Worcester News, Worcester Sport, Worcester Leisure - From The Worcester News

Worcestershire | Archive | 2003 | April

Stories for 17 April 2003

Leisure

Sinatra is back

THE partnership of Frank Sinatra and the Nelson Riddle Orchestra will be celebrated at Cheltenham Town Hall. more...

Amy wins return call on TV show

A WANNABE actress took two days off school - to go to London to appear in a TV drama - about going to school. more...

Students have time on hands

STUDENTS at Blackminster Middle School have put their works of art on display after weeks of hard work with sculptor Richard Capstick. more...

Win £1,000 of circus tickets

THE circus is coming to town - and the Shuttle/Times and News has tickets worth more than £1,000 to give away. more...

Win a `unique' touch of magic

A TOUCH of magic can be added to a child's bedroom in a competition to win a mural. more...

The `Stones' rolling in

THE Counterfeit Stones bring their `Naughty Licks' tour to Huntingdon Hall on Wednesday April 23. more...

All Eyes on group

CATS Eyes, a vocal harmony group formed in Evesham back in the 1960s, will be playing a benefit gig tomorrow, with proceeds going towards a renal unit for Stratford. more...

THE biggest event of the European Year of Disabled People promises to be the Above and Beyond Festival and Conference, a three-day bonanza of performance, exhibition and debate at Cheltenham Town Hall from September 19-21. more...

Passion and heart-rending tragedy from TV's cult actress Daniela

An intoxicating mix of passion and romance fills the air this spring as the Lyric Hammersmith's powerful and sensual production of Camille comes to Malvern Theatres following a London season. more...

Pond-dipping

AT various times during the year, the Ranger Service holds pond-dipping events around the district, where children can have a bit of fun playing at pools with nets, trays and jars, scooping out wriggling masses of pond life which they then examine with intense curiosity, helped by the ranger. more...

Coming soon... In The Garden

A new regular feature from the green-fingered team at the Kidderminster Shuttle/Times. more...

What's On

TONIGHT: Birmingham: Alexandra Theatre - Connie Lush. NEC Arena - Ronan Keating. Symphony Hall - Peter and The Wolf (afternoon). A Night at the Opera. O'Neills - Last Under the Sun/Hanging Dolls/Komanchi Tribe. Worcester: Huntingdon Hall - George Melly and Digby Fairweather's Half Dozen. Wolverhampton: Robin R'n'B2 - Moore or Less. Brierley Hill: Robin R'n'B - Kids. Wordsley: The Ashwood - Bobby Johnson's Bobcats.Tewkesbury: Roses Theatre - Blue Tapestry. more...

Good year for Roses with varied line-up

THE Roses Theatre in Tewkesbury has announced an impressive line-up for its spring season. more...

Dance divas go for silver

A STRATFORD dance school celebrates its Silver Jubilee this year with a special show at the Civic Hall in Stratford. more...

News

Shopping generosity

ON behalf of the South Warwickshire Motor Neurone Disease Association I would like to thank the shoppers in Stratford for their generous support during our street collection last Saturday, April 5. more...

Helping to spread the word has helped

TO all the staff: on behalf of The Noah's Ark Trust my daughter Chantal and I would like to say thank you to all of you for all that you do in helping us to spread the word and all that the work that the Noah's Ark Trust do and for all the stories that you put in your paper for us, when we have our social events without them people would not know and they wouldn't be successful. more...

Thanks to Thames for their rail help

THE railways authorities have come under some criticism during the past 10 months or so for being inconsiderate to the needs of mobility impaired travellers, particularly when travelling to/from Evesham station. more...

Think about litter this Easter holiday

PERHAPS now is a good time to advise our council that Easter is upon us and the parks and public places will require bin emptying and litter patrols on Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday mornings. more...

How your taxes are being put to regions

Now we have seen further increases in Taxes and Community Charges, well above the rate of inflation, the explanations, and budget details, do not tell the whole story. more...

At last some hope through alternatives

AT last some hope has appeared for an acceptable solution to the (perennial?) problem of the future of Pershore Cottage Hospital. more...

Plucky entrepeneur is in line for £10,000 prize

A YOUNG entrepreneur who has given hope to hundreds of residents in her village is in the running for a major national award. more...

Community organisation wins award for its work

AN organisation that has been giving advice and support to charities for 30 years won a special voluntary award at the Platinum Awards for Business and Community Excellence. more...

