Worcestershire | Archive | 2005 | January
Winter is always a hard time for our terrestrial wildlife. more...
EYEBROWS are set to be raised in Worcester next week as a controversial song touching on global politics is aired in the city in the wake of the US elections. more...
Thurs Oct 14 more...
The BBC Good Food Show, sponsored by npower gas, Britain's biggest and most exciting food event takes place at The NEC Birmingham from the 24th - 28th November and this year it offers even more exciting food experiences. more...
Get out your stetsons and dust off your cowboy boots for a high-charged, non-stop party of the best country hits at Dudley Concert Hall on Saturday 20th November at 7.30pm. more...
Considering the prequel to this game was labelled as a fear evoking psychological experience which would reduce grown men to a cowering wreck, it is a tough task for Konami to create a game even parallel to the mighty Silent Hill 2. more...
Armand your task is to compete with and surpass Omnifood. What starts off as just running a Restaurant and earning a smDeemed "the rolls-Royce of Tycoon Games" Restaurant Empire certainly has a lot to live up to. The Sims has been in the charts now for a good year so there is clearly a large market for games simulating real life such as Restaurant Empire. Although on paper the concept looks successful is it as good whilst playing? more...
It's not quite wrestling, it's not quite a racer, and it's not quite a shoot 'em up! Which begs the question -what exactly is WWE Crush Hour? more...
Cast your mind back about twenty years. It was an era where zombie films were huge, the two most successful being George A. Romero's trilogy of the dead and Sam Raimi's Evil Dead. The fundamental difference between the two was the approach, whilst Romero opted for a serious zombie film, Raimi was much more tongue in cheek. more...
Campaign For The South PacificJust Flight is famous for providing gamers with top quality flight simulations whether they are new to the genre or experts. As one would expect the flight simulations vary considerably in difficult, some will be picked up easily by flight simulations virgins and others will only be mastered by those with a thorough knowledge of the period the game is based around. Sadly for gamers new to flight simulations this fits into the latter category. more...
Finally Tomb Raider is upon us once more. Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Angel Of Darkness is the sixth Tomb Raider instalment, but the first Tomb Raider to appear on the PS2 and the first to include more than one playable character. The Angel of Darkness has been in the making for a long time and after numerous delays let's hope the game lives up to the massive hype surrounding it. more...
After a mass of Resident Evil games for the Nintendo GameCube the PS2 finally gets another instalment of survival horror. This time, however, gamers get to play in a game that promises to mix the best elements from both Resident Evil and Resident Evil: Survivor. Using a trusty light gun gamers shoot down zombies in first person mode but explore in third person mode. more...
After the extremely advanced Uncommon Valour, Just Flight has released the latest Starships Unlimited, entitled, Starships Unlimited: Divided Galaxies. The game caters for the average gamer, providing them with a user-friendly tutorial which will prove invaluable to newcomers. With other Starships Unlimited games having set the standards it will be interesting to see if Divided Galaxies can go one better and iron out all the niggles from the previous games. more...
One of the most famous Nintendo characters is Mario's arch rival, Wario. With games such as Mario Party 4 and Super Smash Bros Melee already featuring Wario it was only a matter of time before Nintendo was to give him his very own game. more...
HAVING released both Resident Evil and Resident Evil 0 for the Nintendo GameCube it seemed only logical that Resident Evil 2 would follow. more...
JILL Valentine, star of the original Resi, is the main character in Resident Evil 3. more...
THE Italian Job: LA Heist is based on the new blockbuster film currently showing at the cinema. more...
RELEASED tomorrow, PES3 is the best football game on the market. more...
XGRA sees gamers board a futuristic bike and pit themselves against opponents as they race through space and other locations at death defying speeds. more...
SMACKDOWN 4 sees a much-improved story mode as gamers work their way from the bottom to the top of the wrestling ladder. more...
FIFA 2004 is the finest Fifa game to grace games consoles ever since ISS bettered it back in the days of the PSONE. more...
AFTER a string of poor Simpson's titles Hit and Run will be welcomed by fans of the cult television show. more...
THIS game is one of the most exciting, yet surprisingly dark, platform games to emerge on the PS2 in recent months. more...
THIS is a very extreme, violent sport as one can see just from viewing the promotional video which comes as part of the extras. more...
THE special Grand Theft Auto double pack is possibly the ultimate Christmas present for all gamers over the age of 17. more...
Available on PS2, GC, XBOX, GBA more...
Available on XB, GC, PS2, PC more...
LIGHT-footed folk are invited to step away those surplus Christmas pounds in two new dance classes being put on at the Spadesbourne Suite in Bromsgrove. more...
Available on XBOX, PS2, GC more...
Available on XBOX only more...
Available on PS2, coming soon to Xbox more...
(Available on PS2, XBOX, GC) more...
(Available on XBOX, PS2, GC) more...
(Available on Xbox, Gamecube, PS2 and GBA) more...
(Available on PS2, with or without headset) more...
BASED on the popular television series Alias, gamers control CIA Agent Sydney Bristow. more...
THIS is the third instalment in the point and click adventure series. more...
WHEN England captured the Rugby World Cup it was inevitable that there would be a rugby game produced. more...
NBA Jam is one of the most addictive, fast-flowing, and fun-filled basketball titles to grace any console. more...
GENERALLY games bearing any relation to movies, aside from the mighty Goldeneye, are at best decidedly average. more...
