Herefordshirecounty

Kidderminster Harriers have made two signings ahead of Saturday's FA Cup first round tie with Doncaster Rovers at Aggborough. Sam Austin, 29, has returned on loan until the end of the season after three years away, whilst Middlesbrough striker Layton Campbell, 20, has joined on loan until January. The signings come as Harriers sit 13th in the National League, having failed to win any of their last eight games.

The Raven Hotel in Droitwich, a Grade II-listed 16th-century building, was gutted by fire in August 2025. Its owner, Live Urban Two Limited, has applied for Listed Building Consent to demolish the remains, saying a structural survey concluded the building cannot be saved and poses a public safety risk. Wychavon District Council has ordered an independent inspection before deciding whether demolition is acceptable, with a decision expected before Christmas.

Monty Don will present his last Gardeners' World episode on Friday (6 November) after 23 years with the BBC programme. The 71-year-old said it was 'the right time for a change', calling the show a 'complete privilege' and 'deeply rewarding experience'. He began presenting in 2003 from a rented garden in Stratford-upon-Avon before moving to his own garden, Longmeadow in Herefordshire, in 2011.

Paulina Makazlieva, a 19-year-old law student from Kidderminster, Worcestershire, has won gold for England at the Karate World Championships in France. She took up the sport six years ago after experiencing bullying at school, initially as a self-defence measure. Makazlieva claimed three medals at the International Combat Organisation tournament, including gold in the kumite sparring competition.

Plans to split Worcestershire into two unitary councils in 2029 would disadvantage the north, according to a government letter. The letter acknowledged that one larger council for the whole county offered a 'stronger overall' financial case, but ministers endorsed the split on the basis that both areas have different economic priorities. The north faces 'greater pressures' with a weaker income base from fewer high-rate taxpayers and higher service needs.

Birmingham City Council is introducing parking charges at Lickey Hills Country Park while reconsidering similar plans at Sutton Park and Sheldon Country Park. The authority proposed charges at all three sites to help cover maintenance costs after declaring itself bankrupt in 2023. Conservative MP Bradley Thomas, whose constituency borders Lickey Hills, criticised the move as paying 'the price for Birmingham City Council's financial mismanagement'. The council said it had reconsidered the individual circumstances of each park. Implementation at Sutton Park is being delayed while its future operational model is reviewed, with both councils considering placing it in an independent trust.

Amy Watson, a 30-year-old from Worcestershire, founded the Joe Phipps Foundation in memory of her partner Joe Phipps, who died in March 2024. The charity has created mental health packs for primary schools to help children cope with their feelings. Watson said she identified a gap in support after struggling to explain Phipps' death to her own children, aged six and 11 at the time.