Solicitor warns of tax trap on let property

THE Chancellor of the Exchequer has sprung a Capital Gains Tax "trap", according to a Worcestershire solicitor. more...

Records firm scoops award

AN ambitious couple who set up a business just 18 months ago have scooped a prestigious award. more...

Search on for dog walkers

DOG WALKERS are being sought in Bewdley and Cleobury Mortimer to take care of man's best friend for elderly residents. more...

Swim club is on the hunt for members

DISTRICT swimming chiefs are on the hunt for more young swimmers to help boost its activities. more...

Boatbuilders share key to successes

BOATBUILDERS Sealine showed the county's captains of industry the key to its success when the Kidderminster firm hosted a meeting of the Worcestershire Ambassadors organisation. more...

Police on the run

THREE policemen went on a dash for cash to boost the fight against crime. more...

Bow handed in

POLICE have been pleased with the response to an illegal weapons amnesty during its second week in Wyre Forest. more...

Business skills on show

SIX high schools will be competing for the Wyre Forest title when they take part in the district's Young Enterprise finals at the end of this month. more...

Crash rider is `critical'

A MOTORCYCLIST is in a critical condition after a three-way traffic collision in Stourport town centre. more...

Record-breaking lesson

STUDENTS in Wolverley took part in a bid to set a new world record for the biggest lesson the planet has ever seen. more...

Book the bells to raise cash

A CHURCH is offering people the chance to celebrate special occasions in style - by paying to have bells rung in their name. more...

Extra Easter lessons on the menu

YOUNGSTERS at a Kidderminster school took a break from their Easter holidays this week to return to the classroom to be dished up extra help in maths and English. more...

Big trouble at a the Big Meadow

BIG Meadow in Bidford has again become a place for drug-taking and speeding cars. more...

Church will open up thanks to volunteers

THE ancient parish church of Kidderminster is to open its doors to visitors for three days a week until October. more...

Anger at snub by minister

SCHOOLS Minister David Miliband has snubbed parents' pleas for more money for Wyre Forest schools by refusing to meet the campaign leader. more...

Parents on alert over bogus health worker

POLICE are warning parents to be on their guard after a bogus health worker made an attempt to enter the house of a young mum. more...

Leisure centres ban `camera' phones

NEW "camera phones" are to be banned from leisure centres across Wyre Forest in case images of youngsters in swimwear fall into the hands of paedophiles. more...

Bramble's in plea for help

AN APPEAL for volunteers has been made by a charity supporting bereaved children and their families. more...

Calling in experts for estate playzone!

YOUNGSTERS on a Kidderminster estate will reap the rewards of their own hard work when a play area opens later this year. more...

Den's helping hand for children facing educational difficulties

AS a result of the Journal's recent story about the partial exclusion of Evesham nine-year-old Christopher Barnett from his school because of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Den Faulkner, of a national service helping children like Christopher, contacted the paper to explain what sort of assistance was more...

New village play area in jeopardy

A PLAY area promised as part of housing deal in Rock is under threat. more...

Meaning of Eastertide

THE giving and receiving of eggs at Easter time is a long-standing tradition dating back to ancient times. more...

Landfill gases put to use

METHANE gas produced at the Waresley landfill site near Hartlebury will be used to fuel the nearby brickworks from August. more...

Mystery attack on village salesman

A SALESMAN from Wolverley thought customer service had gone well and truly out of the window when a purported water board official started battering him with a stick. more...

Man of oak helps launch mill project

EVENTS celebrating the end of a project to revitalise Broadwaters Mill were a "fantastic" success. more...

Carnival princesses make a summer date

THE four lucky youngsters who will be wearing crowns as princesses at this year's Bewdley Carnival are getting ready for their big day. more...

Town parade date for `royal' winners

NEWLY-crowned Kidderminster Carnival Queen Caroline Greenhill is following in her mother's footsteps. more...

Cash threat to skate park

SKATEBOARDERS could be forced back onto the streets of Kidderminster as the town's only purpose-built facility faces closure. more...

Drug warning

A BOTTLE of methadone, which could kill a child, has been lost in Kidderminster town centre. more...

30 Horsefair homes

THIRTY new homes are set to be built to give a much-needed facelift to the Horsefair area of Kidderminster. more...

Shops sold in £325m package

NEW bosses at Kidderminster's Swan Centre have pledged to maintain its "vitality" in the face of competition from the Weavers Wharf development. more...

