Worcestershire | Archive | 2004 | April
IT is an indisputable fact of life that the best stories are the true ones. But then being a journalist, I guess I would say that! more...
FRIDGE bassist Adem is obviously so illustrious he doesn't need a surname. more...
Anastasia is back with a bang with this heady mix of 80s style rock and thoughtful, soul-searching lyrics. more...
Maybe the writers and directors, the Wachowski brothers, had bitten off more than they can chew with the Matrix trilogy. more...
PETER Weir's film is a masterly study of men at war on the high seas during the Napolionic era. more...
IF you like watching hard drugs being injected in close up, graphic scenes or a woman being handcuffed to a bed and left there for a couple of days while she struggles and screams for release, then this is the film for you. more...
Wednesday, April 14 more...
CYNTHIA Hughes will be showing members of a flower-arranging group that anything goes tomorrow (Thursday) afternoon. more...
SATURDAY Night Fever is now gripping the Midlands with the hit West End musical disco currently on stage. more...
A FORMER Bromsgrove student is bringing night fever to Birmingham in a lavish new musical. more...
MARITAL relations are the subject of the Ullenhall Players' next production at Ullenhall Village Hall from April 21-24. more...
Thursday, April 15 more...
ENGLISH Touring Opera, celebrating its 25th anniversary year, makes a first visit to Malvern next week. more...
A DAY in the life of an amnesiac is the subject of comedy Fuddy Meers at The Door, Birmingham Repertory Theatre, from Friday. more...
REDDITCH'S Palace Theatre has pulled off a coup with the opening date of Ian Dickens Production's hilarious Westminster farce Out of Order next month. more...
JAZZED up scouts will be swinging into a Droitwich Spa theatre later this week. more...
BEAUTIFUL music will be performed in a Dodford church next month. more...
A NIGHT of good, solid country music is on the cards at a Droitwich Spa club this weekend. more...
A SOULFUL Bromsgrove vocalist will perform in Bromsgrove later this month. more...
REDDITCH air cadets are to go the extra mile to help people living with cancer. more...
THE Redditch Pakistan Community Forum is celebrating a cash windfall which will allow it to employ a worker to help with the administration it needs to carry out. more...
IF music be the food of love, get married! more...
A TEAM of scientists from Alcester Grammar School has won the West Midlands section of an online competition. more...
AN electrical store employee has 'pulled the plug' on his job after 50 years of working for the same company. more...
COUNTRYSIDE Bird Farm, Gardens and Pottery in Feckenham will be opening its doors to the public in aid of the Diabetes UK scheme from Monday, May 29 to May 31. more...
YOUNG sportsmen and women at Bidford on Avon Primary School have welcomed the opening of the new pavilion at the school. more...
A SMOKE detector failed to alert a Batchley man to the fire in his kitchen - because the battery had been removed. more...
TOWN criers from around the country gathered in Alcester on Saturday for the annual Town Criers' Competition. more...
DUE to popular demand, Studley Village Hall's coffee morning will now run an extra day a week on a Thursday. more...
MARKS & Spencer's Worcester branch is thriving, according to new manager Martin Woodhouse on the day the retail giant revealed another drop in trade. more...
IAIN Blaikie believes in providing the best facilities for his students. But after a trip to Siberia, the headteacher of Alcester Grammar School has new views of what that entails. more...
THERE was a recent note of success for Sergeant Mark Evans, of Mappleborough Green, after he was chosen to join the exclusive Bandmaster's Course at the historic Royal Military School of Music. more...
HOME and garden enthusiasts were tempted by an array of goods at a three-day show at Ragley Hall at the weekend. more...
A UNIQUE event will be taking place at a Feckenham church this month which will unite two cultures in a concert of celebration and hope. more...
ALCESTER folk turned out to watch the traditional Easter parade along High Street on Monday. more...
ANYONE wishing to put their vocal skills to the test for a good cause can join the Primrose Choir, which holds hugely popular concerts each year. more...
RESIDENTS claim small birds have disappeared from a residential part of Alcester since workmen cleared a controversial dog walking area. more...
RESIDENTS who would like to be beside the seaside this summer can take advantage of a trip organised by the Rotary Club of Alcester. more...
