lawrenson .
`` Conor Coady has had loads of shouts and he is a very good organiser who has played lots of games in the Premier League . ''
Jurgen Klopp has previously played down talk of a move to sign a new centre-back in the January window but Gomez 's injury could force his hand .
Either way , Wolves are in the strongest possible position to keep hold of their captain having recently tied him down to a new five-year contract .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ recently asked about replacing van Dijk by Jamie Carragher .
“ I can ’ t believe you ’ ve just put this on me here , ” Coady responded .
“ Not at all , I love playing for this football club .
We ’ ve just beat Leeds in an amazing game - so no !
” Carragher was winding Coady up but the Wolves captain was n't to know and his answer delighted those of an old gold persuasion .

Something went wrong, please try again later.
Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.
Get Wolves transfer latest, team news, match updates and analysis delivered straight to your inbox
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Get Wolves transfer latest, team news, match updates and analysis delivered straight to your inbox
Conor Coady is finally beginning to receive the national acclaim that his performances for Wolverhampton Wanderers over the past three seasons have deserved.
The Wolves captain has been near faultless in the club's rise from Championship promotion hopefuls to Premier League top-six challengers and has now forced his way into the England squad.
Gareth Southgate has already handed Coady three caps and the defender is in line to earn more during this latest round of England fixtures.
Coady's performances have, for the first time in his Wolves career, prompted speculation about a move elsewhere. Well, a return to former club Liverpool.
Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Play now
That's because of an injury to Virgil van Dijk, with the Dutch defender set to miss the rest of the campaign. And news has now emerged from England training to suggest Joe Gomez - van Dijk's defensive partner - could be set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Coady has been touted by many as the ideal addition for Liverpool, and former Reds defender Mark Lawrenson believes he is a 'ready-made' replacement for van Dijk.
“If Liverpool are going to pay big money for somebody in January, they want absolutely ready-made," said Lawrenson. "Conor Coady has had loads of shouts and he is a very good organiser who has played lots of games in the Premier League."
Jurgen Klopp has previously played down talk of a move to sign a new centre-back in the January window but Gomez's injury could force his hand.
Either way, Wolves are in the strongest possible position to keep hold of their captain having recently tied him down to a new five-year contract.
In addition to that, Coady was recently asked about replacing van Dijk by Jamie Carragher.
“I can’t believe you’ve just put this on me here,” Coady responded. “Not at all, I love playing for this football club. We’ve just beat Leeds in an amazing game - so no!”
Carragher was winding Coady up but the Wolves captain wasn't to know and his answer delighted those of an old gold persuasion.


birminghammail--2020-11-11--True story behind ITV's Millennium Dome Heist - what really happened?

Ross Kemp tonight takes a look a back at a daring attempt to steal £350 million in diamonds from the Millennium Dome in London .
The dramatic raid was foiled by police as the gang were just inches away from the jewels on November 7 , 2000 .
Millennium Dome Heist is on ITV tonight from 9pm to 10pm , with Ross Kemp presenting this true-crime special .
Twenty years on from the raid , this documentary uses never-before-seen photographic evidence as well as surveillance footage to piece together the movements of the gang , which consisted of seven criminals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as they set out to steal the diamonds from the Millennium Dome .
So what really happened ?
What was the target of the robbery ?
Seven men plotted to raid the De Beers diamond exhibition at the Millennium Dome in Greenwich .
The gems on display included the Millennium Star , a flawless 203.04 carat diamond valued at around £200 million , plus a number of blue diamonds .
For this new documentary , Ross tracks down the key players in the police operation , many of whom have never spoken publicly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operatives who shadowed the gang ’ s every move , to the firearms officers who made the arrests inside the diamond vault .
He takes them back to the original crime scenes to reflect on the operation to reveal the behind-the-scenes story of how they managed to track and then catch the would-be robbers in the act .
How did police stop it ?
In February that year , the same gang had planned to use a lorry carrying Christmas trees to ram into a security van in London but it went wrong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speedboat along the Thames .
A similar attack in Kent in July was foiled when a police car suddenly appeared on the scene .
After the attempted robbery in Kent , police traced vehicles to a farm which was then put under surveillance .
A tip-off led police to believe the gang were next targeting the Millennium Dome .
The Flying Squad - a branch of the Serious and Organised Crime Command within London 's Metropolitan Police - then set to work to stop the crooks .
It was the Flying Squad ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its 100-year history .
As police kept watch , members of the gang were seen visiting the Millennium Dome more and more frequently where they appeared to be preparing for the heist by recording video of the exhibition and surrounding area , as well as testing a speedboat in a harbour .
Police had the priceless gems replaced with replicas and a false wall installed so they could lie in wait for the attack .
After an earlier robbery attempt was aborted , police worked out the gang would strike when the tide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ began to calculate high tide dates when the heist might happen .
One of the days they predicted turned out to be when the raid took place .
At 9.30am on November 7 , around 200 police were involved in Operation Magician .
The gang used a JCB digger to smash through the perimeter fence and into the Dome , throwing smoke grenades to create confusion and panic before trying to break the glass around the diamonds .
They were armed with sledgehammers , wire cutters and an industrial nail gun to break @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gems .
Police then swooped , arresting four of the men at the exhibition , a fifth in a boat on the river , another on the shore , and the seventh in a van .
Detective Superintendent John Shatford , who led the operation , said : `` If this had been carried out in accordance with their wishes , this would have been the largest robbery in the world . ''
The trial was held at the Old Bailey in November 2001 .
One of those arrested died of cancer before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ six were jailed after a three-month trial .
The judge told the defendants : `` This was a wicked , professional plan and one which was carried out with the minutest attention to detail .
Mercifully the police were on to it . ''

