Weekday Presenters

Ian - MPs Expenses - Moving The Goalposts
Hi Howard Let's remember who erected the goalposts in the first place - MPs.It seems they were also the referees during that time and were happy to use those goals.However, it looks like they're now unhappy as it seems they have scored an own goal - or several thousand goals.Over the past years they have had many chances to reposition the goals but were happy that their side carried on scoring goals.Now the goals have correctly been repositioned, it seems scoring goals is a little more difficult.It's only right that the score sheet now be corrected and the points(money) be paid back.If we're using the football analogy then surely the FA would have relegated the MP team to the lower divisions and points deducted..!!Just look at Leeds and Luton.But then relegation to the lower divisions has been achieved by their our actions!!As with these teams, the only way back is hard work. When are MPs going to start??Let's wait and see..Great program Howard!! Great topics. Kind Regards Ian.

Laraine
ood Morning Howard Could you PLEASE wish MEGAN SEWELL of Kidderminster a VERY HAPPY Birthday with love from Laraine Steve Russ Loz Emma Sam Rhys Jake & Kim x x x Thank you x x

Wendi Bowron Weller
Hi there - I am a Mom of a 2 Mercian soldier Private Alex Smith who is currently still serving in Afghanistan until sometime in November - date to be confirmed. My family and I felt very down yesterday as your radio programme celebrated the return of some 2 Mercain soldiers and seemed to forget to mention those left behind! It is very difficult if we dont live in Belfast on or near to the base and we therefore get a bit forgotten! Our pain and worry is as bad if not worse as we dont have that much support and certainly have to seek it out if we need it. I am delighted for all the returning 2 Mercians and their families but dont want those left behind at the moment to be forgotten about. Morale is very low and my son who shared a room in Belfast with Private Jason Williams is struggling to come to terms with losing his best friend and he has a double whammy as he returns to Belfast and has to face an empty room. So Howard please keep up the support from H&W for the 2 Mercian and give them a mention!!!!Kindest regardsWendi Bowron-Weller

Richard - Spell Check
Dear Howard, I don't think that this will work on radio but I thought that it might amuse !!! Eye have a spelling chequer.It came with my pea sea.It plainly marques four my revueMistakes I cannot sea.I've run this poem threw it,Eye am sure your pleas too no,Its letter perfect in it's weigh.My chequer tolled me sew.

John Bingham Kidderminster
Howard why arent you talking about the traffic nightmare we are enduring in the Wyre forest at the moment. alll your talking about is hedgehogs. get real and get somebody over to the Stourport Road. Heads need to roll. not only is the Gilgal shut, they have put British Gas works on the Stourport Road. its a nightmare

Jan - Tractor Rage
I am going to 'put the cat amongst the pigeons' now. Could it be that some of the irrate and impatient drivers are ones who have moved out to the country from the cities and haven't yet learned that driving on country roads and lanes at certain times of the year is different from racing up and down motorways. They make life difficult and dangerous for others on the roads. Let the farmers do their work. Life is difficult enough for them in this country without being verbally abused too.

Phil
With regards to your last guest {Nick Clegg - Lib Dem leader} he has no idea what it is like to be a soldier and he is only jumping on the same band wagon that all the other useless mps are doing . I'm ex local regiment and joined knowing the risks that it entailed yes more pay would be nice and more support would be good but to be a soldier means u may at some point have to fight and fight we do we do it for our comrades and country no one else , it's what the army does no one said it would be easy and we only ask that people support the army not winge that people are getting klled or injured it's our Job it's what we do.

catherine currill
hi you did a story on my son ethan currill back last year- i just wanted to let you know that we are celebrting his 1st birthday in november and getting him christened. he is doing amazing he now weighs 15lb14.5oz which is exactly 1 stone heavier then when he was born at only 24 weeks weighing 1lb14.5oz.cat.grizzell@btinternet.com

Jane
Hi Howard - Regarding the lack of trains in our area on Sunday, I would like to know what has happened to passengers who had prebooked their tickets and also to people travelling around the world/europe who had tickets for trains in our area yesterday. I would be very unimpressed if I had to do a long journey on a bus especially if you were expecting to use the buffet car. Having said that I feel sorry for the train drivers why should they not get double time on a Sunday. Maybe a rota should be arranged to work 1 Sunday and have 3 off. What a mess and what message does it give to visitors visiting from other countries.Many thanksJane

Mrs Maike Shaw
Regarding the suggested War Memorial,I do think our war heroes should be remembered. Instead of a concrete or other object, I think it would be far better to create an arboretum where perhaps their plaques could be attached to a tree. this would give everyone a lovely quiet place to go to remember them, and do something to save the planetas well.

viv
where's the cheese?

John-James@ NewSalsa-Salsa
SUMMER OF SALSA Great day Great fun We did it World Record & A Fantastic bonus Wet T shirt competition ;0)

Joyce Crabtree - Stoke Prior
Save The Greenbelt - Stoke Prior. In the interview with Mike Brown BDHT it was said that the fields in question were unused grassland. The quality of the landscape is not relevant to the inclusion of land within a greenbelt or its continued protection. The purpose of including land in greenbelts are of paramount importance to their continued protection and should take precidence over land use objectives. This land has its own special character to those who live here and including its wildlife. Many walks, including one of our advertised parish walks pass along the boundaries of this land. Of course there are issues regarding wildlife, flooding,lighting and traffic pollution, to mention a few. If this is affordable housing? Affordable to who? People that can afford more than one car as it is envisaged that there will be 82 car parking spaces(more concrete). Many locals here can barely afford one car. Nature v Concrete, again but who will speak up for nature? "Increasing evidence suggests that both physical and mental health are improved through contact with nature. Yet people are having less contct with nature than any other time in the past.

Anny Hewston
Howard,Perhaps the lack of tennis players in Bromsgrove is due to the amount they charge for a court - I think it's around £6. Droitwich courts are free, I'm sure there would be more players there.Anny - Bromsgrove

Anne
Listening to the show on Thursday morning I heard Laura Griffiths(?) sing. She was asking for money or sponsorship to go to The Northern College of Music.Was the money for her 3 years at College?If so she should get a loan like everybody else!!We've put our two lads through Uni and it's cost us and them plenty. Sorry to sound unsymapathetic but nobody else gets sponsored!!

