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Stories for 27 February 2003
Leisure
What's on in city and county this week
At the cinema more...
Home of playwright will be a focus for budding writers
Anew residential centre for writers opens at the end of next month, bringing the world of contemporary literature to the Clun Valley. more...
Wim wins the day
Last Thursday, February 20, was D-day for five groups of young scriptwriters who have been working hard on a scriptwriting programme, Rural Writes, with the Hereford based Rural Media Company. more...
Second h.Art shaping up
Herefordshire Art Week (codename h.Art) is now in the planning stages for its second outing. more...
He'll be back!
Although Jonathan Stone, artistic director of the Courtyard Theatre, will be vacating his post at the end of March he has confirmed that he will be back to direct this year's in-house production of `The Little Mermaid'. more...
The face beneath the most famous fez in British comedy history
Jerome Flynn will star as Tommy Cooper in the world premiere of `Cooper! Not Like That Like This', a brand new play written and created by John Fisher, which opens at Malvern Theatres on Wednesday, March 5 before transferring to London's West End in April. more...
Ain't no frog in his throat
With two sell-out nights already this year, Nightjar Folk Club at The Courtyard goes from strength to strength. Next Thursday, March 6 at 8pm they'll be giving a warm welcome to Claude Bourbon, "the Frog with the Blues". more...
Police choir sings out for college for the blind
Hereford's Police Male Voice Choir will be singing out in support of The Royal National College for the Blind when they make a special appearance at the College on Saturday. more...
Vintage Verdi plays again
Renowned Opera Company Compagnia d'Opera Italiano di Milano returns to Malvern Theatres for the fourth successive year with its acclaimed production of Un Ballo in Maschera from tonight, for three nights. more...
Local composer finds a finale
The last concert in the Music in New Radnor season takes place on Sunday, March 9 in the community centre. more...
News
Better use for this perfect spot
MADAM, The publicity machine of Eign Enterprises and one of the largest supermarket chains in the world Asda/Walmart rolls on with its exhibition, and invited guests including our local MP, exuding influence and positive opinion for the project. more...
Waiting for city to grind to a halt
MADAM, I thoroughly agree with Mr Adamson and his comments on government assurance no developments would be considered on the nation's flood plains. more...
Tories laid waste our industries
MADAM, I was amazed to read Tory MP Bill Wiggin on the front page of your paper expressing concerns about job losses at Special Metal Wiggin and others. more...
Style unfinished
MADAM, Is the artist's impression of Edgar Street visualising the site before the scaffolding is removed or after? more...
Bromyard damage leads to CCTV call
A spate of vandalism in Bromyard has lead to calls for closed-circuit television to be introduced to catch the hooligans that carry out the mindless attacks. more...
Congestion fine a capital mystery
ALISON Chedgzoy can be in two places at once. According to London's congestion chargers Alison, from Linton, near Bromyard, drove across the capital without paying - while she was actually at work in Worcester. more...
Prominent publican served time as a prisoner of war
A WREATH of flowers shaped like `half a Welsh' will grace the coffin of a South Wales Borderers veteran and publican who vowed `never to go thirsty again' in his darkest hour. more...
Dancing bowlers rally to cause
THERE was love on the dance floor at a Herefordshire bowling centre - to the tune of £500 for seriously ill children. more...
Cash flows from bad hair days
BAD hair days, outrageous clothes and even a scattering of Noddy characters helped raise thousands of pounds as Acorn mania swept county schools. more...
Hitting the right notes
A WORLD tenor supremo has swelled Hereford Cathedral to the tune of well over £3,000. more...
Called to Court
CROCUS and cyclamen will be in full bloom at an historic court when Herefordshire Growing Point visits on Wednesday, March 5. more...
Sufferers meet
ROSS-ON-WYE residents with osteoporosis and their carers will have the chance to meet up with other sufferers of the fragile bone disease to share their experiences on Thursday, March 6. more...
New address
ROSS-ON-WYE Town Council's new address is The Corn Exchange, 7 High Street, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire HR9 5HL. more...
Ross-on-Wye youth to stage street workshops
ROSS-ON-WYE youngsters from the CRE8 group have taken an active part in a Street Art workshop throughout the half term break. Graffiti, breakdancing, singing, and circus skills were all given a go by the youth group who also worked with film professionals from the Rural Media Company to produce a film about young people and the arts. more...
Offers flood in to home Mr Toad
OFFERS have come flooding in to house the Ross-on-Wye metallic skateboarder Mr Toad. more...
