BLACKWELL convalescent home was to close to save money to be invested in acute services. Health chiefs said there would be no redundancies as staff would be offered alternative jobs.

THE mysterious balls of fire seen in the sky over Bromsgrove were officially declared to be meteorites, not UFOs. Mrs Parsons from Yew Tree Lane, Fairfield, described them as "huge balls of fire travelling towards Birmingham."

RADIOGRAPHERS at hospitals in Bromsgrove were planning to stage a demonstration to coincide with a visit by health minister Gerard Vaughan if national pay claim talks failed. They had already been promised 15 per cent, but were unhappy at being offered just 75p standby payments.

RAIL passengers were enjoying much improved services from Bromsgrove thanks to the county council's efforts, but they were warned 'use them or lose them." Ticket sales prompted by more trains had risen from 300 to 900 a week.