From the archive - Stratford carnival dance invaded by “drunken maniacs”
24th June 1999
A BIDFORD residents’ group are celebrating this week after gathering overwhelming support against the development of Marriage Hill Nurseries in last Thursday’s landmark parish poll.
Twenty-four per cent of the village electorate voted and of those people who did, 96 per cent opposed the proposed industrial development of the site.
The group’s spokesman told the Herald yesterday (Wednesday): “The people of Bidford voted with a vengeance to stop industrial development in Marriage Hill.
“This is unprecedented in the number of votes we got in a single issue. It's the sort of result that a politician would give his right arm for.
A DRAG racer was airlifted to hospital after his car rolled at more than 200mph at Avon Park Raceway on Sunday.
But Andy Robinson, aged 43, of Hook, in Hampshire, escaped with minor facial injuries and was due to be released from Selly Oak Hospital, in Birmingham, the following day.
The accident happened when one of the aerofoils on the car came off as Mr Robinson was completing is 210mph run, and destabilised the vehicle causing it to roll. No-one else was involved, and the Motor Sports Association has launched an inquiry.
26th June 1964
A WARNING has been sent to the organisers of Hippodrome dances that it is their responsibility to prevent hooliganism of the sort that brought Saturday night’s successful carnival dance to an abrupt end after the invasion of a group of 20-30 youths from outside the town who burst through the closed gates, horseplayed on the dance floor and taunted the police.
“All we could do was to call the police and stop the dance,” carnival secretary Mr A Savage told the Herald. “One observer said the youths behaved like ‘drunken maniacs.’”
Outside, a group tried to overturn the car in which policemen had driven to the hall, and two men who were arrested are expected to be charged with obstructing the police.
27th June 1924
LETTER to the editor: Now that the Recreation Meadow is being developed in various ways for the benefit of the “grown-ups” might I be allowed to suggest that something more should be done for the “kiddies”. In my walks round there I am often struck with the danger attending the youngsters paddling along the river’s edge, and I should like to see them having their little pleasure under safer conditions.
I believe a small paddling pool could be constructed very cheaply which could be filled from the river and emptied in the ditch beyond the old locks. Perhaps our Children’s Tea and Sports Committee will give this their consideration. In conclusion, I would like to contribute to any scheme in connection with the above, although signing myself not a parent.
