THE Kidderminster fire brigade had to be called out to a fire in the district of Upton House near Droitwich as there were no horses available to haul the Droitwich fire engine.

The crew arrived on the scene within half an hour and with some difficulty got a nearby water supply to the fire which had taken hold of a large Dutch barn filled almost to capacity with hay. The brigade were able to prevent the fire spreading to other farm buildings and save a good deal of the contents of the barn and others.

AN inquest was held into the death of farmer William Bradley, of Lea End, Alvechurch.

Mr Bradley had been walking home from the Hopwood House Hotel with his son and the two had separated at a certain point on the Ashwell Road. Mr Bradley had taken a route across the fields, but when he didn’t return home a search was made for him and he was discovered at the foot of a gate from which he had fallen.

He was transported home anddied later as the result ofan injury to his spineanda broken blood vessel in his spinal cord.