Archive

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Army stands by for action

THE Army was expected back on the streets of the Faithful City today after the city's main road bridge was closed to all traffic. Worcester Bridge faced being shut for the rest of the week as floodwaters in the city continued to rise. The nearest crossing

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Great boost for town shoppers

YOUR No.1 newspaper has teamed up with town traders and the district council to support the Spa with a new scheme which can save shoppers money and get them the best deals. A loyalty card has been produced for town businesses by the Advertiser with Wychavon

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Streets closed

The following roads have been closed due to flooding: Hanley Road and Ryall Road, Upton-upon-Severn; A4103 at Bransford; Eckington Bridge; Hylton Road, Diglis Lane, Newport Street and Waverley Street, in Worcester. Only one lane of Tybridge Street, Worcester

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Life in jail awaits

TWO men who subjected a married couple to a horrifying kidnap ordeal are facing life imprisonment for their crimes. A jury convicted ringleader Steven Howe of abducting the victims in the middle of the night from their home in the Golden Valley, Herefordshire

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Clampdown on security at city clubs

DRUNKEN thugs and troublemakers could find themselves barred from Worcester pubs and clubs after the launch of a new security initiative today. Club Net Radio is aimed at offering an early warning system for licensees, based on the successful City Net

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Driver still over limit next day

A MAN who spent the night partying at a friend's house was still over the limit the following afternoon, a court was told. The case of William Gane came on the same day West Mercia police warned revellers that driving the next morning after a heavy night's

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Ofsted praises progress of town playgroup

A BEWDLEY playgroup is celebrating after it received a glowing report from Ofsted. Community Corner Pre-School, which moved into its current premises at St Anne's First School at Easter, was described by inspectors as "welcoming and caring", with "excellent

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School is safe - education chief

A COUNTY education chief has calmed fears for the future of a Wyre Forest school that caters for pupils with special needs. Parents of pupils at Wolverley's Alexander Patterson School have been concerned it might be earmarked for closure, amid rumours

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Flames are fanned by gales

FIREFIGHTERS tackling a blaze in a listed building beat a hasty retreat when they spotted ammunition inside. Crews were sent to T P Plastics in Stourport-on-Severn last night after fire broke out inside a derelict house, located within the factory compound

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Hardman shines but Newton take the honours

IT was the battle of the big guns this week in the Bromsgrove and Redditch Table Tennis League. The two top teams both unbeaten this season met -- Lickey Monarchs at home to Newton Works A. Eric Hardman the Lickey number one was the outstanding player

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Junior soccer scene

DROITWICH Darts U9s 0 Ferndale Youth U9s 1. A pure end to end game with good attacking runs from L Duggan on the right, J Thomas in the centre and J Stephens on the left. Excellent support in midfield from J Wyatt and C Leech. Superb defensive work from

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Town cruise in Braces breeze Bromsgrove Town (1) 3 FC Interleasing (0) 0 Kidderminster Hospital Mi

A SOMEWHAT depleted Town progressed to the third round in atrocious conditions at Braces Lane. The visitors opened brightly and for the first 20 minutes saw more of the ball than Town who were taking time to settle. However, Interleasing posed little

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New blood needed for board games

BROMSGROVE Seriously Board Club 2 are looking for youngsters to join their exciting club. Run by board game expert Tony Boyle, the club play a whole host of strategy games based on the Mind Olympics, not forgetting favourites such as chess and draughts

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Basketball

BASKETBALL restarts in the New Year with sessions beginning on January 8 at Droitwich Leisure Centre. Children aged seven to 11 will be able to attend from 4-5pm, with sessions for 11 year olds and above being held from 5-6pm. Each session costs £1.50

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Dumping four puppies was 'unforgivable'

THE warning that a dog is for life not just for Christmas has been reinforced in Droitwich after the discovery of four abandoned puppies. Spa residents found the identical dogs on separate days last week. The collie crosses, aged about five months, are

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A try bonanza Bromsgrove U13s 41 Birmingham/Solihull U13s 0

BROMSGROVE continued their successful season with a comprehensive victory over a side that had drawn with them earlier in the season in the Old Silhillians tournament. The first half was 22-0 with tries from James Hinks, Andrew Stokes, Kyle Everton, Thomas

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Couple's fund-raiser in memory of son, 6

A DROITWICH couple are hoping community spirit will help raise £25,000 in memory of their six- year-old son, who died of cancer. Alistair Wainwright died on May 12 after a year-long battle with a brain tumour. Following his death, his parents Deborah

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A great night reaps reward

AS was very kindly announced in the Redditch Advertiser a few weeks ago, the Band of West Mercia Constabulary performed on Saturday, November 25, at St Bede's Middle School with the school's choir to raise funds for Georgette Mullen. The concert was very

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Bell appeal to cat owners

I AM concerned about the survival numbers of birds over the winter, especially as they have so much stacked against them such as the unpredictable weather, and cats are a constant threat. A simple and not costly idea is for cat owners who put collars

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Still waiting for my card

WITH regard to the letter about the postal service (Advertiser, November 30). My daughter lives in Church Stretton, Shropshire. She sent me a birthday card on November 5 for the 10th. Her writing is perfect, she marked it ''urgent'' and put on the postcode

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Greatest of care from all the staff

I RECENTLY had the misfortune to need immediate hospital treatment and I would like to thank the Alexandra Hospital for all they did for me. 999 was called and answered within minutes. The crew delivered me to the accident and emergency department and

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You helped raise £1,300

MANY thanks to each and every one of you who so kindly supported the sponsored walk at the Arrow Valley Lake in aid of the Where Next Association new vehicle fund. Special thanks go to all that completed the walk and in particular to the deputy mayor,

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Blair giving up on Britain

THE events at Nice affect the people of Redditch just as much as those of our twin town Auxerre. The French have an anti-American government, determined to undermine NATO by creating a separate European army (as it is described by EU president Romano

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Redditch let leaders off hook

Droitwich 16 Redditch 6 REDDITCH went to league leaders Droitwich on the back of five wins in six games and ran their high-flying rivals very close. Playing against a stiff breeze, Redditch began aggressively, taking the game to Droitwich in the forwards

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Shipston sink Alcester

ALCESTER 6 SHIPSTON 17 In a game switched to Kings Coughton with the Shipston pitch waterlogged, the visitors came out on top in this fixture for the first time in five seasons. The windy conditions were always going to feature strongly and it was Shipston

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Hannah's cracking success!

