FOUR residents from Guarlford Road successfully won the right to have their rates reduced in 1975 because their homes were next to a play area.

A valuation court at Malvern Council House was played a tape of the noise from the play area by one resident, who had also taken slides of children staring over his fence.

The valuation officer agreed the inconvenience should be compensated and the four were given reduction in their rates varying between £40 and £20.