MEMORIES are being sought of the former Oyster Bar which stood opposite the Theatre Royal in Angel Street, Worcester.

The plea for recollections comes from Shirly Line who was the Berrow's Worcester Journal cookery writer in the 1980s, and who ran the Crown & Sandys at Ombersley, for a time.

She now lives in Whitstable, Kent, and is carrying out research for a book she is writing on the subject of oysters. It will have illustrations by Bill Tidy, the Private Eye cartoonist.

Shirly remembers as a youngster being taken by her father to the Oyster Bar and firmly believes it was visits to the restaurant that set her on course to becoming one of the nation's authorities on eating oysters, promoting the shell-fish at many a seafood festival.

She is also the only woman in the UK to have been awarded Le Galants de la Verte Marennes by the French, when she was named Queen of the Oysters in 1995.

Shirly would dearly like to hear from readers who have any stories or recollections to impart about the Oyster Bar. Anyone who can help her researches can write to me at the Evening News.

As it happens, I well remember many a visit to the Oyster Bar myself, with other reporters during lunch breaks when the Evening News offices were at The Trinity.

The restaurant was run by an amiable Greek, Phil Constantinou, and one of the specialities of the house was not, in fact, oysters but a large, well-done meat ball complemented by a fried egg and chips!

Perhaps there are still relatives of Phil Constantinou living in the Worcester area or people who worked at the restaurant.

Also seeking the help of Memory Lane readers are Mrs Helen Long and her son Henry of Norwich. They would dearly like to hear from any other descendants of William Preece (born at Martley in 1829) and Milbro Davies, whom William married on October 2, 1848.

Helen Long's great-grandfather Henry Preece was the couple's son, born at Worcester, in 1850 and marrying Ann Ball, in 1868.

After fathering a family, Henry Preece joined the Worcestershire Regiment and served for many years including overseas tours to the West Indies.

However, at some stage he was reported as having "disappeared," and there is considerable conjecture about what happened to him afterwards.

Anyone descended from William and Milbro Preece is asked to contact Helen and Henry Long at 30 West Parade, Norwich NR2 3DW.