Hereford Times

A sex offender has been jailed after falling for a trap set by a Hereford paedophile hunter , externalposing online as a 14-year-old girl.  

Listen to live BBC radio Leicester commentary as Leicestershire face Worcestershire in the One-Day Cup.

Monica Rimmer
Journalist, BBC Online

A year after he killed himself because of online bullying, the friends and family of Worcestershire schoolboy Felix Alexander have come together to celebrate his life with a book of poetry, made in his memory. 

Felix was 17 when he died and the book, Poems of Kindness, has been created with the money raised from sales going to the Place2Be charity, which helped his family after he died. 

Image source, Family handout

His mother Lucy Alexander launched an anti-bullying scheme in February this year.

The Felix Project has been set up at Pershore High School, where Felix was a pupil.   

The programme aims to help teachers spot the signs of a child being victimised and to train pupils to give peer support.  

Ms Alexander said her son was subjected to "cruel and overwhelming" taunts on social media since he was 10, which eventually became unbearable.

The sixth form student was hit by a train on 27 April 2016. 

Trevor Owens
Sports Editor, BBC Hereford & Worcester

Evesham United suffered bitter disappointment in their Southern League Division One South and West play-off semi-final at Salisbury last night.

The Robins had Ashley Williams sent off in the first half and then fell behind early in the second half, only for Adam Mann to level five minutes from time. 

Goalkeeper Kevin Sawyer then saved a penalty in extra time, only for Salisbury to be awarded a second spot kick after 118 minutes which they scored giving them a 2-1 victory.

BBC Hereford and Worcester

The new £2m bridge in the Worcestershire village of Eastham is due to open later today.

The original Grade II listed structure fell into the River Teme last May.

People living nearby have been forced to take a 10-mile detour since the collapse. 

The new concrete bridge will open this afternoon.

Lucy Martin
BBC Weather

After a cool start to the day, with some bright patches, cloud will thicken with outbreaks of mainly light and patchy rain and highs of 12C (54F).

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

A pressure group says asparagus blessing is "silly" but the church says it adds a "bit of colour".

Shefali Oza
BBC Midlands Today

We're forecast a real mixture of weather tonight and tomorrow, including everything from warm sunshine to snow.

Some Anglicans may not think much of the idea of including a man dressed as an asparagus plant at a service in Worcester Cathedral, but there's no denying the importance of the vegetable to the area.

The Vale of Evesham hosts the annual British Asparagus Festival , externaland the EU recently gave the area protected geographical indication (PGI) status - alongside names like Champagne, Cognac, Roquefort, Parmesan and Jersey Royal Potatoes.

The all-important first crop has been rushed to the House of Commons in a Morgan car as part of the campaign to get PGI status.

Here are some of the facts from the government's official submission for PGI status, external.

- Asparagus growing in the Vale of Evesham is a tradition whose longstanding history can be traced back to 1768 when Arthur Young, the then Secretary of the Board of Agriculture, visited the town   

- Harvest time begins when the first spears show in April until June

- The 650-year-old Fleece Inn, in Bretforton, hosts an annual Asparagus Auction that has been held for at least 35 years

And, according to British Asparagus, external, the plant is the "Usain Bolt of the vegetable world - British asparagus can grow 10cm (4in) in one day".

The Archbishop Cranmer blog has been one of the fiercest critics of the decision to include a man dressed in an asparagus costume in a service at Worcester Cathedral.

A recent blog post, external described the procession, on St George's Day, as "an infantile pantomime".

Image source, British Asparagus Festival

The cathedral has defended the inclusion of Gus the Asparagus Man, saying the Anglican church has always has "plenty of variety and colour in its worship".

These fabulous photos of bluebells in the Knapp nature reserve in Worcestershire were taken by Dave Harford.

The reserve, near Alfrick, is one of more than 70 run by the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust, external.

I'd love to feature your photos - you can email, tweet us on @bbchw, external or message via Facebook, external.

Worcester Cathedral has hit back against criticism over a service that included a man dressed up as a spear of asparagus. 

Some Anglicans described the service of blessing for the local crop as "absurd" on social media and in the Daily Telegraph, external. 

Image source, www.stuartpurfield.co.uk

Canon Precentor Michael Brierley says the figures dressing up added to the occasion.

Worcester News

Police are investigating an incident in which an alleged assault took place in a McDonald's restaurant , externalin the centre of Worcester.  

A lack of council funding for adult social care means beds in care homes across Worcestershire are being left empty, according to West Midlands Care Association.

The organisation, which represents care providers in the region, is calling on the county council to put millions of pounds of extra money from this year's budget into front-line services. 

More than £20m is coming to the local authority over the next three years, as part of a rescue package announced by the chancellor.

Worcestershire County Council says no decisions have been finalised on the spending of the additional money - though they say it will be used to meet adult social care needs and reducing pressures on the NHS.

Bromsgrove Advertiser

Record-breaking Bromsgrove Sporting boss Paul Smith insists he doesn't want the season to end, external.  

Image source, Bromsgrove advertiser

A new bridge to replace a listed 18th Century crossing that collapsed into the River Teme is expected to open tomorrow.

Eastham Bridge, near Tenbury Wells in Worcestershire, fell down in May last year as a school bus was preparing to cross.

The council said fast moving water undermined its piers.

Worcestershire County Council says the scheme will be completely finished "later this summer", but the new bridge is complete enough to be opened to traffic, under temporary signal control.

Image source, Worcestershire County Council

Kidderminster Shuttle

A campaign to honour three times British prime minister and Bewdley's greatest son, Stanley Baldwin, could finish on the highest political note at the official unveiling of his statue in his birth town, external.  

Jerry Chester
BBC News Online

One of our regular contributors, Paul Wilde, is the master of the close-up wildlife shot.

Check out this selection taken in his garden in Redditch.

I'd love to feature your photos - you can email, tweet us on @bbchw, external or message via Facebook, external.

BBC Midlands Today

On Midlands Today this lunchtime, we'll have news of a crackdown on car jackings which involved stun guns in part of the region. 

There'll also be news of why it's a big week for Midlands' farmers and an inspiring photography idea.

All those stories and more, including your lunchtime weather, from 13:30 on BBC One.

Warriors Academy graduate Andy Short has been forced to hang up his boots due to a recurring hip injury, external.

The 26-year-old wing will be keeping busy though - he already has a First Class Honours degree in leadership and management, and is now studying for a Masters in building surveying.  

Image source, Getty Images

Warriors Education Officer Lynette Cutting said the club gives players "educational support" so they have "something to fall back on when their careers come to an end for whatever reason".