MANY Worcestershire residents may be dreaming of a white Christmas but they are going to get a green one. According to Worcester's weather expert Paul Damari, who has been studying local weather patterns since 1968, Christmas Day will be dry, with bright
A GROUP of youngsters from Worcester have been getting a first-hand insight into life during the Second World War as part of a community project. The children from Tolladine and Brickfields interviewed some of the residents of Cherwell Close Sheltered
IT is hoped that the major operation to restore Droitwich Spa's barge and junction canals will be completed within three years. A final planning application is set to be submitted to Wychavon District Council at the start of next year, with work starging
TENANTS in Worcester are being urged to put their rent first this Christmas and not to spend money earmarked for accomodation on presents and festive treats. The move comes as part of a drive to help tenants avoid getting into rent arrears at what is
The Bishop of Worcester, the Rt Rev Peter Selby, is pictured chatting to Margaret Deaking, from Broadway, who was one of more than 30 people who were given the Diocese of Worcester Bishop's Certificate at a special presentation after learning about religion
Children tucked into a Christmas feast thanks to the culinary skills and hard work of their parents. Youngsters from Madresfield CE Primary School, Malvern, had lunch at Madresfield Court, as a festive treat. Their parents, who earlier this year helped
STAFF at a Worcester school spent the day in fancy dress to raise money for charity. And while teachers at Bishop Perowne High School, Merrimans Hill Road, ditched their shirts and ties, students were also allowed to get in to the spirit of the day. The
Years ago spiking a person's drink with a vodka to induce a state of inebriation was seen as a bit of relatively harmless fun. But now the alcohol is being replaced by drugs, the intent can be far more sinister and the consequences much more serious.
KIDDERMINSTER fencer Matthew Rowland will put his rivals to the sword in a bid to break into the Great Britain under-20 squad in 2006. The 16-year-old has been pleased with his progress in the sport this year but is desperate for further success next
A STOURPORT animal lover is bringing some Christmas cheer to her street to raise money for a charity that looks after homeless dogs. Diane Hardwick of Loweswater Road, Burlish Park, has decorated the outside of her home with colourful lights and is hoping
THE latest results from Kidderminster and District Wednesday Snooker League are as follows. Division One: St Johns D 2, Pockets A 3; St Johns E 2, Wribbenhall A 3; Franche A v Franche C - no result card. Division Two: St Johns C 2, St Georges B 3; Wribbenhall
STOURPORT drivers have been given an early Christmas gift after it was decided to change plans to close a busy road. Mitton Street was due to be closed to all through traffic on Tuesday, January 3 but the essential water main repair work has been postponed
A STOURPORT out of school club has been sent to the top of the class following a recent Government inspection. Ofsted inspectors gave organisers of the SOS club a glowing report, telling them the quality of their care was good overall and outstanding
KIDDERMINSTER weight-lifters Louise Price, Andy Beeston and Matt Guinan have powered their way through to the British Weight Lifting Association championships. The duo, who train at Unique Fitness in Mill Street, stormed through the West Midlands qualifiers
STOURPORT men will take on Loughborough, Barford and Cannock in the group stages of the Coaching Solutions Indoor Tournament which takes place at the Glades Arena on January 8 and 9. Meanwhile, the ladies fourths signed off for their festive break with
HARRIERS' homegrown hero Mark Yates has emerged as a strong contender for the managerial vacancy with chairman Barry Norgrove looking for a "young, hungry and hard-working boss." Norgrove revealed Yates could have the kind of credentials the Aggborough
HARRIERS 2 BRADFORD 1 TIS the season to be jolly! The 2005-06 campaign might not have given Harriers too much to shout about, but this latest LDV Vans Trophy triumph has certainly filled them with festive cheer. The £15,000 that Kidderminster will bank
HARRIERS 4 SCARBOROUGH 0 HAVING conquered arguably the Conference's worst club in the previous round, Harriers reward is a clash against one of the division's best. But if Martin O'Connor's men can repeat the kind of performance they produced to sink
Wednesday Open, 14 fished, Bank and Meadow: Dave Highfield (Moorlands) 40lb 2oz (Bank peg 8), Paul Webley (Bears) 30-0 (Bank 6), Ralph Baxter (Gloucester) 17-2 (Meadow 59. Thursday Cost-Cutter, 17, Bank and Meadow: Gary Picken (SBS) 48-0 (Bank 8), Mal
Wednesday Open, Heron: Mac Taylor 66-4 (5), Dave Haney 41-2 (18), Ivan Laight 38-9 (3). Saturday Open, Cuckoo: Laight 22-9, Tom Walton 19-6, Harry Taylor 12-15.