Something went wrong, please try again later.
Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.
Stay in the know. Share your email to get all the latest Court and Crime news from Birmingham Live directly to your inbox
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Stay in the know. Share your email to get all the latest Court and Crime news from Birmingham Live directly to your inbox
Ross Kemp tonight takes a look a back at a daring attempt to steal £350 million in diamonds from the Millennium Dome in London.
The dramatic raid was foiled by police as the gang were just inches away from the jewels on November 7, 2000.
Millennium Dome Heist is on ITV tonight from 9pm to 10pm, with Ross Kemp presenting this true-crime special.
Twenty years on from the raid, this documentary uses never-before-seen photographic evidence as well as surveillance footage to piece together the movements of the gang, which consisted of seven criminals equipped with a bulldozer and a speedboat as they set out to steal the diamonds from the Millennium Dome.
So what really happened?
(Image: ITV)
What was the target of the robbery?
Seven men plotted to raid the De Beers diamond exhibition at the Millennium Dome in Greenwich.
The gems on display included the Millennium Star, a flawless 203.04 carat diamond valued at around £200 million, plus a number of blue diamonds.
For this new documentary, Ross tracks down the key players in the police operation, many of whom have never spoken publicly before – from veteran detectives and surveillance operatives who shadowed the gang’s every move, to the firearms officers who made the arrests inside the diamond vault.
He takes them back to the original crime scenes to reflect on the operation to reveal the behind-the-scenes story of how they managed to track and then catch the would-be robbers in the act.
(Image: ITV)
How did police stop it?
In February that year, the same gang had planned to use a lorry carrying Christmas trees to ram into a security van in London but it went wrong and they were forced to flee by speedboat along the Thames. A similar attack in Kent in July was foiled when a police car suddenly appeared on the scene.
After the attempted robbery in Kent, police traced vehicles to a farm which was then put under surveillance. A tip-off led police to believe the gang were next targeting the Millennium Dome.
The Flying Squad - a branch of the Serious and Organised Crime Command within London's Metropolitan Police - then set to work to stop the crooks.
It was the Flying Squad’s biggest and most expensive operation in its 100-year history.
As police kept watch, members of the gang were seen visiting the Millennium Dome more and more frequently where they appeared to be preparing for the heist by recording video of the exhibition and surrounding area, as well as testing a speedboat in a harbour.
Police had the priceless gems replaced with replicas and a false wall installed so they could lie in wait for the attack.
After an earlier robbery attempt was aborted, police worked out the gang would strike when the tide was at its highest, so they began to calculate high tide dates when the heist might happen. One of the days they predicted turned out to be when the raid took place.
(Image: PA)
At 9.30am on November 7, around 200 police were involved in Operation Magician.
The gang used a JCB digger to smash through the perimeter fence and into the Dome, throwing smoke grenades to create confusion and panic before trying to break the glass around the diamonds.
They were armed with sledgehammers, wire cutters and an industrial nail gun to break into two reinforced glass cabinets housing the gems.
Police then swooped, arresting four of the men at the exhibition, a fifth in a boat on the river, another on the shore, and the seventh in a van.
Detective Superintendent John Shatford, who led the operation, said: "If this had been carried out in accordance with their wishes, this would have been the largest robbery in the world."
Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Play now
The trial was held at the Old Bailey in November 2001. One of those arrested died of cancer before it came to court. The other six were jailed after a three-month trial.
The judge told the defendants: "This was a wicked, professional plan and one which was carried out with the minutest attention to detail. Mercifully the police were on to it."