SKATEBOARDERS and BMXers can roll along to a free party at Redditch Skate Park on Monday. more...
LEN Wade has played a lot of leading roles in Alcester. more...
KINGSLEY College students have proved they have great heads for figures after excelling in a national maths challenge. more...
A WARWICKSHIRE lad won the Heart of England Town Criers Championship in Alcester on Saturday, on behalf of his adopted home in Wiltshire. more...
THE man responsible for clearing up after acts of vandalism in the town has called for public co-operation to catch the culprits. more...
A serial arsonist who set fire to a Redditch guest house is facing a long prison sentence. more...
REDDITCH bosses are being warned they could be liable if employees are struck down by a potentially fatal disease found in water systems. more...
THE skate park on Alcester's Conway Fields may have to be demolished following another bout of vandalism. more...
VISITORS may warm to the latest theme at Forge Mill Needle Museum with an unusual display of Amish quilts. more...
A JOINT housing scheme designed to help young people in supported housing is celebrating the success of its first nine months. more...
ChanneL 4 is looking for families from Redditch to take part in a new series of the hit TV show Wife Swap. more...
YOUNG people from Studley and Alcester celebrated at a passing out parade recently after completing a FireBreak youth education programme. more...
ALVECHURCH villagers will be out in force with red roses and red and white lapel badges on April 23 for a fun-packed St George's Day celebration. more...
A NEWSAGENT in Headless Cross was left fuming after receiving a £50 fine for recycling papers. more...
"ROLL out the barrel" was the order of the day at a Redditch pub when staff did their bit for a good cause. more...
A HIGH-visibility poster campaign on buses in Redditch is being launched to keep the spotlight on the police's Rat on a Rat initiative. more...
April 19, 1904 more...
April 16, 1954 more...
April 13, 1979 more...
THE meeting opened with a minute's silence in memory of Doreen Ansell, who had been such a part of the WI both as a member and a hard-working president, and who will be sadly missed. more...
THIS picture of the fire brigade printed in our Memory Lane column on March 31 prompted a bit of head scratching among readers. more...
AT the March meeting, Mr Stanton gave a lecture on the history of road signs and street furniture. more...
THE Bromsgrove and Redditch Club held its 38th AGM on April 1 at Perry Hall Hotel, Bromsgrove. more...
THE new season began with an excellent talk on Francis Kilvert by historian Ralph Richardson. more...
MEMBERS were welcomed to the first meeting in March by chairman Jenny Johnson, who thanked members for their donation of £25 to the RNLI in memory of the late Diana Wheeler. more...
A REDDITCH teacher has come back from Germany where he investigated how the use of computers and IT differs there from schools in England. more...
RESIDENTS are warned to stay alert for an enticing mail scam which is currently rife in Worcestershire. more...
REDDITCH MP Jacqui Smith is urging residents to get involved in a consultation exercise which will shape the future of town planning. more...
IT seems increasingly important to take health and safety into account in all areas of life these days. Organising three rambles a month, two of seven to 10 miles and one of four to six miles, the group certainly contributes to the health and well being of its members, who range in age from 40 to some very fit and active 80 year olds. more...
By Helen Clarke more...
I DID not realise Morton Stanley Park was for the exclusive use of dogs and their owners. more...
AT a meeting on Monday, March 29, Redditch Council gave pre-planning permission for a communications mast on the roof of the town hall. more...
I FEEL it would be in the interest of the community that they are made aware of the council funding cuts. more...
THE people of Redditch have been given a kick in the teeth by their councillors, who recently decided the funding paid to the Citizens Advice Bureau should be cut by 10 per cent for the next three years. more...
A NIGHTCLUB customer lost a front tooth and had another fractured in a vicious attack, Worcester Crown Court heard. more...
AS Councillor Karen Lumley has asked me a direct question (Letters, April 7), I would like to answer her and make it plain I am not talking for anyone but myself. more...
WITH the 60th anniversary of D-Day approaching, this association is trying to contact as many former members as possible to recount their memories before they are forgotten. more...
TWO pupils at Ridgeway Middle School have been chosen to receive Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Awards for their outstanding contribution to the school. more...
