IN his will, published this week, Douglas Ruxton Berwick, the founder of the Evergreen Scouts, in Bromsgrove, left £39,488 gross. He left the scout hut at Whitford Hall School to the owner, Mary Booker, for as long as she was in charge, otherwise to Bromsgrove Scout Association. Mr Berwick lived at the Hollies, in Kidderminster Road.

A BREAKDOWN of the main boiler at Bromsgrove County High School on Monday resulted in 500 pupils being sent home and told not to report back for a week. But, their joy was short lived. Staff gave them enough work to last them until they returned.

TORY 'Big Gun' Lord Mancroft, the joint parliamentary under secretary for home affairs, was in Bromsgrove ahead of an imminent announcement regarding the date of the forthcoming General Election. He gave a pep talk to a packed audience of Conservative women at All Saints Parish Hall, during which he refused to speculate on the date of the election saying he left that to Sir Winston Churchill.

THE big freeze meant Bromsgrove Rovers had not been able to play at home for a month. But on Friday night a further snowfall had put Saturday's match against Hereford Reserves in jeopardy, however it was played but only in front of a much reduced gate of 600, who braved the miserable conditions.

THE death of Ben Walker, who for 40 years had supplied most of Barnt Green with fish, game and poultry from his shop in Hewell Road, brought sadness to the village. The 83-year-old, who lived in Wychbold, had moved from Birmingham in 1900 to enjoy the cleaner country air.