*THERE seems to be various schools of thought regarding the strange marks on the wall of Worcester’s Edgar Tower.

Grooves in the sandstone at this ancient entrance to the cathedral are believed by some to be notches made by soldiers sharpening pikes and swords before the Battle of Worcester.

But others say that the indentations were made by the paws of King John’s bears when the unpopular royal visited the city that would also be his last resting place.

One thing’s for sure. An inchwide round hole was definitely made by a musket ball – similar indentations can be seen on Powick and Kempsey churches.

Thoughts, anyone?

*WHENEVER I see a letter from socialist firebrand Peter Nielsen in your Worcester News the story of Henry II and Thomas a Becket comes to mind.

Worcester’s embattled New Labour faction embodies the impetuous Plantagenet and Peter is the troublesome priest.

Keep it coming, Peter. But if you see any men in armour heading for Severn House, make sure that alarm button is close to hand.

*WHEN will some of our web ‘correspondents’ learn how to stay on track when it comes to their responses?

I’ve lost count of the number of times online debates have degenerated into puerile and pointless slanging matches or just plain old playground yah-boo.

Come on, Worcestershire – this ‘citizen journalist’ stuff’s all very well, but it’s no excuse for acting like a bunch of village idiots.

*THE pathway through Worcester’s Cherry Orchard nature reserve has this summer been fringed with dense masses of a plant called ‘weld’.

I looked it up in one of my reference books. Apparently, the crushed stems were once mixed with stale urine to make yellow dye… which possibly explains why so many people in Wyre and North Piddle seem to wear items in that colour.