Archive
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Parish gift
A mass took place at St Gregory's Church on Saturday, when the statue of St John Fisher was donated to the parish in memory of the school of the same name which was shut under the controversial Redditch Review.
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Safety campaign at tragedy beach
COASTGUARDS at the beach where a five-year-old Worcester girl sank into mud and died, launched a safety campaign at the spot just hours before the tragedy. The news emerged late yesterday, two days after Lelaina Hall, of Oldbury Park Primary School, St
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Hijacked lorry found - but not its load
A LORRY that was stolen at gunpoint in Worcester has been recovered following a tip-off. Police found the hijacked lorry yesterday on a Telford industrial estate, but its contents - an estimated £250,000 worth of computer equipment - were nowhere to be
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Bike crash man loses his fight for life
A 61-year-old father fighting for his life following a crash near Malvern at the weekend has died. Trevor Dyke was lifting his three-year-old son out of his red Vauxhall Cavalier on the B4211 Rhydd Green to Hanley Swan Road at 3.25pm on Sunday when a
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Guildhall opens its doors to city artists
THE BEST of Worcester's amateur art talent has been on display at the Guildhall. Outside the historic High Street building, paintings by the Worcester Society of Artists were hung on the railings and, inside, local arts groups gave short performances.
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Campaign group steps up action
A CAMPAIGN group fighting the proposed accommodation centre for asylum seekers in a Worcestershire village is urging thousands of people to write to the Prime Minister. A massive letter-writing campaign is being launched by Protest at the Asylum Centre
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Neighbours' house and car attacked
A DISTRAUGHT dad attacked the house and cars of a couple whose son he believed had molested his five-year-old daughter. The 40-year-old, from a village near Worcester, had let his anger build up for nearly two months before tearing off his shirt and lashing
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Mermaids jazz it up for Jonah and whale
MERMAIDS abound at a Worcester school which is performing the story of Jonah and the whale for its annual summer production. All 85 girls at St Mary's Convent Junior School are in the production, entitled Jonah Man Jazz. It was written and choreographed
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Talented troupes to help vulnerable
YOUNGSTERS in a city amateur dramatic society have come to the aid of vulnerable, disabled and disadvantaged children. Members of Worcester Operatic and Dramatic Society's Youth Section have decided to adopt the local branch of Barnardo's as their charity
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'Dab hand' pupil designs prize poster
A PUPIL at Blessed Edward Olcorne RC School combined her interests in art and science to design a poster for the Worcestershire Festival of Science. Annemarie Cracknell was invited by staff at the school to design the poster for the festival, which runs
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Discover Ireland in charity bike ride
A CHARITY helping youngsters with leukaemia is calling on the people of Worcestershire to get on their bikes and cycle the glorious countryside of South-West Ireland for a good cause. The Anthony Nolan Trust is currently offering a late summer break for
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It's one giant leap for Aidan
A MALVERN schoolgirl with stars in her eyes hopes to make her own giant leaps for the UK at an international space camp. Aidan Parker, aged 17, is the only Briton to take part in the United States summer school. The Malvern Girls' College pupil has joined
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MP says 'scrap the AS exam'
AS-level exams should be scrapped as they squeeze out extra-curricular subjects, fail to provide a broad knowledge, reduce teaching time and devalue the lower sixth year. Mid-Worcestershire MP Peter Luff made the claims saying the only good thing the
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Dog sinks its teeth into pub goer's nose
A MAN had his nose savaged by a dog in front of startled customers in a Worcester pub. The animal, a Labrador cross, leapt at the punter at around 10pm on Monday night in the Wheatsheaf pub, in Henwick Road, St John's. "We could hear growling and what
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Tax advice is on hand
PEOPLE needing advice on tax and National Insurance issues can take advantage of the Inland Revenue's mobile advice centre as it rolls into Bromsgrove and Kidderminster. Teams of advisers will be on hand to give free help and advice when the centre visits
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Kelvin faces op
LEGS 11 star Kelvin Reilly has undergone an operation to repair extensive damage to his hands after a horror crash at Rockingham. Reilly, lead rider for the Redditch-based team, suffered extensive damage to both hands after clashing with Phil Giles in
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26/6/02 - David awarded County benefit
Worcestershire have awarded long-serving all-rounder David Leatherdale a benefit year in 2003. The 34-year-old, who made his County debut in 1988, was capped in 1994 and has scored more than 9,000 first-class runs and over 3,400 in one-day matches. He
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Jail trashed after siege
A JAIL wing was trashed at Blakenhurst Prison during a siege by prisoners who refused to go back to their cells. The incident began at about 7.30pm last Wednesday when 33 prisoners on one wing began to protest when asked to return to their cells at the
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Farmers in crime fight
PAGERS look set to be provided to 100 Redditch farmers in a pioneering initiative aimed at fighting rural crime. The revolutionary idea has come from Redditch police and will be the first project of its kind in the country if it goes ahead. The pagers
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Warning on cheap pet gear
FISH tanks and dog beds were stolen when thieves broke into the Pets at Home store in Trafford Retail Park, off Ipsley Street. The burglary happened between 8.30pm last Thursday and 7.30am the next morning and tank pumps, filters and dog carriers were
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Cemetery safety fear
A SECURITY camera could be placed at Wythall's Middle Lane cemetery after a spate of thefts. At a full council meeting last Thursday, Wythall parish councillors were considering the idea of adding a camera to the recently completed archway roof which
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Police repeat bottle appeal
POLICE have launched a further appeal for information after a beer bottle was hurled through the window of a Redditch taxi, injuring the driver. The incident happened on Friday, May 17, between 11.30-11.40pm on Rough Hill Drive, Crabbs Cross. The 21-year-old
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Young girl 'flashed' at
REDDITCH Police are appealing for information after a man indecently exposed himself to an eight-year-old girl. The incident on Sunday happened just before 3pm in Upperfield Close, Church Hill. The girl was with a friend on the side of the road when they
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Girls excel at Midland Championships
SIX Droitwich Spa schoolgirls have every reason to be proud after being selected to represent the Midlands at athletics. Vikki Hume, Alexandra Smith-Maxwell, Marissa Maciej, Hannah Kimber, Chloe Hill and Charlotte Bury, are competing in the Independent
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Team on move for goalposts
AN unbeaten village school football team devastated after their goalposts were snatched have launched themselves into a fund-raising frenzy to buy a new set. Next week, Beoley First School pupils will be holding a sponsored walk around the football pitch
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Eight-year wait over
DROITWICH Snooker Centre have ended an eight-year wait for success after being crowned champions of the Droitwich and District Snooker League. The centre's 'A' team won the division one title from second place Aston Fields Social Club 'A'. It is the first
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Families team up for wins
TWO cycling families joined forces to bring home four medals for Bromsgrove Olympique Cycling Club at the weekend. The Dingley family and Billington family, of Fordhouse Road and Birmingham Road respectively, won a gold medal and three silvers between
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Athletes in fine form
TWO Bromsgrove athletes were on top form as they ran some of their quickest ever times at the English Schools Inter Area Competition. Daniel Fagan and Sarah Kings, both members of Bromsgrove and Redditch Athletics Club, were selected to run in the event
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Ladies reach last 64
BROMSGROVE ladies golf team have reached the last 64 of the Mail on Sunday Cup. The team, Lis Stirling, Liz Newton, Andrea Kiernan and Debbie Day, saw off Robin Hood Golf Centre 4-0 in the fifth round. Latest results from Bromsgrove Golf Club: Ladies
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We will save our bungalows
WITH reference to Council Leader David Cartwright's comments regarding the future of the bungalows in Dolphin Road (Advertiser, June 19), the residents would like to draw the attention of your readers to the following facts. On July 26, 1991, the tenants
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Stop this mass medication!
