Trevor Owens
Sports Editor, BBC Hereford & Worcester

Worcestershire County Cricket Club's highly rated wicketkeeper Ben Cox has signed a new four-year contract at New Road, external.

Cox, who made his first team debut seven years ago while still at school, has been in outstanding form during the past couple of seasons. The 24-year-old was the county's second highest scorer in Division One of the County Championship last season and had an 88% success rate in terms of catches taken behind the stumps.

Bromsgrove Standard

Bromsgrove District Council leader, Coun Margaret Sherrey, has announced she is standing down following a health scare, external.

A health campaigner says some of the most ill children in Worcestershire are going to suffer when all in-patients beds close at the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch. 

From September, children and their families will have to travel to Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

Neal Stote, from the Save the Alexandra Hospital campaign, said the Worcester site could not handle more patients.

He said the West Midlands Clinical Senate said last year, external there was not enough capacity there and "nothing has changed".

The hospital experienced what doctors believe was its busiest day ever at the weekend.  

The trust earlier said modelling suggested the Worcester site could cope with the extra patients.

BBC Travel

Drivers warned about heavy traffic.

Sara Blizzard
BBC Weather

Some patchy outbreaks of rain later with temperatures reaching 18C (64F).

West Mercia Police says they want to hear form anyone with information over the death of Christian Bagley in Hereford last June.

An appeal has been featured on BBC Crimewatch this morning.

The 30-year-old from Hereford was found collapsed with "significant" knife injuries to his arm and back and died in hospital.

A 30-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder earlier this year and was later bailed, police said.  

Plans to turn more hard shoulders into permanent driving lanes to ease motorway congestion should be scrapped, an MP committee says.

A scheme to upgrade the M5 motorway is currently ongoing.  

The government intends to turn hundreds of miles of hard shoulder in England into permanent lanes, known as "all-lane running", to expand capacity.  

The Transport Select Committee said the "dramatic change" would be dangerous.

The Department for Transport said "all-lane running" was designed to be as safe as ordinary motorways.

Police are still investigating the murder of Christian Bagley in Hereford last June.

The 30-year-old died in hospital after being stabbed in the arm and back under Hunderton Bridge. He had just visited his daughter.  

BBC Hereford and Worcester

Here's what we're looking at in the newsroom this morning:

- Worcester rugby director Dean Ryan has been released from his contract and will leave his role immediately, the Aviva Premiership club say

- All in-patient children's beds are going to be closed at the Alexandra hospital in Redditch, meaning patients will have to travel to Worcester from September

- As the first Syrian refugees begin to be resettled in Worcestershire this week, there are concerns from the people helping them that they could face racial animosity in the aftermath of the EU referendum

Ryan, a former Bristol, Newcastle Falcons and England back row guided Warriors to promotion from the Championship in 2015 - this year finishing 10th in the Premiership.

Worcester are set to hold a press conference at 12:30 today.

The reasons for Dean Ryan's departure are currently unclear, although there was speculation in the press last week that Ryan was unhappy, external with the money available to sign new players, and also linked him with a move to Premiership rivals Bath.

On Monday, Chief Executive jim O'Toole announced Ryan would have one of the "six best" playing budgets in the Premiership - thanks to a 25% budget increase.

Chief Executive Jim O'Toole (pictured) said Dean Ryan had been "instrumental" in Worcester Warriors' progress over the last three years, external as well as helping to develop a long-term plan for the club.

"Dean has also helped to build a team around him who are ready to step-up to the next level and build on that progress," he said.

Mr O'Toole said Ryan's post would not be directly filled, with many of his duties expected to be taken on by current Head Coach Carl Hogg and High Performance Director Nick Johnston. 

Image source, Getty Images

Worcester Warriors' Director of Rugby Dean Ryan has parted company with the club, external with "immediate" effect.

News that in-patient children's beds would close at the Alexandra Hospital, external comes just a day after a NHS advisory group approved much-criticised plans to permanently move some children's and maternity services from Redditch to Worcester.

That plan is now subject to public consultation.

All in-patient children's beds are set to close at the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch, from September, due to difficulties recruiting staff.

It means some of the most ill children in the county and their families will have to make the journey down to Worcester.    

Chief Executive Chris Tidman told BBC Hereford & Worcester the decision would only be reversed "if by some miracle" the trust was able to recruit enough paediatric doctors. 

He said modelling suggested Worcester would be able to cope with the extra patients.

BBC Hereford and Worcester

These are among our top stories today:

- All in-patient children's beds are set to close at the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch, from September, due to difficulties recruiting staff

- An MEP's expense claims for road journeys she never made would not have been paid if it was known she had travelled more cheaply by plane, a court has been told

- As the first Syrian refugees begin to be resettled in Worcestershire , externalthis week, there are concerns from the people helping them that they could face racial animosity

Sara Blizzard
BBC Weather

It will be a mainly dry, bright start to the day with an isolated shower possible. Some patchy outbreaks of rain arriving later.

Maximum Temperature: 18C (64F).

Welcome to Herefordshire and Worcestershire Live on Thursday morning. 

We'll be bringing you all the news, sport, travel and weather as it happens. 

If you'd like to get in touch you can email, tweet us on @bbchw, external or message via Facebook, external.