Knight delivery

ECKINGTON accountant Tim Knight made an impromptu career change when he was forced to deliver his own son at home. more...

Lorries take aid to Chernobyl victims

A NINE-LORRY aid convoy left Broadway for Belarus last Wednesday to help victims of the Chernobyl disaster. more...

Welcome to `Hotel Sold Down the River'

NAMES for a controversial development of apartments in Droitwich Spa have been put forwarded. more...

Malvern... just the remnants are left

I HAD a feeling that my letter (You Say, April 5) regarding the Malverns would stir up detractors and Richard Putley's response is the first. more...

Greatest terrorists are Britain and US

D E Margrett's comments regarding possible attacks on Worcester's CrownGate are absolutely ludicrous. more...

Diverse opinions not evidence of insanity

AHMED Raza considers BNP sympathisers to be "socially disturbed" (You Say, April 11). more...

Asylum is a huge problem

WITH reference to the letter from Ahmed Raza (You Say, April 11), to condemn Malvern residents as socially disturbed is offensively inaccurate. more...

Black day for women's vigil

A SILENT protest against the war in Iraq by a "Women in Black" group turned heads in Bewdley on Friday. more...

Hat stand

JUST a few days after ex-Cowley Experience guitarist Paul Rose's lament that Atomic Kitten were booked for the May festival instead of the George Cowley Experience, and I read (Evening News, April 12) that the Kitten gig might be under threat. more...

Inner Wheel's boost for the `learning zone'

MEMBERS of Pershore Inner Wheel Club have raised more than £100 for Abbey Park First School's IT suite. more...

No thank you

YOU recently reported Councillor Malcolm Meikle, the Conservative leader of Wychavon Council, as highlighting the Waitrose supermarket development and the demolition of the Worcestershire Hotel as Conservative Party "achievements". more...

Free post for Gulf families

ANYONE in the Vale with relatives or friends serving in the Gulf will - from today - be able to use a free postal service. more...

Banners will wave as Steven sails home

THE elated mum of a Stourport sailor has already booked her dockside ticket to give him a welcome home to remember when his ship, the Ark Royal, returns from the Gulf next month. more...

Mother's Day call by Kevin

RAF junior technician Kevin Turner, from Kidderminster, is stationed on a US base in Qatar preparing bombs for loading into the fighter planes destined for Saddam's military installations, government buildings and palaces. more...

PO's free parcel pledge

A FREE postal service for those serving in the Iraq conflict starts today. more...

Ready with help

SALVATION Army volunteer John Hope is on stand-by ready to be called up to help with the humanitarian effort in Iraq. more...

Helping to bring peace

TERRITORIAL Army officer Ian Foulkes, from Bewdley, is patrolling with the Black Watch, part of the 7th Armoured Brigade near Basra in Iraq more...

Jam and sauce for Julie

A LOVING mum has spent a small fortune sending essential comforts - including the Shuttle/Times & News - across the globe to her soldier daughter. more...

`Turn callers away' plea

KEY to the success of any initiative to tackle distraction burglaries is persuading vulnerable and elderly people - many of them isolated and lonely - that strangers turning up on their doorsteps should not be let in. more...

Heartbreak for elderly

DEVASTATED, shocked, violated, and even a bit stupid - those are the typical emotions experienced by the victim of a bogus caller. more...

`Conmen' campaign support

A HOUSING company has joined our "Keep `Em Out" campaign targeting distraction burglars. more...

Pensioner is latest victim of conmen

POLICE are hunting a pair of conmen who got into the home of an elderly Kidderminster woman - and made off with £140. more...

Taking message on tour to elderly

THE Shuttle/Times and News-backed Keep `Em Out! campaign to deter distraction burglars goes "on tour" next week to hammer home the message to vulnerable old folk. more...

Bogus callers on the prowl

BOGUS callers posing as police officers conned their way into two homes in incidents across Wyre Forest. more...

Hi-tech way to beat cons

SOCIAL services chiefs have pledged to install dozens of hi-tech doorway devices in the homes of elderly folk to stop them falling foul of conmen callers. more...

Let's keep 'em out

HI-TECH devices designed to help elderly people keep out the despicable thieves who prey on them in their own homes are to be handed out in a crime-busting first. more...

Police warning after conmen target elderly

FRESH warnings have been issued after a spate of attempted distraction raids at the homes of vulnerable old folk around the district. more...

