Summary

  • Risk summit held to ensure hospital's 'patient safety maintained'

  • Man jailed for possessing an offensive weapon in a public place

  • Flood teams on standby for Storm Barbara

  • Facebook campaign for dog missing for a year

  • Updates on Friday 23 December

  1. Watch: Weather for Herefordshire and Worcestershirepublished at 08:16 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2016

    Alex Hamilton
    BBC Weather

    It will be breezy but dry this morning with sunny spells. 

    However, heavy rain and very strong gusty winds will sweep in this afternoon, bringing difficult driving conditions. Gusts of 40 mph will affect exposed spots. Highs of 11C (52F). 

    Media caption,

    Weather for the West Midlands.

  2. Good morning from today's Herefordshire and Worcestershire live pagepublished at 08:00 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2016

    Jerry Chester
    BBC News Online

    Welcome to the Local Live service for Herefordshire and Worcestershire on Friday morning, and it could get very windy thanks to Storm Barbara. 

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

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

  3. Poorly children diverted as ward shutspublished at 18:58 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2016

    Poorly children are diverted to hospitals dozens of miles away after a children's ward became full.

    Read More
  4. Our live coverage across the daypublished at 18:00 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2016

    We'll be back with our usual mix of news, sport, travel and weather from 08:00 tomorrow, but keep an eye out here for more updates this evening and into the morning.

  5. City players bring presents to children's wardpublished at 17:56 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2016

    Players and staff took presents to the children's wards in Worcester.

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  6. Yellow weather warning for high windspublished at 17:41 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2016

    There's a yellow weather warning for high winds across the West Midlands, external tomorrow issued by the Met Office.

    Wind could reach speeds of 50-60mph, with gusts of 70mph in places, between 12:00 and 18:00 on Friday.

    There could also be a short period of  "heavy rainfall", the Met Office is also warning.

    Bridge closed sign
  7. Watch: Weather for this evening and tomorrowpublished at 17:30 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2016

    Shefali Oza
    BBC Midlands Today

    It will be a dry night tonight with clear spells. A frost is likely however towards dawn it will become cloudy and the winds will strengthen as Storm Barbara approaches. Lows of 4C (39F). 

    Media caption,

    Weather forecast for West Midlands

  8. Travel: Gritting crews out as temperatures fallpublished at 17:22 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2016

    You can find out which routes gave been gritted on the Worcestershire County Council, external and the Herefordshire Council, external online maps.

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  9. Antarctic expedition nears its Christmas Day goalpublished at 17:14 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2016

    A group of army reservists, led by a Hereford man, are now less than 90 nautical miles (167km) away from the south pole.  

    Lou Rudd has been leading the team, which includes Bromsgrove paramedic Chris Brookes, on a 1,000-mile (1,600km) unsupported skiing expedition across the Antarctic.

    Lou RuddImage source, Lou Rudd

    They're raising money for ABF the Soldiers Charity and aim to reach the most southerly point of the planet on Christmas Day.

  10. Latest: PC dismissed over funeral medals; South Police skiers on track; high winds warningpublished at 17:00 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2016

    Claudia Berry
    Producer, BBC Hereford & Worcester

    Here are some of the stories we are looking at this afternoon:

    - Police officer dismissed for gross misconduct after wearing medals he wasn't entitled to at a funeral

    - South Pole expedition closes in on Christmas Day goal

    - Yellow warning from the Met Office for high winds tomorrow as Storm Barbara hits land

  11. Rugby: Dates confirmed for Warriors' next European gamespublished at 16:37 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2016

    Here are the dates for Warriors' fixtures against Brive, away, and against Enisei-STM, at Sixways.

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  12. Drink drive warning from councilpublished at 16:33 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2016

    These shocking statistics have been released by Herefordshire Council.

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  13. New help for tourists in Worcesterpublished at 16:20 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2016

    Visitors who want to find out more about the city will find it easier to find the Tourist Information Centre (TIC) thanks to a new sign.

    The TIC adjoins Worcester’s Grade I listed Guildhall, but its entrance is tucked away to the side of the main entrance, and is not visible from the High Street    

    Tourist Information Centre signImage source, Worcester City Council

    The Guildhall’s listed status means there are restrictions to what changes can be made to the building’s exterior.

    However the City Council’s Planning and Conservation Officer, Dr Paul Collins, noticed on archive photos that a sign had previously existed on its façade.  

    Further investigation revealed that listed building consent would not be required for new signage.

  14. Christmas trees with a difference help raise funds for churchpublished at 15:49 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2016

    BBC Hereford and Worcester

    A Worcestershire church has an alternative collection of specially designed Christmas trees on display this week.

    The Women's Institute of Wyre Piddle are trying to raise £13,000 towards the restoration of a rare 15th Century stained-glass window at St Anne's church in the village.

    Christmas tree made from gloves
    Christmas tree made from boxes
  15. Travel: 'Sinkhole' road reopenspublished at 15:41 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2016

    Woolhope Road in Worcester has now reopened

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    Road closed
  16. Police officer dismissed for gross misconductpublished at 15:34 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2016

    A West Mercia police officer has been dismissed "with immediate effect" forgross misconduct after wearing medals he was not entitled to at a funeral, external, the force says.

    PC Richard Allen, 36, had been with the force for 11 years and was most recently based in Kidderminster.

    A disciplinary hearing found he had "breached the standards of professional behaviour in the areas of honesty and integrity" by:

    - Wearing medals that he was not entitled to wear at a funeral

    - Giving a dishonest account regarding the wearing of the medals

    - Failing to report an unmanageable debt

    - Giving a dishonest account regarding his unmanageable debt  

    The family of 42-year-old PC Richard Allen, who also works in Kidderminster, but lives in Worcester, would like to point out he is not the officer who has been dismissed. 

  17. Rare 'Indian star' tortoise stolenpublished at 15:21 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2016

    A rare Indian star tortoise (of the type shown below) has been stolen from a summer house in Hereford, external, police say.

    Chuckles, who measures just under 10cms (4in),  was taken from a house in Hinton Crescent on Monday

    Indian star tortoiseImage source, Hafiz Issadeen