Archive

  • Why must we pay more?

    MADAM, Well done Herefordshire Council, you have pulled the plug again by closing the pool. I had a letter saying as a paying member I can use Ledbury and Ross-on-Wye pools but not Hereford unless I pay more. This may be a joke but I think not. It is

  • Treatment has been a scandal

    MADAM, THE pool is the property of the people of Leominster, given by Mr Sydney Bridges, and was supposed to be maintained by Leominster Council. Why has this not been carried out? We have been cheated and to close it without warning is a scandal. Its

  • New home for Youth Service

    LEOMINSTER'S youngsters can give themselves a pat on the back after they helped the Youth Service into its new home - the former planning office off Etnam Street. Young people in the town armed themselves with paintbrushes to decorate the building in

  • Charity tee off

    THE call is going out to local golfers to help raise a bumper sum for this year's Mayor of Leominster's charity appeal. The mayor, Patricia Thomas, is raising cash for the Leominster-based Marches Family Network, which helps the families of children with

  • Health authority fades out without a whimper

    THE people of Herefordshire fought hard to save its own health authority in 1995 when the Government threatened a merger with Worcestershire. Now the authority is being axed and it will fade out without even a public whimper at the end of this month.

  • Bed problem remedy was among final tasks

    ONE of the last major tasks of Herefordshire Health Authority has been to try and find a remedy for the 'beds problem' in the county. At its final meeting it gave full approval to a package of measures which could help provide an extra 18,562 bed days

  • Work will go on

    FAREWELL to Herefordshire Health Authority for its long serving chairman Cessa Moore. But not the end of her work with the NHS. She has been appointed, in principle, as a non executive director of a new mega health authority to cover Herefordshire, Worcestershire

  • Mike Deakin to stay on in role

    IN yet another reshuffle of health authorities Dr Mike Deakin is pleased that he can stay in his job in Herefordshire keeping an eye on the county's health. When he came to work for Herefordshire Health Authority in 1996 it was like coming home. He was

  • CHI findings prompt plan

    IN a statement following the CHI findings Jeremy Millar, chief executive of Hereford Hospitals Trust said a detailed plan had been prepared to ensure that the important lesson are learned and failings corrected. Particular attention was being paid to:

  • Book is a lasting

    THE memory of a Ledbury mum who died of cancer two years ago is to be immortalised by a new book on the joys and trials of childbearing. Although Annette Jones saw two limited edition runs of the book she co-wrote, she died before publishers Penguin took

  • Lights deliver a shock

    CONTRACTORS have refused to put up Ledbury's Christmas lights, saying they are dangerous, and leaving the town facing a major fundraising effort to secure the 2002 display. Hereford-based Melcon say the supporting cables in 15 strings of lights are rusting

  • Budding talent...

    Talented young singers Sian Jones, soprano and Polly May, mezzo soprano will perform accompanied by Lucy Walker, piano on Saturday, April 6 at the Tretire Study Centre. Both graduates of Trinity College of Music, London the singers are at the outset of

  • April rules at the Saturday Caf

    The Saturday Caf, the popular series of informal music sessions at the Courtyard, has just released its April line-up. Promoted by The Music Pool, the county's community music charity, the sessions feature some of the top musical talent in the area. The

  • Musical delights in store

    A glittering gala concert in aid of Hereford Cathedral Perpetual Trust and Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital will star brilliant, young violinist, Chloe Hanslip and New Zealand's latest soprano talent, Deborah Wai Kapohe (pictured left). Hereford

  • Cathedral outrage

    A BURGLAR broke it; Jim'll fix it. The thief who smashed through a stained glass window last Thursday night to steal from Hereford Cathedral hasn't shattered the spirit of Easter. County craftsman Jim Budd picked up the pieces and will put the window,

  • Double blow on jobs

    PARCEL FORCE: WITH the wraps off Consignia's plans to shut Hereford's Parcel Force depot with 18 jobs probably lost, protest has begun. Hereford MP Paul Keetch said that 'once again' his constituency suffers through the 'inadequacies' of Government policy

  • Samuel could have best birthday gift

    A LITTLE boy from Hereford who is seriously ill with cancer could be unwrapping the best birthday present he could wish for when he turns 10 on April 2. Samuel Taylor has had his heart set on scrambling about on his own motorbike since he sat on his first

  • £15m water project

    WELSH Water has started a £15million project to upgrade its Broomy Hill water treatment works in Hereford. The works, which supplies drinking water to 110,000 people in the city and its surrounds, including Ledbury and Leominster, will be almost completely

  • George's 102 pints of blood

    ONE hundred and two pints of the red stuff before his 70th birthday has earned a Hereford blood donor much deserved acclaim on his retirement. George Field from Tupsley had to put away his blood donor badge for the last time as he celebrated his birthday

  • Referendum seeks dead woman's vote

    A HEREFORD council house tenant whose wife died two years ago received a ballot paper addressed to her in the referendum on privatising council-owned properties. Josiah Boulton, 74, a tenant of 12 years in Vilberie Way, Whitecross, said he wasn't emotionally

  • Learned English from newspapers

    WHEN Rose and Jack Pick married each other 60 years ago, they were not talking - not because of a tiff, but neither could speak the other's language! After being introduced at a dance in Alexandria, Egypt, where Mr Pick was posted by the army, the couple

  • Hereford finish in style

    THE final of the Bluebell Properties Swimming League was held in Hereford, with teams from Hereford, Worcester, Ledbury, Monmouth, Chepstow and Cwmbran competing and finishing in that order on the night. The final of the league is usually a well-fought