A REDDITCH youngster has danced her way to a place in the English Youth Ballet to star in a production of The Nutcracker. Hannah Calvert, 11, of Evesham Road, Astwood Bank, beat scores of other dancers during an audition in Swindon to gain the scholarship

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Junior rugby

Old Halesonians 30 Redditch U8s 40 THE Kingfishers played twice winning both. In the first game Redditch started slowly, trailing 20-10 at half-time after tries from Kevin Ingram and Dominic Calvert. But the visitors took control after the break, adding

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Boost for buses in stop scheme

BUS users are to benefit from 20 new shelters after Redditch councillors gave plans the green light at a meeting on Monday, writes Matthew Smith. The sponsored bus shelters will be sited across the town and in place early next year at no cost to the taxpayer

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Exiles lose it late on

Redditch Exiles 8 Droitwich Vets 15 In a highly competitive fixture a moment of skill opened the scoring for Redditch. Trevor Pennington chipped a perfectly-weighted ball over the heads of Droitwich which Mike Jurowski ran on to score unopposed, Pennington's

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A sad tale of Santa claws

A HOPWOOD cat sanctuary is appealing to people to treat animals with more humanity as the festive season sees countless felines abandoned. Last week, an old basket tied up with string was left in the pouring rain near New Cramar Cat Sanctuary. When it

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TV stardom beckons for brave horse

A SIX-month old foal that was treated for life-threatening septicaemia after it was born at a Beoley stables will feature in a television documentary on Monday. Bracken was taken to the Royal Veterinary College in Hertfordshire where a major blood transfusion

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Dickensian delights at traditional fair

TRADITIONAL fare and music were just two of the delights on offer in Redditch on Friday and Saturday as townsfolk were treated to a Victorian Christmas market. There was an abundance of festive stalls as well as ones selling a range of preserves, art

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Computer ware theft

Computer hardware worth a total of £1,600 was stolen from a Redditch industrial estate between noon on Saturday and 10.45am on Sunday. The theft happened at M&H Plastics in Enfield.

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Cash call after schools results

CALLS are being made for Redditch to become an education achievement zone following the release of school performance tables for 11 year olds, writes Julian Seva. Redditch MP and Minister for School Standards Jacqui Smith is calling on Worcestershire

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Paramedics are still snowed under

THE unusual weather this month has meant a huge fall in the number of accidents and injuries from tripping over on ice or snow, writes Becky Procter. But ambulance crews are still being kept busy with medical conditions caused by the damp atmosphere.

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Hostels gearing up for festive fallout

FAMILY tension during the festive period could see a rise in townsfolk seeking emergency accommodation, it has been revealed, writes Becky Procter. And organisations offering accommodation for people in crisis are preparing for a post-Christmas rush as

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Into the future with the past of Wythall

A GROUP of enthusiasts from Wythall who take pride in working with the past will now be helped out by the latest technology. The Wythall History Society successfully bid for lottery money and as a result, will be able to help people wishing to trace their

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Keep presents under wraps!

TOWNSFOLK are being warned to keep Christmas presents under wraps and away from view following an increase in burglaries in Redditch, writes Becky Procter. Police have issued the warning after dealing with a spate of thefts which have resulted in Christmas

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Blasting success

KEEN musicians at Church Hill Middle School will be taking part in a Christmas concert on Tuesday after being inspired to take up brass playing by a scheme called Music For You. They will be joined by pupils from Ravensbank and Moons Moat First Schools

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Drink and safety blitz

POLICE will be performing roadside checks in Redditch throughout December in an effort to cut the number of drink-drive accidents. The move comes as part of an annual blitz against drink-driving and motorists will also have their vehicles checked for

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Look who's popping into the park !

CHRISTMAS wish lists can be personally handed to Father Christmas at the Arrow Valley Countryside Centre. He will be in a specially designed hollow tree grotto this weekend and next weekend to hand out presents to youngsters and collect Christmas lists

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Police in deep water

TWO policewomen were stranded in a flood when torrential rain submerged parts of Droitwich Spa. The officers had to be rescued from Ford Lane on Friday morning by firefighters after they attempted to drive through the water in a police van. A force spokesman

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Brief history of underwear

BRAS and bloomers are among artefacts being revealed at a rather saucy exhibition. Droitwich Spa Library, in Victoria Square, is playing host to the Undercover Story tour. The display, organised by Worcestershire County Museum, follows the fashions in

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Park's latest plan

DEVELOPERS building a mammoth business complex creating hundreds of jobs have submitted ambitious blueprints to planning chiefs. A detailed application for the next area of production and distribution buildings on the 77-acre Stonebridge Cross Business

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Estate's oldest resident dies

A WOMAN, believed to be the oldest Westlands resident, has died aged 99. Elizabeth Charie lived in Meadow Piece until one week ago when she moved to Ravenstone Nursing and Residential Home, in St Andrew's Road. She died at the home on Sunday morning.

