On Tuesday night I was lucky enough to be invited to one of cricket's highlights of the year - the dinner to launch this year's Wisden Cricketers' Almanack which is rightly regarded as our sport's 'bible'. The 2007 publication is the 144th edition since
THIS season has been a real rollercoaster of emotions and watching Sunday's match bet-ween Bristol and Northamp-ton provided more of the same. The hardest thing about the position we are in is watching the other games on the television and it looked
TWENY-FIVE Royal Grammar School, Wor-cester, year ten, eleven and twelve cricketers leave for a two-week tour of Sri Lanka tomorrow. Two teams will play six matches each against Sri Lankan schools on a trip that starts in the city of Colombo and moves
SATURDAY WORCESTER AND DISTRICT LEAGUE Division One: University of Worcester v Pershore Manor (M Francois); Powick v Martley Spurs (P Fowler). KIDDERMINSTER LEAGUE Premier Division: Blackheath Town v Cradley Heath; Cookley Social v KS Athletic
A WORCESTER man has died after the van he was driving in was involved in a collision with a lorry. David Ingley, aged 41, of Thackholme, off Dockeray Avenue, Trotshill, Worcester, suffered fatal injuries when the Renault van he was travelling in collided
WESTFIELDS shipped five goals in extra-time to crash out of the Herefordshire Floodlit Cup. Sean Edwards' side were level at 1-1 with League Two outfit Hereford United after 90 minutes of their semi-final but ended up losing 6-1. Stuart Fleetwood put
TWO crews from Worcester Rowing Club will compete in the Tideway Head of the River race on Saturday. Four hundred and twenty eights will row the course on the Thames in the London - the same stretch of water used in the Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race. The
LEUKAEMIA patients at Worcestershire Royal Hosp-ital will benefit from two new intravenous pumps. The pumps, on Laurel 3 ward, have been funded thanks to the Tracy Sollis Leukaemia Trust, which raised about £6,000 to pay for them. The trust, which organises
A FREE publication has been launched to draw more people into Worcestershire's parks and countryside. Worcestershire County Council bosses at County Hall have published it in the hope that it will encourage more residents to get out and about in the
A NIGHT of live music is being held to help two Worcester men reach their marathon fund-raising target of £4,000. Colin Smith and Rob Matthews are running this years' London Marathon for the NSPCC and need to raise £2,000 each. In a bid to get there,
Ingredients 1 egg 2 ripe bananas, coarsely chopped 750ml Milk 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 500ml self-raising flour 1 tsp Baking Powder 3 tbsp caster sugar 1/4 tsp ground allspice Vegetable oil for deep-frying Icing sugar
Ingredients 110g sugar 125ml water 1 ripe mango 2 bananas 2 limes, grated zest and juice Method Place the sugar and water in a saucepan and stir over a medium heat to dissolve the sugar. Bring up to the boil and simmer
CELEBRITY gardener Chris Beardshaw will be at Westons Cider, Much Marcle, near Ledbury, on Good Friday to reopen its farm park for the summer season. Mr Beardshaw, who has appeared on a number of TV and radio programmes including Gardener's World and
WAGGING tails will greet shoppers at Webbs Garden Centre, Wychbold, on Saturday, March 31, and Sunday, April 1. About eight ex-racing greyhounds will be using all their doggy charm to persuade shoppers that they make the perfect pet. The dogs will be
A WORCESTER mum was delighted to be told she was owed more than £260 by British Gas - only to find out the credit on her account was an administrative error. Vanessa Champken, aged 29, was told she was owed £261.83 after her meter was changed. However
A TOILET roll firm devastated by a fire last November has been given the go-ahead to expand. ESP, which makes and distributes toilet rolls and other paper products for businesses, lost half its factory when fire raged through its warehouse on Enigma
IT has been very frustrating trying to bring in new players before tomorrow's deadline. In the last month, there have been four occassions where players have been about to sign and something has happened to stop the deal going through. One player was
