THE emergency services had a busy New Year as they responded to a murder, alcohol-fuelled fights, falls, drink drivers and assaults, including on police officers.

West Mercia Police logged 413 incidents between midnight and 6am.

By 1pm on New Year’s Day police still had 15 people in cells at the custody block at Worcester. The 23 cells in the block had remained close to capacity as the New Year hangover started early for revellers.

Some of those were in custody following incidents in Worcester while others were brought in because custody blocks elsewhere in West Mercia were full.

As reported elsewhere a 49-year-old man from Bromsgrove has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a woman's body was discovered at a property in Cloverdale, Stoke Prior, Bromsgrove.

Police were called to the property at 11.52pm on New Year’s Eve where they discovered a woman with what is believed to be a knife injury.

The woman, aged 44 and from Bromsgrove, was declared dead at the scene at 12.12am by paramedics.

Duty inspector for south Worcestershire said: “The common theme seems to be alcohol-related – drunkenness, public order and assaults on police officers.

"It was the usual challenging night across south Worcestershire. Although several police officers were assaulted, thankfully they have not received any serious or lasting injuries and were able to return to policing duties quite quickly.”

There was also an incident in which a Worcester officer was bitten by a dog and had to be taken to A&E, a spokesman said.

Another of the more unusual callouts happened when a city fire crew responded to four people stuck in a lift in Worcester High Street at around 1.10am on New Year’s Day.

A city crew also dealt with a fire in a bin store at Moreton Place, Worcester at 10.41pm on New Year’s Eve

An incident commander for the West Midlands Ambulance Service said they had been busy with ‘alcohol-related cases’ and assaults.

Police arrested a man for stealing alcohol and chocolate in Droitwich on New Year’s Eve.