YOU can now listen to the Worcester News from anywhere in the world.

Worcester Talking Newspaper, a volunteer-run charity that brings the paper to blind residents, has launched a new podcast service.

Traditionally volunteers have read out the stories of this newspaper for Talking Newspaper editions, recorded at Colin Chance House in Wyld’s Lane.

These used to be taped onto cassettes before the service went digital in 2010.

In recent years listeners could hear recordings kept on memory sticks.

But the service is again moving with the times and will now be available via internet podcast downloads.

The modernisation is the work of Beth Rabjohn, a volunteer who was helping the service for her Duke of Edinburgh silver award.

She said: “I suggested that we try to update their previous system. We came up with the idea of creating podcasts, which are fantastic because they allow people from all over the world to listen to the recordings free, instantaneously via podcast provider apps.

“As a majority of people have a smart phone or access to wifi on a device, it makes it incredibly easy for the visually impaired, or anyone for that matter, to listen to the Worcester News, and they can be notified every week when a new recording is released.

"This looks to the future and aims to benefit as many people in the community as possible.”

Volunteers recently visited the Mayor’s Parlour at the Guildhall and met the Mayor of Worcester, Cllr Steve Mackay to promote the service.

The charity is run for the benefit of visually-impaired members of the local community and relies on volunteers and voluntary donations.

The easiest way to listen to the recordings is via the service’s website, worcestertalkingnews.org.uk. Listeners can also access recordings on Player FM, a free app on Android’s Play Store, or on the Podcast App, free on the App Store.