AFTER 60 years of marriage an Evesham man is still surprising his wife with romantic proposals. Gordon Stevens, of Shannon Way, Evesham, shocked his wife Jill by booking a trip to Australia and a ceremony to renew their vows to mark their diamond
A WORCESTERSHIRE woman has spoken of her horror after a car ploughed into the garden wall in front of her house while she was asleep. Allison Clasen was in bed at her home at Appletree Court, Main Street, Pinvin, near Pershore, on August 25, when
BUDDING singers of all ages and abilities are being invited to join Powick Community Choir. The choir, which already has a 70-strong membership, is seeking new faces. Rehearsals are held at Powick Parish Hall every Sunday, from 4.30pm to 6pm. They
A TEENAGER punched a policeman and kneed a doorman in the face when his brother was arrested, forcing an officer to use his baton to bring him down. Trouble flared between brothers John Davies and Thomas Davies and police at the Cross, Worcester
FRESH calls have been made for an investigation into Allah Ditta – this time by leading figures at Worcestershire County Council . County Hall’s Labour group has urged the controlling Conservatives to suspend the politician and carry out a full
PUPILS at a village school returned for their first day back after the summer holidays to discover their headteacher had resigned. Parents with children at Kempsey Primary School , near Worcester, were handed a letter on Tuesday explaining that
EVESHAM rower Yasmin Tredell has been selected to be part of the Great Britain Rowing Team for the European Championships in Italy next week, along with her older brother Lance. Yasmin, 19, a world junior gold medallist, will race in the women's
HISTORY will come alive for people across Worcestershire as some of the area’s most popular heritage sites are set to open their doors for free. People can make the most of their area thanks to the national Heritage Open Days project which runs
THE Courtyard in Hereford will play host to three very different musical experiences this month. On Thursday, September 13 Nightjar Music presents Julie Murphy touring with her first solo album for 10 years and from 8pm she will be joined
A LARGE banner has been hung outside the Worcester flat of a distraught woman who is desperate to move to escape anti-social behaviour. Barbara Steele claimed she has resorted to the peaceful protest because Worcester Community Housing and Worcester
WORCESTERSHIRE are on the brink of relegation from the LV= County Championship Division One following an innings and 202-run defeat to Warwickshire at New Road. The County were bowled out for 209 in their second innings, having been dismissed
FOR MANY parents, the first day your child starts at a new school is an extremely emotional experience. But for mum Mandy Anderson, of High Road, Tunnel Hill, Worcester, having 11-year-old son Ross head off for his first day at Tudor Grange Academy
SIR – I would like to thank the drivers who stopped to help when I fell off my moped on Wednesday, August 29. One was a nurse, and another a GP – how lucky for me! I was pretty confused at the time so I didn’t get a chance to thank them
SIR – My husband and I saw The Second Best Bed at the Commandery the other night. It was truly wonderful. We really enjoyed it very, very much, such superb acting by Liz Grand. Excellent indeed. All the better for it in the lovely Commandery
SIR – I am indifferent as to the facade of the new sports venue arena. However, I am amazed at the apparent council attitude regarding the planning meeting. Our MP Robin Walker was not even involved in the design and Councillor Robert
SIR – Re: the graphic pictures on the front of the Worcester News, August 25. Now expose the best side of Worcestershire Royal Hospital. Surely this complaint could have been dealt with more efficiently i.e. discretely with the chief nursing officer
SIR – I am appalled at the negative press reporting of Allah Ditta ,who is an upstanding member of the community. I have personally known Mr Ditta for over 30 years and Mr Ditta has on many occasions taken time out of his busy life to help members
SIR – Cricket is my passion. From an early age I followed my home county, Hampshire, to all their county grounds. My career brought me to Worcester in the 1970s and I have followed Worcestershire County Cricket Club with equal vigor. It
SIR – The contents of Clive Smith’s letter “All these roadworks? Don’t blame council” intrigued me as I was under the impression there was legislation about the co-ordination of such works. On the internet I found the ‘Code of Practice (3rd Edition
SIR – Re: ‘Have your say on big plans for housing’, August 16. Let us remember this consultation is the usual scam. Nothing the public at large can say will alter plans to build another 30,000 houses in our midst. We will therefore find ourselves