WITH reference to the letter in the December 8 issue headed "Civic Centre is ideal for hotel", although it may make an ideal hotel, the fact remains that the profits from the sale would go towards the single site council building. If we have to have such
HOWARD Jones has a valid point of view on the civic centre (Shuttle/Times and News, December 8) though not one I share. More useful would be the sale (with planning permission for five to six flats) of 7-8 New Street. This could then be coupled with a
I WISH to express my thanks to the Muller Cleobury Mortimer Band and the choir of St Ambrose School, who took part in Kidderminster Male Choir's very enjoyable Christmas concert on Friday, December 9 at Kidderminster Town Hall. I particularly enjoyed
Fur and Feather, Hayes Farm: Gavin Wright 66-6 (pole), Barry Chesson 36-12 (waggler), Roy Weaver 34-3. Silver fish winner: Alec Cohen. Section winners: Roy Carter, John Parry, Rob Cox, Steve Wilson.
THE best Christmas present readers can give is the gift of life. I am writing to encourage them to become blood donors over the Christmas period as winter weather can have adverse effects on blood stock levels. People can become blood donors by either
HARRIERS Ladies lost 2-1 at Cannock in the West Midlands Premier League despite taking an early lead through Vicky Hyde. The reserves drew 2-2 at Redditch VC in the Worcestershire County League with Kirsty Roberts and Kirsty Hughes on target. Burlish
CLEOBURY Mortimer's best ever Powergen Junior Vase run just keeps on getting better. The Love Lane men have now marched into the sixth round with a 26-7 victory over University of Derby. The furthest Cleobury have progressed in previous years in the third
MARTIN O'Connor could become the front-line contender for the Kidderminster Harriers hot-seat by translating cup form into league points. But former Harriers skipper Mark Yates, coach at Burnley since the summer of 2004, is believed to have applied and
ANDY Preece is satisfied with Worcester City's away displays -- despite not landing a single league win on their travels. City's Nationwide Nor-th winless streak this season stretched to six following Tuesday night's 2-2 draw at county rivals Redditch
PAT SANDERSON COLUMN OUR lack of discipline cost us dearly at Connacht last Saturday and we need to be much smarter in the future! If we had kept everybody on the pitch for the whole game we would have won with ease. Discipline is massively important
WORCESTER wing Jonny Hylton will find out next month if he will earn a place in the England Sevens squad that travels to Wellington and Los Angeles at the start of next year. Hylton and former Sixways back Ben Gollings were part of the England side that
LEDBURY'S Terry Jenkins produced the best performance of his life to defeat Purfleet debutant Jimmy Mann in a tie-break at the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship. Jenkins has risen to 15th in the world rankings during the past year and showed all
UNIVERSITY of Worcester student Robert Cooke has been named in England students' final trial squad. Cooke will take part in a 52-man group for the game at Castlecroft on January 4. After the match, the players will be split into England students and England
COLWALL will host some of the greatest past and present test cricket stars next summer. Lashings Cricket Club, who always field a full team of 11 current and past aces, play a Colwall CC XI in a charity match. The likes of Curtley Ambrose, Gordon Greenidge
TEENAGER Robert Hall will hope to follow in the footsteps of Michael Schumacher and Nigel Mansell when he takes the plunge as a full-time racer in the 2006 British Formula Ford Cham-pionship. The 16-year-old from Bromyard will be competing at some of
The last meeting of the year was the Christmas celebration, with words/music followed by an American supper. Graham Kiteley supplied the music to accompany each reading, and presented Ghost Story by Dylan Thomas, and The Computer's First Christmas Card
There are services across the region for the festive season. Christmas Eve: Stourport Methodist Church, High Street - 11.30pm Communion service; St Wulstan's RC Church, Vale Road - 3.30pm Christmas Mass; St Michael and All Angels CofE, Minster Road -
The Wyre Forest group has organised a four-mile walk at Bewdley on Tuesday, starting from Blackstone car park, Bewdley at 10am. For details call on 01299 405166.