"If there is a God, then why has he let me die?" Torque finds this scrawled on the wall of a cell and it serves as a general introduction to The Suffering, a game in which reality is obscured and horror is very much the flavour of the day. more...
WITH a selection of prequels on the PSONE, Syphon Filter: The Omega Strain has a lot to live up to. more...
Gamer's play undercover cop Tanner in the third instalment of the Driver series. more...
AFTER months of eager anticipation Resident Evil Outbreak is finally here, but it's not quite what one may have initially envisaged. more...
Dynasty Warriors has evolved an enormous amount from the original version back on the PSONE. more...
THE creators of Resident Evil have unleashed a treat in the form of Viewtiful Joe, a self-proclaimed, superhero kung-fu platform masterpiece! more...
IN Animal Crossing everything occurs in real time, courtesy of a 24-hour clock and both seasonal and daily variations occur. more...
THIS year's new feature to the FIFA series is the first touch system. more...
FROM the beginning in an almost Jackass like way, violators imitating moves are warned that they will be smacked. more...
IT has been more than 15 years now since the first Street Fighter was released. Street Fighter has always been a classic beat 'em up, rivalled by the likes of Soul Calibur, Tekken and Mortal Kombat. more...
TWO years ago Sho saved the Theophilus. Now the menace has attacked the Theophilus solar system and Sho must destroy the menace once again. more...
IT'S not often that a near perfect game is produced, Metal Gear Solid, Goldeneye, and Halo have all been remarkably outstanding, but Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is simply the finest game to grace any console. more...
AS the title may suggest Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude is not the most more...
The LMA Manager series is without a doubt the best and most successful management series to grace any video games console. more...
IT'S fair to say that at one stage Crash Bandicoot was the best platformer to grace the PlayStation. more...
ONE seasonal landmark for me is when I first hear the distinctive call of the cuckoo. more...
IN Wyre Forest we have the potential to encounter all three of Britain's newt species. more...
NEARLY Dan, a tribute to Steely Dan, have played to audiences at Glastonbury, the jazz café in London, Ronnie Scott's and the Royal Festival Hall, among other top venues. more...
Dudley alternative rock band Introvert were pipped to the first place post in the latest heat of the Robin Live Band of the Year Competition. more...
Definitive REM tribute band Stipe will be playing a rare Midlands gig at JB's in Dudley this week. more...
Tribute act Bootleg McCartney are set to take Brierley Hill music fans on a magical history tour this weekend. more...
IN common with many people, I like to spend a few moments at the start of a new year reflecting on the highlights of the previous year. more...
THE dark evenings of January can be dismal and I often find myself longing for warm, sunny summer evenings. more...
With the expansion of towns and cities and the intensification of agriculture to support an ever-increasing human population, a tremendous strain has been put on the natural world. more...
Reading through the various publications which relate to my work, an article by English Nature caught my eye. more...
January has been another strange month with regard to the weather. more...
I recently saw a wildlife documentary, which featured a river python attacking, constricting and then consuming an antelope. This was quite a stunning bit of footage and I could not help but be impressed by this magnificent snake. more...
WHEN they think of heath birds, most people imagine skylarks soaring above the heather or a kestrel hovering with amazing skill, ready to pounce on a hapless mouse. more...
HOW many times have you watched a nature programme on TV, and seen the colour and grace of many of the world's bird species and thought: "I wish we had some of those in my back garden"? more...
February had some wonderfully warm and sunny days, which after what had been a drab, but relatively mild winter were most welcome. more...
I have to admit it even feels a bit strange to me, but it is at this time of year decisions are taken to plan the conservation work for the next 12 months. more...
AS we come out of a mild winter and get ever closer to the joys of spring, we see wildlife beginning its new year. more...
DURING the last few weeks I have greatly enjoyed watching the warm weather propel the changing of the seasons from winter at spring at almost break-neck pace. more...
AT various times during the year, the Ranger Service holds pond-dipping events around the district, where children can have a bit of fun playing at pools with nets, trays and jars, scooping out wriggling masses of pond life which they then examine with intense curiosity, helped by the ranger. more...
Recently, the weather has been superb for enjoying a springtime walk in the countryside, with the early spring flowers putting on some wonderful shows of dazzling colour. more...
MAY is here and the woods all around the district are ablaze with wild flowers. more...
HOT sunny days in May are always great to go out in search of some of the districts more interesting creepy crawlies. more...
WEST Midland Safari Park is teeming with tots following an unprecedented baby boom. more...
IT was a windy day with gusts causing many of the lush greeny silver birch trees to bend back and shake their leaves furiously. The sky was a deep, rich blue, but all around stood tall ominous rain clouds. more...
Stourbridge Amateur Operatic Society is staging its version of Jesus Christ Superstar the musical next week. more...
Hagley Theatre Group's youth section will be staging its magical version of The Wizard of Oz this week. more...
Amblecote's Glasshouse Studio Theatre plays host to a night of funky self-penned soul music with the Jessica Doughty Trio this week. more...
JACK Black might well look more like a rumpled heavy metal fan than a Hollywood star, but the chunky Californian is certainly enjoying his "in-demand" status. more...
Wednesday January 12 more...
Flash Bang Wallop! what a show by Kidderminster Operatic and Dramatic Society. more...
THE only prize that has, so far, eluded this talented group at Worcestershire Theatre Festival, is the one for an original play, so Vicky Bagnall and Jane Finch have written one. more...
NO matter how often I see this wonderful Verdi opera, I still get a buzz out of that glorious music, from the excitement of the opening party scene, to the emotional ending. more...
