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Coronavirus infections fell by almost a third in England during the second national lockdown, research suggests.

The latest weekly figures from Public Health England show all 30 local authority areas in the West Midlands again recorded a fall in new cases.

The biggest week-on-week drop was in Lichfield, where the rate fell from 370.4 to 194.7 per 100,000 people for the week up to 25 November.

Stoke-on-Trent and Dudley remain the highest in the region, and among the highest in England, although Dudley saw its rate fall from 506.5 to 338.9.

Both areas are set to enter tier three when lockdown ends on 2 December.

The trust that runs Royal Stoke University Hospital says it is seeing "significant pressure" in its critical care department.

Last week, the University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust moved its internal incident level to level 4 for Critical Care - the highest available.

Image source, Google

It said it has been receiving support from neighbouring trusts with additional critical care capacity and it was seeing a steady fall in the number of patients requiring a critical care bed.

Chief Executive Tracy Bullock said the trust had taken action as part of its surge plans "to prioritise urgent and emergency care and ensure our sickest patients receive timely treatment".

Stoke-on-Trent remains has the highest rate of new Covid-19 cases in the West Midlands, and one of the highest in England.

However, the rate of infections in the city have fallen for at least two consecutive weeks and it said that was having a positive impact on reducing the number of people in hospital.

Super League side Warrington Wolves cancel the contract of former Wigan centre Anthony Gelling by mutual consent.

Benjamin Wilkinson caused Steven Carey "catastrophic injuries" in a street fight over a debt, police say.

Sara Blizzard
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It will be an overcast day with some patchy rain or drizzle and highs of 10°C (50°F).

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

Students have lost hundreds of days of education to Covid and self-isolation. How are they coping?

The Wye Valley Brewery is looking at partnerships with local takeaways, so its pubs can fulfill tier two requirements to serve "substantial meals".

Its founder, Peter Amor, said pubs that don't serve meals has been "let down" under the restrictions due to be imposed next week and argued they are "probably a lot safer than supermarkets".

Image source, Google

The brewery operates eight pubs and Mr Amor said staff had worked very hard to make them safe for customers, but faced having to stay shut unless they can serve meals with their beer.

A move from tier three to tier two restrictions across Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire could be a "realistic" hope before Christmas, according to West Midlands Mayor Andy Street.

The government has said the tiers will be reviewed on 16 December.

Mr Street's comments were made at a regional coronavirus briefing on Friday afternoon.

In Warwickshire, restrictions have jumped from tier one pre-lockdown to tier three and the leaders of two district councils have written to the government in protest.

Coventry and Warwickshire were "much closer to the tier two threshold," than other parts of the region, said Mr Street.

“It has been said by ministers that that was a finely balanced call so I think it is still realistic for that area of the region to hope there will be a change pre-Christmas.

"But it will all still be dependent on the five indicators and them continuing to move in the right direction.”

Traders and MPs say they are baffled as Warwickshire faces the strictest restrictions post-lockdown.

Rhys Reynolds has been ordered to be detained after killing Tony McCorry in his own home.

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Shropshire and Telford could have been moved to tier three restrictions, if MPs and council leaders hadn't objected, the MP for the Wrekin has said.

Yesterday it was announced that both would be in tier two, but Mark Pritchard said there had been "temptation in some parts of government" to place the two authority areas in with the West Midlands Combined Authority.

Mr Pritchard also said: "Credit to all the MPs and indeed council leaders, for making the united case strongly together to say no we have much lower infection rates than the average in the West Midlands."

He described the return to tier two as a "half victory", but hoped it would allow businesses to operate and that restrictions would be further eased closer to Christmas.

William Henry and Brian McIntosh were found dead in a car park in Brierley Hill, Dudley, in September.

Why was the civil rights activist in a small industrial town in the Midlands?

Tamer Moustafa killed wife, Nelly and neighbour Zahida Bi, in a "drug-fuelled rage", say police.

Fog patches across the West Midlands could cause some travel disruption, the Met Office is warning.

Image source, Met Office

It has issued which is in place until 12:00.

Sara Thornton
����ý Weather

It will be a mostly dry but cold day with some patchy fog yet also bright spells and highs of 4°C (39°F).

Paul Dance, who hated wearing glasses, "found his vision deteriorated" after corrective surgery.

A swathe of areas in the region will be placed in tier three - the highest alert category.