WALTER Webb was celebrating the early arrival of twin lambs Nina and Shaggy, at his Townsend Farm in Birmingham Road, Bromsgrove. He said last season's first happy event had not taken place until February.

ONE of Bromsgrove's best-known men, baker and confectioner Charles Crane, died in the General Hospital, aged 80. He has been a member of the district council, Board of Guardians and in 1930 had been Bailiff. He had also been closely associated with the parish church. While president of the town cricket club, he had paid off the mortgage on the ground. He had also been the prime mover in the syndicate which had handed over the Victoria Ground to the town council for use by the Rovers.

THOMAS Harris, from Barnt Green, who retired last year after 33 years as clerk to Cofton Hackett Parish Council, was presented with a silver propelling pencil and a set of carvers by his grateful former colleagues.

A REQUEST for a one-off two-hour extension by Alfred Starling, licensee of the Bell Hotel, Bell End, caught police at Stourbridge on the hop. A customer wanted the extra time to entertain the 22-strong cast taking part in the panto at the Dudley Hippodrome. Police Superintendent Saull said such celebrations may be common place in towns and cities but not in Bell End and deferred the plea to give him more time to consider it.

WHILE walking in a field at Chadwich, near Rubery, William Alcock, aged 52, a forester with the Bournville Village Trust, fell and dislocated his knee. Unable to move he was forced to lie on the ground for a considerable time before he could attract attention. His rescuers arranged for a brazier to be brought to keep him warm until the Bromsgrove ambulance could take him to the Cottage Hospital.