ONE of the best - and most popular - recent productions of the Nonentities details the intriguing journey of a chirpy scouse hairdresser to slick literary critic and her relationship with her jaded tutor along the way. more...
THE men in red were in fine voice on Saturday, when again we were treated to a broad selection of songs. more...
IT'S a cracker! Teenage ballet star Gemma Chidlow has landed a part in Tchaikovsky's classic ballet The Nutcracker. more...
EXPECTING a rather stuffy exploration of a little-known aspect of the build-up to the Second World War - the title refers to the transportation of Jewish German children to England before the outbreak - I was pleasantly surprised by The Nonentities' latest production. more...
THIS Rodgers and Hammerstein masterpiece is packed with familiar songs, such as People Will Say We're In Love, and All er Nuthin', and from the opening notes of Oh What a Beautiful Morning I knew Darren Richards's production was going to be good. more...
Miss Saigon more...
Thursday, December 9 more...
THE lights go down and a tall dark haired white jump-suited figure strides to the centre of the stage, grabs the microphone and lets loose with an unmistakable growl. more...
FRESH from singing at the wedding of Denmark's Crown Prince Frederick to Australian lawyer Mary Donaldson, the Copenhagen Royal Chapel Choir is on its way to Worcester. more...
Review - Jack and the Beanstalk at the Norbury Theatre, Droitwich Spa more...
THERE is something nice about going for an early morning walk on a cold and frosty morning. more...
WHEN I first started work with Wyre Forest District Council within its Ranger Service things were very different. more...
PUXTON Marsh nature reserve is a lovely place to visit in the spring when the wild flowers are coming into bloom. more...
THE evening before I had gone for a stroll on Hartlebury Common, and once away from the glare of the worst of the street lights, I had taken a moment to stop and stare up into the clear skies. more...
THE first event after the holidays found the Young Rangers feeling heavy after eating too much, so it was time for some exercise. more...
ON seeing a black coloured bird it may be tempting to assume it is a crow, but there are at least five different common birds it could possibly be in the Wyre Forest district. more...
LAST week I was fortunate enough to spend some time working on Hurcott Pools and Wood nature reserve. more...
EACH year I always look forward to the flowering of the blackthorn. more...
IN the spring, many people take great delight in the beautiful display put on by many of the garden bulbs, such as daffodils, snowdrops, crocuses and hyacinths. more...
MILD weather in February has brought an early start to the frog breeding season. more...
AS March blends into April spring slowly starts to unfold. more...
AT the beginning of April many people may indulge in, or at least keep a wary eye out for, people playing tricks on them. more...
HAVING spent most of the week at the end of March decorating I found myself with a free day. more...
THE nature reserves of Hurcott Pool, Spennells Valley and the Rifle Range, in Kidderminster, are just a few of the woody areas which are now covered in a ground flora of lush green succulent leaves. more...
RANGER jobs are competitively sought after, as a recent advertisement proved with over 100 applications for one vacancy. more...
PART of my job as a ranger with Wyre Forest District Council is to share my knowledge, experience and enthusiasm of the natural world with others. more...
APRIL has certainly been a month of contrasts. The beginning of the month was cool and spring-like, the end of the month was wet and cool, while the middle of the month was hot and summery. more...
IN the last few weeks one of Britain's most graceful and beautiful birds has started to arrive on our shores after undertaking a mammoth journey from the equatorial regions of Africa. more...
THE deluge of rain we had in April has proved to be a bounty for many of our district's wild plants and animals, with mild and damp conditions being just what many of our springtime plants needed to put on a real spurt of growth. more...
ALL of us in Wyre Forest district have a new way of getting rid of our waste this year. more...
Frederick Delius: Arrangement for Piano 4 Hands by Peter Warlock. Noriko Ogawa and Kathryn Stott. more...
I ALWAYS feel that the months of May and June are important times in the calendar of a Ranger looking after wetland areas. more...
Historic Saxophone - Claude and Odile Delangle. more...
THE lovely warm weather of May and early June has been a real bonus for one particular form of insect. more...
J S Bach - Cello Suites. more...
WHERE can you find foxes and tigers living in harmony together on just one nature reserve? more...
IT must have been quite a few years ago when I first came across the remains of the old Second World War American army hospital's water tower on Burlish Top. more...
IT is the sixth year of the Wyre Forest GAP project. more...
ONE frequently asked question is "what is the difference between a butterfly and a moth?" more...
IN Britain we have six species of native reptiles. more...
ONE of Wyre Forest district's most impressive birds has to be the grey heron. more...
SUMMER school holidays are great for the kids, but it can be quite a challenging time for some parents, as they attempt to keep the youngsters interested and prevent them from becoming bored and getting into mischief. more...
Blake Marsh in Kidderminster has had a troubled history. more...
IF you take a walk through Habberley Valley now there are some pretty spectacular fungi to encounter. more...
One thing that often puzzles me is the lack of wildlife programmes on television looking at British wildlife. more...
THE end of the month of August is always a sad time of year. To me, it signifies the turning of the season and the end of summertime. more...
WHAT rain we have had. Just when you thought it could not possibly rain any harder a new storm would appear and prove you wrong. more...
THE shortening of the daylight hours has a few advantages. more...
ON many occasions I have written about the splendour of our district's lowland heaths. more...
Fire mixed with nature is nearly always a bad thing. more...
THE Worcester Gilbert and Sullivan Society will be presenting The Pirates of Penzance at Malvern's Festival Theatre from next Wednesday until Saturday, January 22. more...