Kitchen blazes leave 100 on the injury list
WHICH is the most dangerous room in your home - the kitchen, the lounge, or the bedroom? more...
Directed funerals for over half a century
THE death of Reg Dawe, funeral director supreme marks the end of an era. For more than half a century, his name has been a byword in the business in Herefordshire. more...
Tributes paid to churchman
HEREFORD Cathedral's tenor bell tolled 86 times as a mark of respect to one of Herefordshire's best-known ecclesiastical figures on Saturday. more...
£190,000 grant for gipsy culture
A `GROUND-BREAKING' Herefordshire based magazine has been awarded a community fund grant of £190,000, ensuring its survival for the next three years. more...
Helped Eden to hide romance
FORMER Hereford MP, JPL Thomas, features in a new biography of 1950s Conservative Prime Minister Anthony Eden. more...
Website chance for community groups
COMMUNITY groups in Herefordshire are being offered the chance to be included on a prestigious internet website that gathers together the best education material in the country. more...
Iron age beauty spot was base for Cromwell's siege
MOST walks in this monthly series will be in the range of up to five miles, but occasionally we will feature a longer walk. This one puts together, as a package, our Cathedral City, a beautiful stretch of the River Wye and one of our most scenic and accessible iron age hillforts. more...
Walking festival to set pace nationally
WHETHER you are a slow stroller or an experienced mountain hiker, the popular Herefordshire Walking Festival will have something to offer everyone this summer. more...
Best foot forward in bronze
A BRONZE footprint-shaped plaque in the churchyard at St Michaels and All Angels Church, Bodenham, marks the start and finish of the Jubilee Loop Walk. more...
Spycatcher `Percy' to retire from force
"THEY were saying it wasn't the job that it was when I joined. But I'd do it all again." Paul `Percy' Bristow prepares for life outside the police with no regrets about going in, writes BILL TANNER. more...
Animal group to rescue as badgers are accused
ALL it takes is a `no'. If enough people say so then the culling of badgers in the county could stop and hundreds of thousands of pounds can be spent on more relevant research into bovine tuberculosis (bTB). more...
Power-cut family back to dark ages
A COUNTY mum suffering weekly power cuts is being forced to store hot water in flasks every morning for fear she will not be able to care for her nine-month-old son. more...
Double expulsion over cannabis cake
A CANNABIS cake served up to unsuspecting pupils has brought permanent exclusion for two pupils at Tenbury High School, writes JEN GREEN. more...
Compassion earns reward
A GRANDMOTHER who was left to bring up two grandchildren when her daughter died has won a £3,000 bursary to develop her career and help support her family, writes ANITA HOWELLS. more...
Died in crash
AN SAS soldier was killed on his way to the regiment's training base in Hereford after a daring manoeuvre on his motorbike ended in a head-on crash, an inquest heard. more...
The way forward on special needs
`SPECIAL needs' is a core subject for county schools this year. New moves to fund pupils with disabilities and emotional/behavioural difficulties through mainstream classes should come on stream soon. Here's how the Local Education Authority (LEA) hopes to make it happen - and some the issues around what's going on. more...
Council aims to lessen tax blow
OPTIONS to lessen the impact of a record 17 per cent council tax rise will be put to Herefordshire Council's cabinet today. more...
Company closure puts jobs on line
A KNIGHTON company has `ceased to trade' after hitting financial difficulties and `a number of issues' during its first year in business putting 40 jobs on the line. more...
MP offers to broker peace deal
HEREFORD MP Paul Keetch has offered to broker any deal that brings unions and management at the city's strike-stricken Special Metals (Wiggin) plant back into talks. more...
Almeley
Aston Ingham
Bishopstone
Bodenham
Colwall
Dolau
Dorstone
Eardisland
Eardisley
Edwyn Ralph
Evenjobb
Fownhope
Kingstone
Kington
Knighton
Knucklas
Peterchurch
Presteigne
Pyons and Westhope
St Weonards
Skenfrith
Care units could help to solve beds crisis
A PIONEERING trust for the elderly could revolutionise care in the county with a multi million pound city complex. more...
Latest home closure `tip of very big iceberg'
THE proposed closure of Kingswood Hall, the Kington home for the elderly, was described this week as "the tip of a very big iceberg" by a body representing care homes in the county. more...
County farmhouses still appeal to buyers
HEREFORDSHIRE is almost recession proof when it comes to residential farm values, according to a leading Hereford valuer. more...
