The pavilion on the upper playing field off Old Hollow has sadly often been the target for minor (and mindless) vandalism. On Tuesday, however, it was the scene of a much more serious criminal incident. While West Malvern FC were playing an evening match on the lower field, the pavilion, which had been left locked for the duration of the game, was broken into and money and mobile phones belonging to the teams were stolen. Anyone in the area between 6pm and 8pm that evening who may have noticed anyone or anything suspicious in the vicinity of the pavilion should contact the police on 01905 723888 or parish clerk David Sharp on Malvern 573213.

Good progress is being made in the efforts to provide a regular evening bus service through the village between Ledbury Station and Malvern Wells via Colwall, West Malvern and Malvern Town. A joint application for a Parish Transport Grant from the five local councils, worth £50,000 in total, will be submitted shortly to the Countryside Agency. In addition funds are also available from the recent successful county council Rural Bus Challenge bid. It is hoped that a trial of the service for at least two years should be possible.

The outline timetable proposes three return trips along the 675 route between Ledbury and Malvern Wells on Thursday, Fridays and Saturdays between 6pm and 11.30pm, with an additional late bus from Ledbury to Malvern between 11.30pm and midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. The timings have been designed to be useful to people wishing to spend evenings out at theatres, cinemas, restaurants, pubs and clubs at both Malvern and Ledbury, and also to connect with trains between Ledbury and Hereford.

Much more will be heard of this in the coming weeks. It is to be hoped that when the service comes to pass it will be welcomed more than an earlier bus service through West Malvern a century or so ago.

An unpublished document from the 1930s about old times in the village, records that Betty Hardwick, a local (horse) cab proprietor who was getting on in years, had a 'donkey chair' drawn by a donkey well known in the village as Billy. Billy apparently objected to what was then an innovation, namely the West Malvern bus (presumably a horse-drawn omnibus in those days) and when he saw it coming would lie down in the road and roll and roll as long as it pleased him and the bus was held up until he was finished!

Next week is Skip Week! The monthly skip arranged by the parish council while the Newland waste centre is closed for refurbishment will be sited in Park Road from Tuesday to Thursday, May 6-8. Dump early to avoid disappointment!