Tony
Hi Howard, Re - Holiday Travel Tips Always pre-book car parking it's a good saving. I pre-book the long stay at Birmingham and on two occasions because it's nearly full when I arrived I've been upgraded to the multistory which included yesterday. If you are going from Bristol and in a hurry their fly through security is well worth the £5 since you are taken straight to the front of the queue! If you are going for more than a week buy your heavy items like shampoo, sun cream etc when you arrive at your destination. Ryanair you are only allowed 10kg hand luggage, and 15kg in the hold - Stansted weigh your hand luggage. A photocopy of your passport is also a good thing to take in case you ever lose yours. Two credit cards in separate places again in case of loss. Buy a local sim card for your phone.

Ian from Kidderminster
HI Howard Broadband 'Tax' Not only are we having to pay for the digital TV switchover but now we're having to pay for country wide upgrades.Where's the promise of Government funding to kick start the economy - isn't this the type of project it should be used for and not the hard pushed tax payer??!! Where else in the world is this sort of payment made - no where!! - so why here..!! Just another stealth tax..!!! Great show as always!!

Stephen Peters, Wythall
Re the Leominster Millennium clock story. I think I can hear Max Bygraves singing "You Need Hands"!

Helen Orme, Ombersley
Peter Luff did not come across well this morning in my opinion. Another one trying and failing miserably to justify why they should have claimed for household items at the tax payers expense. Completely out of touch with the level of public anger and full of self justification. Marks out of 10, zero

Howard H&W
After my interview on-air with Melissa here are some useful links and phone numbers: Rape Crisis Web: www.rapecrisis.org.ukProvides information and guidance for survivors of sexual violence as well as back-up for friends and family. Sexual assault referral centres (SARCs) Web: www.homeoffice.gov.uk/crime-victims These provide a range of forensic evidence collection, medical care, emotional support and aftercare services. Support and resources for adult survivors The Rape and Abuse Line (RAL)Website: www.rapeandabuseline.co.uk Helpline: 0808 800 0123 answered by womenHelpline:0808 800 0122 answered by menA registered charity that offers a freephone, confidential helpline to persons who have survived rape or abuse however long ago the experiences were.

John Pardoe
The unfolding saga of greed.Dear Howard,As the story of members of parliament's expenses unravels itself, it proves beyond a shadow of doubt in my mind (if ever I had any that is) that the political system has become a shambles in this country.I have not voted for years and consider it to be the only true democratic right I have left, to choose not to do so.One thought I had over the years was that countless thousands, indeed millions have laid down their lives to enable the likes of me and folk of a similar age to remain living in a democracy.All I can say is the spirits of those gallant souls must be turning in their graves, God bless them.I firmly believe and have done so for years, that this type of behaviour does not stop in central government, but extends thought local government as well.Increases in expenses have been recently voted through in local councils, and as such makes me very angry.I along with thousands of people like me are either worried about future employment of are struggling to make ends meet without a job.Thousands in this country have lost their life's pension savings, mine is at this moment very questionable in deed, and remains a complete mystery as to whether I will receive anything at all.MPs have gold plated pensions, grant themselves a pay rise every year, and move on to lucrative jobs after being booted out of when they retire, hopefully there will be more of the former soon.Councillors claim expenses as well, and I feel they should be prepared to make them public forthwith.I watch with interest the unfolding story and say to my close friends, haven't I told you for years.

Peter, Bromyard.
Howard,Swine flu is coming, and all we can do is to treat it when it arrives. It is futile thinking that by banning people from Mexico will stop it. How many people do you think the Redditch woman came into contact with before she knew she had it? And how many people have they in turn contacted. What about the plane that she flew back on, the germs would have been ciurculated throughout the aircraft by the ventilation system, so potentially eveyone on board is a carrier, along with all the thousands of people that they have in turn come into contact with. apparantly it has a 4 - 7 incubation period, so people are wandering around without even knowing that they've got it. All we can do is to be clean in the way that we sneeze and dispose of our tissues etc to cut back on the spread of it. My opinion is this flu cannot be prevented, it can only be treated.

JAY - ROSS-ON-WYE
Congratulations to Ross Chamber of Commerce and Brian Atherton in putting Ross in the avant garde in the UK regarding free wi-fi - 15 hotspots to encourage tourism and help local shops and customers.

Fiona - Kidderminster
Just to let you know I was in Filton, Bristol on April 9th 1969 where I was born and saw our lovely Concorde take off on it's maiden flight. We had seen the engines being tested on the Vulcan bomber and also watched Concorde taxiing on the runway during the preceding months.It was my sister's 18th birthday and we went together with her French boyfriend in his red mini. It was a wonderful sight to see the "Speedbird" take off and a deafening sound! Concorde is very dear to my heart to this day, I was also there to see the last Concorde land and by coincidence I shall be going to Filton to see my Mum and my sister who is visiting her.I shall give Concorde a birthday wave as I pass the runway today.

lata taylor
Hi Howard, Thanks for bringing the tubs back, sorry i was having some beauty sleep (some people need it more than others!). I was listening to your program as travelling back this am, such a difference since its gone to RDS ,i didn't listen to radio WM and COV&WARK at the same time. What inspiration and courage a young lad Tom has very best for the future to him. Hope every1 of listeners have V.good Easter. Regards lata

Wayne Penzer
Howard, great music and banter this morning. What a way to wake up. Mika, Taylor Swift and Queen. Watch out Wogan!

Peta
In response to Peter's comment - although I agree that this unfair benefit should cease immediately, is he not forgetting that the self-employed (which I presume he is as he refers to those in business) can claim for many expenses that the employed taxpayer cannot, eg petrol/diesel, entertaining expenses and many many more against his net profit thus reducing his tax bill. Before making his comments he should consider how the average, employed tax payer feels about business people like him who can and do claim for many activities/items which the employed have to pay for out of their hard-earned take-home pay. Paying full price for fuel (no allowance made for commuting or claiming back VAT) and certainly no meals on the company for them. I wonder how many self-employed have been employing clients over the weekend or on a Friday/Saturday evening? Maybe HMRC should consider looking at this area to investigate?

