THE Duke of York was due to visit Worcestershire today in his role as Special Representative for International Trade and Investment. Prince Andrew was due to visit several companies engaged in export activity, including Yamazaki Mazak UK, in Warndon,
Bretforton II 1, Leominster 4 DESPITE matching their opponents in the first half when they created several decent chances, Bretforton lost out on home territory at Evesham High School. Liz Murray-White was denied by the visiting goalkeeper following a
A man was killed on his way to a family reunion when his car skidded into the kerb and slammed roof-first into a roadside bridge, an inquest heard. James Matthews, of Bretforton, near Evesham, was driving home at around 8.45am on Sunday, August 31, when
Rugeley 3, Evesham 2 EVESHAM'S run of five consecutive victories came to an end against experienced and well-organised opponents. Despite enjoying most of the possession and dominating for large periods, the visitors failed to convert many of the chances
A man accused of raping a young boy dramatically changed his plea to guilty midway through a trial at Worcester Crown Court. John Cooper, aged 44, of East Street, Kidderminster, admitted three counts of raping the boy when the boy was 12 and 13. A fourth
Newtown 0, Pershore 5 PERSHORE made the long journey to mid-Wales for last weekend's penultimate league game before the Christmas break and came back victorious after an excellent all-round performance. The game began with the hosts on the offensive but
A TEENAGER who threatened an elderly man with a knife was caught by police after trying to discard it at a Worcester school, magistrates heard. Police officers were called to Perdiswell playing fields, off Bilford Road, Worcester, after the victim reported
FRIENDS of a Droitwich man left for dead in the town centre on Sunday night say they cannot understand why anyone would harm such a well-liked family man. Stephen Halsall, aged 37, was found in a car park off St Andrew's Street on Monday morning, unconscious
A BOY BAND serenaded a teenager at the end of a mock exam during a surprise visit to her school. Jenna Hayton was interrupted at the conclusion of a trial GCSE French exam by a member of top 10 successes, Phixx. The 15-year-old Pershore High School pupil
A CITY motorist ended up in a fight after a pedestrian made abusive hand gestures at him, Worcester Magistrates heard. Christopher Eastland stepped out of his car and had a scuffle with the man, Worcester magistrates were told. Eastland, aged 29, of Gamekeepers
WITH the financial pressure of Christmas at full throttle, the public of Worcestershire are being warned to beware of the temptations of credit agreements. Consumer advice officers from Worcestershire County Council have seen an increase in calls regarding
WORCESTER Cathedral has received a grant of £25,000 for its new internal lighting scheme. The lighting forms an important part of the Worcester Appeal for Music and Light, which will be officially launched in March 2004, with the aim of improving the
YOUNGSTERS from a city amateur dramatic society are about to hit the road to entertain residents in homes for the elderly with their cabaret. During January, February and March, teenagers from Worcester Operatic and Dramatic Society Youth Section will
Roll up, roll up for all the fun of the fair. The circus comes to town with Westlands First School's production of Ffinlo the Clown. In the play, Santa treats his helpers with a trip to the circus before their busy night's work. However, disaster strikes
PERSHORE Town Council is to raise its precept next year by just over three per cent. Councillors are pleased they have been able to buck the trend by keeping the increase below the present rate of inflation, which currently stands at 3.75 per cent. It
THE first detailed report into a dramatic shake-up of education in Wyre Forest has been delayed until the New Year after officers were "overwhelmed" by the response from schools, parents and governors. A report into initial consultation into the proposals
THE appeal to give desperately ill Kerry Jackson a new life has been given a burst of light thanks to a former neighbour's bright idea.Roger Lewis and Diane Hardwick have decorated their house in grander style than usual to raise cash for the Kerry Jackson
PHASE two of a desperately sought facelift for a rundown area of Kidderminster has been given the final go-ahead. The second half of a crucial redevelopment of the Horsefair was welcomed by planners who approved the bid for 27 flats, all of which will
VANDALS have attacked the Christmas tree at the centre of Bewdley's festive decorations in what organisers called an act of "deliberate sabotage". The tree lights were blacked out over the weekend and early this week after the attack during which the
FOUR teenagers thinking of others this Christmas were overwhelmed by the generosity of shoppers on Saturday. Beccs Goodman, Fran Birch, Kim Lindsey and Liana Pedrotti packed bags in return for donations from customers at Sainsbury's in Kidderminster and
FESTIVE shoppers have been out in force in Kidderminster, lured by the town's new Weavers Wharf development and extra parking. Delighted traders have reported a "significant" upturn in the number of people visiting the town in the run-up to Christmas,
ONE of the biggest scandals in British politics of the last century provides the basis for a play being staged at Kidderminster's the Rose Theatre. A Letter of Resignation looks at the Profumo Affair from the perspective of then prime minister Harold
THE season of goodwill truly arrives in Bewdley this weekend when warm-hearted charity workers begin a mission to bring Santa to every home in the town.Simon Downes, Dave Foreman and Santa are on a mission to visit every house in Bewdley in the name of
IN the 1980's variety was king of Saturday night prime time, and Jimmy Cricket, with his right and left boots and his letters from his mammy, was clown prince of the court. But the bright stage lights began to fade, variety limped into the 90s and disappeared
A 14-YEAR-old boy could have died after sliding down a Bewdley road "on his face", when his bike hit one of a set of controversial speed bumps, claims his furious father.PP:50bike.jpg:angry father Gary Hodgkins said the crash took apart Nick's bike. Nick
A "POWERLIFTING legend" from Kidderminster - who rubbed shoulders with some of the world's strongest men - has retired as honorary president of the World Powerlifting Federation.Brian Smith, who has just retired as honorary president of the World Powerlifting
DEBATING SOCIETY: The president opened the society's meeting on November 29 with the sad news of the death of the previous secretary, professor Arthur Lefebvre. A silence was observed to mark the society's respect and affection for him. The motion for
WEDNESDAY CLUB: Met on December 3 when Mrs M Boath presided. A few minutes silence was observed for the passing of Mrs Janet Charlton who had been a good friend to the club, having helped with the teas for a number of years. A raffle was held when prizes
LEGION FAIR: THERE was once again a good attendance at this year's annual fair held at The Royal British Legion in Moreton. Despite atrocious weather and competition from the Rugby World Cup Final, all stalls did well and a magnificent total of £1,778
RBL WOMEN'S SECTION: The December meeting was a Christmas party. After a short business meeting food prepared by the committee was served. Then followed the drawing of a bumper raffle. The monthly draw was made the winners were W Griffiths, B Peart and