  • Charlotte races to seventh national qualifying time

    HEREFORD continued their successes at the Gloucester Counties Championships when they were ranked third overall and now have 34 championship titles. This almost trebles the number of titles achieved by Hereford in last year's championships and there are

  • Popular road race in May

    THE popular Pencombe Road Race will be taking place this year on Sunday, May 5. The 21st annual race has a range of classes in an effort to attract athletes of all ages and abilities. The first race will start at 10.30am and there will be medals for all

  • Ledbury power through to final

    Ledbury 34 pts Ludlow 17 LEDBURY booked their place in the inaugural final of the North Midlands Shield with a comprehensive victory at Ross Road. Dave Pickering, who grabbed a brace, set Ledbury on their way in this semi-final when he blasted through

  • Second place

    HEREFORD clinched second place in the North Midlands Under-18 League when won their third and last match of the series 24-14 at Droitwich. Hereford, who led 17-0 at half-time, scored tries through Nick Nugent (2) and fly-half Colin Osborne who also kicked

  • Tense finish to league

    MIDLANDS 1 leaders Broadstreet's defeat to Longton allowed Lucton-ians to close the gap in their bid for a play-off place. But Barkers' Butts resurgence has left Hereford struggling to avoid relegation with three games left. RFU LEAGUE Midlands 1: Camp

  • What's on at your local cinema

    Films change on Friday and run for seven days (unless otherwise stated). Odeon, Hereford l Ice Age (U) and Blade 2 (18). v 0870 5050 007. Coliseum Film Centre, Brecon l Iris (15), The Lord of The Rings (PG), Ice Age (U) and Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (

  • Oscar-winning story on the road again

    A new production of Alfred Uhry's heart-warming and beautifully written drama, 'Driving Miss Daisy', comes to Theatr Brycheiniog for two nights next week. Set in Atlanta, Georgia in 1948, Daisy Werthan is a rich middle-class lady of 72. Widowed, she spends

  • The life and loves of York

    Enchanting, inspirational and dazzling, Susannah York's touring production of The Loves of Shakespeare's Women arrives at the Courtyard on April 9. The solo show, written, designed, produced and directed by it's star strings together speeches and sonnets

  • Eardisley Little Theatre sweep the boards

    Herefordshire's 65th County Drama Festival of one-act plays culminated last Saturday, March 23 with an evening of all round entertainment and presentation of prizes by Mrs Monique Heijn. The David Garrick Cup for the winning team went to Eardisley Little

  • James' talent shines through in national audition

    Hereford Cathedral schoolboy, James Wisker has been offered the opportunity by the National Youth Music Theatre to star in one of its six key projects for 2002. James, 13 was chosen to star in 'The Generator', which will be devised and developed by the

  • Charity box thefts

    CHARITY boxes in Kington have been disappearing during the last few weeks. Kathleen Stanley of Kington Pet Supplies was targeted when her charity box was stolen last Tuesday morning. It had about £25 in to provide pocket money for three children who visit

  • On your bikes

    SEVEN cycle rides in and around Presteigne and Knighton feature in a new full colour leaflet published this week. The East Radnor Cycle Guide has been produced by Powys County Council and was launched at Whitton Community Centre by Councillor Brian Oakley

  • 29/3/02 - St Peter's in netball win

    GOLDEN trophies were won by a young St Peter's netball team and by a Whitbourne football team at an annual schools tournament held at Queen Elizabeth High School, Bromyard last weekend. Twelve teams from seven schools around Herefordshire took part in

  • 24/3/02 - Ledbury race to shield final spot

    LEDBURY entertained Ludlow in the semi- final of the North Midlands Shield on Sunday and with both teams in equivalent level leagues an eventful clash was on the cards. LEDBURY 34pts, LUDLOW 17pts Ledbury captain Mark Bell finally broke his losing streak

  • Plant a few smiles for Easter

    Passport Green is the new, spring exhibition at Parkfields Town Gallery. The exhibition is a fresh breath of spring air with exciting artists such as Paul Adams Groom - a Worcestershire artist, whose love for landscape and paint surface is reflected in

  • Easter treats for you and your family around the county

    Poetry, prose and sumptuous colours run through the work featured this Easter at the Hay Makers Gallery, Hay-on-Wye. Angie Hughes, textile artist, uses the poems of Masefield, George Mackay Brown and her partner Mark Stevenson to directly influence the

  • Herefordshire Festival for Music Dance Speech & Drama

    results School Choirs: Infants - Leominster; Lower Junior - Leominster; Upper Junior - Leominster; Less than 150-pupil schools - Grange, Monmouth; Millennium Choral Trophy - Haberdashers Monmouth; Secondary - Hereford Cathedral School; Festival Choral

  • Nationwide Conference fixtures 2001/2 season

    Aug 18 Barnet (H) 2-1 (Snape, G Williams) Aug 21 Nuneaton (A) 0-2 Aug 25 Stalybridge (A) 2-0 (Elmes 2) Aug 27 Southport (H) 0-0 Sep 1 Margate (A) 2-2 (G Williams, Parry) Sep 4 Forest Green (H) 0-0 Sep 8 Dover (H) 3-0 (Elmes 2, M Williams) Sep 11 Dagenham

  • Mike aims to help develop cricket

    KINGTON'S Mike Cronin has been appointed as the new chairman of Herefordshire Cricket Board. The Herefordshire born and bred off-spinner has taken over the role from Nick Nenadich who stood down at the last annual general meeting, Speaking on his new

  • Pool campaigners cry foul over grant

    A DECISION by Herefordshire Council to give Leominster a grant of £750,000 for a new swimming pool has angered campaigners fighting to build a pool in Bromyard. The town's swimming pool working party says it is appalled Leominster has secured the council's