Widow to get safety device

A KINDLY widow who let youngsters into her home for a drink, only to discover later they had stolen cash from her, will be among the first in the district to get a free doorway device reminding her not to let strangers in. more...

From the archives 100 Years Ago April 18 1903

Our meteorologist expert informs us that the temperature on Thursday morning was 15 degrees colder than on Christmas Day. The Evesham market gardener is of course thrown into deep despair by the frost. The abundant blossom gave promise of a large crop of fruit, and -now, to listen to some of them, one would think that there is "not a plum left in the borough." "Got it?" said one indignant grower when asked whether his plums had got the frost this week. "Got it do you say? Why, even the hovels are killed this time." more...

March 28, 2002

TO me there are four important local community issues at the moment and these are the incinerator, Kidderminster Harriers, Bewdley Museum, and of course, the hospital. more...

April 11, 2001

THE Easter recess was overshadowed by the death of the Queen Mother. more...

April 18, 2002

Excellent statements from Government and Shadow Ministers had an amazing degree of unanimity during a debate on the Middle East. more...

April 25, 2002

THE prime requisite for a frontbencher in the House of Commons is a loud voice. more...

May 2, 2002

It was a great privilege for my wife and myself to attend the presentation of the loyal more...

May 9, 2002

A real rebellion in Wyre Forest - this was how the Rev Martin Smyth, Ulster Unionist MP for Belfast South, couched his congratulations to me after Health Concern's stunning results in last week's local elections. more...

May 23, 2002

I HAD a busy day last Friday starting with breakfast with the Chamber of Commerce. more...

May 30, 2002

LAST week we debated the Lords' amendments to the NHS Reform Bill. more...

June 6, 2002

I ENJOYED every minute of the Whitsun/Jubilee recess. more...

June 20, 2002

DESPITE the World Cup and threatening weather, crowds turned out to watch the procession at Bewdley Carnival. more...

French fined over beef rules

THE fine on the French Government for breaking European rules on beef has been welcomed by British MEPs. more...

June 29, 2002

A STRIKING victory for commonsense has been announced regarding the A&E department at Solihull. more...

July 4, 2002

CHILTERN Railways plan to start the through-train service from Kidderminster to Marylebone at the end of September. more...

July 11, 2002

I HAVE just returned from a brief visit to Brussels as a part of the Health Committee's inquiry into sexual health. more...

SAMARITANS WORCESTER BRANCH

This branch is 40 years old and a fund-raising campaign is underway to help continue its work. more...

July 18, 2002

THE Private Finance Initiative (PFI) has suffered further criticism in the national press and by the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee. more...

WEST MIDLAND BIRD CLUB

At the second annual meeting of the Kidderminster branch, the committee was re-elected en bloc. more...

August 25, 2002

THE House rose for the summer recess yesterday so it is appropriate to reflect on the past year. more...

AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY

At the meeting on April 1, Paula Dowie, G8PZT and Richard Newton, GOEWH demonstrated methods of accessing the internet using Packet Radio instead of a telephone line. Also, Tony Hartland, G8WOX and Tony Saunders, G1OZB presented an item on the Automatic Packet/Position Reporting System using UI-VIEW software. more...

September 12, 2002

DURING the summer recess I have had a week in mid-Wales and a week in Suffolk with my family. more...

STOURPORT CIVIC SOCIETY -

A coffee morning will be held at the Social Day Centre, New Street, Stourport, on Saturday from 10am until noon. Members and non-members will be welcome. more...

KIDDERMINSTER CYCLING CLUB

Members are on an Easter tour in Devon, so there will be no local rides at the weekend. There will also be no clubroom event on Tuesday. more...

FRANCHE LADIES

On Wednesday, May 14, at Franche church hall, a representative from Wyre Forest Homestart will give a talk. more...

KIDDERMINSTER AND FRANCHE FLORAL ART CLUB

Katherine Kear, from Droitwich, gave a demonstration entitled Alphapetal at the April meeting. more...

KIDDERMINSTER CENTRAL M TG

Federation returning officers at the annual meeting were Joyce Major and Jeanne Garratt. more...

SOMERLEYTON WI

A successful jumble sale was held in March. Several new members attended the meeting. more...

Parting shot at `ineffective' council

AFTER 17 years in district politics former mayor Peter Carter is standing down at next month's elections. more...