FIRST SINGLE
Hell Howard, guess what you've stirred up in my head?? Leepie Lee Little Arrows! My sisters must have hated it!!Great showAndrew, Eckington

PETER DUDLEY - KIDDERMINSTER
Howard ONCE IS AN ERROR - TWICE IS A DEFINITE FIDDLE. MS SMITH SHOULD BE SACKED FROM NOT ONLY HER JOB BUT THROWN OUT OF PARLIAMENT! HOW LONG CAN SHE BE ALLOWED TO ABUSE THE THE SYSTEM.

Peter
Morning Howard, On the subject of the Home Secretary - while everyone is saying that the claim is immoral or whatever there seems to be one point being missed - why are our MP's being allowed to make a TAX FREE claim as expenses for Satellite TV and Internet when the rest of us have to pay for it out of our NET PAY. The other point is that is she claiming the same for her sister's place where she purports to reside most of the time. To me the only ones that are getting the benefit of these expenses are her family (shown by the purchase of the films) and not to do with her parliamentary work. In business we are not allowed to claim have these as legitimate expenses-one rule of us and one for them ( they have created a US and THEM society).The whole matter of what MP's can claim should be available for FULL public scrutiny - not hushed up as they would like.

Lesley Barrat - Hereford
Dear Howard, Thanks for giving Herefordians the opportunity to voice their opinion on the Edgar Street Grid project. It is obvious that the only people who want the ESG is the ESG Company, Roger Phillips and Advantage West Midlands. Herefordians do not have a choice. A £200m shopping and leisure quarter on the site of the cattle market is hardly going to benefit traders in the City centre. There are approximately fifty empty shops within the city at the moment and they need to be filled. The council should be supporting the smaller retail outlets and local traders who have formed the backbone of our shopping centre for many years and are struggling to compete in this economic climate. We should be preserving and enhancing what we already have or we will lose it. The ESG should be scrapped. A new ring-road and river crossing is needed desperately to ease the traffic congestion. This will encourage more visitors to our beautiful city and breathe new life into its heart. But the few powerful people on the gravy train will ensure that the ESG project goes ahead regardless of the opinion of the general public. P.S. Love your programme!

R Reece
why dont you give it a rest about the Daily Mail? We all know you have a downer on it .maybe you,re a dyed in the wool Labourite or maybe you prefer the pretty pictures in the Sun /Mirror .. We,d love to know .

Jude Lancaster
I was wondering if you would read on air the address that I send the boxes to for the troops. I am a mobile therapist and up to now have collected four boxes from clients and relatives to send out, I think there are lots of listeners who would love send but with no address to send to. In the local supermarket at Christmas there was a bin for Help the Heroes, the customers had given bags of goodies for weeks before. So Howard if you would read out an address perhaps listeners may partake and give the troops (boys & girls) a smile for Easter, more important to the listener they are OUR troops local boys and girls. THANK YOU Howard in anticipation. F.A.O. Cpl.A.Mams.Kandahar Airfield OP Herrick B F P O 772 Postage is FREE Weight just 4lbs

Richard from Malvern
Hello Howard, After listening to the news regarding the poor state of MOD housing and how it will take 20 years to bring them up to the required standard for habitation. Surely, in these times of increasing unemployment, if there are thousands of people in the building industry on "The Dole" claiming vairious benifits, it makes sense that they can be employed by the MOD to rectify this problem. Thus killing two birds with one stone. ( the government paying out but getting something back in return).

Sarah Grout
Good Morning dear Howard! You'll remember that I had my skiing accident Christmas 2007 in France where I dislocated my hip, and badly damaged both knees. I was struck from behind by another skier and tumbled repeatedly head over heels, hitting my head on the way. Fortunately I was wearing my ski helmet, which we hired for about £15. Still I had 5 months off work and a double knee op in April.I know for a fact that many skiers will not wear a helmet for reasons of vanity. It is common sense to wear a helmet, but unfortunately not commonplace. For me, the helmet provided me with added confidence and could actually have saved my life in the circumstances. Holidays are not meant to be life-threatening. As you know, this year I am aiming to run the Half Marathon in the Acorns Triple Run in June and I am so grateful for the opportunity to do this in aid of 3 fantastic charities: Acorns, Macmillan Cancer Support and the Rotary Foundation. It could all have been very different if I was not wearing the ski helmet. Love and best wishes.

Donnah Morgan
Go Salsa Go! As a human being who didn't think she could dance John James and his team are fantastic and have shown me I can learn all the moves and have loads of fun at the same time! I now know my right side from my left side and can shake my bionic hips - Brilliant for toning up, ladies, and what energy. A great idea! I for one will be there with friends in tow!!!! Go for it you will never look back and have a fab time.Warm wishes

Doug - Re: Manners
A very good morning to you, Howard (How polite is that!?) You mentioned peas rolling off your knife, so here is a rhyme for you:- I eat my peas with honeyI've done so all my lifeIt makes the peas taste funnyBut it keeps 'em on the knife!Also, going back to the more refined "days of yore":-Here's a little story that you really ought to knowHorses sweatAnd men perspireBut ladies merely glow.

Sue Tolley
Please say Happy Birthday to a very good friend (and travel hotliner!) Jo Bradley on Tuesday 3rd March - not saying how old she is but know there's a 7 and a 4 involved but not saying which way around!! Tell her to have a great birthday from Sue and the gang. Any music by Cliff Richards greatly appreciated, around 7.15am please

Mrs D Stone
Shame on the fine city of Worcester to consider twinning with a city that is run by militants and murderers whose "Council" have a deep seated hatred of not only Israel and Jewish people, but everything to do with the West. Do Council Tax payers really want to see their hard earned money going to support terrorist groups (because that is where any aid money will end up)whose doctrine is one of violence (both towards its own poeple as well as others), a city which breeds terrorists who would think nothing of suicide bombers in England as well as Israel. Shame on the Council of Worcester for even thinking of going down this route. What next - twinnning with Tehran or Harare?

