Hereford Voice

West Mercia Police are appealing for anyone who has information following criminal damage of a property and car on Lowfield Meadow, Kingstone in Herefordshire. On Friday 29 December at around 8.45pm a property on the street had three panes of the living room windows smashed, along with multiple windows of the car parked outside. Three suspects have been seen in the area at the time of the incident, all wearing grey tracksuits. If you witnessed the incident or have any information that will help with enquiries, please contact PC Ashen by email helen.ashen@westmercia.police.uk or by calling 07977957688, quoting 00398_i of the 29 December. Alternatively, information can be shared anonymously with the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or by visiting www.crimestoppers-org.uk

A spokesperson for Friends of the Upper Wye said; "We have just recorded our highest phosphate levels ever at Bredwardine Bridge: 0.29 ppm, more than 4 times the target set by the Environment Agency for this section of this fragile and failing river. With the river in spate, the sheer volume of nutrients this represents is frightening"

The trailer for the new, British independent movie DERELICT, a harrowing and violent thriller of revenge and empowerment, has now been released online. Filmed exclusively in Herefordshire in the UK on a budget of just £35k, DERELICT focuses on a daughter’s revenge and the circumstances that have led to the murder of her father. Soaked in the tradition of the British film noir, a series of unusual characters are thrown into situations that will have repercussions beyond their imagination. Abigail is a socially isolated, angry young woman who is struggling to come to terms with the brutal murder of her father some years prior. When she learns that one of her father's murderers is about to be released from prison, Abi sets herself on a path of revenge. Matt is a young man whose life gets turned upside down by the return of his brother Ewan. The destinies of these lost souls crosses in ways that will tragically shape their lives. Writer and film critic Guy Adams called it "Rashomon for the Sports Direct Generation!" and Wayne Kramer (The Cooler, Running Scared) said "DERELICT is the slow-burn anatomy of a brutal murder and its aftermath, one that puts the viewer on a collision course with both the victims and the perpetrators in the gut-wrenching crime drama from talented up-and- coming director Jonathan Zaurin. Following in the tradition of Mike Hodges, Shane Meadows and Ben Wheatley, Zaurin demonstrates a skill for digging just below the surface of England’s societal ills, exposing equal parts pain and redemption, all served up with a powerful cinematic vision." The Derelict crew consists of producers Sarah Zaurin, Andy Piper, Pete Bird and Todd Rodgers. Michael Mackenzie and Kat Ellinger will both be working on the screenplay, Michael Sànchez will be composing the score and sound engineering by Ryan Jordan. The talented cast features Suzanne Fulton (Cold Feet, Mum Said), regular LBS Films contributors Mikey JL Coombes and Pete Bird (both Wyvern Hill), Dean Kilbey (Boiling Point, Manfish, Top Boy), Nick Cornwall (Devils, Sky Sharks), Corinne Strickett (Housewarming), Joe Nurse (Santa Baby), Darren James King (April, Essex Boys: Law Of Survival), Clova Perez- Corral (The Antwerp Dolls), Ben Manning (The Snarling, Cursed), and Stacey Coleman (Polterheist, Emmerdale). Trailer 👇

A man who was seriously injured in an assault in Malvern on New Year’s Eve has died. The man, in his 60s, was assaulted outside The Beauchamp Arms on Worcester Road at around 10.15pm on Sunday evening (31 December). He was taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and has sadly died from his injuries. A 52-year-old man who was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder has been released on bail whilst enquires continue. Officers are continuing to appeal for witnesses. Detective Inspector Mark Walters said: “I would like to pass on my condolences to the family and friends of the individual who has sadly died following this tragic incident on Sunday evening. “I know an incident like this brings great concern to the local community and I would like to reassure people that this is an isolated incident. “Our investigation is continuing, and I urge anyone who may have seen the incident take place or has any other information, however small you think it may be, to please contact us”. To contact police please call 101 quoting incident number 388i of December 31, 2023. Alternatively, if you have information but don’t feel comfortable speaking to police, you can speak to the independent charity Crimestoppers. It is 100% anonymous, they never ask your name, and they cannot trace your call or IP address. You can contact them at https://crimestoppers-uk.org/ or 0800 555 111.

We were out with our friends from Air Vistas and this is the short drone footage we created. We are pleased that they persuaded us to invest in a quality drone.

