Inspired by the BBC's new family history series Who Do You Think You Are? I began to wonder who I really was.

Coming from Birmingham and sharing my surname with the flare-wearing, wild-haired Slade frontman, Noddy, I'd always brushed off the inevitable playground taunts that we were related. But now I wasn't so sure.

To discover how to find out more, I made my way to a meeting of the Malvern Family History Group.

The hall of the Somers Park Methodist Church was packed with people asking advice and exchanging ideas.

Programme secretary and founder of the group Frank Townsend told me: "Most of us here are tracing our family tree. The benefit of joining a group like this is that what ever stage you're at, there's always somebody who can help you out."

The group offers help and advice to people tracing their history, as well as providing a wide range reference books and computer software and organising trips to London's Records Office.

Its meetings, held on the first Wednesday of each month, feature guest speakers, covering topics from genealogy to place history. The group's quarterly newsletter, Tree Tappers, contains all the latest news and developments in the field.

Mr Townsend himself runs ten-week family history courses for beginners at Malvern Hills College and is in the process of tracing his own family history.

"The thing is that some people think the process is easy, but it isn't. It involves a great deal of time and effort," he said.

"Firstly, you should find out as much as you can from your immediate family, then go to a records office, and work through the records and census returns."

Mr Townsend recommended the Worcestershire library and History Centre for local records or, for a more comprehensive search, the Records Office in London holds copies of all birth, marriage and death certificates.

"I've been tracing my family tree since 1973 and within the first 18 months I got back to 1785," he said.

Mr Townsend explained how problems start when family members move to other parts of the country or parish records are incomplete.

"Some people can be fortunate. I had one student who traced his family tree in a couple of weeks," he explained. "He went through the parish records and got back to 1538, because his family had lived in the same parish since then."

Feeling more hopeful, I spoke to publicity secretary Sue Jones, who had also researched her family history.

"I traced my history on my father's side to 1530 through parish registers," she said. "Parish records were like newspapers then, they were little stories in themselves.

One of my relative's professions was recorded by the parish vicar as 'strumpet'."

Wondering whether anyone in my family had such an infamous background, I quizzed my father on my return home.

Although he was unaware of any links with any colourful 70s pop stars, he revealed that one of my relatives founded one of the largest breweries in the Midlands.

I'll raise a glass to that.

The ten-week Trace Your Family Tree evening course will begin on January 4 at Malvern Hills College and continues every Tuesday thereafter. It costs £55. For details, ring 01684 565351.

For information on the Malvern Family History Group, contact secretary David Williams on 01684 573483 or visit www.mfhg. org.uk