Ploughing match set for success
WHEN Herefordshire Ploughing Association found difficulty in attracting entries to its annual ploughing match on a Saturday, they switched the date to a Sunday in the spring and since it has never looked back. more...
Countryside expert claims CAP reforms could damage jobs
CONTROVERSIAL plans for reform of the European Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) could trigger renewed damage to rural enterprises and jobs, a leading countryside expert has told rural business owners at a meeting in Builth Wells. more...
Tighter TB rules on way
AS part of a review of its TB control policy, the Government is planning a radical tightening of restrictions on cattle farms. Speaking at the annual meeting of the National Farmers' Union, held in the West Midlands for the first time, DEFRA secretary Margaret Beckett conceded that there was a need for the Government to take a fresh look at the problem. more...
Poet Pam Ayres to open show's rare breeds event
RARE breeds enthusiasts from all over Britain will be descending on the Three Counties Countryside Show in June. more...
Auctioneers install new set of weighing scales at market
WEAR and tear and inactivity during the foot-and-mouth outbreak has finally caught up with the livestock weighing scales at Hereford Livestock Market. more...
Top RASE award for hops research scientist
A RESEARCH scientist who leads a team developing dwarf hop varieties has received a top award from the Royal Agricultural Society of England. more...
Fruit farmer Allen recalls haggling on price cut of £100
HAGGLING over a reduction of £100 when buying a Herefordshire fruit farm would seem incongruous by modern-day standards but 45 years ago it was a tidy sum. more...
Goat club in debate over scrapie plan
WITH so much concern over the National Scrapie Plan, Herefordshire Goat Club has called an open meeting for this Saturday at which a leading veterinary advisor will speak. more...
Oh, yes they did! Golden Valley wins panto final
GOLDEN Valley Young Farmers' Club won the Herefordshire federation's pantomime final on Saturday with Eardisley a close second. more...
Tenant farmers suffer from CAP uncertainty
LAST year's uncertainty in farming was demoralising for tenant farmers, Reg Haydon, chairman, told the Tenant Farmers' Association's annual meeting in London. more...
Townswomen's Guild
Leominster Photographic Club
Rotary Clubs
FHMA
Herefordshire and Gloucestershire Canal Trust
Herefordshire Freemasons
MS Society
Radnorshire Soc
Macmillan Cancer Relief Support
National Council of Women
Women's Institutes
RNA
Low-rent homes on factory site
A FORMER city drinks factory has been reopened as a stylish courtyard housing development for people on low incomes. more...
Knew city streets backwards
A FIRE station controller, who knew the Hereford streets `like the back of his hand' and served the county and Worcestershire for over 20 years died last Friday at Shrewsbury Hospital. more...
MP calls in on army in Kuwait
HEREFORD MP and Liberal Democrat Shadow Defence Secretary Paul Keetch has visited the Army in Kuwait, Royal Navy ships in Bahrain and the RAF in Kuwait and Bahrain. more...
Burglar warned of jail sentence
A BURGLAR who raided homes in Herefordshire is at risk of a prison sentence. more...
Elvis won't be leaving the building...
ELVIS is alive and well at his Belmont home after two weeks out and about in the city - thanks to an article in The Hereford Times. more...
Keeping up good work
A HEREFORD man is still raising money for charity more than 40 years since he and his friends started up their good work at the Vaga Tavern. more...
Project all set
PLANS are underway for a £500,000 development project of the Hereford Waterworks Museum. more...
Pedalling to say `thank you'
A CITY business woman who cared for her husband through a terminal illness is planning a 590km cycle ride to say thank you to the charity that helped her, writes ANITA HOWELLS. more...
Rotherwas relief road's green light
HEREFORDSHIRE councillors have given the green light for a £6 million link road which they believe will enable the Rotherwas industrial estate to realise its full potential. more...
Girl assaulted near city skateboard park
A YOUNG girl was assaulted as she was walking along the `lines' near to the Newton Farm skateboard park at around 2.40pm on Tuesday, February 11. more...
Mini Tesco store opens
A MINI Tesco store with its own petrol forecourt opened in Ledbury Road, Tupsley on Monday. more...
Mayor to present award to Workmatch
THE Mayor of Hereford, Alan Williams, has been a frequent visitor to Workmatch's Coningsby Street training centre over the past year and when he learned that they had achieved the `Investors in People' award he decided it would be fitting for the award to be presented at the Town Hall. more...
Hot carriages as `Fire Hire' storms in
HEREFORDSHIRE'S future bride and grooms need never worry about being late for their wedding ceremony again, following the arrival of a new transport service that has stormed into town. more...