I absolutely agree with the sentiments of those readers who wrote in about the recent senseless killing of the swan at Arrow Valley Lake and the amount of litter and vandalism on our streets. more...
WHAT a wonderful afternoon was spent on March 26 at the official opening of Matchborough First School when invited guests, including Jacqui Smith MP, were very well entertained. more...
AS the 'gentleman' who is engaged in the hedge laying along Evesham Road from Crabbs Cross to Astwood Bank, I would like to thank Keith Enston for his kind and favourable comments on the project's results and the activity as a whole (Letters, March 31). more...
REDDITCH police are to take stronger action against offenders and will be stepping up the amount of prosecutions they carry out. more...
REDDITCH youngsters can sail through spring with the Youth Afloat group at Arrow Valley Country Park. more...
A WILDLIFE consultant has been called in to carry out a study at a Redditch pond which anglers believe has led to the death of thousands of fish and several birds. more...
EVEN before two much-vaunted Redditch cinema projects have got off the ground, one developer is casting doubt over the "deliverability" of another's scheme. more...
AS a headteacher, I feel I must protest at the way some Redditch schools are currently being kicked around as political footballs. more...
SCHOOL governors have reacted angrily to what they claim is "scaremongering" about school closures by Redditch MP Jacqui Smith. more...
KINGFISHER Centre shoppers will be able to treat themselves to manicures and massages as part of a five-day health and wellbeing event. more...
Father-of-four Tony, of Burcot Lane, Bromsgrove, had worked in advertising and as an art director for a greeting card company for many years. more...
THERE will be summer fun and entertainment for the entire family when the Droitwich "Sounds" Music Festival kicks off. more...
MID-Worcestershire MP Peter Luff has been in talks with the Highways Agency and police over the safety of the A449 between Ombersley and Claines. more...
ROLL up! Roll up! From the smell of the sawdust to the dazzling lights, the circus experience is nothing short of magical. more...
A BIG-hearted Spa man is preparing to run the 26-mile Flora London Marathon in memory of his late grandfather, who died of cancer. more...
HUNDREDS of pounds of damage and a serious concern for safety has prompted police to again remind parents to be aware of the whereabouts of their children. more...
IT was no surprise that rubbish featured prominently in debates when Bromsgrove District Council met for its full April meeting. more...
RUBERY teenagers are being urged to voice their views on how a grant of £250,000 should be spent to improve facilities in their village. more...
the regular town spotlight meetings are interesting, clear and understandable, a new survey reveals. more...
A PLAN to engage highly paid fund managers to oversee Bromsgrove District Council's £30m investments has angered the opposition Labour group. more...
A mother-of-two has been jailed for seven years for her part in a £6.5 million conspiracy to smuggle drugs into Britain. more...
PERFORMANCES from some of the world's brightest young musicians will kick off the annual Bromsgrove Festival tomorrow (Thursday). more...
ANGRY market traders in Bromsgrove say they face being forced out of business if the town's Market Hall is torn down and replaced by an open sided building. more...
RESIDENTS whose lives are being made a misery by yobs this week resolved to fight back against the problem. more...
EASTER treats made for double the reason to party at a special needs children's group. more...
FAST-walking girl guides from Rubery put their clogs forward and won a challenge against tough opposition. more...
A CHARFORD watering hole has helped fulfil the dreams of a seriously ill young man. more...
FUTURE generations in Finstall will have good reason to thank present day youngsters who, keen to improve their environment, gave up their leisure time to plant trees in the village. more...
CHILDREN at St Peters have had a busy Lent raising money for a Thai orphanage. more...
A BRICKLAYER, electrician, administrator, museum director and the Bishop of Worcester are among 18 people commemorated in wood and stone for their contribution to the town's Avoncroft museum. more...
STUDENTS at Waseley Hills High School learnt a lesson in law when they spent a day carrying out a mock trial. more...
ROLL up! Roll up! From the smell of the sawdust to the dazzling lights, the circus experience is nothing short of magical. more...
MAGGIE Parker's work is all about getting people back on their feet. more...
CHILDREN at a Bromsgrove school held a special assembly to celebrate their history topic, The Mayflower, the ship which carried the first pilgrims to America. more...
