The royal couple were welcomed by crowds of flag wavers as they arrived in the town and a huge cheer was heard as the Queen, dressed in a powder blue suit, walked through William Brookes School’s sports field gates.

The couple spent half an hour touring the field, where they were treated to a re-enactment of the Old Wenlock Olympics, as well as the modern games currently used by the Olympians.

James Jones, 34, was spotted by police making a transaction with another man in the car park of the KwikSave supermarket in Bridgnorth, Shrewsbury Crown Court heard.

Jones, of Priory Road, The Grove, had admitted possessing the tablets with intent to supply and possessing herbal cannabis on November 28 last year.

Mr David Garside, for Jones, said he had no previous convictions in relation to drugs and urged the judge to give Jones a community based penalty.

Sara Jones, 30, of Hollybush Road, wrote to over 50 residents in the area this week warning them about plans submitted by mobile telecommunications company 02 to build a 14m high mast on top of the railway’s engine shed.

Mrs Jones has posted letters to
residents in Hollybush Road, Ebenezer Street and Railway Street telling them about the mast, which she claims will be an eyesore.

The plans for the mast are being considered by Bridgnorth District Council’s plans board.

Make A Difference

Bridgnorth District Council has organised a series of public meetings across the district to enable local people to have a say about what is important to them and to their communities.

The meetings will let people know more about Bridgnorth District Community Strategy and will provide an update on current achievements.

Representation from various organisations involved in the Community Partnership will be present to provide information and to participate in the discussion. So, make a difference to your community! Come along and get involved on:

· Thursday 17th July 2003
7pm at the Castle Hall, West Castle Street, Bridgnorth;

· Saturday 19th July 2003
10am at the Victoria Hall, High Street, Broseley;

· Tuesday 22nd July 2003
7pm at the Red House Village Hall, High Street, Albrighton;

· Saturday 26th July 2003
10am at the Village Hall, Station Road, Ditton Priors.

For further information, please contact:

Catherine Horsfall, Tel: (01746) 713230 or email chorsfall@bridgnorth-dc.gov.uk

Listley Street

Finally open for use

Mural

Painted by the sixth form of the Endowed School, onto Gasco's wall.

Seated at the base of the mural is Jake Sinclair (Sixth Form Student)

This is a fine piece of artwork and it is well worth visiting.

Star-studded festival programme

A record number of tickets are being snapped up for Bridgnorth's star-studded folk festival. Hotels and guest houses in the town will be full of artists and visitors from next Friday night until Bank Holiday Monday.

Festival director Alan Surtees said he expected between 2,500 and 3,000 people to descend on Bridgnorth for the packed programme. "The ticket sales are 30 per cent up on this time last year," he explained. "We have got people

coming from as far away as the USA, Canada and Australia and several places in Europe."

He said that an awful lot of local residents were giving accommodation to up to four artists each, for which he is very grateful, but some had had to be booked into rooms in Telford and Much Wenlock because the town would be full.

The headquarters will again be at Oldbury Wells School and there will be gigs in the Castle Hall, local pubs and

other locations. "Our top of the bill artist is Eddi Reader and

people will be arriving from Exeter and Scotland just to see her and stay the night," added Mr Surtees.

He said that the Sunday High Street entertainment from noon until 4.30pm would be bigger and better than ever,

the entertainment including Zulu dancers, The Paper Boys from Vancouver, John Kalsi and The Doll Foundation and local group The Gilberts. Morris dancing is also on the agenda, along with stilt walkers and space monsters.

The High Street will be closed from 8am to give festival organisers and helpers time to put up a full-size stage.

Protesters blast store

Bridgnorth's Somerfield supermarket was the target of a graffiti protest at the town's cricket club this week.

The perpetrators struck between Monday night and Tuesday morning when the graffiti, which read 'Boycott Somerfields - Support Local Farmers', was discovered on the wall separating the cricket club and the Somerfield loading bay area.

The action has been condemned by the mayor, the National Farmers Union and the supermarket chain itself.

The mayor, Councillor Christian Lea, said he was sad to hear of the incident so soon after all the recent efforts that had made the town look so colourful during the summer months.

"It is disappointing to hear about this mindless act of vandalism, especially so soon after the judging of the Bridgnorth entry in Entente Florale when the judges were so full of praise for the general upkeep of the town," he said.

National Farmers Union spokesman Russell Griffin said that they did not condone any illegal protest against Somerfield, whom they had worked with closely to improve relations between retail outlets and farmers.

Mr Griffin said: "The NFU has been working very hard on both a local and national basis to develop a positive and constructive relationship with all the major supermarkets in recent years.

"Our relationship with Somerfield in particular has taken major strides during the past 12 months."

He said that the supermarket chain had recently maximised its use of the little red tractor logo which was a guarantee that the produce being sold was produced by British farmers.

Somerfield also emphasised their support for local farmers. Company spokeswoman Annie Bramley said: "This was an act of vandalism and does not reflect Somerfield's support for farmers. Somerfield operates a Local Life initiative which aims to increase the range and variety of locally and regionally produced foods in our stores.

"We buy over £400m of British produce every year and operate a 'buy British first' policy wherever possible. We would like to reassure our customers that Somerfield does support farmers and producers and that we try to stock a good range of local food in our stores."

Bridgnorth police condemned the vandals responsible for the incident and appealed for information.

"We will appeal for witnesses and we will do our utmost to identify the offenders. Behaviour like this is anti-social and the only people who will suffer are the cricket club," said PC Matt Picken.

The cricket club itself made no comment on the incident.