Archive

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Harm probe launched

A NATIONAL inquiry into self-harm among young people is calling for individuals whose lives have been affected by the affliction to give evidence. Rates of self-harm in the UK have increased over the past decade, making them the highest in Europe. At

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Clean thoughts

STAFF at Worcestershire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust are reflecting on the hard work that has been done over the last year to improve the patient environment. The aim of Think Clean Day yesterday, was to raise the profile of cleaning in NHS hospitals

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Cash stolen from butchers

WITNESSES are being sought after £300 was stolen from Jerrum Butchers in Barbourne Road, Worcester. A door was damaged with a heavy object in the incident at around 2pm on Tuesday, February 22. The shop was closed at the time. Anyone who saw the incident

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Recycling body bits is making sense

IT may sound insensitive, but Worcester Crematorium officials are launching a scheme to recycle "spare" metal body parts. Macabre? No. Realistic? Yes. At present all these "spare" parts: plates, screws, knees, hips - the list goes on - are simply removed

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1/3/05 - Can Preece cultivate City's current crop?

DURING the fanfare of Andy Preece's unveiling last month, Worcester City chairman Dave Boddy shouted one of the player-manager's previous achievements from the rooftops. "At Bury, one of his strengths was bringing young players through," said Boddy. "

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Foster tries again with bus pass Bill

EVERY pensioner would be given a free bus pass under a Bill to be re-introduced to Parliament by Worcester MP Michael Foster this week. Mr Foster drew up legislation to end the postcode lottery on pensioners' bus travel last year but the Bill ran out

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The girl who couldn't eat is back - and she loves Marmite!

TILLY Merrell, the little girl who was told she couldn't eat, was back home yesterday and enjoying tasty fast food. And today Tilly - who hasn't had a meal since being diagnosed with a rare condition seven-and-a-half years ago - was due to return to school

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Gay guys aim to tie the knot

A GAY couple from Worcestershire are pre-paring to be one of the first to marry under new laws which come into force at the end of this year. The Cutnall Green sub-postmasters have already been joined together during a blessing ceremony, performed by

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Enjoying a walk on wildside

MORE than 1,000 visitors enjoyed woodland craft demonstrations at Worcester Woods Country Park. Worcestershire County Council Countryside Service staff showcased their skills in pole-lathing, chainsaw milling, wood cleaving, basket weaving and hurdle

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Mayor may head-up top-level visit to Kashmir

WORCESTER Mayor Coun Allah Ditta has been asked to lead a top-level delegation from the city to his former home - Kashmir. The invite came during an informal dinner with Sardar Sikandar Hiyat Khan, President of Azad Jammur Kashmir, to discuss a number

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Hereford's Trophy hopes are lifted

COACH John Trewick believes Hereford United have a "good opportunity" of progressing into the last four of the FA Trophy following the quarter-final draw. The Bulls will host Nationwide North side Hucknall Town on Saturday, March 12, if Graham Turner's

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No rush for new signings as Gardiner heads to neighbours

WORCESTER City player-manager Andy Preece admits there is no rush to draft in fresh faces in the final two months of the season unless the right players become available. Preece has clinched just one signing since taking over the City helm, former Bury

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Page misses out on second by one point

RIDERS from Worcester St John's were able to look back on a job well done as the winter cyclo-cross season drew to a close with the 12th and final round of the West Midlands League at Rugeley. New club member Joe Page rode particularly well in the under

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Top display keeps Division One place

KIDDERMINSTER and Stourport Athletics Club secured their Birmingham League Cross Country Division One status by finishing the season in ninth with 1,495 points. An inspired effort in the final round at Northampton saw the team record a season's best score

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1/3/05 - Hickey ponders Sixways future

DREW Hickey will make a decision over his Sixways future in the next few weeks. The number eight, who is negotiating a new deal with Worcester, is pondering three options as he looks to settle his future. The 26-year-old has to decide whether to continue

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* DOES YOUR TOT HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO WIN? 28 FEBRUARY - 5 MARCH BABY OF THE YEAR, COME ALONG TO CRO

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Back to class for sake of tsunami victims

A CHILDREN'S entertainer went back to school to raise money for the Asian Tsunami appeal. Chris Lauriello dressed up as a pupil and spent the day in class at Claines Primary School. "The idea came about when I was doing a party," he said. "I asked the

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A load of rubbish

WHAT a load of rubbish we read about wheelie bins. They will get scattered, like supermarket trolleys. The only time I see a wheelie is on collection day. I have never seen anywhere they should not be. You have a label to stick on with your name and address

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Web plans

A NEW website has been launched by the Worcestershire Society of Chartered Architects. The site, at www.ribaworcestershire.co.uk, is designed as a resource for both the general public and local chartered architects.