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Town 'won't have hospital'

DROITWICH is unlikely to ever have a community hospital, it has been announced. Chairman of Worcestershire Community and Mental Health NHS Trust John Calvert delivered the blunt message when he revealed the authority was reviewing the role of hospitals

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Shine a light for your loved ones

TWINKLING lights are shining brightly in Droit-wich Spa representing loved ones who will be missed this Christmas. The Rotary Club of Droitwich Spa Saltway has revealed that more than 150 residents have decided to remember friends and family by signing

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Hall set to face Welsh at Sixways

FORMER England Under-21 star Chris Hall stands by for his first Worcester Rugby Club start with Andrew Lamerton rated only 50-50 to make Saturday's clash with London Welsh at Sixways. The 21-year-old has only made six substitute appearances for the Gold

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McCracken in European title link

HOWARD Eastman has been offered an all-British European middleweight title fight against Worcester's Robert McCracken. Battersea's British and Commonwealth champion has moved into title contention following the decision of Erland Betare, of France, to

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The floods strike - again

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United and Evesham hit by rain

HEREFORD United and Evesham United will both have to try again next week to settle their outstanding cup ties. Hereford's LDV Vans Trophy first round clash with Yeovil Town was postponed last night because road access to the city was severely restricted

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Malvern call on reserves

Malvern Town travel to Blackheath Invensys tonight (7.45pm) in the second round of the Midland Invitation Cup. Town make a couple of changes to the squad that extended their winning sequence to seven games at Little Drayton on Saturday. Dene Whittal-Williams

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Two meetings off as weather strikes

RACING'S fixture list continues to be hit by the wet weather with the news of two more abandonments. Towcester, where racing was due to take place on Thursday, was the first to be called off. Officials had planned to look at the course tomorrow but following

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Points mean prizes as local rivals lock horns Droitwich First XV 16 Redditch First XV 6 Midlands Di

DROITWICH got the better of local rivals Redditch with victory at the Glyn Mitchell Memorial Ground on Saturday. Both teams were neck and neck in the title race last season but it's Droitwich who look to make further progress this season as Redditch continue

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Carp catches Smith's eye in Pheasant Pool frolics Angling news with TONY BRUNN

THIS week's Tim's Tackle open, which was held on Tuesday on the Pheasant Pool at Elmbridge, produced better catches than last week with carp taken on pole fished corn, giving Martin Smith (Tim's Tackle) the winning catch of 29-4-0 from peg 23. Match organiser

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Ky-nock it on the head

REDDITCH Hockey Club slipped to third in the West Midlands One at the weeknd when their trip to Aston-based Kynock was called off because of a waterlogged pitch. And Market Drayton took advantage of their inactivity to go top. Ramgarhia, who groundshare

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Eight man Redditch shock leaders

Charnwood 1 Redditch 0 Redditch produced the most amazing performance of the season against league leaders Charnwood, who are yet to drop a point in the campaign. The visitors, decimated by injuries and unavailability, were only able to field eight players

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13/12/00 - Trio's starring roles lift club

WORCESTER City boss John Barton has paid tribute to the players he refers to as his 'Little Triangle'. Goalkeeper Danny McDonnell and the two central defenders in front of him, Carl Heeley and Mark Tucker, have been in outstanding form in recent weeks

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Sex offenders fear sparks cctv plea

FRIGHTENED Lickey residents who fear sex offenders will be treated near their homes have stepped up a campaign to protect the community. The newly-formed Lickey Community Group has called on Bromsgrove District Council to install CCTV near High Lea Nursing

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Cabbie's anger at school rule

CHILDREN'S lives are being put at risk by red tape which forced a Bromsgrove taxi driver to abandon youngsters on a notoriously dangerous road, it is claimed. E and M About Town Taxis, from King George Close, Sidemoor, have hit out at Lickey Hills Primary

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Where are they?

I WOULD like to contact any former staff or pupils of Erdington Grammar School, Birmingham, who may be living in your area. A reunion is planned for the New Year and we are keen to make it a mammoth and memorable event. Among those we are hoping to find

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Tour Guidance

WHAT is the true picture of tourism in Worcester? One minute we are told it's better than ever, the next just the opposite. Apparently, there is leaflet available from the Tourist Office. In many towns, every shop in the centre seems to have copies. For

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MP in the wrong

AS a former elected representative on Wychavon District Council, I am fully aware of the need to listen to the views of all the electorate, even if they are in conflict to your own. However, to label people "pathetic and narrow-minded" as in the case

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Lights a waste of public's money

COULD someone from the city council explain why it is wasting money having the traffic lights working at the park-and-ride site in Droitwich Road when the site is not yet open? The council wastes money on electricity and wastes motorists' money by having

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Redhill's not a problem

REGARDING traffic calming in the Redhill Primary School area, this is the second time that we have been subjected to a large photograph of Mr Foster in the Evening News. I visited a well-attended meeting on the subject which appeared to confirm my own

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Creeping Euro tide threatens democracy

6 YOUR readers may like to know about the opening of a West Midlands Regional office in Brussels, allegedly to give this "region" a direct voice at the heart of the European Union. Well it sounds good, so what's wrong with that? Well, naturally, the EU

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Riders do their best

A SOMEWHAT depleted Bromsgrove Olym-pique team turned up on a cold and windy morning at Aldersley Leisure Village, Wolverhampton for round nine of the Midland Cyclo-Cross Series. Several riders had problems just getting to the venue as there were three

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13/12/00 - Players need extra help to go forward

IN the circumstances, our draw against Hendon in the FA Umbro Trophy was a great result for the club. We had a couple of players out but we have to accept that sides at this time of year do lose players for one reason or another. We put a couple of young

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Town athletes honoured

WORCESTERSHIRE Special Olympics had their presentation evening at Spadesbourne Suite, Bromsgrove. Around 200 people were present at the club's annual awards and Bromsgrove enjoyed success in the following categories: Best Trainee (male):Jamie Dancyger

