SPORTING Bromsgrove Court Leet Bailiff, Mr D Howard Wood, mounted one of the animals when he opened the horse fair as part of the fair day festivities which had been revived last year. In a steady drizzle, led by Sankey Castle Works Band, the procession left the Roebuck Hotel, in High Street, to process to the horse fair's new venue in Burcot Lane. The pleasure fair attracted few customers mainly through waning interest in such events, but also because of the cost. On fair night some rides were costing as much as 2/- (10p) a go.

CASH-STRAPPED Bromsgrove Rovers has its supporters club to thank for bailing it out the annual general meeting heard. Last season the club had been given close on £1,000 to keep it afloat. To ease the financial burden the players had not drawn their wages for the last four home games.

AFTER close on a decade of waiting it seemed moves were at last being made to start work on the construction of Bromsgrove's eastern by-pass. Initially it was proposed that a single track road would run from Vicarage bend at Lickey End to Stoke Heath with a second carriagway being added at a later date.

MANY farmers in Bromsgrove and Droitwich Spa whose barns were full of hay gathered during the recent hot, dry spell were now complaining about a lack of rain. Exactly a year ago haymaking operations were made difficult by almost incessant rain.