birminghammail--2020-11-11--Aston Villa linked with 'great Portugal prospect' Fabio Baptista

Aston Villa are reportedly interested in Portugal Under-20 international Fabio Baptista ahead of the January window .
The Benfica B winger , 19 , is also being monitored by Villa 's Premier League rivals Crystal Palace and Serie A side Atalanta according to reports in Italy .
Calcio Mercato say Baptista is viewed as a 'great prospect ' for the future by Atalanta but both Villa and Palace could be rivals for his signature .
Baptista , who is also capable of playing at right-back , has not yet been handed a debut for Benfica 's first-team but has made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ side in the Portuguese second tier this season .
Baptista continues to play for Benfica 's under-23s too , with his latest outing coming in a 2-1 defeat to Belenenses last week .
He made his U20 debut for Portugal last year having also represented his country at U19 level .
Villa have been keen to snap up younger players with potential to grow in recent transfer windows .
Ollie Watkins ( 24 ) Matty Cash ( 23 ) and Bertrand Traore ( 25 ) were among the recruits during the summer while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) and Douglas Luiz ( 22 ) joined previously .
The club also signed several youth talents for the development sides over the summer with chief executive Christian Purslow having previously outlined his desire to flood the academy with high-potential players .

We have more newsletters
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.
Get Villa transfer latest, team news, match updates and analysis delivered straight to your inbox
We have more newsletters
Thank you for subscribing!
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Get Villa transfer latest, team news, match updates and analysis delivered straight to your inbox
Aston Villa are reportedly interested in Portugal Under-20 international Fabio Baptista ahead of the January window.
The Benfica B winger, 19, is also being monitored by Villa's Premier League rivals Crystal Palace and Serie A side Atalanta according to reports in Italy.
Calcio Mercato say Baptista is viewed as a 'great prospect' for the future by Atalanta but both Villa and Palace could be rivals for his signature.
Baptista, who is also capable of playing at right-back, has not yet been handed a debut for Benfica's first-team but has made three appearances for the club's B side in the Portuguese second tier this season.
Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Play now
Baptista continues to play for Benfica's under-23s too, with his latest outing coming in a 2-1 defeat to Belenenses last week.
He made his U20 debut for Portugal last year having also represented his country at U19 level.
Villa have been keen to snap up younger players with potential to grow in recent transfer windows.
Ollie Watkins (24) Matty Cash (23) and Bertrand Traore (25) were among the recruits during the summer while the likes of Ezri Konsa (23) and Douglas Luiz (22) joined previously.
The club also signed several youth talents for the development sides over the summer with chief executive Christian Purslow having previously outlined his desire to flood the academy with high-potential players.


birminghammail--2020-11-11--Himley Park shut and car park turned into drive-through Covid-test centre

