TUESDAY'S rain falling on already freezing footpaths and roads in the Bromsgrove district quickly turned them into skating rinks. Long queues of patients nursing a variety of broken bones and sprains caused by the slippery surfaces built up at hospital casualty units. The cold snap was also responsible for a 92-year-old woman being taken to hospital who was suffering from hypothermia.

STUDENTS in Bromsgrove planned to hand the district council a petition bearing 650 names in support of their appeal to be allowed to stage a collection in High Street during their forthcoming Rag Week. In the past when they had gone ahead without permission, police had confiscated the cash.

BERT Newbury, of Church Hill, Belbroughton, was the toast of the village this week. He had clocked up 70 years as a chorister, 35 as choirmaster and 25 as headteacher of the village school. He had also been producing plays with the amateur dramatics group for 55 years.

A NEW £1m high school at the new Frankley development was to be built after all, the county council announced.