WE fully support the comments by Mark Evans (Journal, letters December 4). Here in Evesham we will encounter similar problems. We are members of the Civil Service Retirement Fellowship, we meet once a month in Evesham Library for two hours, add on a little
JULIAN Clary will be heading up an all-star cast as Dandini at the Birmingham Hippodrome's Christmas pantomime Cinderella. Starring alongside the camp comedian will be children's TV presenter Dave Benson Phillips as Buttons, Brookside's Lynsey McCaffrey
HOCKEY: A 3-1 loss at Redditch finished Stourport Ladies' first half of the Worcestershire League Division One campaign in disappointing fashion. Their final match before Christmas is a friendly with Bretforton on Saturday. Old Sils 1 Stourport 2nds 2
HOCKEY: Injury-hit Kidderminster firsts played host to a Telford and Shifnal side with an international flavour on Saturday. Two South African players made their presence felt by scoring six goals between them as Telford battled to win 7-1 in the West
VOLLEYBALL: Cleobury Mortimer made it nine games unbeaten with a 3-2 victory at Devon Ladies to put them top of National League Division Two. Eva Mort served well for starters and although Devon fought back, coach Carl Brookes played an excellent time-out
MARTIAL ARTS: Stourport's Kathleen Jones triumphed over an Italian girl in the final to pick up a gold medal in the World United Martial Arts Federation's European Championships. The 13-year-old, a kickboxer from the town's Eclipse Martial Arts Centre
JUDO: A barn-storming performance from Worcestershire led them to five gold medals and one silver out of six categories at the Midlands Inter-Counties Team Championships Kidderminster's Samurai formed the backbone of the squad with 23 of the 36 players
BOWLING: Invincibles top the Gilt Edge Short Mat League with 73 points at the half-way stage of the season. They had an easy 30-7 victory over Telly Tubbies, who are third in the table, to hold a two-point lead over Tornadoes on 71. Tornadoes won their
SPORTS AWARDS: The deadline is tomorrow for nominations in Wyre Forest District Council's 2003 sports awards which will be handed out on January 22 next year. Accolades will go to a senior sports personality, junior sports personality, disabled sports
GYMNASTICS: Wyre Forest gymnasts were in the Hereford and Worcester teams who gained bronze medals in the Inter-County John Reeve Memorial contest. The juniors, including Gemma Beddows, Chloe Jagpal, Abbie Yapp, Elizabeth Field and Hannah Wilson, scored
YOU know Christmas is getting very close when you see Stourport Rotary Club's Santa touring the streets on a sleigh collecting money for good causes. This Saturday sees Santa and his team of helpers begin its week of merry-making. It will be a busy day
CHESS: Kidderminster B maintained their top-of-the-table position in Wolverhampton League Division Two with a 3.5-2.5 home victory over Wolverhampton B. Individual results (Kidderminster first): Mark Riley 1, G Rosser 0; Terry Pountney 0.5, D Bird 0.5
TRIVIA: Eagle's Nest and Angel are joint leaders of the Bewdley Trivia League after winning their latest matches. Results: White Swan 48, Eagles Nest 63; Institute 54, Angel 63; Cock A 44, Foresters A 59; Mug House 54, Cock B 49; Foresters B 53, New Inn
WEDNESDAY, Moors and Middle Pools: Dave James 69-2 (Moors 16), John Cockayne 60-2, Wayne Mellings 58-3. Thursday: Allan Higgs 70-4, Harry Ward 50-10, James 39-0. Friday: John Newton 27-10, A James 24-10, D Highfield 14-2. Moorlands League, round seven
WINTER League round one: Brian Hill 15-9, Stan James 14-4, Mick Millinchip 12-12, Ian Tetsall 12-7. Round Two will be fished at Haye Farm on Wednesday and the draw will be made at 9am with fishing from 10am until 3pm.
A BURGLAR who claimed a jail sentence would mean he would lose his pet mouse has been allowed to go free at Worcester Crown Court. Timothy Gough pleaded guilty to a break-in at his ex-girlfriend's home and stealing underwear. Defence counsel Andrew Evans
THE annual Fur and Feather will be contested on Sunday with an 8am draw for members who have booked and paid entrance fee. Those taking part are asked to call Mick Weston on 07977 034583 after 6pm tomorrow due to a forced change of venue. Members are
FUR and Feather, canal: M Weston 1-5-8r(golden peg), P Jenkins 1-4-8, T Wills 1-3-8. Big fish contest: carp B Downing 8-12, perch Wills 1-9-8, chub K Woodhead 1-14, roach P Jenkins 0-15-8, bream P Knowles 3-13, tench D Davis 0-14. The next contest is
I WISH to ask two questions concerning the county council's education review for Wyre Forest. The first is to ask for whose benefit the review took place? Answer - apparently not the children currently in Wyre Forest schools. The Government insists that
A SHARP frost and bright winter sunshine was the backdrop for Sunday's home shoot at Throckmorton CPSC. The prestigious John Ford Trophy entered into its final week and the leading protagonists were given the chance to post their final scores for all
THE Worcestershire Football Association is proposing to run a referees course starting on Friday January 9 from 7pm at their headquarters in Droitwich. The course will be in two parts with the first three sessions followed by an examination consisting
IS it not time that some of the money we all pay in excessive Council Tax in this area was used to build a purpose-built market hall to house the market traders, and to provide a venue for a farmers' market as well as our friends from over the water?
POLICE are appealing for witnesses after a 64-year-old man was hit over the head with a baseball bat and robbed as he walked through a subway in Kidderminster. The man was passing through the subway near the bus depot in Worcester Road. He was approached
THERE will be a knockabout on Sunday, meeting in the car park by Stackpool for 7.30am. Anyone interested can call the secretary on 01562 631611.
BOASTING a perfect Birdseye Sports Evesham Sunday League record, fourth division leaders Hampton WMC reached the last 16 of a cup competition for the third time this season after an emphatic win over Lower Moor in the Evesham Mechanical Services Subsidiary
WARREN Jennings took the final points match of the season at Moorlands Silver Fish Pool on Sunday with 33-5 of carp and silvers, using worm and maggot hook bait. Tim Jones took the youngster to the wire but fell short with 32-0. Martin Tayloe's fourth
Evesham Utd Ladies 0, Burlish Olympic 4 A DISAPPOINTING performance saw Evesham Ladies fail to score for the first time this season as they went down to defeat in Sunday's Wyvern Associates League Cup clash. Burlish created the majority of the first half
I READ with interest the article entitled "Parents vow not to switch schools" in your November 13 issue. I wholeheartedly support the parents involved in their fight to keep Stone First School open, and hope they are successful. However, I felt the article
WE bought our house in Stourport some years ago and from day one our small garden has produced much surplus growth from its beautiful, if prolific, shrubs and hedges. For many years it has been necessary to cart away garden waste to one of our council
Rugby Utd 3, Evesham Utd 2 A STUNNING strike from Robbie Beard nine minutes from time sentenced Dave Busst to a third defeat in five games since taking over at Common Road, writes Mervyn Collins. The winner might have been special but it was certainly
WYRE Forest Brintons aim to keep up their impressive West Midlands League Division One South form on Saturday. They entertain Blackheath and players are asked to meet at the ground for 12.45pm.
