THE Worcester News website is getting bigger and better, offering you the information that matters most.

A new local information channel has been added to www.worcesternews.co.uk to help readers find out more about where they live - from school league tables to the nearest doctor.

Anyone living in Worces-ter, Droitwich, Kempsey, Malvern, Pershore, Upton-upon-Severn and all the other towns and villages we cover will also be able to access up-to-date traffic and travel news, crime statistics, as well as details of all the nearest hospitals and medical centres.

Readers who use our website will also be able to access information on services across the country because the data is taken from organisations such as the NHS, Home Office and Department for Education and Skills (DfES).

Lindsay O'Hara, the website's operations and development manager, said although the local information section of www. worcesternews.co.uk is still in its infancy, it will get bigger and better in the coming weeks and months.

"We will be enhancing and improving it in the future," he said. "And there are plans to add extra information on housing."

Mr O'Hara said all of the information will be updated on a regular basis.

"Ofsted reports, for example will be instant. As soon as the results come out and made public then, by definition, we will get that information," he said.

Mr O'Hara said the addition of local information to the Worcester News website shows the commitment of the paper to giving our readers access to as much information as easily as possible.

Because the section allows users to access information all over the country, it can be used to help plan a journey or find out about a place you might be thinking of moving to.

Worcester News editor Stewart Gilbert also welcomed the developments to the website. He said: "This is a fantastic service for the people of the county.

"The information that this channel provides will be an invaluable tool for many of thousands of people in the region. This is also further proof that the Worcester News is as the forefront of technology and the changing face of the media."

To start using the new local information channel log on to www. worcesternews.co.uk and click on the corresponding tab on the left hand side of your screen.