  • Archive given £92,000

    BROMYARD and District Local History Society is to receive £92,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund to develop its Sherford Street Exhibition Centre. Since acquiring the former grocer's warehouse in 1999, the society has applied for funding to create environmentally

  • Charity wrangle threatens resource centre with closure

    BROMYARD'S well-used Community Resource Centre has been threatened with closure after a dispute with its landlords, the Bromyard Public Hall Management Committee . The committee has discovered it has a legal requirement, as a charity, to secure the maximum

  • Leggy Sue's eggs get park in a scramble

    A DANGEROUS wild animal called Leggy Sue has turned a new feather and laid five giant green eggs at her county farm park. No one thought the nine-year-old emu, who lives at Newbridge Farm Park under a special licence, would turn clucky. But one day her

  • Showcase festival for arts and crafts

    September sees the arrival of an exciting new visual arts event for the county. Branded h.Art, Herefordshire Art Week aims to be an annual showcase promoting the quality and diversity of the county's artists to local people. Recently appointed co-ordinator

  • Ice Challenger team in Alaskan rescue drama

    MISSING person in Wales - it might have made a routine call-out for Longtown Mountain Rescue. But this was Wales, Western Alaska, and terrain far tougher than home. Two members of the team - Graham Stratford and Henry Rouse - joined Hereford firefighter

  • Herefordshire site is 'goldmine' for fossils

    HEREFORDSHIRE is home to all kinds of animals - but not many people will be aware of this little beauty. That's because it lived around 425 million years ago when the county was covered in a deep sea and bore no resemblance to the undulating countryside

  • Blind Date hopefuls

    QUALITY not quantity was the verdict of Blind Date audition judges when they visited Hereford to scout out talent for the hit TV-show, writes HEATH ASTON. LWT programme producers had been bowled over the day before by 300 hopefuls in Birmingham, but -

  • Choral travel award

    A NORTH Herefordshire teacher has won a prestigious Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowship that will take her on a musical mission of discovery to three countries. Luzili Mulundi-King of Yarpole, head of music at Lucton School, has selected as one of

  • Mordiford continues its fightback with award

    TREASURE Each Individual is the motto of Mordiford School, and it's going to be applied literally. Staff from teachers to lunchtime supervisors will share in the cash award the primary gets as one of the best of its kind in the county - only a year after

  • Grant will help to preserve heritage

    RESIDENTS in Herefordshire will have the opportunity to get involved in preserving their rich natural heritage courtesy of a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. Madley Environmental Study Centre (MESC) will use £83,000 of lottery cash to fill a gap

  • Vision is set to become reality

    A HEREFORDSHIRE man is hoping his brainchild 'Chefspot' will attract funding to help turn his vision into reality. His aim is to help people with learning difficulties and other disabilities to manage and operate their own company through training. With

  • 29/3/02 - Bell Inn and Old Bush in cup final

    BELL Inn 98 recorded their fourth successive victory in as many weeks to book their place in the Malvern Football League President's Cup final. They continued their good run of form to complete an unbeaten record in March and overcame a spirited Callow

  • Freedom's path around the globe

    THERE'S a bad taste to biting bullets, but irony makes the swallow sweeter. It has Herefordshire author Tony Geraghty training journalists to serve emerging democracies, while back in Britain he faced prosecution for protecting press freedom. Whitehall

  • Party from Ledbury travel to meet town's namesake ship

    GUNNERS on HMS Ledbury poised at stand-to as fighter jets roared low overhead to attack. But lying far from any battle seas, it would only have been blanks the crew was firing back. The minesweeper, named after the Ledbury hunt and affiliated with the

  • Leaders save point

    Westfields 1 Causeway Utd 1 WEST Midlands League Premier Division leaders Causeway snatched a late goal to deny Westfields victory in an action-packed encounter at Rotherwas. Quicker to the ball, Westfields dominated the early play and deservedly took

  • Lads Club beat rivals to clinch championship

    LADS Club gained a comprehensive win over nearest rivals Leominster Minors to clinch the Under-14 championship with a game to spare. Leominster need a point from their remaining game to make sure of runners honours. Weston have withdrawn from the Under

  • Promotion hopes dented

    Ardley United 3 Ross Town 1 ROSS' promotion hopes were dealt a severe blow when they slipped to a rare defeat in Division 1 West of the Cherry Red Records Hellenic League. The visitors were run ragged by a very young and impressive Ardley outfit, which

  • Pegasus hit by winger

    Bicester Town 3 Pegasus Juniors 1 A BELOW-par Pegasus crashed to defeat against relegation-threatened Bicester in the Premier Division of the Cherry Red Records Hellenic League. The Herefordshire club produced an inept display and they were undone by

  • Hinton keep up challenge near the top

    Hinton 2 Lye Town Res 1 HINTON produced another good attacking performance to keep up their challenge for a top two finish in the West Midlands League Division 1 South. There was plenty of action at both ends with Hinton going close in the opening minutes

  • League entry

    TEAMS wishing to join the Jewson Herefordshire Sunday League for next season should contact league secretary Martin Price, Owls Nest, 12 Court Close, Little Dewchurch, Hereford HR2 6PT (phone: 01432 840495).

