Archive
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Calendar girls make a date with fame
IT is a case of life imitating art for the actresses starring in a daring stage show. The cast of the Swan Theatre Amateur Company’s production of Calendar Girls have decided to bare all for a fund-raising calendar, which sees them recreating poses
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Shoppers terrorised by abusive rough sleeper
A MAN has been banned from a Tesco store in Worcester after causing “fear and alarm” to people on three separate occasions. Duncan Abbott admitted using threatening words, behaviour to cause harassment alarm or distress and two charges of using
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Three-wheel car on fire in Blackpole
A MAN was treated for shock and smoke inhalation after his car caught fire in Blackpole. The fire service was called to the scene on Cosgrove Close to a three-wheel vehicle which was well alight. Two hose reels were used to put the fire out
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Richardson spearheads County's recovery
ALAN Richardson goes into the penultimate day of the 2013 LV= County Championship season firmly in the hunt to finish the campaign as the country’s leading wicket-taker for the second time in three years. The 38-year-old seamer’s haul of 76 Division
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Firefighter strike comes to an end
FIREFIGHTERS downed tools for four hours this afternoon as part of a growing row over pensions. As the clock struck 12pm, almost 20 firefighters formed a picket line at Worcester Fire Station’s Copenhagen Street base. During the four hours,
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Store shoppers dig deep to help the wounded
SHOPPERS at Tesco in Warndon put their hands in their pockets and gave generously to a collection for Help for Heroes. During the weekend of Saturday, September 14, and Sunday, September 15, Tesco stores around the country held fund-raising events
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We’re in the loop for fast broadband
MORE high-speed fibre broadband is on its way to homes and businesses, BT has confirmed. The provider says its £2.5 billion investment in UK broadband will include Worcester city centre, Evesham and Malvern. Openreach, BT’s local network business
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Castlemorton Common
SINCE the end of the Second World War, we have lost an estimated 95 to 97 per cent of the wild-flower meadows which then still remained in England, so any effort to protect existing meadows or create others is very welcome. To celebrate this year
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Unloved, unwanted... ... our cats in crisis
CAT rescue homes across Worcestershire and the rest of the country are facing a crisis and are full to the brim with unwanted animals. The situation at the RSPCA Worcester and Mid-Worcestershire branch has reached such a critical level that they
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Stiperstones
THERE’S nowhere quite like Stiperstones. Rising to the west of Long Mynd, it takes the form of a long ridge, its crest bristling with a jagged line of rocky tors above quartzite scree and purple heather. Stiperstones is in the Shropshire Hills
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Lower Broadheath
A COUPLE of months ago, in these pages, in a walk which encompassed Hallow, Grimley and Broadheath, I described a path at Lovington Farm as one of the worst in the county, despite it having been reported to the county council on numerous occasions
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Evesham
THE river Isbourne flows like a linear oasis through the intensively farmed Vale of Evesham, its lushly vegetated banks alive on warm days with the humming, buzzing, rustling and squeaking of tiny forms of wildlife, from bees, butterflies and clouds
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Astwood Ridge
THIS is a very easy walk in a lovely part of the county. You can tell how popular it is by how well used the footpaths are. It’s unusual to meet other walkers when out and about in most parts of Worcestershire, but that’s not the case here.