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Plain sailing

BARNT Green sailor Christopher McIntosh has a hectic festive period ahead of him. The Bromsgrove Lower School pupil travels to Malta on Friday to take part in the Under 15 Optimist class at the Euromed Championships 2000. In January the 13-year-old travels

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Derby games at night

BROMSGROVE Rovers' derby clashes over the festive season against Redditch United and Evesham United will both be evening kick offs. The Greens face Redditch at the Victoria Ground on Boxing Day at 7.30pm while the trip to Evesham on New Years Day will

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Glenister's bronze is a Brit of alright in rowing comp

DROITWICH athlete Geraldine Glenister won a bronze medal in the world's biggest ever indoor rowing competition. Racing for Bewdley Rowing Club, 53-year-old Glenister won bronze at the annual PPP healthcare British Indoor Rowing Championship at the Rivermead

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Thanks for jobs reply

THANKS Peter Jarrett for giving me some verifiable facts (Advertiser/Messenger December 6). Could he provide details of similar manufacturing jobs lost during the 18 years of the previous administration? There was a time when M&S said 98 per cent

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An excellent article

I WOULD like to thank your editorial team for the excellent article publicising the Christmas bazaar held at Blackmore House on Saturday November 18. We had a very good attendance and a grand total of £549.22 was raised. The proceeds will be used to buy

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Hemus-t lift us - Feckenham boss

FECKENHAM manager Clive Campion has re signed midfielder Paul Hemus. The former Millers regular gave up Saturday football last season but has been tempted to The Valley as Campion attempts to banish memories of a 5-0 defeat to struggling Bolehall Swifts

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Junior football

Headless Cross Harriers U9s 3 Hunt End U9s 1 A Ben Husband goal and two from new boy Ashleigh Wilson gave Headless the derby points. Kingfisher Colts U9s 8 Olton Ravens 2 A Joe Adams brace, Paul Downing treble, and one each from Dan Hagger and John Palmer

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Romulus left reeling by BKL

Studley BKL 3 Romulus 0 ANOTHER five-star performance from BKL dented Romulus' ambitions of a top three place while maintaining their own lofty position at the top. In a non-stop action-packed 90 minutes, the Bees proved too strong for Romulus and excellent

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Rainy days affect Church

ALVECHURCH manager Mick Preece fears his players will face another blank week as the rain continued to fall on a waterlogged Lye Meadow. Church's Rameses Midland Invitation Cup tie against Warley was postponed a fourth time last week and the league match

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Rovers left kicking their heels

Kings v Alcester Rovers on Sixth-placed Alcester made the short trip up to Kings who sit second in the table. A slow Alcester start saw Kings running at them with a few shots missing Ben Bryan's goal. Richard Wilkes fired Rovers ahead on 25 minutes but

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LANCASTER GET SHIRTY OVER TIE Unibond side demand FA hearing after Rovers' number blunder

BROMSGROVE Rovers' eagerly-awaited trip to Chris Waddle's Worksop Town in the FA Trophy hangs in the balance after an administrative mix-up. Lancaster City lodged an official protest with the FA over their 1-0 round two defeat to Rovers after it emerged

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Join up and save on your shopping bills

YOUR No.1 paper has teamed up with town traders and the district council to launch a new scheme which can save shoppers money and get them the best deals. A loyalty card is being produced for town businesses by the Advertiser/Messenger in conjunction

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Water main saga is still running - councillor

A WATER main that has been leaking for five months could turn a road in Rubery into a skating rink when it freezes, it was claimed this week. Now the Labour county councillor for the area is urging the authority to seek legal advice on whether Severn

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Rare vases

RARE and unusual vases worth £25,000 were stolen from a home in Perryfields Road, Sidemoor, overnight on Saturday December 9. Four large vases and other property, including candlesticks, were taken in the raid. Anyone with information should call Bromsgrove

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Humour caught in Nick's new book

THE jury is still out on whether a new book by Rubery author Nick Psirides will be judged guilty of causing readers to split their sides laughing. Nick, who has been a Justice of the Peace in Birmingham since 1988, is better known in Bromsgrove for his

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Bridget to grant an Xmas wish

A WOMAN who every December delights scores of youngsters when she turns her home into a fairytale Christmas grotto - complete with resident Santa - is herself looking for a special person. Bridget Kings's brightly decorated home, in Grafton Crescent,

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New age

A CHARITY for elderly people in Bromsgrove will officially open its new premises tomorrow. The offices of Age Concern, in Windsor Street, were bought and refurbished with a National Lottery grant and will be opened by the director general of Age Concern

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Work begins at school

WORK has begun on a £1.6m building project at a Rubery school, but the county council have had to defend the project against claims it will make flooding problems worse. The new buildings will provide Holywell Primary School, in Gunner Lane, with new

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Pre-Christmas burglary alert

A WARNING to people to be even more security conscious in the run-up to Christmas has gone out from Evesham police. The warning follows break-ins at four houses in Coronation Street, Montfort Street and Kings Road, Evesham, during last Friday night. At

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Flood victims given hope

RUBERY residents who have suffered the misery of having their homes flooded five times in as many years have been given a glimmer of hope that the problem may at last be solved. After years of wrangling about responsibility for the floods, Worcestershire

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Studley Women's Country Club

ON November 23, Diane Xavier, standing in for Pauline Wesley, welcomed members. The future programme was discussed, together with the Christmas fayre held recently. Member Jean Norris was welcomed to teach the art of decoupage. Thanks to everyone who

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Everywomen's Circle

ON November 2, the planned speaker failed to attend but a beetle drive was organised and enjoyed by all. On November 16, there was an evening of beautiful slides of church architecture, trees, flowers, waterfalls, insects and butterflies. At the third

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Drivers urged to be on guard

EXECUTIVE car owners in Belbroughton and Hagley are being urged to be on their guard against car thieves following a spate of incidents. West Mercia Constabulary, which covers Bromsgrove and the surrounding villages, has issued the warning following a

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Arrow Valley Countryside Group

THE group met on November 2 at the Baptist Church Hall, Alvechurch, for a talk and slide show by Vince Williams with the title A personal pilgrimage to K2. Vince explained that his cousin, Gerry Lakes' son Jeff, had joined a New Zealand team in August

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Alcester & District Probus Club

THE 161st meeting club was held at the Swan Hotel, Alcester, on November 22. There was one visitor, Mr J Lees, who asked to join us. From the records, it was noted Pat Bicham, Bert Copsey and Reg Jones had celebrated birthdays since the last meeting.