  • Llangrove's only pub sold to new owners

    THE Royal Arms - the only pub in Llangrove - has been sold to Peter and Thelma Saunders. An attractive village freehouse, the Royal Arms dates back as far as the 17th century when it was originally a smithy and dwelling before becoming a beer house in

  • 29/3/02 - Upton host meeting

    THE Easter weekend is the busiest on the point-to-point calendar and this is especially true in this area which has three meetings scheduled for the holiday period. Tomorrow's (Saturday) Ledbury meeting at Maisemore Park, near Gloucester, Bank Holiday

  • Cash boost for schools' sport

    THE announcement that school sport in Herefordshire will receive a £430,000 cash injection was being celebrated throughout the county this week. Teachers and young people across Herefordshire should benefit from a new physical education and out-of-school

  • Kington return to Edgar Street for trophy final

    HEREFORDSHIRE football's showpiece final takes place at Edgar Street tomorrow with a clash between West Midlands League Premier Division rivals Kington Town and Westfields. Kington will be defending the trophy in the final of the HFA County Challenge

  • Golfing stalwart dies aged 86

    FORMER Herefordshire Golf Club captain and administrator Alan Moyes has died this week, aged 86, after a long illness. He was also a former secretary of the Herefordshire county clubs committee and a vice-president of the Shropshire & Herefordshire

  • Whitton

    WOMEN'S INSTITUTE -- The May meeting of Whitton Women's Institute was chaired by Mrs D. Mills. The items discussed were the play sacks which a few members agreed to undertake, and also some had taken to bird watching in connection with a survey being

  • Upton Bishop

    WOMEN'S INSTITUTE -- At last month's meeting members were given a cookery demonstration on pastry making by Helen Brown, who showed them how to make the perfect toffee apple pie and a savoury flan using walnut pastry with a filling of bacon, celery and

  • Sellack

    BOWLS -- Having just missed out on promotion to the first division of the Herefordshire County short mat Bowls league before the last game of the season was played against visiting Ross 'B' the Sellack club have, overall, had a very successful season.

  • Presteigne

    QUILT FESTIVAL PLANS -- Presteigne Quilters Group are well ahead with planning for their Fifth Biennial Town Festival of Quilts which is due to open daily from Friday May 31 until Monday June 3, the Jubilee Bank Holiday. Two displays of contemporary quilts

  • Pembridge

    ST MICHAEL'S HOSPICE -- Over the past few months fund raising events, organised by Mr E Vaughan, and including bingo evenings and whist drives, have raised £780.50 for the St Michael's Hospice Nurses Fund. The most recent event, a whist drive, held in

  • Old Radnor

    GUEST SPEAKER -- At the March meeting of Old Radnor Women's Institute was Julian Reeves, health development co-ordinator for Herefordshire. With the help of graphs, he made members more aware of the ways in which they treat their bodies, through for instance

  • Little Dewchurch

    EVENTS -- The sub group of the PCC of St David's met to review our forthcoming social and fund raising events for the coming months. AUCTION OF PROMISES -- On April 20 in the village hall at 7pm there is to be an Auction of Promises, with a difference

  • Linton

    ST MARY'S CHURCH -- A special service will be held on Good Friday at 12 noon. This will be an opportunity for silence and reflection on the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on the cross. On March 31, Easter day will be celebrated by Family Communion at 11.15

  • Knighton

    AUSTERITY LUNCH -- The last of this year's Monday Lenten lunches for Christian Aid was held at the Social Room, Saint Edward's Close. There was a choice of six soups - leek and potato, curried parsnip, tomato, mixed vegetable, spicy vegetable and lentil

  • Bromyard oyez

    TWENTY-SEVEN distinctively dressed individuals will descend on Bromyard for this year's Town Criers Championships on May 4 and 5. Held as part of the town's Jubilee celebrations, the prestigious event will coincide with the Village Fair when the green

  • Kington

    WORLD BOOK DAY -- This special event on Thursday, March 14, was marked at Kington Primary School by a competition which called for pupils to appear in fancy dress costumes illustrating characters from books. It provoked much good-natured rivalry, and

  • Ewyas Harold

    PARISH COUNCIL -- The March meeting of Ewyas Harold Group Parish Council was held in the Memorial Hall, with Councillor Peter Jinman in the chair. It was agreed that Councillor Thane Meldrum should investigate the matter of the re-cycling of waste and

  • Edwyn Ralph

    LUNCH -- On Thursday March 12, Age Concern held a splendid lunch for the older people at Edwyn Ralph. It was organised by Monica and Rachael of Age Concern in the village hall, and was well supported. As well as lunch, there was available helpful literature

  • Dilwyn

    WOMEN'S INSTITUTE -- Held their meeting on March 14, featuring. A talk by Harry Conod on 'A Day in the Life of a Farmer. It was a very humorous talk, had us all in fits of laughter, they do say a good laugh does you good. Thank you Harry. COFFEE MORNING

  • Don't close the door on debate

    MADAM, Despite the business running at a profit it is obvious adequate money was not spent. Did the council intend to spend it or, on the contrary, ran it down to save money. Its abrupt closure is an example of the cynicism and arrogance with which the

  • Colwall

    EGG HUNT -- All children up to 11 years of age invited to join in the egg hunt to be held on Easter Monday, April 1. The fun begins at 11.30 am in the gardens of the Colwall Park Hotel. Following on from the egg hunt, mums dads and any other adults will

  • Expert view of the dangers

    MADAM, As a chartered mechanical engineer I have some knowledge of structures and water engineering. If, as the reports says, the foundations were unstable, why were glass stress plates not fixed to register the degree of movement? During my time at the

  • Let the council sink to bottom

    MADAM, Herefordshire Council deserves to sink to the bottom of a pool of chlorinated water! What are they spending our taxes on? For three years they have known it needed replacing. They don't appear to have any serious contingency plan. There was no

  • Young sisters are devastated

    MADAM, MY sister and I swim for the Kingfishers and we are devastated by the closure. I am asthmatic and had to go swimming to keep my chest in a healthy state. We had just bought new swim kit now we do not know what to do with ourselves because the youth

