BBC Local Live: Herefordshire & Worcestershire on Friday 24 February 2017

Summary

Storm Doris clear-up - 250 trees brought down
Rise in the number calling child sex images helpline
Woman kept from Egyptian husband by income rules
History of wartime munitions factory documented
Updates on Friday 24 February 2017

Live Reporting

Stephanie Barnard

Storm Doris: Fallen tree closes Kidderminster roadpublished at 10:54 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2017
The fire service is dealing with the tree in Puxton Lane.
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Storm Doris: Tree blocks Pershore Roadpublished at 10:41 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2017
A team from the council is dealing with this fallen tree.
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Storm Doris: Tree down on A44published at 10:40 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2017
Storm Doris is battering the two counties from the sounds of it.
Another tree is down on the A44 at Pembridge, but this time local people were able to help with chainsaws.
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Storm Doris: Tree falls on vehicle in Worcesterpublished at 10:30 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2017
West Mercia Police say a tree has fallen onto a vehicle - no- one was injured, but the road is blocked.
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Storm Doris: Fallen tree in Pershorepublished at 10:19 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2017
We have our first report of a fallen tree in Pershore, Worcestershire. A council crew are on their way to deal with it.
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Visa rules creating 'price on love'published at 10:15 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2017
Three couples speak of their struggle to stay in the UK with their partners because of visa rules.
Read More
Life-changing surgery for Herefordshire teenagerpublished at 10:01 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2017
BBC Hereford and Worcester
A Herefordshire teenager is flying out to the USA at the weekend to have life-changing spinal surgery, after the operation became unavailable on the NHS.
Ella Tomlinson, who's 14 and from Leominster, will have "vertebrae tethering" or VBT, to straighten her spine.
Image source, TOMLINSON FAMILY
Image caption,
The X-Ray showing the curvature of Ella's spine
The procedure will leave her with more movement than the operation being offered by the NHS.
Her father, Steve, told BBC Hereford & Worcester the operation is costing them £140,000.
'Inadequate' school may not stay openpublished at 09:40 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2017
BBC Hereford and Worcester
A Hereford school which is in special measures says it can't guarantee it'll still be open next year after an Ofsted report branded it "inadequate".
The Robert Owen Academy say most of their intake come from "challenged backgrounds", and they've asked the government to recognise them as an alternative provider or special needs school.
They say they're being judged in the same way as other mainstream schools.
Image source, Google
Quote Message
Our report clearly identified that this school has a higher than average proportion of pupils with special needs and disabilities - the school is not currently designated as alternative provision and we inspect schools as they are at the time."
Ofsted
Flood alert in place for River Wyepublished at 09:17 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2017
A flood alert for the River Wye, external has been put in place as Storm Doris is expected to travel over the Midlands today.
Image source, Environment Agency
Storm Doris road warningpublished at 09:00 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2017
BBC Hereford and Worcester
People in Herefordshire and Worcestershire are being warned about heavy winds hitting the two counties.
There's an amber weather warning in place , externalacross the region for Storm Doris, with winds of between 60mph and 80mph expected.
Worcestershire Highways have put extra measures in place, including gully emptiers, and they're regularly checking ford crossings.
Quote Message
If it's a huge tree [that's been blown down] we will find out about it anyway, as the police will contact us and we'll be there as fast as we can. In any of these weather conditions, it's always a good idea to allow extra time for journeys [and] if you see flood water, don't go driving through it."
Jon Fraser, Highways manager for Worcestershire County Council
Storm Doris: Redditch market cancelledpublished at 08:37 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2017
Redditch Council says the market is cancelled today because of the severe weather.
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Watch: High winds on the way as Storm Doris moves inpublished at 08:15 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2017
Charlie Slater
BBC Weather presenter
Severe gales will blow across the Midlands today.
The worst of the rain will be first thing in the morning but gales will continue all day.
Gusts of 60mph are likely in the cities and valleys, and 80mph on hills. Highs of 8C (46F).
Media caption,
Weather for the West Midlands.
Live updates for Herefordshire and Worcestershirepublished at 08:00 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2017
Monica Rimmer
Journalist, BBC Online
I'll be bringing you live updates for Herefordshire and Worcestershire today, between now and 18:00.
I'll have the latest 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.
Our live coverage across the daypublished at 18:00 Greenwich Mean Time 22 February 2017
We'll be back with our usual mix of news, sport, travel and weather from 08:00 on Thursday, but keep an eye out here for more updates this evening and into the morning.
Cordon lifted after WW2 military shell uncoveredpublished at 17:55 Greenwich Mean Time 22 February 2017
Claudia Berry
Producer, BBC Hereford & Worcester
A World War Two military shell was discovered in Hereford earlier this afternoon during excavation work near a former munitions factory off the Holme Lacy Road.
A 100m cordon and nearby roads were closed while a bomb disposal team and officers were on site at about 13:00.
MP urges women to make more use of rural maternity unitspublished at 17:55 Greenwich Mean Time 22 February 2017
The Ludlow MP, Philip Dunne, is urging women to make more use of rural maternity units like the ones in Bridgnorth and Ludlow.
After a meeting with NHS managers, Mr Dunne said "increasing the number of births at each location is important to help secure their long term future".
The MP is asking mums who have had babies at the midwife-led units to share their happy experiences, to encourage other women to use the facilities.
He says births and antenatal appointments at Ludlow have fallen over the past five years, but have risen in Bridgnorth.
Quote Message
In order to be viable and to retain quality committed midwives, our midwife-led units need to have more babies born in our community hospitals each year, to improve upon the average of one or two per week."
Philip Dunne, MP for Ludlow
Worcester Warriors draw themselves for super fanspublished at 17:47 Greenwich Mean Time 22 February 2017
Don't bother with autographs - this is the future.
Two young fans met their sporting hereos recently, but instead of asking for squiggly autographs they asked for self portraits. This is what they got...
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Overnight weather forecast for the West Midlandspublished at 17:40 Greenwich Mean Time 22 February 2017
Rebecca Wood
BBC Midlands Today
A band of rain from the west will spread across the region this evening.
This will clear in the early hours when strong winds will develop, these strengthening close to gale force over hills by dawn - lows of 8C (46F).
Media caption,
Rebecca Wood has your forecast
Tomorrow, severe gales will bring disruption in the morning, with a band of rain moving eastwards, though brightening though the afternoon.
Woman stabbed in the stomach in Herefordpublished at 17:35 Greenwich Mean Time 22 February 2017
BBC Hereford and Worcester
A woman is recovering in hospital after being stabbed in the stomach in Hereford, the ambulance service say.
Emergency services were called to Chepstow Walk in the Bobblestock area of the city at around 16:30.
Although an air ambulance was called she was taken to hospital by road ambulance.
Flood alert in place ahead of Storm Dorispublished at 17:29 Greenwich Mean Time 22 February 2017
A flood alert for the River Wye, external has been put in place as Storm Doris is expected to travel over the Midlands in the next 24 hours.
Image source, Environment Agency