Evesham Utd 0, Halesowen Tn 2 DAVE Busst is yet to see his side score at Common Road as a third successive blank ended hopes of Worcestershire senior Cup glory at the first hurdle on a frosty Tuesday night. The Robins have found the net nine times on
LOWLY Kidderminster Harriers Ladies dropped to a 5-1 defeat at leaders West Bromwich Albion in the West Midlands League Premier Division. Vicky Hyde scored a late consolation goal but keeper Rachel Baldwin joined the injury list after suffering a sprained
ONE Vale teenager celebrated the end of her exam with a surprise visit from her favourite popstars. Pershore High School student Jenna Hayton had entered a Top of the Pops Saturday competition to meet boy band Phixx who shot to fame during ITV's Popstars
I AM writing in response to the article entitled "Vandals face £20,000 fines" in the November 27 issue of the Shuttle/Times and News. The motorcyclists are not only causing major damage on the area known as Devil's Spittleful on Kidderminster's Rifle
DIVISION One side Queens Head Wolverley were given a rough ride in the Kidderminster and District League Fire Shield by lower-ranked Seven Stars. Stourbridge side Seven Stars may be four divisions below but they took the second-round contest to penalties
BEWDLEY Chamber of Trade would like to thank all of the groups and people who came together and made the switching-on of the town's Christmas lights such a success. The acorn has been planted. It will now grow year by year until we have many similar events
DEBBIE Prescott's hat-trick led Burlish Olympic Ladies to a 4-0 Wyvern Associates Cup victory at Evesham United. Prescott now has 18 goals for the season, while Mary Calder's penalty practice paid off when she scored from the spot. Defender Jill Turner
I WAS angered to read in the national press that the word "married" is to be removed from Government records, documents and forms. This will favour minorities such as gays and put them on an equal footing with heterosexual families. This is destroying
ASHLEY Baynton's hat-trick led Mostyn Rangers U-13s to a 6-1 home victory over Fernhill Heath in the Stourport and District Youth League. Rangers' other goals were scored by Jamie Tonks, Scott Craig and Sean Merryweather in Division One. In a top-of-the-table
THIEVES used a stolen car to make their getaway after stealing more than 20 saddles from Countrywide Stores in Evesham. The raid, which took place at about 8.20pm on Tuesday, is the third serious burglary at the Worcester Road store in just nine months
Newtown Spts Boys 0, Evesham Utd U-10 14 A FINE all-round team effort saw Evesham ease into the semi-finals of the Mercian Cup. While Newtown started brightly, it was the visitors who were to dominate. Henry Woods opened the scoring, latching on to Sam
Moretonville Hawks 3, Evesham Utd U-13 2 UNITED lost to their old rivals from Buckingham on Sunday in a match that could have gone either way. In the first half Moretonville outbattled the Robins to take a 2-0 lead. David Huggins gave the visitors hope
FC GOLDEN Balls hammered Red Devils 12-1 in the Kidderminster Six-a-side League. Other results: Yates's 10, Dreamers 3; FC Irrelevant 2, Harriers Utd 4; Ad's Lads 2, Bobby Dazzlers 4; FC Magic 2, Stourport Social 3. Fixtures, Monday: Ad's Lads v FC Magic
SATURDAY (3pm unless stated) NATIONWIDE LEAGUE DIVISION THREE KIDDERMINSTER HARRIERS v Leyton Orient DR MARTENS WESTERN DIVISION Yate Town v STOURPORT SWIFTS WEST MIDLANDS LEAGUE DIVISION ONE SOUTH BEWDLEY TOWN v Leominster (1.45pm) Reality Sports v CHADDESLEY
Evesham Utd Jnrs 0, Evesham Utd Robins U-10 2 JUNIORS produced one of their best performances of the season to make their high flying rivals battle hard for the points. The first half was very evenly balanced with chances at both ends before Robins finally
Evesham Utd 2, Badsey Rgrs 1 BEN Smith was the Evesham hero with a late winner in a game that looked to be heading for a draw. Michael Savidge gave his side an early lead from a free- kick but Badsey fought back with a deserved equaliser and looked to
A man was robbed of jewellery worth £3,000 after going into a toilet cubicle in a Worcester pub. Robert Birtley, formerly from Woodwards Park, Fladbury, burst in and rained a flurry of blows on victim Matthew Jenkins. He grabbed a bracelet, necklace and
AN unemployed Evesham man with a history of depression took an overdose of anti-depressants and then rang his daughter to tell her what he had done, an inquest heard. Michael Wilks was found collapsed beside his bed in his bedsit accommodation in Bewdley
A VILLAGE pub owner is blaming the effects of the foot and mouth outbreak, highway alterations and road closures for his decision to convert his business into housing An application for six homes on the site of the Old Mill in Elmley Castle, which currently
PREPARATIONS for the building of the Chadbury link road are being completed while Worcestershire County Council awaits confirmation of government funding. Work on the new road, which will join the new A44 with Evesham bypass, is expected to begin in April
STRUGGLING Kidderminster Carolians were over-whelmed by Lichfield in the second half as they crashed to a 37-7 Midlands Three West (North) defeat. But director of rugby Phil Knowles was not unduly upset by the result and admitted KCs were short of players
Evesham Utd 0, Halesowen Tn 2 DAVE Busst is yet to see his side score at Common Road as a third successive blank ended hopes of Worcestershire senior Cup glory at the first hurdle on a frosty Tuesday night. The Robins have found the net nine times on
INJURIES robbed Stourport of four first-team forwards as they crashed 35-5 at Birmingham Civil Service in North Midlands Two. But the team produced a committed display, despite being unsettled by the players missing and disappointed with the end result
THE Indian national rugby union side will make an historic visit to Worcestershire on Sunday as they take on Pershore Rugby Club (2pm). The tourists have been brought to England to take on three teams and end the visit with a match against Leicester Tigers
MARK Wilson produced a string of fine saves in Worcester Hockey Club's 1-0 victory over Shrewsbury. Worcester, already buoyant from beating leaders Coventry last week, have now moved from a lowly ninth place to fourth in the Coaching Solutions Midlands
SOME of the biggest names in entertainment are on their way to Malvern for a packed winter and spring season. Joan Collins, Ken Dodd, Diana Rigg, Paul Nicholas, Simon Callow and Barbara Dickson are just some of the stars that will be illuminating the
Rugby Utd 3, Evesham Utd 2 A STUNNING strike from Robbie Beard nine minutes from time sentenced Dave Busst to a third defeat in five games since taking over at Common Road, writes Mervyn Collins. The winner might have been special but it was certainly
SMALL village events on The Green in Broadway could be under threat because organisers now need their own public liability insurance. Event organisers have been told they need their own insurance to protect themselves because of the growing number of
On Sunday, two rides will head for The Fox, at Broadheath, for lunch. The A ride will start at 9am, and the B ride at 9.30am, both starting at The Green, Blakebrook, Kidderminster. All cyclists will be welcome. Anyone not requiring lunch at the pub should
John Ratcliffe illustrated a talk at the November meeting about a tour of the Houses, Gardens and Churches of Worcestershire with slides. The Christmas lunch was held on December 9. A Christmas party will be held on Tuesday. As usual there will be an
Susan Thompson JP was the guest speaker at a recent meeting. As chairman of Kidderminster magistrates bench, Mrs Thompson explained the nature of her work within the magistrates service, which is over 600 years old, but it was only after the 1920s that
Member George Rywacki gave a slide presentation, when he took members on a Journey into creativity. On Monday, a tape/slide presentation of the accepted work from the Clay Cross exhibition will take place at Baxter Church Hall, Kidderminster, starting
The Wyre Forest group has organised a four-mile walk and a Christmas meal, on Sunday. Ramblers will leave The Old House at Home, Blakedown at 10am, the meal to follow at 12.30pm. Telephone 01299 827883 for further details.
