All these stories can be read in detail in this week's Malvern Gazette, available from Friday, April 30. They will also be posted on this site in full next Friday, with details of what to look forward to in next week's paper.

Scientists at QinetiQ in Malvern have won a contract from the European Space Agency to design equipment for a mission to Venus.

Malvern Hills District Council faces having to issue 35,000 new Council Tax bills after a decision by the Government to cap Hereford and Worcester Fire Authority.

An investigation is underway after a toddler put his hand in a boxful of dirty needles at Malvern Health Centre.

Malvern's Young Engineers Team enjoyed a night of success at the Young Enterprise Awards.

Tickets have sold out for two concerts at June's The Birmingham International Airport Elgar Festival 2004 and others are being snapped up fast.A Malvern Wells mother-of-three believes breastfeeding is so important she is helping to pay for the training of a new counsellor through an innovative new library.

QinetiQ has given Dyson Perrins CE High School £15,000 towards a bid for specialist status. The school is now halfway to the £50,000 its needs to raise to support its application to become a business, enterprise and engineering college.

A Birtsmorton landowner has withdrawn consent for a phone mast on his land after pressure from local residents.

A Castlemorton farmer may have to grub up his orchard or risk losing valuable subsidies under changes to the Common Agricultural Policy.

Opera fans are in for a treat when the Romanian State Opera Brasov visits Malvern. The company will perform Rossini's La Cenerentola and Donizetti's Don Pasquale at the Festival Theatre.