This July has got to down in everybody here in Herefordshire's - and indeed the Midland's worst summer in memory. In fact l think we've had our summer it was in April and we blinked and missed it! According to the BBC,weather records started in 1766,
THERE will be straw galore when an annual Scarecrow celebration returns to a Herefordshire Village. Scarecrow Sunday will take place in Brampton Bryan, near Leintwardine, on August 5, when a band of musical straw people are expected to take over. Entertainment
AN 86-year-old war hero and his 75-year-old wife barricaded their house with sandbags but were forced to beat a retreat when a torrent of water poured over their defences. John Campbell, who was twice awarded the Military Cross for bravery in the Second
THE deluge of water affected industry and agriculture in north Hereford-shire. Industrial premises at Leominster and Bromyard were flooded and farm crops were battered and swamped. Strawberry growers S & A lost five hectares of fruit at Sutton St Nicholas
TEENAGERS on a Leominster estate fought a desperate battle to stop floodwater and sewage saturating the homes of pensioners. Youngsters from the Ridgemoor Road area used brooms and tried various means to hold back the floods from houses at Cheaton Close
FIVE people in a car had a lucky escape when the River Lugg burst its banks at Ford Bridge, near Leominster, engulfing the A49. Firefighters arrived to find the group on the roof of the car which appeared to be floating down the road. The occupants
RESIDENTS in a flooded Hereford street reacted angrily to the behaviour of motorists. Edgar Street was badly affected on Saturday as water spread from the flooded Merton Meadow car park and Widemarsh Brook during the heavy rain. Despite residents warning
THE British Red Cross has launched appeals to help flood victims with both cash and practical help. The charity's national flood appeal for money has been launched and a local appeal for the stricken three counties of Herefordshire, Shropshire and Worcestershire
LEOMINSTER MP Bill Wiggin and his three young children had a lucky escape as they battled to get back to his constituency on Friday night. Mr Wiggin and his children, aged five, two and one, first encountered problems when stuck in traffic on the M42
A FAMILY returning from a seaside holiday with their motor boat in tow found themselves in the right place at the right time for one of the most dramatic rescues of the great deluge. The couple and their two children, from Kidderminster, were returning
THE wet weather ensured that many Herefordshire couples had an unforgettable wedding day as they faced "unexpected challenges". Charlotte Slocombe and Ben Andrews did manage to get married on Friday in Colwall - but without the bridegroom's parents and
STORIES of heroism and generosity were commonplace in Ledbury as residents did their best to cope. For many stuck in the floods, the town centre provided a welcome resting point, with more than 120 sleeping in the Feathers Hotel and other hostelries.
AS flooding left many drivers trapped on the county's roads, more than 100 school children were forced to find temporary shelter in Ross-on-Wye. A total of 116 pupils and 12 members of staff from Hanley Castle High School in Upton-on-Severn were making
THE village of Hampton Bishop was badly hit when the River Lugg sneaked in through the back door at the weekend. The highest levels of water since records began on the Lugg in 1944 saw the swollen river swamp the area soon after lunch on Sunday. More
THE worst weather for several generations hit Herefordshire this week causing widespread misery for shops, businesses and commuters. Roads across the county resembled rivers and public transport was brought to a standstill after two months of rain fell
EMERGENCY services across Herefordshire fought hard to keep the county's residents safe in some of the most challenging conditions ever seen. The services could only deal with life-threatening calls and motorists were told not to travel unless absolutely
A LEDBURY farm shop has reached the final of a national food competition. Llandinabo Farm Shop has beaten hundreds of food outlets from across the midlands and is one of five food outlets hoping to be named UK TV Food Hero 2007. The store, which specialises
