Summary

  • Updates from the past week

Live Reporting

  1. Worcestershire among worst for diverting ambulances

    BBC News Health

    Worcestershire's A&E departments have the second worst record in the country for turning away ambulances carrying patients who need treatment . 

    A report released today by The Nuffield Trust shows that between December and February, there were 63 instances when ambulances in the county were diverted to another hospital.

    Worcestershire Royal Hospital

    Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust says A&E departments were under immense pressure over the winter and diverting ambulances to other sites when necessary is in line with their local procedures to maintain emergency care and patient safety.

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

    Charlie Slater
    BBC Weather presenter

    Plenty of sunshine around with some cloud at times. Staying dry with highs of 14C (57F).

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

    Latest weather for the West Midlands

  3. Welcome to live updates for the day

    Welcome to Herefordshire and Worcestershire Live on Friday 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 .

  4. Our live coverage across the day

    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.

  5. Watch: 'Younger players need to take the next step' - Moeen

    Trevor Owens
    Sports Editor, BBC Hereford & Worcester

    Worcestershire’s England star Moeen Ali feels this is the year when some of the club’s promising younger players need to take the next step so as to ensure the county is competitive on all fronts.

    Moeen’s own appearances for the New Road club are likely to be restricted due to his England commitments, but he’s confident the squad is capable of mounting a promotion push in division two of the Championship.

    'Younger players need to take the next step' says Moeen

    He is also keen to see the squad progress to T20 Blast! Finals Day as Worcestershire have never yet managed to make it through to the last four of the shortest form of the competition.

  6. Buses replace trains between Bromsgrove and Droitwich

    A warning that trains between Bromsgrove and Droitwich Spa will be replaced by buses tonight.

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  7. Redditch cycle race 'great event for town'

    A number of well-known cyclists will take to the streets of Redditch next month for the first round of the Tour Series.

    It's not the first time the race has come to the town - but this year Redditch is the official starting point for the competition. 

    Local Pro cyclist Beth Crumpton said it was a great event for the town.

    CyclistsTour Series

    It's always exciting to have a home race. You get friends, family coming out to watch. You just get that extra boost to do well and you want to win."

    Beth Crumpton, Cyclist

  8. Weather: Is it time to get the BBQ out?

    Rebecca Wood
    BBC Weather

    That warm spell we're being promised is edging ever closer. It should stay dry overnight but temperatures could drop as low as 1C (34F).

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

    Weather for the West Midlands

  9. Former head brands term-time court decision 'crazy'

    A former Herefordshire head teacher has labelled a Supreme Court decision against a father who took his daughter out of school in term time as "crazy".

    Judges ruled against Jon Platt , who had won earlier legal battles against a £120 fine in a case brought by the Isle of Wight council. 

    Linda Townsend, a former head at Lea Primary School in Ross on Wye, said fines risked damaging valuable relationships with parents and could have a "huge long-term impact".

    "We regularly say to parents please avoid term-time holidays, but we would never fine families," she said.

    Family on holidayDGLimages

    Personally, I think sometimes holidays that parents plan, the experience that child is going to have... they get to find out about other cultures, of tolerance, understanding and respect for others. You can't replicate that in a classroom."

    Linda Townsend

  11. Te'o to feature in Sale match

    Ben Te'o returns to the Warriors starting line-up for tomorrow night's Premiership clash at Sale Sharks.

    The centre has suffered recent injuries and his appearances for his club have also been restricted by his call-up to the England squad.

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  12. England centre Ben Te'o to 'definitely' remain at Sixways

    Worcester's England centre Ben Te'o has ended speculation over his future by insisting that he will "definitely" remain at Sixways next season .

    The New Zealand-born rugby league convert, 30, has played infrequently this season after joining from Irish side Leinster in the summer of 2016.

    Ben Te'oRex Features

    He has suffered two separate concussion injuries, added to his England calls.

    "It's been a little bit disjointed but I want to finish the season strongly," Te'o told BBC Hereford & Worcester.

  13. Your photos: Stoke Edith and Malvern

    BBC Weather Watchers

    Some lovely sunshine around, if photos from our BBC Weather Watchers are anything to go by.

    Thanks to Sam in Malvern and Sunshine Seeker in Stoke Edith for these shots.

    MalvernSam
    Stoke EdithSunshine Seeker

  14. Tea For Two beats Cue Card

    BBC Sport

    Jockey Lizzie Kelly was unseated at the second fence on Tea for Two in March's Cheltenham Gold Cup leaving the jockey distraught.

    But this time they got the better of last year's winner Cue Card for a second Grade One success.

    They pulled alongside Cue Card with three to go and showed good strength and stamina to win by a neck .

    Tea For TwoPA

  15. Lizzie Kelly guides Tea For Two to victory
    Breaking

    BBC Sport

    The Worcestershire-owned Tea For Two has won the Betway Bowl on the opening day of the Grand National meeting at Aintree.    

  17. SAS memorial unveiled at Hereford Cathedral

    A £1m stained glass memorial to the SAS has been unveiled at Hereford Cathedral.

    The nine-metre-high artwork, designed byJohn Maine, is made up of 3,000 pieces of glass in 40 different colours.

    The regiment has been based in Hereford for more than 50 years.

    It's hoped the memorial will provide soldiers, their family and friends can reflect.

    SAS memorial
    SAS memorial

  18. Police car rammed in cash machine raid

    A police car has been rammed during the attempted theft of a cash machine, police say.

    West Mercia Police say the would-be thieves were disturbed as they tried to steal an ATM in Tenbury Road, Bromyard at 02:20 this morning.

    Tenbury Wells, BromyardGoogle

    When they were interrupted by police, the thieves deliberately drove the piece of plant they were using to remove the cash machine into the officers' car, which was "significantly damaged".

    The thieves fled empty-handed in a waiting car.

  19. Furnishings in historic houses under threat from moths

    Tourist attractions are launching a  campaign to get rid of moths . 

    English Heritage is worried about the bugs eating away at collections of furniture, including carpets and tapestries. 

    The organisation owns sites including Witley Court and Rotherwas Chapel, among others.

    MothScience Photo Library

    Nationally, English Heritage has been monitoring the the spread of clothes moths since 1997 and is now checking for the creatures at 40 sites, with the aim of preventing damage to around 500,000 artefacts.      

    They can eat through centuries-old carpets, tapestries and clothes in a matter of months. Clothes moths are a conservator's worst nightmare and it's an ongoing battle to keep them under control."

    Amber Xavier-Rowe , English Heritage's Head of Collections Conservation

  20. On Midlands Today: Deportation and hedgehog decline

    BBC Midlands Today

    On Midlands Today this lunchtime, hear why an NHS physiotherapist from the region is facing deportation back to India despite a national shortage. 

    Hedgehog going back into wild

    Plus why it's getting harder to spot a hedgehog in the West Midlands and how the Grand National could prove a big day for one of our tiny villages. 

    Those stories plus your lunchtime weather on BBC One from 13:30.