Updates from the past week
Nominations have closed for the upcoming elections for Worcestershire County Council, with the Conservatives the only party to put up candidates in every part of the county, external .
Labour are putting forward 53 candidates, while there's a strong showing for the Liberal Democrats, the Greens and UKIP.
Image source, PA
Trevor Owens
Sports Editor, BBC Hereford & Worcester
Former Wigmore School student Georgia Evans last night scored her first international goal for Wales when she netted in a 3-1 victory over Northern Ireland.
Georgia, who plays for Bristol City in the Women's Premier League, will be hoping to build on that when Wales will take on Northern Ireland again on Friday.
Herefordshire Carers Support is warning cuts in funding from Herefordshire Council could ultimately spell the end for the charity.
Its grant from the local authority is being reduced by £138,000 this year and the charity's chair Sheila Marsh said she expected further cuts in future.
Image source, Lea Paterson/SPLQuote MessageOur fears are that organisations like Herefordshire Carers - we won't be able to continue and the impact on carers will be really horrific."
Sheila Marsh , Chair of Herefordshire Carers Support
Young wildlife enthusiasts at Tardebigge First School are celebrating after their Forest School was awarded £2,000, external from the Tesco Bags of Help scheme.
With the County Championship season starting on Friday, BBC Sport takes a look at some of the main talking points.
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James Pearson
Journalist, BBC Hereford & Worcester
Turning around Children's Services is now the number one issue for Worcestershire County Council, external , according to the councillor in charge of the department.
A report by Ofsted inspectors, published at the beginning of the year , external , rated provision as "inadequate", saying there were "widespread and serious failures".
There was particular criticism of services for some of the most vulnerable children and young people, including those leaving care. It also said there weren't enough social workers, whose case loads were too great.
At a Cabinet meeting this morning, Conservative Marc Bayliss insisted improvements had been made since the report.
He said existing staff had been retained and extra resources had been made available.
However, he said more work needed to be done, particularly in ensuring children leaving care didn't spend time in B&Bs.
Trevor Owens
Sports Editor, BBC Hereford & Worcester
It's the opening day of the Aintree Festival and Herefordshire-based trainer Venetia Williams will have Aso in the Betway Bowl Chase due off at 14:50.
In the Red Rum Handicap Chase, Gino Trail will represent Kerry Lee's yard at Byton, while Matt Sheppard's Rock on Rocky (pictured) is also due to run.
Image source, Getty
Daz Hale
BBC WM
Flytippers have struck on a country lane in Kings Norton blocking the road.
Furniture, cardboard books and even a mannequin have been dumped on Icknield Street.
Bags of rubbish, mattress and sofas are blocking the route to vehicles, despite "no tipping" warning signs.
Proposals by Herefordshire Council to halve the amount it gives to a charity which helps unpaid carers have been criticised as short sighted.
Herefordshire Carers Support helps more than 5,500 people who care for friends or relatives by giving them a collective voice and by running support groups.
Image source, Science Photo LibraryThe majority of its funding comes from Herefordshire Council, which is now looking to reduce the amount it gives by £138,000 a year.
Herefordshire Council says it is already working in direct partnership with the county's carers to produce a countywide carers' strategy.
Broadway's railway station is due to reopen next year for the first time since 1960 after £1.25m was raised through a share issue.
The Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway (GWSR) will now extend the line from Toddington to the Worcestershire village.
Image source, GWSRThe heritage railway says it has "one major hurdle" to overcome before the line reaches Broadway - the high embankment between Childswickham Road and Station Road.
Quote MessageIt’s only a couple of hundred yards long but this embankment is unstable. Work is just starting on a £400,000-plus project to remove some inappropriate materials used for historic ‘make and mend’ repairs and stabilise the structure using a modern geo-technical solution."
Chris Bristow , GWSR voluntary finance director
A Hereford woman has been cleared by a jury of having sex with an underage boy, external more than 30 years her junior.
David Gregory-Kumar
Science correspondent, BBC Midlands Today
It's a prickly subject but the number of hedgehogs in the West Midlands is down by 70% on last year.
Numbers have been in decline for decades but there was some hope last year with an unexpected boom.
Image source, Getty ImagesStuart Edmunds, from Shropshire Wildlife Trust, says: "Last year was looking like a really good year for hedgehogs - the numbers were quite high but this year for some reason they have plummeted, with about 70% less recorded than last year."
Nicola Goodwin
Reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester
A new million-pound memorial to the SAS Regiment will be unveiled at Hereford Cathedral this morning.
The memorial window, called Ascension, and an associated sculpture has been created by the artist John Maine.
It made up of 3,000 pieces of glass and stone from Brazil and Scotland.
Image source, Hereford Cathedral
Charlie Slater
BBC Weather presenter
After a chilly start, with some sunny spells, it should be a dry day with highs of 12C (54F).
You can find a detailed forecast for your area on the BBC Weather site.
Latest weather for the West Midlands
Jerry Chester
BBC News Online
Welcome to the Local Live service for Herefordshire and Worcestershire on Thursday morning. Another nice start to the morning, as this photo from BBC Weather Watcher Postman Les shows.
Image source, Postman LesI'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 .
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.
A campaign to raise money for communities hit by flooding in Peru has been announced by the Bishop of Worcester, Dr John Inge.
The Diocese of Worcester has a partnership with the Diocese of Peru and Bishop John recently returned from visiting the country to celebrate the 25th anniversary of this link.
Image source, Diocese of WorcesterThe diocese is hoping to raise £8,000 and the appeal will close at the end of April, so that money can be sent to Peru while there is still an urgent need for it.
Quote MessageA number of people around the diocese have been asking if we can do something to help. I am very pleased our partner diocese has developed a clear action plan to offer practical help on the ground, and have asked for our support."
Dr John Inge, Bishop of Worcester
A heritage railway has passed its £1.25m fundraising target to reopen the station in Broadway four weeks ahead of schedule.
The Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway (GWSR) hopes to lay the final section of track to the Worcestershire station in March 2018.
It will be the first time since 1960 that Broadway will be linked with Cheltenham, 15 miles (24km) away.
Image source, Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam RailwayGWSR says the money will also allow it to carry out stabilising work on a high embankment just south of Broadway station site.
Quote MessageIt was only a year ago that the Offer was launched by our president, Pete Waterman and it means that completion of the project, on time, is assured.”
Chris Bristow, Voluntary finance director
A plan by the SAS to permanently close a public road , external will not only cause long detours for villagers but also leave communities stranded in times of flood.
Shefali Oza
BBC Midlands Today
Here's a look at what's ahead on the weather front for the West Midlands for tonight and tomorrow.
You can also get latest forecasts from the BBC Weather website .
Shefali Oza
