THIRTY-one Worcestershire schools face the axe for having too many spare places. The Government wants education bosses to consider closing or merging schools with more than a quarter of seats unfilled - or make better use of space by opening their doors
MOTORISTS have lashed out at Worcestershire traffic chiefs' claims that a bridge closure, which started yesterday morning, had little impact on commuters driving into the city. Rush-hour traffic was snarled up at various hotspots in and around Worcester
PROUD parents and their bonnie babies were eagerly queuing as the doors opened for this year's Evening News' Baby of the Year 2004 competition. The competition, which began yesterday, will be judged in three age categories, up to nine months , 10 -18
Council tax bills were due to be confirmed for Worcester households tonight when the city council approves its budget. The authority's cabinet has proposed a 2.5 per cent increase in its tax demand. If councillors agree to the rise, the overall bill will
A MOTORIST who drove on to a playing field where a football game was in progress, and then hit a police car, has escaped jail at Worcester Crown Court. Judge Frank Chapman decided to be lenient because 21-year-old Leroy Stallard had stopped taking heroin
VILLAGERS whose 14th Century local watering hole was damaged by a fire, may have their thirst temporarily quenched in a barn belonging to the pub. Around 50 firefighters attended the fire, which broke out at around 11.50am at The Fleece Inn, in Bretforton
THE Bishop of Worcester has urged voters to shun the far-right British National Party at this summer's local elections. The Rt Rev Dr Peter Selby spoke out after BNP Worcestershire leader Martin Roberts said he and one other candidate would be standing
PLANS to build a new home at a property in Lower Broadheath could be given the go-ahead even though a similar application was refused months before. A scheme has been registered with Malvern Hills District Council to build a detached house on land next
A PERSISTENT burglar left his fingerprints at the scene after raiding a house and stealing property worth £625. Beau Broadhurst Junior was serving a prison sentence for another break-in when police tracked him down, Worcester Crown Court heard. Broadhurst
PLANS to allow quad-biking on land in the open countryside in Worcestershire could be given the go-ahead despite a wave of protest from residents. An application has been registered with Malvern Hills District Council to request land at Peachley Court
A novice monk at a Hereford abbey sexually abused schoolboys with whom he came into contact during his training, a jury was told. John Kinsey allegedly molested two victims while instructing them in bell-ringing and a third who was learning duties as
TWO men who robbed a factory worker of £40 and cigarettes in the street are facing custodial sentences. Victim Adrian Johnstone was making his way home from a nightclub when he was held up at knifepoint in Hereford. A jury at Worcester Crown Court convicted
HEREFORD and Worcester Fire Service is demanding one of the biggest Council Tax increases in Britain, according to a survey published today. The fire authority's 29.4 per cent hike - which will add £13.67 to the average bill, is the largest so far confirmed
PROPOSED cuts to a crucial bus service in Droitwich have been labelled "another nail in the coffin" for the town's elderly and sick. It has been revealed direct bus routes from the town to Worcestershire Royal Hospital could stop from the middle of this
MEMBERS of a Hereford club used to thinking small are showing they have big hearts with a special event to raise cash for a new hospice for life-limited children in Worcestershire. The Wye Valley Miniaturists Club is holding a fund-raising auction and
A RETIRED city artist is hoping to complete a life-size model of music legend Glenn Miller in time for the 60th anniversary of the musician's disappearance. Maurice Jones, from Colin Road, Barbourne, has sculpted the star's head from wood and modelling
EDUCATION Minister David Miliband is urging LEAs across the country to consider shutting schools with a surplus of spaces. His department has highlighted five secondary schools and 26 primary and middle schools in Worcestershire which could face the axe