It’s not too late to have your say on priorities for Herefordshire over the next four years Herefordshire Council is asking for your views about proposed priorities in new County Plan. The County Plan is the document that outlines the Herefordshire Council’s overarching ambitions and objectives, and how they will be delivered. The council is currently consulting with local people on a new four year County Plan for 2024-2028. Residents are being asked to think about how they would like it to feel to live in Herefordshire in 2028, and then help to shape and refine the County Plan by completing an online consultation survey. Complete the County Plan consultation questionnaire here. The consultation will close on 10 January 2024. The consultation outlines ambitions and priorities in the following areas: People – Enable resilient and connected communities to ensure that everyone lives well and has the best start in life. Place - Protect and enhance our environment and keep Herefordshire a great place to live. Growth - Support growth across the county which builds on the county's strengths and resources and asks respondents to consider when they should be delivered during the next four years. All feedback received will be considered in developing the priorities for the 2024-2028 County Plan.

Thank you to our Hereford Voice Photo Studio member Slavi Mihov for sharing this fabulous drone footage from the New Year celebrations at The Left Bank Village. 415738323_330094566557875_1286720750027005115_n.mp4

We would also like to congratulate Philip Chandler for services to the community in Herefordshire and Ellen Somme, founder, Teddy Trust for services to Vulnerable Children.

Congratulations to Lyndsey Evans for services in South Wye Hereford (Belmont Community Centre) Wye, Herefordshire Lyndsey has been a volunteer for over ten years providing support to the children's Christmas grotto, also puts on coffee mornings and is involved with several special events in the evenings like Valentines Day, Christmas Meal, Burns night etc. She was the stalwart who has transformed the entrance to the community centre, which involved obtaining grant money. Lyndsey is a volunteer and Trustee of Belmont Community Centre. Full list attached New Year Honours List 2024 (CSV) - GOV.UK.pdf

West Mercia Police Officers in Hereford are appealing for witnesses after a heavily pregnant woman was subjected to a frightening assault by another motorist while in her car with her son. The woman was waiting at a junction on the Ross Road in Hereford at around 3.30pm on Friday 22 December when an irate male motorist behind her started beeping at her. The man got out of his black Vauxhall Insignia 12-registration plate, came up to her light blue Toyota Auris, and started banging on the window. When the woman tried to get out of her car, the man kicked her door several times which shut on her leg causing bruising. It also caused a dent to her car door. The man then drove off in the Vauxhall with the partial registration plate “VU12”. He is described as a white man aged approximately in his late 50s, of stocky build with dark hair and a grey beard. He was wearing glasses and dark coloured clothing. He had a female front seat passenger wearing clothing with a leopard print. PC Melanie Davies, who is investigating the incident, said: “The victim here is heavily pregnant, and her young son was in the vehicle at the time, so this was a frightening ordeal for them both. “The attack took place around school closing time so there will have been witnesses around. “We would like anyone with information, who may have witnessed the assault or may have captured it on their dash-cam to come forward and share it with us. “Please email me at melanie.davies@westmercia.police.uk or call me on 07870 219274, quoting log 327i of December 22 if you know anything about this or think you may have witnessed it.” Alternatively, information can be shared anonymously with the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or by visiting www.crimestoppers-org.uk

His son John confirmed he died peacefully at a care home in Malvern, Worcestershire, on Christmas morning. He said: "My dad died peacefully on Christmas morning. Simply old age, as he was 95, and he's left the world of antiques with an incredible legacy. Appointed curator of the Dyson Perrins Museum at the Royal Worcester factory in 1967. The antiques expert, who was widely regarded as the world authority on Worcester Porcelain and first appeared on the show in 1979. 📸 Sandon Family

𝗠𝗲𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗮𝘀 to you all We would like to thank you all for your continued support and to wish you a fabulous Christmas Day Colin and the team at 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗩𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲

Hereford's main entrances into the city centre will have anti-terror bollards installed, at a cost exceeding £200,000. The goal, according to the Herefordshire Council, "its aim was to reduce danger for people in the city, “whether from errant vehicles or those acts motivated by terrorism aims”. By March, the work will be completed. Given the volume of pedestrian traffic, High Town, St. Peter's Street, and Commercial Street were identified as possible targets in a 2021 review of Hereford's historic centre. Following earlier attacks in European cities, the authorities said that the restrictions would safeguard the safety of city users, with a focus on people assembled for festivities. The construction company Speller Metcalfe, located in the West Midlands, has been hired to build an arbitrary quantity of "permanent, detachable and lowering/rising bollards at important city entrances, at a price of £202,830. A comparable sum is still available from the £6 million Hereford City Centre Improvement Fund for additional initiatives. The project has been funded by the council and Marches local enterprise partnership.