WORCESTERSHIRE County Council has been spreading the anti drink-driving message to Wyre Forest residents. Information points were set up in Kidderminster and Bewdley last week to warn people of the dangers of getting behind the wheel while under the influence
ON Monday there was a debate about police restructuring. I could only attend for the Home Secretary's opening speech but of the 26 contributions by backbench MPs, only five Government members defended the Government's proposals for large combined police
MARTIN O'Connor could become the front-line contender for the Kidderminster Harriers hot-seat by translating cup form into league points. But former Harriers skipper Mark Yates, coach at Burnley since the summer of 2004, is believed to have applied and
OUR lack of discipline cost us dearly at Connacht last Saturday and we need to be much smarter in the future! If we had kept everybody on the pitch for the whole game we would have won with ease. Discipline is massively important and losing a player for
BIDDERS at a furniture auction have helped to raise £7,758 for a Kidderminster charity. It was organised by The Furniture Room and Rowe Carpets, who have donated 50 per cent of the proceeds to Kemp Hospice. Dave Watts, of The Furniture Room and Rowe Carpets
THREE brothers and sisters from Bromsgrove performed on stage together for the first time in a major Christmas production at Birmingham's Alexandra Theatre. Todd Lawrence, aged nine, brother Dominic, seven, and sister, Annie-May, also seven, performed
SIR - Although I do not pay council tax (my allowance isn't high enough) I do agree with Sandra Northcott (December 6) that council tax should be abolished for all pensioners. GEORGE COWLEY, Worcester.
SIR - May I through your letters page express my sincere gratitude to the staff of the Royal Worcestershire Hospital - in particular the nurses of Beech Ward for the care that I received during my recent major surgery. CECELY PAYLEY, Malvern.
SIR - Worcester City Football Club wants to move to a new ground and Christopher Whitehead School must move off its Malvern Road site because it lacks a football pitch. Surely the answer is for the city and county council to join Worcester City Football
SIR - A roof is not a house is not a home if your "headrest" is someone else's floor. There is nothing more tantalising than that warm-yellow cosy light within the curtains of someone else's window on a cold wet night; and we insiders do so take comfort
SIR - Does the chairman of the Licensed Victuallers' Association, Mike Stevens, honestly believe that if funfairs were banned in Worcester it would mean an end to the rowdy and violent behaviour of which he complains? The reality is, as the statement
CHRISTMAS will be extra special this year for little Holly Lindsay. The brave tot is getting much better after wearing a special helmet, which re-shaped her head, during the summer - a story highlighted in your Advertiser/Messenger. One-year-old Holly
TWO dads braved the weather when they were caged up in Bromsgrove High Street for 48 hours. Andy Wainman and Shane Fitzer, both from Catshill, were locked in a cage near the Housman statue from Friday to Sunday afternoon. Their antics raised £1,400 for
BOXING Day will take on a whole new meaning for the Holliday family. The kickboxing family from Rubery has just proved they certainly pack a punch, as husband and wife duo Mike and Jane Holliday have both achieved their black belt standard in the sport
A BRANCH of the emergency services frequently called on to attend the unpleasant consequence of excess drinking has warned revellers in the Bromsgrove and Droitwich Spa areas 'don't let alcohol spoil your Christmas.' The warning comes from the Worcester
HIGH levels of drug circulation and the need for prisoners to consume meals in shared cells next to an unscreened toilet were major concerns raised in a report on HMP Blakenhurst. The annual report by the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) stated that
LOLLIPOPS are being handed out to party revellers leaving pubs and clubs across Wyre Forest as part of a festive police campaign. West Mercia Constabulary has launched Operation Christmas Presence to target alcohol-related crimes, such as drink driving
A WOMAN from Kidderminster is swapping a full house for a new house after winning £51,000 at bingo. The lucky winner did not want to be named. She had already planned to move to Spain to be close to her daughter and granddaughter when she scooped the
A CAMPING and caravan site, which has been at the centre of a series of planning applications for about 20 years, can be developed. During a Wychavon District Council planning meeting, members agreed to approve permission for the owner of Shorthill Camping