Ross Andrews
Howard I'm at work now (in a bank in the middle of Birmingham) so can't hear any response, but : please will both the media in general and BBC H&W stop calling sir Fred Goodwin a Banker. Most of the current problems in banking and the economic mess that the country is in stem from the fact that he (and his pilloried colleagues) were not bankers and went into areas that normal, prudent bankers would not. He is many things but he aint a banker (one of the things he is does rhyme with banker...)

Denis - Worcester
I was somewhat surprised when I heard the news item re the idea of twinning with Gaza City. Whilst I do not have strong opinions over such an issue it does surely not make good sense.At the very least such a twinning is bound to be very devisive. However the main concern must be that with the Middle East being such a political hotbed, surely a twinning of Worcester with Gaza City would give extremists a focus for political protest in the UK.Whilst it is right to draw attention to the plight of people living in Gaza City, twinning with Worcester makes no sense and is not the way to go.

Pomygranit
Morning Howard,Obvious Toni does was not around in the Vinyl age. This morning she said there were not enough grooves to fit all of Money for Nothing on the Vinyl version of the album. can you let her know there are only two, one on each side.

Tony Ridding - again!
Hi Howard,Thanks for the E mail, I really enjoy listening to your programme while I'm getting ready to go to work, I'm an hour ahead of you. I live in a town called Nitra which is about the size of Worcester. We have 4" of snow here and -8 degrees at night. The compensation is that during the summer the temperature goes up to 30. Also I'm going skiing at the weekend, the Slovak ski slopes are about 2 hours away.I also like listening to Nicola when she's commentating on a Warriors match, if I'm in Worcestershire I go to all the home matches.One compensation for living here is that the women are beautiful and in some of the disco Bars it's like being on a film set. The beer, Zlaty Bazant (Golden Pheasant) is just over a £1 a pint so a cheap night out can be had and the DJ's mix very good music which is mainly in English.I'll be listening tomorrow morning have a good day.

Tony Ridding - Worcestershire and live in Slovakia
Re - Allotments.I live most of the time in Slovakia where there are a large number of block of flats. Each flat has a "garden" which is in effect an allotment in the country fairly near to the block of flats. The people who have these gardens bring the produce to the factory and share it around. They are very proud of what they produce. I have to say that grapes and resulting wine are very popular.

Peta
Regarding your blind-date/online slot - there are a lot of people who use online dating for their own benefit, ie to meet somebody whilst they're going through a tricky divorce/have no money/lost their business etc. They then use you to build up their resources both emotionally and financially and then once they've drained you of all your money/emotions, will just move onto somebody else who will then reap all the benefits of what you've invested in that person for years. They have no conscience and although they may have been playing a game and knew all the time that they would leave one day, the other person has been duped into thinking it is serious and has trusted them in every way. Believe me, these people are out there and using the system very successfully and I'm talking men and women from our area not from a poor third world country

Tim
Hi Howard,Just listening to your article on the above, my grandmother was one of 21 and my grandfather was one of 9, back in the late 60s there was a picture of my Grandfather and his relatives making up a cricket team “The Hobbs” family.My ex-wife was also one of 10.Phew!!!!!

Lata - Lower Broadheath
Hi Howard,I am one of the youngest out of 9 children. We were brought up in East Africa, and dad was the only bread winner. I have some very happy memories of my childhood. We only had 3 bedrooms - one for the boys one for the girls & then mum & dad. As I remember we may have visitors drop in during the night and I had 2 mattresses on my bed, so I would be woken up so as we can make extra beds. I suppose because I was younger & dare I say 'cheeky' - got spoiled somewhat. I felt very lucky, as my elder sisters were like 2nd "mums". We are very close family - its great when we get together, even now - sadly its not very often. Well I would like to say morning to all your listeners too. Regards

John Hawkins - Stourport
Morning Howard I normally listen to your show as I travel down the M5 to work in Tewkesbury. Not today though as I'm getting married. Any chance you could say a quick hello to my Fiancee Shirley Hunt, tell her I love her and that I'm looking forward to the rest of our lives together (oh and thank goodness there's no snow this morning) Many thanks.

Roger Tapping
Can you establish the regime regarding payment of salary for staff that are unable to attend our schools because of closure due to bad weather? If the school is closed by the Local Authority or head teacher do they still get paid? If the school is declared open but they are unable to get there do they get paid?

Barry
Howard Although you are doing a fabulous job of being a public information broadcaster, please bear in mind the little 5 year olds and the disappointment when you don't read out the name of their school.My boy Cian was hanging on your every word listening for you to say 'Our Lady Queen of Peace' St Johns, Worcester!!!Great job but maybe a little apology to the 5yr olds, cos they will blame you if they can't play in the snow!!!!

Gail Dawson
What a fab station!! The breakfast team, just wanted to say a massive thanks for providing a fantasic radio service.I travel to work each morning and listen from around 7am to 8.15am each weekday.Your informative road travel, local news articles and the way you all make me laugh is tremendous and certainly makes a boring car journey into a very pleasureable one!!I have been known to call in with my views and have spoken to Howard a couple of times about certain subjects.I love it - keep up the good work and I do hope that the snow is not causing you too many problems.Love Gail xxx

Richard Conway - Hagley
Just a quick note to thank you and of course your staff for the excellent coverage and information during the recent bad weather. Your service is so comforting at such times,and as ever what we expect from good old auntie! Well done.

Tom Griffin
Hi everyone from elgar technology college

Dave
Howard. Can someone put out a request not to try and drive up Church St in Malvern unless they have a 4wd. It has not been gritted and I fear an accident is going to occur very shortly.

Melfyn Williams
Just driven home from work in St Johns to Kempsey. Roads are awful

Barry Mercer
Howard It’s clear from the past two days that Britain has become a nation of risk averse people, lacking personal responsibility with a worrying tendency to quit. What message does this send out kids? Hats off to the Head Teacher in Leicester on the BBC News last night after getting to his school at 5:30 am, moving the snow and opening up for his pupils. They seemed to have real snow there too, unlike the plains of Worcestershire. You broadcast an interview yesterday with John Fraser from Highways who confirmed his gritting team had done a superb job keeping the main routes, bus routes and school routes running so I can’t imagine what the “Ice Excuse” was North Bromsgrove High School quoted for closure. After all, this school is on a flat road, 400 metres from Bromsgrove Town Centre. I have every sympathy for parents who had to make last minute care arrangements.