Derek Harring gave a talk on London, Stranger than Fiction at the last meeting. A Christmas party and quiz will be held on Thursday, December 18 in Lickhill Road community centre, Stourport, starting at 10am. New and former members will be welcome. A
MALVERN RFC Saturday, December 13 A XV v Old Richians (Home) Meet Spring Lane 1pm. Kick off 2.15pm. Maroon shorts & socks. D Chesham, S Jeffries, M Richardson, A McBurney, C Smith, C Edwards, D Hill, J Anderson, T O'Brien, D Cullen, R Fleming, R Hurst
THE Young Rangers' countryside walk took place in the Wyre Forest on a sunny autumn day. At first, using one of the well-marked tracks, the Young Rangers walked through a deciduous tree area, stopping to take note that practically all the colours of the
PLEAS to reject a bid to knock down a listed building to make way for a new property in Bewdley's conservation area have fallen on deaf ears. Objections to the application - seeking permission to demolish what remains of a summer house for a one-storey
A BID to protect Bewdley Leisure Centre from underage boozers will have to wait until next summer. The Stourport Road complex has been plagued by youngsters pushed out of the town centre by a ban on street drinking but moves to extend the zone to encompass
BOY-RACERS would be back in Bewdley's biggest car park if speed humps there were reduced, councillors were told. The humps in Dog Lane car park will stay put despite a town council request to make them more "disabled driver friendly," said car parks officer
THE speed humps on the Queensway estate are still "too acute", a leading councillor has said. Liz Davies - who represents Wribbenhall on Worcestershire County Council - said: "I have personally been round there a couple of times and I think the platforms
BROTHER BEAR (U) Young hunter Kenai (voiced by Joaquin Phoenix) vows vengeance when his brother Sitka (DB Sweeney) is killed by a bear protecting her cubs. But the spirits of the forest are angered by the subsequent bloodshed and transform Kenai into
Pre-season friendlies Sat July 19 Bromyard (a) 7-1 Ball 3, Robinson, Giddings, A Wright, Wood. Wed July 23 Studley (h) 1-3 Ball Tues July 29 Westfields (h) 1-1 Wood Sat Aug 2 Bilston (a) 6-1 Ball 4, Sayer, Wood Tues Aug 5 Stourbridge (h) 4-1 Robinson
August 18 Shepshed (h) 2-0 Booth 2 21 RC Warwick (a) 1-0 (og) 25 Clevedon (a) 0-2 27 Evesham (h) 2-3 (og), Cowley September 1 Rugby Utd (h) (FA Cup preliminary round) 5-1 Marsh 2, Charlton, Booth 2 8 Gresley (h) 2-0 Booth 2 11 Redditch (a) 2-1 Langford
THE bad news is that I'm not going to make Saturday's trip to Pertemps Bees. I was absolutely gutted earlier in the week because I genuinely thought I had a real chance of making the game. But it's just come too soon with the rib injury still causing
Bournville 5, Evesham U-17 83pts EVESHAM produced their best performance of the season to blow away Bournville. It only took a minute for Evesham to start the rout when turnover scrum saw blindside wing Sam Linley run 70 metres for the first of his five
ONCE again, the time of year rolls around where theatres across the land are packed to the gills with Fanta-fuelled kids screaming "oh no he isn't" at a selection of soap stars, TV presenters and ageing comedy acts. This week saw the opening of a swashbuckling
A SOURCE of disquiet, a psychological make-up distorted by an event, a complex two-faced character playing an alternative game to the rest. Just like doctors enjoy dealing with sick people, Steven Berkoff is drawn to the role of the villain. Shakespeare's
VISITORS who cast an eye to the floor as they wander around Worcester Cathedral might notice a plaque dedicated to the mysterious Worcester Pilgrim. It has the dates of when the 15th Century pilgrim's corpse was accidentally discovered during refurbishment
IMAGINE having Andrew Lloyd Webber ring you up asking you to adapt a classic novel for him when you have absolutely no idea how to write musicals. But that's all in a day's work for playwright Charlotte Jones, who was born and bred here in Worcester.
TWO concerts by the English Symphony Orchestra at Malvern Theatres have been cancelled because of disappointing turnout at previous concerts and poor advance ticket sales. The Remembrance Day concert on Sunday, November 9, and the Leipzig Years concert
AUTOBIOGRAPHY plays a big part in the writing of playwright John Godber. He transformed his experience as a teacher into the play Teechers, he drew on his experiences as an aspiring actor working on the bins for Seasons in the Sun, and recently his time
"ONE simple thing proves there has to be a God," says the Landlord, the comedy creation of Al Murray, "the existence of bacon." Words of wisdom like these pour from the Landlord like Carlsberg from his bar taps in his new tour, Giving it Both Barrels.
LIKE Jed King, I'm a staunch Darwinian and Evolutionist, but I also try to believe in God as the original cause of everything. GEORGE COWLEY, Worcester.
A BOLLYWOOD star and a maharajah's son are just two of the opponents Pershore Rugby Club players will be facing this weekend. The players form part of India's national rugby team and are touring England in an attempt to raise the profile of the game among
A PERSHORE man has appeared in court on drugs charges. James Hunt, aged 19, of Furlongs Road, appeared at Worcester Magistrates Court on Monday, December 8, facing one charge of possessing 149g of cannabis with the intent to supply, one charge of possession
IT is good to see that in a turbulent and ever-changing world there are some things that you can still depend on. In this case it is the sheer awfulness of the Conservative Party. In his response to the Queen's Speech, Michael Howard reveals that we spend
IT will be business as usual at a Pershore engineering company following a management buyout. Winstanley & Co, based on Racecourse Road, has been bought out for an undisclosed sum by a management team led by its managing director Jerry King. Mr King
IMAGINE if someone told you he could prove, beyond any doubt, that there was life after death. Well, that's what Stephen Holbrook does. He describes himself at a telephone exchange between this world and the next," passing on messages to an audience from
THE pantomime season is almost upon us again and this year's will be a landmark for Worcester. Dick Whittington, which opens on Tuesday, December 9, will be the first panto at the revamped Swan Theatre since it was taken over by Huntingdon Arts and it
THIS is a very extreme, violent sport as one can see just from viewing the promotional video which comes as part of the extras. Sadly, the game doesn't really recreate the sport to its full potential. Admittedly gamers can jump off 40ft ladders, smash
ALTHOUGH the game is admittedly getting on in age there is no denying that Silent Hill 2 is one of the finest fear evoking games available for any console. James Sunderland is a traumatised young man and is lured to Silent Hill when his wife, who supposedly
SMACKDOWN 4 sees a much-improved story mode as gamers work their way from the bottom to the top of the wrestling ladder. Storylines are identical to those seen in the WWE a few years ago so, although in no way original, they will evoke memories. Smackdown
STROLLING down the High Street in pursuit of the hottest Christmas buys for kids, I had to double-take when I saw fast food giant McDonald's latest gimmick. I'd heard of shopping trolleys laden with plastic fruit, biscuits and tiny boxes of washing powder
A MAN was arrested at Sheldon Avenue in Broadway on Monday on suspicion of issuing threats to kill. He was arrested at 9am and later bailed to return to Worcester Police Station.