Stop-smoking campaign on move
THE Herefordshire Stop Smoking Service celebrated the government ban on tobacco advertising on billboards and in newspapers and magazines by driving a large advert of their own around the city. more...
Bed blocking tops list of challenges for NHS
BED blocking at the County Hospital is now the most important single issue facing the NHS in Herefordshire. more...
Sign snatchers hit Leominster
A SPATE of nameplate and sign snatching is worrying town councillors in Leominster. more...
Protest over hall as election venue
A BID was being made this week to find an alternative venue big enough for a 200-strong `election army' after protests in Leominster that children were being `pushed out' of a sports hall. more...
Stressed man took own life
THE summer's morning of July 8, 2002, dawned darkly for a Herefordshire family as news broke of a second tragedy in their lives. more...
Library celebrates 10-year milestone
THERE was uproar. A huge petition was mounted when Leominster residents learned that their new library was to be first floor only with access via stairs or lift. more...
Mayor wants to see ballroom full
LEOMINSTER mayor Roger Hunt has urged townspeople to `send the right message' in a new bid to attract major investment. more...
Offender bailed
A 21-year-old Leominster man is awaiting sentence after pleading guilty at Worcester Crown Court to stealing £200. more...
Central TV date
CENTRAL television's programme Your Shout will be coming to the Lion Ballroom in Leominster on Sunday, March 3. more...
Leominster may get own theatre
LEOMINSTER - the town without a theatre - should consider creating an auditorium within the Bridge Street Sports Centre to seat up to 300 people. more...
Traveller escapes as caravan burns
A TRAVELLER was taken to hospital suffering from burns, cuts and smoke inhalation after his caravan was destroyed in a fire at Leominster. more...
Early starts a thing of the past
JULIAN GORE is used to wearing different hats. He is the Kingsland Fire Station sub officer (which means he's in charge), a local school bus driver, milkman and newspaper deliveryman. more...
Council's 17% tax rise: your comments
LAST week's revelation in The Hereford Times, that an increase in council tax of 17 per cent was on the cards for Herefordshire, prompted a rapid and strong response from readers. more...
Two wheels not four are the best answer to traffic jams
Madam, Perhaps Hereford could look to Europe for inspiration on easing traffic congestion in the city. more...
And two legs are even better
MADAM, I can't help thinking that a car park isn't the best solution to the problems described in your article. more...
Let's have Ken's £5 charge here
MADAM, In reply to Miss Mayson's letter complaining of the school run congestion I propose that now the congestion charge is such a triumph in London that Herefordshire council is courageous enough to introduce the same for all roads leading into Hereford. more...
A force for good in Hereford
MADAM, Without getting into the pros and cons of the argument surrounding our proposed redevelopment of the Causeway Farm site, may I correct the factual inaccuracies in Mr Adamson's letter? more...
Sport
Adams takes the World stage
FORMER Herefordshire Minor Counties cricket all-rounder Andre Adams yesterday hammered a quick-fire 18 in New Zealand's emphatic seven-wicket win over Bangladesh in Pool B of the ICC Cricket World Cup. Adams played for Herefordshire in 2001. more...
Westfields bounce back from defeats
WESTFIELDS FC returned to form and moved back to the top of the West Midlands League Premier Division with a 3-0 away win over Dudley Town on Tuesday. more...
Sevens heaven for top schools
A FEAST of running rugby will be on display at Wyeside this Sunday when 24 schools compete for the Marches Sevens Cup, writes Jeremy Finney. more...
Guy has chance to make his mark
FLANKER Guy Thompson has been named in the Midlands Schools RFU Group-16 starting line-up to play a divisional match against the North at Mansfield this Saturday. more...
Hereford take case to North Midlands
HEREFORD Rugby Club, still aggrieved at Bedworth's over-aggressive tactics in the controversially abandoned Powergen Midlands 2 West clash, have now submitted their case against the Coventry-based outfit to the North Midlands RFU, writes Ian Morgan. more...
Emma leads rivals a dance in close finish
See report in Other Sports] more...
United face biggest challenge of season
HIGH-flying Hereford United face their toughest assignment of the season this Saturday in a mouth-watering Nationwide Conference top-of-the-table clash with title favourites and arch rivals Yeovil Town at Huish Park. more...
Substitute heads last-gasp winner
Llandrindod 2 Presteigne 3 more...
Bulls lose in shoot-out
Marconi 2 more...
