This week in 1988:

MORE than 40 people were arrested when New Year's Eve celebrations in Worcester and Hereford boiled over into violence. More than 60 police were on duty in Worcester to prevent a repeat of the trouble and ugly scenes which marred last year's celebrations but even so, 10 arrests were made for public order, criminal damage and theft offences.

Some of the 2,000-strong crowd at the Cathedral roundabout tried to overturn barriers protecting the Christmas tree from climbers. There was also trouble in Angel Place where bus stops were smashed by vandals shortly after midnight, and two men were set upon and knocked unconscious by a group of youths in Angel Street.

In Hereford more than 2,500 people crammed into the city centre and 32 arrests were made for public order offences as police and youths fought running battles for more than an hour.

* Christmas drink driving cases increased on last year across Worcestershire. The police report that between December 19 and January 1, 93 drivers failed roadside breath tests - 4 up on Christmas 1986.

This week in 1978:THE number of experienced policemen who resigned from the West Mercia force in search of better pay has doubled in just 12 months. More than 100 disillusioned officers - a lot with five to 20 years service - left during the year compared with 55 trained men in 1976.

The reasons given were mainly the poor pay. Assistant chief constable Alan Vickers described the figures as "worrying" and said it was inevitable there would be some overall loss of efficiency.

* The cost of the controversial new County Hall at Nunnery Wood is to go up by another half-a-million pounds on the original estimate of £7 million. Consultants report that fees and building costs are to exceed the original sums by at least £500,000 and the running costs of the HQ are to double this year to around £2 million.

This week in 1968:The 350 men of the Worcestershire Regiment who have been fighting the foot and mouth epidemic across the county and Shropshire are to be rewarded with "seven days confined to barracks" when they return to camp at Bulford on Tuesday next week. But the quarantine is a precaution not a punishment for the men who spent Christmas and New Year disinfecting contaminated farms.

The soldiers have been working in teams of 10 under the supervision of civilian vets and have been equipped with fire engines carrying 400 gallons of disinfectant sprays. All farm buildings, machinery and driveways have been hosed down with a mixture of disinfectant and a caustic soda solution.

* Top cricketer Tom Graveney has been awarded the OBE in the Queen's new year honours. He has played 65 Tests for England and is to captain Worcestershire this year.

This week in 1958:Worcester councillors have agreed unanimously to confer the Freedom of the City next year on the Lord Lieutenant of Worcestershire, Admiral Sir William Tennant in recognition of his outstanding services to the country in peace and war.

He served with great distinction in two world wars. As a naval lieutenant during the First World War he was at the battles of Heligoland, Dogger Bank and Jutland and in the Second World War, as senior naval officer, was beachmaster at Dunkirk helping guide thousands of battle-torn troops to safety.

He later headed the naval operation for the laying the Mulberry harbours for the D-Day landings. He was born in Upton-upon-Severn where he and his family still live.