IT'S amazing what a victory can do for confidence. After the 3-1 defeat at Moor Green 10 days ago, Worcester City's chances of reaching the Nationwide North play-offs were hanging by a thread. Now, with a 3-0 win against Barrow under their belts, provided
Green Banana Salad Ingredients 3 unripe green bananas 1 onion, finely sliced 2 green chillies, deseeded and sliced (optional quantity, reduce if you do not like it too spicy) 48 seedless green grapes, halved 1 tbsp caraway
AN angry businessman says his insurance company is dithering over a claim after his barn collapsed under the weight of heavy snow in a freak accident which could have killed his pet donkeys. Graham Pearce made a claim with Allianz Cornhill six weeks
The name 'banana' is almost identical in Italian, French and German and derives from the Arabic word for finger. Each bunch is a hand, which holds between fifty and two hundred fruits. There are around four hundred varieties of banana.The banana
A Worcester couple have completed a packed three-week schedule for a leading Ugandan church leader bringing a prayer alert to the British Isles. Dave and Ann Chapman, of Wellspring Villa, Checketts Lane, Worcester, accompanied revivalist Pastor Aloysius
COMPANIES in Worcestershire are being urged to make the most of a new information service being pioneered by Business Link West Midlands. The Knowledge Bank, which is to launch on Monday, April 2, will provide a comprehensive database of library resources
HAND Dorothy May On March 18th 2007, suddenly but peacefully in Worcestershire Royal Hospital,aged 82 years. Wife of the late Maurice Henry and a much loved mum. She will be sadly missed. Funeral service at Worcester Crematorium on Tuesday, April 3rdat
CHANCE Robert William Bob Formerly of Wards and later Kays of Worcester. Died after a short illness at the Worcestershire Royal Hospital on Sunday, March 25th, 2007, aged 71 years. Beloved husband of the late Joan, father of Sonia, Alison and Robert,
DANCOX Robert Another year has passed away but in our hearts your memories stay. Thinking of you as always. LoveDad, Debra, Mark, Paul and Families.xxx Published in paper 28/03/2007
SMITH Alice To a dear mother and nan, who passed away eleven years today. Memories of you we will always treasure, They are locked in our hearts and will stay there forever. Lots of love Marg, June, Peter, Dawn, Sean and Doreen. xxxxxx Published in paper
LAWRENCE Doris Pat, Christine and Brian wish to express their sincere thanks to Relatives and Friends who attended mum's funeral, and for the beautiful floral tributes, the many cards, messages of sympathy and support shown to them during the very sad
DANCOX Robert Special memories of our nephew Rob, who we loved and miss so much. Love always. Jan, Steveand Families. Published in paper 28/03/2007
HAYWOOD Rose Remembering with love, dear Rose. Always remembered. Bett and Family. Too good in life to be forgotten in death. God bless. Published in paper 28/03/2007
WALTON Alice To mum. Memories of you are hear to stay. Loved and remembered every day. Jack, Ruby and Familyxxx Published in paper 28/03/2007
HODGETTS Frank Fond memories of my dear brother who passed into our Lord's care two years today. Sadly missed.God bless. Pat and Tommy. Published in paper 28/03/2007
A bogus water official told an elderly woman one of her female neighbours had been poisoned by drinking-water. South Worcestershire police said the conman asked her to boil two kettles of water, which were then poured down the sink. After using the bathroom
PEOPLE are being urged to start neighbourhood watch groups in Worcester. Worcester police want people to become scheme co-ordinators, taking periodic messages from the police regarding any criminal activity in areas of the city and passing the details
People with learning disabilities can find out about the help available to let them live independently at a roadshow organised by Worcestershire County Council Visitors can find out about housing and support services, benefits and how to get on the housing
TRAINEE police officers have been learning how to stop and search people. Student officers from West Mercia Constabulary were helped out by students from Worcester Sixth Form College, who posed as members of the public. Police officers have a legal
SIR -You cannot blame Labour for mutating MRSA bugs that become resistant to all antibiotics. Blame nature, or God. GEORGE COWLEY, Worcester.