Julie - Hereford
I would like to say that I am very impressed that Sutton St Nicholas Primary School has managed to stay open so far this week. We travel to the school from Hereford and I have to say that the road has also stayed very clear. Well done to everyone involved in making this happen.

Victoria in Hereford - aged 12
hey,can you say hello to my friend Aimee Bridges as we have the day off as Kingstone High School is closed in Hereford and were making snowmen. Thanks if you read it out.

Peter Archer
Hi Howard - listening to you in Helsinki awaiting Easyjet to reschedule their flights to Gatwick - may be we'll get back to Astley by Wednesday. News from Helsinki temperature minus fourteen, snow piles at the side of the roads to 20 feet and of course no delays. Our son has just cycled off to work in the city centre twenty miles away - but his bike has studded tyres! Best wishes.

Michelle Higgins
How do you do it Howard? In the best tradition of eccentric British radio- first you have Morris dancing lessons, then cover a photoshoot for a plasticine figure - keep it up and brighten our mornings!!

Big Steve - Upper Welland, Nr Malvern
Hi HowardI just wanted to compliment you and Bradders for another great exchange after the 7:30AM news this morning. When Bradders said STEAK instead of SNAKE....you were off!! You two ought to be in a double act!Perhaps see you at Acorns Triple Run again this year....I was the chap who you chatted with at the end who was absolutely knackered!Keep up the great banter!Big StevePS More eighties synth music please!

Sue, Kidderminster
Morning all, It's a pity that this country cannot adopt the rules of Singapore and ban chewing gum, but, sadly, I don't think this would work, since it is not in the general British psyche to abandon doing this.It's pure laziness on the part of the ones who cannot dispose of gum into a bin. The entrance into Weavers Wharf in Kidderminster is a prime example of this laziness and looks awful.Obviously these people have no pride.

Howard H&W
Hi Jenny Ouch!!! I was only being flippant when I made my dumbing down quip!!I sometimes get accused of it hence my tongue in cheek comment!! I'm sorry you didn't hear it that way. I used to go and see Frank Skinner performing before he was 'discovered'. His equivalent to my waking up at 3.15am was appearing in some very grim pubs in Birmingham and the Black Country!! I have also had the pleasure of meeting Frank briefly once - and he seems to be a really nice bloke. I believe he was a lecturer in English at Halesowen College in his previous life. I hope I can now be forgiven, Jenny!!

Janet
Good morning Howard, I think swearing shows an ignorance of the English language. You only have to listen to the rest of their conversation to realise that. English is a beautiful language when spoken correctly and there is plenty of choice rather than using disgusting expletives. I know we can turn off the television, but why should we have to do this every other programme. We pay our licences too. What right have the writers of Soaps, or other programmes, to assume that everyone wants to listen to bad language? Shouldn't we be setting a good example to children and teaching them the correct way to speak, to stand them in good stead for their future?

Jenny
In relation to your comment about dumbing down Panorama because Frank Skinner will be presenting tonight, you seem to forget your own background into broadcasting. Frank Skinner is an intelligent bloke who also came from the teaching arena (English in a secondary school - not general primary!) into showbiz. Only he's made loads of money from it and probably doesn't have to get up at 3.45 am to present his show

Sue - the bagpipes.....
Howard, you really should not make a woman of my advancing years laugh that much!!I have never heard anyone do a Les Dawson on the bagpipes before but hey, well done for having a puff! My grandfather was Scottish, of Viking descent at that!

Howard H&W
Tour information for BBC Birmingham/ Midlands Today on 0370 901 1227 or www.bbc.co.uk/tours

Alan
Morning Howard In contrast to your earlier listener, I very much welcome your focus on events in the US on this great day. This is a momentous day, and a chance for the western world to see through a massive shift in the way it deals with the rest of the world. Keep it up Howard!While the media has focussed on the fact that Obama is the first black African American to become president, I would prefer to consider that this time they have voted for the best candidate in strong contrast to the outgoing president! A lesson we could usefully use here if ever we had the chance to vote for a new prime minister!

Bev
Trying to find out about the Mail box open days can you help

Dave Witts
Present Government and media are using the Gaza conflict as a distraction from the wars we are fighting elsewhere... This morning, thousands of British troops are involved in a war. Gunships are chomping their way through the desert sky. Battles are raging on the ground. People are losing legs. Some are being killed.So we turn on the news to find out what's going on and, er... what's this? There is no mention of it because all the time is being taken up by a local dispute in something called the Gaza Strip. Strangely, I'm not surprised. Because in Gaza, we know all the details. Hamas, the people who run the place, have been firing rockets into Israel because they say the state has no right to exist. Israel became fed up and launched an air attack. We know how long this lasted, how many people it killed, what sort of planes were involved and how it was supported by a bombardment from naval ships as well. Then came the ground offensive. Again, we have all the info. We know how commanders used tanks to split the city of Gaza in half and we know the goals: Israel want to smash Hamas so that it can no longer fire missiles at its citizens. Now, let's compare that to what we know about the war in Afghanistan. We know it was started to get rid of the Taliban who, it was said, were sheltering Osama Bin Laden... And that's about it. Today, we don't know whether Bin Laden is alive or dead or even if he's working in a chip shop in Wolverhampton. We don't know what's become of the Taliban. All we ever hear is that another soldier or marine has been killed on a "routine patrol". What is meant by "routine"? We don't know. We know exactly what the Israeli ground forces are doing but when it comes to our own boys, we're in the dark. We have a vague idea that they are trying to bring a bit of peace, freedom and the American way to this remote part of the world and we sort of imagine that the locals don't want to grow hamburgers because there's more money to be made from heroin. So are the British soldiers trying to get rid of the poppy fields? In which case, how? Or are they not bothering? In which case, why? I presume there is a military plan but we are never told what it is or how it's going. We don't know who's arming the Afghan fighters or what's being done to cut off their supply. Unlike the Falklands where we knew the name of every missile the Argies had and every hill the Brits were trying to storm, in Afghanistan we know diddly squat. The Ministry Of Defence announced this week that over Christmas they had mounted an operation in rain and mud to secure a large area of Helmand which had previously been under Taliban control. We are told that in the operation five British servicemen were killed and three civilians. But we don't know how many of the other side died or what, precisely, has been achieved. It'd be good if they showed us a map. Or a picture of a town that's now at peace. Or a big pile of captured rocket launchers propped up on a hydro electric power station the corps of Royal Engineers have built. We need more information. We need the Ministry Of Defence to make this war they are fighting come alive in our minds. The Sun and Help For Heroes has managed to swing public opinion of the troops from apathy through sympathy to outright admiration. Most of us now recognise the boys and girls are going through hell and that they need our support to make them feel it's all worthwhile. Now we need Defence Minister John Hutton to explain why they are going through hell, what's been achieved so far and what needs to be done before we we can sit back and say "job done". In the Second World War, we had to get Berlin. In the Falklands, we had to get Stanley. In Afghanistan we have to... what? Israel has managed to get us talking about a war in which we are not involved. The British Government must now achieve the same thing with a war in which we are.