IT is 4.30 in the morning, but I cannot sleep. Why? Because I feel that I have to write this letter and hope that other like-minded people will also wake up to what is going on about people's rights. The real issue is: "Does the Government have the right
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We should go to any lengths
AS there is some doubt as to the safety and hygiene aspect of Hewell Road Swimming Baths, it is obvious Redditch is in urgent need of a new swimming pool. This urgency is about 30 years overdue as many times the pool has been repaired or upgraded and
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Choice is not a good example
IF Redditch Council seeks to name a street after a Pakistani leader (Advertiser, June 12) there are better choices than Qaid-e-Azam MA Jinnah. In modern parlance, he was a racist and a zealot. The speech he made as leader of the Muslim League of India
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Letter from Westminster
AS the minister responsible for social services, children, mental health and fostering, I meet many national organisations asking me questions, seeking help and setting out what they do. But as a constituency MP, I have recently met a variety of people
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Inkberrow are getting closer
INKBERROW reduced the gap on PRS Summer Tennis League leaders Studley to one point with a 3-1 win at bottom side Henley. Studley have taken 15 points from five matches but have a game in hand over the second placed villagers. Littleton stayed third, a
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Kickboxers go to town
STUDLEY American Kickboxing has relocated to a new Redditch venue. Previous members are asked to call Mike on 07984 378827 or John on 07979 647367 for details.
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Golfing duo miss the cut
TWO Redditch golfers have just returned from Ireland after competing in the finals of one of the world's largest golf tournaments. Neil Cooper, 28 and Steve Fanning, 36, qualified for a free trip to Ireland to compete in the finals of the International
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Waters are booked up
THE Birmingham Anglers' Association has booked the following waters for this week. Saturday, June 29 River Avon at Avon Meadows; Bidford LB; Fladbury Below; River Severn at Knowle Sands 1; Hampton Loade LB1 and 2; Brook Section 1 and 2; Hampton Loade
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Splash out
A charity car wash in aid of Alzheimer's sufferers will be held at Bowood Mews residential home, Hewell Road, Enfield, on Friday, July 12, from 10am- 4pm.
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25 Years Ago
May 27, 1977 Studley-born Sir Edward Perkins, who became personal detective to the Queen, has died aged 68. Educated at Alcester Grammar School, he joined the Metropolitan Police in 1927. He became personal body-guard to the Queen Mother in 1941. In 1954
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100 years ago
June 21, 1902 While on the subject of police arrangements at Redditch, necessitated by the impeding retirement of Superintendent Jeffery and the formation of Redditch into a separate sessionary division with a superintendent together stationed there,
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100 years ago
June 28, 1902 AT the Worcestershire Assizes on Tuesday before Mr Justice Wright, Samuel Middleton, Labourer, of Spring Hill Lane, Foxlydiate, was arraigned on the charge of murdering his wife, Hannah Middleton, at Foxlydiate, near Redditch, on May 10th
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25 years ago
June 24, 1977 SOMETHING distinctly fishy has been going on down at Arrow Valley Lake recently. Passers-by may have noticed two men with fishing rods landing fish as if they were going out of style. Onlookers may be forgiven for thinking the men were two
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Walkabout
Batchley residents, police and Redditch Council officers will be taking a walk around the estate on Saturday, July 6. The walkabout has been set up to highlight any problems and hotspots on the estate and those taking part will also give the area a bit
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What's On Guide
Thursday, June 27 Rod Stewart, Birmingham NEC Arena. Tickets from 0870 909 4133. Mad Half Hour Theatre Co: Camped Out, Solihull Arts Complex. Tickets from 0121 704 6962. Sound It Out: Musical Connections Concert, Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham. Tickets
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Player appeal
Redditch United under 7's want budding Beckhams to join the team this World Cup summer. Aaron Byng and Dave Guest are on the lookout for fresh legs and a new sponsor to join the U7's squad. Anyone interested can call 07763 485 577 or 07980 178 838. FECKENHAM
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Alex goes green
The Patients' Environment Action Team has awarded the Alexandra Hospital the highest 'green' status following an inspection in March. The team visits hospitals to assess the overall patient experience from arrival to the time they leave. It includes looking
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Fete workers after healthy response
ORGANISERS of this year's Alexandra Hospital fete are hoping to raise £10,000 to buy special beds for the orthopaedic and trauma wards. The hospital's League of Friends is busy preparing for this year's event on Saturday, July 6. Cash raised will go towards
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Tommy on form
ENGLAND Taekwondo team member Phill Tommy, 22, from Church Hill, won gold in the GTUK British Championships at Stratford, for sparring in the red to black tag category. Tommy has had a succesful year, winning gold at the British ITF Championships and
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Arrow starter
ARROW AC fished its first match of a new series of Saturday contests, one a month until 2003 on the River Arrow at Wixford. June's winner was in-form Alan Bradshaw, bagging 5lb 15oz of chublets using hemp and caster on the long pole from peg 28. Runner-up
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Ad lib night
An evening of side-splitting improvisation takes place at Redditch United Football Club. A Birmingham-based group of actors, including Sarah Watts, 29, from Redditch, will be performing in Dr Comedy's Side-Split Surgery on Monday, July. The show, at 8.30pm
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County close in on cup progress
WORCESTERSHIRE'S bowls players made it two wins out of two in this season's Middleton Cup with a 35-shot success over Herefordshire at Gilt Edge, Kidderminster. Worcestershire had the upper hand for most of the early stages of the game on an excellent
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Excellent debut for Matthews
Worcester driver Tim Matthews made an excellent debut in his first drive in the Sports 2002 Championship at Croft in Yorkshire. Driving a Ford engined Royale Matthews was racing in a one-hour enduro with a compulsory five-minute stop for refuelling. Qualifying
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Council's amnesty on wrecks
UNWANTED and unsightly cars in Wythall, Alvechurch and Beoley are being collected for free as part of Operation Fire-Safe. Bromsgrove Council has followed Redditch's lead by joining forces with police and fire services to rid the district of dumped cars
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Community celebrates double first
TWO separate community facilities are set to open within days of each other in Batchley following months of hard work and planning. At a neighbourhood group meeting, residents were informed about the progress on the projects being spearheaded by Batchley
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Focus on council
REDDITCH Council is gearing up for a number of special events starting in July and August as part of the community strategy. The 20:20 Vision events will take place on Saturdays and Sundays giving councillors and officers a chance to speak to as many
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Dolphin pledge
ABBEYDALE residents who fear their homes could be demolished have been assured nothing will happen without their full support. The Redditch Advertiser last week revealed plans to knock down bungalows in Dolphin Road and redevelop the site. Redditch Council
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It's a game visit for Les
GAME show host Les Dennis pays his first visit to Malvern Theatres next week in a play by popular comic playwright Alan Ayckbourn. Les is better known to viewers as the host of Family Fortunes but he has enjoyed acclaim for West End roles in Cherished
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Light up the night
A MUSICAL spectacular which includes classics by some of the world's greatest composers is being staged in the grounds of Ragley Hall this summer. The Firework and Music Fantasia, which features music by Puccini, Bach, Dvorak, Brahms, Johann Strauss and
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Stars line up for Aladdin
COMIC book hero Spider-Man is the latest star to join the Birmingham Hippodrome's Christmas pantomime Aladdin. Spider-man will be transferring his amazing powers to the stage where he will be fighting evil and helping Aladdin rid pantoland of the baddies
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Musical memories of old Brum
A MUSICAL celebration of Brum featuring Radio WM presenter Malcolm Boyden begins a run at Birmingham Repertory Theatre next week. Wallop Mrs Cox is set in and around the famous Bull Ring and follows the fortunes and heartaches of the Cox family. Life
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Camping it up...
