BBC Local Live: Herefordshire & Worcestershire on Friday 21 April 2017

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

Live Reporting

Jerry Chester

Watch: Fire crews arrive to tackle massive blazepublished at 11:02 British Summer Time 20 April 2017
Neil Westwood took this video of fire crews arriving at the Blackpole East Industrial Estate in Worcester.
Crews from Worcester, Kidderminster, Bromsgrove, Malvern, Pershore, Droitwich, Evesham and Ledbury have been fighting the fire since just after 08:30
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Blackpole fire: Smoke plume visible from Malvernpublished at 10:52 British Summer Time 20 April 2017
Here are some more of your pictures of the smoke plume from the fire on the Blackpole East Industrial Estate in Worcester.
The top photo, taken by Rhys Haywood, shows that the smoke plume from the fire is visible in Malvern.
Image source, Rhys Haywood
Image source, Alan Mitchell
Blackpole fire: 'Significant' road closurespublished at 10:43 British Summer Time 20 April 2017
There are "significant road closures" in place around the scene of a massive fire on a Worcester industrial estate, and drivers are being advised to avoid the area, police say.
A 200,000 sq ft (18,580 sq m) warehouse belonging to Arrow XL, which normally employs up to 200 people, has been on fire since just after 8:30 this morning.
The firm say it has had no reports of any casualties.
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Blackpole fire: Company 'not aware of any casualties'published at 10:25 British Summer Time 20 April 2017
The major fire at an industrial estate in Worcester is in a 200,000 sq ft (18,580 sq m) warehouse belonging to a delivery company.
A spokeswoman for Arrow XL says there are normally up to 200 staff working at their base on the Blackpole East Industrial Estate - the building has been evacuated and the company is "not aware of any casualties at this stage".
Image source, Graham Chetwynd
Ten fire crews are tackling the blaze, which has been declared a major incident by the police.
Blackpole fire: 'Avoid the area' warn policepublished at 10:21 British Summer Time 20 April 2017
People are being advised to keep their windows shut after a massive fire broke out on the Blackpole East Industrial Estate in Worcester.
Ten fire crews are tackling the blaze, which has been declared a major incident by the police.
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Rail passengers face using bus servicepublished at 10:07 British Summer Time 20 April 2017
Some services are already full when they arrive at the station forcing passengers to get a bus
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Watch: 'Major incident' at industrial estatepublished at 10:03 British Summer Time 20 April 2017
Some more video of the thick smoke engulfing part of Worcester at the moment.
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Blackpole fire declared 'major incident'published at 09:46 British Summer Time 20 April 2017
Breaking
The fire at the Blackpole East industrial estate in Worcester has been declared a "major incident" by police.
West Mercia Police are asking people to "avoid this area of Worcester".
Ten fire crews have been tackling the blaze since 08:35.
Image source, Olivia Harrison
Smoke plume across city from firepublished at 09:41 British Summer Time 20 April 2017
Some more photos of the ongoing fire on the Blackpole East Industrial Estate.
Smoke can be seen across Worcester.
We'll bring you more on that as we get it.
Image source, Graham Palmer
Watch: Major fire on industrial centrepublished at 09:27 British Summer Time 20 April 2017
Thanks to Bury Associates for this video of the fire on the Blackpole East Industrial Estate in Worcester.
Ten fire crews from across Worcestershire have been tackling the blaze since 08:35
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Fire crews from across Worcestershire tackle blaze on industrial estatepublished at 09:12 British Summer Time 20 April 2017
Ten fire crews are dealing with a serious fire on an industrial estate in Worcester.
Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue service say they were called to Blackpole Road in Worcester at 08:35 this morning.
There are three crews from Worcester, and others from Kidderminster, Bromsgrove, Malvern, Pershore, Droitwich, Evesham and Ledbury.
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Fire on trading estatepublished at 09:02 British Summer Time 20 April 2017
Breaking
The fire service are dealing a blaze on the Blackpole East Trading Estate.
We'll bring you more details when we have them.
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Watch: 'I’m optimistic' - new hospital CEOpublished at 08:40 British Summer Time 20 April 2017
Elliott Webb
Breakfast presenter, BBC Hereford & Worcester
I've been to meet the new chief executive running the hospitals in Worcestershire, Michelle McKay, as she gets to grip with turning around a trust that's been in special measures since 2015.
She told me she was "optimistic about how we can move forward with the trust".
She has made recruitment of staff a priority for turning things around, and predicts people will notice the difference within six months.
Media caption,
'I’m optimistic' - new hospital CEO
Video: What's the weather got in store today?published at 08:20 British Summer Time 20 April 2017
Charlie Slater
BBC Weather presenter
After a cloudy and mild start to the day with some light drizzle, we can expect a dry day with highs of 15C (59F).
You can find a detailed forecast for your area on the BBC Weather site.
Media caption,
Latest weather for the West Midlands
Good morning from today's Herefordshire and Worcestershire live pagepublished at 08:00 British Summer Time 20 April 2017
Jerry Chester
BBC News Online
Welcome to the Local Live service for Herefordshire and Worcestershire on Thursday morning. There's been a damp start to the day, as you can see from this picture by BBC Weather Watcher, Morning Amble.
Image source, Morning Amble
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.
Farmer condemns TB compensationpublished at 18:34 British Summer Time 19 April 2017
Michael Brown says he probably had the best cattle in the country and they were worth more than money.
Read More
Our live coverage across the daypublished at 18:00 British Summer Time 19 April 2017
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.
Watch: Patchy rain possible in some areas across the West Midlandspublished at 17:56 British Summer Time 19 April 2017
Shefali Oza
BBC Midlands Today
Cloud will thicken this evening, though southern parts of the region will see late sunny spells.
During the night the cloud will spread southwards and become thick enough for a little light rain with lows of 6C (43F).
Media caption,
Latest weather forecast for the West Midlands
Sixways to host Women's Premiership finalspublished at 17:55 British Summer Time 19 April 2017
Sixways is to host the Women's Premiership rugby finals this weekend.
Aylesford Bulls Ladies face Bristol Ladies Rugby to win the title, while Lichfield Ladies take on Saracens Women in the third place play-off.
Image source, Getty Images
Police call centre worker sacked over child porn offencespublished at 17:48 British Summer Time 19 April 2017
A man who worked at West Mercia Police's headquarters has been sacked after being found guilty of three counts of possessing indecent images of children.
John Frankland, 60, from Oswestry worked in the operations and communications centre at Hindlip and was given a suspended six month prison sentence by Telford magistrates last Monday.
The force said his offences were not committed while he was at work and that he had been dismissed after a misconduct hearing.