Summary

  • Updates from the past week

Live Reporting

  1. Walking with robotic legs: 'Incredible to be up at that height again'

    A motocross rider who was left paralysed by an accident in Worcestershire says walking again with the help of robotic legs has been life-changing. 

    Spencer Watts, 21, straps himself in to his robotic legs three or four times a week and controls them via a watch on his wrist.  

    Spencer strapping on his robotic legsGeorge Rowson of GR Media
    Spencer walking with his robotic legsGeorge Rowson of GR Media

    They're a fantastic alternative to using a wheelchair. To be up at that height again is an incredible feeling. I'd been in my wheelchair for six years. To be walking with my children and to be higher than them is great

    Spencer Watts, Paralysed motocross rider

    Spencer was able to buy his own set of Rewalk legs thanks to a grant of £6,000 from the Matt Hampson Foundation.

  2. Pedestrian fatally hurt in crash 'will be missed by many'

    The family of a woman who died after being hit by a car in north Worcestershire have paid tribute to her, saying she will be missed by many people.

    New Road, RuberyGoogle

    Marion Barker, 76, died after being hit by a car in New Road, Rubery, on 22 March.

    Her family say Mrs Barker, who lived in South Rednal, was well known for walking her dog around the shops in Rubery.

    The police are continuing to investigate what happened.   

  3. Spotlight to be shone on Hope Support Services in Ross-on-Wye on BBC

    Hereford Times

    The spotlight will be shone on a Ross-on-Wye charity this Easter Sunday during a special appeal on the BBC .  

  4. Service station pumps dry for fourth day

    Phil Maiden
    Reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester

    The southbound Strensham Services, on the M5 in Worcestershire, is without fuel for a fourth consecutive day.

    Strensham ServicesGo

    BP says it's been unable to receive fuel at the garage it runs on the site because of a "technical issue".

    The service station has now been out of fuel since Saturday afternoon.

  5. That takes the bucket: Fried chicken ban for 'underage' teenagers

    BBC WM

    A Birmingham teenager was refused service at a fast food chain because he was under 18.

    Adam and his friends went into a branch of KFC at Kings Norton Business Park as an end-of-term treat on Friday but were refused a sit-in meal and a takeaway. 

    The 14 year old's father Paul Robinson said he was "bemused" by the decision.

    KFC said the Kings Norton branch had a policy of temporarily refusing service to unaccompanied under-18s because of the "misbehaviour of a few" and it was "sorry for the inconvenience".

  6. Expert help for football-crazy pet beagle

    A former Worcestershire footballer whose pet beagle disrupted a match he was playing in for six minutes has been getting some help with obedience training from the Dogs Trust.

    Dog on the pitch

    Dusty ran on to the pitch during Halesowen's match against Skelmersdale United  and footage of the incident has gone viral on social media. 

    His owner, the former Redditch and Worcester defender Asa Charlton, who currently plays for Halesowen, is hoping Dusty will be better behaved thanks to the training.

    We went yesterday to the Dogs Trust in Kenilworth and the girls there were fantastic. They gave us some tips and we're going to go back for six or seven training sessions, so hopefully we'll be able to take him back and he won't run on the pitch, or at least if he does, we'll be able to call him back and he'll come to us

    Asa Charlton , Former Redditch and Worcester defender

  7. Canal rubbish costs £1m to clean up in West Midlands

    BBC Midlands Today

    A national waterways charity says it costs £1m a year to clean up the canal network.

    Charity says rubbish dumped in canals is a big problem

    Waste found dumped in canals across the West Midlands includes shopping trolleys, tyres and mobile phones. 

    Peter Birch, from the Canal & River Trust, says the rubbish presents a real problem for people using canals, as well as to wildlife and the environment.

  8. Sport: Harriers have leaders in their sights

    Kidderminster Harriers will head to Stalybridge Celtic this evening looking for the win they need to increase the pressure on Vanarama North leaders AFC Fylde.

    A win tonight would take Harriers to within three points of Fylde with four games of the league season remaining. 

    Harriers' head of coaching Matt Gardiner says they are taking nothing for granted.