Five-goal Hinton hold top spot in section
Malvern Rangers 2 Hinton 5 more...
Tipton claim leadership
Tipton Town 3 more...
Charlie rattles up 40th goal
ORLETON marksman Charlie Byatt snapped up his 40th goal of the season but it failed to stop his side from suffering a heavy defeat at Under-9 Division title challengers Ledbury Swifts in the HGTA Herefordshire Junior League. more...
Rare win
Leominster Town 2 Bustleholme Res 0 more...
Town caught
Kidlington 2 Ross Town 1 more...
Another goalkeeper makes his mark
North Leigh 2 Pegasus Juniors 0 more...
County finish well
Herefordshire FA 2 Leicestershire & Rutland FA 1 more...
Ledbury pay for middle lapses
Ledbury Town 2 Bromyard Town 2 more...
Blundering Westfields lose lead and crash out of league cup
Little Drayton Rangers 3 Westfields 1 more...
Rangers riding high again in title stakes
REIGNING champions Wellington Rangers moved to the top of the Hereford Times Hereford-shire League Premier Division on goal difference after a 4-2 home victory over lowly Fown-hope. more...
Town's early blast seals place
Kington Town 5 Ross United Services 0 more...
Dominant Kington unable to breach rivals' defence
Kington 0 Brecon 0 more...
Gwilliam's firepower fails to save city Xl
A FOUR-goal salvo from man-of-the-match Ian Gwilliam failed to stop struggling Hereford suffering an 8-6 defeat at Firebrands 2nd in a pulsating Gerrard West of England and South Wales League Premier Division 3 clash. more...
Denny returns as Hereford skipper
HEREFORD City Cricket Club elected last year's Bulmers captain Nick Denny as their skipper for the 2003 season, at the recent annual meeting more...
Board centred at Leominster
A COACHING conference for cricket coaches in Herefordshire and the West Midlands is being held at Leominster Bridge Street Sports Centre on Sunday, April 13. more...
Nationwide Conference fixtures 2002/3 season
Wormsley club clinch place in Plate final
HEREFORDSHIRE GC reached the final of the Shropshire and Hereford-shire President's Plate with a 2-1 victory over The Shropshire in the second leg of their match at Wormsley. more...
Runaway winners
Greyhound 38 pts Peterborough 5 more...
Five home tries
Woodrush 29 pts Bromyard 13 more...
Ledbury test higher-graded rivals in narrow defeat
Malvern 34 pts Ledbury 30 more...
Wyesiders book place for Colts Cup semis
Hereford Colts 19 pts Dudley Kingswinford Colts 11 more...
Rugby Results and Tables
RFU LEAGUE more...
Unlucky thirteen for Luctonians
Leicester Lions 18 pts Luctonians 13 more...
Netball
BOSS HEREFORD LEAGUE more...
Age category winners
HEREFORDSHIRE'S Colin Tucker and county visitor Sally Ireland distinguished themselves in the recent Kandahar Inter-national Masters Cup ski races, held at Courmayer, by winning their respective age categories in the slalom and giant slalom events. more...
Hill continues build-up for tilt at World title
HEREFORDSHIRE-based pole-vaulter Irie Hill continued the build-up to her goal of participating in the World Indoor Athletics Championships at the National Indoor Arena, Birmingham in three weeks time by convincingly winning the Birming-ham Games at the same venue. more...
KO success
HEREFORDSHIRE beat Wiltshire 20-16 - and by 137 shots to 133 - in the National Short Mat Bowls Knockout. more...
Amateurs take on ex-top jockeys
FORMER top professional jockeys Peter Scud-amore and Guy Lewis will be taking on a field of amateur riders in a charity flat race at Hereford Racecourse on Friday, March 7. more...
Hereford race day success
THE hastily-arranged substitute fixture at Hereford Racecourse last Sunday was voted a great success by organisers. more...
Pritchard boosts his tally with double at Whitwick
JULIAN Pritchard became the second most successful point-to-point jockey since the war when a convincing double aboard Well Ted and Cider Man took him on to 289 career wins at the North Herefordshire Hunt races at Whitwick Manor, writes Graham Saveker. more...
27/2/03 - Death of former Hereford player
FORMER Hereford United winger Brian Evans has died after a short battle with cancer. more...
United face biggest challenge of season
HIGH-flying Hereford United face their toughest assignment of the season this Saturday in a mouth-watering Nationwide Conference top-of-the-table clash with title favourites and arch rivals Yeovil Town at Huish Park. more...
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