I DON'T like being uncomplimentary about a concert which was a great idea and for a wonderful cause, but this lacked organisation, with little attention to timing, balance or musical content.

The concert was organised by Operation Homeland to mark the anniversary of the start of the First World War.

After a long introduction, opening address by Mayor, Councillor Siri Hayward, and a reading by Town Clerk, Charles Talbot, an extract from a film depicting The Battle of the Somme set the scene. Then we could have done with some music - instead we had seven poetry readings.

At last some music - The Korros Ensemble, who were superb, but their choice of music, by Bax, Saint-Saens and Debussy, was out of place.

Kidderminster's Splinters Dance Group were the highlight of the evening, performing to music by Nathan Rose. Their first dance depicted the family, war declared, menfolk going to war, and coming home. Their second contribution showed the feelings of the wives and sweethearts left at home,.

Splinters Drama Group performed their award-winning Who do we blame, which looks at war through the eyes of children, a very thought-provoking and well written item.

But this was not the right mood to end the first half. We needed a lift with music. The audience had noticeably diminished for the second half. Beth Peach-Robinson, 14, sang A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square beautifully, although, of course, this was a Second World War song.

We finally got the sing-a-long we had been promised - but it was already turned 10pm and there was only time to sing six songs.

The Royal British Legion standard was carried in and branch president Larry Billingsley and secretary Gordon Hinton gave the tributes They shall grow not old... and When you go home.

Then the most moving poem of the evening The Inquisitive Mind of a Child was recited by Victoria Giles.

The concert raised funds for the Kidderminster War Memorial Conservation Trust, the First World War Veterans Association, the Royal British Legion and The Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

With a little more thought this could have been a more enjoyable evening. One final comment - the artistes should have been called on stage before the National Anthem, not after it! VJS