Plans for 800 new homes in Hereford city centre have moved a step closer, with the council appointing a developer to the project.

The new housing, which has been in the pipeline for more than four years, will eventually form part of regeneration work between Commercial Road and Edgar Street, which will centre around a new link road (pictured).

Image source, Herefordshire Council

Keepmoat Homes say they'll use local labour in the contruction.

BBC Sport

Worcestershire's Moeen Ali is batting in the third Test against South Africa, hoping to repeat the kind of batting feat that earned him man of the match in the first Test.

You can follow the game on the BBC Sport live page.

Image source, Getty Images

A large quantity of cigarettes have been stolen in a raid on a store in the early hours of this morning.

West Mercia Police say the WH Smith store in Vicar Street, Kidderminster, was broken into between 02:50 and 03:10.

Image source, Google

Malvern Gazette

Families are being encouraged to experience 200 year old underground tunnels in one of Europe’s largest privately owned Walled Gardens, external at the National Trust, Croome near Worcester.

"Little improvement has been made" at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, say inspectors.

Gavin Kermack
Reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester

About 100 vintage steam engines will be on show at the annual Welland Steam Rally this weekend.

I've been along to sample the sights, sound and smells of steam power.

BBC Weather Watchers

Thanks to LouNik in Hereford for the excellent photo of the model dragonfly, and to Postman Les in Bromyard for the sunflower.

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

Image source, LouNik

Image source, Postman Les

The MP for Wyre Forest, Mark Garnier, is calling for a change in planning law so connecting to the internet is given the same priority as gas, water and electricity.

It's after many residents at a brand new 200-home development on the former British Sugar factory in Kidderminster complained of slow or non-existent broadband when they moved in.

Image source, Getty Images

Developers Bovis and Taylor Wimpey, and BT Openreach have now agreed a deal which would see them get broadband by the end of the year, but the Conservative MP says they shouldn't need to be chased to do it.

A new £20m development in Worcester featuring a dozen new restaurants opens this weekend.

Cathedral Square also includes shops and a gym and developers say it's created up to 400 retail and leisure jobs.

Image source, Porterfield

More than 30 police officers from around the UK are passing through the area today, on a 180-mile (290km) cycle ride in remembrance of colleagues who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

The Police Unity Tour, external will be passing through Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire over the next two days, finishing at the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas.

Image source, West Mercia Police

Deputy Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman (pictured above right) from West Mercia Police is among them and she said she was taking part to remember PC Richard Gray who was shot dead in Shrewsbury in 2007, while trying to arrest a gunman who was holding two fellow officers hostage.

Worcester News

The city council is expected to launch a new task force to deal with air pollution in the city, external.

Nina Das Gupta
Presenter, BBC Hereford & Worcester

Worcester's English Civil War story is being told in a new exhibition at The Commandery in Worcester.

The interactive civil war experience opens on Saturday, complete with 17th Century smells - I've been along for a sneak preview.

A man remains in a critical but stable condition in hospital this morning after being shot during a planned police operation by armed officers in Frankley.

The man in his early 40s was shot in the chest in Hereford Close on Wednesday night.

Image source, PA

One man, aged 21, was arrested for suspected firearm offences. Two other men, aged 17 and 20, and a 53-year-old woman were arrested on suspicion of drugs offences.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission is investigating the shooting.

Worcestershire Rapids suffered a fifth defeat in seven games in the NatWest T20 Blast at Northampton last night.

Brett D’Oliveira (pictured) top scored with 52, as the Rapids were bowled out for 158.

Image source, Getty Images

The home side then raced home with seven wickets and almost three overs to spare.

More than 7,000 library users across Herefordshire and Worcestershire are being fined for overdue books every year.

A Freedom of Information request by BBC Hereford & Worcester shows councils here have raised more than £600,000 since 2011 by fining people who fail to return library books on time.

Carol Brown, a senior library manager in Worcestershire, looking after libraries like The Hive in Worcester (pictured), says it's proving a frustrating issue to solve.

Alex Hamilton
BBC Weather

After a bright start cloud will start to increase with outbreaks of showery rain expected this afternoon.

A breezy day with top temperatures of around 20C (68F).

Jerry Chester
BBC News Online

Welcome to the Local Live service for Herefordshire and Worcestershire on Friday morning. There's been a lovely start to the day, as this photo from BBC Weather Watcher, Hillman, shows.

Image source, Hillman

I'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.

Kent win a rain-affected T20 Blast match against Somerset, while Brendon McCullum is in devastating form as Middlesex beat Essex.

The injured man is taken to hospital while another is arrested over "firearms offences".

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.