SANITATION in Stoke Prior was again raised at a meeting of the parish council where members called for more frequent rubbish collections because some people were waiting three or four weeks compared to the previous two week wait. The problem was made worse by the current hot spell.

TWO serious hay fires - each believed to be due to spontaneous combustion of crops which had been cut and stacked in barns - occurred at two local farms. The first outbreak at Lower Goosehill Farm, in Hanbury, caused £2,000 worth of damage - a third of the farm's buildings, equipment and 20 tons of baled hay were lost. The second fire in a Dutch barn stacked with 40 tons of hay at Pool House Farm, Belbroughton, kept firefighters busy for 36 hours.

AT a Chamber of Trade meeting the question of parking facilities was discussed and members said they felt a serious loss of trade was being caused by the rigid no parking rule in the town and it was resolved to approach the authorities about a 20 minute unilateral parking scheme. The question of a secondary road running behind High Street, frequently mooted in the past, was also raised and traders said they were strongly in favour.

THE Park Gate Inn darts team, which won the championship and knock-out competition of the Robin Hood League, had an extra bonus - in doing so they stopped a run of successes by their rivals from the neighbouring Dodford Inn who had been champions for three years in succession.

AT the annual meeting of Bromsgrove Rovers Supporters Club it was revealed new terracing was being provided at the new stand in readiness for the next season. The work was being done voluntarily by the committee. Club subscription was also reduced from 2/6 to 1/- to encourage more members.