A visit to Witley Court was the theme of the evening when Catshill WI members gathered for their March meeting. more...
THE AGM was held in February and Ruth Bottomley was elected chairman for a fifth year. more...
THE society's social evening in the village hall was very well attended. more...
OUR guest speaker in February was Chris Carley, well known to us through her visits to Wychbold with the Droitwich Spa Salvation Army, of which she is a committed officer. more...
MEMBERS thoroughly enjoyed Neil Cook's presentation about the restoration of the gardens at Hanbury Hall. He always gets his subject across with a gentle humour. more...
EARLIER this month I attended a meeting hosted by parents whose children attend Rigby Hall School, Bromsgrove, who are gravely concerned regarding the Review of Special Schools currently being undertaken. more...
CALLING all my fellow senior citizens. more...
WE now know the reason why Wychavon District Council has stopped the tokens for pensioners. more...
I WOULD like to thank very much, our volunteers who turned out to participate in Rubery's bi-annual clean up day. more...
RESPONDING to the letter from a Harwood Park reader recently printed under the heading `Expanding properties' we would like to respond. more...
THE resignation of Immigration Minister Beverley Hughes reinforces The Freedom Association's call for a full public debate on immigration and population growth. more...
IS your house Behaving Badly? Could your house look like paradise if only you had the time? Then Houses Behaving Badly - a new BBC show from BBC Birmingham wants to hear from you! more...
WAS I reading a late April Fool prank? more...
I AM beginning to question why exactly I am paying any council tax at all. more...
"SUNDAY -- how shall we keep it?" was the subject of the latest special service for working men at St John's Church, Bromsgrove. The vicar, in his sermon, pinpointed three areas for consideration. They were rest of the body and soul, not simply lying in bed all day, he said, but by such things as quiet strolls in the country. The second was spending the day with one's family, and of course worship, which he advocated for every man, woman and child. more...
THE district council was considering three designs that had been submitted for the layout of the new Sanders Park off Kidderminster Road. Meanwhile, the four-acre former tip nearby was to be leased at a peppercorn rent as a playing field for Watt Close School. The King George playing field at Sidemoor was to have £8,000 spent on it to construct two tennis courts, as well as a bowling green and gardens. more...
THERE had been reports of several thefts from hospitals in Bromsgrove, which included vital medical equipment. An x-ray machine, which had been bought with a £500 donation from Rubery Round Table has been stolen from the General, even before it had been unpacked. A television set and chairs had also gone missing from the doctors' lounge. more...
EARLIER this month I attended a meeting hosted by parents whose children attend Rigby Hall School, Bromsgrove, who are gravely concerned regarding the Review of Special Schools currently being undertaken. more...
CALLING all my fellow senior citizens. more...
WE now know the reason why Wychavon District Council has stopped the tokens for pensioners. more...
I WOULD like to thank very much, our volunteers who turned out to participate in Rubery's bi-annual clean up day. more...
THE resignation of Immigration Minister Beverley Hughes reinforces The Freedom Association's call for a full public debate on immigration and population growth. more...
WAS I reading a late April Fool prank? more...
I AM beginning to question why exactly I am paying any council tax at all. more...
COMPLAINTS flooding in from Alvechurch, Beoley and Wythall about new refuse collection schemes have led to phone lines being jammed at Bromsgrove Council. more...
AN upfront charge for a community alarm service, which may have been putting off elderly or disabled people from using the scheme, has been scrapped by Redditch Council. more...
A 30-YEAR vision on how to manage waste in Redditch and the county has been produced. more...
THERE was a nice surprise for young patients at the Alexandra Hospital's children's ward when a kind-hearted company presented TVs, computer games and videos. more...
ORNAMENTS worth between £25 and £350 were taken from a garden in Foxlydiate Crescent, Batchley. more...
A HEADLESS Cross man who was isolated in a side room at the Alexandra Hospital has hit out at the conditions he endured. more...
POLICE are appealing for information after a man grabbed a woman as she was walking along Ipsley Street, near the town centre. more...
A PETROL station attendant was hurt in a terrifying knife attack in Studley on Friday evening. more...