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25 years ago

December 12, 1975 A leading Redditch councillor has claimed that the council officers who suggested new street names in the town are scraping the bottom of the barrel. District council vice-chairman Dave Watton made his angry outburst after being confronted

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Kidderminster Harriers 2 Carlisle United 1

Tuesday, December 12, 2000 SUPERSUB Tony Bird swooped to score a 100th minute golden goal to earn Kidderminster Harriers a 2-1 victory in last night's controversial LDV Vans Trophy first round clash with Carlisle United at rain-sodden Aggborough. A torrential

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Top award for 'jewel in crown'

AN enterprising Post Office dubbed a "jewel in the crown" has won a Worcestershire village a top business award. Hanley Swan, near Upton-upon-Severn, has been named in the Calor Gas and Daily Telegraph Great Britain Village of the Year Competition. The

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Hospital concerns over bypass route

THE row over the best route for a Studley bypass has thrown up worries over its impact on the Alexandra Hospital, writes Julian Seva. It has been revealed the hospital has not been consulted over options for possible bypass routes, despite one proposal

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Prisoner tried to board plane

A PRISONER released from Blakenhurst Prison, in Tardebigge, with an electronic tag has been arrested at Manchester Airport trying to board a flight to Spain. Nicholas Bennett, aged 30, was arrested on Sunday in the airport's departure lounge by police

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Raising road to keep buses going

WORCESTER'S bus services will be able to operate out of the CrownGate bus station longer than during the last flooding, thanks to innovative road works. Worcester City Council has raised the road level with eight tons of hardcore - a gravelly mixture

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Call on police to halt traffic chaos

A TORY county councillor has called for police to improve traffic management during flooding to halt chaos on the roads. Hallow member, Alwyn Davies, was speaking at a County Hall flood meeting to thrash out a report for future action on the problem.

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Army on stand-by as river keeps on rising

THE Territorial Army is on stand-by at Upton-upon-Severn, where river levels are expected to rise further following overnight rain. Worcester's Royal Artillery 214 Battery has already carried out two rescues in the town, where several roads have been

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The floods strike - again

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More glory for school's hockey stars

BROMSGROVE School is in a class of its own when it comes to hockey. The Under 18s girls squad were crowned Midland champions for the fifth year running at Kings Edwards School in Birmingham last month. And this was swiftly followed by the Under 18 boys

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Wood's winner hits Malvern

Malvern Ladies 1 Bromsgrove Ladies' Seconds 2 hockey FROM the first whistle Bromsgrove looked the stronger side and took control of the game with incisive penetrating attacks. Town forwards were on target time after time, but good goalkeeping kept Malvern

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Snooker results

DROITWICH and District League results for December 5 are as follows: Division One: CWMC A 3 BUC A 2. MILL B 3 AFSC A 2. DGC A 4 BPC A 1. BLC A 5 DRBL B 0. CWMC C 0 AFSC C 5. Division Two: DRBL A 3 BRBL B 2. BPC B 4 CWMC B 1. BUC C 1 DSC B 4. Highest break

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Spanners hit by Mow men BROMSGROVE ADVERTISER/ MESSENGER DISTRICT LEAGUE

BARLEY Mow continued their fine form with a hard fought 4-1 win over Ringspanners in the WFA County Cup. But they had to come from behind when Ringspanners took the lead after sloppy defending left goalkeeper Tony Newey stranded. Barley came out a different

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Redditch Combo Results

THE bad weather has made the Redditch and South Warwickshire fixture list run behind by over 100 games in four weeks now. Here are the results of the matches that survived: Worcester County Cup Junior: The Boat 3 Mayfly FC 5 (Mark Neath three, Chris Edwards

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Spartak toast great Wales Malvern Town Reserves 1 Barnt Green Spartak 2 Worcestershire FA Junior Cu

SPARTAK reached the semi final of the cup after beating the reserve side of semi-professional outfit Malvern Town. The game started explosively with goalkeeper John Slade forced into two terrific early saves to stop the home side going into an early lead

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MOBILITY SCHEME IN DANGER OF CLOSING

A COMMUNITY scheme to help elderly and disabled people get about town faces closure. Droitwich Spa Shop-mobility volunteers are holding a crunch meeting on January 18 to discuss the charity's future. The service could be axed because of an apathetic response

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Southwell sweeps up as derby goes to the wire Bromsgrove Ladies' Firsts 1 Droitwich Ladies' Firsts

BECKY Southwell grabbed the only goal of the game as Bromsgrove Hockey Club's ladies exacted revenge for defeat at their local rivals earlier in the season. A highly charged match saw both teams go out strongly, with Droitwich's different formation taking

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At the end of his tether

AN angry trader was stunned when workers from a visiting fair dragged his car away without asking his permission. Paul O'Brien, of Jean Paul Coiffeurs, in High Street, left work at 7.30pm on Thursday and discovered his Mitsubishi Shog-un tethered to a

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A precious waste of time

A TOWN jeweller claims he lost a sale totalling nearly £600 because of the Christmas fair. Salina Sales owner David Yeomans said noise from a generator powering a fair ride outside his Friar Street business on Friday and Saturday deterred shoppers. Mr