THE British have a reputation for whinging, most of all perhaps with our Australian cousins who call us ‘whinging poms’. Having a good old moan is as British as drinking tea, rubbish weather and bad clothes, like men of a certain age wearing socks
SIR – It isn’t pizza parlours that cause litter, Mayor Roger Berry. It is the untidy public who chuck everything on the pavement. (Page 6, August 25). GEORGE COWLEY Worcester
SIR – Re: June Wells letter, I was not surprised there was no note, after an experience from a van driver in Lowesmoor, Worcester, in which he felt it was ok for him to park on double yellow lines by the bus stop and make it impossible for bus drivers
SIR – Robin Walker has endorsed a proposal to allow same sex couples to get married – well done. Credit where it is due; he has taken a high minded moral position of equality. In order that this does not become an election issue at the next
SIR – Re: letter from Bob Churchill (Worcester News , August 22) regarding samesex marriage. I for one thought John Shearon’s common sense approach to the subject put it into perspective and that it would draw a line under the debate. I appreciate
MID-WORCESTERSHIRE MP Peter Luff is quitting Parliament at the next general election, he has announced. The 57-year-old, who first won a seat back in 1992, said it was “the right time to call it a day” after more than two decades as an MP.
SIR – Chris Taylor asserts (August 16) that public opinion is against same-sex marriage. Why does he think this is a mystery? Reputable polls show repeatedly that the majority are in favour of marriage equality (e.g. YouGov’s data in June showed
SIR – Chris Taylor asserts (August 16) that public opinion is against same-sex marriage. Why does he think this is a mystery? Reputable polls show repeatedly that the majority are in favour of marriage equality (e.g. YouGov’s data in June showed
SIR – I totally agree with Chris Mitchell’s views on the lack of diving facilities at Sansome Walk baths, but though the boards are in situ, it is not economic to repair them in view of a proposed new pool. A city the size of Worcester should
SIR – The fact that Westminster politicians have spent £230,000 of taxpayers’ cash on art, while the country is in recession and most struggle to keep their heads above water is an outrage. Why do these people think that it is justified to pay
SIR – Now the Olympics are over questions are being asked. Is short running more important than long running or whether to jump over a piece of wood or use a piece of wood to jump over another. And it’s good for people to discuss
SIR – Like so many others I am deeply concerned about the Allah Ditta affair and the invoice for £400 handed to Ruhal Hussain for care of his father’s grave. Allah Ditta is both a Worcester City and a Worcestershire county councillor. Any
SIR – Your follow up article on Allah Ditta ’s recent behaviour raises even more questions about this affair. Mr Ditta’s bill and his vile tirade against a grieving family raise valid and public questions about what the details of this supposed
SIR – I am an OAP of 75. I now live on £250 a week with no savings and no assets. When the coalition Government – all of whom are multi-millionaires – reduces my winter heating allowance from £200 to £150 (as it did last November), I am not a very
SIR – I have to question your Comment that congestion on the A4440 will only be dealt with by making it dual carriageway (Worcester News , August 28). You can make it four lanes if you want and it will make no difference. If you cannot distribute
SIR – It is nice to see that Worcester City have made an impressive start to the new season and hopefully will continue where they left off in the last campaign. But what is wrong with today’s players? Manager Carl Heeley says some
SIR – Re Derek Bennett's letter ‘Link up with BNP and EDL? You are joking’ (Worcester News , August 22). UKIP is just a ‘safety valve’ to stop people voting BNP. Remember, UKIP supports diversity, multiculturalism and the Islamification of
SIR – It was interesting to note that two zebra crossings have been opened in St Peter’s Drive, Worcester, after several years of campaigning (Worcester News, August 28). I hope that it does not take several years for my colleague Matthew Jenkins
SIR – It is claimed that the £120 million Worcestershire incinerator could in fact cost £1 billion (Worcester News , August 22). This could be a very conservative estimate as £120 million would only be the capital costs and this could be 50 per
SIR – The allegations against Allah Ditta in the Worcester News (August 30) are astonishing. There are a number of questions that the community will be looking for answers to following the investigation that I am sure will have announced by the
NOW before I start this column, I would like to place on record my love for X Factor . I am in no way among those who consider themselves too good to watch it. I know there are many who despise X Factor, but for me and about 13 million other
