This week in 1992:

Special gun training for West Mercia police officers is to be offered at a new £1.7 million firearms school which will use movie technology to provide realistic scenarios for trainees.

The school at the West Mercia headquarters at Hindlip will use Cyclorama - a wrap-around movie screen as well as accompanying audio effects that will place the officers in a mock-up firearms situation.

The aim of the new technology is to give the fullest preparation and training to firearms officers by placing them in realistic situations where they are confronted by gun-toting criminals. The officers will use live ammunition.

This week in 1987:

THE first phase of an extensive £4 million building programme is already under way at Worcester College for the Blind in Whittington Road in preparation for its becoming fully co-educational in September. Established in Worcester since 1865, the boys college is merging with the Chorleywood College for girls.

* Tenants on the Croome Estate at Kinnersley have been told they must leave their homes by the end of the summer, but the fate of the houses is not being revealed.

The properties are owned by the Sun Alliance Insurance Group and leased to racehorse trainer Mrs Mercy Rimell. Sun Alliance has already applied to convert Kinnersley Barn into a house - an unpopular proposal with the villagers.

This week in 1977:

Serious crime rose steeply in West Mercia last year with drug offences showing the biggest increase - 148 per cent. There was a total of 383 drug offences compared with 154 in the previous 12 months. Cannabis continued to be the most abused drug, said chief constable Alex Rennie, but seizures of opium, morphine and cocaine were also made.

The highest incidences of drugs abuse was in Worcester, Malvern, Kidderminster and Redditch.

* Oilmen have been making soundings in the county again, this time at Spetchley. A series of small explosive charges were set off 30ft below ground to determine whether an oil or gas find was likely. Prospecting company Untralar Explorations (UK) Ltd., maintains that it is too early yet to say whether their seismic tests will turn up an oil bonanza.

This week in 1967:

Nurses at Powick Psychiatric Hospital are not being allowed to devote enough time to the care of the patients because they are called on to do domestic work, warned Mr WS Marshall, the chief male nurse, at the hospital's annual prize-giving. He explained: "Previously, patients were encouraged as part of their treatment to do this type of work, but today this is not so and, as we are not able to get sufficient paid domestic help, it falls to the lot of the nurses. Thus their training and nursing skills are not being fully utilised in the care of patients. I would therefore like to see at this hospital a balanced structure of domestic staff to support the nursing staff in conserving their nursing skills."

* Plans are announced today of a full-scale demonstration of colour television in association with this year's Pershore Festival. It will involve the screening of local people in colour on a closed circuit. The demonstration is the first by the BBC Midland Region and will be given at Wood Norton near Evesham, the BBC engineering training department.

This week in 1957:

The men's and boys' clothing and outfitting business of Maggs (Worcester) Ltd. is celebrating 66 years of successful trading. It was started at 27 The Shambles by Mr RW Maggs in 1891 and was moved to number 29 - then the old Market Tavern - a few years later. In 1926 a limited company was formed and in 1934 the premises were extended right through to New Street. The present chairman and managing director Mr B Marshall is strongly supported in the business by his sons, Stanley and Arthur. Latest alterations and improvements have incorporated the premises next door, number 28, which has doubled the previous frontage.

* Her Majesty the Queen has been graciously pleased to sanction the appointment of the Countess Beauchamp of Madresfield Court near Malvern as Dame of the Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem.