BBC News Hereford & Worcester

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Worcester stalwart Chris Pennell insists he is fit enough to carry on playing despite parting company with the Premiership club at the age of 34.

The once-capped ex-England full-back has been made offers - and will weigh it all up with his family before making a decision on his immediate future.

"I'd love to carry on playing," he told BBC Hereford & Worcester.

"I'm as fit as I've ever been. I genuinely feel really good. I don't think I've ever felt so fresh."

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Pubs across the country showing the England v Scotland game in Euro 2020 are preparing for full houses this evening.

The Three Lions StourportCopyright: The Three Lions Stourport

Emma Peach runs the Three Lions in Stourport, Worcestershire, and is expecting people from several hours before kick-off.

"We can have a capacity of 140 people. We are getting a lot of enquiries, we operate on a first come first served basis so I am expecting people to start arriving pretty much from three o'clock," she said.

Under current Covid rules, pubs can serve customers indoors with groups of up to six - or two households of any size - allowed.

Even though there are restrictions, Mrs Peach said her customers were expected to follow them and she was ready for a "brilliant atmosphere".

A father-of-three who spent almost three months in intensive care with Covid-19 is going to climb Snowdon to raise money for a hospice.

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Leighton Webster, from Redditch, was rushed to hospital in April 2020 and spent more than six weeks in a coma after being put on a ventilator.

The supermarket worker was given a 10% chance of survival but was reunited with his family in July.

The trek up Snowdon on Saturday is in aid of the Primrose Hospice, Bromsgrove, after they supported his family "in a very tough time".

Mr Webster said he will do the climb with his daughter Chloe which means everything to him.

"I missed so much time with her last year. Just to have a photo at the top, that will be a good memory for us both," he said.

A change from all the sunshine today, with much cooler and soggier conditions across the region.

Find your forecast here.

Welcome to the start of our live service for Friday.

We’ll be bringing you all the latest updates for the West Midlands.

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The number of people visiting emergency departments at hospitals in Worcestershire is higher than before the pandemic, NHS figures reveal.

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Hospital bosses in Worcestershire are asking patients to only go to A&E in emergencies as they say many patient complaints are minor ailments which could be dealt with at a chemist or by a GP.

They say, on average, current emergency department attendances at the Worcestershire Royal are 39 more per day compared to May 2019 and 16 per day at the Alexandra Hospital.

Jason Seewoodhary, a GP in Worcester, says the increase may be partly down to long waiting lists at GP surgeries since the return of face-to-face appointments after lockdown.

"There is a massive backlog of illnesses that need to be assessed.

"The appointment system has been somewhat exhausted and it may be some patients are using it to bypass the GP or to try and get rapid access to diagnostic services," he says.

The Environment Agency is monitoring green algae that's appeared on the River Severn in Worcestershire and Gloucestershire.

It occurs naturally when river flows are low in hot, dry weather.

A care home manager claims staff have already threatened resignation if Covid vaccinations become compulsory.

The government announced on Wednesday the vaccination would be mandatory for all care home staff in England.

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Geoff Butcher, who runs six care homes in the West Midlands, said the approach was "incorrect".

He said two of his staff had already said they would leave their roles if it was enforced and an applicant had walked out of an interview.

"It's already impacting recruitment," Mr Butcher, who runs Blackadder Care Group, said.

"This is my primary concern - if you're looking to make care homes safe, the first thing you need is to have them fully staffed.

"So if you're having things that are going to impact those staffing levels and impact what is already a very difficult recruitment process... you're putting in a significant risk."

The group runs homes in Malvern, Hereford, Bewdley, Stourbridge, Leicester and Cheltenham.

Mr Butcher said he supported carers being vaccinated, but said the approach should be "to explain and encourage people, not to make it compulsory".

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said it was a "sensible and reasonable step".

Today is forecast to be mainly cloudy with scattered showers or spells of rain before turning drier this evening. High: 19C (66F).

A yellow weather warning for thunderstorms is in place from the Met Office until 19:00 on Thursday with the area affected covering part of Warwickshire.

Met OfficeCopyright: Met Office

Tonight is expected to be dry with clear spells before turning cloudier towards dawn. Low: 13C (55F).

You can stay up-to-date on the weather for your area by going to the BBC Weather website.

The extension to lockdown restrictions won't prevent Eastnor Castle from staging Lakefest later in the summer.

Sir Tom Jones is still scheduled to make an appearance at the four-day festival, which starts on 12 August.

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The event organisers said it will be a tribute to "all of the wonderful gatherings that have been swept from the calendar" this year and they promised one last surprise announcement.

Temperatures could get up to 27C (80F) this afternoon, in a day full of sunny skies.