Summary

  • Child on child sex offences double in West Mercia force area

  • Body found in the River Severn yet to be identified

  • Firm promises £2.5m investment after brook polluted

  • 'Canary girls' tree tribute in Hereford

  • Updates on Friday 3 February 2017

  1. Breast cancer in father, son and unclepublished at 00:49 Greenwich Mean Time 6 February 2017

    Two men in Giles Cooper's family died from breast cancer - then he got the disease.

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  2. Path restored by raffle ticket salespublished at 16:27 Greenwich Mean Time 4 February 2017

    A path is restored after 8,000 raffle tickets are bought by visitors to an 18th century property

    Read More
  3. Our live coverage across the daypublished at 18:00 Greenwich Mean Time 3 February 2017

    Live updates for Herefordshire and Worcestershire have finished for the day but we'll be back from 08:00 on Monday with more live news, sport, travel and weather.

  4. Burglary arrest after chainsaw fitted with tracker stolenpublished at 17:56 Greenwich Mean Time 3 February 2017

    A 26-year-old man from Worcester has been arrested on suspicion of burglary after a chainsaw fitted with a tracking device, external was stolen from a shed in Wichenford, Worcestershire, police say. 

    A trailer and a buggy were also stolen on the same incident. 

    West Mercia Police say they have "a significant number of tracker items", such as power tools, cars and bikes. 

    These look perfectly normal but, if they are stolen, police can locate them and potentially identify suspects.    

  5. American author tops 'most borrowed' list at librariespublished at 17:50 Greenwich Mean Time 3 February 2017

    The crime thriller Bones Never Lie, by the American author Kathy Reichs, is the most borrowed library book in the whole of Worcestershire. 

    The top 10 most popular books being borrowed from libraries like The Hive on Worcester (pictured), between July 2015 and June 2016, have been revealed today. 

    The Hive

    Top 10 books borrowed in Worcestershire:

    1.  Bones Never LiebyKathy Reichs

    2. The Teashop on the Corner byMilly Johnson

    3. Summer at Shell CottagebyLucy Diamond

    4. War BabiesbyAnnie Murray

    5. It Started With ParisbyCathy Kelly

    6. The Children ActbyIan McEwan

    7. Afternoon Tea at the Sunflower CafebyMilly Johnson

    8. Gray MountainbyJohn Grisham

    9. The Silent SisterbyDiane Chamberlain

    10. The Little Beach Street Bakery byJenny Colgan

  6. Work on Stourport High School's new sixth form block well under waypublished at 17:41 Greenwich Mean Time 3 February 2017

    Kidderminster Shuttle

    The school, in Minster Road, secured £3.5m from the Education Funding Agency to create the state-of-the-art learning facilities , external- which will be used by 240 sixth form students.

  7. Latest: Reports of child-on-child sex offences rise; river body identified; 'cowboy' builder jailedpublished at 17:30 Greenwich Mean Time 3 February 2017

    BBC Hereford and Worcester

    Here are some of the stories we are looking at:

    - The number of sex offences carried out by children on other children doubles in three years  

    - Body found in River Severn identified as a missing man from Shropshire

    - "Cowboy" builder jailed for four years after admitting fraud

  8. Your question: Crossing Hereford's new roadpublished at 17:20 Greenwich Mean Time 3 February 2017

    We've been asked this via the BBC's Your Questions: What provision has been made for people wanting to cross the new road between Morrisons and [Hereford] station?

    The new road is part of the wider project Hereford 2020 project, external, which involves city centre refurbishment, an urban village, revamped walking and cycling facilities and southern link road.

    Herefordshire Council says the new road will have plenty of places where pedestrians or cyclists can cross safely.

    Crossing lights
    Quote Message

    The City Link Road, which is due for completion at the end of 2017, will include crossing provision for pedestrians at all of the junctions along the new road - at Edgar Street, Widemarsh Street, Station Approach and Commercial Road."

    Herefordshire Council statement

  9. Increase in child on child sex offencespublished at 17:19 Greenwich Mean Time 3 February 2017

    The number of reported child on child sexual offences doubled in 12 police force areas.

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  10. Rise in child-on-child sex offences: Young people 'more confident to go to police'published at 17:10 Greenwich Mean Time 3 February 2017

    A doubling in the number of recorded sex offences involving children on other children is a "cause for concern" say West Mercia Police, but also shows "young people and the wider communities are more confident about reporting to police".

    Figures obtained by the children's charity Barnardo's show the number of such offences rose by 128% in three years.

    Teenager with hands on headImage source, BBC/Science Photo Library

    West Mercia Police say the increase in the use of social media, both by victims and those carrying out sex crimes, has also contributed to the rise.

    Quote Message

    We will work hard to prosecute those responsible whilst also taking into account the wishes of the victim. Any sexual offences reported to the police receive a high priority, especially those involving children."