fiona waddon
fantastic show please wish my dad bryant jones of putson hereford happy 80th birthday on wednesday 21st jan as he listens every morning sat in bed with a cuppa and loves the show thanks

Rafe Walker
Hi! It's Rafe here!! Just wanted to let you know that now that I am feeling better I am raising funds for the Neurosugery Dept at Birmingham Children's Hospital. To make a donation please go to my special pagewww.justgiving.com/rafesbrainIt is REALLY easy to do ! My headteacher Mr Tamburro is running the Paris Marathon in April to raise money for this - so just think - you can raise money without having to run 26.2 miles!!! THANK YOUlots of love and brainwaves.

Terry Smith
Hi Howard.I know that Toni has a special record slot each Friday on her early morning show, to set us up for the weekend.How about a cheery comedy record slot on your Monday morning show, to kick start the working week ahead and raise our spirits ?My suggestion would be Captain Beaky by Keith Michelle which I haven't heard for ages.RegardsTerry Smith

Mark Reynolds - Worcester
Hi Howard, I listen to you every morning on the school run and on the way to work. Whilst at a junction on Tuesday morning, yourself and Tony Fisher had me in stitches talking about pyjamas, etc we must be of the same generation! Keep up the good work and a "Merry Christmas" to all at Hereford and Worcester, you are truly a great station.

Jan Morris
Thank you for cheering up my drive to work! The two girls keep you in check!! Toni(?) hilarious about furrey pastie and Lionel Blair laughed out loud!!!!

Howard - H&W
I thought this might help clarify matters for those who contacted the show about Children In Need donations via phone-in competitions....'This year, in accordance with the BBC code of conduct for competitions and voting, no money from calls made to Strictly Come Dancing will go to charity.The main focus of fundraising at the BBC has always been the big appeal shows on BBC One and surrounding activity. That continues to be the case. Raising money for charity through premium rate phone calls has only ever been an incidental and occasional activity on BBC programmes. Although we recognised many viewers enjoyed giving to charity in an incidental way through these phone lines, our main concern was clarity for viewers. The new policy of having just two premium call categories - one capped at 15p for all BBC programmes and the other for any charity appeals - would make it even clearer to audiences what to expect when they interacted with BBC programmes in competitions or votes. As such the BBC does not make any money from phone voting.'

Roy
Howard Do the viewers who vote realise that they are responsible for the events on Saturday evening? I call it the Sergeant Effect. By continually voting for John Sergeant when he wasn't one of the best dancers and keeping him in the competition led to Saturday night's situation. If he had been voted out earlier (and others allowed to progress) and not been required to resign from the competition there would have been 4 couples in the semi final.

Jeanetta - Droitwich
Hi Howard! Re -StrictlyI'm surprised there wasn't a 3-way dance-off on Saturday! I'm surprised to find out there is no money going to Children in Need from the phone calls this year. As an alternative on the final, why not have the top two ladies dance for 1st and 2nd place, and Tom and Austin dance for 3rd and 4th place?!Is there an overall league table of results for who got top scores in each type of dance? Anyway, thought all dances and dancers were fabulous.

Barry - Malvern
A multi-billion pound deficit, due to their gold-plated final-salary scheme! The Taxation Alliance has highlighted this problem many times in the public sector. We, the tax-paying public should NOT be funding these schemes we cannot afford ourselves. We, the public, by and large, have to fund our own pension savings from our own money and all public servants should do the same. Regardless, why should WE pay? Many years ago final salary schemes were common across most large businesses, but have been closed over recent years due to the costs of the benefits, and even the large pension companies themselves, (even the mighty Legal and General) have closed their schemes. It is high time the government stopped treating these schemes as "sacred cows", and they should ALL be scrapped, and this includes the government's own scheme, where Tony Blair even had the gall to INCREASE the benefits for MPs! David Cameron has said he will scrap the final salary scheme for MPs if he gains office, so as he has started the initiative, our government should follow, and THIS will really help make a difference to our high level of tax, and help reduce the ridiculously high levels of government borrowing, which are practically bankrupting our once-great country, and are a huge mill-stone around all our necks. The obvious is often just that! Simple really, so why won't our government act.

Maggie
Re-Mondegreens Strawberry fields forever:strawberry fields for trevor. I always wonderd who trevor was!!!

David
Morning Howard In yesterday's report the VAT on petrol & diesel came down to 15%. However there was also a duty increase at the same time. Businessess can claim back VAT but not duty so they will end paying more for their fuel costs. Also when the VAT returns to 17.5 % in Jan 10 then he has made more money as VAT is paid on the duty as well as the fuel cost.Clever move!!

