POLICE are concerned for the welfare of a 57-year-old woman who has gone missing for the second time this month. Patricia Spalding went missing from her home in Newtown Road, Ronkswood, Worcester, on Tuesday. A friend last saw her. She went missing for
Severe weather conditions could affect rail services in the Worcestershire area over the next couple of days and make driving conditions treacherous, the Met Office has warned. First Great Western and Central trains - who both run services in the area
A 100-stone family - dubbed "Britain's fattest" by the nation's media - are celebrating after losing 23 stone and winning the top prize of a dream holiday on a TV show. Mark and Jayne Phillips, together with their sons David, aged 16, Mitchel, 13, and
THE Mayor of Worcester, Councillor Allah Ditta, looks to be heading for a fall as he grapples with Manuel Minkwitz at the Guildhall. Herr Minkwitz is a member of a judo club from Kleve, Worcester's German town, who are visiting the city. Kleverland Judo
A MINIBUS providing evening transport to Malvern and Worcester from nearby villages will be launched at the beginning of December. The parish councils of Suckley, Alfrick and Lulsley, and Leigh and Bransford have joined forces to launch the scheme. It
SHOPPERS in Worcester have been thanked for donating to the County Air Ambulance - after being persuaded to give by a touring teddy bear. Toby, a 3ft bear, spent a day in the front window of Debenhams, in the city's High Street, before meeting crowds
NINETY years ago, on a clear autumn day in 1914, the Worcestershire Regiment fought one of the most remarkable battles in its long and distinguished history. While most around them were retreating in the face of a ferocious German onslaught near the town
WHAT do you get if you cross two bales of straw, a bundle of old clothes and a bunch of excited youngsters? "A lot of mess, a great deal of fun and a whole family of scarecrows," according to Pat Lewis, Year Two teacher at Sunnyside School and nursery
WORCESTER Wolves are calling for an inspired performance from captain Josh Cooprider as they prepare to face old adversaries London Capitals tonight (7pm). The Wolves guard has scored 70 points from six games this season, an average of slightly over 11
HEREFORD'S David Park climbed the leaderboard at the Madrid Open after a fine four-under-par round of 67 left him in a tie for 24th place going into today's third round. The Burghill Valley member was just below the projected cut-off mark after his opening
CHRISTIAN Moore admits he was rocked when surgeons told him to scrap plans for his full Worcester City debut this season. The 31-year-old City striker undergoes an operation next Thursday after rupturing the anterior cruciate ligaments to his right knee
EXPECTATION of success is high among the Edgar Street faithful -- and Bulls striker David Brown admits the club is currently falling short of their demands. The 26-year-old insists last season's Conference achievements in reaching 91 points and scoring
STUART Brock has been given a shock second chance in the Coca-Cola League after his release from Kidderminster Harriers in the summer. The goalkeeper, who spent nearly seven years in Worcestershire, penned a two-year deal at Telford United to play in
A VETERAN golfer has capped a fine season by winning the Worcestershire Senior Open. Ken Murton headed a field of 70 competitors after a nail-biting finish at the North Worcestershire course in Northfield. The 70-year-old pipped friend Willie Kerr to
STUART Brock has been given a shock second chance in the Coca-Cola League after his release from Kidderminster Harriers in the summer. The goalkeeper, who spent nearly seven years in Worcestershire, penned a two-year deal at Telford United to play in
IT is surely time to call a halt to the Christopher Whitehead saga. For too long, the school has been left in limbo while county councillors have held out the prospect of a new school to be funded from dubious Tesco proceeds through the sale of land.