THE phrase "fresh," sums up so well the experience of exploring the countryside just following dawn on a clear and sunny autumn morning. more...
MEMBERS of an organ society are having a change of venue after the one they had used for 25 years became unavailable. more...
ROCK band The Reflections will be making a welcome appearance at the Swan public house in Upton Warren on Friday, January 21. more...
Winter is a difficult time for many of our wild mammals. more...
LOVERS of choral music should make a date in their diary for celebrations in Kidderminster to mark the 150th birthday of the town hall. more...
FOLK music fans can get the New Year off to a toe-tapping start with a singin' and suppin' evening at Bromsgrove Folk Club tomorrow. more...
ONE of the things that always surprises me is just how much wildlife can be found even in a small nature reserve. more...
THE other morning I once again indulged myself in a dawn walk, this time it was at Hurcott Pools and Wood nature reserve. more...
NO matter what the weather, no matter what sort of horrible, stressful or boring day at work you may have had, there is one little wildlife gem that can always brighten the day and bring a smile to your face-unless of course you are a fish. more...
Bonfire Night is always described rather optimistically by the staff of the Ranger Service as "interesting times." more...
WITH less light to trap for energy, freezing nights and days can easily damage fragile leaves. more...
THE Devil's Spittleful nature reserve, which lies in the triangle of land between the towns of Stourport, Bewdley and Kidderminster, must be one of the most enigmatically named nature reserves in the country. more...
WITH most of the trees having lost their leaves in readiness for the coming winter, gardens can often look rather bare. more...
A VISIT to a nature reserve can sometimes present us with a puzzle which can lead to doing a little detective work to solve the mini mystery. more...
A FANTASTIC evening of entertainment takes place on Friday, February 18, when not one but two local bands take to the stage in aid of Primrose Hospice's "Primrose at the Princess" appeal. more...
RESIDENTS will have the chance to air their views and voice any concerns at monthly police surgeries being held throughout the year. more...
A FALCONER is asking Studley villagers to help in the search for her escaped Harris hawk which went missing when the roof blew off its aviary during the gales on Saturday. more...
TRIBUTES have been paid to a former Wythall parish councillor who devoted her life to the village. more...
A GRANT of £5,000 is set to enable women at a Studley diving club to take the plunge and explore new depths. more...
RESIDENTS have been urged to hang on to paper, bottles and cans until the next recycling collection. more...
RETAILERS in Worcester have recorded a generally "bleak" Christmas amid national reports that December sales were the worst for a decade. more...
STUDENTS past and present gathered at Alcester Grammar School for the annual awards evening. more...
THE Malvern-based Conservative Business Forum is holding its next Business Breakfast on Monday, January 31. more...
A DRUNKEN Alcester woman scared away shoppers in Stratford town centre by breaking a shop sign, throwing a hobby horse to the ground and urinating in the street. more...
RECORD numbers of passengers passed through the UK's major airports last year, figures out today showed. more...
TWO people were airlifted to hospital after a serious road accident in Oversley involving four vehicles. more...
THE country sport may be facing an uncertain future, but it's yoiks, tally ho, onward and upward for one fox-hunting Worcestershire businesswoman. more...
TRUSTEES should know next month what they want to do with the Greig Hall, the original youth and community centre on the Kinwarton Road site. more...
CONSUMERS are expecting to curb their borrowing in 2005, according to research published today. more...
PEOPLE are being asked to come up with a new name for the Greig Centre sports hall - but it must have nothing to do with sport. more...
YEARS of lobbying to cut speed limits on a "hazardous" Bidford road may soon pay off. more...
A CHARITY box containing about £40 for the tsunami appeal has been stolen from an Alcester newsagent. more...
THOUSANDS of pounds have been raised across the region for victims of the Asian Tsunami disaster. more...
A WOMAN who has dedicated 12 years of her life helping victims of crime has been awarded an MBE in the New Year's Honours List. more...
THE population of Bromsgrove's urban district was becoming healthier, according to a report by the town's medical officer. Last month, most of the 13 deaths had been from old age and bronchitis, plus one from accidental suffocation. Importantly, none had resulted from an infectious disease. more...
PREPARATIONS for the opening of the new infants' department at Charford School was being hampered by the refusal of parents to reply to letters asking them if they wished to send their children there. The authorities said it was impossible to plan ahead and engage staff and order desks and seats without having the information to hand. more...
PEOPLE in Bromsgrove seeking to further their education by attending evening courses or collages were to pay more. County councillors were being urged to raise the cost from 28p to 50p or even 75p per hour. It was said the true commercial cost of courses was more likely £1 per hour. But the authority was wary of hiking charges for fear of driving people away. more...
THE small but active Cookhill branch would like to thank all members and residents of Cookhill for their generous support of the recent Remembrance Day Poppy Appeal. Organised by Mrs Eithwyn Colbourne and her dedicated band of helpers, a total of £1,213.34 was raised. more...
THE group has applauded a new book available at post offices. more...
WRITING a speech is part of the skill of becoming a proficient speaker. more...
THE first meeting of the year will be on Monday, January 17, at 7.30pm when Neil Cook will give an illustrated talk on the recreation of Hanbury Hall garden. more...
MEMBERS celebrated the Christmas season in great style at their monthly meeting in December. more...
TOWARDS the end of October, members took part in two walks, the first being around the Morton Stanley Park area and led by Alan and Jill, following on from a talk by landscape architect Roy Winter in September. more...