A popular park in Dudley is now temporarily closed to the public .
Himley Hall and Park has shut to make way for a drive-through Covid- 19 test centre which has been set up in the car park .
It comes following the recent sharp rise in positive coronavirus infections in the borough .
The park will be closed from 6pm on November 11 and is expected to reopen on November 16 .
A pre-booked appointment is required before attendees will be allowed into the testing facility , which will be open seven days a week .
The other sites @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Flood Street car park ( off Oakeywell Street ) in Dudley and on Jackson Street car park in Lye .
There is also a drive through mobile test site at Brierley Hill .
All those attending an appointment will be provided with guidance on getting to and from the test site safely , with additional support for vulnerable groups and people with disabilities .
Councillor Nicolas Barlow , cabinet member for health and adult social care , said : `` This further test site in the borough will make it easier for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regret that the park will be closed to visitors for a short period of time but our current priority is to get on top of this virus which is impacting on all of our lives .
`` The park will therefore close from this evening and we must ask members of the public who have not got a test appointment booked to stay away from the park until it re-opens .
We are hoping to re-open on Monday November 16 .
`` It ’ s really important if you have coronavirus symptoms to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as soon as possible to book an appointment in advance by calling 119 or visiting www.nhs.uk/coronavirus . ''
All people attending the centres must wear a face covering , with the exception of children under three years old , who must observe social distancing on site .
Children over three will only be admitted if they are wearing a face covering .
If they can not wear a face mask for medical reasons , then they should request a home test .
The testing centre is being operated in partnership with Serco and @ @ @ @ @

Something went wrong, please try again later.
Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.
Get the latest Black Country news straight to your inbox
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Get the latest Black Country news straight to your inbox
A popular park in Dudley is now temporarily closed to the public.
Himley Hall and Park has shut to make way for a drive-through Covid- 19 test centre which has been set up in the car park.
It comes following the recent sharp rise in positive coronavirus infections in the borough.
The park will be closed from 6pm on November 11 and is expected to reopen on November 16.
A pre-booked appointment is required before attendees will be allowed into the testing facility, which will be open seven days a week.
The other sites, which are walk-through test centres are on Flood Street car park (off Oakeywell Street) in Dudley and on Jackson Street car park in Lye. There is also a drive through mobile test site at Brierley Hill.
All those attending an appointment will be provided with guidance on getting to and from the test site safely, with additional support for vulnerable groups and people with disabilities.
Councillor Nicolas Barlow, cabinet member for health and adult social care, said: "This further test site in the borough will make it easier for residents to access testing.
"We regret that the park will be closed to visitors for a short period of time but our current priority is to get on top of this virus which is impacting on all of our lives.
"The park will therefore close from this evening and we must ask members of the public who have not got a test appointment booked to stay away from the park until it re-opens. We are hoping to re-open on Monday November 16.
"It’s really important if you have coronavirus symptoms to contact the NHS Test and Trace service as soon as possible to book an appointment in advance by calling 119 or visiting www.nhs.uk/coronavirus."
All people attending the centres must wear a face covering, with the exception of children under three years old, who must observe social distancing on site.
Children over three will only be admitted if they are wearing a face covering. If they cannot wear a face mask for medical reasons, then they should request a home test.
The testing centre is being operated in partnership with Serco and will offer self-administered tests.


birminghammail--2020-11-11--Biker dies three weeks after hit-and-run

A motorcyclist has died three weeks after being hit by a car in Coventry .
Biker Malachi McClelland suffered multiple injuries when he was struck by the vehicle - believed to be a black VW Golf - on Kenilworth Road .
Malachi was treated at the scene and taken to hospital following the October 17 crash .
Today , November 11 , his family issued a heartbreaking tribute to the 29-year-old who 'lit up a room ' .
His family , said : `` Malachi was the cheekiest character , he always had a care free , live for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ centre of attention and made people laugh .
`` His smile would light up the room .
He had the kindest soul and would go above and beyond for his family and friends .
`` He loved to be out on his bike and the freedom it gave him , he was always up for anything and recently did a skydive with his brother .
`` He loved his fitness and he loved music and would always be singing at the top of his voice never afraid of making a fool of himself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fled the scene of the collision .
Following analysis of a front nearside panel and fog light left behind at the scene , police believe the car involved was a black VW Golf GT model year between 2014 and 2016 , although the parts could have been fitted to a slightly different model as part of an upgrade or re-fit .
Two men , aged 65 and 34 , and a woman , aged 19 , were arrested on Monday , November 9 on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been released pending further enquiries .
Police investigations are continuing and officers want to speak to anyone who knows who was driving the Golf involved , or has any information about a Golf which has recently either been damaged or repaired .
Detective Sergeant Paul Hughes , of the Serious Collision Investigation Unit , said : `` We are doing all we can to support Malachi 's family in their grief .
“ Whilst these arrests and the seizure of a car are clearly significant steps forward , the investigation is far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a number of lines of enquiry to establish the facts surrounding this collision .
`` I would also appeal to whoever was driving that Golf , or who knows who was behind the wheel , to do the right thing and speak to us .
`` We want to get answers to what exactly happened that day for all who are involved . ''
Contact us , quoting log 3296 of 17 October , via Live Chat at www.west.midlands.police.uk , 8am to midnight , call 101 any time or email FL_COLLISION_INVEST @ west-midlands.pnn.police.uk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on 0800 555 111 .

