HERE’S what’s you need to know in the Black Country and North Worcestershire.

Brierley Hill man Luke Walker has spoken of his disappointment at failing to overturn his conviction for killing his girlfriend Chelsea Hyndman in Crete after a five-year legal battle which has cost his family over £300,000.

To read the full story click here.

Dudley libraries have been shortlisted for a prestigious national award which aims to find the best library in Britain, shine a light on star librarians and celebrate the role that libraries play in encouraging reading.

To read more click here.

An epic bid by Halesowen cancer survivor Sam Greatrex to complete the fastest human-powered circumnavigation of the world have been scuppered by lack of funding.

To read the full story click here.

In Redditch, Marcus Tomlinson has been jailed for seven years for his involvement with a gang which terrified a family in their home late at night in a raid to steal cannabis plants.

The 35-year-old from Winslow Close in Winyates was found guilty by a jury at Worcester Crown Court of two charges of robbery by majority verdict but cleared unanimously of having a firearm or imitation firearm.

To read the full court report click here.

A grandfather who spent much of his early life in Worcestershire after being abandoned as a baby has launched a global search to find his real mother.

Robert Weston was just three weeks old when he was found in a toilet cubicle in the Odeon Cinema in Birmingham on March 26, 1956.

To read his emotional plea for information about his biological mother, click here.

In Kidderminster, a student with a rare disorder affecting his face has landed his first acting role in a professional performance.

Samuel Phoenix has had to undergo face construction surgery three times because of his Moebius syndrome but determined to pursue his dream to become an actor he has landed his first starring role in a professional performance of a play he wrote himself.

To read his inspirational story click here.

Meanwhile the embattled A&E departments at Worcestershire Royal and the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch received unannounced inspections from the Care Quality Commission last night (Tuesday March 24).

The visit by the health watchdog comes after the two hospitals received growing criticism for overcrowding issues and struggling to cater for patients.

To read more click here.