AN appreciative audience listened with interest to the further exploits of top wildlife photographer Michael Leach, making a return visit to the Worcester and Malvern local group of the RSPB. Meeting at Powick Parish Hall last Wednesday, members heard about the tricks of the trade of his photographing wildlife on the motorway verge for the BBC wildlife programmes.

Michael Leach has worked with Sir David Attenborough and Prof David Bellamy as presenters and described the dangers and thrills of filming orang-utans in Borneo, polar bears in the Arctic and whales in the Azores.

During the evening a representative from the RSPB regional office of Central England, based in Banbury, presented local volunteers with long service badges - a swift (for five years), puffin (10 years) and kingfisher (15 years). Badges were presented to Mike Stevens, organiser of field meetings (15 years), to Pam and Garth Lowe, (membership secretary and group leader, Pam Scroop, (treasurer), Michael Sherwood, Sue Smith, Marina Riley and Frances Evans.

Tonight (Friday) hurry along to Byron's Wood, to 14 Prince Rupert Avenue, for a touch of midsummer madness with strawberries and wine, courtesy of Powyke WI from 7pm at the cost of £2. Various craft stalls and raffle will provide funds for Crack Cancer Campaign.