WITH farming communities across England and Wales continuing to count the cost of flooding, the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI) is providing support to those suffering as a result of the extreme weather conditions. "The flooding is causing
WITH farming communities across England and Wales continuing to count the cost of flooding, the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI) is providing support to those suffering as a result of the extreme weather conditions. "The flooding is causing
A HEREFORD school planning to install a hydrotherapy pool received a boost from Freemasons. Sixty people enjoyed a stay in Tenby and also managed to raise £450 towards Barrs Court School's Hydrosense Appeal, as part of the 13th annual Freemason's Provincial
PEGASUS Juniors have called off their friendly game tonight (Thursday) against Ledbury Town as the Old School Lane ground is waterlogged. On Saturday, Pegasus are due to entertain Cherry Red Records Combined Counties League side Camberley Town, kick-off
Flash floods have made conditions difficult for motorists in the Stoke Lacy area. The A465 is currently passable with care but police are reminding motorists to take extra care when driving through areas effected by flooding. There are also problems
AN ELDERLY couple arrested for their part in the Rotherwas Ribbon protests have been given the all-clear to attend further council meetings. Mervyn and Virginia Morgan, of Walford, near Ross-on-Wye, were arrested on July 12 following a sit-in at a Herefordshire
A Herefordshire tourist attraction has been forced to cancel one of the biggest dates on its calender. Rupert the Bear's picnic at Eastnor Castle, which was due to take place this Sunday (July 29), has been cancelled due to the recent adverse weather
A MAN has been charged in connection with a series of nationwide bomb threats which saw the evacuation of 14 Tesco stores, including two in Herefordshire. Unemployed Philip McHugh, aged 51, was arrested on Monday in Clitheroe, Lancashire and was later
OLYMPIC gold medallist Leslie Law is headlining an action packed evening at Bromyard Equestrian Centre in August. Leslie, who struck gold for Great Britain in Athens in 2004 is taking part in a lecture/demonstration evening alongside other international
Events/talks til September 20, Guided historic walks, weekdays 11am, Sundays 2.30pm. Tourist Information Centre, opp Hereford Cathedral. July 26 Manhattans Pool Competition, Manhattans, Hereford, 7pm. Tickets 01432 269968. 27 Fundraising event for
WHILE most people spent Friday battling home through flooded roads, a more hardy bunch were driving to Presteigne with the intention of sleeping in a tent. Camping on one of the wettest weekends for a generation was never going to be fun, but thankfully
TALENTED young musicians from across Europe are gathering in Herefordshire this month to learn new repertoire and to give a series of five concerts around the county. BISYOC, intercultural youth orchestral exchange, are spending 10 days at Moor Park
HEREFORDSHIRE music lovers are in for a string of delights when Ross Live! Festival returns to local venues for two weeks beginning on Saturday, August 4. For their third year, festival organisers have devised a programme with wide appeal. Concerts and
NOW in its second year, the Leintwardine Mini Music Festival, organised by Ludlow College media student Mark Garner in aid of Save the Children, will this year feature more than 30 bands. The festival will be held at Leintwardine Village and Community
AN entertainer who defies description - and who never fails to draw gales of laughter and gasps of amazement - brought an audience at the Courtyard to its feet last Thursday. Astonishingly accurate impersonations and a wicked sense of humour combine
NOW in its fourth successful year, the Marches Oboe School summer course is currently taking place at The Rodd, Presteigne, home of the late Sir Sidney Nolan, the famous Australian artist. At the invitation of Lady Nolan, The Rodd is alive with the sound
Motorists parked on Hereford's Merton Meadow car park are urged to quickly move their vehicles. Herefordshire Council have announced that the carpark is flooding again today (Thursday).
