BBC Local Live: Herefordshire & Worcestershire Friday 7 July 2017

Summary

Funeral for former Hereford MP Paul Keetch
Some people still without water in Bewdley
Police taking more 999 calls than New Year's Eve
Racehorse trainer Mercy Rimell dies
Charity criticises restrictions on IVF in Worcestershire
Updates on Friday 7 July 2017

Live Reporting

Caroline Gall

Going public on council's planspublished at 16:14 British Summer Time 6 July 2017

Worcestershire County Council is holding a series of public meetings to explain its plans.
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Fresh crackdown on mobile phones while drivingpublished at 15:51 British Summer Time 6 July 2017

Police in West Mercia and Warwickshire are preparing to launch another crackdown on people using mobile phones while driving.
Earlier this year the fines and penalties for getting caught doubled to £200 and six penalty points on your driving licence.
Image source, PA
Police are also reminding people it is illegal to use your phone to follow a map, read a text or check social media, even if you are stopped at the lights or in traffic.
Quote Message
With smartphones becoming more and more embedded into our daily routines, we are all aware of how useful they can be. However, it is unacceptable to allow yourself to be distracted by them while driving, and officers will ensure any motorists doing so face the penalties involved.”
Ch Supt Stephen Cullen, West Mercia Police
Acute hospital staff training fearspublished at 15:39 British Summer Time 6 July 2017
James Pearson
Political reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester

I'm at a meeting of the South Worcestershire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) - the body which decides where the health budget is spent.
Concerns have been raised that staff working at Worcestershire's acute hospitals are failing to receive appropriate training.
This afternoon, board members of the CCG questioned whether the Acute Hospitals NHS Trust even knew whether mandatory training had been completed, due to a problem with data management.
Your pictures: Blue skies and green fieldspublished at 15:29 British Summer Time 6 July 2017
BBC Weather Watchers

It's looking like another gorgeous day, here's some pictures sent in by our BBC Weather Watchers.
This amazing picture was taken in Kings Norton, by KarenJ, we love how the sun is just about bursting on the side of the photo.
Image source, KarenJ
Laura and Glenn took this gorgeous shot in Delph.
If you have a picture you'd like to share, you can send it into us here and we'll feature our favourites.
Image source, Laura and Glenn
Hero stab victim starts knife campaignpublished at 15:16 British Summer Time 6 July 2017
A bodybuilder who was stabbed 12 times has released a video to try to stop the growing problem of knife crime.
Read More
Kidderminster station revamp: Commuters asked for their viewspublished at 15:08 British Summer Time 6 July 2017

The plans for the £4.3m redevelopment of Kidderminster railway station are going on display for commuters to look at and comment on.
The new station will be twice the size of the existing one, will have a glass front, a cafe/shop, toilets and indoor waiting areas.
Image source, Worcestershire County Council
The proposals will be on display on the forecourt of the station on Wednesday 12 July, from 07:00-18:30, when train users, nearby residents and businesses will be invited to comment on and view artist's impressions of the scheme.
The new station is due to be completed by the summer of 2019.
Watch: A bird in the bush but none in the handpublished at 14:48 British Summer Time 6 July 2017

Worcestershire Wildlife Trust runs more than 70 reserves in the county, and their staff are clearly pretty handy with a cameraphone.
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Driver sought after pensioner hit by carpublished at 14:28 British Summer Time 6 July 2017

Police are looking for the driver of a car that was involved in a collision with an 80-year-old woman in Kidderminster.
West Mercia Police say the young driver of the car stopped to assist the pedestrian, but carried on his way when he believed the woman wasn't injured.
The collision happened at about 16:00 on Friday, on Blakebrook, near to the junction of Pineridge Drive.
Image source, Google
The woman later received medical treatment for an injury to her leg, police say.
They are appealing for the driver of the car and any witnesses to contact them.
Kidderminster station revamp: Plans unveiledpublished at 14:06 British Summer Time 6 July 2017

Detailed pans for the £4.3m revamp of Kidderminster station have been revealed by the county council.
The new new glass-fronted station will be twice the size of the existing building, and will include a new café or shop, toilets and indoor seating and waiting areas.
Image source, Worcestershire County Council
Funding of £1.8m has been made available from growth deals in place with the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership and £2.5m through the Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership.
The new station is due to be completed by the summer of 2019.
Quote Message
It is the second busiest train station in the county and is a major gateway into Wyre Forest and beyond. These proposals mean the station will better reflect our ambitions for the area as a place to live, work and visit and really improve the experience for the 1.6 million passengers now using the station each year."
Ken Pollock, Worcestershire County Council
Slideshow: Bees, blooms and harvest workpublished at 13:46 British Summer Time 6 July 2017

Bees gathering nectar and farmers gathering the harvest are just two of the photos in this selection from BBC Weather Watchers.
Thanks to Johnqa, Fuzzballpc, Vicki's View, Ricky Shentz, Janiejane13 and Farmer Helen for this selection.
Media caption,
Bees, blooms and harvest work
Kidderminster station revamp: 'Excellent example' of shared fundingpublished at 13:25 British Summer Time 6 July 2017

