WORCESTER director of rugby John Brain claims some of the selection choices for Brian Ashton's first England squad are "eccentric" and "political." Head coach Ashton overlooked Warriors skipper Pat Sanderson for his Six Nations squad but opted to include
Pictures of the men involved in the theft of Nativity figures from the Guildhall tableau on 22nd December have been released They show one offender - wearing a distinct light-coloured top - wrenching a figure from the manger in the stable' scene and
DIRECTOR of rugby John Brain says it is highly likely former England defence coach Phil Larder will be staying at Worcester beyond the end of this month. Larder has been helping out at Sixways on a part-time basis since November but was originally due
SHANE Drahm joined an exclusive club when he racked up his 1,000th Premiership point against Northampton on New Year's Day - but is far more excited about the four points picked up by his side than his own personal haul. The Australian-born kicker joined
HEREFORD United have ended their interest in Crewe Alexandra striker Luke Rodgers. The Edgar Street club had been willing to match the League One club's £30,000 price tag but the former Shrewsbury forward has re-jected the move. Bulls manager Graham
A CALLOUS thief stole a woman's handbag while she was taking Holy Communion. The woman's handbag was taken from her pew in the church on Christmas Eve as she took communion. And now police are urging members of the public to help trace the thief. A
A MAN was found lying under a bridge in the middle lane of a Worcestershire motorway - just one day after a woman "miraculously" escaped without serious injury after jumping from another bridge. West Midlands Ambulance Service was called to the northbound
WORCESTER City are on the verge of having a clean bill of health for the first time this season. If Dennis Pearce has shaken off his thigh strain, City will head to Farsley Celtic on Saturday (3pm) with an injury-free squad. Captain Des Lyttle is expected
TAMIKA Mkandawire looks set to be passed fit for Hereford United's FA Cup third round tie at Bristol Rovers tomorrow night (7.45pm). The Bulls skipper saw a specialist in Manchester today after completing just 20 minutes of the 0-0 draw with Wycombe
MARK Yates is aiming to celebrate being named joint Nationwide Conference manager of the month for December by booking a place in the FA Trophy second round on Saturday. Harriers face a trip to Ellesmere Port to take on Nationwide North outfit Vauxhall
EVESHAM United manager Paul West wants his players to take confidence from their efforts in 2006. The Robins attempt to play their first match of the new year when Willenhall Town visit St George's Lane on Saturday (3pm) after Monday's match at Bishops
MALVERN Town manager Paul Molloy believes the club needs a minimum of 12 more points to secure their Southern League Division One Midlands status. The Langland Stadium club have so far taken 27 points from 21 games and have lost just once since the end
WESTFIELDS host runaway Midland Alliance leaders Leamington on Saturday (3pm) as they attempt to finally beat the weather. Matches against Causeway United last Saturday and Oldbury United on New Year's Day were both postponed because of waterlogged pitches
ROD Brown believes Bromsgrove Rovers have rediscovered their form following a crisis of confidence. Before Boxing Day's 1-1 draw at Brackley Town, Rovers had lost three games on the spin and were beginning to lose ground on the Southern League Division
PHIL Mullen is likely to call on his younger players for Stourport Swifts' Southern League Division One Midlands trip to Woodford United on Saturday (3pm). The Swifts' boss fielded six 18-year-olds for the New Year's Day fixture with Chasetown at Walshes
A 17-year-old driver was killed and another teenager was last night fighting for his life following the latest crash on Worcestershire's roads. The youth was driving a green Ford Fiesta when it careered off the road and down an embankment at Bransford
WORCESTER'S academy manager Andrew Stanley has paid tribute to three of his players who are set to be involved for England Under 19s against Italy at Sunbury on Friday. Flanker Matt Cox will start the game while there are places on the bench for centre