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Hereford
THIS walk includes a visit to Lugg Meadow, a rare example of an agricultural system which has remained unchanged for 1,000 years. It’s of a type known as Lammas meadows, and is the largest of the few remaining Lammas meadows in the UK. Lammas meadows
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Woman injured in a central reservation crash in Droitwich
A CAR was thought to be on fire after it crashed into a central reservation injuring the driver in Droitwich. A fire engine attended the scene on Saltway, in Droitwich, but found the car was not on fire and assisted a casualty which was believed
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Gardening is great therapy for dementia sufferers
WE all feel better after an hour or two of gardening; the fresh air, the exercise and the simple joy of being surrounded by beautiful flowers and the fruits of our labour. But for some people, the benefits go even further. “A garden can help people
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Car salesman was pressurised into fraud by boss
AN Audi car salesman who was pressurised by his boss into joining a £37,500 fraud against their employers has avoided prison. At Gloucester Crown Court a judge accepted that Gary Smith, aged 42, of Dorothy Crescent, Northwick, Worcester, did not
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Sophie shows skills in front of the Queen
A WORCESTERSHIRE legal secretary has jumped over hurdles to win her first top title at a prestigious horse show. Skilled horsewoman Sophie Smyth, who is part of the conveyancing team at Kidderminster law firm mfg Solicitors, scooped the Retained
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Nicola Bayley's Book of Nursery Rhymes
Do children learn old-fashioned nursery rhymes any more? My daughters, aged five and seven, were certainly unfamiliar with most of the verses in this beautifully illustrated and formatted compendium, covering all the most famous examples of the
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Mr Gregson,there are more important things
SIR – It is a pity Labour councillor Adrian Gregson hasn’t more important matters to deal with instead of wasting his time over over-paid footballers (Comment, Worcester News, September 3). GEORGE COWLEY Worcester
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Thank you everyone, we raised £300
SIR – On Thursday, September 12, I held a coffee morning and bring and buy to raise money for the Motor Neurone Disease Society and we made about £300. May I thank my friends and colleagues who supported this event. MURIEL BALLINGER Worcester
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Osborne taking all the credit? That’s rich
SIR – It’s a bit rich George Osborne trying to claim its his policies that are working and the country’s on the mend. If he’d taken on Labour chancellor Alistair Darling’s policy, the country wouldn’t have got in such a mess. He put a squeeze
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Well done, young man, you did the right thing
SIR – The policy of park and ride buses in Worcester requesting passengers to refrain from drinking and eating is strictly enforced by drivers. At about 4.15pm on Friday, September 20, at CrownGate, a schoolboy was asked to finish his fizzy drink
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All I wanted was a Michael Bublé ticket
SIR – Last November I purchased a Michael Bublé ticket on eBay. The ticket was seized by Milton Keynes trading standards informing me that the seller had purchased his tickets illegally and that it was against trading laws to resell a concert ticket
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The Proclaimers hit all the right notes
SIR – I must tell everyone about the wonderful concert my wife Annie and I went to at Malvern Forum Theatre on Saturday – The Proclaimers. I booked the tickets in June as a birthday present for Annie, and they did not disappoint. She has always
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This is another big loss to Worcester
SIR – I am devastated that Lakeland is to move from Worcester to Wychbold, near Droitwich. I always feel like I am in a sweetie shop when I am in there. It’s another loss to Worcester. HEATHER KELLY Kempsey
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Mr Amos, your argument lacks clarity
SIR – Mr [Alan] Amos’ hysterical rant over those opposing the proposed lap dancing club, as usual, misses the point (Worcester News, September 21). To label those who oppose it as hypocrites or bigots just because they don’t subscribe to his view
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This is not the real world, Mr Luff
SIR – Well done, Worcester News (September 11) for revealing that Peter Luff MP earns £37,000 per year extra for two jobs, over and above what he gets as an MP, and one of those jobs was £1,000 for one day’s work per month. But what astonished
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The way forward is a healthy private sector
SIR – I share many of letter writer Matthew Jenkins’ sentiments (Worcester News, September 13) with respect to the economy and its attendant problems. However, Mr Jenkins makes some sweeping statements in his final paragraphs, supported by the
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I reckon there are 500 ducks in park
SIR – I pass the lake in Gheluvelt Park at least five times a week but am always fascinated by the many ducks on view. I have found it well nigh impossible to count just how many there are though have come to the conclusion they total at least
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Have you thought about North Korea?
SIR – Below is a reply I have written to Mr [James] Connell’s Fair Point column ‘Let men be men for all our faults’ (Worcester News, September 10). I disagree with most of what he says, so my letter satirises his opinions, while simultaneously
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This football ground plan is not right for us
SIR – The Worcester City Football Club Supporters’ Trust planning application is due to go in shortly but there are huge questions about this whole proposal. Who, apart from fans and the trust, is actually in favour of building a football stadium
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No one is stopping the deaths in Egypt
SIR – People are still being killed in Egypt, yet no one does anything to stop the killings. Why? Are politicians powerless? GEORGE COWLEY Worcester
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Are we now twinned with a cesspit?
SIR – The last bank holiday was completly ruined by the obnoxious stink which has prevailed over Droitwich. Are we now twinned with a cesspit? THERESA STEVENS Droitwich
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Photograph is actually of a dragon fly
SIR – In ‘Your Pictures’ on August 27, there is a photograph from Geraldine Cooper of a ‘red damsel fly’. This is actually a dragon fly. Damsel flies fold up their wings at rest while dragon flies keep theirs at right angles, as in the photo
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Could you print pages in black and white?