KIDDERMINSTER AND DISTRICT SOROPTIMISTS

The annual meeting was held at the Briars Hotel, Kidderminster, when members were reminded of the club's activities during the past year. more...

CLEOBURY MORTIMER BRIDGE CLUB

The Duplicate competition on April 1 was played in a Howell movement, where all partnerships play each other. more...

BLAKEDOWN WI

The president held a party for the Marie Curie fund, raising £76. more...

Businessmen in the `frame' to take title

TWO Broadway picture framers should be told if they have won a national pictures framing competition next month after reaching the final of a national framing competition. more...

BEWDLEY MOUNTAINEERING CLUB

A meeting was held at the Cwm Eigiau Hut, in the Carneddau mountains of north Wales, where members ascended Carnedd Llewellyn. more...

ASTLEY WI

Chris Hodgkinson attended the annual council meeting on behalf of members. Graham Walton gave a talk about life with his sextuplet daughters. more...

Tasty treat served up for bosses

A TASTY starter was served up to Worcestershire's food and drink industry at the launch of the county council's Tastes of Worcestershire 2003 competition on Monday. more...

School's fit for the sporting heroes...

SPORTING heroes were evident at Evesham High School's Awards Evening. more...

Free post for Gulf families

ANYONE in the Vale with relatives or friends serving in the Gulf will - from today - be able to use a free postal service. more...

Marathon men rise to challenge

RUNNERS from across the Vale did the region proud when they took part in this year's London Marathon on Sunday and raised thousands of pounds between them for charity. more...

Foxes trapped in storm drains

A WAYWARD fox cub trapped in a storm drain mobilised firefighters to the rescue. more...

No homes for Avon?

CONTROVERSIAL plans to build 50 new homes on former nursery land in Bewdley Street are being opposed by Evesham town councillors. more...

Voters opt for the postal way

ALMOST 7,000 district residents will be voting by post in the May elections. more...

Explore delights on your doorstep

PEOPLE in the Vale have been urged to explore attractions on their doorsteps rather than travel further afield this St George's Day. more...

Firm is fined £10k after accident

AN Evesham produce packing firm has been fined £10,000 following an accident in which a man suffered fractured ribs and internal injuries. more...

Repeat of a penny-farthing ride after 20 years!

A BREDONS Norton man is planning to repeat a sponsored bike ride on a penny-farthing, a feat he last completed almost 20 years ago. more...

Grieving family urge use of belts

TONY Sloane has spoken of the deep sorrow he feels for all the passengers on the Spring's coach his brother Chris was driving. He also wishes to thank all those who have been so kind to the family. more...

Road to ruin

HAVE the council gone road mad? more...

Verdict of accidental death at the M25 inquest

ACCIDENTAL death was the verdict on six day-trippers killed when a Springs coach from Evesham veered off the M25 and down an embankment last November. more...

Still unanswered questions about day my brother died

IN the wake of the inquest that recorded verdicts of accidental death for the victims of the M25 coach crash, one of the family firm's members said she was still haunted by "if onlys" surrounding the tragedy. more...

CCTV is helping to beat crime

I REFER to Dave Culliford of Weston-super-Mare's letter to the Shuttle/Times and News (April 10). more...

I will never go by coach again

SURVIVORS of the M25 coach crash have told how the one-and-a-half day inquest at Aylesbury last week took its toll. more...

Fallout of M25 crash

THE family that ran the Vale coach firm involved in the fatal M25 accident which claimed six lives is braced for legal action from passengers aboard the vehicle when it crashed. more...

Felt let down over bikers

AS ward councillors, my wife and I were invited to a meeting with the police and residents to discuss the illegal parking of motorcycles along Severnside North, Bewdley. more...

For the love of our Jack

HEARTFELT tributes have been paid to a Badsey teenager with a passion for motorbikes, who died in an accident on his Kawasaki bike at the weekend. more...

Three options on benefits delivery

I WISH to clarify part of your article last week about the closure of Aggborough Post Office in Kidderminster more...

Shame of mill vandalism

SHAME, shame, shame on the drunks. (Shuttle/Times and News, April 10). The mill at Broadwaters was the place I spent a lot of time when growing up. more...

Source of hope for the future

AS a member of Kidderminster Civic Society, which is now 10 years old, I would like to point out that the society acts as a focus for those of us who care about the appearance and development of the town. more...

