TWO freak eggs, one shaped like a banana the other smaller than a sixpence, had been laid by a pullet belonging to Mr W Heath, of High Elms Farm, Lower Bentley, near Bromsgrove.

ARCHAEOLOGISTS moved in to excavate the site of a former Roman dwelling at Droitwich Spa on land owned by the Deritend Precision Castings factory. It was near the site of a Roman villa discovered in Bays Meadow in 1849 when the railway was built.

FARMERS in Bromsgrove and Droitwich were waging a losing war on the hordes of wood pigeons which were devastating crops. The birds were becoming wary of shooting parties, so a trapping method, used by conservationist Peter Scott at his wildfowl sanctuary at Slimbridge, was being considered. This involved using large nets attached to rockets to fire over the birds while they were feeding.

TO help cater for its Bromsgrove customers who would be among the one million Britains taking holidays abroad this year, the town branch of the Westminster Bank had installed a foreign till. The banknotes of most European countries could be obtained on demand.

SEVERAL old-established charities in Bromsgrove were in danger of having to be wound down as demand for the cash and services they provided dwindled. The reason was the Welfare State which now provided free medical and dental services, surgical appliances and other benefits. The Smith Bequest, at Stoke Works and founded in 1605, and the Amphlett Charity, at Wychbold, were two groups under threat.