Paul - Hereford
Good morning, Howard Why doesn't the Government slash the ridiculously high excise duty on fuel, which pushes the cost of everything up? The National Insurance contributions which employers have to pay for each employee is also very unfair and a real obstacle to taking on new members of staff.The V.A.T. reduction makes no real difference to us dealing with other V.A.T. registered businesses and just a small improvement to deal with non V.A.T. registered customers.Regarding V.A.T. on used cars, the dealer has to pay the V.A.T. content on the difference between the buying and selling price. If he makes £500, he has to pay the V.A.T. content, regardless of reconditioning costs.Kind regards.

alain
your bethan ball is hillarious. sounds sexy and sharp. more please :-]

Kirsty Burrows
loving this morning guys really g8! lol most of the way to work a real cheer up before work

Mark - Kidderminster
Comparing Barack Obama to JFK and Martin Luther King is a bit previous. JFK stood against the Military Industrial Complex and -horrifically - got assassinated. MLK stood up for civil rights and -terribly - got assassinated. Mr Obama has not stood up for anything yet, apart from a willingness to do the job. He's made promises, but he won't be in office for two months, and we know what happens to political promises anyway. Will he be a success if one less Iraqi civilian, or American soldier, dies on his watch than on GWB's? Will he be a success if one less bank goes bust? People will expect a lot more than that. His own country needs a great amount of healing. Talk of Obama mending all manner of 'global' this-and-that removes the rest of the world leaders from their responsibilities to their own countries. One world, one leader - isn't that a bit troubling... even a bit fascist? Am I hopeful? Not that much, really. I saw all the happy faces when Blair came to power. Oh dear. Did we think Gordon Brown was going to bring in something new? Well, he hasn't. George Orwell said in 1984: 'if there is hope it lies with the proles'. But will the proles be able (or even inclined) to reach the remote to turn off the digital telly, in order to get motivated?Here's two more things to leave you with... I do vote (Dr Taylor on the last two occasions) but... it doesn't matter who you vote for because the government always gets in. Please find and listen to 'The Elite' by the late, great American comic and social/political commentator Bill Hicks. Might make you wonder about a few things.

Alan
Pleased to hear someone supporting wind turbines today!Have you seen the ones the Dutch have built right in towards the central areas of Amsterdam? They are difficult to see because of the high rise buildings and the noise, what little there is, disappears into insignificance compared to the road and rail traffic noise.It is only when to appease the Luddites that wind turbines are placed in open countryside that they become eyesores!

Jeanetta Blake - Droitwich
Hi Howard!re wind farm near Harvington.Think of Droitwich! We live near the ugly water tower: we really don't notice it, as it lurks behind a huge ash tree until the leaves fall in winter! You can't see it from many parts of Droitwich.We are often surprised to see wind turbines - the closer you are the less you notice them. From a distance they actually are much more elegant than our water tower!

Anita Romer
I have aquired at painting by a Malvern artist, a muscian in the past, and I wondered how much it is worth as I want to buy it to help raise money for the National Trust to buy Seaton Delaval Hall in my area of which I am a councillor. The name of the painting is Cornish Interlude painted in 1984, Alan is better known a Akin and was a Malvern artist he is disabled and better known as a railway artist. Please can you help? email is anitaromer@waitrose.com Thank you

theresa
I have been an avid fan of Eastenders for many years, but this Paedophile storyline is taking things way off limits. I realise this is an issue, but with things the way they are just now it would be lovely to capture the nicer things of life ie a neighbourly gesture, a hug and smile, laughter etc. and not dwell on the lower aspects of life.a great show Howard and team!

Tina on the Eastenders Storyline
I heard a while back that they were going to have a child abuse storyline and I was intersted to see how they were going to tackle it. I, like you, do not like how they have done it but I didn't complain because I have over the last couple of years complained to OfCOM and the BBC (obviously not Local radio!)and I just feel they stretch the guidelines. Just my opinion. I was glad though to read they had many complaints.I feel this particular storyline will only serve to please the people that enjoy that kind of thing. I have two daughters aged 12 and 14 and I didn,t let them watch Eastenders until they were about 10. My husband thinks they shouldn't watch it at all.Listening to you this morning I asked them what they thought of the storyline about the paedophile. They both said HE'S NOT A PAEDOPHILE.

jo watson
Hi Howard, I am a reflexologist and am aware of food intolerances. I have used the York tests in the past with my clients, with mixed success and results. I would say the test is quite easy to use, I have administered the test many times, but it is quite user friendly to use it on your own. It is expensive I think and I am not sure about the resutls. I always try things out first before I recommend them to my clients. So I did two tests one with my pin prick blood and my name, the other with MY pin prick blood but with a different name ( alias a client). The results for my name were fairly tame really and there were a few things to avoid. The test with my blood but with a different name came back with a whole host of reactors and food groups to avoid and be wary of. So which one do you believe? I do not use this test any more on my clients because I felt I could not really trust the results.Regardsjo Watson

Denis - Worcester
Whilst these so called near death experiences were very real to those concerned, surely these must be put down to being very powerful dreams.We have all had dreams that at first we cannot explain or believe they were real. In the end we decide that the rational eexperience was that it was just a dream.The power of the mind is not totally understood, therefore the only logical answer is that these are just dreams.

Tina
I think Glam Rock must be a modern term for that time.I used to have a life size poster of Marc Bolan when I was about 12. Scared my mum to death every time she came into my room.I seemed to be the only one at my school (I was about 15) that was upset when Marc Bolan died. Unlike the day when Elvis died. I think I was the only one that wasn't upset.I think my mum had a secret crush on Brian Ferry.....she said he couldn't sing but she she was always glued to TOTP when he was on.

Richard Elliott - Pinvin
Dear Howard, Meetings are very tricky things to organise properly. a) First you must have a meeting to determine what meetings you need to hold. b) You then need a meeting to determine who will be the Chairman and who will clerk the meetings. c) Before each Main Meeting you will need a meeting to set the agenda for the Main Meeting. d) Then you can have the Main Meeting which has to be minuted. e) After the Main Meeting you need to arrange a follow up meeting to review the minutes and check that the decisions made at the Main Meeting have been implemented. It may be necessary to have more than one of these follow up meetings if some items are still outstanding. This takes you back to a) above.

Holly Barratt - Worcs
I believe that your programme will be covering some aspects of the paralympics on Friday morning. It is a shock not to see any news or sport headlines flshing up on your website. I have also noted from other sources that there are quite a number of sportsmen and women who either, live in or originate from Worcestershire. Please do your bit and make more of a song and dance about these amazing people. If Victoria Beckham's haircut is front page news and the paralympics aren't, there is something seriously wrong wouldn't you think?!

