THE day-to-day happenings in a rural village, in the days when it was possible for it to hide itself away from the big wide world outside its parish boundaries, are captured in words and pictures in a new book.

The Old World of Hanbury and District by Bernard and Olive Poultney, who live on the outskirts of the village, is a worthy follow-up to their first book.

The couple wrote The Lost World of Hanbury three years ago,in association with Bromsgrove historian Dr Alan Richards, and it was a sell out.

Now Olive and Bernard, who are often seen in the village on board their tractor, which could be said to be their trademark, have gone it alone to produce a 200-page book crammed with more than 260 black and white photographs and maps from their own extensive collection.

They have also written another local best seller, Glimpses of Himbelton, Huddington, Earls Common and Shell.

"Following the success of our first venture into writing and publishing, we found we still had lots of information and photographs that we hadn't room for," Olive explained.

"As we had many requests, we decided to do a follow up."

The book includes a feature about the village school, along with more stories about Sir George Vernon.

A farmer and War Ag contractor also recount their memories, while a section on Dodderhill Common memories include those about Sir Edward Elgar's day of walking there with his dog and playing golf.

The maestro himself is even pictured on the links while other photographs depict village sporting events and the bitter 1947 winter.

The book is published in two editions: hardback at £30 and paperback at £20.

The paperback edition is available from Ottakar's Bookstore, Bromsgrove High Street, M and D Books, High Street, Droitwich, the Jinney Ring Craft Centre, Hanbury, and Alcester Road Service Station, Grafton Flyford.