  • Hereford gains, Leominster lose

    MADAM, You only have to look on the back page of The Hereford Times (March 14) to see why the pool got the chop. The council leader wants Hereford to have a super sports and leisure centre - never mind Leominster need their now non-existent leisure facilities

  • We hope we'll meet again

    MADAM, While this is a disaster for Leominster it has also been a personal tragedy for the pool staff. For a long time they have struggled to provide swimming facilities to a large area of North Herefordshire under increasingly adverse conditions, and

  • Helps mental wellbeing too

    MADAM, I would like to pay tribute to the fabulous people who staffed it, especially the creche helpers. I have visited Sydonnia twice a week for the last nine years but I could only do so because of the superb women who have staffed the creche. They

  • Kingfishers' bleak future

    MADAM, We swim with Kingfishers and are very sad. The closure means we cannot go training and see our friends every week. We enjoy swimming because it is fun, keeps you fit and we swim in competitions against other clubs which is exciting. Now the club

  • Summer brings new threats

    MADAM, I dread summers without a pool. No doubt Leominster children will try to cool off in local rivers. Both the Lugg and the Arrow are dangerous and I expect you to carry reports of death by drowning of some Leominster children. The procrastination

  • Nothing for young to do

    MADAM, MY daughter is six, living in a town of 12,000 people. After Christmas her trampoline lessons were cancelled when the instructor left, and now her swimming. She is too young for Brownies and gymnastics has a year waiting list. There is so little

  • Questions need to be answered

    MADAM, Problems with the pool have been an issue for a long time. Is it more of an issue now the leisure centre, Bridge Street and Sydonia are being taken over by a trust in April? Has the pool been making a profit? If so where has it been going? What

  • Blooming Monkland

    MONKLAND, with its peaceful common and cosy pub, has always been pleasant. But now it is blooming marvellous. Over the last two years villagers have planted an incredible 22,000 bulbs to mark the millennium. The glorious results are there for all to see

  • 'Culture of secrecy' attacked

    THE COUNTY'S most senior politician this week launched a blistering attack on "a culture of secrecy" which he claims is gnawing at the heart of local government in Herefordshire. Leominster warhorse Dick Burke, the Father of Herefordshire Council, claims

  • Fast-track pledge for new Leominster pool

    HEREFORDSHIRE Council's cabinet has approved a 'fast track' application for lottery funding to build a new swimming pool in Leominster. The decision means more than £750,000 coming out of council coffers as match funding to secure the support of Sport

  • 'Ducking' clock for gold jubilee

    LEOMINSTER will make a splash in the Queen's Jubilee Year. Its novelty Millennium Clock, featuring a 'victim' getting a soaking in a ducking stool, is to be installed and unveiled in Corn Square later this year when fundraising is completed. The clock

  • Wasp in lorry cab led to fatal crash

    A WASP could have been the cause of a fatal road accident on the A44 Bromyard to Worcester road, an inquest heard on Friday. Wilfred Gordon Atherton, of Leominster, was driving his van when it was involved in a head on collision with an articulated lorry

  • Urgent review of admission policy

    AN important assessment of services at Hereford hospitals has confirmed GPs' fears over delay in admitting patients. It calls for an urgent review of the current process of holding patients at home and advises Hereford Hospitals Trust to address problems

  • Taste of literary success

    JUNE Macbeth has come a long way since she began work as 15-year-old making gloves in the former Dent's factory in Leominster. The life of the Eye-born great-grandmother has included a nursing career, world-wide travel, years of struggle to launch a second

  • Buy-off plan on parking

    LEOMINSTER traders could hang on to their coveted 'All Free Parking' marketing slogan for another year if county council chiefs agree to do a deal, writes PETE BLENCH. The cabinet recently ruled that Leominster's first parking ticket machines would be

  • Out of work

    THE number of people claiming unemployment benefit in the Leominster parliamentary constituency on February 14 stood at 718, according to Labour Market Statistics.

  • Much to be proud of says Cessa

    HEREFORDSHIRE Health Authority had every right to be proud of its work over the last few years said chairman Cessa Moore. Its days should end on a note of high spirits. The county was now equipped with range of new facilities which boded well for the

  • Staff will be redeployed locally

    WHAT happens to the staff when a health authority closes down? For those employed by Herefordshire Health Authority most have been deployed locally. Fifty eight staff will transfer to Herefordshire Primary Care Trust which will become responsible for

  • Petition forces rethink on 45-minute parking limit

    A petition containing 1,300 names has forced Herefordshire Council to rethink its parking strategy for Ledbury. The petition, handed in this week by High Street antiques dealer John Nash, calls for a review of the current 45-minute parking restrictions

  • Rank disruption caused to buses

    Bus operators are backing moves by Ledbury Town Council to get rid of the two taxi ranks in High Street and create one extended bus stop instead. David Morris, of DRM Coaches, which runs the town service, said: "I'm very much in favour of this. "We have

  • Site is key to leisure proposals

    THE leader of Herefordshire Council, Mr Terry James, has unveiled his plans for the future for the city's combined Cattle Market/Edgar Street football ground site - one of the county's prime development plots. Much of what is outlined has already been

  • Whitecross' £14million new school

    ONE of the county's biggest schools will be brand new by 2005. The Government gave the go-ahead to a £14 million move for Hereford's Whitecross High this week - at the third time of asking. The school, with about 830 pupils on the roll, has long been