IT took extra-time in the end but Worcester City reached their first cup final in three years last night. John Barton's team defeated Halesowen Town 3-2 on a bone-hard St George's Lane pitch to book a place in the Worcestershire FA Senior Cup Final against
KIDDERMINSTER Harriers have swooped to sign experienced central defender Adrian Viveash on a month's loan. The 34-year-old Swindon Town player will make his Harriers debut in tonight's home Nationwide League Division Three clash against Northampton Town
RECORD-equalling Hereford United return to action at Telford tonight (7.45) with acclaim still ringing in their ears following Friday's 9-0 massacre of Dagenham & Redbridge. The Bulls' feat matched the all-time Conference record, set by Sutton United
NEW signing Danny Williams has the difficult task of replacing Sean Flynn in Evesham United's midfield. The former Nuneaton Borough man goes straight into the Robins' squad for tonight's Dr Martens Western Division clash with Bromsgrove Rovers at Common
MALVERN Town can stren-gthen their grip on the top of the table against Ettingshall at Langland Stadium tonight (7.45). Victory for the West Midlands Premier Division leaders will increase the gap over second-placed Tipton Town to five points. Neil Hunt's
MIDFIELDER Adam Ward returns to strengthen Pershore Town's squad for their Worcester Royal Infirmary Cup semi-final clash at home to Feckenham tonight (7.45). Defender Jamie Bird will have a late fitness test after shaking off a bout of glandular fever
AFC Deers Leap had a successful weekend in the Worcester and District Football League with both their teams recording impressive results. The reserves led the way with an emphatic 9-3 home win over Plumbers Arms in Sunday Division Four, Ethan Williams
AS if pensioners aren't struggling enough to meet their council tax bill, now Wychavon Council intends scrapping free parking and tokens for pensioners under the age of 80. I should imagine that most over 80s rely on their zimmer frames to get around.
I WANT to thank our MP, Michael Foster, for writing to local health trusts asking them to review their Living Will policies. A Living Will is a legally binding document that you can use to set out how you wish to be treated by medical staff, if you become
I HAVE just read John Norwood's letter about a three-year-old boy propelled 50 feet by a car travelling at 37mph. He says: "If the car was travelling at 30 mph, there was a good chance he would have lived." "A good chance" is an opinion, not a fact! Let's
JOHN Rostill, Chief Executive of the Acute Trust (Evening News, Thursday, February 19) laments the fact that operations are cancelled, that there is a £13.8m debt and his director of finance that there is a surge in emergency admissions accounting for
I RARELY find myself in agreement with Government Inspectors but I must express my complete accord with the report ruling on the Local Plan of the city council. The inspector has done a superb job of analysing the information available to him and his
Monday, March 1, 2004 IT took extra-time in the end but Worcester City reached their first cup final in three years last night. John Barton's team defeated Halesowen Town 3-2 on a bone-hard St George's Lane pitch to book a place in the Worcestershire
Pre-season friendlies Sat July 12 Evesham (a) 3-1 Lewis, J Williams, Paschalis Sun July 13 Stratford (a) 1-0 Ward Sat July 19 Boldmere (a) 6-1 (og), J Williams 2, Lightbourne, Wilding, Danks Mon July 21 Leicester (h) 1-1 Shilton Sat July 26 West Brom
MALVERN companies have until this Friday to enter the Platinum Awards for Business Excellence. Run by Malvern Hills District Council (MHDC), the awards celebrate not only excellent business practice but also the range and variety of businesses within
A BROMSGROVE company is helping to keep workers on North Sea rigs safe. Beko Technologies, in Buntsford Park Road, has supplied a Drypoint M membrane dryer system to Shell UK's oil and gas platform to help ensure the performance of its sub-sea safety
COMPUTER systems company BDE Group has appointed a new operations director. Tina Weston is the company's first female director and was previously technical services manager. She was appointed to the board in recognition of her contribution to the business
BRITAIN'S leading employers' group has appointed a new regional director for the West Midlands. The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has appointed Chris Clifford, who has been covering for the former regional director, Carolyn Hannah, for the past