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Marine's killer is due for sentence

THE man responsible for the death of a Droitwich marine killed during an attack in Plymouth is due to be sentenced tomorrow. Kevin Weaver died in March after suffering serious head injuries in an attack while on a night out with friends in Plymouth city

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Give the yobs nowhere to hide

WE trust it's no coincidence that, as the festive season moves towards its peak, would-be drunks and troublemakers in Worcester's pubs and clubs have received a tough behave-or-be-banned warning. You may be a reveller who accepts trouble as part of the

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Axed school justly proud

I READ with interest the letter by WE Weston (Advertiser, November 29) about the results at Bridley Moor High School being higher than the other two schools in Redditch that are due to be kept open. I was delighted to accept an invitation recently to

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Crossing dangers for the blind

AS a blind citizen of Redditch, I write to express my disgust with the new traffic situation in the town centre. I have now completely lost my independence as even Carlo, my guide dog, is unable to manage the new system. I have to rely on my wife every

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We've been Dun say Kingfishers' rivals

REDDITCH climbed to third from bottom in the Midlands West Four South at the weekend despite losing 16-6 to league leaders Droitwich. Fellow strugglers Dunlop, who went down 27-10 to Silhillians on Saturday, suffered a double whammy when they were docked

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Flower power woos bosses

BUSINESS is flourishing at a Bromsgrove firm, which has just been made a member of an exciting business programme. The Fresh Flower Co, in High Street, Bromsgrove, is hoping to prosper further as a member of a national flowers initiative. Staff at the

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Alcester warned by captain Flynn

ALCESTER skipper Andy Flynn returned from a week's absence with the message We have to get something out of Saturday. Alcester slumped into the bottom three after a 17-6 loss to third-placed Shipston. And Flynn will want to avoid another dismal run after

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Kings give up before kick off

KINGS Norton captain Mark Waudby has admitted his beleaguered troops are expecting to be beaten by second-placed Old Coventrians on Saturday (ko 2.15pm). The hosts have leaked 385 points whilst losing all seven Midlands West Three South matches and Waudby

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Village shop hit in cash robbery

A STRING of customers left money on the counter at an unattended village shop moments after a robbery which left a shop assistant shaken, writes Julian Seva. It is believed the woman was locked in a storeroom while cash and cigarettes were stolen by two

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Relief as massacre site saved

A FIELD in northern France where a Redditch soldier saw about 80 of his comrades massacred by Nazi troops in 1940, and where many may still be buried, has been saved from desecration, writes Helen Clarke. Albert Evans, 79, of St David's House, Batchley

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Poppy Appeal hits new high

THE Royal British Legion in Redditch is celebrating an unprecedented response to its Poppy Appeal after managing to smash its previous efforts by more than £2,000. Legion chiefs were overjoyed after raising £14,120 and even more money is on the way. Poppy

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People have say on town's future

REDDITCH people can have a say in the way the town develops over the next 15 years, writes Julian Seva. Redditch Council is preparing its Local Plan, a detailed document laying out how land should be used to develop housing, industry, retail and other

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Latest beats to cut crime

POLICE beat managers are to be introduced to cover the whole of Redditch in an effort to reduce community problems, writes Becky Procter. The move has already proved a success in the central sector, which includes the town centre, and the north east sector

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No nightly clampdown

TOWNSFOLK have been reminded that they can still park on Unicorn Hill in the evenings following concern from businesses there. Since the bus station closed for redevelopment, buses have been using temporary bus stops on the road, meaning cars cannot park

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Firm raided

A computer worth £750 was stolen from R&G Mouldings in Colemeadow Road, Moons Moat, at about 2am on Monday.

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CCTV work to start next year

WORK on installing a huge CCTV system in Redditch town centre will begin in the new year as a contractor was due to be appointed this week. The move follows a long planning process by Redditch Community Safety Partnership, which includes the council and

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Petition puzzler leads to information appeal

A 375-NAME petition asking for traffic calming measures to be installed in Church Hill has arrived at Redditch Council anonymously. Council officers have received the petition but without a point of contact or covering letter and a spokesman said they

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Village digs for record

WYTHALL villagers found themselves going back to their roots recently as they took part in an attempt a land a place in the record books. The Wythall Countryside Carers were helping to plant the largest number of trees over a three-day period in a countrywide

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St Bede's steps across Europe

ST Bede's pupils will shortly be finding themselves working much closer with their foreign peers in a new project which will stretch across Europe, writes Helen Clarke. Project leader and co-ordinator Michel La Vedrine has managed to secure funds from

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Skirts on for bully-off!

REDDITCH Hockey Club pitch was besieged by mini-skirted St Trinian's girls on Sunday and not all of them were female. Their antics were all part of a fund-raising drive for a Redditch charity. Sticks were being wielded for a fun hockey match in aid of

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League tables

SPA children have been praised after the Government's league tables were published to highlight how they rank in core subjects. The performance tables, revealed on Thursday, rank schools on how 11-year-old pupils perform in English, maths and science.