The study was carried out by consultants AECOM and looked at 18 road and non-road options in order to identify the optimum solutions. The report concludes that two alternative routes – with either a 30mph or 40mph speed limit - for a new road between the B4399 at Rotherwas to the A438 east of the city offer the best solution. Each option would carry a walking and cycling route alongside. The report also recommends that these schemes could be further investigated to the next stage – the Outline Business Case – that would identify a single preferred alignment. The two routes could cost between £145m and £200m to build, depending on the option, with an earliest opening date being 2031. Cllr Price, Cabinet Member for Transport and Infrastructure, said “I welcome the opportunity to publish this Strategic Outline Case. The report suggests the Eastern River Crossing and Link Road could provide traffic relief to Hereford and help to increase the resilience of the local highway network by providing a second major road crossing of the River Wye to complement the Greyfriars Bridge on the A49. However, the report has also identified a significant increase in costs from earlier estimates, much of which is due to the long bridge required to cross the River Wye flood plan. In my opinion, at up to £200m in total, this scheme can no longer be viewed as a low-cost alternative to the western bypass. I will be considering how this may affect the options available to provide much-needed traffic relief to the city, and expect to take a report to Cabinet in the New Year.” The summary document is available to read here, while the full appendices will be made available at a later date.

West Mercia Police are appealing for witnesses following a fatal collision on the A465 at Allensmore, just outside Hereford, yesterday morning. The collision happened at around 11am and involved a black Mini, a blue Ford Transit van and HGV tanker. The driver of the Mini, a 62-year-old woman, sadly died at the scene. Police would like to hear from anyone who was in the area at the time and may have witnessed the collision or have dash-cam footage of it. Anyone with information or footage is asked to contact Sergeant Liam Bennett, Serious Collision Investigation Unit South on SCIUSouth@westmercia.police.uk quoting incident number 154i of 17 December 2023.

Police appeal following fatal collision near Hereford yesterday. West Mercia Police are appealing for witnesses following a fatal collision on the A465 at Allensmore, just outside Hereford, yesterday morning. The collision happened at around 11am and involved a black Mini, a blue Ford Transit van and HGV tanker. The driver of the Mini, a 62-year-old woman, sadly died at the scene. Police would like to hear from anyone who was in the area at the time and may have witnessed the collision or have dash-cam footage of it. Anyone with information or footage is asked to contact Sergeant Liam Bennett, Serious Collision Investigation Unit South on SCIUSouth@westmercia.police.uk quoting incident number 154i of 17 December 2023.

West Midlands Ambulance Service have confirmed that a woman has died following a fatal collision that occurred in Herefordshire on Sunday. The collision occurred on the A465 Hereford to Abergavenny Road near Allensmore yesterday (Sunday 17th December) The A465 road remained closed throughout most of the day from the Clehonger turning to Church Road in Allensmore. A spokesperson for the ambulance service said: "We were called at 10.59am to a road traffic collision involving a lorry, car and a van on the A465 in Allensmore, Hereford. One ambulance and a paramedic officer attended the scene. Upon arrival it was clear that nothing could be done to save the driver of the car and she was confirmed deceased by ambulance staff at the scene. The second and third patients were assessed and did not require treatment from staff. They received self care advice before being discharged at the scene."

Here is an update from the good people at Vision Building and Development who are getting on with the fabulous StrongerHereford project at The Pavilion, Castle Green in Hereford. 10000000_25140386338893849_8421593199686556208_n.mp4 A spokesperson for Vision Building and Development said; "Battling the weather, rising river and the gruelling pavilion steps, we are finally coming out of the ground and positioning the steel frame of the new structure. The demolishing, knock throughs, new floors are also complete! The exciting finishes are about to commence early in the new year!" Watch this space for regular updates.

Agree, this would be a nightmare and cause even more traffic problems on the Belmont Road.

𝗟𝗶𝗱𝗹 𝗥𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝗣𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝗔𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝗔𝘁 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐇𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐥 𝗧𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻, 𝗡𝗼𝘄 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟭𝟮𝘁𝗵 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰. Due to the constant delays and new determination dates surrounding this controversial planning application, Lidl may try for a 'Non Determination' which could force approval, maybe that's the plan...🤔 (Non-determination is when the Local Planning Authority, in this case Herefordshire Council, fails to determine the application within the statutory period. Very occasionally the Secretary of State will take the decision). 'Demolition of existing hotel and associated structures and erection of Class E food store with associated access, parking, servicing, drainage and landscaping' 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 - 𝗣𝟮𝟯𝟭𝟳𝟬𝟯/𝗙 - https://hfd.news/VqbT 𝗔𝗻𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗯𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲-𝘀𝘂𝗯𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝗮 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝘄𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘃𝗲 The original hybrid planning application has been withdrawn. Our original 'Breaking News' article https://hfd.news/DjES

Local MP Jesse Norman has welcomed his election last week by fellow MPs to the House of Commons Defence Select Committee. Commenting, he said: "It is a great honour to have been elected by my colleagues to the Committee. "When I left the government three weeks ago it was in part so that I could speak louder in public on the things that matter most to my constituents. There is nothing that matters more than our national defence, and especially in Herefordshire, which has a glorious tradition of commitment to and support of our armed forces. "The Defence Committee is already making a significant impact by pressing the government to do more in areas such as military readiness, the welfare and training of the armed forces, procurement and the nature of future warfare. "I will hope to draw on my own experience, especially in technology, in supporting and extending the committee's work in future, for the benefit of our county and our country."