IT'S not easy to find love when you are a Black Swan. more...
BRITAIN'S bid for gold medals at this year's Olympics has received a £500 boost from Worcester City Council. more...
THREE balaclava-wearing raiders escaped empty-handed when they were disturbed breaking into a Pershore business. more...
CAR owners in Worcestershire suffered a spate of vehicle thefts over the Easter weekend. more...
FAMILIES spending time in Worcestershire beauty spots have been warned by police not to leave valuables in their cars. more...
SCOUTS and Cubs from across Worcester are set to perform on a musical extravaganza in Droitwich tomorrow, Friday, April 16, and Saturday, April 17. more...
EXPANDED housing plans in Diglis have been thrown out over fears of a lack of rented housing. more...
JOBCENTRES and benefits offices in Worcestershire and Herefordshire have remained unaffected by a nationwide strike over pay. more...
A burglar was given a chance by a judge to get help with quitting drugs. more...
WORK has started on a bypass that was first proposed 17 years ago. more...
PUPILS have proved they have pride in their city after blitzing their Worcester schools of a total of 246 bags of rubbish. more...
BROMYARD came alive as residents and community groups took part in a pageant to coincide with the unveiling of a huge frieze depicting its history. more...
LIVES are being put at risk because people cut corners in gas safety. more...
MODEL Mum Nicky Worton and her daughter Kerrie Bishop felt fantastic after a day being pampered at a luxury health spa. more...
A CLOSE friend of Tamara Whitty's family has said he would be willing to give up his complimentary flu jab for a toddler. more...
AMAZING Amy has been dealt another cruel blow shortly after her last dose of chemotherapy for the leukaemia which almost claimed her life. more...
A MAN found dead in Gloucestershire with his hands and feet bound may be from Worcestershire, police believe. more...
CONCERNED residents campaigning for safety measures on a notorious accident blackspot near Droitwich are furious after being told the road does not justify "radical work". more...
FIRMS in the centre of Worcester have been criticised by a city councillor for not offering to help fund the troubled High Street improvement scheme. more...
A VILLAGE is in shock and mourning after the launch of a police investigation into an "unexplained" death of a baby within months of another sudden infant death in the tight-knit community. more...
PHOTOGRAPHY enthusiasts have been going wild snapping entries for a competition to capture the best images of nature in Worcester. more...
PRAISE for Worcestershire Royal Hospital has come from a patient who received life-saving treatment there last week. more...
SIR Michael Spicer is to press the Highways Agency to erect a noise shield on a two-mile stretch of the M5 motorway as it passes Baughton, near Upton-upon-Severn. more...
WORCESTER City Football Club has been told to stop pursuing its "impossible dream" of building a giant superstore to help pay for a new stadium. more...
WORCESTER'S speed cameras are slowing drivers down in the city centre. more...
THE Lady Dudley Cup, one of point-to-point racing's most prestigious trophies and the feature race at the Worcestershire meeting at Chaddesley Corbett this Saturday, has attracted 43 entries. more...
JOHN Brain has paid tribute to Werner Swanepoel after the South African made his decision to return home. more...
THREE Bromsgrove and Redditch Athletic Club runners joined 30,000 others to take part in the Paris Marathon. more...
MORE than 140 golfers took part in events at Bromsgrove Golf Club last weekend to complete the April medal compeititons. more...
THE Lady Dudley Cup, one of point-to-point racing's most prestigious trophies and the feature race at the Worcestershire meeting at Chaddesley Corbett this Saturday, has attracted 43 entries. more...
WHETHER we like it or not we are in a rut again! more...
RUGBY League side Worcestershire Saints has moved to Kings Norton's popular Hopwood home for the coming season. more...
DANNY McDonnell is a serious doubt for Saturday's crunch clash with Eastbourne Borough after being laid low by a bout of salmonella poisoning. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE'S cricketers went before the cameras today for their pre-season photo-call at New Road. more...
"IT'S still in our hands," said a disappointed Rod Brown as United's once imperious grip on the Western division now looks less certain. more...
THE Northfield Starlets Veterans resumed their usual Tuesday matches for the rest of the year, and this week they were at Moorlands Farm's Meadow pool. more...
