BROMSGROVE Motors in Worcester Road was advertising the new Hillman Minx car for £470 plus £196 purchase tax.

TO mark Bromsgrove School's quartercentenary of its foundation, which fell in Coronation year, the school presented the town with a sundial. It had been designed and built by craftsmen at Bromsgrove Guild and was positioned in a sunny spot in the Council House gardens alongside Crown Close. An inscription translated from the Satires of Horace read "live mindful always how brief your time is."

A PAIR of blue tits were successfully rearing a family of six chicks in a GPO letter box at Crossbrook, in Finstall, despite a daily bombardment of mail being dropped on their heads. Postman, W Amphlett, thought youngsters were dropping moss and grass in the box and kept throwing it out, only to find it had been put back the next morning.

THE top prize at a whist drive to raise funds for the church fete held at Dodford Memorial Hall was a live pig. The valuable porker attracted a large number of players. The winner was Mr Rea.

CHARLES Crane, late of Blackmore House, Bromsgrove, baker and confectioner, who died in January, left £18,828 in his will. He was one of a sporting syndicate who left the Victoria Ground in trust to Bromsgrove Rovers.

DESPITE acquiring the former BYO building, Bromsgrove College of Further Education was desperately short of space. This led to fears that some courses including those involving motor vehicles may have to be scrapped. Talks were being held with Bromsgrove Guild over the acquisition of some of its spare capacity.