AN explosive comedy about a working class family and their annual trip to a holiday camp in the 1970s is on the bill at Solihull Arts Complex. Camped Out, presented by the Mad Half Hour Theatre Company, promises disasters, laughs and tears as the characters
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Crazy defeat
THIS week in the Leisure Leagues season at Trinity High School on Wednesday T&R sports beat Crazy Yaks 6-3. This gives them a six point lead at the top of the Premier Division over Bruno's Boys who have a game in hand. Harchester Utd played well but
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Tories re-select Karen for fight
Redditch Conservatives have re-selected Karen Lumley as prospective parliamentary candidate. Mrs Lumley, 38, fought last year's election for the party. She was recently elected a Redditch councillor for West ward and said she was delighted to be reselected
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Monsoon Wedding (15) Three star
THIS exuberant family drama from Mira Nair crosses national boundaries and celebrates universal human nature. The film follows the extended Verma family of Delhi as their daughter, Aditi (the blue-eyed beauty Vasundhara Das), agrees to a last-minute arranged
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Come Away With Me Norah Jones Three star
THE 22-year-old's debut album is a mixture of blues and country with a healthy helping of jazz thrown in. But Norah isn't the type of girl who would feature in the Fast Show's jazz club slot - she's way too cool for that. It's a bit disappointing that
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Bands line up for big battle
By Melina Cannon Arts correspondent SIX bands will be battling it out for top spot in a Battle of the Bands competition at The Venue, Hewell Road, on Saturday. The competition is being staged by Fecentrly Promotions and each band will play 20-minute sets
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D-TOX (18) Four star
A HARD-hitting, powerful film which is full of shocks and nail-biting scenes from the off. Sylvester Stallone is in fine form as cool and collected cop and people's champion Jake Malloy. Everything in Malloy's life seems to be coming up roses until one
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Hall quashes Redditch rumour
SOLIHULL Borough forward Derek Hall has dismissed rumours he is heading for the Valley. The Borough target man has been linked with a move to Redditch United as the pre-season rumour mill goes into overdrive. With leading scorer Paul Danks departing for
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Angling round-up
WITH the glorious Sunday, June 16 kicking off the new river season, expectations were high for good catches. But, as usual, our local Avon and Severn rarely fishes well. Most reports have been pretty dismal except for the faster stretches below weirs,
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Three Choirs Festival, Worcester - 17-23 August 2002
THE Three Choirs Festival, Britain's premier and the world's oldest choral festival, celebrates the 275th meeting of the cathedral choirs of Gloucester, Hereford and Worcester in the magnificent cathedral city of Worcester from 17 to 23 August 2002. Reviews
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Couple's breakthrough
A CATSHILL couple fighting to keep the paedophile who murdered their son caged have won a major breakthrough. Sue and Tony Edmonston, both aged 51, launched a campaign, through the Bromsgrove Advertiser/Messenger, to stop a parole panel from releasing
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Wage bill to soar by 90k
A NEW top level post could be created by Bromsgrove District Council as part of a management shake-up costing an extra £90,000 a year - the Advertiser/Messenger can exclusively reveal. The proposal is for a new deputy corporate director to join a revamped
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New plans go on show
PLANS for an ambitious scheme to upgrade a children's holiday farm in a village near Bromsgrove went on show last week when it staged an open day. As revealed in this newspaper last week, Dodford Children's Holiday Farm, in Warbage Lane, which this year
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Hunting treasure
TOWN children took part in a hunt for precious jewels hidden in Sanders Park as part of the Jubilee celebrations and now the ten lucky winners have been announced. Nearly 200 youngsters entered the treasure hunt for 50 golden crowns, which was held during
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In gear to beat crime
POLICE in Bromsgrove are driving forward a new initiative to slash car crime. The Community Safety Team will spend the next three months investigating all aspects of vehicle crime in the area and encouraging the public to keep their property safe. Sgt
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Royal seal of approval
YOUNG artist Katie Egerton has chalked up national acclaim with her winning portrait of the Queen in a Blue Peter competition. The seven-year-old was one of just 50 winners from a total of more than 18,000 entries in the children's TV show's My Queen
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Free fruit for all
IN their parents' day milk was the traditional break-time refreshment to help build a healthy body but today's youngsters grab a slice of their daily goodness by tucking into free fruit. Every day children at first schools in and around Bromsgrove and
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Twist and go for it at rally
THE roaring sounds of vintage motorbikes echoed around Bradley Green when 75 bikes rode into town for a rally. The bikers stopped off at the village's Red Lion pub, in Hanbury Road, on Saturday, June 15, on their way to Bromsgrove and Droitwich on an
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Cash boost for school
IT'S double delight at a Rubery school which has scooped long-awaited funds to improve its playing field and won coveted awards. Reaside Junior School, in New Inns Lane, is a step closer to revamping its sports field after securing £117,000 from Birmingham
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A night at the Prom
A NIGHT at the prom was enjoyed by Rubery students who donned their glad rags for a very special evening. Teenagers from Waseley Hills High School swapped school uniforms for elegant ballgowns and smart suits when they partied the night away at their
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Blaze sparks a full scale alert
ALARMED residents were evacuated from their homes when fire broke out close to a Bromsgrove petrol station. Police evacuated around 50 houses when the blaze, which is thought to have started on wasteland behind Spa Cars in Birmingham Road, tore through
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Fighting new road proposals
BROMSGROVE planners are fighting proposals to build a bypass through the district for fear it will carve up the countryside and turn into another motorway. Bromsgrove District Council will not support the Stourbridge Western Bypass, which will cut through
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Target times achieved
THE ambulance service helping residents in Bromsgrove, Rubery and Droitwich Spa has been making massive improvements on reaching life-threatening calls. National performance statistics published on Tuesday June 11, revealed Hereford and Worcester Ambulance
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Bostin' show off up North
A RUBERY rock writer is ready to get his show on the high road to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. MG Rover design engineer Giovanni Esposito has a busy summer ahead on the stage with his Black Country Rock musical. It's returning to the Crescent Theatre
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Rubery Half Marathon is hailed a success
A MAJOR sporting event on Rubery's calendar has been hailed a success. More than 100 athletes completed the 13-mile Rubery Half Marathon, which included climbing Beacon Hill twice. Sporty types also travelled from far and wide to enter the Worcestershire
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Action call over pigeons
A WOMAN who gets in a flap at the sight of pigeons is concerned about the growing number of feathered friends in Bromsgrove town centre. Celia Wilson, of Stoke Prior, has a phobia of birds but is particularly scared of pigeons. The married mum-of-two
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Achtung, c'est uno language day
REDDITCH schools will join others from across the county next week to celebrate the diversity of language. Pitcheroak School and Ipsley, St Bede's and Alvechurch Middle schools will take part in the Festival of Languages Showcase 2002 on Tuesday. The
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Work to start on school