An additional £10million for the county’s roads, and £3million towards the refurbishment of Hereford’s Shirehall has been secured following Council agreement to a reviewed capital budget Further improvements to roads across the county and the refurbishment of Hereford’s landmark Shirehall are now set to go ahead following agreement to a reviewed capital budget at a Council meeting held on Friday 8 December. The investments were among several proposed changes to the way Herefordshire Council’s 2023/24 capital budget will now be spent. Other changes include a new £2million Community Capital Grants Scheme to support the valuable work local community organisations, and funding identified towards the development of Hereford’s road network. Significant further investment in road repair An additional £10million investment has been identified towards bringing roads across the county back to a good condition. The funding, which is in addition to the £13million already identified for resurfacing C and U roads and fixing potholes, will be used to resurface those roads most in need of repair. Hereford’s new library one step closer The additional £3million towards the refurbishment of Hereford’s historic Shirehall will enable work to progress on bringing the building back into use after being closed to the public since 2020 following a ceiling collapse. It will also make it possible for the building to be the new home of Hereford library following its relocation to make way for the redeveloped museum in Broad Street. This is subject to funding agreement from Stronger Hereford. Councillor Pete Stoddart, Cabinet member for finance and corporate services, said: “We’re delighted that Council have agreed to our capital budget reviews for this year (2023/24), as this means we’re able to invest in two things that residents have highlighted are important to them – our road network and our heritage buildings. “Residents are consistently telling us that the poor condition of road surfaces across the county is a prime concern for them. This significant investment we’re making will bring roads that are most in need of repair back to good condition, improving travel for local people, businesses and visitors. This, along with funding we already announced in the autumn for road repair and an additional £3.6m from the cancellation of the northern leg of HS2, means that there will be an additional £23m being invested in our roads over the next two years. “Hereford’s Shirehall is a landmark building, and while we recognise the new library proposals are still subject to funding agreements, this decision will help bring this historic building back to life after years of neglect and it is another step towards the creation of a modern library in the heart of our City.”

Four men have been arrested following a warrant executed last Friday (1 December) at the Crown & Sceptre, Marketplace in Ross-On-Wye. twittervid.com_RossonWyeCops_56fa83.mp4 Three of the men, aged 35, 39 and 25, were arrested on suspicion of the supply in Class A and B drugs. Another man, aged 43, was arrested on suspicion of possession of Cannabis. PS Alice Bennett said: “Friday's proactive warrant was based on good intelligence around the illegal supply of drugs from this establishment. I hope this shows we will continue to work hard to keep drugs off our streets and reduce crime that brings misery to the people of our community.“I urge anyone with concerns about the supply of drugs to please get in touch, we act on all reports that we receive”. Following the warrant and arrests the licence of the pub has been suspended pending a review. The local community can help us by continuing to report any signs of criminal activity – the easiest way to do this is on our website. Any bit of information, no matter how small it may seem, could help make a big difference. You can report online under the Tell Us About section at West Mercia Police. If you have information about drugs and drugs supply and don’t want to speak to police, you can report information anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or by visiting www.crimestoppers-org.uk

The SNP Government say Scotland will finally be the first UK nation to introduce a ban on the practice which endangers pedestrians From today (11 December 2023), local authorities can begin enforcing the law. This means drivers could be fined £100 for these parking behaviours; reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days. There will be some exceptions such as parking by emergency vehicles or delivery drivers. The Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 bans pavement parking, double parking and parking at dropped kerbs, with certain exemptions designated by local authorities - for example to ensure safe access for emergency vehicles. Minister for Transport Fiona Hyslop said: “The message here is clear: pavement parking is unsafe, unfair and illegal, and you could be fined up to £100 for it. “Local authorities can begin to issue fines from 11 December, so this campaign is really important to make sure everyone in Scotland is aware that enforcement is coming. “We’re highlighting the danger that illegal pavement parking poses to pavement users, and in particular those with mobility issues or visual impairments, or parents pushing prams and buggies. “Scotland is the first of the four nations to make pavement parking illegal nationwide. This change in legislation is a step towards developing communities that are better able to support active travel, building on the work that is already underway to reduce emissions and helping us meet our world-leading climate change targets.” See our original topic on the subject here - https://hfd.news/WdWO4