A WOMAN who shouted racial abuse at a restaurant worker has been fined by magistrates. Helen Payne, of Troutbeck Drive, Warndon, admitted shouting at a staff member from Roosters, in Angel Street, on November 14 last year. At yesterday's hearing, David
BURGLARS assaulted a 74-year-old woman after breaking into her Stourport-on-Severn home. North Worcestershire Police are investigating a possible link with other burglaries in the area on the same day. The incident, happened at around 6.30am on Sunday
A motorcyclist was taken to hospital this morning after being in collision with a car. The man, who has not been named, was injured following the incident near the White Hart pub, in Droitwich Road, Fernhill Heath, near Worcester, just after 7am. The
A West Mercia policeman who was suspended from duty after allegedly assaulting his wife has had the case against him dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service. Mark Willis, aged 49, of Cobblers Place, Little Witley, near Worcester, was suspended after
CALLS have been made to erect a monument on the site of the last battle of the English Civil War. Malvern Hills District Council leader Councillor Tom Wells said it was "terrible" there was not a proper monument marking the battle at Powick Hams, on September
PATIENTS are being given more chance to have a say on how Worcestershire's hospitals are run. A panel set up to let patients help make decisions on hospital services is being expanded, and anyone who wants to join is being invited to apply . The Patients
PERMISSION to build a chalet bungalow at 80, Main Road, Kempsey, has been allowed on appeal. After a site visit, a Malvern Hills planning committee refused the application, contrary to the recommendation of planning officers, on the grounds that it would
GIRLS at a Worcester junior school are enjoying the benefits of an adventure trail in their own grounds. The fitness trail at Springfield, Alice Ottley's junior school, was officially opened by previous headteacher Judith Layfield on Friday, February
A student studying for vocational GCSEs has picked up an award for his outstanding work. Daniel Ford, a Year 11 pupil at Elgar Technology College, is studying manufacturing at both the Bilford Road school and Worcester College of Technology, which share
HOME, away (Midlands Two (West) fixtures unless stated) SEPTEMBER Sat 06 HEREFORD 47-9 Sat 13 Kenilworth 15-16 Sat 20 STONEYGATE (Powergen Intermediate Cup First Round) 31-9 Sat 27 NUNEATON OLD EDWARDIANS 27-19 OCTOBER Sat 04 Aston Old Edwardians 20-8
HEREFORD United and Kidderminster Harriers were among clubs paying tribute to legend John Charles at his funeral. Several of the players who played under Charles during his four-year stint as player-manager at Edgar Street from 1967-71 were among the
BULLYING is an issue very much in the public eye but it is how schools address the problem that can have a profound effect on the victim's suffering. National figures released this month revealed the total number of bullying claims for 2003 was less than
JOHN Phillpott writes (Evening News, Monday, February 23) of "The insignificant, spinning ball of matter that is planet earth". Not totally insignificant, John. Shirley Bassey lives on it. GEORGE COWLEY, Worcester.
NO one will doubt the genius of Fred Dibnah, but the thought occurs to me, how many A-levels and O-levels and so on did Fred obtain to get to where he is today, the centrepiece of the most consistently interesting show on BBC television? Live forever
OF course, I knew my blood was unsuitable. What then, was I doing presenting myself as a volunteer blood donor and declaring that I had suffered from both malaria and jaundice? Clearly the staff of the visiting blood transfusion team was perplexed, because
HOME, away (Dr Martens Western fixtures unless stated) JULY Sat 19 WALSALL (Friendly) 5-1 (Sutton, Banner, Dyson, Bowen, Scheppel) Tue 22 WOODFORD UNITED (Friendly) 3-1 (Sutton, Stephenson, Scheppel) Sat 26 STOCKPORT COUNTY (Friendly) 0-0 Wed 30 ASTON
THE future could be orange for an accountancy firm if it wins a major national award. Rabjohns Business and Tax Advisers will find out this evening if it has won the award for Best Customer Service in the Small is Beautiful awards, run by mobile phone