VICTORIA Barnt Green and New Olympic go head to head in the Advertiser/Messenger Cup final this Sunday. more...
Callowbrook Swifts U8s 1 Percival FC Enfield U8s 0 (After Extra Time) more...
DROITWICH Spa's hopes of reaching the Midland Combination Challenge Vase final were dashed with defeat at Wellesbourne. more...
FAIRFIELD Villa eased their relegation worries with a 4-1 thumping of Stockingford AA. more...
MATT Hawker's solitary strike condemned Bromsgrove Rovers to defeat. more...
BROMSGROVE Rovers must have left The Grove wondering what they had done to deserve the luck they were dealt. more...
BARNT Green Spartak have secured their second successive promotion by winning the Midland Combination Division One championship. more...
FORMER England rugby captain Dean Richards MBE (pictured) was the guest of honour at Bromsgrove Rugby Club. more...
BROMSGROVE RFC First XV are attempting to repeat history this Saturday as they head to Derby for their winner takes all Midlands Two (West) championship decider. more...
BROMSGROVE Rovers need a helping hand from teams around them if they are to salvage anything from their season. more...
DROITWICH Spa RFC First XV play their final match of the season this Saturday away at Ledbury. more...
IT'S crunch time for Headless Cross Ladies play third placed Marconi at the Abbey Stadium on Sunday (ko 2pm). more...
FOUR Bromsgrove rugby stars were on the losing side of an international fixture. more...
DROITWICH Spa RFC First XV play their final match of the season this Saturday away at Ledbury. more...
FORMER England rugby captain Dean Richards MBE (pictured) was the guest of honour at Bromsgrove Rugby Club. more...
BROMSGROVE RFC First XV are attempting to repeat history this Saturday as they head to Derby for their winner takes all Midlands Two (West) championship decider. more...
ALL roads led to Great Witley's Walsgrove Farm for the annual Red Marley Freak Hill Climb. more...
WORCESTER City's academy youngsters will bid for cup success tonight in the final of the Worcestershire FA Youth Cup. more...
MALVERN Town contest the Smedley Crooke Memorial Trophy semi-final at Bromyard tonight (7.45). more...
CAUGHT At Dawn and jockey Tim Weston took the plaudits at the Croome and West Warwickshire Hunt point-to-point meeting at Upton-upon-Severn yesterday. more...
HEREFORD United's title hopes are hanging by a thread after Chester City's 0-0 draw at Shrewsbury Town last night. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE'S cricketers went before the cameras today for their pre-season photo-call at New Road. more...
JOHN Brain has paid tribute to Werner Swanepoel after the South African made his decision to return home. more...
DANNY McDonnell is a serious doubt for Saturday's crunch clash with Eastbourne Borough after being laid low by a bout of salmonella poisoning. more...
(HOME, away) more...
(HOME, away) more...
(HOME, away) more...
(HOME, away) more...
(HOME, away) more...
(HOME, away) more...
TWO Bromsgrove cricketers have made an early start to the season by facing first class opposition. more...
Saturday, April 17 more...
SO the new cricket season will soon be upon us. more...
Feckenham 4 more...
Studley 2 more...
IT seems you can set your clock by Worcester City's end-of-season demise. more...
SPORTING stars from all over the town have been recognised for their achievements this year. more...
CHURCH Hill's year 5 netball squad have just been crowned champions of Redditch. more...
ASTWOOD Bank speedster Andy Tinsley claimed his first win of the season in round two of the Superstocks Championship at Brands Hatch. more...
A Wythall TaeKwon-do club had a double celebration this week with two of its members celebrating black belt promotion. more...
KICKBOXING champ Karl Bryant will be jetting off to Italy with younger brother Chris to represent the nation. more...
"IT'S still in our hands," said a disappointed Rod Brown as United's once imperious grip on the Western division now looks less certain. more...
BROMSGROVE Hockey Club Men's Second XI have missed out on promotion by a single point. more...
Saturday, April 10, 2004 more...
Monday, April 12, 2004 more...
BROMSGROVE Rovers need a helping hand from teams around them if they are to salvage anything from their season. more...
© Newsquest Media Group 2008