By Melina Cannon BUILDING work to build a new £2-3 million school on the former Moatfield Middle School site could start within weeks. The new school, a one-storey L-shaped building, will cater for about 350 pupils and is due to open in September 2003
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Group's security gift
HARRY Taylor First School has been awarded Neighbourhood Group cash to complete a project which includes improving security. The Evesham Road school was granted £1,500 at a previous Crabbs Cross, Hunt End and Walkwood Neighbourhood Group meeting for play
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Britten bonanza
FINAL year NEW College art and design students will be displaying project work at a Redditch exhibition this week. The college's art school at Britten House is the venue with the exhibition running until Friday from 9.30am-5pm. A preview night took place
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Mean thief
REGARDING the person who cut our England flag from our car aerial during the night, I have this question - how low can you get? We'd bought it that day. It cost a pound from the Party Shop. If you wanted one we could have told you. E WOOD, Arboretum,
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Typical Labour spin
I WOULD like to reply to the letter from Dawn Turner (You Say, June 19). As the election co-ordinator for all the Independent candidates for May 2002, I can categorically state that no canvassing took place by the Independents after the announcement of
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They should be sent to France
MOST of us agree that it is unsuitable to house illegal immigrants in rural areas where there are no facilities. On their arrival in the UK, they be immediately shipped back to France where they should be processed or returned from whence they came. Or
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Hunt ban would not help the animals
I WRITE in reply to the letter from John Phelps (You Say, June 17) on the subject of the Burns enquiry into hunting. As Mrs M J Large was not prepared to debate in a rational manner any evidence I have offered regarding hunting and country sports it seemed
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Bonus win
ALCESTER and Ragley Park stayed in the title hunt in Division One of the Cotswold Hills League despite not playing a ball at the weekend. The Ragley Park side were left without a fixture on Saturday after learning opponents Stratford III's could not raise
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Mark's hope
HEWELL'S unbeaten run was extended to four matches at the weekend with a winning draw at Worcester Corinthians. Bat Ian Williams top scored with 51 as the Donkey Hole Lane side reached 212 for seven. But Mark Allcock's men could not finish the job as
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Swapping ideas and opinions
BOOKWORMS at a Spa school were in their element when a book fair came to visit. Youngsters at St Joseph's RC Primary School, in Ombersley Way, looked at all sorts of weird and wonderful stories as the book fair came to their school on its annual visit
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Millers beaten
FECKENHAM'S title hopes were dented by a heavy defeat to Cookley at the weekend. Andy Fletcher's side went into the game with an eye on top spot but ended up on the wrong end of a 52-run loss which saw Eastnor leapfrog them into second. The damage was
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Celebrating a tree-mendous effort
A COUNTY club has put out a heartfelt thank-you to Spa townsfolk after it presented a cheque, for nearly £700, to a national charity. The money, £675, was raised by Worcestershire Woodturners and given to the charity Different Strokes, at an informal
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Let the games begin
THE Commonwealth Games look set to come to Droitwich Spa when more than 100 children take part in a sporting extravaganza. A Mini Commonwealth Games event is due to be held at Droitwich Spa High School and Droitwich Leisure Centre, both in Briar Mill,
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Priest faces poser
WYTHALL skipper Martin Priest faces his toughest selection poser of the season on Saturday after the emergence of new signing Tony Bates. The former Moseley youth caught the eye in a narrow Sunday League defeat to Birmingham Premier stalwarts Old Hill
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50 years ago June 28, 1952
THE Rev J Crofts was given a cordial welcome by parishioners at All Saints Church in Bromsgrove when he was installed as the new vicar, the second in 18 months. In the congregation was his father who had been rector of Romsley from 1935-41. n A FIVE-TON
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100 years ago June 28, 1902
THE sad news, less than two days before it was set to take place, that the Coronation would have to be postponed because of the King's grave illness was met with disbelief in Bromsgrove at first. Organisers of the many celebratory events in the town and
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Archer strikes for Jersey win
A WYCHBOLD archer has struck gold after firing his way to victory in the Channel Islands. Nigel Watts, of Chequers Lane, won the indoor section of the Jersey Triple archery competition earlier this month. The three-day event was made up of three sections
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Residents have say on library
BIDFORD residents can have their say on the opening hours for a long-awaited facility. Two thousand questionnaires are being delivered so villagers can give their views on opening times for the new library. It is being built as part of a multi-million
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Festival is a great success
A PRESTIGIOUS music event has been hailed as a great success by one of the key organisers, writes Lisa Heritage. Bromsgrove Festival chairman Mary White has already put her thinking cap on as to what to organise next year after the great response she
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Written word
A BROMSGROVE man has shown he has a talent for the written word after having a book of poems published. Andy Skitt, of South Road, Aston Fields, has just had a selection of his work published in a collection called Untepid Days. The book features works
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Family fun
FUN for all the family is on offer this weekend with two events set to draw the crowds into a Bromsgrove park. The Shirley Brass Band will perform between 2.30pm and 4.30pm in Sanders Park's bandstand, in Kidderminster Road, on Sunday, June 30. And the
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Folk festival
WELL-known folk acts from Bromsgrove will help kick-off the town's annual folk festival. The Lads and Dads, Urwin-Payne, Gemini, Clive Brooks and Martin Willis, will be on hand to entertain the audience at Bromsgrove Folk Club tomorrow (Thursday). They
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What's on guide
Thursday, June 27 Drama: The Herbal Bed, Crescent Theatre, Sheepcote Street, Birmingham, 7.45pm. Tribute: Cream'd, Cream Tribute, The Robin, R n B Club 1, Merry Hill, Brierley Hill, 9pm. Music: Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel, The Robin 2, Bilston, 9pm
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Burglars caught by landlord
THREE burglars who broke into a cottage in a south Warwickshire village were caught thanks to the suspicions of the landlord of the local pub, Warwick Crown Court heard. Simon Deardon, the licensee of the Three Horseshoes pub in Wixford, near Alcester
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From our archives...
June 24, 1977 ALCESTER is being proclaimed as Queen of the Jubilee towns. Letters of praise and congratulations are flooding into the town from all over the country as the brightly coloured streets and streets remain the envy of the region. News of Alcester's
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Courting big fines
DRIVERS who continue to use bus-only routes in Redditch town centre could now come up before magistrates, police have warned. The get-tough move comes 18 months after traffic bans were enforced along Church Green and Unicorn Hill to allow the temporary
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Road collapses
A ROAD used as a diversion for buses during the major works in the town centre has been closed off after it collapsed. A large hole appeared in Britten Street on Friday after a water main burst and highways engineers have been working round the clock
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Dog collared
A dog had to be rescued by fire crews after getting its head stuck in a watering can. Firefighters were called to help the stricken animal at about 10.20pm on Monday in Mount Pleasant.