Charge of the lycra brigade

I MUST support 100 per cent the comments made by John Robinson regarding the proposed cycle-way in Wyre Forest (Shuttle/Times and News Letters, April 10). more...

Three years' jail for street robber

A 21-year-old man who carried out two street attacks and a series of shoplifting offences has been jailed for three years and three months at Worcester Crown Court. more...

Hospital short-list surprise

IT is hard to believe that the Worcestershire Royal Hospital has been short-listed for an award as the best hospital in Britain, in view of its well-publicised problems (Shuttle/Times and News, April 10). more...

Tax dodgers hit in clampdown

A CAMPAIGN to catch vehicle tax dodgers has been a major success and helped to catch a host of other offenders. more...

Stole for money to pay for drugs

A tenant at a Kidderminster block of flats found his landlord's skeleton keys and used them to steal from his neighbours, Worcester Crown Court heard. more...

Cash for victim of baton attack

A FORMER nightclub bouncer who hit out with a wooden baton in a Kidderminster street has been ordered to pay £300 compensation to his victim. more...

Taxi driver assault fuelled by binge

A TAXI driver assaulted a colleague and damaged his car after an all-day drinking binge, Worcester Crown Court was told. more...

Bid to smuggle drugs into prison

A KIDDERMINSTER man tried to smuggle cannabis resin into prison out of a misguided sense of loyalty to his brother, Worcester Crown Court heard. more...

Broke in to steal keys

A high performance car worth £10,000 was stolen from a home in Far Forest after burglars broke in to steal the keys. more...

Barmaid needed 11 stitches after pub brawl

A JUDGE has slammed pub bosses after a brawl left a barmaid badly injured. more...

Chance to be VIP at carnival

ORGANISERS of Stourport Carnival have launched their search for this year's queen, princess and rosebud. more...

Delight at return of bus services

ELDERLY residents at a Stourport sheltered housing complex are celebrating the return of a lifeline bus service. more...

Bandstand is on hold

THE MUCH-vaunted project to create a bandstand at Stourport has suffered one last delay - it has no roof. more...

Cutting views on state of riverbank

IT comes as no surprise to find ramblers bemoaning the destruction of a 100-yard section of undergrowth and woodland alongside the Severn Way in Worcester. more...

A health disaster for elderly

IT would be a disaster for Pershore Cottage Hospital to close; as someone who had just completed two courses of nursing training and was specialising in community nursing in 1948 when the Beveridge Scheme was introduced we were promised Cradle to the Grave. The people who would be hardest hit by its closure are the elderly. more...

Wyre Piddle

PARISH COUNCIL: Bypass: Cllr J Timms had drafted a statement regarding the possible closure of the road to the village for presentation to the public inquiry which would be circulated to all councillors for their comments. more...

Birlingham

PARISH COUNCIL more...

Shipston

MUSIC SOCIETY: Members and visitors were taken both sides of the conductor's batten on Friday, April 11. As the conductor was none other than Mr David Curtiss - leader and conductor of the Swan Orchestra at Stratford it was a well presented and interesting evening. more...

Sedgeberrow

BRITISH LEGION WOMENS SECTION: Held their April meeting in the Betteridge Room, after the business Martin Brookes and Carol from Vale Wild Life gave an interesting talk accompanied with slides. Martin was thanked by Mrs Brown. more...

Pershore

RBL WOMENS SECTION: The monthly meeting took place at Wulstan Hall recently. The meeting was opened by chairman Wendy Griffiths, who welcomed members. The secretary and treasurer reports were given. A list of sick members was given by Ivy Reed, sick visitor, who told members who she had been to see and had taken flowers and cards, everyone wished them well soon. more...

Rosamund reveals the secrets of cows

COWS can love, play games, bond and form life-long friendships. They can also sulk, hold grudges, they have preferences and can be vain. more...

Moreton

LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY: How a wartime RAF station at Moreton evolved into the world's best fire training college was described by Michael Kernan, a former staff officer at the college, at the April meeting of Moreton and District Local History Society. He said it all started with RAF personnel being trained in firefighting at the station after the war. Then the fire service took over completely, providing courses for firefighters not only from this country but all over the world. An average of 5,000 students passed through the college every year. He illustrated his talk with slides showing how the fire service had developed from wagons in the 1920s to the sophisticated vehicles of today and was thanked by David Green, a fellow fire officer at the college. more...