GREEN George Edward Of St Johns, Worcester.Passed peacefully away in hospital on December 29th, aged 96 years.Dearly loved husband of Iris and dear dad of Keith.Funeral service at St Stephens Church, Barbourne on Thursday, January 11th at 2 p.m., followed
CHAPMAN Ivy On December 28th, 2006, peacefully in Worcestershire Royal Hospital, aged 89 years.A dear mother, grandmother and great grandmother who will be sadly missed by all her Family and Friends.Funeral service at Robin Hood Crematorium, Birmingham
BRIDGEWATER Renée Of The Heriotts Droitwich, formerly of Abberley Drive.Peacefully on December 30th, 2006, aged 86 years. Widow of Roman, dear mother of Ruth and Margaret and much loved grandmother of Nina, Rebecca and Marc and great grandmother of Yasmin
KETTLE Arthur Passed away peacefully in Hospital on December 29th 2006, aged 70 years. Beloved husband of Paolina. Dearly loved father of Maurice, John, Louisa and a devoted and loving grandad. Funeral Service at St Mary's Church, Kempsey on Tuesday
LATHAM Philip Aged 86 years. Passed peacefully away at his home in Upton upon Severn on December 27th, 2006, after a long illness, borne with great dignity. The much loved husband of Olive and father of Geoffrey, David and Ann, father in law to Jenny,
LAYTON ROLLINGS Jim and Brenda are delighted to announce the Engagement of their daughter Alison to Mr. Matthew Rollings. Congratulations and much love from both Families. Published in paper 04/01/2007
WEBLEY Kim Billy Happy 21st Birthday. Love Mum, Iain, nan Betty, Neil, Tracy and Marc. xx Published in paper 04/01/2007
JONES Grace In loving memory of a dear wife, mum, nan and great nan, who was called into Gods safe hands six years ago today. Sadly missed but always in our hearts. Love, Eric, Hazel, Paul, Graham, Kevin and Families. Published in paper 04/01/2007
A MIRACLE baby is continuing to amaze doctors after a dramatic start to her young life. Aliya Bucur has made incredible progress after she was born almost four months premature. The tiny youngster - who weighed just 1lb 13oz at birth - is now settling
TALKS are to be held to discuss if changes need to be made to the road where four teenagers were killed. Highways Agency officers will get together with West Mercia police and Worcestershire County Council representatives to see if anything should to
WORCESTER City will host Kidderminster Harriers or Evesham United in the Worcestershire FA Senior Cup semi-finals. The St George's Lane match is scheduled to be played on or before Wednesday, February 21. City defeated Stourport Swifts 3-1 after extra-time
VULNERABLE women who want to return to work can get the skills they need with some help from a Worcester charity. The Asha Women's Centre, London Road, has successfully secured funding that has allowed it to run a new class called the GQ - Get Qualified
THE mystery of a man whose photograph was found in a village hall broom cupboard has been solved by Worcester News readers. The unidentified portrait was found in Severn Stoke village hall and brought to us by hall committee member John Allsopp in a
KIDDERMINSTER Harriers boss Mark Yates has received recognition for his role in the club's excellent run of form. Yates has been named the Nationwide Conference manager of the month for December - an award he will jointly share with Burton Albion's Nigel
A LETTER scam targeting small firms has made its way to Malvern, a town businesswoman has warned. Janice French, who owns Headmaster's Hairdressing Salon on the Fruitlands estate, first fell victim three years ago when she was invoiced for £1,500 by
SOME of the county's finest soldiers are being made to live in squalor, but they will soon be moved into luxury accommodation, it is claimed The allegations about the living conditions of the 1st Battalion of the Worcester-shire and Sherwood Foresters
SIR - In response to Gary Webb's letter (Letters, December 18) complaining about George Cowley's letters. He reckons people over 65 should be banned from writing. I can't wait till Gary Webb is 65. JOHN SHEARON, Worcester
AN HISTORIC Worcester pub is going strong - one year after it survived the threat of the bulldozers. The 300-year-old Plough Inn, in Fish Street, Deansway, was packed as 2006 came to a close - despite the pub coming close to not having a 2006 at all.