  • Owen takes his singles title tally to twenty

    MARK Owen continued his dominance in Herefordshire Table Tennis Championships when he captured the men's singles title for the 20th time at the senior finals night. He defeated his old adversary Michael Owens by 8, 13 and 13 in the final in front of a

  • Georgia is first Harlequin to reach nationals

    TALENTED gymnast Georgia Bouston has become the first Harlequins Gymnastics Club member to progress to a national final. The Holmer Primary School pupil booked her place at the national finals in May after securing a silver medal at the West Midlands

  • Blackwood wins opener

    HEREFORD Fly Fishing Club's first bank competition of the season produced a close result at Witcombe Waters in Gloucestershire on Sunday. Sam Blackwood won with a bag of 10 lbs ozs to pip joint second Bill Reynolds and Derek Ford, who each landed 10 lbs

  • Grisman's cool kick levels clash of rivals

    Hereford 16 pts Luctonians 16 JEREMY Grisman kept a cool head to slot over a penalty with the last kick of the match and earn Hereford a draw with county rivals Luctonians in a pulsating Midlands 1 clash at Wyeside on Saturday. It completed a fine game

  • Battle of the sexes

    Estelle van Warmelo, who directed last year's Courtyard production of 'Little Shop of Horrors' returns to the more intimate scale of The Courtyard's Studio Theatre with a production of David Mamet's acclaimed paly 'Oleanna' from April 9 - 12. Oleanna

  • Uncharitable

    POLICE are warning shop owners in Kington to be on their guard following a spate of charity box thefts in the town.

  • 23/3/02 - Ledbury B defeated in friendly

    LEDBURY took advantage of the international weekend to field a B team for this friendly fixture on Saturday but, greeted by a strong 21-man squad, they knew they would have to work hard to get anything out of the game. TEWKESBURY A 27pts, LEDBURY B 6pts

  • Rare bulbs released

    To celebrate Easter, Spring and its first anniversary, the Art in Heaven country art gallery at Llanwarne will be offering a small quantity of rare daffodil bulbs for sale from its own stock. The gallery re-opens this weekend for its summer season, displaying

  • Camera lights action!

    From the shadow of the foot and mouth crisis evolved 'Shroves', a black comedy from a group of local and West Midland film-makers telling the story of village goings-on in the year 2012. Sound recordist Oliver Rotchell and cameraman Neil Oseman have their

  • Mixed series title goes to Cooke and Eckley

    JENNY Cooke and Roy Eckley carried off the David Hemming Plate awarded to the overall winners of the Hereford-shire GC Winter Mixed Series, with Marion and Tom McGoran taking the runners-up prize. Ann and David Evans were the top scorers in the final

  • The 'hot cross lamb' gets an Easter debut

    THIS little lamb, just three days old, was born with a positive and bold message. But what is it? Perhaps a tempting invitation to 'kiss me quick'. Maybe a hint that it deserves the George Cross for surviving the strong March winds. Possibly a religious

  • Change to skate plan

    ADJUSTMENTS have been made to plans for a skateboard ramp at Bromyard's York Road playing fields after a public meeting was held at the Youth Centre last week. Members of the Ramp and Rail committee gave a presentation about the plans after which the

  • Veterans crash out in national quarter-final

    HEREFORD Veterans bowed out of the English Hockey Association's Veterans' Cup at the quarter-finals stage after an 8-1 defeat against holders St Albans. The city club were swiftly ripped apart by a rampant St Albans who established a five-goal lead inside

  • Newcomer shines in Kington home win

    KINGTON improved their position in the KBS League with a convincing 3-0 home win over Montgomery. Solid defending from Debbie Bedford and Bev Hyde allowed Kington to push forward and newcomer Alex Watson, the player of the match, swept in the opening

  • Hereford twins have leading roles in BBC's 'Casualty'

    IT was a double delight for BBC's Casualty when five-month-old identical twins from Hereford joined the cast for two episodes. Charlotte and Sophie Williams played baby Nicole, the unknown daughter of a student nurse, Roxanne, who is due to appear on

  • Times hosts Latvian visitors

    A DELEGATION of six Latvian newspaper editors have visited Herefordshire on a European Union-sponsored fact finding mission. Latvia is considering joining the EU so the group was brought to the county to see how our farmers and businesses are operating

  • Fanfare brings Elgar dream closer

    FANFARE and £500 was a good opening in the campaign to honour Sir Edward Elgar's associations with Hereford with a statue of the brilliant composer. Proposals by four artists for the design of the statue will be available for public viewing in All Saints

  • Four escape from wreck

    'HOW did they survive that?' That's what ambulance officers asked each other when they arrived at the scene of an horrific collision between a small car and a lorry on the A49 between Hereford and Ross-on-Wye. Ambulance Locality Manager, Malcolm Price

  • Delight over home plan's green light

    TO the delight of residents of a south Herefordshire hamlet, persistence has paid off for a developer who secured permission to replace a derelict lorry depot with a house. Previous applications to transform the haulage yard near the Grade II listed Hungerstone

  • 29/3/02 - Ledbury Res fall flat

    LEDBURY Reserves went into this semi-final full of confidence on Saturday but came away very down beat. ORLETON 5, LEDBURY RESERVES 2 Ledbury went in front with a well taken goal by Chris Grubb after good work by Jamie James. Ledbury then played some

  • Lead role led to new courthouse

    HEREFORD'S impressive new courthouse is a tangible legacy of the tireless work of chairman of West Mercia Magistrates Committee, Danny Morgan, according to his colleagues. Mr Morgan steps down from the post this week after eight years leading Magistrates

  • Blashers seeks recruits to uncover Inca past

    HEREFORD'S answer to Indiana Jones, Colonel John Blashford-Snell, is at it again. The irrepressible adventurer is preparing to lead an expedition back into the jungles of South America to explore Inca remains. Bodenham-born 'Blashers' is teaming up with

  • School reunion

    A REUNION for former pupils of Hereford High School for Girls is being held at the Green Dragon Hotel in Broad Street on April 20 from 11am to 4pm.