SIR – Thanks to your newspaper I’ve recently had an eye test and found I’ve got macular degeneration in both eyes and I find it difficult reading when the print is on a blue or pink background. I’d be more than grateful if you could print
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I had journey on bus to collect my parcel
SIR – Is the parcel depot in Wainwright Road closing? Parcelforce attempted to deliver a parcel to me that required a signature and as there was no one home it was returned – not to Wainwright Road, as stated in the letter posted though our doors
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Decision on land has set a precedent
SIR – Two weeks ago Worcester City Council’s cabinet voted to give away a part of the city to Worcestershire County Council. Only a quarter of an acre, but this sets a precedent and if they are allowed to get away with it, who knows what else
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There is no pest control in Worcester
SIR – I have just read the Worcester News article regarding proposed cuts including grass cutting etc. Some cuts have already been made but as far as I know, not announced publicly. I live in a road in St John’s where we have communal refuse
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No easy options to end the Syria violence
SIR – In the House of Commons, Labour did not back the Government’s motion on the use of force in Syria because we believe that evidence should precede decision and not the other way around. Labour’s amendment set out a clear roadmap for deciding
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I’m committed to a sustainable future
SIR – The European Commission has proposed a new directive on biofuels, which MEPs will vote on next week. However the issues are not as clear cut as Neil Marr and Action Aid suggest. While some biofuels are wasteful, others offer an efficient
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There’s far more we can do to reduce waste
SIR – The delay by Herefordshire Council in bringing the waste contract to cabinet gives us a chance to re-evaluate the proposal to build the Hartlebury incinerator, to consider the escalating costs, and to take another look at the alternatives.
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African village set for tractor treat
AN African village will soon be reaping the rewards of being able to cultivate their land, thanks to a generous donation. The Diocese of Worcester has joined forces with Warwickshire College and the AGCO Apprentice Academy to send a Massey Ferguson
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Do not let 16-year-olds have a vote
I STARTED my A-levels at the beginning of the new school year, but only one of my chosen subjects is entirely new to me. Politics. It’s the lesson that has seen me earn the nickname Worcester News, which can be hurled at me any time for either
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Hair today and gone tomorrow
I HAVE something of a love/hate relationship with my own facial hair. But it has absolutely nothing to do with the perception that men who sport a beard are somehow not trustworthy, as if they have something to hide or disguise. It is more to do
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Don’t blame video games for life’s ills
I HAVE a confession to make. Yesterday I beat several strangers unconscious, stole a high-powered sports car, mowed down some pedestrians, casually shot dead a few police officers, got seriously stoned and then, to cap it all off, I was violently
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Why would an ‘Aldi mum’ vote Labour?
WOULD-be voters likely to be targeted by Labour ahead of the next general election want to see cheaper petrol prices, a better health service and less government handouts. Shadow energy secretary Caroline Flint told Labour activists they must target
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Firefighters begin industrial action
FIREFIGHTERS are currently beginning four hours of industrial action following a row over pensions. A number of staff in Worcester are expected to join colleagues around the country by walking out between noon and 4pm. Fire Brigades Union secretary
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Face up to Autumn
IF summer was all about minimalism and naked faces, prepare for an autumnal beauty revolution that requires a little more effort. The pay-off is worth it - think show-stopping lips and eyes that will outshine any new accessory you're planning for
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Hick appointed as Aussie high performance coach
FORMER Worcestershire and England batsman Graeme Hick has been appointed as high performance coach at Cricket Australia’s centre of excellence in Brisbane. The Zimbabwe-born 47-year-old, who played 65 Tests and 120 one-day internationals, takes
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Fire crews face cuts in bid to save £5m
THE number of full-time firefighters in Worcester could be halved to save almost £5 million over the next three years. A proposal to reduce the city’s number of ‘wholetime crewed’ engines from two to one would result in up to 25 city-based firefighters
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Blaze drama in city centre
A MAN was taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation after being rescued from a burning top-floor flat in Worcester city centre. Emergency services were called to John Gwynn House, on the corner of Bridge Street and North Parade shortly
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City can become the new Cheltenham, say traders
TRADERS say Worcester could become the “new Cheltenham” with the opening of new quality boutique-style shops to reinvigorate the city centre. With fashionable country clothing company Joules moving to Worcester within weeks other stores have said
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‘No sex in the city’ lobby scuppers lap dance club
CONTROVERSIAL plans for a lap dancing club in Worcester are set to be withdrawn today in response to public outrage – but the applicant is still looking to open a club elsewhere in the city. The proposal to open the club in the Butts, Worcester