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Safety tips on offer

SMALL and medium-sized businesses in Herefordshire and Worcestershire were given the chance to improve their health and safety strategies at a free awareness day held at Worcester Rugby Club. Inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) joined

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Pollution data firm's Polish performance

A SUPPLIER of pollution monitoring equipment has set up a company in Poland with help from the Chamber of Commerce, Herefordshire and Worcestershire. Andel Ltd is finalising registration of the company and is starting to sell its products there. Managing

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Top PR prize in Kevin's honour

A NEW honour for public sector communicators is being launched this week in memory of an award-winning Worcestershire PR manager, who died in 2003. The LGcommunications Kevin Galloway Award will recognise creative campaigns that achieved change for the

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Help for dinosaurs in the job market

A NEW recruitment agency has been set up in Malvern to help people over the age of 45 back into work. Dinosaurs Unlimited aims to combat ageism in the workplace and provide small to medium-sized businesses with the wealth of experience and knowledge that

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Changes at school

A MALVERN school will be bidding to become a specialist business college next month. Dyson Perrins CE High School, in Yates Hay Road, will apply for specialist status in business, enterprise and engineering in March. "Considering the Education Secretary's

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Work set to start

WORK is due to start on a new £3m doctors' surgery in Malvern today. The Whiteacres Medical Centre in Sandys Way will replace the existing Avenue Road practice, and serve 8,000 patients.

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Takeaway

CASH and valuables - estimated at more than £500 - were taken from Tony Tsangs Chinese takeaway and restaurant in Barbourne Road, Worcester. In addition to £200 cash, a £100 BT cordless phone, an £80 portable CD and tape player, an £80 Nokia mobile phone

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Pair ready to smash a world record!

A DETERMINED Droitwich duo are raking in the cash as they prepare to smash the world record for the longest rally. Steve Worrallo and Allan Benbow from Droitwich Spa Tennis Club are set to push themselves to the limit when they attempt to break the 9hr

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City MP suggests a new hospital

A COMMUNITY hospital to serve patients in Worcester and Droitwich would ease pressure on beds at Worcestershire Royal Hospital, according to city MP Michael Foster. His comments came after the Worcester News reported on Thursday that mid-Worcestershire

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Two hours to cut driver free from BMW

A MAN whose BMW ploughed into the side of a house escaped with only arm injuries after fire crews needed nearly two hours to cut him from his car. The incident happened around 9.15am yesterday when the car, pictured right, left the road near the Kingfisher

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A day in your PJs!

THOUSANDS have signed up to go bananas in their pyjamas for the St Richard's Hospice PJ Day on Friday. The fun day has attracted support from a whole host of businesses and schools as well as Worcester Mayor Coun Allah Ditta and county council chairman

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1/3/05 - No rush for new signings as Gardiner heads to neighbours

WORCESTER City player-manager Andy Preece admits there is no rush to draft in fresh faces in the final two months of the season unless the right players become available. Preece has clinched just one signing since taking over the City helm, former Bury

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BODY BITS TO BE RECYCLED

METAL joints that do not melt when bodies are cremated are to be removed from people's ashes and recycled. From Monday, implants and artificial joints, such as hip replacements, will be collected at Astwood Crematorium, Worcester, and melted down elsewhere

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Gas scare forces swimmers out in cold

CUSTOMERS and staff at a Worcester leisure centre were evacuated after a suspected gas leak. Around 60 swimmers and other Worcester Swimming Pool customers were evacuated from the Sansome Walk complex in Barbourne yesterday after someone smelt gas. The

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New site boasts plenty of extras

A FIRST class service is being promised at a new, bigger and wheelchair-friendly post office, which opened today in St John's, Worcester. The premises at 6 King Charles Place, off St John's, is three times the size of the previous site, which was just

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It's a priceless resource... so save our sauce!

