Local writer Laurence Meredith's affection for his home county shines through the pages of his latest book 'Herefordshire People'. The famous rub shoulders with the not quite so well-known in a superbly illustrated work which traces county characters through the ages.

MOST people who know Herefordshire, love it. Local writer Laurence Meredith is one of them.

He is a recognised author on motoring but has confirmed his affection for his home county by producing Herefordshire People, a 127-page hard back.

It was a labour of love, recording the county's history over the centuries, chronicling many of the individuals he believes responsible for shaping Herefordshire's own unique character.

For older people it is packed with nostalgia and many surprises.

While one page illustrates the life and times of a name from the past, turn over and it could be the next door neighbour, today.

For young people and newcomers to the county wanting to know more about how Herefordshire reached the 21st century the book is 127 pages of recommended reading.

Laurence Meredith, who lives at Hampton Bishop has trawled the centuries to make his choices and come to his own conclusions.

He does not agree with the man from Gloucester who wrote to The Hereford Times claiming he always considered his home town as the dullest place on earth - until he'd visited Hereford.

"In reality the county breathes roughly in economic tune with the rest of the planet,'' he says.

Referring to this newspaper again he writes: "Every week and until frozen to death the Hereford Times has published reports about thefts from farms, pub brawls, violent disputes between lovers, purges on cyclists who ride at night without lights, and corpses discovered floating in the River Wye. The newspaper's archive makes it quite clear that human nature, in Herefordshire at least, has not changed in centuries."

And referring to everlasting conflict between nations proving that humans can't always get on with each other Laurence Meredith comments: "The folk of Herefordshire carry on business as normal: working, shopping, driving, pubbing, clubbing, cursing, sweating, eating and sleeping just as they always have.''

Herefordshire People is divided into sections and because of the ruling influence of the church in earlier centuries the first part is largely devoted to images in stone and wood.

Grotesque heads and splendid carvings in the Cathedral and churches in villages throughout the county have a tale to tell.

Hop-picking, cider making, ploughing and reaping, sheep sales, the start of the railways, Hereford cattle, football and Hereford United are wonderfully illustrated.

The pages are also filled with pictures and photographs of individuals chosen by the author to have made a mark on the cultural, social, economic and political life of the county.

There are the obvious ones, like the first members of the Bulmer family but Laurence Meredith has cast his net to include people from all walks of life.

Well known names like Walenty Pytel, the acclaimed sculptor , Leominster garage proprietor and international rally driver Bill Bengry, Colin 'Boxer' Jones who rides a high powered trike round Hereford and Maz Haig who sells the Big Issue in High Town are all part of his rich patchwork. Naming anymore would spoil the surprises. But there is room for some of the bad, as well as the good and a corner for Fred West the infamous serial killer who came from Much Marcle.

Herefordshire People is a colourful, but sympathetic account of human tragedy, pity, conquest, influence, humour and triumph.

The author's ideas on which individuals helped to make the county what it is can be found in the book which is now on sale, published by Sutton Publishing and priced at £12.99.