THE Friends of Evesham Community Hospital have forked out thousands of pounds for a state-of-the-art ultrasound scanner in a bid to keep the service local.

The association contributed £57,560 towards the purchase of the Toshiba Aplio XG with NHS Worcestershire providing the remaining £20,000 needed.

Frances Smith, chairman of the Friends, said they would not normally buy equipment of this nature and high cost but felt it was essential in this instance.

Gate installed at the end of bridlepath was to be a deterent to straying livestock and gipsies

“The clerk reported to Chipping Campden Parish Council that he had interviewed Fred Keeley,” the Journal reported 75 years ago, “who was responsible for putting a gate across the Kingcombe Lane end of Hoo Lane, which is, according to the parish, a bridle path or road.

A £70 MILLION scheme to transform the North Cotswold railway line is forging full steam ahead.

Network Rail will invest in long-awaited improvements over the next two years which will bring extra capacity, potential for more trains to run hourly and improve reliability.

The centrepiece of the work will be the redoubling scheme from Moreton-in-Marsh to Evesham and from Ascott-under- Wychwood to east of Charlbury in Oxfordshire.