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It's the pluck of the Irish
A MAN proved it really is a long way to Tipperary when he stopped off in Beoley on Monday night as part of a 1,500-mile charity trek driving a horse and cart. Partially sighted, diabetic heart patient Nick Patiniotis, his horse Grainne and dog Ci stayed
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Firm banks on pedal power
ABOUT 120 Halfords staff took part in a sponsored bike ride to raise funds for a cancer charity after one of their colleagues was diagnosed with the disease. Staff at the company's Washford headquarters took part in the event on Sunday in aid of Macmillan
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On front line
Wythall's green-fingered gardeners will be fighting it out in the village's best kept frontage competition starting next month. Judging for the Wythall Parish Council event will start on July 22. Entry forms will be available at the parish council office
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Expanding
Studley Credit Union, which has served the village for more than three years, is to extend its services to all those living in South Warwickshire. The expansion is being done in conjunction with South Warwickshire Housing Association. The union offers
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Petal power
Rowney Green residents are gathering together their blooming creations for the annual rose show to be held on Saturday, July 13. Entry is 15p per class and there are 28 classes in total, including a category entitled Celebrating the Queen's Golden Jubilee
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Children urged to lose pip over fruit
FIVE schools have been included in a countrywide pilot scheme giving children a chance for a healthy start in life. Batchley First, Beoley First, Holyoakes Field First, Inkberrow First and Feckenham First schools have joined 1,800 others across the region
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Boars make it two in a row
BROMSGROVE CC First XI made it two wins on the bounce as they recorded their third win of the season with a nine-wicket victory at Attock. The Boars delivered a dominating performance against the Birmingham and Premier League first division strugglers
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James is the toast of Croft
DAVID James is the toast of Avoncroft CC after hitting a quickfire 173 not out during the First XI's 70-run victory at Old Vigornians. James, who reached his total in a 110-minute spell spanning 34 overs, needed only 45 minutes to move from 50 to 150
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Double ton Fletcher but mixed weekend
CUTNALL Green CC batsman Neil Fletcher was in a class of his own last weekend as he knocked in two centuries in the space of 24 hours. Fletcher hit an unbeaten 131 not out on Saturday as his side completed a commanding 10-wicket trouncing of Hanley Castle
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Kath in line for hush money
A REDDITCH woman who is renowned for talking will attempt to keep quiet when she takes part in a sponsored silence. Kath Arnold, 64, of Oakenshaw South, will try to stay silent for four hours during her shift at the Three Cooks, Evesham Road, Astwood
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Florence's grand day
SPRIGHTLY Florence Rone-Clarke began her second century with a party surrounded by family and friends. The 101 year old celebrated her birthday at Four Acres Home in Studley surrounded by friends and family, including her two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren
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Hitting back at subway claim
DEAR EDITOR - In response to the story of the underpass plagued by drugs in last week's issue of the Droitwich Spa Advertiser, I am writing to show my outrage in what I read. Local residents have complained of noise and drug taking till late at night
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Job fair success
THIS year's Redditch Advertiser Jobs and Careers Fair has been hailed a great success by exhibitors. The fair, in the Kingfisher Centre on Friday had 16 stands and a huge choice of exhibitions, including Debenhams and B&Q. Exhibitors on the day said
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Debate over veterinary charges continues
DEAR EDITOR - I was told that a local veterinary practice manager was to pen a reply to concerns expressed in the local press over veterinary charges, and by golly, what an eloquent and robust response we have had. I have no real disagreement with any
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Cleaning explained
DEAR EDITOR - Your lead story recently is another example of the madness of Bromsgrove District Council. They are considering having the pedestrianised area of the High Street cleaned of chewing gum, although to quote Mr Moody three months after it is
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Action against Westlands
DEAR EDITOR - Will someone please tell me who David Simone-Jones is, how many people belong to his action group and also what did he hope to achieve with his big announcement that "there is a head lice outbreak" at Westlands First School? That action
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Gloom for NHS
BUDGET tax increases to "save" the National Health Service will not bring improvements and could cost jobs, a West Midlands business survey has revealed. The survey of 8,500 members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in the region, showed that
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Clerk's new job
THE West Mercia Magistrates' Court Committee Clerk has been appointed personal assistant to the chairwoman of West Mercia Probation Board. Fiona Cooksey was Magistrates' Courts Committee Clerk for 14 years. "Fiona brings a broad experience of the criminal
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Firm is flash due to cash
A SMALL Redditch publishing firm has received a £2,400 grant to promote cutting-edge poetry from around the world. Flarestick Publishing was set up in 1995 by former Redditch Library manager Charles Johnson and library administrator Jane Clarke. With
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Display will just fit together
THE force will be at work in Redditch tomorrow when a Star Wars LEGO event stars. The Kingfisher Centre will be hosting the event from 9am-6pm every day until Monday, July 1, in Worcester Square and entry is free. A walk-in Star Wars environment has been
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Masonic party fun
MORE than 100 members and guests of Ipsley Lodge Freemasons attended a garden party in Headless Cross. More than £900 was raised on the day, which will be split between Masonic charities and the Hall Building Fund. A surprise guest was the Assistant Provincial
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Charities to collect cash
MONEY collected from this year's Astwood Bank Carnival is set to be distributed next week. The cash raised for local charities will be handed out on Thursday, July 4, at the White Lion pub, Astwood Bank. The meeting, which starts at 8pm, is also open
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Be seated
The winner of our Wyevale garden furniture competition was Pam Mace, of Tredington Close, Woodrow.
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26/6/02 - Big Ben backed to lead charge
ANDY Keast is backing big Ben to sound out a promotion chime at Worcester Rugby Club. The Sixways assistant coach played a big part in Ben Hinshelwood's call-up to Scotland's squad for their recent North American tour after personally recommending him
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Best-selling poet drops by
"Never trust a journalist, Hostile, friendly, sober, p***ed, Male or female - that's the rule. When tempted to confide, resist. Never trust a journalist." THE words from one of best-selling poet Wendy Cope's works did not put me off when I ventured along
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Beoley WI
MEMBERS were welcomed with a glass of wine and a piece of gateau to celebrate the Golden Jubilee. The National Anthem was sung and a toast made to the Queen. Adam Evans then kept everyone enthralled with a lovely melody of songs on the organ. This was
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Hopwood WI
PRESIDENT Ann Thurrell opened the meeting by welcoming two visitors. A letter received from Jackie Gregory was read out, thanking all who had contributed to the shoebox appeal or knitted jumpers. Congratulations were extended to Elizabeth Clement for
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Ipsley WI
THE June meeting saw the branch resettled in its original home after the refurbishment of Woodfield Middle School. Thanks to Woodrow Library for the past year. Transport arrangements were made for various outings and details of the outing to the Botanical
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Soroptimists International
A Successful promotional party was held by the Bromsgrove & Redditch branch at member Nancy Doyle's clinic in Bromsgrove. The meeting was attended by a number of interested ladies to whom the aims and objectives of Soroptimism were explained by president
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Fun event to kick off
A FIVE-a-side football tournament featuring about 20 teams will be held at Webheath First School next month as part of a fund-raising day. The tournament kicks off at noon on Saturday, July 6, and there will also be other attractions such as face painting
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School days
A Redditch first school celebrated its 125th birthday today. To commemorate the occasion, Harry Taylor First School is throwing open its doors to former pupils in two open days tomorrow and Friday. The school will be open from 9.30-11.30am and 1.30-3.30pm
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Multi-Million Revamp?
SAINSBURY'S is preparing to fund a seven-figure revamp of Christopher Whitehead High School to end the long-running St John's store wars, the Evening News has learnt. Sainsbury bosses hope the package will kill off the prospect of Tesco winning the battle
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City man cleared of revenge attack
A WORCESTER man accused of a revenge attack on his mother's ex-boyfriend has been cleared at Worcester Crown Court. It was alleged that Matthew Linsey hit Anthony Meredith with a bat or a piece of wood as he walked home from a pub. Mr Meredith, aged 35
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'I thought he was dead, to be honest'
A WORCESTER stag-night reveller who lay undiscovered for more than 48 hours after falling through a roof is still fighting for his life in hospital. Tom Wilkes went missing from Tramps nightclub at around 1am on Sunday morning, and was not found until
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Fire strike looms as pay gripe flares up
FIREFIGHTERS could strike in Worcester in a protest over pay. Across the country, the Fire Brigades Union is campaigning for a 39 per cent pay increase, boosting salaries to £30,000 a year for a firefighter with four years' service. Steve Laugher, FBU
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Save someone's life
LIFESAVERS are being urged to drop into Worcester Rugby Club as the National Blood Service holds a collection session tomorrow. Sixways players Craig Chalmers and Duncan Roke teamed up with the service's mascot Billy Blood Drop to promote the event, which
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'Tragic case for man of good character'
A LORRY driver who attacked his cheating wife after 34 years of marriage has escaped a prison sentence. Robert Baker gripped her around the throat, making it difficult to breathe, and warned: "If I can't have you, no one else will," Worcester Crown Court
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Last respects paid to the 11th Earl of Coventry
MOURNERS were expected to pack two Worcestershire churches today to pay their respects to the 11th Earl of Coventry. George William Coventry, of Earl's Croome, died on Friday, June 14, following a heart attack. The 68-year-old, who had been staying at
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Anonymity for beaten women?
