WE were very disappointed to hear that six of the concerts in this year's Bands in the Park series have been cancelled by Malvern Town Council and all the more upset as apparently, according to the town clerk, it is all our fault!

When we asked Richard Chapman why the council had not made an appeal through the newspaper for stewards to help at the concerts, he claimed the issue had been discussed at a meeting where one of our reporters was present and should have picked up on it.

That may be true, but hardly excuses the council from not taking responsibility.

We have no doubt that had it made an appeal through the Gazette, rather than simply cancelling the concerts, sufficient stewards would have come forward.

If Great Malvern is to attract the visitors it should during weekends, it needs events like this. Cancellation should be a last resort and particularly when local bands are affected.

Perhaps it is not too late for common sense to prevail and for the concerts to be re-instated this year.

WE should like to thank all our advertisers for their generous donations of prizes for our Local Newspaper Week competitions this year.

Alongside the competitions in our special pull-out, which starts on page 33, we are also publishing all the winning entries in our news writing competition for local secondary schools.

It's clear from the range of serious subjects covered and the thought that has gone into the pieces from all the youngsters who took part, that the future is in safe hands. Our thanks to everyone who took part.