A COUNTRY hotel is making a feature of Worcestershire's fruity heritage by planting an orchard for guests to enjoy. The Elms Hotel, at Abberley, has planted 18 trees, including old apple varieties such as Tupstones and Green Purnell, along with the famous
A YOUNG Kidderminster schoolboy showed off his dance moves in competition at a Somerset holiday resort. Five-year-old Elliot Orban, of Offmore, was invited to take part in the finals of the freestyle dance contest after he won a weekly competition while
1 The 40 Year Old Virgin 2 The Devil's Rejects 3 Crash 4 Fantastic Four 5 Mr and Mrs Smith 6 Madagascar 7 War of the Worlds 8 The Skeleton Key 9 The Cave 10 Invasion 11 Charlie & the Chocolate Factory 12 Unleashed 13 Christmas with the Kranks 14 Dark
BIRDWATCHERS and wildlife lovers are invited to enjoy winter walks around Trimpley Reservoir. The picturesque beauty spot, near Bewdley, is home to a variety of woodland animals and birds. Severn Trent Water's bird-watching expert, Andy Warren, said:
INTERNATIONAL stars could soon been seen on stage at Bromsgrove's newly re-branded night spot, The Whitehouse, formerly Stars. It was owned by five Whitehouse brothers from Birmingham who planned to open the High Street club every night and bring the
GENEROUS Sid Rickerby, licensee of the Vernon Arms at Hanbury, invited the 80 or so villagers aged 65 and over to call in and pick up a free Christmas parcel. They contained a selection of groceries, a four pound joint of meat and a 10/- (50p) note. He
RAIL travellers on Central Trains in the West Midlands are to be hit by two 24-hour strikes over Christmas, it was announced. More than 500 conductors belonging to the biggest rail union - the National Union Of Rail, Maritime And Transport Workers, RMT
THE Learning And Skills Council in Herefordshire and Worcestershire has attracted a record number of entries for its Celebrating Learning Achievement Awards, set to take place in March. Nominations have been pouring in since September with the names of
Make sure you know what's in your glass Festive revellers are urged to make sure they don't receive an unwelcome gift this Christmas by falling victim to the growing scourge of drink spiking. As part of Operation Christmas Presence - West Mercia police's
Rob Taverner does not believe he would still be alive, let alone moving into his own home, if it were not for Maggs Day Centre. The 28-year-old, was one of hundreds of so called hidden homeless. He never slept rough on the streets but stayed at friends
BIRMINGHAM'S Symphony Hall is set to be ringing with traditional festive music over Christmas. Christmas Eve Classics, conducted by Robert Dean on December 24, will contain timeless Yuletide tunes from Handel and Bach. The London Concert Orchestra performs
THERE cannot be many better ways to get into the festive spirit than taking in the glitz, glamour and unforgettable sounds of the three kings of swing. Sadly the memory of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jnr taking to the world famous cabaret
A VIENNESE concert will be held at Kidderminster Town Hall on New Year's Day. It has been organised by the Kidderminster and District Lions Club and The Midland Concert Orchestra. The concert will be dedicated to the memory of soloist, Judith Horton,
A YOUNG Kidderminster schoolboy showed off his dance moves in competition at a Somerset holiday resort. Five-year-old Elliot Orban, of Offmore, was invited to take part in the finals of the freestyle dance contest after he won a weekly competition while
1 The 40 Year Old Virgin 2 The Devil's Rejects 3 Crash 4 Fantastic Four 5 Mr and Mrs Smith 6 Madagascar 7 War of the Worlds 8 The Skeleton Key 9 The Cave 10 Invasion 11 Charlie & the Chocolate Factory 12 Unleashed 13 Christmas with the Kranks 14 Dark
BIRDWATCHERS and wildlife lovers are invited to enjoy winter walks around Trimpley Reservoir. The picturesque beauty spot, near Bewdley, is home to a variety of woodland animals and birds. Severn Trent Water's bird-watching expert, Andy Warren, said:
CHURCH leaders in Worcester are anticipating good attendances at services this Christmas. According to the Rev Ken Joyce, Rural Dean of Worcester City East, there has been an increase in the numbers of people attending Anglican churches at Christ-mas
A WORCESTER vet is warning animal lovers to make sure they do not kill their furry friends with kindness this Christmas. Although loving owners think they are being kind by treating their animals to a few leftovers and some treats, they could be causing
BIRMINGHAM'S Symphony Hall is set to be ringing with traditional festive music over Christmas. Christmas Eve Classics, conducted by Robert Dean on December 24, will contain timeless Yuletide tunes from Handel and Bach. The London Concert Orchestra performs
