Summary

  • Extra funding for hospitals confirmed

  • Replacement bridge opening date announced

  • Sanctuary for sheep with abnormalities

  • WW1 pilgrimage for grandson

  • Worcestershire in first innings collapse

  • Updates on Friday 21 April 2017

  1. Watch: BBC Midlands Today's brand new studio getting builtpublished at 17:22 British Summer Time 20 April 2017

    BBC Midlands Today

    BBC Midlands Today has moved into a temporary studio at the moment , externalas a brand new studio is prepared.

    Here's a timelapse look at how work's going.

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  2. Restoration work on 11th Century castle to beginpublished at 17:10 British Summer Time 20 April 2017

    Work to restore an 11th Century castle which has been on the Heritage at Risk Register since 1998 will begin next week, Historic England says.

    The organisation has given a grant of £474,000 to carry out the work on Snodhill Castle in Herefordshire.

    Snodhill CastleImage source, Historic England

    The work will include urgent stabilisation and consolidation of the remains of the keep, gatehouse, flanking walls on the castle motte, north tower of the castle bailey and south bastion in the bailey wall.

    Last summer, ownership of the castle was transferred to the newly established Snodhill Castle Preservation Trust, external.

    Quote Message

    Without the dedication of colleagues and the members of the Snodhill Castle Preservation Trust, this wonderful piece of our heritage would have been lost for ever. Snodhill Castle continues to be a top priority for Historic England."

    Veryan Heal, Historic England

  3. Blackpole fire: Food for the firefighterspublished at 17:00 British Summer Time 20 April 2017

    The Salvation Army had their mobile canteen at the scene of this morning's massive fire on the Blackpole East Industrial Estate in Worcester - at its peak there were 18 fire crews to take care of.

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    The Rapid Relief Team were also on hand.

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  4. Snakes on plains tracked to save speciespublished at 16:42 British Summer Time 20 April 2017

    Adders are being tagged to help slow down their declining population.

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  5. Blackpole fire: Drone images capture scale of damagepublished at 16:25 British Summer Time 20 April 2017

    These images were taken by a drone operated by Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service (HWFRS).

    At the peak of the blaze, 70 firefighters and 16 appliances were at Blackpole East Industrial Estate in Worcester, the fire service said.

    There have been no reports of casualties.

    Warehouse fireImage source, HWFRS
    Warehouse fireImage source, HWFRS
  6. Blackpole fire: Crews damping downpublished at 15:36 British Summer Time 20 April 2017

    The number of crews at the scene of this morning's fire at a delivery company's warehouse has been cut to six, the fire service say - at it's peak there were 18 crews tackling the blaze, the smoke from which could be seen in Malvern.

    Hereford & Worcester Fire Service says their crews are "damping down" the remains of the 200,000 sq ft (18,580 sq m) warehouse, belonging to ArrowXL.

    Plume of smokeImage source, Richard Widdowson
  7. Illegal dumping arrestpublished at 15:14 British Summer Time 20 April 2017

    A man from Herefordshire has been arrested on suspicion of organising the illegal dumping of waste in Liverpool and several other parts of the country.

    Forty police and Environment Agency officers raided houses and businesses in Herefordshire, Hertfordshire and Staffordshire.

  8. Blackpole fire contaminates streampublished at 14:27 British Summer Time 20 April 2017

    Contaminated water caused by run-off from the Blackpole fire has entered Barbourne Brook, the Environment Agency has warned.

    Dave Throup said staff were working to minimise the impact on wildlife.

    Barbourne BrookImage source, Dave Throup
  9. Aerial shots of massive warehouse firepublished at 14:08 British Summer Time 20 April 2017

    Smoke from the warehouse fire could be seen from up to ten miles away

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  10. Watch: Aerial shots of massive warehouse firepublished at 14:07 British Summer Time 20 April 2017

    These drone shots from West Mercia Police show the fire at a warehouse in Worcester, the smoke from which could be seen 10 miles away. 

    ArrowXL, the firm which has run the warehouse since 1994, says all its staff are "safe and well". 

    Ten fire crews from across Worcestershire tackled the blaze, which broke out just after 08:30.  

    Media caption,

    Aerial shots of massive warehouse fire

  11. Warehouse fire 'major incident'published at 13:48 British Summer Time 20 April 2017

    Ten fire crews tackle the blaze at a Worcester warehouse belonging to a delivery company.

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  12. Blackpole fire: Fact file on company hit by massive firepublished at 13:44 British Summer Time 20 April 2017

    The national delivery company whose warehouse caught fire on the Blackpole Industrial Estate in Worcester this morning have been at the site for 23 years.  

    Data on a delivery compnay
  13. Watch: Plume of smoke hangs over citypublished at 13:22 British Summer Time 20 April 2017

    A massive warehouse fire on an industrial estate in Worcester has thrown a massive smoke plume into the air, visible from as far away as Malvern.

    Media caption,

    Plume of smoke over city from fire

  14. Blackpole fire: Employees 'safe and well' say firmpublished at 13:04 British Summer Time 20 April 2017

    The delivery firm which operates the warehouse that has been the scene of a massive fire says all its employees are "safe and well".

    ArrowXL say the 200,000 sq ft (18,580 sq m) building was evacuated once the fire started at just after 08:30 this morning.

    Warehouse fire

    The company says its disaster recovery plan is in now place and plans are being finalised to move operations from Worcester to "a group owned site".

    Up to 200 people were employed at the warehouse on the Blackpole East Industrial Estate.

  15. Blackpole fire: Currently 'no casualties'published at 12:41 British Summer Time 20 April 2017

    There have been no reported casualties in the massive fire at a delivery company's warehouse on the Blackpole East Trading Estate in Worcester.

    Depite that, West Midlands Ambulance Service says it is continuing to keep units at the scene of the fire, which broke out just after 08:30 this morning

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  16. Blackpole fire: Your picturespublished at 12:21 British Summer Time 20 April 2017

    You've been sending in your photos of the massive fire at the warehouse of a distribution company based on the Blackpole East Industrial Estate.

    Fire plumeImage source, Rich Widdowson
    FireImage source, West Mercia Police
    Plume of smokeImage source, Liz Hill
  17. Watch: Massive warehouse firepublished at 11:56 British Summer Time 20 April 2017

    I've spent the morning watching as 10 fire crews tackle a massive blaze at a warehouse belonging to delivery company Arrow XL. 

    The company say the building was evacuated and it is not aware of any casualties.  

    Media caption,

    Massive fire at warehouse

  18. Travel: Road reopens around fire scenepublished at 11:40 British Summer Time 20 April 2017

    There are still roads closed around the fire on the Blackpole East Trading Estate in Worcester, although some are starting to reopen.

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  19. Train shortages mean bus journeys for commuterspublished at 11:13 British Summer Time 20 April 2017

    Rail passengers hoping to travel on certain services between Bromsgrove and Birmingham this week face being transported on buses instead. 

    London Midland is warning people that the Easter break is causing an increase in passenger numbers, and some mid morning services are already full when they arrive at the town.

    Bromsgrove station

    London Midland says there aren't enough diesel trains left in the country to meet demand, and that providing buses instead is "the right thing to do".

    Quote Message

    The good news is that next year the line will be electrified and three extra trains an hour will run on the route."

    Francis Thomas, London Midland