A PROLIFIC artist, whose historical illustrations of Bromsgrove appear in the Council House, has had a book published.

Norman Neasom's new book 'Birchensale' features his watercolour paintings of life and work on a Redditch farm between the two World Wars.

"I was born at Birchensale Farm and grew up there," he said.

"This book contains paintings of the last thirty or forty years and are historical record of a way of life, which has gone forever now."

Norman, who now lives in Bromfield Road, Redditch, is well known in Bromsgrove, particularly for his work with town historian Dr Alan Richards.

His detailed illustrations of Bromsgrove in the 1850s are a fixed display in the Council House, in Burcot Lane.

Friend Burt Batty, of Bromsgrove, said: "It really is a quite wonderful book. The paintings are just beautiful."

Birchensale is available from Ottakar's Bookstore, in Bromsgrove High Street.