Summary

  • Body found in river at Holt Fleet, Worcester

  • Richard Johnson narrowly loses out in Gold Cup race

  • Pershore fear it will lose out on new rail services

  • £1m dream for Hereford woman battling cancer

  • Updates on Friday 17 March 2017

Live Reporting

  1. 'Get a grip people' - anger on social media over police dog campaign

    The latest twist in the failed campaign to help a retired police dog handler to buy the dog he was working with has sparked a fierce reaction on social media. 

    A crowdfunding campaign has to date raised thousands to help Sergeant David Evans buy police dog Ivy.

    Now a  petition's been launched calling for the chief constable of West Mercia Police to resign  over his decision to unite Ivy with a new handler. 

    police dog handlers

    Here's what you had to say on Facebook :

    Get a grip people, at the end of the day it's a working dog and was trained to do just that. We've seen the police documentaries on TV and you can see how much the dogs really enjoy what they're doing and the dog will continue to do so with a new handler."

    Mark Willmott writing on

    As long as she is happy and well looked and continuing to serve with a new handler, I see no reason for the chief constable to let her go.

    Liz White

    Wow that's it consider the dogs feeling X how about we train these dogs yes for the police but she isn't a desk gun or paperwork she is a living animal with feelings and wishes, he offered to pay for the dog, this dog has lived every day with its family not the police."

    Ellouise Anne Sascha Eades

  2. Harriers' win 'an important victory'

    Kidderminster Harriers striker Sam Austin says Saturday's 3-0 win over Alfreton Town was an important victory. 

    Harriers remain third in the table, 11 points behind Vanarama North leaders AFC Fylde with a game in hand. 

    After losing their previous two matches, Austin says the result boosts their promotion hopes.

    footballers feetBBC Sport

    We needed it and we performed well... We took a couple of our chances - we could have took more, but we're just happy with the three points at the end of the day."

    Sam Austin, Harriers striker

  3. On Midlands Today from 13:30: Seatbelt dangers and fly-tipping fines

    Amy Cole
    BBC Midlands Today

    This lunchtime on Midlands Today, we'll hear from the mother whose 12-year-old son wasn't wearing a seatbelt when he died in a car crash. 

    She's now helping police in the region raise awareness of the dangers.

    Fly-tipping

    We'll also look at news that one of our Midlands' councils is looking to bring in on-the-spot fines for anyone caught fly-tipping.

    Those stories and more from 13:30 on BBC One .

  4. Herefordshire charity expands breast cancer services

    Nicola Goodwin
    Reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester

    The Herefordshire-based charity Breast Cancer Haven is now offering services in three London hospitals and has a new centre planned in the West Midlands. 

    The charity, which operates from five sites including the Worcestershire Royal Hospital, is expanding to help patients at the Whittington Hospital, the Wellington hospital and University College London hospital.

    Haven will also be opening a new centre in Solihull this October. 

    breast cancer patient having a consultationHaven

    Our aim at Breast Cancer Haven is to provide an environment where service users feel welcomed, safe, calm and comfortable. Our flagship centres are far removed from a clinical setting and we hope to recreate this in North London by minimising any barriers associated with being in a hospital."

    Pamela Healy , chief executive of Breast Cancer Haven

  5. Your photos: Sunrise in Herefordshire and Worcestershire

    You've taken some amazing shots of this morning's sunrise. Thanks to BBC Weather Watchers Jenny Wren in Hereford and Sabrina in Upton upon Severn. 

    Sunrise over HerefordJenny Wren
    Sunrise over River Severn in UptonSabrina

  6. Taxi driver charged with sex attack

    A taxi driver from Worcester appears in court charged with a sex attack on a passenger.

    Read More

  7. Paul Carrack to headline at Worcester

    The Mike and the Mechanics' frontman Paul Carrack has been named as the latest headliner for this year's Concert of Legends at Worcestershire County Cricket Club. 

    The singer, who's performed on hits including Over My Shoulder, The Living Years and Ace's How Long joins Billy Ocean in performing at the event on 9 September. 

    The third headliner is yet to be announced.

    Paul Carrack

  8. Youth throws stone at ambulance windscreen

    Claudia Berry
    Producer, BBC Hereford & Worcester

    An elderly cardiac patient in Worcestershire was delayed from getting to hospital after a gang of youths hit an ambulance with a stone, shattering the  window.

    The ambulance driver was left covered in glass after the incident at just after midnight on Sunday morning on the southbound carriageway of the A449 near the Mitre Oak pub. 