Something went wrong, please try again later.
Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.
Never miss breaking news by signing up to our free email updates
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Never miss breaking news by signing up to our free email updates
A motorcyclist has died three weeks after being hit by a car in Coventry.
Biker Malachi McClelland suffered multiple injuries when he was struck by the vehicle - believed to be a black VW Golf - on Kenilworth Road.
Malachi was treated at the scene and taken to hospital following the October 17 crash.
He died on November 8.
Today, November 11, his family issued a heartbreaking tribute to the 29-year-old who 'lit up a room'.
His family, said: "Malachi was the cheekiest character, he always had a care free, live for the moment attitude. He loved to be centre of attention and made people laugh.
"His smile would light up the room. He had the kindest soul and would go above and beyond for his family and friends.
"He loved to be out on his bike and the freedom it gave him, he was always up for anything and recently did a skydive with his brother.
"He loved his fitness and he loved music and would always be singing at the top of his voice never afraid of making a fool of himself."
The driver of the vehicle fled the scene of the collision.
Following analysis of a front nearside panel and fog light left behind at the scene, police believe the car involved was a black VW Golf GT model year between 2014 and 2016, although the parts could have been fitted to a slightly different model as part of an upgrade or re-fit.
Two men, aged 65 and 34, and a woman, aged 19, were arrested on Monday, November 9 on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and a VW Golf car seized. All three have been released pending further enquiries.
Police investigations are continuing and officers want to speak to anyone who knows who was driving the Golf involved, or has any information about a Golf which has recently either been damaged or repaired.
Detective Sergeant Paul Hughes, of the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: "We are doing all we can to support Malachi's family in their grief.
“Whilst these arrests and the seizure of a car are clearly significant steps forward, the investigation is far from over and we continue to follow a number of lines of enquiry to establish the facts surrounding this collision.
"I would also appeal to whoever was driving that Golf, or who knows who was behind the wheel, to do the right thing and speak to us.
"We want to get answers to what exactly happened that day for all who are involved."
Contact us, quoting log 3296 of 17 October, via Live Chat at www.west.midlands.police.uk, 8am to midnight, call 101 any time or email FL_COLLISION_INVEST@west-midlands.pnn.police.uk. To remain completely anonymous call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.


birminghammail--2020-11-11--The areas near Tamworth and Lichfield where coronavirus cases have soared

Three areas near Tamworth and Lichfield have seen coronavirus cases skyrocket .
In the latest figures , Whittington , Hopwas and Clifton Campville have 39 new cases .
This constitutes a rise of 28 - meaning its rate is now 500.8 per 100,000 .
Coton Farm and Perry Crofts continues to have the highest rate in Tamworth with 51 cases , up by 1 ( 2 per cent ) and a rate of 555.2 .
Other hotspots identified last week have fallen .
• Amington , 30 cases , a drop in 11 ( 26.8 per cent down ) and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 28 cases , a drop in 7 ( 20 per cent ) and a rate of 337.9 .
Wilnecote East , however , is now also in purple ( meaning a rate of more than 400 ) with 30 cases , a rise in 10 ( 50 per cent ) and a rate of 401.4 .
• Wilnecote West and Hockley , 32 cases , up by 13 ( 68.4 per cent ) 334.1 • Belgrave , 25 cases , up by 7 ( 38.9 per cent ) , 361.4 • Bolehall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( 26.3 per cent ) , 323.5 • Kettlebrook , 23 cases , up by 7 ( 43.8 per cent ) and a rate of 381.2 , • Dosthill and Two Gates , 19 cases , down by 1 , 264.9 .
• Polesworth , Warton and Austrey , 29 cases , a dramatic fall of 30 ( 50.8 per cent ) 263.4 • Fazeley , Mile Oak and Drayton Bassett , 18 cases , up by 6 ( 50 per cent ) 242.9 • Dordon , Hurley and Wood End , 22 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ per cent ) 239.1 .
These are the seven–day rolling rate of new cases by specimen date ending on November 5 Jeremy Oates , Tamworth Borough Council ’ s Covid-19 lead , said : “ We are monitoring case rates , age groups and settings where people pick it up from whether it is work place , education or a care home , wherever , to get a picture of where the virus is in Tamworth and where it is spreading .
`` The key thing here is the smaller the size of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be .
“ So if you have a friend whose wife is positive and three people live in that household their rate is 33,000 per 100,000 because it is one third .
Whereas if you take them and their neighbours then that instantly halves it . ''
Alan White , leader of Staffordshire County Council , said : “ Each and every one of us must do everything we can to stick to the new rules , as we now have less than four weeks to show the Government we can turn this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a little too early to say whether the restrictions are working , but we need to be clear that if they don ’ t , more lives will be put at risk and businesses face being closed for longer .
“ This needs a collective effort like never before .
So please stick to the rules .
Do it for yourself , do it for your family , do it for schools , do this for local businesses .
Together let ’ s do it for Staffordshire .
”

