Stories for 21 January 2006

Leisure

Across the hill with a very thirsty elephant

WHERE might you find an elephant in Worcestershire, do you think? Strangely enough, on top of Bredon Hill, where there is a large chunk of limestone that is shaped uncannily like a kneeling pachyderm. It is known as the Banbury Stone and, according to local folklore, it likes to wander down to the River Avon once in a while to take a drink.   more...

News

Grinnall firm makes major housing bid

A MAJOR planning application to build apartments in Droitwich has been put forward by a company using the name of a top Worcester property tycoon who ran up debts estimated at millions of pounds.   more...

Schools wait for a £10m meeting

SCHOOLS throughout Worcestershire have been promised an extra £5m to add to the pot - if county council bosses succeed in getting more cash from the Government.   more...

I woke up and saw my car on fire

A MUM woke up in the middle of the night to find her car on fire.   more...

I LOST 5 STONE NOW I'M RUNNING 169 MILES

WHEN she weighed in at 18 stone, getting up in the morning and catching a bus was the most exercise Rowan Bailey had each day.   more...

FAITHFUL CITY BECKONS THROUGH THE WINTER TREES

Winter sun glistens on the River Severn at Diglis.   more...

A new force in the driving seat

MUCH to the discomfort of its opponents, the Countryside Alliance has unearthed a real gem in the shape of its new leader Kate Hoey.   more...

Some still recall Tory battle against miners

SIR - The Conservatives may be congratulating themselves upon the election of their new leader, but nothing is going to change. Half the nation will continue to ignore elections and our House of Commons will continue to be an irrelevance.   more...

Initiatives are just grabbing headlines

SIR - It's interesting that researchers at London University have shown that the children of teenage or single parents don't do as well in Sure Start areas as they do in other deprived areas.   more...

Atheism biggest killer of them all

SIR - Do you think Channel 4 will give me a couple of hours of air time to attack the faith of Richard Dawkins? Last time I looked, saying "There is no God" took just as much faith as saying "There is a God." So it's not reason versus faith, it's faith versus faith. If Dawkins wants to blame religion for wars, then his religion of atheism is the worst of all.   more...

There's nothing wrong with flats

SIR - On a couple of occasions recently in If I Ruled The World, the interviewee was asked what buildings they would like to see demolished. They answered "blocks of high rise flats." But why? I have lived in one for 13 years and it is lovely. If I moved into a house I would feel terribly claustrophobic, only being able to see to the end of the front and rear gardens. At the moment I can see about 20 miles.   more...

Hunts upholding law of the land

SIR - I am so pleased that since the democratically-achieved ban on hunting with dogs is now law, everyone is happy.   more...

It's chocs away

SIR - If David Cameron had his way he'd make Terry's chocolate orange a `class A' while Charles Clarke would happily merge the SAS with the Salvation Army. Surely a drunk Charles Kennedy could run this country a lot better than the Pinocchio Party or Toff's Party?   more...

Songs of praise

SIR - John Shearon informs your readership that neither George Cowley nor Shirley Bassey can sing as he does.   more...

Liberals off fence

SIR - The Liberals have finally come off the fence and like a pack of wolves have attacked their wounded leader. If they can do this to their leader, what chance would the electorate have? What a loyal bunch they are.   more...

Paying the price for a car space

THE resentment felt by Worcester's Arboretum residents about the parking scheme that offers no guarantee of spaces is quite understandable.   more...

Moving goal posts

DAVID Cameron and his utterly absurd party think they can gain power by jumping on the healthy eating bandwagon.   more...

Fogging the issue

ROGER Smith was given an on-the-spot fine for having his fog lights on. The Spetchley resident was unhappy about it and told this paper as much.   more...

Doomed to obscurity

AFTER nearly 100 years in the political wilderness, the Liberal Democrats have just signed on for another century of obscurity.   more...

Feathering old nests

LITTLE by little, we are getting our city back. Some of those bald patches called car parks are starting to sprout new growth in the form of houses.   more...

Kinky business is giving Claire the whip hand

FORMER jockey Claire Bryan's love of horses and racing has led to the birth of a very unusual enterprise.   more...

Start looking good... and doing good

BRITAIN is becoming a nation of overweight people, gorging on junk food as if there were no tomorrow. Well, that's what the newspaper headlines are constantly screaming at us, not to mention the umpteen television and radio programmes devoted to those among us who can never resist a jumbo doughnut with double cream.   more...

Winning a box of worms will make Berrick's garden greener

A KEEN Upton-upon-Severn gardener will be getting a helping hand with his plants this year... from worms.   more...

£150,000 facelift for Salwarpe's hall

A VILLAGE hall is to receive a makeover, with the help of £150,000 in grants and the proceeds of various fund-raising events.   more...

Put the kettle on and celebrate - it's hot tea month

WORCESTER is in the grip of a tea revolution.   more...

Elgar's the leading icon when we sit back and think of Worcestershire

SIR Edward Elgar is closest to the hearts of readers when they think about the county, according to a Worcester News poll.   more...

Athletes in running fortipson marathon

A SPECIAL reception is being held in Worcester for London Marathon runners who are building up to peak form ready for the big race in April.   more...

Dad's anger as autistic son's bike `wrecked by the council'

A MALVERN man is up in arms after claiming his landlords wrote off his autistic son's mini-moto and are refusing to accept responsibility.   more...

Great adventure is looming for pupils

A GROUP of visually imp-aired and blind students from Worcester are preparing for the trip of a lifetime.   more...

Golden Labrador snatched from city garden

A WORCESTER family is distraught after their three-month old puppy was stolen from their back garden.   more...

Criminals watch out, bike squad is about

BOBBIES on bicycles are tackling crime in Warndon and Warndon Villages.   more...

So who's rocking with Rocket Man?

ROCK legend Elton John will be performing in Worcester this summer - but the big question now is who will be taking to the stage with him.   more...