BBC News Stoke & Staffordshire

From the Express and Star:

• Stafford's County Showground closes as vaccination centre
• New construction careers scheme launched for West Midlands ​
• 'No-nonsense' asylum seeker plan backed by Black Country MP

A pop-up Covid test centre closed early in Stoke-on-Trent after staff were abused, the city council said.

PA MediaCopyright: PA Media

The centre had been set up in the middle of Hanley on Tuesday and offered people lateral flow tests and home testing kits.

But staff packed up early after receiving anti-vaccine statements and general abuse.

Leader Abi Brown said it was "frankly inexcusable" and the council is reviewing whether to hold two more pop-up centres in the same area on Thursday and Saturday.

A mix of sunny spells and light, patchy cloudy today and it should stay dry. High: 22C/72F.

BBC Weather Watcher SuttonwalkerCopyright: BBC Weather Watcher Suttonwalker

The dry weather will continue tonight with some clear spells before turning cloudy for most places by dawn. Low: 13C/55F.

You can stay up-to-date on your local forecast at any time by going to the BBC Weather website.

A Stoke-on-Trent City Councillor has joined the Conservative party, taking the group's majority to 21 seats out of 44.

Councillor Candi Chetwynd, who represents Smallthorne, quit the Labour group earlier this year.

Stoke-on-Trent City CouncilCopyright: Stoke-on-Trent City Council

Announcing the change, she said she "needed to be part of the team that is delivering for our city".

However the Labour group branded her move "baffling", citing recent harsh criticisms of Conservative policies from the councillor.

In response, Councillor Chetwynd said: "The only team with a positive view and plan for Stoke-on-Trent is the Conservative team."

The Stoke-on-Trent Live website has these headlines today:

• Devastated friends launch fund-raiser after shock death
• Motorists and businesses warned as 26 weeks of roadworks start in Stoke-on-Trent
• Stoke-on-Trent man 'pivotal' in biggest human trafficking ring ever exposed in UK

Police are investigating after a woman was found dead at a house in Hartshill, Stoke-on-Trent, on Tuesday.

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

Staffordshire Police said officers were called to the address on Hartshill Road at about 04:00 by colleagues from West Midlands Ambulance Service.

A 26-year-old man was arrested in connection with the woman's death but has since been released under investigation.

The force said it was still working to establish the circumstances around the woman's death and appealed for anyone with information to come forward.

Here are some early views of the West Midlands from our local BBC Weather Watchers.

These three are from users Mr Twister in Leek, Staffordshire, Moose on the Loose in Eaton Bishop, Herefordshire and Lou in Baschurch, Shropshire.

Mr TwisterCopyright: Mr Twister

Moose on the LooseCopyright: Moose on the Loose

LouCopyright: Lou

Cloudy and dull for much of today but it should stay dry and the cloud may break up in places this afternoon bringing some sunny spells. High: 21C/70F.

BBC Weather Watcher TippytoesCopyright: BBC Weather Watcher Tippytoes

The cloud will keep breaking up tonight leaving skies largely clear by dawn and it should stay dry throughout. Low: 12C/54F.

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

JCB has started a recruitment drive to employ 500 agency shop floor staff at its factories in Staffordshire, Derbyshire and Wrexham.

About 300 agency employees will also be offered permanent contracts.

In March the Uttoxeter-based digger maker announced it was hiring more than 400 agency employees, on top of jobs previously announced, bringing the total number of permanent jobs to 1,000, the company said.

Volunteers are being asked to help carry out a survey to find out how many bats live in churches across the West Midlands.

BBCCopyright: BBC

It's estimated more than half of the region's churches house the flying mammals, which are protected by law.

People are being asked to take part in a national study that aims to work out what impact they're having on their surroundings.

A points failure between Walsall and Rugeley Trent Valley is causing disruption on all lines between the two stations, West Midlands Railway said.

The operator said train services running through the stations may be cancelled or delayed.

Disruption is expected to last until around 11:00 BST.

It is set to be a dry day with some brighter spells and highs of 20°C (68°F).

This was the scene earlier in Leek, Staffordshire, as captured by BBC Weather Watcher Videoman.

VideomanCopyright: Videoman

Coronavirus rates have continued to climb across the West Midlands, according to the latest official figures.

Of the 30 local authority areas in the region, just two - Herefordshire and Nuneaton & Bedworth - saw falls in their rates in the seven days up to and including 24 June.

Twelve areas saw their rates at least double in a week, including Sandwell, Coventry, Shropshire, North Warwickshire and Stafford.

BBCCopyright: BBC

Tamworth saw its rate rise by 438%. The number of new cases rose from 37 to 199 in a week.

Warwick had the highest rate in the West Midlands over the same period - 285 new infections per 100,000 people, up from 88.

Five weeks ago, there were just nine new cases in Warwick reported over the week. By 24 June, that had risen to 410.

Birmingham has seen more modest rises in its rate of new infections in recent weeks, but, due to the size of its population, continues to have some of the highest case numbers in England.

About 10,000 pupils and staff in Newcastle-under-Lyme are to be tested for Covid-19 after a surge in cases in the area.

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

Staffordshire Council said an extra 5,000 PCR tests were being deployed to six schools and students at Keele University and Newcastle College were also urged to get tested.

"The testing is an effort to stop the spread of Covid-19, which has seen cases soar in recent weeks. Cases currently stand at 104 per 100,000, with most cases being seen in the 11-34 age group," the council said.

Most cases were of the more transmissible Delta variant.

Dr Richard Harling, the authority's director for health and care, said nearly 3,000 people had been tested after "tremendous efforts from our schools in the past week".

JCB has launched a recruitment drive for 500 new shop floor staff as the firm said demand for its products "continues to soar".

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

In March, the Uttoxeter-based digger maker announced plans to hire 450 agency staff on top of another 400 in February.

The latest agency staff will be spread over the company's 11 factories in Staffordshire, Derbyshire and Wrexham.

JCB said it would also give permanent contracts to another 300 existing staff members.