A CAROL concert by the Broadway Music Makers will have the audience at St Michael's Church feeling festive in time for Christmas. The concert of traditional carols will take place on Sunday December 14 at 7pm and tickets priced £5 and £4 concessions are
A POPULAR Christmas favourite returns on Saturday, December 13, with the Joy to the World concert at Worcester Cathedral. The audience is invited to sing along to the performance, which is led by the Cathedral Choir, Worcester Festival Choral Society
THE Italian Job: LA Heist is based on the new blockbuster film currently showing at the cinema. LA Heist's main mode is the story mode. This involves completing missions in the legendary Mini, whether it's to reach a certain destination or race. Sadly
THE Great Escape sees gamers control four characters from the film: Hendley, Sedgwick, MacDonald and Hilts. Gamers are constantly captured and on the run. First it's a matter of escaping from a basic camp and hiding from guards behind crates. As the game
JILL Valentine, star of the original Resi, is the main character in Resident Evil 3. The game is split into two parts, 24 hours before Resident Evil 2 and 24 hours after Resident Evil 2. Like Resi 2, Resident Evil 3 is a direct conversion rather than
One of the most famous Nintendo characters is Mario's arch rival, Wario. With games such as Mario Party 4 and Super Smash Bros Melee already featuring Wario it was only a matter of time before Nintendo was to give him his very own game. GRAPHICS As with
AFTER all the euphoria emanating from England's memorable World Cup triumph in Sydney, international rugby comes to the quaintly named Piddle Park this weekend, writes Mer-vyn Collins. India, one of the new members of the International Rugby Board, will
SIMON Andrews, one of the hottest young talents to emerge from this year's British Supersport Championship, has signed a deal to ride for Yamaha-backed outfit Piranha Racing next year. The Cheltenham-based team is a partnership between Yamaha dealership
After the extremely advanced Uncommon Valour, Just Flight has released the latest Starships Unlimited, entitled, Starships Unlimited: Divided Galaxies. The game caters for the average gamer, providing them with a user-friendly tutorial which will prove
After a mass of Resident Evil games for the Nintendo GameCube the PS2 finally gets another instalment of survival horror. This time, however, gamers get to play in a game that promises to mix the best elements from both Resident Evil and Resident Evil
Finally Tomb Raider is upon us once more. Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Angel Of Darkness is the sixth Tomb Raider instalment, but the first Tomb Raider to appear on the PS2 and the first to include more than one playable character. The Angel of Darkness
Starsky and Hutch has been a hit ever since it first hit television screens in the mid '70s. Even now the duo has many fans and Starsky and Hutch is getting a revival. There are endless reruns of episodes on Satellite television, a film coming out (although
Campaign For The South PacificJust Flight is famous for providing gamers with top quality flight simulations whether they are new to the genre or experts. As one would expect the flight simulations vary considerably in difficult, some will be picked up
Cast your mind back about twenty years. It was an era where zombie films were huge, the two most successful being George A. Romero's trilogy of the dead and Sam Raimi's Evil Dead. The fundamental difference between the two was the approach, whilst Romero
It's not quite wrestling, it's not quite a racer, and it's not quite a shoot 'em up! Which begs the question -what exactly is WWE Crush Hour? GRAPHICS Visually WWE Crush Hour is distinctly average. Admittedly each wrestler accurately represents their
IT'S not often that games come along that concentrate fully on addiction and gameplay rather than a great storyline and bold graphics but Ikaruga is just that game. Ikaruga has the potential to be a classic as it takes the shoot 'em up back to basics
Armand your task is to compete with and surpass Omnifood. What starts off as just running a Restaurant and earning a smDeemed "the rolls-Royce of Tycoon Games" Restaurant Empire certainly has a lot to live up to. The Sims has been in the charts now for
Considering the prequel to this game was labelled as a fear evoking psychological experience which would reduce grown men to a cowering wreck, it is a tough task for Konami to create a game even parallel to the mighty Silent Hill 2. Yet again gamers are
Rudolf Steiner - His Life and Work by Gilbert Childs (Floris Books, £7.99) FOR a man whose thinking spread across an enormous range of subjects and philosophies this may appear to be a less than fulsome tome. But thankfully, Gilbert Childs' writing is
It is fair to say that ice hockey is not the most popular of sports in the UK yet still there is a strong following of loyal fans tuning in to ESPN and purchasing the hockey games that make their way onto the market each year. Last year the gaming public
The Last Legion by Valerio Massimo Manfredi (Pan, £6.99) IT'S been 1,500 years since the last Roman legions fell to the uncouth hordes sweeping out of the East, but the ancient city state on the banks of the Tiber still fascinates today. And it seems
No longer can Resident Evil be known as just another games series, for it can now be officially recognised as a franchise. There are many followers of Resident Evil and a lot of merchandise to keep the fans more than content whilst they wait for each
A FACTORY will be rolling out more than just the red carpet when royalty visits Kidderminster today. The Duke of York is visiting Brintons Carpets where examples of fine carpets - in many different colours - will be laid out for him to inspect. He will
FOOTBALLERS have raised more than £2,000 for good causes in Wyre Forest. Seven charities shared £2,450 handed over by the Kidderminster Charity Cups Committee. Receiving cheques at a presentation evening Habberley Community Centre were Wyre Forest branch
OOPS! The position of this Jaguar car brings new meaning to the phrase "off-road parking". the jaguar which rolled down a hill and over a wall from the car park of the Gainsborough House Hotel, Kidderminster. The car was spotted by Shuttle/Times and News
CLINICAL waste such as incontinence pads will be collected on a weekly basis after a wheelie bin horror story highlighted in the Shuttle/Times and News. Residents can have the festering waste taken away every week if they make a special request to Wyre
A WOMAN has been cleared of two charges of aiding and abetting her former lover to rape a 12-year-old schoolgirl in the 1990s. Judge John Cavell ordered the jury to find Susan Morris not guilty following legal submissions at the end of the prosecution
NEW striker Mark Jones goes straight into Stourport Swifts' squad in the Dr Martens Western Division on Saturday. The ex-Wolves, Hednesford and Stafford player, back from a knee operation, is likely to start on the bench at Yate. Willie Dunn (hamstring
TWO Kidderminster vicars have been made honorary canons by the Church of England. They are Rev Nick Barker, Rector of St George's Church, Kidderminster Team Ministry and Rural Dean of Kidderminster, and Rev Harold Goddard, Rector in the Kidderminster
Dec 13: Lisa Jane Perry, Sketchley's Social Club, Worcester; Solo, Barbourne Ex-Servicemen's Club, Worcester; Tom Marr, The Vine Inn, Ombersley Road, Worcester; Funky Skunk, Marr's Bar, Worcester. Dec 14: Two Timers, Marr's Bar, Worcester. Dec 19: Bluehorses
Dec 13: The Worcestershire Symphony Orchestra at Worcester Cathedral. For further details telephone 01905 455149 or 01905 351751. Dec 13: The Worcester Male Voice Choir's Annual Christmas Concert at Pershore Abbey with their guests Holborne Brass Quintet