HEREFORDSHIRE motorcycle ace Chaz Davies has made his MotoGP world championship debut at the age of 20 after a dramatic late call-up in the United States. The Kinsham rider has been in America for most of the year taking part in the AMA Supersport and
AFTER the washout against Bristol City last Saturday, Hereford United have moved swiftly to bolster their pre-season programme by arranging a visit from Championship side Wolverhampton Wander-ers next Wednesday. Although Wolves already have game at Northampton
THE sun shone for Ross-on-Wye Seniors' Open and the golf was good when 124 visitors from 35 different clubs competed with 50 host members. The winner was Norman Wetstone, of Stinchcombe Hill, with 42 points. Close behind was Will Morris who received
HEREFORDSHIRE golfer Matt Davies is one of the first budding sports stars to benefit from the Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence (AASE). Davies, of Eardisley, enrolled on the two-year programme at 17 when he took the brave decision not to
COUNTY harness racing enthusiasts have been dealt another bitter blow with the cancellation of the trotting' at Pembridge Show next Saturday due to flooding. Their hopes will now be pinned on the charity fixture in aid of Acorns Children's Hospice on
RECORDS tumbled as Orleton racing ace Scott Moran stretched his lead in the British Hill Climb Championship standings to 18 points when he contested four rounds in the Channel Islands last week. Reigning champion Martin Groves re-set his 38.47 seconds
GUY Griffiths received the Clubman of the Year for his outstanding contribution to Hereford Rugby Club when the Wyesiders held their annual dinner dance and presentation evening at Arkstone Court. Griffiths, a former club captain, has been chairman for
HEREFORDSHIRE can boast national futsal champions after St Mary's School won the under-16 prize at the FA National Futsal championships in Sheffield. The seven-strong squad, who won the HFA Secondary Schools League to qualify, beat teams from Shropshire
HAY-on-Wye Tug of War club starred at the Welsh Championships at Clyro Court when they picked up one gold medal and two silvers. The border club secured second place in the 600kg and 680kg weight classes but pulled their way to the top prize in the 640kg
HEREFORDSHIRE'S Minor Counties Championship clash with Berkshire at Eastnor became an early casualty of the torrential downpour which hit Herefordshire. The three-day clash, which had been due to get underway last Sunday, was called off on the Friday
WITH the final third of the season fast approaching, and the weather forecast for the rest of the summer less than encouraging, it would appear that the majority of Herefordshire's senior sides in the Birmingham and District League and the Crusader Worcestershire
GARNONS appear to be on course to secure their first Flint & Cook Marches League title for seven years after dropping just three points in their completed matches so far this term. They have managed to complete only five out of their scheduled 12 games
PEGASUS Juniors have officially opened their impressive new ground and facilities at Old School Lane. The city club held a small ceremony in front of invited guests before the club's pre-season friendly with Hereford United. Director Mark Williams welcomed
Pegasus Juniors 0 Hereford United 4 HEREFORD cruised to a comfortable win in their first pre-season outing at Old School Lane. But the match ended with both sides happy as Pegasus could count the cash boost from a record crowd of 658 who
YOUNG Hereford pool star Tom Cousins has just missed becoming world junior under-18 champion after losing in the final. Cousins, who plays his pool and snooker at the Potting Shed in the city and represents Wales, lost 8-4 in the final to Ireland's Sean
Employees at Watson Petroleum's Ledbury depot are celebrating their company's 50th anniversary. The celebrations follow on the heels of the company being named the top privately owned fuel distributor in the UK in the Sunday Times HSBC Top Track 250
SPORT in Herefordshire has continued to be badly hit by the torrential downpours which have swept the Midlands and the West of England. The county's cricketers faced their second complete washout in the space of less than a month last Saturday, following
Flood-hit businesses in Herefordshire are being encouraged to tap into expert advice and support from Business Link West Midlands. The new service, which aims to assist 16,000 companies between now and 2010, is sending its team of advisers out into the
TWO musically minded headteachers are leaving on a high note after more than 40 years of teaching between them. Pupils last week gave fond farewells to Erica Morgan and Julia Lunn, who left Stretton Sugwas and St Thomas Cantilupe primaries respectively
