THIS WEEK IN 1958:

TWO Worcestershire men, Roland Dawes, 54, and his 20- year-old art student son Nigel of Alvechurch, went shark fishing for the first time last weekend and caught 20 blue nosed sharks off Newlyn, Cornwall.

Nigel caught 13 sharks and his father seven, including the biggest which was 6ft long and weighed 72 lbs. The skipper of their fishing boat said: “I hope other businessmen will come down here and help to clear the shark menace.”

● Cadets of the 187 Worcester Squadron of the Air Training Corps are going to annual training at RAF Station Kinloss in Morayshire which is situated on the coast about 28 miles from Inverness.

The camp party will consist of 45 cadets accompanied by their Commanding Officer, Squadron Leader TC Baynton- Hughes. The cadets will be accommodated in huts and will undertake an intensive programme including flying, trips to sea in air-sea rescue launches, lectures and map reading exercises.

THIS WEEK IN 1968:

MYXOMATOSIS, the disease which hit Britain’s rabbit population on a vast scale in 1954, is flaring up again, but there are fears that lesser strains of the disease could give immunity against the more virulent type with the effect that rabbit numbers increase dramatically.

Rabbits suffering from myxomatosis have been found recently at Hanley Castle, near Upton-upon-Severn, and in other parts of Worcestershire where the rabbit population has built up since the 1954 epidemic.

Overall, however, the number of rabbits is increasing and the authorities are warning farmers that the population must be controlled.

It is no good simply relying on myxomatosis to keep numbers down.

● It is feared that the 28 miles of M5 through Worcestershire, with only two-lane carriageways, will become “the longest bottleneck” in Britain as extensions of the motorway both north and south are to have three-lane carriageways.

THIS WEEK IN 1978:

THE six Conservative MPs for Worcestershire have tabled an Early Day motion in the House of Commons calling on the government to reconsider its decision not to widen the 28-mile two-lane stretch of M5 through the county at the same time as resurfacing and improvement work is undertaken.

This reconstruction is due to start in November, lasting at least five years, and the MPs argue it is vital that widening to three lanes is carried out at the same time.

● Another bid to get the ban lifted on a Rock Against Racism concert in Worcester has been rejected by city councillors.

They voted by a two-thirds majority this week to veto plans by the local branch of the Anti Nazi League to hold such an event on Pitchcroft.

The council’s decision came despite strong protests that the National Front was active in Worcester and the council should be taking a positive lead to promote racial harmony.

THIS WEEK IN 1988:

WORCESTER’S Swimming Baths in Sansome Walk are facing a second surprise shutdown for major repairs within a year. The shock warning was given last night to city councillors who were told the complex must close for at least four weeks during the winter while a £36,000 operation to repair and replace the windows takes place.

The news comes as a big blow to councillors after the baths were totally out of action for nearly three months last winter while extensive maintenance work and improvements were carried out.

● Profit margins are eroding at Dowty Meco, the mining equipment maker in Worcester.

Sales last year went down significantly due to a lack of overseas demand and the Dowty Group’s Mining Division as a whole saw its turnover fall by about £30 million and profits slip by £1.2 million to £10.7 million.