THE new headteacher of a Matchborough high school says he is looking ahead to a "bright future". more...
THE Christmas party was a huge success, with plenty of good food and wine. more...
A Redditch 14 year old who broke two antisocial behaviour orders lost an appeal against being locked up when he appeared before a judge at Worcester Crown Court. more...
SIXTY years of wedded bliss were celebrated recently for two new residents of Redditch. more...
REDDITCH youngsters are being given the chance to spice up their lives - and their tastebuds - with a Caribbean cooking course. more...
"WATCH your gutter language you, you are not at home now!" Such was my response when lecturing in building some years ago to 16 year old trying to shock me. more...
A CHILDHOOD ambition has led to it being a real family affair for one Redditch man who has drafted in his parents, brothers, in-laws and cousins to help run his business. more...
APPARENTLY, Redditch Council is going to take action regarding the suspected increase in the number of rats in the town. more...
YOUNG people in Wythall are "getting the message", say the village's police after encouraging results from an antisocial behaviour order. more...
I NOTED the publicity photograph and article regarding Rikki the Recycling Rat (Advertiser, December 22). more...
A BATCHLEY woman is seeing stars after being picked to perform on popular ITV1 show Stars in their Eyes. more...
I WOULD like to thank our Labour councillors for "keeping faith with us" and restoring our free bus passes on Christmas Eve. more...
A REWARD has been offered by the owners of a two-year-old cat which had to be put down after being paralysed by an air gun pellet. more...
THE Christmas spirit was alive and well in Sainsbury's car park on the evening of December 21. more...
MAY I, through your columns, express my thanks and gratitude to all the members of the Redditch Youth Fencers Club and the parents' committee for the wonderful retirement ``ceremony'' we witnessed at Redditch Youth House on the occasion of the retirement of myself, my husband Colin, Dennis Roe and Malcolm and Helen Shine (girls' captain). more...
MEMORIES of Studley's wartime history were rekindled recently for one Studley man after he heard from an old friend. more...
DISTRICT Councillor Hazel Wright's disappointment that a public consultation meeting to discuss the setting of Stratford Council's council tax for next year was attended by just eight members of the public should have come as no surprise to her (Advertiser, December 15). more...
RESIDENTS living near the proposed Abbey Stadium development say their response to the controversial planning application has been severely restricted because of the delay in a letter being sent to them. more...
EVERY morning I walk my three children to school from Smallwood to Hollyoaks Fields First School in Bridge Street, Batchley. more...
THE Palace Theatre has announced its forthcoming Spring Programme - and there is sure to be something on offer for everyone. more...
ON December 20, I went to my local post office to draw my pension, only to be told the machine had been playing up all day and had finally "crashed" so no money could be paid out. more...
THIEVES stole electrical equipment from St Leonard's Church, Beoley, after smashing part of an intricate stained glass window depicting an heraldic crest. more...
THE Bishop of Coventry will visit Studley on Sunday to consecrate the extension to the cemetery. more...
REDDITCH firefighters have held several events and are planning others to raise cash for the hundreds of thousands of people who were made homeless and had their lives devastated by the Asian tsunami. more...
POLICE in Church Hill have not known a time when "demands on officers were so great", according to a sector sergeant. more...
AN appeal launched by Redditch Rotarians for the tsunami disaster is still gathering momentum, with residents and companies continuing to give generously. more...
A GROUP of divers who were on a Sri Lankan beach when the devastating Boxing Day tsunami hit have set up a formal charity committee to help the desperate villagers who saved them. more...
KIND-hearted teenagers from Crabbs Cross clubbed together and cleaned cars to raise money for the Tsunami appeal. more...
THE members of both Rotary Clubs in Redditch who organised the enormously successful collection in the Kingfisher Centre on New Year's Eve in the wake of the tsunami disaster would like to thank the people of Redditch for their unbelievable generosity on that day and since, for the amount raised has now exceeded £10,000 and the cash is still pouring in. more...
AN Alcester factory is set to expand after councillors approved a planning application. more...
PLANS to establish a tourism network for businesses in Redditch and Bromsgrove will take a step forward on Thursday, January 20. more...
A BATCHLEY couple fear a Sri Lankan woman they fostered as a child may have been a victim of the Asian tsunami disaster which killed at least 150,000. more...
THE start of a new matchstick modelling club has been put on the backburner after organisers failed to amass enough craft materials. more...
A CIVIC leader has pledged to ditch his mobile phone after a communications mast was put up in Droitwich Spa without the consultation of residents. more...
THE appeal to raise cash for villagers who cared for a group of Bromsgrove scuba divers after the tsunami hit Sri Lanka is gathering pace. more...
TOWNSFOLK are being warned to stay on their guard after an attempted distraction burglary in Sidemoor. more...
PRACTISING safe sex is not just an issue for the young, a group of Droitwich Spa pensioners claim. more...
FESTIVE revellers and licensees in Bromsgrove have been praised for keeping the Christmas and New Year period relatively trouble free. more...
The jury in the "salt boy" murder case was due to be sent out today (Wednesday) to consider its verdicts. more...
FRIENDS and family paid their last respects to a popular Rubery man who helped pioneer his street's neighbourhood watch scheme. more...
YOUNGSTERS are warned to be on their guard after two separate reports of Droitwich Spa schoolgirls being approached by men. more...
BROMSGROVE'S newly-elected lone Liberal Democrat councillor says the authority must do more to communicate with the people it serves. more...
POLICE say a car robbery and an attempted car robbery may be linked. more...