DILWYN oarsman Daniel Middleton has added another gold medal to his excellent summer haul. The Herefordshire rower was part of the Evesham Rowing Club crew which carried off the open junior 16 quad sculls prize at the National Rowing Championships at
WORK has begun on the construction of a new eco-friendly primary school at Sutton St Nicholas. The existing building is the original Victorian school house, built in 1874, which has been extended over the years to accommodate the increase in pupil numbers
MOST men who served in Germany during the Second World War will say it was a life changing experience. Herefordian Harry Hammond would certainly echo that sentiment, but for an entirely different reason. For it was during the 1939-1945 conflict that
LAST Friday I was discharged from Cheltenham General Hospital following major surgery. I was not feeling very strong. Because of the inclement weather, my partner Sue Lambert and her son Richard decided to use a four-wheel drive, high ground clearance
AS a visitor to your beautiful county, and with my Hereford friend Janet, we'd like to thank all at Kimbolton who helped us during the flood chaos last friday, especially to the two girls who, with wonderful British spirit, made the best coffee in the
LAST Friday, on my way home from Redditch, I found myself caught and stranded in Malvern due to the bad weather and flooding. When I realised that I could not get home I phoned my husband from the British Camp car park and, sensing my distress, he phoned
I WOULD like to thank fire crews from Bromyard, Leominster and Malvern and also members of the general public, for all their efforts and assistance in rescuing a total of 50 residents from their homes at Linton Park, Bromyard, Herefordshire, during floods
THE recent weather has been unprecedented and the challenges which this has brought across the county have been significant. As is often the case, challenges of this nature bring out the best in people and I wanted to write to the Hereford Times to
I AM writing to congratulate everyone involved in the ongoing rescue and clean up operation following the recent flooding in and around Herefordshire. We have been widely reported as having some of the worst in the country and our emergency services
ROSE Johnson just failed in her attempt to bring home a medal from the Women's World Gliding Championships at Romorantin in the Loire Valley, France. The Herefordshire pilot continued her run of good results right through the latter stages of the week-and-a-half
THE Cardiff employment tribunal thought our Bishop was incorrect in refusing employment to a gay youth officer. I believe they were correct from a secular, and a moral point of view. The values underlying employment law are that you judge an employee
IT is said: Let those without sin, cast the first stone. I may be no angel, but let me be the first to gather some geological projectiles of truth. Not since the Spanish Inquisition has there been a more needworthy time in history to outlaw organised
PAGE one of last week's Hereford Times highlighted the case of the Bishop of Hereford, the Rt Rev Anthony Priddis, who was found guilty by an employment tribunal of discriminating against a man who applied to be a youth worker in his diocese on the grounds
SO the Bishop of Hereford would not employ someone "in a position of loss, grief and bereavement" or "a heterosexual living in a relationship outside marriage". Well, if this is the Church's understanding of modern-day lifestyle and reality, as well
Congratulations are in order DESPITE the court ruling against him in the gay worker' case, I think the Bishop of Hereford should be congratulated for sticking to his guns at a time when the Church often seems rather wishy-washy and uncertain of its
TWO departing teachers with more than 25 years experience between them were given a grand send-off by their county school. Michelle Pritchard and Elaine Crothers (pictured above) taught pupils at St Weonards Primary School near Ross-on-Wye for the final
LEOMINSTER Junior School ended the summer term in style with a major theatrical production, the Shakespeare for Kidz' version of Romeo and Juliet. It was a challenging piece of drama for children under 12 years of age - and 65 youngsters, together with
NICK Baker cannot escape the past - history surrounds him at work and it dominates his life so far. But as he's the new head librarian of Hereford Cathedral Library, it's an arrangement that suits him perfectly. The library is one of the finest in the
IN 1907 two brothers who had a disagreement opened separate furnishing shops in Leominster. One shop, at Broad Street, closed a few years ago but the other, at Corn Street, is celebrating its 100th birthday. Richard's Furnishing, founded by Andrew Lewis