WOMEN throughout the county who are beaten up by their husbands could be granted anonymity in court under new Government proposals to stamp out domestic violence. Victims, who often feel shame and embarrassment, would be more likely to testify against
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Angry residents call for meeting with councillors
ST Peter's residents have challenged councillors who approved Tesco's application to open for 24 hours a day to face the music at a public meeting. People living near the store are furious the firm's application to open around the clock was passed by
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26/6/02 - Barton chases winger
WORCESTER City manager John Barton hopes he may be close to filling one of his problem positions on the left wing. Barton is in talks with an unnamed winger who has just been released by a Football League club, and believes he has a chance of landing
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The fans done good say police
POLICE have commended Redditch football fans for their behaviour on Friday after England were knocked out of the World Cup. Hundreds of people watched their country bow out of the competition after losing 2-1 to Brazil in the early morning game. The news
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Man is charged with wounding
A 35-year-old man has been arrested and charged with wounding following reports of a stabbing incident at about 10pm on Saturday. Police are investigating the incident, in Fordbridge Close in Headless Cross. A 25-year-old man, whose injuries were not
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Kim swims to gold
A DROITWICH swimmer has fought off competition from across the West Midlands to win a gold medal. Kim Briggs, a pupil at the town's high school, in Briar Mill, finished first in the 100m freestyle at the npower Active Regional Swimming Competition in
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Golfers off mark at last
BROMSGROVE Golf Club's 17-24 Handicap team is finally off the mark in the league with a convincing win at Cannock Park last Saturday. In gusty conditions with some lightening fast greens, Bromsgrove recorded an aggregate team Stableford score of 260 points
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Crewe's luck changes
BROMSGROVE rally driver Nathan Crewe has endured rotten luck of late in the raceandrally.com 1400 Championship. Crewe and co-driver Chris Clifford were forced to miss the last round altogether due to engine failure and were looking just to finish round
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Craig is Manchester-bound
BROMSGROVE will be represented at this summer's Commonwealth Games after a school hockey coach was called into the England squad. Craig Parnham, hockey coach at Bromsgrove School, in Worcester Road, is part of the 16-man squad heading to Manchester for
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Council could set area aside
REGARDING the article in the Advertiser about youngsters on field bikes riding through woodland in Batchley (Asdvertiser, June 12). It's the same old story - moan, moan, moan. Why doesn't the council set aside an area of the woods to use? And while on
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Small man with big heart
I EXPECT most people know now about the death of Roy Cook, 'Cookie' as most people will remember him. To those people who did not know Roy, he was that little fat man who drove the town's sweeper. I had the privilege of knowing Roy from the mid 1970s
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Please put that chain saw away
MANY thanks to Mr Dickens for explaining the reason for the sudden decimation of our trees by Redditch Council (Letters, June 12). Had he not explained the arrival of a new chain saw, I would have suspected a mad axeman had infiltrated the town hall,
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Let's not be left behind
Being a resident of Redditch for some 10 years, I am now quite devoted to the town. I am also an IT professional who uses the internet a lot for business and pleasure. As such, I recently applied to British Telecom to have ADSL (High Speed Internet) provided
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School v superstore saga in St John's
SO. The St John's supermarket v school saga goes on. Another surprise is sprung this morning with the Evening News front page revelation that Sainsbury's is prepared to pay for a multi-million revitalisation of the present Christopher Whitehead school
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Andy slips behind
JETSKIIER Andy Rich lost ground in his bid to lift the British Summer Series and complete an impressive double. The Greenlands youngster saw title rival Ray Purkiss storm to two wins in the latest round at Rother Valley Country Park, near Sheffield. Rich
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Wilshaw is on course
CALLOW Hill ace Jason Wilshaw is sitting on a comfortable lead after another successful weekend in the Classics Club Post Classics Series. The Redditch biker posted two third places in an eventful weekend at the Rockingham Oval. And with chief rival Mark
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One left for Andy
WINYATES Green biker Andy Burbidge is just one signature away from securing his national licence after strengthening his grip on the EMRA Championship at the weekend. The young rider claimed an impressive one-two at Mallory Park to increase his lead in
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Redditch ace plays catch up
CLIO Cup star Enzo Mucci admits he will be playing catch up in the next round of the Championship after missing the Brands Hatch testing day. The Oakenshaw driver competes on the Indy circuit in round six at the weekend and was forced to miss testing
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Town hosts Heart meet
Redditch hosted the second Heart of England track and field league meeting on Sunday. Sarah Kings ran away with a 100m and 200m sprint double in the U17 women's race with times of 13.5 and 28.3 respectively. In the same age group, Jennie Mole came second
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Greet result for Alcester
After three successive defeats, Alcester visited Greet in the Heart of England League. Alcester got off to a dream start with John Alderson winning 21-2, Jean Bannister (21-16) also won leaving the visitors 13 shots ahead at the halfway mark. Next card
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Car crime hit squad
By Becky Procter A SPECIAL police team has been set up to tackle car crime in Redditch over the next three months. The community safety team will work to cut all aspects of car crime, raise awareness and target known hotspots with leaflet drops. Car owners
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50 Years Ago
May 31, 1952 Studley Parish Council broke away from a tradition at its annual meeting on Tuesday by appointing a woman as its chairman for the ensuing year. The new chairman, Mrs A S Midlane, is the only woman member on the council and is the first woman
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25 years ago
June 17 , 1977 WHAT is 65 years old, narrow, metallic brown in colour, 17 ft high and stops ladies in long, flowing costumes from reaching the Palace Theatre stage? The answer: a spiral staircase. The staircase, which is part of the original building
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50 years ago
June 21, 1952 OVER £180 was raised for the Studley Roman Catholic Church restoration fund as the result of a successful garden fete held at Haye Farm, Mappleborough Green, last Saturday. The event was organised jointly by members of the Catholic Young
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50 years ago
June 28, 1952 AT a meeting of Worcestershire Health Committee today (Saturday) the ambulance sub-committee will recommend the acquisition of a site in Hewell Road, Redditch, offered by Redditch Urban District Council for the erection of a prefabricated
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New fears over A435
CONCERNS have been raised that a piece of land central to any future proposals for a Studley bypass may be sold off. Studley MP John Maples is now lobbying for the land, which forms part of the Winyates Green Triangle, to be offered first to Stratford
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Comedy al fresco
AN open-air production of a family comedy is being staged at Forge Mill Museum this week. Redditch Amateur Theatre Society presents Charley's Aunt at the Riverside venue from Friday until Sunday. The classic Victorian comedy by Brandon Thomas follows
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Beat a Premiership goalkeeper
BROMSGROVE Rovers Supporters Society are doing their bit for the town carnival this weekend with a beat the goalie competition. Star guest for the day will be former Aston Villa, Birmingham City and Leicester City stopper Kevin Poole, now on the books
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Centurions
CRICKET fans were treated to a feast of batting at the weekend as three Bromsgrove and Droitwich Spa batsmen hit a total of 543 runs between them, compiling four centuries in the process. Avoncroft's David James, Cutnall Green's Neil Fletcher and Droitwich
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Crowle out in the semis
CROWLE men's five-a-side football team have bowed out of the Wychavon Parish Games in the semi-final. The team were beaten 3-1 by Harvington in the last four during the first event of the 2002 games at Bretforton Sports Club last Sunday. Crowle won their
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Hooray for Hollywood
A HOLLYWOOD school's gymnastic team took first at a competition in Lichfield to become West Midlands Gymnastic Club Champions. Boys from Coppice Primary School won both the West Midlands Schools Under 11 gymnastic competitions this year. They went on
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Badminton joy for team
West Mercia mens badminton team had a fantastic season winning the Worcester Mens Premier for the first time in the Club's history taking the title off Tiki, holders for eight years. All the players performed brilliantly, especially against Tiki, winning
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Diddy stars finish sixth
A gutsy display from Redditch Swimming Club's diddy squad earned them sixth place in the last round of the Nuneaton and District Junior Swimming League. Nicola Strange powered to second in the girls 10yr 1L fly with Leanne Savage taking third in the breaststroke
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Green Kings
White Hart's Premier side visited Foden and again enjoyed an excellent start with winning games by Dave Kings (21-15), Stan Pritchard (21-8) and a 21-3 by Rod Brammer. Further winners Tony Wedgbury (21-13), Martin Onions (21-15), Ray Barnett (21-12) and
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Lottery turns down club's bid for money
PLAYERS at Malvern Rugby Football Club are facing the prospect of raising funds for the conversion of an old clubhouse themselves after their bid for Lottery cash was turned down. MRFC applied for a £36,000 grant from Sport England before Christmas. The
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Give blood
The next round of blood donor sessions will be held at Alvechurch Village Hall, Bear Hill, on Wednesday, July 3. The sessions will be running from 2-3.45pm and 5-5.15pm.