    Det Supt Alison Davies, West Mercia Police

  11. Travel: Gritters out in Worcestershirepublished at 17:02 Greenwich Mean Time 3 February 2017

    Temperatures are expected to drop tonight after a wet afternoon and evening, so the gritter fleet will be busy from 22:00.

    You can find out which roads have been gritted using the online maps produced by Herefordshire Council, external and Worcestershire County Council, external.   

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  12. 'Cowboy' builder jailed for fraudpublished at 16:52 Greenwich Mean Time 3 February 2017

    A builder has been jailed after pleading guilty to nine charges, including five of fraud, in a case brought by trading standards officers in Herefordshire.

    Robert Christopher Hughes, 25, of Duffledown View, Wyre Piddle bypass, Pershore, was jailed for four years at Worcester Crown Court yesterday.     

    Herefordshire Trading Standards say Hughes, trading under a false address in Pershore as R Hughes Roofing, placed large advertisements in local publications offering fake 50% discounts for roofing work, whilst falsely claiming to have a "TrustMark accreditation".  

    They say he would falsely claim there were other serious problems which needed urgent attention and then charge up to four times the going rate for this unnecessary work.

  13. The man with a titanium chestpublished at 16:42 Greenwich Mean Time 3 February 2017

    BBC News Magazine

    For seven years, part of Edward Evans's sternum was missing - the bone would normally have protected his lungs and heart.

    A single blow to his chest could have killed him.

    Now Mr Evans, from near Redditch, has become the first person in the UK to get a 3D-printed titanium replacement.

    Media caption,

    Edward Evans

  14. Travel: Rail line closed due to 'urgent repairs to the track'published at 16:40 Greenwich Mean Time 3 February 2017

    The railway line between Great Malvern and Colwall is shut so "urgent repairs to the track" can be carried out, London Midland says.

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  15. Heineken pays out £160k over fish deathspublished at 16:19 Greenwich Mean Time 3 February 2017

    Up to 3,000 fish were killed when polluted water got into a nearby brook.

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  16. Your questions: Crossing Hereford's new roadpublished at 16:11 Greenwich Mean Time 3 February 2017

    We've been asked this via the BBC's Your Questions: How is the new road between Morrisons and [Hereford] station supposed to help traffic and also what provision has been made for crossing it?

    The new road is part of the Hereford 2020 project, external, which involves city centre refurbishment, an urban village, revamped walking and cycling facilities and southern link road.

    Herefordshire Council says the new road is designed to "relieve some of the traffic from the centre of Hereford, particularly on Commercial Road and Blueschool Street". 

    It will also make it "easier and more enjoyable to walk around Hereford city", the council says.

    Plan of new Road in HerefordImage source, Herefordshire Council

    You can find more on the plans on the Herefordshire Council website, external, including photos of the work being carried out.

    That's why the road is being built - more on how easy it will be for people to cross it later.

    Work on new road in HerefordImage source, Herefordshire Council
  17. rugby union

    'Rugby is a great sport for women'published at 15:54 Greenwich Mean Time 3 February 2017

    #getinspired

    It's not only the men's Six Nations that kicks off this weekend. The women's equivalent gets under way, too, with Scotland hosting Ireland this evening,followed tomorrow by Wales v Italy and - arguably the pick of the ties - England v France at Twickenham

    The women's game is really taking off across the UK, so watch England full-back Danielle Waterman explain her love of rugby and the different versions you can play - and if you're inspired to pick up the oval ball yourself, check out our Get Inspired guide.

    England Women v France Women kicks off at 19:35 GMT on Saturday, with live coverage on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra, plus highlights of all three matches on BBC Two at 22:45 GMT.

  18. Body found in river is man missing from Shropshirepublished at 15:24 Greenwich Mean Time 3 February 2017

    The body found yesterday in the River Severn near Worcester is that of a missing man from Shropshire, external, police say.

    West Mercia Police say David Smith was reported missing from Bridgnorth on Sunday, 27 November - his next of kin have been informed.  

    Holt Fleet weirImage source, Google

    His body found in the River Severn at Holt Heath near Worcester yesterday.

    The emergency service began searching after a member of the public reported seeing a body going over the weir at Holt Fleet (pictured). 

    Police are not treating the death as suspicious.  

  19. Latest: Body in river identified: big rise in child on child sex crimes; Roger Curry petitionpublished at 15:06 Greenwich Mean Time 3 February 2017

    BBC Hereford and Worcester

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

    - A body found in the River Severn near Worcester yesterday has been identified as that of a missing Shropshire man

    - The number of recorded sex offences committed by children on children in the West Mercia area has doubled in three years

    - Petition to bring a mystery man from the USA found wandering in Hereford back to the city gathers support