A SPEECH by a retired Ghurkha major held pupils of a Hereford school captivated. Major Ramprasad Gurung was visiting the city as a representative of the Shree Sharada School in Ghachok, Nepal, which has been working with Hereford Cathedral school for
THE headteacher of a city school has been awarded a Teacher of the Year award. Richard Aird, in charge at Barrs Court School, was awarded top prize in the Special School Teacher of the Year section. The school helps children with severe, profound and
A HEREFORDSHIRE historian and nature expert who was awarded an MBE for her conservation work has died at the age of 87. Dr Anthea Brian (pictured) was well known throughout the county for her conservation work and interest in local history and played
Hereford's former mayor raised more than £22,000 for Acorns Children's Hospice during his year in office. Councillor Bob Preece chose the charity, which provides care for life-limited children and their families in Herefordshire, as his cause and presented
AN inquest heard a special forces soldier refuse to answer questions about the "mistake" that caused the death of a colleague at the Pontrilas SAS training range. Soldier A, screened off from the hearing at Hereford Town Hall, twice said he could not
A GREEN-thinking county school is using a £5,000 boost to help them install one of the county's first wind turbines. Queen Elizabeth High School in Bromyard were given the cash by The Co-operative Group, who have set up a community fund whereby members
A LEOMINSTER charity which has become a lifeline for disabled people has put out an SOS for volunteers to keep its centre running. Leominster Shopmobility, which loans out wheelchairs and scooters to disabled shoppers and provides a range of other free
THE man hoping to be Hereford's next MP says the "two for the price of one" pitch made by supporters of the pioneering Public Service Trust (PST) plan for Hereford-shire don't add up. Tory candidate Jesse Norman says that far from delivering big savings
COUNTY students had a day to remember at Hereford Cathedral last week as they celebrated their graduation. More than 80 students from Herefordshire College of Technology (HCT) were presented with awards after completing courses in a range of subjects
A NUN living in Hereford has celebrated her 100th birthday with a blessing from the Pope. Rev Mother Catherine was born Ruby Brock in Coving-ton, Ohio, USA, on July 16, 1907. After teaching English and maths in the local university and working in an
A DEVOTED Christian's sexual abuse of a 10-year-old Brownie was hushed up by the church for over 24 years, a court was told. Victor Steynor, aged 64, who twice put his hand up the girl's top when her Brownie pack visited the home he hired out for adventure
A WOMAN has been jailed for assaulting a policeman minutes after she was pulled, drunk, out of the River Wye. Hereford magistrates imprisoned Lynne Warren for two months after the rescue on June 12. The court heard last Friday that Warren, of Warncombe
A CAMPAIGN group is asking why the Rotherwas Ribbon was not covered to protect it from the recent severe weather. Members of the Save The Rother-was Ribbon group believe the 4,000-year-old monument should have been protected from the elements to prevent
PAUL Keetch is back home and he's brought a special something back with him that might just save his life. The Hereford MP left the London Chest Hospital, where he has been a patient for the past fortnight, at the weekend having been fitted with his
THIS is the Leominster teen banned by an ASBO from being around his school out of class hours. The order also keeps Jamie Lee Jenkins, aged 15, off almost every street in the town centre and indoors after dark with a curfew. Hereford magistrates lifted
A MOTHER was assaulted in a Hereford street while walking with her two children. The incident in Oak Crescent, Hinton, happened between 2.30pm and 3pm on Friday, July 13, while they were walking towards St Martins School to pick up a third child. An
HEREFORDSHIRE'S landscape dramatically changed as the worst floods for many decades hit the county. "These have been the worst floods in living memory," said Robert Blower, of Herefordshire Council. "The county had at least 100 extra rivers on Friday
THE deluge of water affected industry and agriculture in north Hereford-shire. Industrial premises at Leominster and Bromyard were flooded and farm crops were battered and swamped. Strawberry growers S & A lost five hectares of fruit at Sutton St Nicholas
AN 86-year-old war hero and his 75-year-old wife barricaded their house with sandbags but were forced to beat a retreat when a torrent of water poured over their defences. John Campbell, who was twice awarded the Military Cross for bravery in the Second
