BROMSGROVE is well-served when it comes to purchasing ale, bread and leather in the town.

That's the opinion of members of the town's Court Leet who are 'experts' in their respective fields, and who carried out an assize, or check, of what was once staple items of everyday life, at Bromsgrove's ancient Fair Day celebrations last Saturday.

Sadly, for the second year running, the event - which happened to fall on the traditional feast of St John, Midsummer Day, as decreed by King John, was without a funfair. However, there are high hopes this will be rectified next June.

The Elizabethan street market, which is now an integral part of the Fair Day, attracted 34 stalls, all but a handful of them raising cash for various charities.

The Somers Cup for the stall judged the best was Save the Children, which carried it off for the sixth time. The decision met universal support among the large crowd of onlookers.

Former Bromsgrove GP, Dr Cath Elliott, who has been associated with the charity for 25 years - and was splendidly attired in period costume, said she was delighted.

The NSPCC was second and Lisa Smith from Belbroughton with her Flower 1 stall was third.

The traditional Fair Day procession, which included members of neighbouring courts and civic leaders, was led by Rubery Youth Marching Band from Housman, formerly Perry Hall, to High Street.

There was a brief pause at the Red Lion in High Street where the court took refreshment and where the landlord is Court Leet Tythingman, Richard Scott.

It then moved off for the reading of the King John charter by Bailiff Dr Barrie Fischer and for the assize of ale, bread and leather, all of which having been examined beforehand, were deemed good quality and value for money.

Searcher and Sealer of Leather, Bromsgrove cobbler, Martin Connellan, provoked laughter when he produced a carpenter's mallet - or as he called it, a 'anaesthetical chasetemental arrester' and presented it to Dr Fischer, senior anaesthetist at Redditch's Alexandra Hospital. He explained it could save the NHS thousands by making all anaesthetists redundant.