ALBERT Thatcher, aged 25, a railway worker, was hailed a hero after he saved a bull mastiff belonging to Mrs Fraser, from Winnetts Lane, Droitwich, from a cold and watery grave. While in the signal box, he saw the dog was in difficulties in the middle of the ice covered canal. He dashed outside and stripping off smashed the ice and swam 100 yards to drag the animal to the safety of the bank. Once on dry land the dog shook itself and calmly trotted off, none the worse for its ordeal.

A PARTY of 35 pupils and five staff from Watt Close School in Bromsgrove visited Liverpool on Saturday to renew acquaintances with Captain de Boer and the crew of the Dutch ship Laertes which was docked in the port. The school had adopted the ship during World War II.

THE majestic rows of lime trees in Marlborough Avenue, Bromsgrove, looked set to be axed. Some residents complained they were robbing them of their light and the district council has promised to look at the possibility of replacing them with less intrusive flowering trees.

BROMSGROVE magistrates dealt with 26 case of drunkenness last year. This was compared to three each in Droitwich and Halesowen and 12 in Redditch, the town's Brewster Sessions heard. The court heard that TV could be blamed for encouraging people to drink while watching it. But in its leader the Messenger said, tongue in cheek, that it doubted if programmes were that bad folk would be driven to drink.

A POORLY attended public meeting in the church hall voted overwhelmingly not to pursue the idea of Bromsgrove becoming a borough with a mayor, aldermen, attendant pomp and ceremony. Many believed it to be a case of snobbishness and councillors seeking of self-glorification.