Mickleton

GARDENING CLUB: What a splendid sight awaited visitors to King George's Hall on Saturday, April 12 on the occasion of Mickleton Gardening Club's Spring Show. There were lots of daffodils, narcissi and tulips, splendid pot plants and exquisite floating flower heads. Chairman Bridget Maslin thanked show organiser, Ann Wall, for all her hard work and was pleased to announce that Mrs B Kitchen had gained the most points for her exhibits. The club is most grateful to Mr J Meredith for judging the flowers and Mrs B M Broughton the flower arrangements. more...

Ebrington

GARDEN CLUB: Members had an eventful week, commencing with their Spring more...

Evesham

CSRF: Thirty one members came along to the meeting on April 8 - a good attendance. After coffee and biscuits and greeting friends, the chairman gave apologies for absences and the meeting got under way. There were no questions raised. All members were saddened to learn of the recent death of Mrs Marjorie Blackford and a card of condolence from the group is being sent to the family. more...

Bredon

LITTER PICK: Great thanks are due to Bredon WI members and to several members of the parish council who have worked hard to clear the parish of rubbish, unkindly donated by members of the public. There were many drink bottles, loads of plastic bags, a broken car windscreen and much else. Curiously on one stretch of the road there were quantities of codeine bottles. What does that tell us? Wychavon inspectors will look around at our village and we hope they will reward us with a grant, which will go towards funding the new layout at the side and rear of the village hall. more...

College set to disappear from town skyline

A FAMILIAR landmark on the Kidderminster skyline will soon disappear when the town's college makes way for a new housing development. more...

Warning over `reckless' fires

EMERGENCY services were out in force at Kidderminster's Rifle Range Nature Reserve at the weekend. more...

`Bike policy' sparks furore

POLICE have snubbed residents' calls for a crackdown on noisy bikers parking illegally in Bewdley. more...

MP majors on health questions

WYRE Forest's MP Dr Richard Taylor has been a thorn in the side of the Govern-ment's health department during the last two years, regularly demanding information through Parliam-entary questions, according to a new survey. more...

Town centre help for carers

A CHARITY offering information and support to carers of people suffering from dementia is hoping to set up an advice office in the centre of Kidderminster. more...

Fire `started by children'

PARENTS have been urged to keep an eye on their children during the Easter break after a disused building was burnt down in Wolverley. more...

Giving new life to empty shops

THOUSANDS of pounds are on offer to tempt people into starting up small businesses in empty shops across Wyre Forest. more...

Bed fears as home is set to shut

A STOURPORT residential home is to shut and its residents will be relocated, sparking fears of a drop in the number of beds for pensioners in the town. more...

Lorry drivers in wages row

FIFTEEN HGV drivers and mechanics are battling to recover more than £15,000 in unpaid wages after haulage bosses lost a major contract. more...

Desert hell of TV man

A TV news cameraman has returned safely to his Kidderminster home after being besieged by Saddam's troops in Iraq. more...

District sets out 5pc rise in tax

A FIVE per cent council tax increase has been recommended by district chiefs. more...

Attack on expenses move

PLANS to give district councillors a raise have been attacked by opposition groups. more...

Aim is to promote recycling

THE issue of recycling - and how to encourage people to think before they bin their rubbish - is set to be a high priority for Wyre Forest District Council in the year ahead. more...

Bin survey to target homes

EVERY resident in the district is to get the chance to speak out on revolutionary plans for recycling rubbish - at a cost of £30,000. more...

Voters opt for the postal way

ALMOST 7,000 district residents will be voting by post in the May elections. more...

`Doorsteps' will go green

THE new recycling system will be slowly phased in across Wyre Forest from July. more...

An open and shut case

A DOOR with stained glass depicting parts of historic Pershore has found a new home in an antique shop in the town. more...

Fountain to flow

AN ornate 19th Century fountain was today due to be "fired up" for the first time in almost 70 years after a £700,000 English Heritage restoration project. more...

Where to recycle

COUNCIL chiefs are urging people to step up their recycling now, rather than wait for the new doorstep service to come into force. more...

Safety appeal to makeover shows

FIREFIGHTERS have appealed to the makers of home makeover TV shows to be more conscious of fire safety. more...

Lorry attack

A LORRY parked in a lay-by on the A38 in Martin Hussingtree has been attacked. more...