  • What's on in city and county

    events/talks 29 An Evening of Entertainment, Golden Valley YFC, Kingstone High School, 7pm. Details: 01497 820489. 30 Ready Steady Win! The World's Largest Egg and Spoon Race, Hereford Leisure Centre, 12 noon. Details: 01432 344414. 30 Fancy dress 70s

  • Services hit best form to shock favourites

    ROSS United Services pulled off a shock 2-0 win at title-favourites Wooff-erton in the Premier Division of the Hereford Times Herefordshire League. The Ross club belied their lowly league position and recorded a deserved victory over the hosts, who remain

  • Marriotts hit back for first trophy

    Marriotts 3 Bulmers 2 MARRIOTTS staged a rousing second-half comeback to capture the HFL FW Peterson Cup in a thrilling final at Wellington. Trailing 2-0 at half-time, Marriotts responded to a verbal lashing from their management team to clinch their

  • Town slump continues

    Kington Town 0 Bustleholme 1 KINGTON'S late-season slump continued with a lack-lustre performance against lowly Bustleholme, a defeat that effectively moved them out of contention for West Midlands League Premier Division honours. Although Kington created

  • Strugglers hold out

    Wellington 1 Gornal Athletic 1 WELLINGTON had enough chances to win but conceded a point to their battling West Midlands League Premier Division visitors who are struggling to climb out of the relegation zone. After Peter Wallace and Tom Herbert had missed

  • Second double for Leominster

    Chaddesley Corbett 2 Leominster Town 6 LEOMINSTER completed their second West Midlands League Division 1 South double of the season with a decisive victory. The visitors attacked from the start and deservedly took the lead when Dan Plowman set up Luke

  • Jones is spot on

    Presteigne 2 Llanidloes 1 A LAST-GASP penalty from Graham Jones earned Presteigne an impressive home victory in the Spar Mid Wales League. The prolific marksman converted the spot-kick in stoppage time after Johnny Williams had been fouled inside the

  • Ledbury miss key players

    Shawbury United 4 Ledbury Town 0 A BELOW-PAR Ledbury slumped to a sorry defeat in the Premier Division of the West Midlands League. The Herefordshire club were without three key players through injury and manager Paul Wilband, who was taking an FA coaching

  • Soccer Results

    Hereford Times Herefordshire League, Premier Division: Westfields 3, Pegasus 2; Ewyas Harold 3, Hinton 2; Wellington 1, Sutton 1; Woofferton 0, Ros Utd Services 2; Civil Service 3, Weston 4. Division 1: Colwall 2, Dorstone 0; Tupsley 1, Lads Club 1; Painters

  • Bromyard caught out by hat-trick

    Smethwick Rangers 5 Bromyard Town 2 BROMYARD went to sleep in the last quarter as the Smethwick substitute came on to fire a late hat-trick and win a West Midlands League Premier Division basement battle. Teenage striker Gordon Beauchamp showed good pace

  • Charity Bowl

    LEOMINSTER'S Bridge Street Sports Centre is the venue for the HFA Charity Bowl between Bromyard and Woofferton on Wednesday, April 3, kick-off 7.30 pm.

  • Muriel's 100th birthday move

    A HEREFORDSHIRE woman has spent her 100th birthday on the move - literally! Muriel Watkins was the last remaining resident at the Wilton Hall Nursing Home near Ross-on-Wye when it closed. Now she has become one of Ledbury Nursing Home's first and is busy

  • Back to school

    STUDENTS and staff at John Kyrle High School, Ross-on-Wye, will be back at school during the Easter holidays! For the second year there's an Easter Revision School for GCSE and A Level students, and for the first time this year, students in Year 9 preparing

  • Man assaulted

    POLICE are appealing for witnesses to an assault outside a pizza shop in Gloucester Road, Ross-on-Wye that left one man in need of hospital treatment for a gash to his face. The altercation between two men happened between 10.45pm and 11.45pm on Saturday

  • Man found dead after Llangarron cottage fire

    AN 82-YEAR-OLD man has been found dead following a fire at his rural Herefordshire home early yesterday morning. The man, whose name has not been released, was discovered in his smoke-filled sitting room at Llangarron after a neighbour alerted the emergency

  • Cause close to his heart

    A CAUSE close to his heart has prompted a Llangrove man to run in the Tresco Marathon for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust on April 14. Paul Bazen took up the challenge after the disease affected members of his family and he aims to raise funds for research

  • 29/3/02 - Pritchard flies to 250 wins

    JULIAN Pritchard passed another milestone in his riding career when Rocket Radar provided the Ledbury-based jockey with the 250th win of his career during the Confined at Saturday's VWH meeting at Siddington. The Castlemorton-trained gelding had been

  • 23/3/02 - Depleted side see points slip

    A DEPLETED Ledbury Town side were defeated 4-0 at Shawbury on Saturday in this Express & Star Premier Division game. SHAWBURY UNITED 4, LEDBURY TOWN 0 With five regular players missing, including leading scorer, 39-goal Robbie Colwell, Ledbury were

  • 29/3/02 - Fixtures ...