Othello by Guiseppe Verdi, Placido Domingo. Conducted by Riccardo Mutti. TDK DV-OPOTEL DVD THIS week we are encountering a whole new technology - the world of the DVD. Not only do you experience a state-of-the-art recording, but also an excellently directed
THE car park at a Kidderminster school is to be extended, despite concerns that felling two trees to make extra room for cars sends "the wrong message" to pupils. The work at Comberton Middle School in Borrington Road involves providing an extra five
The Christmas Mystery by Jostein Gaarder, illustrated by Sarah Gibb (Orion Children's Books, £6.99) THIS is a delightful book which cleverly interweaves the old and the new, giving children an insight into the past, and the Norwegian culture, while appealing
Pershore 22pts, Droitwich 0 AFTER convincing wins over Silhillians and Leamington, Pershore are now on a roll and Saturday's emphatic defeat of Droitwich emphasised that point. From start to finish the game was played at a frantic pace and the match provided
Evesham and District Inter-Club League Division One P W D L LP LD Pts Nomads 10 8 0 2 35 3 84.5 Kingpins 10 8 0 2 34 1 82.5 Badsey Rec 10 7 0 3 36 3 79.5 Badsey Gold 10 7 0 3 35 2 78 Strikers 10 7 0 3 34 2 77 Buccaneers 10 6 0 4 32 2 69 Goodalls 10 6
AFTER all the euphoria emanating from England's memorable World Cup triumph in Sydney, international rugby comes to the quaintly named Piddle Park this weekend, writes Mer-vyn Collins. India, one of the new members of the International Rugby Board, will
A SHARP frost and bright winter sunshine was the backdrop for Sunday's home shoot at Throckmorton CPSC. The prestigious John Ford Trophy entered into its final week and the leading protagonists were given the chance to post their final scores for all
THE position of two CCTV cameras in Bidford was a hot topic for residents in Broom when the parish council held its meeting in the village recently. Many residents have suggested that the area around Budgens supermarket needs specific attention and would
SATURDAY'S visit to Cirencester kicks off a key November spell for Stourport Swifts, according to boss Dave Titterton. Swifts have put together a good five-match unbeaten run, despite facing all of the top three Dr Martens Western Division sides. Four
The Magical Pop-Up World of Winnie-the-Pooh (Egmont, £24.99) WINNIE the Pooh is, they say, bigger than Mickey Mouse. So big, that Pooh merchandising makes more money than all the other Disney characters put together. But it doesn't mean the AA Milne/EH
BOASTING a perfect Birdseye Sports Evesham Sunday League record, fourth division leaders Hampton WMC reached the last 16 of a cup competition for the third time this season after an emphatic win over Lower Moor in the Evesham Mechanical Services Subsidiary
A LEADING Kidderminster councillor is to appear live on TV to argue the case for independent politics against a top Tory. Howard Martin, leader of the Health Concern party, will be on Sunday's edition of The Politics Show on BBC2 to speak about the power
The Natural History of the Garden by Colin Spedding and Geoffrey Spedding (Yimber Press, £17.99) There are 46 species of aphid in a typical British garden. Snails have up to 15,000 teeth. A foxglove can contain as many as 750,000 seeds. It's nuggets of
PERSHORE High School's Under-14s side produced its worst performance of the season when crashing out of the National Schools Cup in the fourth round. A physical Bromsgrove side found themselves 3-0 ahead after half-an-hour and a missed penalty from Dane
STOURPORT Swifts are crippled by injuries ahead of tonight's Dr Martens Cup first round clash against rivals Redditch United at Walshes Meadow (7.45). No fewer than six players are on the casualty list and boss Dave Titterton ad-mits that his squad is
Tea by Roy Moxham (Constable, £14.99) WHEN, in October 1747, 30 members of the notorious Hawkhurst Gang broke into the custom house at Poole, Dorset, it wasn't the barrels of brandy and rum they were after, but the 37cwt of tea. Such was the value of
ANDY Hipkins scored twice to help Worcestershire U-18s into the FA County Youth Cup third round. The Stourport Swifts youth star was on the mark against Bedfordshire at Arlesley Town. Hipkins had also been on the scoresheet in the first round in a 2-1
FORMER West Brom defender Des Lyttle has emerged as one of the experienced heads Stourport Swifts are pursuing. Swifts picked up an impressive 1-1 draw at Rugby on Tuesday, thanks to young Steve Hawkes' late equaliser. It led boss Dave Titterton to call
A Dictionary of Saints Days, Fasts, Feasts and Festivals by Colin Waters (Countryside Books, £7.95) BRITAIN is a country in which history can be found around every corner. It is hardly possible to travel very far without encountering myth, legend or incontrovertible
STOURPORT Swifts boss Dave Titterton is to make an audacious bid to quickly tempt Stewart Hadley out of early retirement. The forward, best remembered for scoring Kidderminster Harriers' first Football League goal against Torquay, has ripped up his contract
Pre-season friendlies Sat July 12 Evesham (a) 3-1 Lewis, J Williams, Paschalis Sun July 13 Stratford (a) 1-0 Ward Sat July 19 Boldmere (a) 6-1 (og), J Williams 2, Lightbourne, Wilding, Danks Mon July 21 Leicester (h) 1-1 Shilton Sat July 26 West Brom
Life With The Lyons (DD Video) STARRING real-life husband and wife duo Ben Lyon and Bebe Daniels, Life With The Lyons was one of the BBC's most popular sit-coms of the 1950s, a massive hit on radio which later transferred to television. They were the
BOSS Dave Titteron could not believe how Stourport Swifts failed to notch back-to-back wins when they went down 2-1 at home to Bromsgrove Rovers on Tuesday night. The Walshes Meadow side were looking to move up into the top eight in the Dr Martens Western
TABLE tennis stalwart Ken Buckley, who introduced hundreds of Wyre Forest children into the sport he loved, has died aged 81. He was a dedicated coach and player with Kidderminster and District Table Tennis League for about 30 years, Lancastrian-born
DAVE Titterton has admitted he is considering changing his wing-back system for Stourport Swifts' trip to Cinderford Town on Saturday. The Swifts boss has a 4-4-2 system on his mind with two new players set for debuts in the Dr Martens Western Division
Toast by Nigel Slater (Fourth Estate, £16.99) THE Observer's celebrated food columnist had a pretty miserable upbringing, especially his early teenage years in Worcestershire. Moving to a house on top of Ankerdine Hill at Knightwick, and a pupil at The
n By The Sword by Richard Cohen (Pan, £8.99) IT'S hardly surprising that the sport of fencing, enjoyed by many throughout the world, owes its origins to warfare. The Romans were probably the first global empire builders to appreciate the combined power
FORMER Kidderminster College students are joining the billing for a metal extravaganza being put together by another ex-student from the town. Extreme metal band Bull Vs Bear will appear alongside some of the West Midlands heavier acts, notably Drink
FESTIVE gifts will be on sale at the Broadwaters Christmas Fair on Saturday along with mince pies and mulled wine. Musical entertainment will set the atmosphere at the event in Broadwaters Park from 5pm-8pm when proceeds will go to the KD11 Harkaway Scouts
SANTA and his reindeer may have a hectic time at Christmas, but spare a thought for the Royal Mail staff who help deliver an estimated 2,100,000,000 cards, letters and parcels across Britain. In Herefordshire and Worcestershire alone 3,800,000 items will
THE biographer of Clifford T Ward has just published what will be the final version of the Stourport singer-songwriters story - featuring a chapter all his fans knew was coming. Cliff died two years ago next Thursday from multiple sclerosis and the latest