THE town's hospital will have its car park extended after the scheme was approved, despite the concerns of near-by residents. more...
A JOINT initiative is set to sweep eyesore vehicles off the streets. more...
TWO Bromsgrove schools have been honoured in a list of education watchdog Ofsted's high achievers. more...
A TERRIFIED woman was bundled into a camper van and her home was burgled before she was dumped in inner-city Birmingham. more...
FUNDRAISERS who have worked tirelessly for two years to raise cash to repair the crumbling fabric of Bromsgrove's ancient parish church are rejoicing this week after hearing they have been given one of the largest ever grants of its kind. more...
CLOSED for a fortnight after falling victim to the storms which lashed the district at the weekend - that's the fate of Bromsgrove's Market Hall. more...
January 14, 1905 more...
The newly-elected president, Denise Cotterill, welcomed about 30 members at the December meeting. more...
January 14, 1955 more...
NICE one, First and Worcester City Council. You really had us fooled. I think everyone was under the impression that having paid an additional £4, the fare would be increased by 5p. more...
Sue Mayne welcomed two visitors and one new member to Lickey WI's first meeting of 2005, which was held at the parish hall last Tuesday. more...
January 11, 1980 more...
IN response to MP Peter Luff's comments about the BBC planning to screen Jerry Springer - the Opera, I would like to remind Mr Luff that we have freedom of choice in this country (plus an "off" button on a TV set!) more...
For our December meeting we held a Christmas extravaganza at Bentley Village Hall. more...
MARK Starr declares "UKIP is clear the existing structure of local government serves our needs" (Letters, Thursday, December 30). more...
The first monthly meeting of 2005 for Chaddesley Corbett WI was held last Wednesday. more...
IT is with much amusement that I read L Spiteri's frequent letters to Letters in which he continuously strives to re-write history. more...
L SPITERI once again lauds socialism (Letters, Tuesday, December 30). more...
IF you've taken every opportunity to eat, drink and be merry over the festive season, and you've had your fill of Christmas indulgence, you are probably considering making some New Year's resolutions. more...
I'VE gone off Sir John Phillpott (Evening News, Saturday, January 1). more...
THE postman has just delivered the mail. The lot went straight into the recycling box. more...
WITH the number of people living with diabetes now reaching 1.8 million, it is one of the most common health conditions in the UK. more...
IT is Christmas Eve, with hundreds of people cramming into town to do their last bit of shopping. I only need to get a few things from ASDA and am lucky enough to find a space on the car park. more...
I HOPE readers in the Bromsgrove and Droitwich Spa areas will support an environmentally friendly fundraising scheme for the New Year, as Guide Dogs encourages people to recycle their old mobile phones. more...
IN her observations to my views re: employment of traffic wardens, more...
AS a volunteer driver for Bromsgrove Rural Rides, I am grateful that MP, Julie Kirkbride has 'saved' the Rural Rides for the many residents who use the service, but what an indictment of the Bromsgrove county councillors who have failed to properly represent their constituents and secure a fair treatment for Bromsgrove District. more...
RECENTLY I phoned Bromsgrove District Council and asked why they had spent £450,000 in refunding us £5 instead of deducting it off this year's Council Tax bill. more...
REGARDING 'Jerry Springer- The Opera' being televised on the BBC - it is good to know that Peter Luff, our Mid-Worcestershire MP, does 'not believe in censorship'. more...
I HOPE no Advertiser/Messenger readers make holiday or other arrangements on the basis of the `weather forecasts' given in the newspaper last week. more...
AS there always seems to be too much negative reporting in the press on the refuse collection in Bromsgrove, can I start the New Year on a positive note. more...
GRATEFUL thanks to the `knight in shining armour,' who walked me back home on Saturday morning fromBromsgrove town centre. more...
I WOULD like to know why Wythall councillors Denaro, Dyer and Baxter voted against a motion put to Bromsgrove District Council, by Councillor Ann Doyle for regular road sweeping throughout the Bromsgrove district. more...
ON behalf of the Disasters and Emergency Committee (DEC) - representing 12 leading aid agencies, I thank you for what your paper has already done following the Asian Tsunami Disaster and would issue this further appeal to your readers for donations. more...
IT is almost a year to the day that parents first met at Bromsgrove's Rigby Hall School to consider the proposals for delivering special needs education in the north-east of the county, as proposed by Worcestershire County Council. more...
THE postman has just delivered the mail. The lot went straight into the recycling box. more...
WITH the number of people living with diabetes now reaching 1.8 million, it is one of the most common health conditions in the UK. more...
IT is Christmas Eve, with hundreds of people cramming into town to do their last bit of shopping. I only need to get a few things from ASDA and am lucky enough to find a space on the car park. more...
I HOPE readers in the Bromsgrove and Droitwich Spa areas will support an environmentally friendly fundraising scheme for the New Year, as Guide Dogs encourages people to recycle their old mobile phones. more...
IN her observations to my views re: employment of traffic wardens, more...
AS a volunteer driver for Bromsgrove Rural Rides, I am grateful that MP, Julie Kirkbride has 'saved' the Rural Rides for the many residents who use the service, but what an indictment of the Bromsgrove county councillors who have failed to properly represent their constituents and secure a fair treatment for Bromsgrove District. more...
RECENTLY I phoned Bromsgrove District Council and asked why they had spent £450,000 in refunding us £5 instead of deducting it off this year's Council Tax bill. more...
