Mike Taylor
BBC WM

Chancellor Philip Hammond has increased National Insurance bills for self-employed people in the spring budget.

The number of self-employed workers has increased notably in the West Midlands in recent years.

Most recent figures, released only last month, show the figure has risen by 14% in five years and working men in the West Midlands are about twice as likely to be self-employed as women. 

So these changes will affect hundreds of thousands of people in our area, and more men than women.

Worcester News

Head teachers have warned over a sexting "epidemic" in schools in Worcester, external .  

Image source, Worcester News

Sarah Bishop
BBC Midlands Today

More babies die before their first birthday here in the West Midlands than in any other part of the country, according to latest figures from the Office of National Statistics. 

Image source, MILLA KONTKANEN

Health professionals are trying to reduce the number of deaths by 20% by 2021.

Often no-one knows for sure why this is happening. Maternity services are being overhauled and  Finnish-style baby boxes  are being handed out to expectant mothers - Finland has one of the lowest infant mortality rates in the world.

The Lily Mae Foundation, based in Balsall Common, offers supports parents who have lost a baby to stillbirth or to neonatal death.

BBC Midlands Today

Young drivers   can now experience the consequences of making a bad decision when behind the wheel through a new virtual reality , external app. 

"Drive VR" has been developed by the Safer Roads Partnership in West Mercia for drivers aged 16-24.

Image source, Warwickshire and West Mercia Safer Roads Partnership

The group says they get to choose a character similar to themselves and the app then shows them how a split-second decision can be a life-changing one.

The partnership say they hope the app will help promote safe-driving for life.

BBC Sport

Worcester Warriors' centre Ben Te'o has been named on the bench for England's Six Nations clash with Scotland at Twickenham .

The Calcutta Cup is the oldest international fixture in the sport and England coach Eddie Jones said it meant "a lot to both countries". 

Image source, Getty Images

BBC Weather Watchers

There's been a lovely start to the day, and BBC Weather Watchers have been out photographing in the morning sunshine.

These come from Paul Wilde, Happysnapper71, Johnqa, Mikesnapper and J at Severn Ridge.  

Five people were taken to hospital after a three-vehicle crash yesterday afternoon, external , the ambulance service says.

The accident happened at the junction of the A442 and Curslow Lane to the south of Kidderminster at around 14:45.

Image source, WMAS

The most seriously injured person was a man in his 30s who was airlifted to the major trauma centre at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham with a head injury, wrist fracture, a leg injury and a possible fracture to his pelvis.

Four other men were taken to Worcestershire Royal Hospital, a spokesman said.

The Chancellor promised an £8m investment into the new university in Hereford. 

The new university will specialise in engineering and is due to open in 2019.  

Ledbury Reporter

Health chiefs have moved to reject claims by a by-election candidate, external that there are plans for Ross-on-Wye Community Hospital to lose all its beds.

IVF treatments for couples in Worcestershire who struggle to have children could be cut under proposals by the county's health service providers. 

The Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG) in the county have launched a consultation which could also see some medicines and treatments become unavailable on prescription.

Image source, Science Photo Library

The interim chief operating officer for the three CCGs has told us they face "a significant financial challenge" and are looking at ways they can "transform services to reduce waste and inefficiency".

CCGs in the area currently fund two cycles of IVF treatments.

Alex Hamilton
BBC Weather

A bright and sunny day ahead, with some scattered cloud and highs of 13C (55F).

You can find a detailed forecast for your area on the BBC Weather site.

Jerry Chester
BBC News Online

Welcome to the Local Live service for Herefordshire and Worcestershire on Thursday morning. 

There's been a lovely start to the day, as you can see from this picture of Worcester taken by BBC Weather Watcher JaneyV.

Image source, JaneyV

I'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 on Thursday.

Keep an eye out here for more updates this evening and into the morning.     

BBC Midlands Today

Almost a hundred years ago, a very special football match was played at the Edgar Street ground in Hereford. 

Thousands turned out to see the women's football team from the local munitions factory at Rotherwas play . 

Relatives of the women still live in the area and they're still passionate about the beautiful game.

Our reporter Audrey Dias will have more on BBC1 from 18:30 . 

Image source, Pauline Hughes

BBC Hereford and Worcester

A new virtual reality app designed to show young drivers the outcome of making bad decisions when behind the wheel has been launched by the West Mercia Safer Roads Partnership. 

Students at the University of Worcester have been testing the virtual reality app, which allows them to choose a character and experience what happens when they make the wrong choice while driving. 

One of the students that tested the app, said it was "very realistic to use".

BBC Weather Watchers

Here are some of the great photos taken across Herefordshire and Worcestershire by BBC Weather Watchers. 

These were taken by Postman Les, Morning Amble, Johnqa, Vicki's View and The Wolster. 

To tie in with International Women's Day, we've been looking back at the women who played football during World War One. 

There was a team at the Rotherwas munitions factory who drew big crowds. 

However, just when women's football was really at its peak, football was no longer seen as a health benefit, it was seen by top physicians, such as Dr Mary Scharlieb of Harley Street , as the "most unsuitable game, too much for a woman's physical frame".

Image source, PATRICK BRENNAN

And on 5 December 1921 the FA cited strong opinions about football's unsuitability for woman. 

It called on clubs belonging to the associations "to refuse the use of their grounds for such matches". 

The ban changed the course of the women's game forever.

Students in Herefordshire have been to visit the Rotherwas munitions factory to learn more about the women who worked there. 

Shefali Oza
BBC Midlands Today

You can also get the latest forecasts for your part of the West Midlands by heading to the BBC Weather website.

Tim Race
Producer, BBC Hereford & Worcester

Five people have been taken to hospital following a three-car crash near Cutnall Green in Worcestershire this afternoon.

One man in his 30s has been airlifted to the Queen Elizabeth in Birmingham with wrist, leg and pelvic injuries described as "serious but not life-threatening" by the ambulance service. 

Another four casualties have been taken by ambulance to the Worcestershire Royal.

Westminster's sodden village green on a Budget Day of mixed metaphors