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Big Ben backed to lead charge
ANDY Keast is backing big Ben to sound out a promotion chime at Worcester Rugby Club. The Sixways assistant coach played a big part in Ben Hinshelwood's call-up to Scotland's squad for their recent North American tour after personally recommending him
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David awarded County benefit
Worcestershire have awarded long-serving all-rounder David Leatherdale a benefit year in 2003. The 34-year-old, who made his County debut in 1988, was capped in 1994 and has scored more than 9,000 first-class runs and over 3,400 in one-day matches. He
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Barton chases winger
WORCESTER City manager John Barton hopes he may be close to filling one of his problem positions on the left wing. Barton is in talks with an unnamed winger who has just been released by a Football League club, and believes he has a chance of landing
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Hill on top form again
Hereford pole vaulter Irie Hill continued her recent run of great form with victory at the Domspitzmilch Springen event, held in Regensburg, Germany. After training in Hereford and Cardiff (indoors) over the past week, Hill, who has earned qualification
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Worcester duo right on track
GRASSTRACK fans were treated to a superb performance by 500cc sidecar duo Chris Salisbury and Gary Hughes as they bagged four out of four at Hindlip. The Worcester double act claimed four wins from four races at the Worcestershire Winner meeting as they
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Carnival joy for Colwall
Colwall defeated Chaddesley Corbett by six wickets in the Worcester Evening League's Carnival Cup final. Only Baylis and Bowden stopped the Colwall bowlers from causing a complete collapse as Chaddesley totalled 110-9. Evans took two early wickets for
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Race issues in spotlight
RACE issues will be the focus of a conference at Redditch Town Hall next week. The conference is aimed at people who can influence race relations in the town, including public sector front-line staff and decision-makers, community representatives and
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Bus users face wait
BUS users in Wythall could get a decision on whether their concessions are slashed. Residents had been told not to expect a decision until September but an informal meeting has now been organised between all Bromsgrove district councillors on Monday.
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Triumph over battle of rats
By Becky Procter A PLAGUE of rats in Redditch town centre has finally been brought under control with a baiting and monitoring programme. In December, the Redditch Advertiser reported how a big rise in the number of the rodents scurrying around the town
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Safer road on target
A £75,000 traffic calming scheme to cut speed along Studley Road is set to be completed in the next few weeks. The work, from Holloway Lane and Burton Lane in the north to Auxerre Avenue in the south will improve road safety and reduce dangers for Oak
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Quality theatre
A TOURING theatre company presents its fourth production in the grounds of the Quality Hotel on Sunday. MDCC Theatre Company The Tempest at 3.30pm. The production was originally scheduled to start earlier but this has now been changed. Tickets cost £5
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MP drops in for tea
AFTERNOON tea was the order of the day when Redditch MP Jacqui Smith dropped into a children's club to celebrate 40 years of the National Autistic Society (NAS). Children at the Wasp Club, based at Matchborough Community Centre, decorated their own biscuits
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Town plays host to managers
REDDITCH is hosting the Association of Town Centre Managers regional meeting today. Mayor Steve Wheeler will welcome guests to Redditch Town Hall, including town centre managers from across the Midlands. Redditch's own town centre manager, Jane Muckle
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Heathen David Bowie Four star
BOWIE is on superb form. This is an album which could stand proudly alongside any of his almost faultless 70s output and not be overshadowed, maybe in part because he's teamed up with his old co-producer Tony Visconti. It was Visconti who helped knock
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Lovehatetragedy Papa Roach Three star
MORE established rock stars living it too easy - what's going on? To be fair to messrs Roach, this is not quite Pop Idol standard but for unexceptional middle-of-the-roadness, see their latest release. The Roachsters are one of several bands in the Alien
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Untouchables Korn Four star
THE metal masters have powered their way back to the top with a classic of the genre, even though it's been three long years in the waiting. This is the fifth album from the Bakersfield, California five and this album continues the success of the previous
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Band battle hots up for Loop Hole
TRINITY High School band Loop Hole will be kicking out the jams at the final of a county battle of the bands competition on Friday. The five-piece will compete against eight other groups at Bishop Perowne School, Worcester. And members Lance Joseph, Dan
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Skate park all geared up
REDDITCH Skatepark is set to attract BMXers from all over the country to its Relax Jam this weekend. The annual national BMX event, from noon on Saturday and Sunday, will also feature stalls, DJs and live music. Suspect Sports, Bates Hill, is one of the
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Three Choirs Festival, Worcester - 17-23 August 2002
THE Three Choirs Festival, Britain's premier and the world's oldest choral festival, celebrates the 275th meeting of the cathedral choirs of Gloucester, Hereford and Worcester in the magnificent cathedral city of Worcester from 17 to 23 August 2002. Worcester
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Rovers in Benbow race
BROMSGROVE Rovers are hoping to beat Conference side Hereford United to the signature of former Green Mark Benbow. Benbow, who can play anywhere in midfield, played at the Victoria Ground when Rovers were in the Western division in 2001, and has recently
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Mum is inspired by her child's bravery
A MUM has been so inspired by the bravery of her young son during his treatment for a brain tumour that she is taking to the streets to help other cancer victims. Bradley Jones, of Chestnut Drive, Cofton Hackett, was diagnosed with a brain tumour in February
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Tradition is a treat
BROMSGROVE was bustling on Saturday when families flocked to the annual midsummer fair day and Elizabethan street market. The town's High Street was packed with residents keen to see the traditional Court Leet and Court Baron procession and wander among
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Go green and win
YOUNG eco-warriors from a village school near Bromsgrove have been praised for coming clean on the green scene. Tidy-minded, money-saving pupils from Fairfield First School, in Stourbridge Road, have worked closely with Bromsgrove District Council's environmental
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Take a short stroll
A SHORT stroll around a small relic of heathland at the Lickey Hills is planned for folks who love the outdoors. A visit to Spinneyfields Nature Reserve is being organised by the south Birmingham branch of the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust. On Sunday
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The gift of learning
A new learning centre could soon benefit youngsters in The Gambia thanks to a retired Bromsgrove teacher. Former North Bromsgrove High School teacher Mike Carrick is co-ordinating an ambitious project to extend a school in the African country of Gambia
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Car amnesty
UNWANTED cars dumped in Bromsgrove streets will be collected for free as part of a two week drive to rid the town of unsightly motors. Bromsgrove District Council has organised the vehicle amnesty, which will runs until Saturday, July 6. The authority's
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Loud and proud
LOUD and proud staff at a town supermarket supported a colourful fundraising event to collect cash for the blind. ASDA, in Market Street, backed a Really Loud Day on June 14 and employees paid £1 to dress in the brightest clothes their wardrobe could
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Motorway closures
MOTORISTS will have to face overnight delays on the M5 for the next week. The M5 northbound will be closed between junction 4 at Bromsgrove and junction 5 at Droitwich from 9pm to 5am from today (wednesday) until Saturday morning and between the same
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A plumb job
A GROUP of talented youngsters from a Bromsgrove first school put their handyman skills to the test when they visited the town's museum. Around 30 pupils from Millfields First School in Swift Close took part in a design and build challenge, which focussed
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Shakespeare's past
ENTHUSIASTIC thespians are in for a treat this week when a play brimming with drama, thrills and excitement hits a Birmingham stage. The Crescent Theatre Company is proud to present the gripping and emotional thriller, The Herbal Bed, which opens at the