Queuing to be `guinea pigs'

DOZENS of wannabe recyclers have stepped up to volunteer their services as rubbish-sorting "guinea pigs" after a Shuttle/Times and News appeal. more...

Strike hits rail travel

RAIL passengers face a miserable start to the Easter Holidays as services are being cut due to strike action on the busiest day of the year for the railways. more...

New jobless figures show rise - and fall

UNEMPLOYMENT has again risen in Worcestershire but fallen in Herefordshire, according to the latest official figures. more...

German way is more efficient

"WE lost our hearts twice when we worked in Heidelberg for three months - once to the frequent, highly efficient transport network (a tram every half-hour on Christmas Day?) and once to the equally efficient waste disposal and recycling system. more...

Prison charges refund for Carl three

THE freed Bridgewater Three yesterday won back the £60,000 they were charged for "prison board and lodging". more...

Extension provokes `quiet fit'

A PROPOSED extension at Barley Orchard, Welland Road, Upton-upon-Severn, could be refused planning permission because it is too big. more...

Testing time for recycling families

A UNIQUE experiment to test out the district's new recycling scheme got under way this week. more...

Buildings to live on again

DEMOLISHED buildings can now be recycled rather than dumped in landfill sites after councillors approved plans for a recycling centre at Blackpole Trading Estate. more...

Balloon expert dismisses crash

A SEASONED balloonist says that paramedics who witnessed a crash landing at a Bromsgrove school were watching a controlled landing. more...

Feedback from families to shape future recycling

A WASTE chief has promised to act on feedback from families involved in a trial of the district's kerbside recycling scheme. more...

Motorcycle rally to be monitored

AFTER complaints about the noise from a Kempsey motorcycle rally, this year's event will be monitored by environmental health officers. more...

Widower alone and in danger

A WHEELCHAIR-BOUND widower and former Droitwich mayor faces daily dangers at home because a disability grant is under review. more...

Wildlife plan for quarry site

THE Waresley site is in a quarry used by neighbours Baggeridge Brick. more...

There's danger in the deeps

HOLIDAYING youngsters should stay away from Malvern's quarries and other water dangers to prevent more tragedies in the region. more...

Phone box to stay, but no extra ticket machine

A PUBLIC pay phone in the Hanley Road car park at Upton-upon-Severn has won a reprieve after the town council protested to BT about a plan to remove it. more...

`Think again' on rubbish

BIN lorries deliver a staggering 150 tonnes of household rubbish every day to Wyre Forest's landfill site at Waresley - and at least half of it is capable of being recycled. more...

Park-and-ride sites disputed

THE sites for Worcester's two new park-and-ride developments have been chosen - but have met opposition by some councillors. more...

SARS scare hits home for school pupils in town

Students from Hong Kong boarding at Malvern schools have had their holidays at home cut short because of the concerns surrounding severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). more...

Delight over recycle trial

A RECYCLING trial involving four Wyre Forest families has achieved "outstanding" results, council chiefs announced today. more...

Director's plot to ruin cider giant

A BREWERY director is awaiting sentence after he admitted hatching a plot to contaminate the products of Hereford cider giant Bulmers. more...

Collage of good over evil

VISITORS to Wychavon District Council's Pershore headquarters will receive a colourful welcome when they step through the doors. more...

Bank is cleared of undergrowth

A RIVERBANK has been stripped of undergrowth, leaving the route along one of Worcester's best-known walks "devastated". more...

Concern about missing woman

POLICE are concerned about the welfare of a woman who went missing from her home yesterday morning. more...

Arrest is made after Vale man, 21 stabbed

A MAN has been arrested in connection with the death of an Evesham man who was stabbed to death in Middlesex. more...

Cyclists hanging up their clips after marathon ride

A PAIR of cyclists were taking a well-earned rest today after they returned to Worcester yesterday following a 992 -mile cross country cycle ride. more...

Inquest on biker

AN inquest was opened today into the death of 19-year-old biker Jack Marshall. more...

Junkie burglar is on the mend

A RECOVERING heroin addict, who raided the home of a Stourport sailor three days after he left to serve in the Gulf, is making good progress on a drug testing and treatment order. more...

Council man is facing justice charge

A WORCESTER city councillor was due to appear in court today, charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice. more...

Hospital parking going up

THE cost of parking at Worcester's Royal Hospital is set to rise "significantly", according to a hospital trust director, sparking fury from patients. more...