SIR - Many readers may be amazed to hear that the Government has awarded higher wage rises to nurses in Scotland than nurses in England. Given that the Scots now pay no prescription charges, have no NHS job losses, their students pay no tuition fees
THE newly scheduled early morning First Great Western train from Paddington to Worcester got off to a bad start this week, arriving 15 minutes late on its first day and failing to reach its destination at all on the second day. The train was brought
THE death of a Droitwich man pulled from a river remains a mystery - but he did not commit suicide, an inquest has been told. Richard Bourne, a 37-year old former tree surgeon, was pulled from the river Salwarpe on Tuesday, February 20, and pronounced
VANDALS in Malvern have caused damaged to a church and property in an overnight attack. Police are appealing for help to identify the offender or offenders who stuck on the evening of Friday, March 23. Officers say they are keeping an open mind to why
BEST-selling author Jilly Cooper will top the guest list at this year's St Richard's Hospice Betfair Ladies Day at Worcester Racecourse. The popular author, who has led the book charts with blockbusters such as Riders and Polo, will be joining hospice
SIR - We should not only be sorry about the closure of Sainsbury's Lychgate store, we should be angry. The company owning the properties for which they are raising the rent provides no service to the people of Worcester and now it is denying others the
LAUREN Taylor is certainly a lady who can paddle her own canoe, although her exploits on the water have been rather more glamorous than that. She spent a year as a hair stylist on cruise ships in the Caribbean. "It was tremendous," said the former student
A MONTH-long campaign of litter picking has been launched in Worcestershire - and you're invited to help out. Children from Somers Park Primary School, Malvern, gave the seventh Rubbish? Sort It! campaign, organised by the Duckworth Trust, a head start
SIR - To recognise how sad the EU is, just ruminate on these figures. A massive 45 per cent of the EU's budget goes to farming. The subsidy per dairy cow a year in the EU is about £500. The aid given by the EU to the peoples of sub-Saharan Africa is
SPECIALIST skip hire company Blackpole Recycling has been in the business of waste management and recycling for seven years and in that time the family-run company has gained a reputation for a friendly and efficient service. It also has an environmental
SPRING has sprung and thoughts turn once more to the contents of the garden shed. Perhaps even the shed itself, because it may have blown down or been damaged in the recent gales. If this year is "replace the garden shed" time, then don't worry, because
THE sixth annual Chamber awards are shaping up to be one of the biggest yet. Already entries have been received for the event, with the winners due to be honoured at a gala Chamber Awards Dinner on Thursday, June 21, at Worcester Rugby Club's Sixways
VISITORS looking for a good pint and a room for the night should soon be flocking to two Worcestershire village inns. The Talbot at Knightwick and Bants in Upton Snodsbury have been listed among the top 10 pubs in the country in a new guide, Beer, Bed
THERE'S success on the horizon for two Malvern technology experts who have launched a new company that specialises in offering enabling software and services to a wide range of small to medium-sized companies across the UK. Lucrosus Software Ltd has been
THE last 12 months have been a time of growth and achievement for the RBS commercial banking team in Worcester-shire and Herefordshire. The team serves customers of both the RBS and NatWest brands across the two counties. The team has been successful
NOTHING beats the aroma of freshly baked bread, but if you are allergic to something in the mix, then it could be one temptation too far. However, help is at hand for gluten-intolerant bread lovers, and it's all thanks to a Worcester-based company. Freebake
THE bin man whose home was a tree house in the willows beside the river Teme and the mysterious location of mass graves from the Civil War when it comes to strange tales of old Worcester, is doesn't get much more weird than this. Yet a man from Warndon
YET another group of travellers have set up camp illegally in Worcestershire and Wychavon District Council has been forced to take legal action to move them on. Thirteen caravans arrived on the outskirts of Droitwich and settled on the Berry Hills Industrial
A WORCESTER nursery is opening its doors to the public to raise cash for Race For Life. The Claines branch of the Wishing Well Nursery group is holding an Easter fair this Saturday from noon-3pm. The School Bank Nursery, at the Claines Institute on
A WORCESTERSHIRE nursery offers consistently good care and outstanding education to youngsters, according to an Ofsted report. Lilliput Farm Day Nursery, in Dunhampton, near Stourport, was given good' ratings in all areas of an inspection and the quality