SEASONED actor Tony Boardman has stepped into the breach to play Daddy Warbucks in an amateur production of Annie at Worcester's Swan Theatre. Orphan Annie was left without a Daddy when the actor originally cast had to step down because of work commitments
TONIGHT: Birmingham: Marriott Hotel - Lupa. Symphony Hall - CBSO Festive Favourites (and Friday, and Monday). CBSO Centre - The Berkeley Salon Ensemble and CBSO Youth Chorus (lunchtime). NIA Academy - Bootleg Beatles. NEC Arena - UB40. Wolverhampton:
Eight-year-old makes amazing strides with pioneering treatment A BRAVE Kidderminster boy and his family will celebrate their "best Christmas ever" after being given hope by a revolutionary treatment made possible by the generosity of Wyre Forest fund-raisers
A KIDDERMINSTER man fears a town supermarket's car park barriers could pose a serious threat to shoppers due to a malfunction. David Matthews, 82, of Broomfield Close, regularly visits Tesco, in Weavers Wharf, but has become increasingly frustrated with
THE daughter of a Kidderminster man, who took his own life after a severe bout of depression, is calling for more effective after-care treatment for discharged hospital patients. Lorenne Harper does not want others to suffer the same fate as her beloved
WYRE Forest is to be given 13 new beat managers as part of police plans to tackle issues that matter the most to people in the district. The move is part of a national initiative to help residents get to know officers and make it easier to contact them
DREAMS of a merry Christmas have been shattered for a nine-year-old girl left devastated by the theft of her prized quad bike. Chelsea Bridgwater was heartbroken after her aunt, Ellen Dale, made the discovery at her stables in Underhill Farm, Shatterford
A QUESTION mark hangs over the future of Hartlebury Castle, after church bosses decided to find a new home for the Bishops of Worc-ester. The castle has been the official residence of bishops for the past 1,000 years but Church Commissioners feel it is
A KIDDERMINSTER teenager has earned his stripes after completing a gruelling course at a camp where elite SAS soldiers are put through their paces. William Peck, from Roden Avenue, was awarded an Infantry Badge after spending seven nights at the base
A SHOPPER left badly bruised and shaken after falling in a Kidderminster town centre bus shelter, is calling for repair work to be carried out on it. Adeline Rogers, 76, was doing her weekly shop and approached the bus stop near Tesco in Weavers Wharf
WORCESTER wing Jonny Hylton will find out next month if he will earn a place in the England Sevens squad that travels to Wellington and Los Angeles at the start of next year. Hylton and former Sixways back Ben Gollings were part of the England side that
THEY used to call it a Mickey Finn, after the notorious Chicago bar closed down in 1903, allegedly because its customers were served spiked drinks and then robbed. Over the years, the term somehow became a light-hearted reference to the act of slipping
WAGGON and Horses A remain in touch with the Banks's Bewdley Darts League top two going into the Christmas break after a 4-3 victory over Bewdley A. Gordon Stuart's 103 shot out and Nick Edwards 10-darter were the highlights of the match. Bliss Gate held
KIDDERMINSTER Cobras' will to win proved the decisive factor in their 74-71 win at an Aston Athletic side containing four national league players. It was the second quarter before the Cobras began to compete with John Jackson penetrating the zone and
KIDDERMINSTER Chess Club Knights won 4-0 at home to Redditch in Division One of the Worcester and District League, keeping up their challenge to regain the title. Team captain John Wrench says his team are well aware there is some tough opposition to
ON December 14, UNISON Bowls held their annual prize giving at Gilt Edge Club. To start the evening, there was a "fun" game of short mat bowls, won by Reg Burton, who beat Roz Southam in a tight game. The presentation was officiated over by president
IN the latest round of matches for Wyre Forest Trivia League Red Lion of Holt Heath beat the Radcliffe 62-53 to move into second place in the Stourport League. Eagle's Nest moved up two places to fourth in the Wyre Forest League with a 54-51 win over
Wednesday, December 21 THEATRE: Peter Pan, Birmingham Hippodrome, Birmingham. MUSIC: Fib Fab Four, Artrix, School Drive, Bromsgrove. THEATRE: Round the Horne (until December 31), Malvern Theatres. THEATRE: Santaland Diaries and Season's Greetings to all
COOKLEY Cricket Club have started indoor nets at Stourport Leisure Centre, Walshes Meadow, Stourport, on Sundays, from January 8 until April 16 (except February 12). There will be two nets - one with a bowling machine, which can deliver balls up to 76mph
WYRE Forest CRC cyclo cross veteran Joe Rowe's season goes from strength to strength with a second place in a race at Izegem in Belgium. Rowe also won the Midlands Veterans Cyclo Cross Championship in Lincolnshire and finished third overall in the National