DAVE Titterton will urge Stourport Swifts to take a good midweek display into the magic of the FA Cup. Swifts' boss felt Halesowen Town were lucky not to be on the end of a Dr Martens Western Division drubbing on Tuesday. Town won 2-0 but Titterton was
Nemo's World - A guide to the great barrier reef and beyond. (Puffin, £4.99) FOR any child who is taken to see the Disney/Pixar film Finding Nemo this is sure to be a great hit and high on the list of "must-haves" for the bedroom bookshelf. Its style
INJURIES are already worrying Stourport Swifts boss Dave Titterton ahead of the new Dr Martens Western Division campaign. Titterton also fears he may have to concede defeat in his bid to sign pre-season star Anthony Robinson. Swifts kick off the season
TOP eight is the aim for Stourport Swifts manager Dave Titterton in his first full Dr Martens Western Division season in charge. Swifts finished 17th last season with 10 wins and 11 draws from 42 games, recovering from a poor start which had left them
A MUSICAL treat will set the seal on the new year at Kidderminster Town Hall when the baton is raised on a charity concert. The annual New Year's Day concert, organised by the Lions Clubs of Worcestershire, will feature the music of Johann and Josef Strauss
SWIFTS' efforts to increase their profile have been further enhanced with the release of their first fanzine. Pass It Around, an unofficial publication, is on sale at the ground and around the town. Anyone interested in submitting articles or finding
TWO animal-loving musicians from Kidderminster are organising a marathon guitar-playing session to raise money to help cats and dogs have a good Christmas. Mike Smith and Kerry White, who run Muzos music shop in George Street, are organising the guitarathon
SKILLFUL Anthony Robinson is set to be offered a deal by Stourport Swifts but there is a goalkeeping worry at Walshes Meadow. Former Kidderminster Harriers, Stourbridge and Stratford player Robinson has been used as a substitute in both Swifts' pre-season
VOICES of all ages will be hitting a high note at Kidderminster Choral Society's Christmas concert at the town hall. Appearing with the society's 100-strong choir will be its youth choir Wyre Forest Young Voices and its children's choir Primary Chords
SWIFTS host their annual five-a-side tournament on Saturday at Walshes Meadow from 11am. More teams are needed and they can call Kenneth Caldwell on 01299 871059.
POPULAR Stourport Swifts star Simon Marsh is set to sign for Evesham United in a surprise move. The midfielder was a firm favourite at Walshes Meadow but has moved for financial reasons, according to Swifts manager Dave Titterton. "It's a massive blow
THE FA Cup draw has favoured Stourport Swifts with two home ties in the preliminary and first qualifying rounds. Swifts will entertain Boldmere St Michaels on Saturday, August 30, and a win over the Midland Alliance side would earn them another clash
STOURPORT Swifts aim to head into the 2003/04 Dr Martens Western Division season with more of a community feel. Boss Dave Titterton said the club were determined to get the town behind them in their ambitious plans to progress. Swifts are keen to reach
MIDLAND Alliance Golden Boot winner James Wood will provide the final piece of Dave Titterton's jigsaw at Stourport Swifts. The pacey Oldbury striker, an unstoppable force last season with 34 goals, is Titterton's man to partner Richard Ball in attack
DAVE Titterton is set to add to his Stourport Swifts summer shop with the capture of a goalkeeper and a midfielder before the weekend. Ilkeston keeper Lee Evans and Studley skipper Mark Beddowes are both expected to join the Swifts ranks. Wing-back Mark
ATTACKING midfielder Ronnie Sayer is close to becoming Stourport Swifts' second signing of the close season. Sayer, released by Conference club Telford at the end of the last campaign, has agreed terms with boss Dave Titterton and just has to finalise
ONE of last season's leading scorers in the Dr Martens Western Division will be a Stourport Swifts player next season if Dave Titterton has his way. The Swifts boss is hoping to tie up a deal for the striker, a midfielder and another player to add to
DAVE Titterton has completed his first Stourport Swifts close-season signing with the addition of Mark Jones. The central-midfielder or right wing-back has been a key part of two consecutive Midland Alliance title successes with Stourbridge. But ground
TWO centuries ago this week, the Journal heralded the latest productions at the Theatre Royal in Angel Street. "From next week, the Comedy of False Pretences and the grand serious pantomime of Don Juan will be presented in a most magnificent and splendid
EVESHAM Rowing Club's head of the rIver faced challenging conditions, but all agreed that it was a great success. The first division was delayed, first due to the strong winds, and then by a problem with the safety launch, and the race committee decided
Evesham Ladies League Knockout Cup second round: EWMC B 3, Badsey RBL 6; Long Lartin B 6, Long Lartin A 3; Oddfellows 4, Offenham Gold 5; Winchcombe WMC 4, Ambassador A 5; Rowing Club Gold 5, Beckford SC 4; Avon SC 3, Wheatsheaf 6; Littleton Bowls Gold
The Journal edition of 250 years ago carried a strange item relating to some unusual busker or street campaigner seen in Worcester. "On Wednesday night, this city was under the greatest consternation imaginable at the appearance of the most dreadful BUGGABO
1803: On Monday last, the Worcestershire Regiment of Militia was inspected at Portsmouth by Major-General Whitelock who observed that he thought them the best militia regiment in the kingdom and a pattern to all. A correspondent informs us that it is
Arden Sailing Club Annual awards - Spring Handicap: 1 Ralph Evans; 2 Niall Campbell; 3 Alan Salerman. Arden Trophy: 1 A Salerman; 2 Andrew Potts; 3 R Evans. Strensham Series: 1 N Campbell; 2 A Salerman; 3 Keith Stevens. Pursuit Series: 1 N Campbell; 2
A DOZEN hardy members of Evesham Wheelers set out from Evesham in cold but bright conditions for Sun-day's weekly run. The faster A run, led by Martyn Cole, left via Hampton, Charlton, and Fladbury, while Carol Hall led a steadier B run on a shorter route
WORCESTER suffered a city-wide power failure this week a century ago. The Journal reported the emergency under the heading "In Darkest Worcester!" "Considerable inconvenience, to put it mildly, was caused in the city on Thursday evening by the failure
ELEVEN more points were pocketed as Welford overcame Tamworth 74-57 in the Fam-ous Grouse competition. There was also success for the ladies who recorded a glorious win in the Yetton Trophy as they overcame Rugby Thornfield by 27 shots on home and away
South Warwickshire Association THE Association travelled to Oxford IBC last Sunday when the Oxfordshire VPs Association were the day's hosts. It proved a closely contested affair with the home side winning by 17 shots. Oxon led 33-25 after five hands
1803: The Worcestershire Yeomanry Cavalry were in training five days last week for the purpose of perfecting in their exercises those young members who have lately entered. It reflects the highest credit on their Hon. Commandant to say that the whole
A LACK of carriages and constant delays are leaving disgruntled train passengers sick of a sub-standard service. Peak hour commuters travelling from Worcester to Birmingham have found standing room only on Central Trains since the introduction of its
THIS week 250 years ago, the Worcester Journal reported on "a horrid murder" in the Faithful City. The edition of 1753 stated: Last Sunday night about 10 o'clock, as Thomas Penderton and one Simmonds, both porters, were passing through Sansome Fields
AN unusual entertainment spectacle took place on the Severn at Worcester this week 100 years ago. The Journal of 1903 reported the event under the heading "Queer Craft on the River". "An extremely clever exhibition of log-rolling took place on the Severn