Something went wrong, please try again later.
Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.
Get the latest news from Tamworth straight to your inbox
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Get the latest news from Tamworth straight to your inbox
Three areas near Tamworth and Lichfield have seen coronavirus cases skyrocket.
In the latest figures, Whittington, Hopwas and Clifton Campville have 39 new cases.
This constitutes a rise of 28 - meaning its rate is now 500.8 per 100,000.
Coton Farm and Perry Crofts continues to have the highest rate in Tamworth with 51 cases, up by 1 (2 per cent) and a rate of 555.2.
Other hotspots identified last week have fallen.
These are:
Amington, 30 cases, a drop in 11 (26.8 per cent down) and a rate of 393.2
Central Tamworth, 28 cases, a drop in 7 (20 per cent) and a rate of 337.9.
Wilnecote East, however, is now also in purple (meaning a rate of more than 400) with 30 cases, a rise in 10 (50 per cent) and a rate of 401.4.
Elsewhere in Tamworth:
Wilnecote West and Hockley, 32 cases, up by 13 (68.4 per cent) 334.1
Belgrave, 25 cases, up by 7 (38.9 per cent), 361.4
Bolehall, 24 cases, up by 5 (26.3 per cent), 323.5
Kettlebrook, 23 cases, up by 7 (43.8 per cent) and a rate of 381.2,
Glascote Heath, 22 cases, down by 2 (8.3) 314.3
Dosthill and Two Gates, 19 cases, down by 1, 264.9.
Nearby:
Kingsbury and Curdworth, 33 cases, no rise, 475
Polesworth,Warton and Austrey, 29 cases, a dramatic fall of 30 (50.8 per cent) 263.4
Fazeley, Mile Oak and Drayton Bassett, 18 cases, up by 6 (50 per cent) 242.9
Dordon, Hurley and Wood End, 22 cases, up by 1 (4.8 per cent) 239.1.
These are the seven–day rolling rate of new cases by specimen date ending on November 5
Jeremy Oates, Tamworth Borough Council’s Covid-19 lead, said: “We are monitoring case rates, age groups and settings where people pick it up from whether it is work place, education or a care home, wherever, to get a picture of where the virus is in Tamworth and where it is spreading.
"The key thing here is the smaller the size of the sample the higher the rate will be.
“So if you have a friend whose wife is positive and three people live in that household their rate is 33,000 per 100,000 because it is one third. Whereas if you take them and their neighbours then that instantly halves it."
Alan White, leader of Staffordshire County Council, said: “Each and every one of us must do everything we can to stick to the new rules, as we now have less than four weeks to show the Government we can turn this situation around.
“It is still a little too early to say whether the restrictions are working, but we need to be clear that if they don’t, more lives will be put at risk and businesses face being closed for longer.
“This needs a collective effort like never before. So please stick to the rules. Do it for yourself, do it for your family, do it for schools, do this for local businesses. Together let’s do it for Staffordshire.”