SIR - I have a history of manic depression. I have lived alone for 27 years, and, thank God, I feel increasingly at peace as time goes on. My regular letters in Worcester News for the past 15 years have helped me enormously to feel accepted in the local
THE new year may see a lot more Worcestershire people working from home, according to a business survey. During 2006, telecommunications provider ntl:Telewest Business conducted a series of studies into how Worcester residents are using digital technologies
GOOD news for carpet buyers in Worcestershire. The Carpet Foundation (CF), which is based in Kidderminster, has become the first trade body within the home furnishings sector to successfully secure Of-fice of Fair Trading ap-proval for its code of practice
A GROUP of needy children in Uganda are on a firmer footing thanks to 150 pairs of shoes donated from families in the Worcester area. The good quality second-hand shoes were collected and sent to the central African country following an appeal organised
During a discussion with a client last night (yes I work in the evenings too!) an interesting topic of conversation occured that led to a bit of a debate after the session had ended....men and women can they be just friends...? It has been a touchy subject
A CITY pensioner has been promised a new tree to replace the one mistakenly chopped down in his front garden. A cherry blossom tree will be planted outside the house of John Shearon, aged 73, some time in the spring. Mr Shearon's 13-year-old sycamore
THE decision by the county council not to be bounced by the Government and local Labour MPs into a botched and rushed plan to abolish our district councils is really good news. There’s room to improve local government – I was one of those supporting the
HOSPITAL visitors are being urged to wash their hands thoroughly before entering wards after an outbreak of vomiting across the county's community hospitals and the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch. The community hospitals affected are Pershore, Malvern
SIR - I am writing in the hope that you will see fit to publicise the fantastic work that is being done at the Queen Elizabeth High School over recent months, but in particular the recent wassail that was held at the school. The QE is currently looking
SIR - As we enter 2007 and yet another rise in council tax looms, the recent letter by Mr Hartwright (Letters, December 19) should give us all cause to reflect on the structure of local government. Councillor Peachey also gives us food for thought regarding
Newly single Britney Spears has become super-pally with Paris Hilton, Kate Moss reportedly has Jade Goody on her speed dial and, move over Katie Holmes: it seems Victoria Beckham has bagged a new superstar chum in Jennifer Lopez. A-listers may not crop
A 14-year-old Worcester schoolboy was groomed for sex after communicating with a man on a gay internet website, a jury heard. The teenager made four trips by train from Foregate Street station to meet Vincent Oakes. The boy had lied about his age on
CAR owners in the county are being warned to be on guard after six vehicles in Evesham and Wickhamford were broken into by thieves. The first theft was on Tuesday at 3.40am from a blue Volkswagen Beetle in Tamar Place, Evesham. A Sony laptop valued
Over Christmas, I had the opportunity to visit both the Malvern Community Hospital and the new hospital in Pershore. The physical contrast between the two could not have been more apparent – the ageing Victorian building versus the gleaming steel and
A U-turn is on the cards over Malvern Hills District Council's controversial decision to close public toilets in Tenbury Wells. The Market Street lavatories are one of four sets of toilets - two in Malvern, one in Upton- upon-Severn and one in Tenbury
SIR - I have campaigned for the past four years on the issue of equal parenting and the rights of children to have a meaningful relationship with both parents after divorce or separation, as the Children's Act states they should have. This does not
IR - Aren't there any courageous and independent-thinking Britons left in this Government? I wonder if we, the UK, would have won two world wars and numerous past historical, glorious, battles had Nelson said: "OK lads, don't fire any cannons in case
MALVERN Hills District Council looks set to perform a U-turn on its decision to close public toilets in Tenbury Wells. The toilets are one of four sets - two more are in Malvern and a third is in Upton-upon-Severn - closed by the council in March last
FORECASTS of arctic blasts hitting Britain next week and sending temperatures plunging to as low as -12C are a bit of a damp squib, according to Worcester's weather expert Paul Damari. The predictions, made in the national press this week, come from
LONG-suffering traders are preparing themselves for another month of roadworks in Worcester's London Road. Traders had hoped they had seen the back of temporary traffic lights and long delays outside their shops. But water company Severn Trent has been
A FLY-TIPPER responsible for dumping more than 12 bags of rubbish in a Worcester bus shelter has been warned they could face prosecution. More than a dozen black and clear bags overflowing with household waste were left in the shelter in Bromyard Road
THREE hooded' youths who robbed and assaulted a woman in Worcester on New Year's Day are being sought by police. The youths are believed to have kicked and punched the woman in the car park of Warndon Youth Centre, Worcester, before fleeing with £5 in
NEW cycle stands and a plaque have been installed behind the statue of Sir Edward Elgar in Worcester to celebrate the composer's status as a keen cyclist. Worcestershire County Council has installed the five stands in the High Street at a cost of £2,000
A CRICKETING legend and the vice-chancellor of the University of Worcester have made this year's Who's Who book. Basil D'Oliveira - who starred for Worcestershire for 16 years - makes a first appearance, as does university chief Prof David Green. The
A CHEMICAL explosion shook a building at an industrial estate after a drum containing inflammable pesticides blew up. There was a major response to the blast from the fire service, and the building and two neighbouring industrial units were evacuated
I would like to say thank you to everybody who has emailed me over the last week to let me know about their resolutions. On my blog I asked for people to let me know what they had pledged to do to improve their lives this year. It is important that
IT could be a case of second time lucky for Worcestershire if Australian left-arm seamer Nathan Bracken joins the County next summer. The 29-year-old was released from the contract he signed last year after explaining that his availability could have
Early in the third day there was a short period of cricket which really summed up England's performances during this series. Australia lost their sixth wicket at 260, still 31 in arrears of the England first innings total with Gilchrist already in and
