Ledbury is getting a royal visit today as the Duke of Gloucester will be visiting the recently restored Market House. 

The 15th Century building is now home to the town's library, information hub and registry office as well as a number of charities. 

Image source, Google

The Queen's cousin is also visiting the country market, the Salter's Hill disability charity and drinks firm Bevisol.

The Primrose Hospice has appealed to its 1,930 supporters who have not returned their gift aid forms to send them back as soon as possible as it could potentially raise the charity £100,625.25.  , external

A lorry driver is facing paying £800 to release his vehicle after Central Motorway Police Group (CMPG) stopped him for no tax at Strensham Services on the M5 this morning.

Dave Bradley
BBC Hereford and Worcester Sport

Thousands of fans will be hoping for a victory from Bromsgrove Sporting FC this weekend, as they edge closer to Wembley. 

Midland Football League Division One team will take on Buckland Athletic in the FA Vase quarter final at their Victoria Ground home in the town. 

Listen to BBC Hereford and Worcester's coverage from 14:25 on Sunday.

There's a warning more pubs could be set to close across Herefordshire and Worcestershire, as landlords get hit by a big rise in business rates. 

CVS, a national rates specialist, say that over the next five years, 790 pubs across the two counties will collectively have to pay more than £2m more in taxes. 

Image source, PA

However, across other commercial sectors - like offices and shops - new rates from the 1 April will have a more positive effect, the firm says.  

Worcester News

A Worcestershire MP has made a fresh plea for community hospital beds to survive the chop - after figures revealed they are occupied more than 90% of the time, external.

Seven-year-old Chloe Bridgewater, who hit the headlines yesterday for her letter to the "Google boss" has been offered a tour of the firm's London offices.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai personally replied to the Herefordshire schoolgirl's handwritten "job application".

He told her to follow her dreams and that she could "accomplish everything you set your mind to". 

Image source, Andy Bridgewater

Charlie Slater
BBC Weather presenter

A mild start to a mainly cloudy day, with the risk of a few showers and highs of 11C (52F).

Welcome to Herefordshire and Worcestershire Live on Friday morning. 

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

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

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.

A Worcestershire businessman is aiming to raise £100,000 for Cancer Research UK, by trekking to the north pole. 

Dean Attwell is from Redditch and will be leaving on 10 April for his polar mission, which could take up to 16 days, with temperatures as low as -45C (-49F).

Nick Owen
Presenter, BBC Midlands Today

On Midlands Today this evening we'll have news on a puppy farmer in the region who bred and sold sick and dying puppies to members of the public who has been jailed for six months. 

A total of 37 puppies were seized, as well as one dead dog found in a plastic bag in a van parked at the farm. 

Image source, RSPCA

We'll also look at the most eagerly awaited Midlands by-election for many years as we are a week away from the Stoke-on-Trent Central vote. 

Both those stories and more from 18:30 on BBC One.

BBC Hereford and Worcester

The man tasked with making significant improvements to the trust running Worcestershire's hospitals by 10 March admits he won't be able to turn things around fully in that time. 

Richard Beeken is the new interim chief executive of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, which has been given the deadline by the Care Quality Commission - having been in special measures since 2015. 

Waiting time targets at the Worcestershire Royal have consistently been missed and in December 84 patients were kept waiting for treatment for more than 12 hours.

Former Worcestershire captain Daryl Mitchell takes over as the new chairman of the Professional Cricketers' Association.

Rebecca Wood
BBC Midlands Today

Patchy rain arriving this evening, giving a damp night for many with lows of 7C (45F).

The new arrival at West Midland Safari Park is exciting staff there because he is a Rothschild's giraffe - a breed which is currently listed as "endangered" by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The IUCN's co-chair Dr Julian Fennessy has warned they face a "silent extinction".

And the safari park has decided to name this baby giraffe in his honour - calling him Fennessy.

Kidderminster Shuttle

A rare giraffe has been born at West Midland Safari Park - the third baby welcomed into the herd in just six months.  , external

BBC News England

A schoolgirl from Hereford who contacted the boss of Google asking for a job has already shown her "entrepreneurial" spirit, her parents say.

After discussing her father's work, seven-year-old Chloe Bridgewater (pictured below centre with her family) decided she would like to work for the firm, so penned a letter beginning "dear Google boss".

Image source, ANDY BRIDGEWATER/PA WIRE

Father Andy Bridgewater said besides her love of swimming - 20 lengths on Tuesdays with her mum - Chloe has also volunteered to clean the kitchen for 20p a time

A family says two disabled children would have to travel for up to two hours to visit alternatives.

BBC Sport

The former Worcestershire skipper Daryl Mitchell has become the third cricket skipper from the county to be named chairman of the Professional Cricketers' Association . 

Image source, BBC Sport

The 33-year-old batsman has replaced Glamorgan wicketkeeper Mark Wallace, who  retired on 10 February.

Mitchell, replaced by Joe Leach as county captain at the end of the 2016 season, becomes the 14th PCA chairman since its creation in 1967.

Previous Worcestershire skippers to take on the role were Tim Curtis (1989-96) and Vikram Solanki (2009-13).