MUMS in Stoke Prior were making sure no corners were being cut when officials measured the distance from the village to Aston Fields Middle School in order that pupils may qualify for free bus travel. Some families, who lived less than three miles away, were having to pay bus fares of £15 per term. This had divided the village and the fees were being frozen pending the outcome.

THE survival of many of Bromsgrove's traders, hard hit by the recession, could depend on a £8,000 publicity campaign by the English Tourist Board aimed at putting Bromsgrove on the map.

STAFF at Bromsgrove's Hill Top Hospital were wondering how long they would have to wait for an extra £50,000 that they had been promised to help reduce the waiting list for patients wanting replacement hips and knees. At present the budget meant only 40 such operations could be done every year. But the promised extra cash would see that figure jump by up to 200.

WIDESPREAD redundancies in Bromsgrove's twin town of Gronau in Germany resulted in the Burgermeister and other members of the council having to cancel their visit here. Gronau was heavily dependent on the carpet industry, which was experiencing big job losses so the visit was called off.

PRIZED and treasured possessions, such as shells and military objects belonging to youngsters in the Bromsgrove area, were to go on display at a weekend exhibition at the Norton museum in Birmingham Road. Mr Norton said if successful he planned to stage similar events in future.