    A second ambulance had to be sent to take the patient to hospital. The police searched the area but found no sign of the offenders.  

    Mitre Oak pubGoogle

    While heading to the Worcestershire Royal Hospital, the driver Steve Hopkins said he spotted three boys, seemingly in their late teens, walking towards Kidderminster.  

    At the last minute I caught sight of the one in the middle throwing something and the next second the passenger window in the cab exploded covering me in glass. It was a real shock but thankfully I wasn’t hurt. To be honest, I was more concerned about our patient. It’s a stressful enough situation without something like this happening."

    Steve Hopkins, , Emergency Medical Technician who was driving the ambulance

  9. Call for more children to learn to swim

    A Redditch woman, whose brother drowned in a river, says schools could do more to teach pupils to swim. 

    A new survey has revealed that one in 10 children leaving primary school don't know how to swim. 

    Richard Fellows was 15 when he died in the River Arrow in 2014 - his sister Chantalle Aston is launching a campaign to make people aware of the dangers of swimming in cold water. 

    swimming lessonGetty Images

    It's an expensive thing to do and if you've got more than one child, then it becomes even more expensive. My daughter is in year two now and she hasn't even started swimming lessons with the school yet. I would like to think they're starting them when they're five or six and they're not."

    Chantelle Aston, swim campaigner

    The Department for Education says all schools must teach swimming by the age of 11.   

  11. 'Anyone for tennis?': A pensioner makes a comeback after a stroke

    Kate Justice
    Presenter - BBC Hereford & Worcester

    A 94-year-old Herefordshire pensioner is back on court, after staff helped her fulfil her dream to play tennis again. 

    Win Reynolds had a stroke 10 years ago, but when staff at Ross Court where she lives asked if they could make a wish come true for her, she asked to pick up a racket again. 

    The coach at Ross Tennis Centre agreed to help Mrs Reynolds and now she's enjoying regular rallies at the nets. 

    Win Reynolds playing wheelchair tennis

    I feel it's like heaven ha ha, because it's so different from anything you could do anywhere else. My son says I look a different person when I've been up here."

    Win Reynolds, Herefordshire pensioner

  12. Police dog Ivy campaign: Calls for chief constable to resign

    A petition has been launched calling for the chief constable of West Mercia Police to resign because he refused to let one of the force's dogs retire with her handler. 

    Sergeant David Evans wanted to buy police dog Ivy so he could keep her when he retired and a campaign to help him has raised thousands of pounds. 

    However West Mercia Police say they aren't allowed to accept such money and Ivy is continuing to do very well with her new handler .

    Ivy and David EvansJennie Evans

  13. FA Vase: Bromsgrove Sporting 1-1 Cleethorpes Town

    Bromsgrove Sporting FC's goalscorer Jason Cowley feels it's all to play for when he and his teammates head to Cleethorpes Town in the second leg of their FA Vase semi-final on Saturday, 18 March. 

    The sides drew 1-1 at the Victoria Ground in the first leg at the weekend.    

    Bromsgrove Sporting 1-1 Cleethorpes Town

  15. Death of The Italian Job actor John Forgeham 'shock to all'

    The death of Footballers' Wives star John Forgeham has been described as a "shock to all of us" by his friend, producer Simon Golding.

    The 75-year-old, best known for his roles in the ITV drama and The Italian Job, died on Friday.

    He was born in Kidderminster. 

    John ForgehamPA

  16. 'Unsafe' trees to be removed from road outside cricket ground

    Work to remove unsafe lime trees in Worcester will start today. 

    An independent assessment of the seven trees on New Road, outside Worcestershire County Cricket Club, found they were diseased and needed to be taken away as soon as possible.  

    New RoadGoogle

    Scans of the trees show a worrying amount of decay due to disease. Two of the trees were recommended to be removed within three months and a further five within six months. In addition, a further 11 trees require urgent branch removal work."

    Councillor Marcus Hart , Worcestershire County Council

  17. Your photos of the moon

    We've been sent some stunning photos of last night's very bright moon. 

    Thanks to our Weather Watchers Paul Wilde for the top one, taken in Redditch, and Ruth's View in Beoley for her shot of the moon going down this morning

    RedditchPaul Wilde
    MoonRuth's View

  18. Video: What's the weather got in store?

    Alex Hamilton
    BBC Weather

    After a bright and sunny start, some cloud moving in with highs of 15C (59F).

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

    Latest weather for the West Midlands

  19. Good morning - welcome to our live updates for the day

    Welcome to Herefordshire and Worcestershire Live on Monday 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  or message via  Facebook .