Summary

  • Paralympian says Rio games "chaos" shows "a real disrespect"

  • No heartbeat baby "frozen" to save her life

  • Surrendered knives to be turned into a giant sculpture

  • Teenage musician gets to appear on TV in Nashville

  • Updates from Friday 19 August 2016

Live Reporting

  1. Trip to the seaside for Redditch families

    One hundred and fifty children, staff and parents who access Early Help Services in Redditch, have had a trip to the seaside, paid for out of a local councillor's budget.

    The families went to Weston-super-Mare on Tuesday, with the cost being met by the councillor for Arrow Valley West, Pattie Hill, out of the funds Worcestershire County Council give her.

    Children on a beachWorcestershire County Council

    Every child should be able to experience one of our traditions, such as sandcastles, donkey rides, visiting a funfair or paddling in the sea. I really hope everyone had a great day."

    Councillor Pattie Hill

  2. Travel: Fuel spillage on Malvern road

    The fire service is warning there could be delays on Barnards Green Road.

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  4. Video: Ladder, treats and catch pole used to coax dog from roof

    Stephanie Barnard
    BBC Local Live

    A dog was coaxed away from a roof after it managed to get out while its owners were away.

    Firefighters and an animal rescue charity went to the house in Hollywood in Bromsgrove yesterday after the dog sitter spotted the family pet hanging out on the roof.

    Here's the moment the dog was rescued... which was followed by a well deserved applause!

    Stranded dog rescued from roof of house

  5. Special Christmas party 'one of the most amazing and the best'

    A local charity says helping a terminally ill 22-year-old from Kidderminster celebrate a special Christmas Day is one of the most rewarding things they've ever done. 

    Henry Smith's family appealed to the public for help organising the surprise after being told he was likely to die soon. 

    Christmas party

    Kinver Rotary Club provided a sleigh for yesterday's event and say it was an honour to be involved.

    We've been running the sleigh for 30 years now and we must have raised tens of thousands of pounds but what we did last night was for me one of the most amazing and the best."

    Ian Maddoc, Kinver Rotary Club

  6. Council website gets a weekend clean and polish

    The routine maintenance means that on Saturday you won't be able to access the council tax and benefits self-service page, online payments, planning applications and council meeting and minutes. 

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  7. Dog rescued from a woof: Spaniel coaxed off house

    Stephanie Barnard
    BBC Local Live

    A dog was rescued from the roof of a house after climbing out of a velux window while her owners were on holiday.

    Wythall Animal Sanctuary was contacted by a concerned pet sitter after the eight-year-old dog Springer Spaniel called Millie got stuck on the roof of a house in Hollywood in Bromsgrove.

    The dog's owners were due back on holiday that same day and "as you can imagine were rather surprised at seeing a picture of their dog sat on their roof when they had just stepped off a plane," say the charity. 

    Dog on roof in HollywoodWythall Animal Sanctuary
    Dog on a roofWythall Animal Sanctuary

    We managed to lean out the Velux window put the catch pole loop around her neck, secure it and pull her in through the window. Afterwards, 8 year old Millie had a long drink and seemed rather pleased with her antics.

    Alison Cookson, Wythall Animal Sanctuary

  8. Four held over Father's Day stab death

    Four people are arrested in connection with the death of Christian Bagley, who was stabbed to death on Father's Day.

    Read More

  9. A-level results day: Reaction from students

    Teenagers across Herefordshire and Worcestershire have been receiving their A-level results today.

    A record number of places at UK universities have been offered to students but the proportion of those gaining As and A stars has edged down very slightly for the fifth year in a row.

    BBC Hereford & Worcester met a group of students from Worcester Sixth Form College as they got their results.

    Students from Worcester Sixth Form College

    I did really well - I got 3 A*s and I've got a place at Oxford to read maths."

    Peter, Worcester Sixth Form College student

    I'm so please - I got on really well. I was nervous but I did it in sociology, religious studies and photography and I've got 3 A*s."