REGARDING 'Jerry Springer- The Opera' being televised on the BBC - it is good to know that Peter Luff, our Mid-Worcestershire MP, does 'not believe in censorship'. more...
I HOPE no Advertiser/Messenger readers make holiday or other arrangements on the basis of the `weather forecasts' given in the newspaper last week. more...
AS there always seems to be too much negative reporting in the press on the refuse collection in Bromsgrove, can I start the New Year on a positive note. more...
GRATEFUL thanks to the `knight in shining armour,' who walked me back home on Saturday morning fromBromsgrove town centre. more...
I WOULD like to know why Wythall councillors Denaro, Dyer and Baxter voted against a motion put to Bromsgrove District Council, by Councillor Ann Doyle for regular road sweeping throughout the Bromsgrove district. more...
ON behalf of the Disasters and Emergency Committee (DEC) - representing 12 leading aid agencies, I thank you for what your paper has already done following the Asian Tsunami Disaster and would issue this further appeal to your readers for donations. more...
IT is almost a year to the day that parents first met at Bromsgrove's Rigby Hall School to consider the proposals for delivering special needs education in the north-east of the county, as proposed by Worcestershire County Council. more...
ENERGY company npower has pledged a donation of £300,000 to the Disasters Emergency Committee appeal. more...
CHURCH groups in Worcester united to raise more than £1,000 for the Asian tsunami appeal through collections in local supermarkets. more...
LANDLORDS at a pub have praised regulars after they helped raise more than £1,500 for the tsunami emergency appeal. more...
STAFF at a Worcester newsagents have been overwhelmed by the generosity of customers since they started a collection for the tsunami disaster appeal. more...
COPPER kettles, pewter ware and a watercolour painting by a local artist are among the items already donated for a grand sale in aid of the tsunami disaster appeal. more...
SCHOOLS across Worcestershire have lent a helping hand to tsunami victims by raising money during the first week of term. more...
AN environmental warden's new look van will give him a wider profile in the community, say parish councillors. more...
A BRIDE whose husband died from a rare and aggressive form of cancer just 34 days after they were married has donated thousands of pounds to charity in his memory. more...
WHIST players who put their cards on the table and made a concerted effort to raise money for charity have generated more than £2,000 for good causes. more...
A WORCESTER charity promoting mental health is hoping to extend its service to more people in 2005. more...
A BOOK by one of Malvern's most notorious residents of the 20th Century, lesbian writer Marguerite Radclyffe-Hall, features in newly-released official documents. more...
PET-lovers are being invited to the sixth annual Championship Cat Show next week. more...
TIGHTER controls on illegal tipping in Worcester could be pushing the problem outside the city boundary. more...
SUNKEN Worcestershire Sauce bottles salvaged from a shipwrecked steamer are fetching up to £300 on the internet. more...
JAZZ pianist Jane Whittle is joining youngsters at a leading county theatre group as their new musical director as the company begins rehearsals for its next production - Les Misérables (School Edition). more...
THESE seven puppies are the latest cute recruits for Guide Dogs for the Blind. more...
THE outcome of a final cash bid to turn Droitwich Barge Canal into a leisure facility will not now be known until March, but campaigners say they are very optimistic. more...
A GATHERING of family, friends and colleagues in memory of former city councillor Carolyn Williams was a testament to her diverse interests in life. more...
A CARPENTER may have suffered an epileptic fit and fallen into the River Severn, an inquest heard. more...
A MAN who plunged 40 feet to his death after falling from the top storey of a Worcester car park has been named as 37-year-old assistant headteacher Ian Campbell. more...
THE Government is "relaxed" about any delays to the implementation of the hunting ban caused by the Countryside Alliance's legal challenge, Rural Affairs Minister Alun Michael said yesterday. more...
GRIEVING relatives of tsunami victims are being offered the chance to use a medium in a bid to "contact" dead loved ones. more...
THE decision to appeal the revocation of Studley bypass route orders has been welcomed by the MP for Studley, John Maples. more...
LONG-awaited plans for the redevelopment of the empty Co-op site in Studley have been submitted - but have immediately run into opposition from the parish council. more...
THE battle over what will happen to a prime piece of development land on the main road through Studley has been settled after a developer won a planning appeal against Stratford Council. more...
REDDITCH Council has joined forces with Redditch Primary Care Trust to encourage residents to walk their way to fitness in 2005 by joining a new scheme. more...
A new group will start tomorrow at Woodrow Clinic which will help people to get fit and eat healthily for 2005. more...
IF you were to commission a survey to discover what people around the world associate with Worcester, what do you think would come out on top? more...
A 50-YEAR-old man was left shaken after being robbed by three youths. more...
A MAN exposed himself to a woman in Redditch's Arrow Valley Park at about 3pm on Sunday. more...
A PENSIONER in her 70s was left shaken after being the victim of a bag snatch. more...
A "SUBSTANTIAL" amount of money was stolen during a bag snatch in Batchley. more...
A KEEN guitarist has plucked up the courage to set his own business in Alcester. more...
A BRAINY Chinese student has proved she is top of the class - after scooping a place at Oxford University's Lady Margaret Hall to study Mathematics and Statistics. more...
BUS passengers could be led to believe there are no Sunday or evening services through Kempsey, depending on which timetable they read. more...
BEING cricket captain of Malvern College may have kick-started Tesco entrepreneur Lord MacLaurin's rise to the top, a new survey has found. more...
British sunseekers caught up in Thailand's tsunami disaster have traded swimsuits for shovels in a bid to help rebuild a devastated village. more...