BEST-selling author Jilly Cooper will top the guest list at this year's St Richard's Hospice Betfair Ladies Day at Worcester Racecourse. The popular author, who has led the book charts with blockbusters such as Riders and Polo, will be joining hospice
THE first multi-lingual film focusing on the caring work of a UK hospice is being created by pupils from a Worcester school. Children from Stanley Road Primary School are working with the media studies department at the University of Worcester to produce
THE first multi-lingual film focusing on the caring work of a UK hospice is being created by pupils from a Worcester school. Children from Stanley Road Primary School are working with the media studies department at the University of Worcester to produce
SIR - I apologise for misleading your readers over the EU. I thought Mr Blair was due to attend and give his support to the Berlin Agreement later in May, in about six weeks time. Instead, it seems it all happened this weekend! The significance of this
Chocolate fans won't be surprised to know it's the easiest and most popular solution to life's stresses and strains - from being dumped to feeling hormonal. It's naughty but nice and despite the calories and advice from our dentists, 11 million of us
The £120million development, on the derelict former Worcester Royal Infirmary site in Castle Street, will transform the area into part of a new learning and cultural quarter for the city. The designs are by architects Building Design Partnership (BDP
A service which is credited with helping to reduce the number of teenage pregnancies in Worcestershire has been praised. Time 4U - which offers advice to people aged up to 21 on stress, healthy lifestyles, relationships, contraception, pregnancy and
It took a long time to get people interested, but my sense is that the 200th anniversary of the passing into law of the Act to end the slave trade in the British Empire has in fact been celebrated, has jogged a few consciences, and, hopefully, got us
YOUNGSTERS from a Pershore school enjoyed a taste of India with a tea party. Year 4 children at Cherry Orchard First School staged an Indian tea party for parents to mark the end of a term-long geography project on the southern Indian village Chembakolli
SIR - On March 25, in Berlin, Tony Blair signed a 50-page declaration on the future of Europe, without consulting the British people. Indeed, how many of you even knew about it? This is a binding treaty that embodies basic laws for 490 million people
The news that more than 300 drivers have been caught by West Mercia police using a mobile phone at the wheel since penalties were toughened a month ago is both encouraging and depressing. On one hand, it shows that people are actually being caught and
A UNIQUE badge once owned by King Charles II has sold for £8,000 at auction. The price of the delicate enamel button - a gift from the King to a woman who helped smuggle him to safety after the Battle of Worcester in 1651 - had been estimated at £5,000
A ROW has errupted between Worcester MP Mike Foster and a city councillor as politicians gear up for the May elections. It may be seven weeks before the ballot, but election fever is already gripping the Bedwardine ward in St John's, Worcester, with
A DISTRACTION burglar conned his way into an elderly woman's home by saying one of her neighbours was poisoned by drinking water. The con artist entered the house by saying he was from a water board - and asked her to boil two kettles of water so he
THE problem of up-for-sale cars being parked on land in Worcester is becoming a countywide issue. At this week's St Peter's Parish Council's monthly meeting, members said the problem of cars being sold illegally was blighting the area. They said on average
CHOCOLATE lovers could be tucking into a giant Easter egg this year in return for as little as £1 charity donation. The Worcester branch of opticians chain Specsavers is raffling the sweet treat, which is from Cromwells in Upton-upon-Severn, in aid of
A MONTH on from the toughened laws on using hand-held mobile phones, almost 100 drivers in south Worcestershire have already been caught red-handed flouting them. In the south of the county alone, 93 people have faced a fixed-penalty fine of £60 - double
ANGRY taxi drivers will demonstrate against Worcester city council today as the latest assault victim awaits surgery to rebuild his face. The driver, who has not been named, needs an operation after a vicious attack by five passengers he picked up in
EVESHAM United cannot afford to slip up at lowly Bishops Cleeve tonight (7.30pm) if they want to secure a place in the Southern League Division One Midlands play-off berths. Paul West's men go into the game at 16th-placed Bishops Cleeve just one place
A FREAK domestic accident could prevent scrum-half Matt Powell lining up in Warriors' crucial Guinness Premiership clash with Bristol next month. Powell, who has stood in as Worcester captain for the club's last two games, damaged ankle ligaments at