The £4.3m revamp of Kidderminster's station is being funded by two neighbouring Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEP).
Greater Birmingham and Solihull LEP (GBSLEP) is putting in £1.8m and Worcestershire LEP £2.5m.
Image source, Worcestershire County Council
The scheme is being led by Worcestershire County Council with support from Wyre Forest District Council, SLC Rail, Network Rail, London Midland, Chiltern Railways, the Severn Valley Railway, Kidderminster Railway Museum and local bus operators.
Quote Message
"This is an excellent example of how neighbouring LEPs can work together successfully to support shared priorities for both their businesses and residents. Kidderminster is an important part of our economy, and this is a high priority project for GBSLEP."
Mike Lyons, GBSLEP director
Coming up on BBC Midlands Today: Knife crime victim launches awareness campaignpublished at 13:09 British Summer Time 6 July 2017
BBC Midlands Today

A man who nearly died rescuing a woman who was being attacked in the street has made a campaigning video to try and counter the growing problem of knife crime.
Will Flint from Alvechurch was stabbed a dozen times in the attack in Birmingham on News Year's Eve.
Our special correspondent will have more on BBC1 from 13:30.
Your pictures: The fly that lives with waspspublished at 12:49 British Summer Time 6 July 2017

The hornet hoverfly, external looks like it could sting you, but it can't. It lives in wasps nests without getting stung because it does the cleaning for them - eating debris and rubbish.
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MP 'optimistic' about future of carpet firm after takeoverpublished at 12:12 British Summer Time 6 July 2017

A Worcestershire MP says he's optimistic about the sale of the historic Kidderminster carpet firm Brintons.
The owners announced yesterday they've sold the business to a USA-based private equity firm, Argand Partners.
The sale comes less than a month after Brintons announced 60 job losses, which they've confirmed are still going ahead.
Wyre Forest MP, Mark Garnier, says he's hopeful the new owners will keep manufacturing in the UK.
Quote Message
We can probably take an optimistic view on this. I think we can think of it as the kind of investment Tata Steel made in Jaguar Land Rover and Jaguar Land Rover has been turned around to continue to be an iconic brand that keeps manufacturing cars in the UK and I think Argand Partners will want to do a similar thing."
Mark Garnier, Wyre Forest MP
'Extremely challenging' financial year ahead for hospitalspublished at 11:32 British Summer Time 6 July 2017
Kidderminster Shuttle

A health director has warned that hospitals in Worcestershire face an "extremely challenging" financial year, external ahead.
Slideshow: Up close with naturepublished at 11:12 British Summer Time 6 July 2017
Jerry Chester
BBC News Online

These great close-up photos were taken by Paul Wilde on a walk across Abbey Meadows in Redditch - he also added a couple of shots to show how nice the weather was.
I'd love to feature your photos - you can email, tweet us on @bbchw, external or message via Facebook, external.
Media caption,
Up close with nature
Stabbing victim launches knife awareness campaignpublished at 10:57 British Summer Time 6 July 2017
Joanne Malin
BBC Midlands Today

A have-a-go hero who was stabbed 12 times and nearly died has released a campaigning video to try and counter the growing problem of knife crime.
Will Flint, from Alvechurch, was attacked on News Year's Eve in Birmingham after he intervened to help a woman.
His video is called "In the Blink of an Eye" and will be shown in schools across the West Midlands.
'Deep concerns' over fresh M5 diversionspublished at 10:52 British Summer Time 6 July 2017

Plans to divert traffic off the M5 on to roads around Worcestershire while roadworks are carried out are being condemned by the leader of Bromsgrove Council.
Works are needed at Oldbury, between junctions 1 and 2 on the motorway, which are expected to last more than a year.
Highways England is proposing to use a 30mph contraflow to manage traffic, as well as relying on drivers either diverting an extra 20 miles via the M42, or using local routes through north Worcestershire.
The council says this will affect around 60,000 journeys every day.
Image source, Google
Quote Message
I was deeply concerned to learn that Highways England having caused residents living along the A38 constant disruption and noise with the M5 project, are now implementing further disruption around Bromsgrove."
Geoff Denaro, Leader, Bromsgrove District Council
Blue skies bring out the balloonspublished at 10:32 British Summer Time 6 July 2017
BBC Weather Watchers

The good weather yesterday saw balloons in the skies over Worcestershire.
Lucy photographed one over her home town of Evesham and Ricky Shentz saw one in Great Malvern
Image source, Evesham Lucy
Image source, Ricky Shentz
Parents asked to pay for books by high schoolpublished at 10:12 British Summer Time 6 July 2017

Parents at a Worcestershire high school are being asked to pay for text books, to try and stop subjects like music and drama being cut.
The headteacher of Hanley Castle High School, near Upton-upon-Severn, has written to parents asking for a £40 contribution in September for the next school year.
Image source, Google
Headteacher, Lyndsey Cooke, says the response from parents has so far been positive.
Quote Message
During the last seven years our funding in real terms has declined significantly and, as one of the poorest funded authorities, Worcestershire schools are struggling. What I want to do is to maintain all the subjects we offer at A-level and GCSE and that our group sizes don't get any bigger."
Lyndsey Cooke, Headteacher