"THE Hydrogen Bomb and Civil Defence: Precautions are possible and you in Malvern can help."

So ran a daunting headline in the Gazette 50 years ago.

The district council was calling for volunteers to join the Civil Defence Corps, which would be responsible for assisting the public in the event of a nuclear war.

The training programme was due to include "basic training, first aid, basic rescue, advanced general training, HE (high explosive) missiles, atomic and chemical warfare and other types of instruction".