SIR – It is without doubt good to see a proposed scheme to get young people working, by insisting that they cannot get any benefits until they have done three months’ unpaid work. There is no such thing as a free lunch, and in order to take out
SIR – I would just like to say a big thank you to everyone who sent me their postcards and used postage stamps for the Guide Dogs for the Blind. Your support is very much welcomed. If you have still got any used postage stamps/postcards then
SIR – I was pleased to see a receptacle for cigarette stubs and chewing gum by the splash pad in Gheluvelt Park. Presumably there are others in various locations within the city. Why litter louts have to drop it I shall never know, but I hope
SIR – I’m sorry to say that the idea of Sylvia Joyce’s receptacles strategically placed for cigarette stubs would not work. I have seen similar objects outside offices – but they are not used in the main. These litter bugs would not walk even
SIR – With reference to our ‘golden’ buildings in Worcester; Maidstone in Kent has built an annex to its library which is encased in golden tiles and the new ticket office for Thames Cruisers on the riverside at Greenwich is also covered
ROBIN Longmore took an impressive seven wickets in just 11.4 overs for Barnards Green against Old Vigornians — 16 months after playing his last game of cricket. Having received a text message on the morning before the Worcestershire League Division
SIR – It was interesting to note that the recent Business Crime Index Survey from Axa Insurance showed that levels of business crime are increasing. As someone with a business background, I thought I would dig a little deeper. I was surprised to
SIR – I was very sad to read in Worcester News of the death of George Randall. I was leader of the opposition group on Worcester City Council when George was council leader in the 1980s. He saw me off, of course, but I came to like and respect
SIR – The proposed 73 (not 43 as cited in your article) house allocations at Powick is more than any other category two village, and more than all but one category one village. The Hospital Lane proposal, unlike all others, has not even undergone
SIR – I’m sure most voters in Worcester are delighted to learn that the Worcester Muslim Welfare Association will be tightening up management arrangements for their cemetery. This is clearly to be welcomed. Now we wait for confirmation that Allah
A TEENAGER put his life-saving skills into action when he rescued a 10-year-old boy who was floundering in the sea after being caught in a deadly current. Alex Griffin, aged 15, was surfing in Bude, Cornwall, during a family holiday when he spotted
SIR – It’s odd that Robbie Porter, chairman of the Community Engagement Forum feels it necessary to comment about the Perdiswell cemetery. The politically correct title of his organisation doesn’t give confidence concerning his views about the
Umbrella by Will Self is published in hardback by Bloomsbury, priced £18.99. Available now. Though he's perhaps best known and appreciated as a wry, angular TV personality and journalist, this is Will Self's ninth novel and his first to be longlisted
POP singer and Xtra Factor host Olly Murs was at a Worcester gym to interview a city singer yesterday. The Dance With Me Tonight singer caused a stir when he turned up with a film crew at Harpers Gym in Sansome Walk to interview singer and dancer
THE bell is about to ring for the start of a new term. But who cares if your actual school days are a very distant memory? You can still be top of the class with this season's preppy look that show you mean business for work
FOR Worcester City to be successful, it is important we cut out the needless bookings and red cards. With six games gone, we have already had Matt Breeze and Greg Mills sent off and four other players shown yellow cards. Things like that cost
FIRE crews were called out to the Asda superstore in Worcester city centre after smoke was seen in the building. The callout came at 7.30am today and six crews were sent out. By the time they arrived, a small fire in a bakery oven had already been
THESE are the two men police are looking for in connection with the dumping of a section of steel rail on the Malvern to London mainline which was hit by a passenger train. The incident took place at 3.41pm on Wednesday, August 22, when a First
ARTIST and illustrator Shelly Perkins is returning to iapetus gallery with a portfolio of work from past and present. Visitors to Shelly’s previous exhibitions at the gallery in Great Malvern fell for her idiosyncratic depictions of local towns
NHS bosses have denied their plans to extend Worcester’s A&E department prove they have already decided to centralise casualty services in the county. Their comments come after it was revealed that Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust,