    It's going to be a tough game Stalybridge. They're fighting for their lives as well, so we know it's going to be a tough one, but we'll prepare as we usually do. We'll get ourselves ready and we'll be ready to go for the game

    Matt Gardiner , Kidderminster Harriers' head of coaching

  9. Your photos: Full moon across Herefordshire

    Many of you enjoyed the full moon in the skies above Herefordshire last night. 

    Thanks to BBC Weather Watchers postman Les, in Bromyard, and Andrew, in Leominster, for these stunning pictures. 

    Moonpostman Les
    Moon behind treesAndrew

  11. Tribute to PC Keith Palmer from man who spoke to officer before attack

    Phil Maiden
    Reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester

    A Herefordshire man has paid tribute to PC Keith Palmer, who was stabbed to death outside Parliament three weeks ago in the Westminster attack.   

    Funeral of PC Keith Palmer

    Thousands of officers lined the route of his funeral cortege to Southwark Cathedral yesterday .

    Robert Ruck asked PC Palmer for directions shortly before he was killed. 

    He just walked down and said, 'if you follow me so far down I can direct you and then you'll see the arrows for the rest of the way round the building', which he did - a professional person doing a professional job

    Robert Ruck

  12. Motocross rider told he would never walk again vows to run marathon

    A motocross rider who was left paralysed by an accident in Worcestershire says he hopes to run in the 2018 London Marathon after making a remarkable recovery.

    Spencer Watts on his adapted motorbike

    Spencer Watts, 21, was told by doctors he would never walk again, but he's now using robotic legs to move and has even got back on his bike. 

    He says he's immensely grateful to the charity that funded his robotic legs at a cost of about £60,000.

    You've got a watch that goes on your wrist and you simply tell the watch whether you want to sit down, stand up, walk along, climb stairs. It can literally do anything that an able bodied person would do on their ordinary legs

    Spencer Watts

  13. 'Why I'm crowdfunding to adopt an orphan boy'

    When Emilie Larter held a five-day-old orphan in her arms, it set her on a journey to becoming a mum .  

    Adam and Emilie LarterEmilie Larter

    The 25-year-old was volunteering for a children's charity in Uganda when staff received news that a woman had died - leaving behind seven children.

    The youngest was a baby boy who didn't even have a name.

    With no-one to take care of him, he was given over to staff at the charity.

    Emilie, from Leigh Sinton, Worcestershire, became the baby's sole carer and had sleepless nights looking after the boy, who became known as Adam.

    Now, she is fundraising to help cover the costs of formally adopting the youngster and bringing him back to live in the UK.

  14. Bin collections as normal over Easter

    The refuse collectors will be in Herefordshire as normal on Good Friday and Easter Monday.

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  15. Watch: What's the weather got in store today?

    Charlie Slater
    BBC Weather presenter

    A generally dry day with some sunshine but cloudy and breezy as well, with highs of around 14C (57F).

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

    Latest weather for the West Midlands

  16. Good morning from the Live team

    We're back in the newsroom with our usual mix of news, sport and travel updates.

    We'll bring you a weather forecast shortly.

  17. Captain Leach can inspire Worcs - Rhodes

    Worcestershire boss Steve Rhodes fancies his side to have a good season following Joe Leach's appointment as skipper.

    Read More

  18. Our live coverage across the day

    Live updates for Herefordshire and Worcestershire have finished for the day but local stories will be added automatically through the night.

  19. Slideshow: Spring sunshine and soaring birds

    BBC Weather Watchers

    More great photos taken in the spring sunshine by the BBC's army of Weather Watchers .

    These photos come from Sue Handstone, Fraser, Fuzzyballpc, J at Severn Ridge and Toppo.

    Spring sunshine and soaring birds

  20. Help 'drive away loneliness' appeal by charity

    A charity is appealing for more volunteers in Hereford to help them tackle loneliness and isolation among older people.

    Contact the Elderly  organises free monthly Sunday afternoon tea parties for small groups within local communities

    Hands

    Elderly people are collected from their home by a volunteer driver, and taken to a host’s home, where they join a small group for tea, chat and companionship. 

    The charity is looking for volunteers to give up "a few hours each month" to act as drivers.