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Good news for town's taxpayers

THE town's latest budget means taxes should not increase for householders next year. Droitwich Spa Town Council's finance committee revealed its draft estimates for the financial year 2001-2002 at a meeting on Monday night. Committee chairman Cllr Hugh

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Top class

DEDICATED staff at town schools have been rewarded for 25 years of service. Stepping out of the classroom for a County Hall ceremony were teachers Steve Holmes, of Westacre Middle School and Barry Walmsley and Ron Shavreen, both from Droitwich Spa High

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New scheme to combat crime

COMMUNITY spirited householders can keep up to date on crime and disorder in Droitwich Spa thanks to an innovative new scheme. The town's Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinators now have access to a telephone message system which will be refreshed weekly. It

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Santa Claus is back in town

CHILDREN from Droitwich must be on their best behaviour if they want sacks of presents this Christmas when Santa Claus comes to town. Community-spirited members of Droitwich Spa Round Table have started their annual tour with Santa's sleigh. Saint Nicholas's

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Supersub Bird in golden shot

SUPERSUB Tony Bird swooped to score a 100th minute golden goal to earn Kidderminster Harriers a 2-1 victory in last night's controversial LDV Vans Trophy first round clash with Carlisle United at rain-sodden Aggborough. A torrential downpour shortly before

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Davies poised to sign City loan deal

FORMER Manchester City apprentice Allan Davies is set to sign for Worcester City on a month's loan ahead of Saturday's clash with Ilkeston. The 28-year-old Burton Albion right-back has played more than 450 games for the Brewers but has struggled to displace

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Pop up to Catterick

Corporation Pop can give Malton trainer Malcolm Jefferson something to smile about in the Ampleforth National Hunt Novices' Hurdle at Catterick tomorrow. The stoutly-bred son of King's Ride improved throughout last season andcarried on the good work after

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Driver still over limit next day

A MAN who spent the night partying at a friend's house was still over the limit the following afternoon, a court was told. The case of William Gane came on the same day West Mercia police warned revellers that driving the next morning after a heavy night's

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£5,000 lifeline for a county youth caf

Club and council to rescue at Malvern A COUNTY youth caf that supplies Malvern youngsters with sex education has been thrown a £5,000 lifeline. Moira Jayne's Youth Caf opens for three-and-a-half days a week and hosts weekly surgeries focusing on sex education

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Spend the cash you already have

YOU reported last week that Broms-grove District Council is angered by the low level of rate support grant from the Government and will seek a meeting with the Local Government Minister to ask for more cash. I think the council should firstly consider

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Penalty nightmare leaves Rovers in a cold sweat Hinckley United (3) 4 Bromsgrove Rovers (1) 2 Dr Mar

WHEN you're down at the bottom of the table, the last thing you want to do is concede a first minute penalty. But that's exactly what happened to Rovers on Saturday as they slumped to their seventh consecutive league defeat, or relegation form to put

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RACE AGAINST TIME AND TIDE

WORCESTER could have seen its first "water" baby of the floods - but for the quick thinking of a city police officer. Dog handler PC Steve Dawe went to the rescue yesterday after spotting a worried father-to-be and his pregnant wife stuck in traffic at

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Group scoops array of awards

AN organisation for business-minded folk in Bromsgrove has scooped an array of awards for their forward-thinking. Bromsgrove Junior Chamber won five trophies at the regional Junior Chamber awards night. Members took home coveted prizes for best chamber

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Praise for resourceful council workers

A DEDICATED team of civil servants has been praised by judges after narrowly missing out on a personnel award. The human resources team, at Worcestershire County Council, was praised by judges at the Personnel Today Awards, in London, last week. The team

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Hair today

A HAIR show, organised by a salon in Bromsgrove, raised £1,600 for breast cancer charities. The Umberto Giannini team, based in High Street, organised the sell-out event at the Hilton Hotel, Birmingham Road, Bromsgrove. The show comprised of six sections

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Christine takes the helm at Chamber of Commerce

AN organisation, which plays a strategic role in business development in Bromsgrove and Droitwich Spa, has appointed a new chief executive. Christine Jones will take the helm at the Chamber of Commerce Herefordshire and Worcestershire from January 1.

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13/12/00 - Hall set to face Welsh at Sixways

FORMER England Under-21 star Chris Hall stands by for his first Worcester Rugby Club start with Andrew Lamerton rated only 50-50 to make Saturday's clash with London Welsh at Sixways. The 21-year-old has only made six substitute appearances for the Gold

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13/12/00 - Davies poised to sign City loan deal

FORMER Manchester City apprentice Allan Davies is set to sign for Worcester City on a month's loan ahead of Saturday's clash with Ilkeston. The 28-year-old Burton Albion right-back has played more than 450 games for the Brewers but has struggled to displace

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George bids farewell

REDDITCH Regents stalwart George Kerr is preparing for an emotional last outing after eight years with the club. Founder member Kerr fills the small forward position for the last time on Sunday at home to Avon Valley (tip-off 8.15pm). And the Regents

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13/12/00 - Malvern call on reserves

Malvern Town travel to Blackheath Invensys tonight (7.45pm) in the second round of the Midland Invitation Cup. Town make a couple of changes to the squad that extended their winning sequence to seven games at Little Drayton on Saturday. Dene Whittal-Williams

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Half of pregnant teens choose an abortion

BROMSGROVE has the highest proportion of teenage abortions in the entire West Midlands region, new figures have revealed. The town has a low number of teenage pregnancies, at just 24.2 per 1,000 girls under 18, but in 56 per cent of cases they were aborted

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I wonder

IN reply to Stephen Clee's letter of December 4, I wonder if the fact that the Wyre Forest's GPs are suddenly supporting the Health Authority has anything to do with them seeking trust status to run their own affairs? JOHN NORWOOD, Kidderminster.

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Kim's double gold

GOLDEN girl Kim Briggs stormed to national swimming success earlier this month. Representing the West Midlands, the 12-year-old won two gold medals at the British Telecom National Swimming Championships, in association with Disability Sport England, at

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Duo hoping for selection

TWO Bromsgrove rugby stars are on tenterhooks as they await confirmation that they have been picked for the England Under 21 squad. Alex Fellows and Alex Hadley, who both play for Moseley Rugby Club, starred in a combined Midlands and North side who played

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Town denied in stalemate

SUNDAY'S match started in poor conditions following the recent rain. Five minutes into the game a hailstorm struck making the underfoot conditions even worse. Despite the conditions both teams demonstrated good handling skills with very few dropped passes

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Social services left in disarray

THE question of Worcest-ershire County Council deficits in social services has become a tawdry story embellished by spin-doctors. Fact: At last July's council meeting it was made public that social services had a 'budget variance' for the year likely

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Where will hall go?