A 33-year-old woman who asked three witnesses to change their evidence in exchange for payment has been given a nightly curfew by a judge. Joanne Baker, of Harold Evers Way, Kidderminster, pleaded guilty to three counts of perverting the course of justice
A PERSISTENT burglar faces a prison sentence for raids on homes in Stourport. Gareth Prosser broke into a house in Warwick Street and stole goods worth £180, Worcester Crown Court heard. He also raided a house in Lorne Street, stealing goods worth £245
A KIDDERMINSTER couple installed CCTV cameras at their home after vandals caused around £1,000 of damage to their cars. Marie and Peter Forsyth, of Hawfinch Rise, Spennells, have taken the move after they woke up last Thursday morning to find extensive
HARRIERS chairman Barry Norgrove is concerned about the board's failure to convene quickly to appoint a new manager for the second season running. The Aggborough supremo fears the delay could weaken Harriers' hand in the January transfer window. But Norgrove
I AM responding to Councillor Carol Gittins' letter in the Shuttle/Times and News on December 8. The Worcestershire hub is being installed in Bewdley to save residents the time and inconvenience of calling or visiting any number of county council offices
I REFER to the article in Shuttle/Times and News on December 8 concerning the Key Stage Results 2005. While the taking of SATs at Key Stage 2/3 has some value, the publication of performance tables does not. In fact they can be positively damaging to
Round one, Winter League: Brian Hill 20-9, Pete Knowles 20-7, Roy Conde 13-5, Roy Vaux Harvey 10-0, Brian Dickinson 9-4, Gordon Noble 8-2. Round two will be fished on Wednesday, at Woodland View. The draw will be at 9am, with fishing from 10am until 2.30pm
STOURPORT are out of the relegation zone and clawing their way up the table following their third straight win, a 5-1 mauling of visitors Dunstable Town. And for the second week running Roy Rencher's side put in a five star display. New striker Lee Ross
FIVE-a-side footballers in Wyre Forest could net a £1,000 prize thanks to a lucrative league being launched in Kidderminster. The cash incentive will be up for grabs for the winning team when Leisure League kicks off at the Glades Arena in Bromsgrove
ON Wednesday, November 9, while shopping in Kidderminster, it was my misfortune to stumble in the Green Street car park, resulting in two broken ankles - one of which needed surgery. I am now out of hospital and would like to thank all those lovely people
CHADDESLEY Corbett and Bewdley Reserves are still level pegging on points in West Midlands League Division Two after their derby clash failed to separate them. The Wyre Forest rivals shared the spoils in a 2-2 draw at Longmore. Bewdley broke the deadlock
IN a Stourport derby in Saturday Division One of the Kidderminster and District Football League, Rising Sun thrashed bottom side Libertys Sports 12-1. Most of Sunday's matches were postponed. Saturday results Premier: Areley Kings 3, Brintons 3; Cradley
DUE to bad weather, 32 Stourport and District Youth League matches were called off on Sunday. Chris Manktelow scored four in Kidderminster Lions under-11s' 5-3 win over Rock with Fabian Vaughan also on target the previous weekend. Saturday results Under
KIDDERMINSTER Harriers U14 girls' Centre of Excellence beat a weakened Hereford United side 8-1 in a friendly. Chelsea Callaghan and Sophie Bradshaw each bagged a brace with Charlie Roberts, Charlie Stanaway, Chelsea Mudge and Charlie Ireland also on
MASTERS produced an excellent performance in the Kidderminster Six-a-Side League, demolishing Dreamers 10-2. Other results: Ads Lads 3, Jackson 0; Paramount 1, Irrelevant 3; Golden Balls 0, Running Horse 3; Viaduct 7, Loom & Shuttle 1; Artois Athletic
IT was a double victory for Amazing feet runners Rachel Ward and Lindsay Pulley in Sunday's Telford Christmas 10km road race. Ward finished as first female over 45 in a time of 43 minutes 34 seconds, coming 148th overall out of 435 finishers. Pulley added
KIDDERMINSTER Carolians gave themselves a perfect Christmas present by winning 26-0 at fellow strugglers Newcastle to gain breathing space near the foot of Midlands Division Three West North. The Marlpool Lane men took a 10th minute lead when Andy Stooksbury
Bob Watkins, former planning officer with Wyre Forest District Council spoke about the change in planning laws and how they affect the area. He spoke of the complexity of developing sites such as Green Street and how the laws covering so-called "dirty
Donations in memory of the late national chairman, Barbara Gill, will be forwarded to Denman College. At the December meeting, members were told the new address of WI headquarters, following the sale of WI House, Worcester. The new address is: 7 Elgar