A WORCESTER woman has sent out an SOS in a bid to save the city's famous Worcestershire Sauce. Maura Redmond, of Astwood Road, has urged residents to Save Our Sauce. She is worried people are boycotting the Lea & Perrins brand because of the latest

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In the spotlight for photo competition

TINY tots and their parents queued in the cold in an attempt to be crowned Baby of the Year 2005. The launch of the Worcester News' competition yesterday attracted proud mums and dads from all over the county keen to show off their little ones. And the

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Millions spent - but still there are more teen mums

TEENAGE pregnancies have risen in Worcestershire despite millions of pounds of Government money being spent to bring them down. The latest figures, published on Thursday, reveal a seven per cent rise in Worcestershire teenagers getting pregnant over the

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Hickey ponders Sixways future

DREW Hickey will make a decision over his Sixways future in the next few weeks. The number eight, who is negotiating a new deal with Worcester, is pondering three options as he looks to settle his future. The 26-year-old has to decide whether to continue

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Bulls battle is on the cards

HEREFORD United coach John Trewick is expecting another battle tonight as Eastwood Town return to Edgar Street in the FA Trophy fifth round replay (7.45pm). The Badgers were within nine minutes of a major non-league upset in the first clash at Coronation

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Extra-time cup joy as Bringsty net final place

BRINGSTY Sports and Claines will contest the final of the Worcester League's Bernard Finnigan Cup. A seven-goal thriller at Bringsty saw the home team beat Worcester Juniors 4-3 after extra-time. Craig Sprague (two), Dale Traynor and Leon Roberts were

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Hodgetts is Pershore's shooting star

PERSHORE Town's Andy Hodgetts bagged a hat-trick as they continued their sterling fight against relegation. Town hammered Continental Star 4-0 with Hodgetts passing the 20-goal mark for the season and Matt Irons also scoring with a header. They are now

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Overworked, underpaid - and now that's official

IT'S official - teachers are overworked and underpaid. Of course, those in education already knew that but, the latest figures from the Trades Union Congress prove it. Teachers and lecturers work an average of 11 hours and 36 minutes of unpaid overtime

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Speaking personally

AFTER years of number crunching, charts, letters and protests in Westminster, a fair-funding campaigner took the chance to put her case straight to Tony Blair. Mother-of-two Helen Donovan has been relentless in fighting for extra cash for Worcestershire's

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Students say yes to a vocational option

THE situation is clear - too many disillusioned students are leaving under-qualified and under-prepared for the world of work. So, Education Secretary Ruth Kelly has now promised to end the educational snobbery towards vocational subjects and let pupils

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Opposition intimidated

n RESISTANCE is futile - it's democracy, but not as we know it. On the day of a recent vote in the EU Parliament on the Constitution, a number of people, including a female UKIP MEP's Political Adviser, were assaulted for peacefully holding up signs saying

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Let's show some sense

"COUNCIL blocks bid for barrier" read the headline (Evening News, Wednesday, February 9). Shouldn't common sense come into play when making decisions on requests for road safety matters? According to the Road Safety Partnership, it costs £400,000 per

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Why lock ourselves into failure?

L SPITERI (Letters, Monday, February 21) appears to have his statistics in a twist - may I straighten them? Eighty-five per cent of British trade is within Britain, and of the remaining 15 per cent only 42 per cent (i.e. some 5 per cent of the total trade

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My list of demands for a politician of the future

WITH an election looming in the near future, we can all have our dreams and, although I know it will never happen, I would like my chosen Member of Parliament to adhere strictly to the following pledges. 1. Vastly reduce the numbers of Members in Parliament

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1/3/05 Solanki suffering selection suicide

In The Firing Line comment piece by Mark Dobson AS I understand it, England's A squad is supposed to be for up-and-coming cricketers. So, can anybody enlighten me as to why Vikram Solanki has been sent to the United Arab Emirates outpost of cricket? England

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* Body bits to be recycled * The girl who couldn't eat is back - and she loves Marmite! * One-woman

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Bulmer boosts brewer's profits

BREWING giant Scottish & Newcastle has revealed that its purchase of Hereford-based Bulmer has helped it to post an 11 per cent rise in underlying profits. The group said sales volumes of its top four brands - Foster's, Kronenbourg 1664, John Smith's