THE run-up to Christmas in Worcestershire half a century ago was marred by the tragic death of a young pilot in a jet crash at Bransford.

Twenty-nine years-old Flight Lieutenant Donald James McCauley Macdonald met his death when his Meteor IV aircraft plunged to the ground on the morning of December 21, 1950. He had been living in married quarters at RAF Pershore but hailed from Glasgow.

The Journal reported: "The young pilot was killed when his jet from RAF Defford crashed and exploded between Bransford Bridge and Bransford Court at 11.45 a.m. yesterday.

Two Worcester anglers were eye-witnesses Donald Grubb, 55, of Gillam Street, and Eric Edward Hunt, 74, of Tunnel Hill. They were fishing only 400 yards from the scene of the crash and saw the aircraft dive from the clouds. It appeared to be out of control and turned on its back before crashing.

The main part of the plane buried itself in the earth, making a 15ft deep crater, and debris was scattered over a very wide area.

The Journal archives reveal that snow fell on and around Worcester at Yuletide not only exactly 200 years ago but also a century past and 50 years ago.

In December, 1800, the Journal recorded "a heavy fall of snow" on Boxing Day followed by a equally significant snowfall the next day, accompanied by a high wind which drifted the snow to a considerable depth in places.

Travelling has consequently been greatly impeded and none of the stage coaches arrived here yesterday or this day.

Berrow's Journal added a seasonal entreaty to readers in 1800: We deem it necessary to repeat our annual recommendation to the inhabitants of this city that they will cause ashes or saw-dust to be strewed on the footway before their respective houses, which will doubtless prevent many accidents during the present frosty season.

Moving on to a century ago, Berrow's reported on "heavy frosts and a light dusting of snow at Christmas 1900, plus gale force winds at times.

And in the wake of Christmas 1950, the Journal stated that: In Worcestershire, the weather was variable with a long cold spell and snow on higher ground, bringing a White Christmas in places.

In 1950, Berrow's Journal looked back on "a Christmas of contrasts. There were tensions abroad, worries at home with power cuts and a still rising cost of living, but heaps of good things in the shops and a determination to make the best of the holiday.

The Worcester shops were besieged by crowds of eager buyers, and thoughts of pleasures to come enabled most people to bear the rigours of the cold spell with patience and cheerfulness."

As a far cry from the liberal licensing hours of today, the Worcester magistrates of 1950 granted the city's pubs an extension of their closing times from 10 p.m to 11 p.m on Christmas Eve, Boxing Day and New Year's Eve.

Alas, there was sad news in 1950 concerning one of the "stars" of the pantomime Cinderella being staged at Worcester's Theatre Royal.

The Journal informed readers that Lord, a performing chimpanzee booked to appear in the panto, had died of a chill while being transported by van from Guildford to Worcester.

On a brighter note, literally, the Journal of exactly a century ago this week reported that "the electric lighting at Fladbury has proved such a great success that we may expect to hear of other villages, which are fortunate enough to possess water power, following the example of that enterprising place. Already, upwards of 300 lights have been provided at Fladbury, some of them of 32 candle power.