A PAIR of poachers from Worcester were sent to prison from the County Petty Sessions Court this week exactly a century ago. The Journal of 1903 reported the case under the heading "Old Poachers". "John Williams of Dolday and William Compton, labourer,
PLANS for a crematorium at Astwood, Worcester received a major boost at this time 50 years ago. The Journal reported in October 1953: "The erection of a crematorium at Astwood Cemetery to cater for the county was put forward in a statement issued by the
THE Chancellor's pre-budget report has received a cautious welcome from Worcester's business community. Positive growth of 2.1 per cent for the country's economy was welcomed, but how will this benefit business? "Obviously we welcome the strength of the
WORCESTER Co-operative Society's extensive new "Model Bakery" at Newtown was completed and officially opened at this time 50 years ago. The Journal of 1953 reported fully on opening ceremony conducted by Lord Williams, President of the nation's Co-operative
1803: Several of the volunteer militias raised around the kingdom in the face of the latest threat of invasion from France have now been ordered upon actual duty, and it is expected that others will be employed as detached corps or be brigaded with the
ST Laurence's Church in Bidford will be swamped with Christmas trees this weekend for the sixth annual Christmas Tree Festival in the village. Groups and individuals from around Bidford will be decorating the trees tonight and tomorrow night ready for
THE FORMER Dolday poor quarter of Worcester was clearly a rough and tough area in times past, judging from regular Journal reports of drunken brawls and street fights. And these punch-ups were certainly not confined to men, as we can see from just two
1803: Fine Pyefleet and Native Colchester Oysters are to be had during the season of D. Westbury of No.71 Broad Street, Worcester who begs leave to return thanks for the many favours already received from the public and friends, and hopes for the continuance
A RAIL disaster could well have been the outcome of a road accident near Worcester around this time 50 years ago. Berrow's Journal for this week of 1953 reported the lucky escape under the headline: "Van Might Have Derailed Express":- "A van which toppled
THE quality of meals served to the hundreds of inmates of the Powick Mental Asylum was under discussion by Worcestershire County Council at this time 100 years ago. The Journal of 1903 said the councillors had before them an official report from the Commissioners
1803: The triennial meeting of the Three Choirs of Worcester, Hereford and Gloucester commenced here yesterday. The stewards, with their friends and the principal vocal performers, dined at the Unicorn Inn and spent the evening with the utmost hilarity
Tthe dominant theme of this delightful walk is the underlying red sandstone, because it is this that has shaped the landscape and given it so much of its present character. This is seen not only in sandstone outcrops and cliffs but also in the acid, sandy
I was appalled, but not surprised, to see that our local police "commander", Inspector Eric Moore blames the increasing crime and vandalism in Moreton on the fact that we do not use the park enough! (Page 3, November 20th.). It is typical of many police
I LIVE in an unadopted road which contains seven cottages. The council does not maintain the road surface, which is paid for by residents; it does not clean or empty drains in the road; it does not erect or maintain any road lighting; nor does it cut
Your correspondent M Bell criticises people who try to reduce road danger by strategic parking. Anything that slows down the traffic is welcome. Parked vehicles don't cause accidents, moving ones do. M Bell suggests using other protest methods. What other
I AM writing to ask all local schools in your area to join me in setting a world record and raise funds for Marie Curie Cancer Care. The charity has joined forces with the Wordsworth Trust to celebrate 200 years of Wordsworth's famous daffodils poem '
A MAJOR scare was sparked when gas and petrol fumes seeped into around 100 homes in Worcester. Firefighters took dozens of warning calls in the Diglis area, last night, as the fumes rose from lavatory pipes. Two crews attended several calls before switching
DOWNING Street today hit back at a Worcestershire MP's claims that Cherie Blair flew into a rage at a reception for England's rugby heroes. Bromsgrove MP Julie Kirkbride alleges the Prime Minister's wife blamed her for the Blair children missing out on
PROTESTERS in Worcester marked International Human Rights Day with a masked demonstration outside the Magistrates Court. The women, from the Worcestershire County Forum Against Domestic Violence, aimed to raise awareness about violence and abuse in the
NEWCOMER Mike Weideman took the plaudits at Stone's annual dinner and presentation night by being voted player-of-the-year. Weideman enjoyed a superb first season by scoring more than 1,000 runs, including two centuries, and taking more than 30 wickets
Yate & South Glos II 2, Bretforton 6 SATURDAY'S final league game before the festive break produced end to end excitement with both teams making good use of the breaks created from their midfielders. Player of the match Sophie Corbett was first to
AN inquest opening into the deaths of two young men has revealed that one was engaged to marry the other's sister. Michael Jennings, aged 22, and 19-year-old Billy Hall, who lived together at a mobile caravan site in Boreley, near Ombersley, both died
DRIVERS could face traffic delays as work continues on the installation of a new sewer lining in a Worcester City centre road. Severn Trent workers are installing the lining, along New Road, as part of an extension to the recent sewerage works carried
PARENTS and carers of pupils from Worcester's troubled Elbury Mount Primary School are being given the opportunity to air their views on how to create a better future. Worcestershire County Council is to hold an open meeting to discuss the school's "fresh
THE village of Martley, already voted Worcestershire Village of the Year, has gone on to win three regional awards in a national competition examining all aspects of village life. Martley was voted best in the region for environment, older people and
VOLUNTEERS who have created sporting initiatives on a Worcester estate have seen their hard work recognised with top community awards. Newsagent John Williams and volunteer youth worker Dave Yeomans both saw bored youngsters hanging around on the streets
WOOD recycled from a Worcester tree-felling scheme is being carved into giant animal sculptures for the city. A 4ft rabbit will be the first piece to go on display using timber cut down this autumn in Warndon Woods. It will be put in position in Gheluvelt
A DEDICATED postman with a passion for meeting people has notched up almost half a century of loyal service. Bromyard postman Vin Booth is bidding a fond farewell to the Royal Mail, where he first started work as a messenger boy delivering telegrams in
TREES around Worcester are being lined up for removal and thinning. Residents in the city have applied for permission to fell two trees, while others might be reduced in size. Homeowners fearing subsidence want to uproot a Norway maple at 73 Shap Drive
A CASH injection to tackle homelessness could signal the end of bed and breakfast accommodation for needy families. The Government yesterday pledged a total of £60m to help the homeless across the country and ensure that families are not forced to live
THE destiny of farming is "under our control" but farmers have to "work together" according to the president of the National Farmers' Union, Sir Ben Gill speaking in Worcester yesterday. He said it was a "myth" Britain always received the raw end of the
