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
West Mercia Police is appealing for witnesses after the EE phone shop on Bromsgrove High Street was targeted on Sunday.
Three men forced their way through the front door at about 15:35, taking cash and phones thought to be worth several thousand pounds before leaving.
The snowdrops are out at Hereford Cathedral.
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After years helping loved up brides find their perfect dress - one bridal shop owner found his perfect match, external working alongside him.
There's a warning of high winds across Shropshire, Staffordshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire on Friday.
The Met Office says, external there could be gusts of 60 to 70 mph in places.
Image source, Met OfficeIt warns of possible damage to trees, power lines and buildings and delays on the roads.
Maintenance works will reduce the number of car parking spaces in Headless Cross next week.
The car park off Headless Cross Drive wlll undergo repair work, including the removal of an old concrete area and replacement with bitmac surface.
Redditch Borough Council said the repairs should take about three days.
Image source, GoogleQuote MessageWe apologise for any inconvenience caused to residents whilst the work is taking place and hope to get it completed as quickly and efficiently as possible."
Guy Revans, Redditch Borough Council
There's been some good news for five-year-old Jack Atkins-Turner and his family, who have been raising money to pay for pioneering treatment using stem cells from his unborn brother.
They had been raising money to help them go from Bromsgrove to the USA to get the treatment for Jack, who was born severely disabled after being starved of oxygen at birth.
Image source, Catherine AtkinsThey were more than halfway towards their target of £2,500, and now blood bank company, Cells4Life, say they'll make sure Jack will be able to get the treatment.
A homeless man beat a woman so badly her face became detached from her skull, external and she was left lying in a pool of her own blood near the riverside in Bewdley.
It's not been a great day weather-wise so far, but will the picture improve?
Here's Sara with the forecast.
Latest weather for the West Midlands
These are the leading stories across Herefordshire and Worcestershire this lunchtime:
- The family of a severely disabled Bromsgrove schoolboy hope stem cells from his unborn brother can be used for a new treatment
- Hereford library reopens after 17 months
- Plans for a new railway station in Worcester have been approved
Pablo Haysham has been an influential player for Hereford FC this season, but Bulls manager, Peter Beadle, has warned him to watch himself on the pitch.
The midfielder, who recently served a four-match ban for his second red card of the season, was booked during Saturday's match against Tiverton Town, and later was spoken to by the referee after another foul.
Image source, Getty ImagesQuote MessageThere's a lot of players here for me who need to learn the game better, their game management needs to be better, and if Pablo's been booked he's got to learn to play on a booking."
Peter Beadle, Hereford FC manager
Nicola Goodwin
Reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester
It's been shut for 17 months, after asbestos was found during refurbishment work, but Hereford library finally re-opened its doors again this morning.
The building now looks a bit different, too, with offices for local service groups and charities, a new computer area and public toilets.
It may be the start of a very big transformation, as campaigners are still hoping to turn the Broad Street site into an £8m state-of-the-art learning centre and museum.
Image source, GoogleQuote MessageThe current refurbishment has been far better than I could have expected. It's bright and it's welcoming, and I was overjoyed when I came here to have a look around - it really is a completely different place already."
John Hitchin, Hereford Library Users' Group
A Worcester woman who offered to supply heroin, external has been warned she must attend key appointments if she is to stay out of jail.
Phil Maiden
Reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester
The Department for Transport has given the go-ahead for a new railway station for Worcester.
Worcestershire Parkway will be built at Norton, near junction 7 of the M5, and is planned to be open in two years.
The county council will now award a contract for the construction work.
Image source, Worcestershire County CouncilQuote MessageThis is really good news for Worcestershire. The new station will improve journey times for Worcestershire's rail commuters, cut travel times to and from London and improve links to other major cities."
Ken Pollock, Worcestershire County Council
A Hereford family were ‘terrorised’ in their home, external as a drunken man smashed their property during a 45-minute daytime ordeal, a court heard.
Claudia Berry
Producer, BBC Hereford & Worcester
The Bromsgrove family of a severely disabled schoolboy are hoping stem cells from his unborn brother can be used to improve the quality of his life.
Five-year-old Jack Atkins-Turner is unable to walk or talk and has epilepsy, but his family hope to collect the stem cells from his brother's unbilical cord when he's born in June.
Stem cell transplants are not yet available in the UK, but the family hope Jack will soon be well enough to travel to the USA for treatment.
Image source, Catherine AtkinsQuote MessageTo try to make his life more comfy, and to reduce the spasticity, we are really hoping for a stem cell transplant in order to repair the damage to the stem cells in his brain and hopefully help the spasticity in his legs and maybe help his arm movements be more controlled."
Catherine Atkins, Jack's mother
Phil Maiden
Reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester
Here are some of the main stories this morning across Herefordshire and Worcestershire:
- A new stem cell treatment could be set to change the life of a severely disabled boy from Bromsgrove
- The Department for Transport approves plans for a new railway station in Worcester
- Former world champion and Olympian Steve Cram will launch Worcester's first half-marathon
Worcester is joining Hereford in getting its very own half marathon.
It's being launched by Olympic silver medalist and former 1500 metre world champion, Steve Cram.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe race will join the city's 10k race, and it will form part of the Worcester City Run weekend in September.
Worcester Warriors have confirmed Bill Bolsover has taken over as the club's new chairman.
He takes over from Anthony Glossop who, as planned, steps down on reaching his 75th birthday, but who will remain on the board.
Image source, Getty ImagesWarriors have also confirmed Edward Griffiths is working as a consultant for the club on a short-term review of the Sixways rugby operation.
Phil Maiden
Reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester
Here are some of the main stories we are looking at in Herefordshire and Worcestershire:
- Pioneering stem cell treatment could be set to change the life of a severely disabled boy from Bromsgrove
- A Worcester pizza shop that was set fire to has been targeted by arsonists for a second time
- Hereford library, museum and art gallery re-opens after 17 months
Nicola Goodwin
Reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester
Hereford library, museum and art gallery is re-opening today after being closed for 17 months.
The library was refurbished when asbestos was found in the building, and work has been done to modernise the library with a suite of new computers.
Image source, GoogleTo mark the opening, the museum and gallery is launching an exhibition to celebrate the life and work of Herefordshire artist, Brian Hatton.