    SATURDAY FOOTBALL EXPRESS & STAR WEST MIDLAND LEAGUE Premier Division: Malvern Town v Smethwick Rangers, Ettingshall HT v Ledbury Town, Bromyard Town v Darlaston Town. Division One South: Brintons Athletic v Malvern Town Reserves, Bridgnorth Town

  • Relief as Talgarth wins bypass

    THERE is relief at last for a Welsh borders town as its MP wins a long fought battle for a bypass. Roger Williams and BLOT, Bypass Long Overdue for Talgarth, are rejoicing at news that the town's relief road has finally been given the go-ahead. The National

  • New county fire station going live

    THE first fire station built in Herefordshire for more than 40 years goes live on the weekend. A fledgling 15-strong fire crew for the Golden Valley will be ready and waiting to tackle its first incident solo out of the new £500,000 station in Peterchurch

  • Club's future rests on ground lease

    COUNCIL leader Terry James has revealed that talks have yet to formally start over the purchase of the leases to Hereford United's Edgar Street ground, writes Ian Morgan. James said that the leases would be the subject of future negotiations between lease

  • Snape is back for vital games

    HEREFORD United know that back-to-back victories over Scarborough, away on Saturday, and Woking, at home on Monday, should guarantee their safety in the Nationwide Conference. Player-coach Phil Robinson said: "Both sides may sit below us in the table,

  • Skipper's goal takes Bulls nearer safety

    Hereford United 1 Chester City 0 HEREFORD moved a step closer to preserving their Nationwide Conference status with an important victory at Edgar Street on Tuesday, writes Ian Morgan. A sixth-minute 25-yard deflected strike from captain Ian Wright was

  • Competition winner joins broadcast

    STUDENT Liz Hancocks became a football reporter for the day after winning a competition organised by BBC Hereford & Worcester in conjunction with the Hereford Times. The 17-year-old John Masefield High School pupil teamed up with broadcaster Peter

  • Knucklas

    TABLE SALE -- Knucklas Scouts will hold a table sale at Knighton Community Centre on Saturday, April 6 from 10am to 12 noon. Tables are £4 if booked in advance, and this may be done by contacting George Linaker on 01547 529173 BEETLE DRIVE -- The beetle

  • Back to St Peter's

    ANYONE who attended St Peters School in Bromyard in 1957 is invited to go 'back to school' for the night in the form of a school reunion this summer. Valerie Jones nee James is looking for some 40 ex-pupils who were part of her class at school. If this

  • Gorsley

    MARCH OF WITNESS -- On Good Friday morning, members of Christchurch and Gorsley Chapel will be joining folk of all ages from the churches in Newent to walk through Newent in a 'March of Witness'. The procession will leave St Mary's church at 10.45 am

  • Eardisley

    FESTIVAL -- The theme for the floral decorations in St Mary Magdalene Church in the Summer Festival will be on the theme of the poem 'Leisure' by W H Davies. The organisers would be grateful to anyone willing to loan ornamental animals, birds, butterflies

  • Dolau

    STATION ACTION GROUP -- Members of Dolau Station Action Group are very grateful for the donation of £150 from the Community Council towards the cost of this year's floral displays. The group is planning a special show for the occasion of the Royal visit

  • Why it had to close and what we must do now

    MADAM, It has been recognised for some years that Sydonia Swimming Pool was coming to the end of its life and so a new pool for the area was a priority. Work has been going on to progress this including consultation with affected groups, but at the same

  • Credenhill

    SQUARE DANCE -- A square dance will be held in the Credenhill Community Centre on Saturday, April 6 starting at 7.30pm. A licensed bar will be available and food will be provided for all those attending. There will be a live four-piece band, Whiffeldy

  • No incentive to use our vote

    MADAM, As a regular swimmer, I received a letter from the management of the pool a couple of weeks ago, reminding me my annual season ticket was due to expire in April and offering to renew it at the present rate if I did so before the end of March. Evidently

  • Brecon

    FORUM LAUNCH -- The first meeting of an outdoor activities awareness forum, set up by the National Assembly's minister for sport, Jenny Randerson, has been held at Storey Arms in the Brecon Beacons. The fo-rum has been established to consider how to disseminate

  • Aston Ingham

    WOMEN'S INSTITUTE -- At the February meeting, members were entertained by an Antiques Road Show quiz given by Mr Chris Rogers. Items of jewellery, watches and silverware, etc were taken along by members and Chris was able to give details of the history

  • Town is being swallowed up

    MADAM, IS there a conspiracy by the council to develop HR6 into a homogenised blob? The town is being swallowed up by housing, lots of people - nothing to do. I suppose the PC term would be commuter town. The council missed an opportunity when developing

  • We must find a solution

    MADAM, It could be two years until the pool is replaced. What a tragedy! No pool in North Herefordshire. Through the week it served the local community and at weekends was full of children receiving swimming lessons from a team of dedicated staff. I am

  • Team will lose out all round

    MADAM, HOW has the council-operated pool, donated to the people of Leominster for their own use, been allowed to reach such an alarmingly dangerous state, that it had to be closed on structural and operational grounds. As a member of Kingfisher Gala Team

  • Sydonia pool closure - your views..

    MADAM, A great deal of attention has rightly been given to the effects of the closure of Sydonia Swimming Pool on the town of Leominster. I represent the rural area to the north of Leominster on both sides of the A49 and many people there use the pool

  • Why are we so often shut out

    MADAM, If the roof and foundations were structurally unsafe, why were a tv crew, councillor Mike Kimbery and council staff taken into the pool area to record an interview? Why be so reckless as to put these people's lives at risk? The council has carefully

  • What happens to the site now?

    MADAM, THE council had time to prepare a permanent sign, so they had time to warn us of the closure. I would like to thank the staff for their friendly service over the years and keeping the place clean and tidy. We have appreciated the relaxed atmosphere