THE recent heavy snow falls were an added bonus for an independent publishing company with strong Midlands connections.

Severn House Publishers was holding a three-day retreat at Eastnor Castle, near Ledbury, when the snow fell, which made the team-building activities of Land Rover off-road driving, falconry and clay pigeon shooting that much more exciting and challenging.

Severn House is a publisher of fiction. The company has strong links with Worcester, where its chairman Edwin Buckhalter previously lived.

The retreat was organised by Ian Smith, chairman of Worcester-based accountants Rabjohns LLP which works closely with the firm.