WHAT about Dines Green? Is that not part of the catchment area of Christopher Whitehead School like Martley, Henwick and other districts of Worcester? Perhaps MP Michael Foster and Councillor Richard Udall would care to tell us what contact or consideration
A NEW headquarters for NFU members in Worcester and Tenbury Wells, which will also house rural insurer NFU Mutual's expanding local office, was opened last week by the national leaders of the two organisations. Sir Don Curry, chairman of rural insurer
THERE was brief excitement on Tuesday when a series of ministers, parliamentary private secretaries and special advisers streamed out of Number 10 at the same time. Among them were the Home Secretary David Blunkett, Health Secretary John Reid and Education
PUBLIC rights of way across the countryside is one of those topics with more heads than the Hydra. Any dissertation on the subject probably depends on which of the heads you are talking to at the time about what. Rules, regulations, legal requirements
STUDENTS and teachers had to think pink to raise money for a cancer charity. Members of the sixth form at The King's School, College Green, Worcester, went to lessons wearing outrageously garish garments yesterday, in aid of Cancer Research. "We're hoping
THOUSANDS of nurses and doctors have flooded union reps with complaints over a "deplorable" decision to introduce parking charges for staff at the county's hospitals. Staff are "up in arms" after receiving a letter detailing the decision to introduce
FORMER Conservative leader William Hague visited Worcester yesterday to promote his book, William Pitt the Younger, a biography of Britain's youngest Prime Minister. Mr Hague, who led the Tories from 1997 to 2001, went on a tour of the city with Worcester
YOUTH unemployment in Worcester has fallen by more than a third since 1997, figures reveal. Statistics compiled by researchers in the House of Commons Library show the number of under-24s without a job has plummeted from 500 in September 1997 to 295 in
PUPILS at Worcester's Bishop Perowne High School are using a novel way to learn about the natural world - Indian dancing. Students at the Merrimans Hill Road school are being taught about the carbon cycle, such as photosynthesis, by the Chitraleka Dance
VOICE-recognition technology, originally developed to help blind people, has proved a boon for Worcestershire students challenged by the sheer volume of GCSE coursework. Computer software that converts the spoken word into written text allows them freedom
CHRISTIAN Moore admits he was rocked when surgeons told him to scrap plans for his full Worcester City debut this season. The 31-year-old City striker undergoes an operation next Thursday after rupturing the anterior cruciate ligaments to his right knee
JAN Molby has captured a potential future Premiership star who will certainly be 'keen' to impress. And Portsmouth striker James Keene's one-month work experience spell at Kidderminster Harriers does not count as a valuable extra loan. This is because
THE North Midlands rugby union squad has been changed for their second match in the Midlands 18-Group Championship tomorrow. They head to Newark to face Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire and Derbyshireafter launching their campaign with a 33-10 win over East
JAN Molby has captured a potential future Premiership star who will certainly be 'keen' to impress. And Portsmouth striker James Keene's one-month work experience spell at Kidderminster Harriers does not count as a valuable extra loan. This is because
I'M looking for any information about my cousin Rosina Palmer MBE, nee Turner, who was Mayor of Worcester between 1943-44. She was also a JP and councillor for Worcester. Any information would be very much appreciated. ANNE BARRATT (nee Turner) Plot 5
I AM happy to correct any misunderstanding Frank Holt (You Say, Thursday, October 14) may have about hunting. Mr Holt asks why the fox is vermin. For years the fox has been regarded as a pest and is specified as such under the Agricultural Act (1948).
LAST week, I had cause to visit the Worcester Technical College Barbourne Annexe which used to be the old Bishop Perowne School before it was relocated to Merrimans Hill. I was looking forward to the visit having been a pupil at the old Bishop Perowne
TORY schools policy riddle", read the headline on Paul Schofield's letter (You Say, Thursday, October 14). In his response to Mary Dhonau over the Government's Inclusion Policy, he exposed the inconsistency that exists between the Conservatives at Westminster
I HAVE the utmost respect and admiration for our local police in Worcester and I support their efforts in tackling crime in our city. Unfortunately, our local bobbies are up against it when it comes to red tape, new initiatives and bureaucracy which prevent
WHEN I joined the local police back in 1949, I was so poor I didn't own a wristwatch. Because all our beats were timed, and sometimes the public asked me the time, I carried an alarm clock with me on the "watch." Soon my older colleagues discovered my
Ahealthy cow comes bulling regularly. 'Bulling expression' is the best indication of happiness a cow can show. Not bulling means she is not happy." This was how Dr Dirk Zaaijer, acknowledged veterinary specialist in herd health management and cattle reproduction
A RECORD number of landowners across Herefordshire and Worcestershire are investing in equine projects as the outlook for farming remains uncertain. Dozens of people have contacted Defra for funding, under the Worcestershire Rural Enterprise Scheme. Mark
THE publication of MPs' expenses for the first time on Thursday put a few of our parliamentary representatives on the backfoot, having run up a total bill last year of £78m. With a mileage rate of 57.7p and unlimited first-class rail travel between constituencies
Home Office minister Hazel Blears might have thought she was seeing double this week when taking questions about crime. An MP by the name of Michael Foster got up to ask her about community support officers and express his concern that they are being
