DUSTMEN employed by Bromsgrove District Council had reluctantly agreed that eight of their number would lose their jobs in a shake up of the service, designed to save £82,000 a year. They had been warned to agree to the move or their jobs would be farmed out to the private sector. In future, as part of the deal, the men would generally empty no more than two bins per household.

AN amazing collection of vehicles and artefacts, associated with the 1963 Great Train Robbery, were to be auctioned at Hagley Hall. They included the Austin lorry with a false bottom used to transport the £2.6m haul, the getaway Land Rover, mailbags, radio equipment plus cooking utensils from the gang’s temporary hideaway in Leatherslade Farm.

AN ex-professional cricketer’s family was bowled over when a representative from Vernons called at their flat in Byron Way, Catshill, to tell them they had won a £65,231 fortune on the pools. Lorry driver Jim Taylor’s daughter was married to former West Indies and Worcestershire fast bowler Vanburn Holder. Jim said he had no plans to retire.