The use of stop and search powers has "improved" after "being put on the naughty step", West Mercia Police say.

There has been a sharp decline in the number of times officers used the powers in the past year and Ch Supt Charlie Hill says the force had done "a whole range of training" and was working to new guidelines set out by the College of Policing.

He explained the change had come about because there was a feeling among some people, nationally, that use of the powers "was perhaps oppressive" and "may not have been reasonable".

Fires at two properties in Evesham , externalare being investigated by the police.

West Mercia Police were called to Orleans Close to support the fire service in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

One fire was in confined to a wheelie bin - the other caused "substantial damage" to a commercial premises.

Police are treating both fires as arson.

The MP for Worcester, Robin Walker, has taken to Twitter to congratulate a company based in the city on news of its international expansion.

Insurance firm Open GI announced the acquisition of Transactor Global Solution Ltd, external, which has offices across the UK, Poland and Macedonia.

Toni McDonald
Breakfast presenter, BBC Hereford and Worcester

A Worcestershire hero, who saved the life of a man who set himself on fire, is taking on a 100-mile bike ride to raise money for a mental health charity.

Tim Tranter, from Stourport, helped extinguish the man after he set himself on fire on an industrial estate in Bromyard earlier this year.

The 31-year-old is hoping to raise £1,000 pounds for Mind by taking part in the first Velo Birmingham event , externalnext month.

A photograph of Worcester Cathedral during sunset has been captured by aerial photography and videography specialist, Dave Bright.

Image source, Dave Bright

Poor weather has delayed play on day three of Worcestershire 2nds match against Nottingham 2nds and England Under-19s game against India at New Road.

An annual sheep sale being held in Worcestershire today is expected to attract the largest number of animals for 30 years.

Around 10,500 animals are set to be auctioned at Honeybourne - 4,000 more than were sold last year.

The organisers say the higher numbers are partly down to a lack of grass due to dry conditions over the past year.

In last night's pre-season friendlies, Bromsgrove Sporting were beaten 2-1 at Stratford Town, with Wade Malley on target for Sporting.

Alex Hainault scored both Westfields' goals in their 2-2 draw against Slimbridge.

Simon Glover
BBC Online

Proposals to transform a Grade II-listed building in the centre of Worcester into arts facilities for students have been submitted to the council.

Image source, Google

The University of Worcester is hoping to turn the former County Furnishings base in Castle Street into state-of-the-art classrooms for people studying art.

The university says the art deco bulding, which dates back to 1939, will give students "plenty of freedom for creative thought and learning".

Elliott Webb
Breakfast presenter, BBC Hereford & Worcester

Police are using stop and search powers less across Herefordshire and Worcestershire, despite a rise in crime levels.

Image source, Getty Images

Figures - obtained through a freedom of information request - show the number of times people have been stopped for on-the-spot searches has halved to around 5,000 a year across the two counties.

It follows criticism about the apparent overuse of the tactic in the West Mercia Police area during Theresa May's time as home secretary.

Trevor Owens
Sports Editor, BBC Hereford & Worcester

Worcester City fans have vowed to continue fighting for a new stadium at Perdiswell, despite the club's decision to withdraw its support for an appeal.

Image source, Getty Images

The football club's supporters trust are appealing to the National Planning Inspectorate after the city council rejected an application for a new ground at Perdiswell Park.

The club says an appeal would be "financially unviable" and it wants to focus on an alternative proposal for a new stadium on land in Warndon Villages instead.

A man was left with a broken jaw, external after a suspected assault in Kidderminster, police say.

West Mercia Polices say the incident, which happened between Stourport Road and Sutton Road, is thought to have taken place in the early hours of Saturday, 22 July.

The victim, in his 20s, was riding a BMX bicycle when he was attacked by an unknown person.

Trevor Owens
Sports Editor, BBC Hereford & Worcester

Herefordshire's cricketers yesterday picked up their first Unicorns Championship win of the season when they were two-wicket winners over Cornwall at Penzance.

Skipper Matt Pardoe made 127 as Herefordshire chased down their victory target of 239.

A dog owner is due to be sentenced later after he admitted allowing his two animals to kill and injure dozens of lambs on a Herefordshire farm.

Charles Ross-Robertson, from Stanton Lacy, pleaded guilty to owning the dogs which killed the sheep, valued at more than £25,000, in Risbury last September.

He's due to be sentenced at Hereford Magistrates Court today.

He's contesting an order for the destruction of the dogs.

Sara Blizzard
BBC Weather

Looks like you'll need your umbrella today - here's how the whole of Wednesday is looking across the West Midlands.

You can also keep up-to-date with the latest weather forecasts for your area by using the BBC Weather website.

Welcome to the Local Live service for Herefordshire and Worcestershire on Wednesday 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, 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.

One last picture here from Shefali's pick of the region's best weather photos - clouds looming in Herefordshire.

You can see the photo in tonight's Midlands Today from 18:30 BST.

Hereford Times

A scheme must be put in place urgently to meet the demands for labour, external before fruit is left to simply ‘rot in the fields’.

BBC Hereford and Worcester

Racing gets under way at Worcester in just under an hour, in front of an expected large crowd.

The seven-race card is for the Pershore Plum Festival meeting, with the first race due off at 17:05 BST.

Watch BBC Hereford and Worcester's interview with executive director at Pitchcroft, Jenny Cheshire,, external who looks ahead to what should be a good night's racing.