SMOKERS determined to kick the habit can get help with tips to encourage them to carry on quitting. more...
SCORES of swans graced the River Severn's banks this week after storms which hit the region caused water levels to rise. more...
MUSIC in a marquee at the Farmer's Arms, Kempsey Common, will have to stop earlier this year during an annual motorcycle rally. more...
TESCO has defended its policy on Bank Holiday working, following a complaint to the Evening News that staff were forced to work on two bank holidays without extra pay. more...
CARING county residents are being urged to volunteer their time to help a charity raise cash for terminally ill cancer sufferers. more...
Droitwich 1st XI 4 Bromsgrove 1st XI 3 more...
COFTON Hackett B and Lickey Monarchs are still neck - and - neck at the top of the table after drawing 5-5 in the Bromsgrove and RedditchTable Tennis League Division One. more...
BELBROUGHTON golfer Matt Morris has vowed to break into the European tour in 2005. more...
HOLDERS Bromsgrove made a decisive step towards retaining the Wessex Indoor Bowls League National Championship by defeating Chipping Norton 97-59 on Sunday. more...
DROITWICH Tennis Club's men's A team got the better of local rivals Barnt green 3-1 in the Winter League. more...
OUR supporters may be unhappy at the manner of the performance against Ashton United, but rest assured, nobody is more disappointed about what went on than myself and the players. more...
Malvern Town 3 Droitwich Spa Ladies 0 more...
Woodrush 3 more...
A LATE winner denied Rubery into the final of the Ken Parfitt Cup on Sunday as they lost 3-2 to Oak Heath Sports. more...
Alcester 17 more...
Rugby United Reserves 1 more...
Droitwich Spa 2 Nunnery Wood Sports 1 more...
Wilmcote S&S 0 Barnt Green Spartak 1 (AET) more...
Bromsgrove Rovers 1 Cinderford Town 1 more...
BROMSGROVE Rovers have moved to fill a gaping hole in their defence by making a bid for Bedworth United centre back Phil Male. more...
Redditch 28 more...
Bromsgrove U15 27 Walsall U15 7 more...
Bromsgrove U10s 20 Stourbridge U10s 10 more...
Bromsgrove Colts 0 Luctonians RFC Colts 19 more...
DROITWICH Spa face a second row injury crisis going into Saturday's replay against Ledbury at home (2.30pm kick off). more...
Bromsgrove 13 Scunthorpe 14 more...
REDS boss Rod Brown scouted out the National Conference opponents Carlisle when they drew with Aldershot on December 28 and saw them draw with Morecambe on TV. more...
REDDITCH United will travel to Carlisle to play their FA Trophy third round match despite freak weather which has claimed the lives of three people in the Cumbrian city. more...
HEADLESS Cross Ladies were again without key players as they went down to West Midlands Premier leaders West Bromwich Albion Ladies 5-3. more...
Southam United 1 more...
STUDLEY Women travelled to Birmingham looking to start the year on a high but found the University keeper in great form to deny them a win. more...
BEWDLEY Town visit Riverway tonight in the West Midlands League Division One Cup first round (7.45). more...
STOURPORT Swifts will have to wait a bit longer to mount a push for a play-off place after their Southern League Division One West match at Cinderford Town was postponed last night. more...
MALVERN Town Town put themselves into the Travel Factory Alliance promotion mix after a 2-1 victory over fellow high flyers Stourbridge last night. more...
DANNY Carey-Bertram spearheaded a successful revenge mission as the Bulls bounced back from their Conference defeat at Eton Park to clinch a place in the fourth round of the GLS Cup. more...
NEW facilities at a Worcester golf club are set to revolutionise the way people practice. more...
HEDNESFORD Town player-manager Chris Brindley is not prepared to show any sympathy to Worcester City when the two sides clash at Keys Park on Saturday in the third round of the FA Trophy. more...
HEDNESFORD Town player-manager Chris Brindley is not prepared to show any sympathy to Worcester City when the two sides clash at Keys Park on Saturday in the third round of the FA Trophy. more...
Stourbridge 2 more...
Studley 1 more...
SNOOKER: The next meeting of the Redditch and District Snooker League will be held at Centrepoint Club at 8pm on Monday, January 17. more...
CRICKET: Cookhill CC will be starting net practice at St Augustine's High School, Hunt End, on Sunday, January 30. more...
CYCLING: Redditch Road and Path Cycling Club are running a round of the Midland Cyclo Cross League in Pitcheroak Wood on Sunday, January 30. more...
HOCKEY: Lower league opposition Old Sils were no match for Redditch Ladies who started the New Year in convincing style with a 6-0 victory. more...
REDDITCH took the honours in the first charity pool match between themselves and the best of neighbours Bromsgrove on Saturday night. more...
REDS boss Rod Brown scouted out the National Conference opponents Carlisle when they drew with Aldershot on December 28 and saw them draw with Morecambe on TV. more...
TRAVELLING down a bobsleigh track at nearly 80 miles an hour would be too much for some people. more...
REDDITCH United will travel to Carlisle to play their FA Trophy third round match despite freak weather which has claimed the lives of three people in the Cumbrian city. more...
The Travel Factory Midland Football Alliance more...
DROITWICH Spa RFC face a second row injury crisis going into Saturday's replay against Ledbury at home (2.30pm kick off). more...
Droitwich 1st XI 4 Bromsgrove 1st XI 3 more...
Bromsgrove Rovers 1 Cinderford Town 0 more...
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