TEENAGERS on a Leominster estate fought a desperate battle to stop floodwater and sewage saturating the homes of pensioners. Youngsters from the Ridgemoor Road area used brooms and tried various means to hold back the floods from houses at Cheaton Close
FIVE people in a car had a lucky escape when the River Lugg burst its banks at Ford Bridge, near Leominster, engulfing the A49. Firefighters arrived to find the group on the roof of the car which appeared to be floating down the road. The occupants
FLOOD waters caused more than £1 million worth of damage to six primary schools in Herefordshire. The torrential rains on Friday, the last day of term, left a trail of destruction in classrooms across the county. One of the worst affected was Holmer
HEREFORD'S would-be MP Jesse Norman has called for volunteer "flood squads" to be set up across the county. The Tory hopeful spent much of his Saturday wading through ankle deep water in Newtown Road, Hereford, where he was helping swamped householders
RESIDENTS in a flooded Hereford street reacted angrily to the behaviour of motorists. Edgar Street was badly affected on Saturday as water spread from the flooded Merton Meadow car park and Widemarsh Brook during the heavy rain. Despite residents warning
HEREFORDSHIRE had more than double July's average rainfall in just four days. The county has now suffered more rain in the last seven months than it usually does in a year. Rob Howells, at the Rosemaund ADAS research centre at Preston Wynne, said 102mm
TWO youths have been fined after a false report that someone had fallen in the River Wye. Police were called to the main bridge in Builth Wells at around 3.30am on Tuesday morning, before a large-scale search involving mountain rescue teams, the fire
BUSINESSES across Herefordshire are counting the cost of the flooding. Local businesses have been contacted by the Herefordshire and Worcestershire branch of the Chamber of Commerce to assess the impact of the severe weather. The chamber's Gary Woodman
DREDGING rivers would not help to alleviate flooding problems, according to the Environment Agency. "Silt would just be moved elsewhere and dredging can cause environmental problems for fish and wildlife," said agency spokesman Martin Watkins. "It's
A FAMILY returning from a seaside holiday with their motor boat in tow found themselves in the right place at the right time for one of the most dramatic rescues of the great deluge. The couple and their two children, from Kidderminster, were returning
AS flooding left many drivers trapped on the county's roads, more than 100 school children were forced to find temporary shelter in Ross-on-Wye. A total of 116 pupils and 12 members of staff from Hanley Castle High School in Upton-on-Severn were making
THE wet weather ensured that many Herefordshire couples had an unforgettable wedding day as they faced "unexpected challenges". Charlotte Slocombe and Ben Andrews did manage to get married on Friday in Colwall - but without the bridegroom's parents and
STORIES of heroism and generosity were commonplace in Ledbury as residents did their best to cope. For many stuck in the floods, the town centre provided a welcome resting point, with more than 120 sleeping in the Feathers Hotel and other hostelries.
THE village of Hampton Bishop was badly hit when the River Lugg sneaked in through the back door at the weekend. The highest levels of water since records began on the Lugg in 1944 saw the swollen river swamp the area soon after lunch on Sunday. More
EMERGENCY services across Herefordshire fought hard to keep the county's residents safe in some of the most challenging conditions ever seen. The services could only deal with life-threatening calls and motorists were told not to travel unless absolutely
THE worst weather for several generations hit Herefordshire this week causing widespread misery for shops, businesses and commuters. Roads across the county resembled rivers and public transport was brought to a standstill after two months of rain fell
NEWSQUEST Media Group, owners of the Hereford Times, is donating £10,000 to the British Red Cross National Floods Appeal. The UK's second-largest regional multi-media publisher has a number of titles in the areas most affected by last weekend's flooding
FIREFIGHTERS removed part of a roof which was hanging over a road and footpath in Weobley. A crew from Eardisley attended the scene after the service was called at 4.14pm yesterday afternoon (Wednesday) to take precautionary measures. A section of roof
Budding botanists and promising artists will be able to enjoy a summer of fun at a National Trust estate in Hereford. Children can get involved with various activities at the Brockhampton Estate, near Bromyard, during the school holidays. Young visitors
