Plan to cut operations defended by GP
Woman sexually assaulted by a man pretending to be a taxi driver
'Plague' skeletons found during church building work
Woman who beat muscle-wasting illness to row the Atlantic
Updates on Friday 27 January 2017
Here are some of the main stories we are looking at this afternoon:
- Children as young as eight have been caught with weapons in schools in the West Mercia Police area
- A new training academy for the engineers of the future has opened in Redditch
- Work to replace Eastham Bridge near Tenbury Wells reaches a major milestone
Areas of freezing fog tonight and into tomorrow could cause difficult driving conditions, says the Met office.
Its yellow warning of fog , externalis valid from 17:00 this evening to 11:00 tomorrow.
Image source, Met officeWorcester Civic Society is asking for suggestions of places in and around the city that should be commemorated with a blue plaque.
The society has already installed a number of plaques identifying the sites of the old city gates and the homes of notable people who have lived there in the past.
The plaques could also be placed on buildings that have been modernised and are no longer used for their original purpose, such as the Vinegar Works.
Image source, Worcester Civic SocietyQuote MessageWe are looking for the people who can tell us the places they think we should recognise with a blue plaque, with a bit of information and detail, that they and their neighbours, or people visiting our city, could find out. We could do a heritage trail of them."
Sandra Taylor, member of Worcester Civic Society
An appeal has gone out for new volunteer lock keepers to keep canals in the West Midlands region moving.
Read MoreWorcester Wolves yesterday made it two wins from two in the BBL for the weekend when they came away from London Lions with a 100-71 victory.
The Wolves also won at league leaders, Newcastle Eagles, on Friday evening.
After that game, coach Paul James said he was "super proud" of his team.
It is the end of an era as work to demolish the former Wyre Forest Glades Leisure Centre, external has begun.
Here are some of the main stories we are looking at this afternoon:
- The Tunisian terror attack in which a Worcester university student died has been described as "like an execution"
- Children as young as eight have been caught with weapons in schools in the West Mercia Police area
- A new training academy for the engineers of the future has opened in Redditch
Peter Hunt
Court correspondent
The inquest into the deaths of 30 Britons murdered by an gunman in Tunisia two years ago, including University of Worcester student Joel Richards, has heard the killer described in a statement as "appearing placid and looking as if he was doing a normal job".
In another statement, one of the survivors, Simon Greeves, recalled seeing the killer, Seifeddine Rezgui, standing over someone.
Quote MessageHe fired a single shot - it was like an execution."
Simon Greeves, Beach attack survivor
Image source, Richards familyThe MP for Worcester Robin Walker says a proposal to open a medical school in the city could encourage more doctors to stay working in the area long-term.
The University of Worcester is considering plans to start training around 70 doctors a year by the end of the decade.
It follows plans announced by the Secretary of State for Health to create an extra 1500 training places nationally from 2018.
Quote MessageIf you have a pipeline of doctors who are training up locally and who are part of the local community, they are more likely to stay long-term, but also many medical professionals want to play a part in training the next generation and so from that perspective as well, it can give greater career satisfaction."
Robin Walker, Conservative MP for Worcester
Dave Bradley
Sports commentator
Worcester Warriors say they will not be commenting on reports in the rugby press that the former Bath and London Irish head coach Gary Gold, and former Saracens chief executive Edwards Griffiths, will be joining the Sixways club as consultants.
They have also played down rumours that the former Leicester Tiger’s boss Richard Cockerill would be moving to the club.
The Warriors say they will not comment on speculation.
Image source, Getty ImagesJohn Lewis has confirmed it's not looking at any further plans to open a store in Worcester.
The company was planning to open a store as part of the Worcester Woods development, but the plans for a retail park in the Ronkswood area were rejected by the city council.
The developers Land Securities say they are considering an alternative scheme for the Worcester Woods site.
Image source, Land SecuritiesA memorial seat swept out to sea is returned after a social media appeal
A family has been reunited with a memorial bench which was swept out to sea and washed up 60 miles away.
The seat, dedicated to teenager Archie Thomas, was placed in a spot he loved in Port Isaac, Cornwall.
Dog walker Kathryn Challis found it on Saunton Beach in North Devon on New Year's Day and began a Facebook appeal.
Archie's family was traced to Worcester and his sister Emily Thomas said taking the bench back to the place they chose to remember her brother was "special".
Record label Angel Air Records says the musician died of cancer on Sunday.
Read MoreThe fog has now lifted in Hereford, as captured by BBC Weather Watcher Janiejane13.
Image source, Janiejane13Children as young as eight have been caught with weapons in schools in the West Mercia area over the past three years.
In response to a freedom of information request, the police say there were 29 offences involving weapons in schools involving children aged 16 or under between 2014 and 2016.
Knives, blades and sharp objects were the most common weapons, but on three occasions firearms such as BB guns were also found.
A charity has opened a quiet, non-clinical room to try and provide support to families who have had a stillborn baby, external.
Charlie Slater
BBC Weather presenter
A dry day ahead with some sunshine developing, along with plenty of cloud.
Highs of 6C (43F).
Latest weather for the West Midlands
Kidderminster Harriers pulled off a 1-0 win over local rivals AFC Telford United at the weekend, thanks to a late strike from Darryl Knights.
Worcester City drew 0-0 in their game at Alfreton Town, while Hereford FC romped to a 0-2 win at Yate.
Phil Maiden
Reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester
Here are some of the main stories we are looking at this lunchtime:
- A man has suffered leg and back injuries after being hit by a car in Malvern driven by a man fleeing a petrol station without paying
-The Hereford army reservist Lou Rudd has been praised by his team mates for leading the group more than 1,000 miles across the Antarctic
- Doctors and consultants in Worcester have welcomed plans by the city's university to develop a medical school in the city
A group of adventurers, led by a Hereford man, are celebrating becoming the first British team ever to ski across the Antarctic unaided and unsupported.
Lou Rudd and his team of army reservists, including Bromsgrove paramedic Chris Brooke, took 66 days to cover more than 1,000 miles.
It was taken on as a tribute to Herefordshire explorer Henry Worsley, who died attempting the first solo crossing under the same conditions.
Image source, Spear 17Quote MessageOnce we've flown to the base at Union Glacier, we’re going to eat all of the food they have and then jump on to a plane to Chile before they realise! There’s certainly some recovery to be done, and fortunately we have some time in Chile before we get back to the UK to give us that chance, that chance of at least looking like half the men we were when we left, before we’re reunited with our families and our partners."
Jamie Facer-Childs, team member