At the competition on November 29, the first and second placed duos in both north/south and east/west had identical scores, of 64 per cent and 59 per cent respectively. Liz Leslie and Sadie Sainsbury and Glenis and Gerry Payman took first places, with
A Christmas party was held, with carols for everyone, conducted and accompanied by Stanley Mitchell on piano. Graham and Maureen Wyer conducted a quiz. Details of the coming trip to Chester were presented. One of the members is holding a "bring and buy
There will be no rides on Christmas Day, but on Boxing Day, a ride will leave The Green, Blakebrook, Kidderminster, at 10am. All cyclists will be welcome. The next club night will be on January 3. For details contact John Weston on 01299 401005 or visit
The Christmas party was held at The Talbot, Newnham Bridge. Entertainment was provided by Margaret Stock, Pam Protheroe and Mary Stanway, who recited several seasonal poems. Val Evans, secretary, announced that names are being taken for yoga classes at
PARKING in Severn-side North, Bewdley and drug use in the Wribbenhall area were among concerns raised by residents during a public meeting. Townspeople also identified anti-social behaviour in Severnside South as an issue they would like tackled, during
THE Grand has a tradition for top notch pantos - and this one is no exception. A fast-flowing mix of slapstick, schoolboy humour and songs - including McFly's All About You and, bizarrely, Hanky Panky by Madonna - kept the audience of all ages beaming
THERE cannot be many better ways to get into the festive spirit than taking in the glitz, glamour and unforgettable sounds of the three kings of swing. Sadly the memory of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jnr taking to the world famous cabaret
FESTIVE greetings in support of Kemp Hospice have trebled this year with the soaring popularity of its Christmas cards. Wyre Forest artist, Rod Willis, gave his services free of charge in providing a painting of winter sun over Wolverley and a new work
SIR -Your recent correspondent who referred to parking on pavements will find that provided you leave one metre as a passing space it is not illegal. The people who complained about seagulls should be grateful to them for clearing up the fast food debris
SIR - Parking on the pavements! What planet is Mike Taylor on? I would settle for a bit of sensible parking on pavements - to keep carriageways clear - if the police or local council could prevail on some members of our "community" to stop parking buses
SIR - Council tax is obviously being increased again by far more than the increase I will get in my pension. With local government and central government being responsible for this tax it will never get sorted out. One side can always blame the other
A MAN who has devoted much of his spare time to helping others says he still cannot believe he has been awarded an MBE. Geoff Gough, his wife Jean, and their sons Richard and Mark, enjoyed a VIP trip to London to keep an important appointment at Buckingham
TOP technology is coming to Bromsgrove library enabling residents to "self serve" themselves. Three self-scan machines are being installed at the Stratford Road site during its refurbishment. They will be up and running when the library re-opens in March
TALENTED youngsters took to the stage for their festive play in a Belbroughton church. More than 140 children from Belbroughton First School took part in Stable Manners, which was a modern play that incorporated the nativity. There were two performances
KINDHEARTED youngsters donated toys to a town's supermarket's Christmas appeal. Children from Sidemoor Pre-School donated the wrapped presents to ASDA, in Market Street. The store has been collecting toys for the children's ward at the Alexandra Hospital
A MUCH needed affordable housing scheme near Bromsgrove has been scrapped because 21 out of more than 3,600 residents said they didn't want it. Members of Stoke Parish Council agreed to take no further action on providing a small number of homes for local
DRUG dealing, speeding, anti-social behaviour and litter have been identified as top priority issues to be tackled in Charford. The first Partners and Communities Together (PACT) meeting was held last week at St Andrew's Church Hall, in Lyttleton Avenue
BIG improvements have been made - but there are still challenges ahead. That's the message contained in the latest report on Bromsgrove District Council by the Audit Commission, a body which ensures public cash is spent wisely to deliver good quality
A WYRE Forest-based guitar band, which recently reached the final of a Battle of the Bands competition, is looking forward to a promising new year. Viva Finito, which has members from Stourport and Bewdley, battled it out against Mr Derry at the Robin