AT last prospective parish councillor Frank Howard talks of his first proposal, to spend many thousands of pounds of our property tax money on building a new parish hall to hold his meetings in. Where will it go - on the Recreation Ground perhaps? I speak

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Plan your response

LAST year, many of your readers will be aware there was a public examination of Worcestershire County Council's proposed structure plan at the Gifford Hotel, in Worcester. The report generated from the examination is now complete and can be viewed at

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More cup misery

THE wet weather again washed out the cup hopes of three town sides last night. The much-postponed Rameses Midland Invitation Cup tie between Alvechurch and Warley was called off and the Birmingham Senior Cup ties between Studley and Atherstone and Kings

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Studley three points clear

STUDLEY kept their title tilt on track at the weekend with an impressive 3-0 win over high-flying Romulus. The results kept Mark Chambers' side three points clear of second-placed Nun Griffs who won 1-0 at Alveston. And with Romulus one of three sides

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Kingsmen frustrated

KINGS Heath's frustrating weather-hit season continued last week with two more fixtures rained off. The postponement of the Birmingham Senior Cup tie at Stratford and the league trip to Sutton mean the Kingsmen having played only once in five weeks. And

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Burgess helps out while duo move to fresh clubs

ANYONE who watched Bromsgrove's 4-2 defeat at Hinckley United on Saturday will have been puzzled to see Richard Burgess turn out and score for Rovers after he joined Northampton Town a fortnight ago. The 21-year-old striker -- leading goalscorer and man-of-the-match

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All wrapped up

PUPILS at St John's Middle School have got their Christmas presents all wrapped up. Classmates at the Watt Close site having been filling decorated shoeboxes full of gifts as part of Operation Christmas Child. The Samaritans Purse International-run project

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This Morning to focus on town

A POPULAR daytime television show has bought a home in Bromsgrove and is planning to renovate it as part of a twice-weekly feature. ITV's This Morning is to renovate the house, the location of which they will not reveal, and the gardens, giving helpful

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Queen's speech draws reaction

THE three prospective parliamentary candidates who have been chosen to fight the Bromsgrove seat at the next General Election have given their views on the Queen's speech. Delivered to the House of Lords last Wednesday at the State opening of Parliament

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Santa's on his sleigh tour

SANTA Claus is coming to town to give children the chance to meet him and his helpers as his sleigh tours Bromsgrove from tomorrow. At each stop, from 6pm to 9.30pm, youngsters can tell Santa what they want for Christmas, while Bromsgrove Round Table,

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Pub Christmas tree is stolen

CHRISTMAS thieves have struck in Stow, stealing a pub Christmas tree just hours after it went up. The £40 tree was stolen from outside the front of the Fox Inn in Digbeth Street some time after 1am on Tuesday morning, leaving the pub's owner, Maria Midgley

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Service held for colourful character of church life

A MEMORIAL service for the Rev Thomas Richards, a former curate at St John's Church, and chaplain at Bromsgrove School, will be held next month. Always a colourful and outspoken character in church life in the county, he died, aged 96, suddenly while

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Internet shopping warning

CHRISTMAS shoppers in South Warwickshire are being warned to take care when buying goods on the internet after a survey revealed many were let down by unrealistic delivery claims last year. Warwickshire Trading Standards officers revealed this week that

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Heads' delight at schools' results

A PRIMARY school near Bromsgrove is one of the most improved in the county according to figures published by the Government, which saw many of the town's schools better last year's results. Headteachers welcomed the news of better test results for 11-

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Appeal is going 'tree-mendously'

THE campaign to light up Bromsgrove in memory of a loved one has received a tree-mendous response. Donations totalling £6,500 have already rolled in for the Lights of Love campaign which is making a Christmas tree sparkle in the town centre and raising

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Alcester Conservative Wives

THE November meeting was held at the home of Mrs Pat Grier, where members enjoyed a demonstration of Christmas floral decorations by Mrs Fran Hales. Raffle winners were Mrs S. Harris, Mrs R. Yates and Mrs Hoare. The December meeting will be the AGM, followed

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100 years ago December 15, 1900

BENEVOLENT members of Droitwich Board of Guardians decided to give an extra 1/- (5p) a week during the harsh winter months to paupers receiving relief but who still lived in their own homes. It had been proposed by the chairman, Sir Harry Vernon, from

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Marching on

THIS 1960 photograph is of the Redditch Army Cadet Force marching the Duke of Edinburgh's Banner to mark the centenary of the cadets. Pictured are OC Redditch Battery Lt Tom Wareing, escorted by Cadet Battery Sgt Maj Lawrence Newbury and a Rubery Squadron

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50 years ago

December 16, 1950 On Saturday afternoon, High Duty Alloys Ltd held their annual children's Christmas Party and over 500 children of their employees were entertained in the canteen. The hall was seasonably decorated with lights, holly and a Christmas tree

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Celebrations at organic food HQ

AN organic food wholesaler is celebrating this week after opening its new headquarters in Herefordshire. Meadowland, which supplies customers across Worcestershire and Herefordshire, survived months of planning wrangles to launch its new-look shop near

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MEP visits beet plant

THE crisis facing sugar beet farmers if EU proposals to cut tariffs for Third-World imports go ahead is to be discussed this week in Worcestershire. Euro MP for the West Midlands, Philip Bushill-Matthews, is to visit the British Sugar Plant in Kidderminster

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Shot in the arm for A&E

A TOTAL of £113,000 is to be injected into the Alexandra Hospital's accident and emergency department and primary care centre in an effort to cope with mounting winter pressures. And a further five critical care beds are being opened at the hospital,