Notts and Lancashire win to remain neck and neck at the top of T20 Blast North Group, while Worcestershire lose to Gloucestershire.

Bristol move up to second in the Premiership as a dominant second-half showing gives the Bears a 36-13 victory at Worcester.

Bomb specialists are still at a site in Rotherwas, Hereford, this evening following the discovery of nine shells believed to be from World War One.

Fordsill Road and Chapel Road were closed, and homes and businesses were evacuated, after the devices were found at a construction site last night.

There has been one controlled explosion so far in a farm field to which the shells were taken for safety.

Image source, Wye Valley Group

But according to BBC Hereford and Worcester, at least three of the bombs didn't go off and military explosives experts have been considering what to do next.

The Wye Valley Group is developing land on the discovery site, and manager Gavin Petrigrew said his staff were prepared for the possibility they might find something in the ground.

The site was formerly a large munitions base.

Hereford Times

Here are three stories from the Hereford Times today:

• Bomb squad's controlled explosion, external
• Teenagers stole farm quad bikes to make money, external
• New cycle and bus lanes in Hereford abandoned, external

The former MP for Redditch, Jacqui Smith, has been named as the final contestant for this year's Strictly Come Dancing.

She represented Redditch between 1997 and 2010, and was the first female home secretary.

Ms Smith said she hoped she would catch the public's imagination like her Labour colleague Ed Balls did in 2016.

Restaurants in the West Midlands have claimed more than five million meals under the Eat Out to Help Out scheme, Treasury figures show.

Image source, PA Media

It said 5,050 outlets in the region were signed up to use the scheme as of 27 August 2020.

Diners got a state-backed 50% discount on meals and soft drinks up to £10 each on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays during August.

The Treasury says restaurants have so far made claims worth more than £29m.

Nationally more than 100 million meals were claimed.

A farmer said police turned up to her house yesterday to ask whether nine unexploded mortar bombs could be destroyed on her site.

Sue Morgan who lives near Rotherwas in Herefordshire said officers inspected the site before deciding it was suitable for the operation.

This morning, bomb disposal experts moved in to carry out a controlled explosion.

Several didn't go off however and a squad remains at the scene.

Firefighters had to deal with a fire at The Hive library in Worcester last night.

Hereford and Worcestershire Fire and Rescue Service said it appeared to have started in the kitchen area of a cafe and crews were at the scene for four hours.

The Hive was closed while they dealt with the incident and some traffic was disrupted.

Nine are discovered at a site formerly part of a major munitions base.

A second controlled explosion is needed to dispose of a collection of what are thought to be World War One bombs.

They were found yesterday in Rotherwas, Herefordshire, at an industrial site that was formerly home to a large munitions factory.

Bomb disposal experts have packed the devices with about 12 tonnes of sand and topsoil at a farm to which they've been taken, and have evacuated homes in Hampton Bishop because the explosions could shatter glass.

It appeared that at least three bombs didn't go off in an earlier controlled explosion, meaning plans were made for a second attempt.

Three communities come together to set up their own dial-a-ride service to help residents.

Army bomb disposal experts have carried out a controlled explosion to make safe what are thought to be World War One explosives.

The munitions were found in Rotherwas yesterday evening.

The site, which is now an industrial estate, was once home to one of the country's biggest munitions factories.

The bombs were taken to a nearby farm to allow the explosion to be carried out.

Nicola Goodwin
Reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester

Bombs found at the site of a former munitions factory in Herefordshire have been moved to a farm ahead of a controlled explosion later.

Image source, Sue Morgan

Police and a bomb disposal unit were initially called at about 17:00 on Wednesday to the site on Fordshill Road.

I understand nine bombs from World War One have been found but we don't yet know how many of them are live.

The site, formerly National Filling Factory No 14, was one of the country's biggest munitions factories during the first and second world wars.

It's not unusual to find munitions in the ground - what is unusual though is for them to be taken elsewhere ahead of a detonation.

BBC Weather

After a dry start it will be a cloudy day with some sunny spells but also the chance of showers with highs of 16C (61F).

This stunning sunset was captured earlier in Cradley Heath in the West Midlands by BBC Weather Watcher the_aura_surfer.

Image source, the_aura_surfer

Bomb disposal experts are preparing to carry out controlled explosions near Rotherwas in Hereford this morning.

Image source, Hereford Times

Several devices were discovered on Wednesday - leading to the evacuation of some businesses in the area.

West Mercia Police were called to Fordshill Road at about 17:00 and a bomb disposal unit was also called.

A 200m cordon has been established around the area and business premises have been evacuated to ensure public safety.

Two roads remain closed.

Supporters attend a competitive cricket match for the first time this season, with 2,500 allowed inside The Oval for the T20 Blast.

A bomb disposal unit at a site in Rotherwas, Hereford, have found two devices, one of which is believed to be live, the BBC has been told.

West Mercia Police were called to Fordshill Road at about 17:00 and a bomb disposal unit was also called.

Image source, Hereford Times

The unit is not planning to detonate the device this evening, because of the fading light and will look to do so tomorrow, the BBC was told.

A 200m cordon has been established around the area and business premises have been evacuated to ensure public safety.

Two roads remain closed.

The area is known for once being home to a munitions factory during World War One.

Work has begun to repair some of the flood defences in Herefordshire which were damaged in February's deluge.

In Hampton Bishop, the embankments along the River Lugg and the River Wye are both being repaired, as part of an £8m project across the West Midlands.

Image source, Getty Images

The work is expected to be completed by November and has also begun on the nearby Mordiford Bridge and flood wall.

Some businesses have been evacuated to allow bomb disposal experts to examine what could be an explosive device in the Rotherwas area, on the outskirts of Hereford.

The area is home to a number of industrial units, including a household recycling centre.

Chapel Road and Fordshill Road remain closed.

Two roads have been closed in Hereford while bomb disposal experts deal with what appears to be an explosive device.

There is a 200m cordon around the spot and the closures affect Fordshill Road and Chapel Road.

People are being asked to avoid the area.