A VIENNESE concert will be held at Kidderminster Town Hall on New Year's Day. It has been organised by the Kidderminster and District Lions Club and The Midland Concert Orchestra. The concert will be dedicated to the memory of soloist, Judith Horton,
KIDDERMINSTER Magistrates Court was forced to cancel all cases on Tuesday after workers staged a one-day walkout in protest over a proposed pay increase. Members of the PCS - Public and Commercial Services - union stood on a picket line outside the Comberton
POLICE have warned Kidderminster residents not to leave car keys lying around their homes after a spate of car key burglaries. A number of incidents, where keys taken from inside houses have been used to steal cars parked outside, have been reported in
VISITORS could be driven out of Wyre Forest if plans to employ eight extra traffic wardens are given the green light, it has been claimed. Peter Picken, chairman of Kidder-minster Town Centre Partnership, is concerned about the proposals and is worried
A CAMPAIGNING Wyre Forest trio have been elected to sit on Worcestershire's new youth cabinet. Matthew Jones, 18, of Upper Arley, Amy Lloyd, of Stourport and Shane Roberts, of Kidderminster have all been asked to represent the area following a busy campaign
MEMBERS of a popular Wyre Forest group for blind and partially sighted people have joined together to get in to the festive spirit. The Kidderminster branch of the Worcestershire Association for the Blind held its Christmas party at St Mary's and All
THE Guardians at Bromsgrove workhouse narrowly voted not to give paupers seeking outdoor relief an extra 6d (2.5p) at Christmas, even though it would have cost less than £10. At present the union had 700 poor on its books, 232 of whom regularly received
ANDY Preece is satisfied with Worcester City's away displays -- despite not landing a single league win on their travels. City's Nationwide Nor-th winless streak this season stretched to six following Tuesday night's 2-2 draw at county rivals Redditch
VISITORS to Worcester Woods Country Park during the Christmas holidays may be startled to see cattle grazing in the meadows there. Three Longhorn cows were recently introduced to Hornhill Meadows as a conservation measure. Despite their vicious looking
Ladbrokes punt HILTON Group confirmed today it had received expressions of interest from firms considering a £3bn punt on betting shop chain Ladbrokes. Despite the overtures Hilton said it remained focused on seeing through a deal for US-based Hilton
MISYS shares jumped eight per cent after the Evesham-based software maker reassured investors its core banking division was recovering. The group announced the departure of Ivan Martin, the chief executive of the Misys Banking Systems division, which
HUSBAND and wife Adam and Carole Warren are celebrating the success of their Worcester-shire firm after winning a place in this year's league table of Britain's fastest growing private companies. Greencare Environmental, which provides washroom services
NEW Government proposals to tackle TB in cattle do not go far enough for either farmers or wildlife experts across Worcestershire and Herefordshire. In the two counties, 2,412 animals were slaughtered between January and October and 443 herds were under
THESE beaming couples made history as Worcester-shire's first gay partners to tie the knot under the Civil Partnership Act. Robin Jackson and Ant-hony Cavanagh were de-lighted to be the first in the county to take the plunge at Worcester's Register Office
TONIGHT: Birmingham: Marriott Hotel - Lupa. Symphony Hall - CBSO Festive Favourites (and Friday, and Monday). CBSO Centre - The Berkeley Salon Ensemble and CBSO Youth Chorus (lunchtime). NIA Academy - Bootleg Beatles. NEC Arena - UB40. Wolverhampton:
Wednesday, December 21 THEATRE: Peter Pan, Birmingham Hippodrome, Birmingham. MUSIC: Fib Fab Four, Artrix, School Drive, Bromsgrove. THEATRE: Round the Horne (until December 31), Malvern Theatres. THEATRE: Santaland Diaries and Season's Greetings to all
THE Grand has a tradition for top notch pantos - and this one is no exception. A fast-flowing mix of slapstick, schoolboy humour and songs - including McFly's All About You and, bizarrely, Hanky Panky by Madonna - kept the audience of all ages beaming
THREE brothers and sisters from Bromsgrove performed on stage together for the first time in a major Christmas production at Birmingham's Alexandra Theatre. Todd Lawrence, aged nine, brother Dominic, seven, and sister, Annie-May, also seven, performed
A WYRE Forest-based guitar band, which recently reached the final of a Battle of the Bands competition, is looking forward to a promising new year. Viva Finito, which has members from Stourport and Bewdley, battled it out against Mr Derry at the Robin