    Meg, Worcester Sixth Form College student

  10. Dive-bombing seagulls - your comments

    Here are some of the comments you've been posting on the BBC Hereford & Worcester Facebook page about whether enough is being done to tackle the problem of gulls in Worcester city centre.

    Rats with wings. They are awful and plague St Johns. So noisy. They wake you up daily at 5am."

    Dominic Joseph

    People should stop moaning and realise that this epidemic of sea gulls is man made - we take the fish from the sea so these birds have come inland to find food. Unfortunately us humans are greedy, also stop throwing your garbage away on the streets and then the gulls wont have the opportunity to scavenge. They are not rats with wings they are birds!"

    Yolanda Davies

    If people didn't feel the need to continuously stuff their faces whilst out and about and leave waste foods all over the place after consuming what is wanted the birds wouldn't have such easy pickings - remove the temptations and they will move on."

    Chrissie Love

  11. Watch: Afternoon weather forecast

    Alexandra Hamilton
    BBC Weather

    It will stay dry this afternoon, and it will still feel warm with some sunny spells - highs of  24C (75F).

    You can read a full forecast on the the BBC Weather page.   

    The weather for the West Midlands.

  12. On Midlands Today from 13:30: Joy or despair on A-level results day

    Elizabeth Glinka
    BBC Midlands Today

    On Midlands Today this lunchtime, the university admissions service UCAS says a record number of students have been offered places on courses.

    It comes as thousands of teenagers across the West Midlands receive their A-level results.  

    A Level results sheet

    The number of offers are up by 3% compared with last year - we'll have more from 13:30 on BBC One.

  14. Four arrests in connection with Father's Day death
    Breaking

    Four people from Hereford have been arrested in connection with the death of Christian Bagley (pictured) who died in the city on Father's Day last year.

    Christian BagleyWest Mercia Police

    West Mercia Police say two men, aged 27 and 36, have been arrested on suspicion of murder and remain in police custody at this time.

    Two women, aged 34 and 51, were also arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. They have both released on bail, police say.

    A murder investigation has been ongoing since Mr Bagley's death last year when he suffered two stab wounds as he walked under the Hunderton Bridge in Hereford.  

  15. Pershore plums helped win WW1 claims new book

    A new book reveals that Pershore's plum crop was so important that Belgian refugees, German prisoners of war and Irish workers were brought in to help with the harvest.

    How the Pershore Plum Won the Great War reveals the army bought up the plum crop while it was still on the trees to be turned into jam for troops at the front.

    Plum pickers in WW1Marshall Wilson collection

    The book also tells how the Women’s Institute was founded to help housewives produce, prepare and preserve food for their families.

    It is the result of a two-year collaboration between University of Worcester students, academics and Heritage Lottery funded projects carried out by Pershore’s Women’s Institute and Heritage and History Centre.

    Soldiers needed calories. It was the ability to feed troops and people at home, so soldiers didn't get letters saying ‘we’re starving’ which was vital for morale and kept the British fighting to the bitter end.”

    Prof Maggie Andrews, Lead author

  16. Latest: A-level results day; seagull problem; charity helps in special Christmas day

    Phil Maiden
    Reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester

    Here are some of the main stories we are looking at in Herefordshire and Worcestershire:

    - Teenagers across Herefordshire and Worcestershire have been receiving their A-level results today

    - Calls for more to be done about city centre seagulls

    - A charity says helping a terminally ill 22-year-old from Kidderminster celebrate a special Christmas Day is one of the most rewarding things they've ever done

  18. GB wheelchair basketball: From Worcester to Rio

    The team, based at the University of Worcester, are on their way to the Paralympic Games in Rio.

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  19. Eastham bridge: Council's online Q&A

    An online Q&A page about the future of Eastham Bridge, which collapsed into the River Teme in May, has been produced by Worcestershire County Council.

    Local people have expressed concern about the length of time it is taking to build a temporary replacement bridge, and over the rebuilding plans for the 18th Century Grade II listed original structure.

    Collapsed bridge

  20. Good news, bad news on the weather front

    There is a bank holiday coming, which is usually the cue for a change in weather.

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