THERE was a sad ending to a full-scale operation to rescue a carthorse belonging to Mr Webb, who had got stuck in a water-filled ditch at Walmers Farm, Wychbold, during a violent thunder storm. After many hours of toil it was finally freed by firefighters with the aid of a large mobile crane, but died within minutes of being hauled out.

A TEACHER at Watt Close School in Bromsgrove, Bill Beddoe, and his wife, who lived in Highfields, had been caught up in the Lynmouth flood disaster while on a motoring holiday in the West Country. Much of the tiny north Devon village had been swept away in a flood. In a letter to friends, Mrs Beddoe said they were lucky to be alive and were stranded as their car was under tons of rubble. Bromsgrove Urban District Council has set up a disaster fund in the town.

FARMERS who were waiting for telephones were being encouraged to help themselves by fixing their own cables, bought from the Post Office at two guineas (£2.10) per 100 yards from the nearest connection point to their premises. But engineers would install the apparatus.

BROMSGROVE Rovers favourite striker, the legendary "Nodder" Oldnall had returned to the fold. Nodder, with 227 goals to his credit for the Green's, had left the club suddenly last season, but had not be able to maintain his sparkling form with Stafford and Cradley Heath.

WESTWOOD House, the 300-year-old former mansion set in 413 acres in Droitwich Spa and the home of the late Lord Doverdale, had been bought from its present owner Harvey Oliver, by two Midland businessmen for an undisclosed sum.