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A new president
THE funds of local Macmillan nurses and a stroke charity are set to benefit from cash raised during the new president of North Worcestershire Rotary Club's year in office. John Rogers, director of services at Bromsgrove School, takes over the role next
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New boss for Hippodrome
A CITY theatre near Bromsgrove, which has delighted adults and children alike over the years with a mixture of drama, music, dance and song, is delighted to appoint a new theatre director. Thirty-nine-year-old Stuart Griffiths will take up his new role
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Spotlight on village issues
RUBERY residents can table community issues at a meeting about life in the village. The spotlight falls on the area on Thursday July 4, when representatives from Bromsgrove District Council, Worcestershire County Council, West Mercia Police and the Redditch
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Woodland walks
WOODLAND walks in Rubery are planned to allow residents to see protected countryside during the summer. The Worcestershire Wildlife Trust's south Birmingham branch will host a gentle stroll around Broadmoor Wood, on Sunday July 14. The reserve boasts
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Ladies' club raises cash
WOMEN from Rubery have lent a helping hand to female residents across the district by raising cash for a vital service which is tackling breast cancer. Rubery Ladies' Club collected £1,200 for the Hereford and Worcester Breast Screening Unit, based at
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Your help is needed at CAB
MORE volunteers are needed to help people in Bromsgrove solve their problems and better manage their lives. Since moving from Worcester Road to more spacious premises in Birmingham Road in February, the town's Citizens' Advice Bureau (CAB) can now offer
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Two day extravaganza
IT'S carnival time again in Bromsgrove and this year fun-seekers can look forward to a two-day gala. Organisers are hoping the sun will shine on their celebrations, which have been stretched over the weekend for double delight. There's a whole feast of
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Bank busted
ASTWOOD Bank skipper Alex Robinson faces a momentous task in lifting morale at the club after their weekend rout by second placed Pedmore. The visitors' New Zealand A bowler was in devastating form as the hosts were skittled out for 19 with Robinson top
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New centre is top class
By Matt Smith MORE than £70,000 has been spent on a new learning and resource centre and staff room at Studley Infant School. And the new buildings are just the tip of the iceberg for the school, which plans to be radically reformed by 2004. The new learning
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Pretty Polly-technic
WRITING censoriously of today's students, John Phillpott (Evening News, June 10) says: "I would rather have an opposing view than none at all." I think today's students are the most intelligent, sober, smartly-dressed, caring, well-behaved of any generation
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Seeing though MP's softening-up tactics
OUR local MP reports that Worcestershire's schools are to be further punished by the introduction of a previously unannounced system of performance-related funding. May I make it clear that I am not prepared to join in a spin exercise to soften-up local
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College braced for £6.5m worth of work
By Melina Cannon BUILDING work on the massive NEW College redevelopment project is due to start next month. The college, which hasmore than 20,000 students, has appointed Warwickshire-based Pettifer Construction Ltd to work on the £6.5 million scheme.
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Hampton battered
STUDLEY skipper Mark Lewis says good preparation is the secret of his side's turnaround in fortunes this season. Second from bottom Hampton in Arden were summarily dispatched at the weekend as the Washford Fields stayed within six points of Division Two
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Redditch stay on track after wet start
REDDITCH bounced back from a cup disappointment to put themselves within reach of the top three. Nev Mason's side bowed out of the Birmingham League Knockout competition to Premier Division side Halesowen in last week's quarter final but continued their
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The fastest 11-year-old in the country
CHRISTIAN Booker is the fastest 11-year-old over 800 metres in the country. In the space of 72 hours, the Barnt Green resident smashed the UK record for his age group twice - shaving FOUR seconds off the time. On Sunday, June 16, Christian, of Bittell
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Exhall change
IT'S one in and one out for Exhall and Wixford at the weekend as the villagers prepare to tackle second placed Stratford Bards. Bat Paul Hoy is unavailable but bowler Sam Grinstead returns to the fold as the villagers bid to build on their nailbiting
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Five Ways march on
FIVE Ways Old Edwardians are closing in on the top spot after a thumping weekend win. The Masshouse side top Division Four West of the Warwickshire League after rolling over Erdington Court on Saturday. The Ash Lane side posted 222 for four with Paul
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Have a say on homes
TOWNSFOLK can now have their say on whether they think around 80 new homes should be built on the site of the controversial Worcestershire Hotel which has been closed for more than 15 years. The first detailed version of Wychavon District Council's Local
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Humbled by nomination
THE headteacher of a Spa school said she was "humbled" to be nominated for a prestigious teaching award. Pam Tildesley, of Westlands First School, spoke of how delighted she was to be short-listed to receive recognition in The Teaching Awards 2002. The
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Church crunch
ALVECHURCH captain Nick Jones says his side's next two fixtures are of critical importance after a disappointing weekend defeat. The Hopwood side squandered a promising start against bogey side Alveley and slipped down the Worcester Three pecking order
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Dig in to make the Spa bloom
GREEN-FINGERED residents are being urged to transform the town into a floral success by taking part in Droitwich Spa in Bloom 2002. The event organisers are calling for community-spirited townspeople to grab their trowels and gardening gloves and enter
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City visit for church folk
TOWNSFOLK joined hundreds from across the UK in Westminster last week in a bid to get a fairer deal for Third World countries in global trade. More than 20 Christians from the Spa travelled to London on Wednesday, June 19, to join the mass lobby outside
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Butter fingers costly
COOKHILL will be in for extra fielding practice this week after dropping seven catches in an untimely losing draw to leaders Cleobury at the weekend. Paul William's side were battling for the second promotion spot in a very tight league but did themselves
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Rovers in Benbow race
BROMSGROVE Rovers are hoping to beat Conference side Hereford United to the signature of former Green Mark Benbow. Benbow, who can play anywhere in midfield, played at the Victoria Ground when Rovers were in the Western division in 2001, and has recently
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25 years ago June 24, 1977
RUMOUR and speculation surrounded a plan to stage a punk rock festival at a venue in Bromsgrove on Bank Holiday Monday. The organisers said details were being kept secret to prevent an anticipated flood of objections. n JOHN Devine, the head of Lickey
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Old folk service uproar
A REPORT compiled by Stratford Council may lead to a significant cut in services provided for the elderly in the Alcester area. The proposals are to make travel tokens and green sacks for garden waste only available to one-third of the elderly in the
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Burglar rumbled
A SALFORD Priors pensioner has been praised for foiling the plans of a potential distraction burglar when she refused to let him into her house. A man knocked on the window of an elderly woman's home in School Road at 3pm on Saturday and told her to come
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Fete date for church
HASELOR residents will be able to indulge in some fun and frivolity to help keep their village church thriving. The annual church fete is on Saturday from noon-3pm at Little Manor. Visitors can enjoy a barbecue and test their skills on the coconut shy
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Practise makes perfect for kids
AN up and coming Bromsgrove band, who made their debut in the town last week, are looking for a new home to nurture their talent. Method, made up of four 13-year-olds from Parkside Middle School, in Stourbridge Road, formed 12 months ago and played their
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Meeting their beat bobby
THE danger of strangers has been highlighted to children in Alcester during a talk given by the town's community beat officer. Pc Steve Timms talked to a group of youngsters at Alcester Baptist Church to give them advice on how to avoid getting into dangerous
