THE natural beauty of the River Severn and the history of the towns situated alongside it have been captured by a Kidderminster film maker.

Paul Bye, of Hazelwood Close, has produced the DVD - A Journey Down The Severn - which provides a guided tour of the river.

He said: "I retired three years ago and I was always interested in film making. I spend all my time now making films, mostly for myself. I had always wanted to make a DVD about the River Severn - it's something that has always fascinated me and there are lots of lovely places along it."

The former wine merchant contacted author, Brian Draper, who has written several books about Midlands rivers and lectures throughout the country, for permission to use some of his material and to ask if he would do the commentary.

He discovered that Mr Draper was already looking for someone to make a film to go with his books and so they set to work on the project.

It will be the first in a series about rivers and will be followed by films on the Rivers Avon, Teme, Wye and Thames.

The DVD took six months to film and while making it, Mr Bye passed over or under more than 100 bridges and visited many National Trust properties and churches, as well as towns throughout six counties it passes through.

He travelled on the Severn Valley Railway from Bridgnorth to Bewdley and the steamer from Stourport to Worcester.

The film maker said what he enjoyed most was walking many of the 220 miles from the source on Plynlimon in mid-Wales to the sea near Bristol, adding: "At the source, the nearest car park is five miles away and you have to go up a hill. It was fantastic - beautiful blue skies until we got to the top and then there were snow clouds. We sat there, on wet soggy ground, thinking we had wasted our time and then it just cleared enough for us to film."

He added: "I am very pleased with it. It was very difficult to edit it down to under an hour. I had got hours and hours of tape. It has opened my eyes - I found out about places along the river that I didn't know about before. It makes you realise how much history there is related to the river."

He said the DVD had already proved popular and he has sent copies as far afield as Canada, the USA and Australia, adding: "It appeals to nature lovers and people interested in the river and the places along it."

Copies are available on DVD and VHS, priced £12.99, from WH Smith Books in Kidderminster, Bewdley Books in Load Street and WH Smith in Stourport.

For further information, contact Hazelwood Video on 01562 632127 or river.dvd@blueyonder.co.uk or visit www. hazelwoodvideoproductions.com