Gerry Blackmoor
Hi Howard Ask Vince Page about the Cyclo-Cross race that he & his family are taking part in Redditch on Sunday 21st Sept There will be about 250 riders taking part in 5 races. This is an off road race using skinny tyres.

Jan
Hello Howard,I wonder why the Councils who put up the 'Diverted Traffic' signs up on flooded roads don't put a sticker on them to say in which direction they are diverting traffic? Even a N, S, E, W would help. A stranger to an area has no idea if they are heading in the right direction to get back on the road they need.I visited someone in the Q.E. hospital in Birmingham on Saturday and trying to return to J4 on the M5 found that traffic was diverted westwards on the A38 in Selly Oak. Apparently that road was impassable in several places.I am not conversant with roads in that area, so followed the majority of diverted cars etc. We were diverted time and time again and all the signs just said 'Diverted Traffic'. In the end I had no idea which way I was travelling and ended in Halesowen where, thanks to a policeman, was directed to J3. I hate motorways, but I was never more thankful to see the M5 as it was getting dark. As there was no sun or shadows, I had no bear of getting my bearings.At one of the diversions a WPC told me to go back to Selly Oak and make for the motorway from there, in a northerly direction, but she didn't know the number of the junction !!

Alan
Morning Howard,Can you seriously suggest that young people should jump into the housing market right now? Since house prices have apparently reduced by about 10% in the last year, any benefit from the government schemes will immediately be exceeded by the loss in capital value if the trend continues. If buying towards the top end of the government bands could mean a loss of up to £17,500 - hardly good value! I have suggested to my children that they sit out and watch what happens for the time being. Activating first time buyers is only one small step in the initiatives needed to kick-start the housing market.

Bert - Malvern
Hi HowardRe-House PurchasesAs ever an interesting programme.Many of us always wish to keep things simple, and I know new ideas always seem more interesting, but why not try simple and obvious steps first which will actually reduce costs immediately?Firstly, scrap these ridiculous "HIPS". This removes this needless and ill-conceived time obstacle and the cost of it, (which was always, in my view, merely introduced by a government capitalise further on a buoyant housing market, as it was then!).Secondly, reduce stamp duty (as has been well-rumoured).Thirdly, why not remove "VAT" on valuation fees and legal fees? Let's see how much this helps before taking any further steps.Both stamp duty and VAT can be reintroduced and gradually increased to former levels as and when the market picks up.However, It is well known that the main reason for the current dire situation is because there was too much easy money given to people who had not proved they could be prudent with their finances. If the government steps in to help and thus boost the housing market in this way, is not the government being as irresponsible as the lenders were previously?Should not the government simply allow the market to find its own level in the short term? House prices have risen dramatically and surely it is no bad thing in the long term if prices fall back to more realistic levels, and if this encourages first-time buyers to actually save money for their deposit (as I and they used to do) thus letting them learn the value of money and restrain their spending before taking on such a huge commitment this will actually help them dramatically. If mortgages are made too easy as in the past ther will be more repossessions.I was, incidentally, a mortgage broker and was still arranging new mortgages, including for first-time buyers when the mortgage rate was 15%, and because the mortgage lending was responsible, even with these incredibly high interest rates, repossessions were very few.Keep up the good work.

Tessa Maynard
I usually listen to Radio 2 in the mornings but on monday the car stereo tuned into radio hereford and worcestershire by mistake. i was about to retune when i heard "the colonel" - brilliant! i laughed all the way to work - it really put a smile on my face and i've listenend to his slot every morning since. what a character! and the rest or the show too - i was surprised as the last time i listened to local radio it was ,more like hospital radio, dreadful. loving the colonel tho!

Caroline-Malvern
Spare a thought for "us" Howard as I feel a strong case of schoolitis coming on. This is even before I set the alarm next week to coincide with your dulcet tones on Thursday. Please try to avoid any emotive subjects as I really don't have time to stop and e-mail or phone you as I get ready for school. All I am left to do is rant and rave at the radio - you I mean, while you often play devil's advocate and need me to fill you in! (In the nicest possible way of course.)I know I am not really commenting on anything but I might get you to spare a thought for all your thousands of silent listeners like me who welcome you into their homes in the mornings, you don't know us or our names but we are there hanging on your every word (well, almost), term time is just about bearable as we start the day with you.I'm going to stop now because I can ramble on about anything for hours but all these other people seem to have written tons of stuff for you. Do you really read all of them? Teaching does give you the patience of Job I know but in all honesty do you ever get home to your better half before it is time to leave for the studio again? I did not know if I would get along with your show when you started, I had been a great fan of Tony Fisher when he was on Radio Wyevern And thought I would never be able to change allegiances(not sure about that spelling but my Year Threes don't spell that word) but you have turned out OK !I do care about spelling by the way and yes we do teach a lot of it in our school we also teach not to use the words lot and got in their writing, amongst millions of other things! I may be driven to "have my say" about something specific at Christmas maybe, until then I will continue with my vocation and I wish you many happy hours of broadcasting getting me going in the morning!

Jim
Great show as ever! I was listening with interest to your article on 'pushy parents'..... I have totted up that I spend around £75 a week on activities for the children, but I do it because they enjoy doing them. The minute it isn't fun then they will stop doing the activity. When we went to sheffield a couple of weekends ago...playing chess.....Some of the parents were diabolical. The poor children were frightened to tell them that they had lost......I heard one woman say to a little lad that was stood in the doorway.. "..Dont you DARE come in if you have lost again" Poor mite.... ...As I said if they dont enjoy it then stop!

Alan
Good morning Howard The news broadcasts yesterday were full of comment on the Ryanair landing in Limoges, central France, after one of their aircraft suffered a sudden cabin pressure drop. From what I hear so far - copy book action by the flight crew. The newspapers seem full of the story today too! However as has become common these days there were also interviews yesterday with apparently well-informed passengers who complained that there were no informative announcements by the flight crew nor cabin staff. One of the people interviewed was someone I had not heard of before, an explorer named Pen Haddow who volubly denounced the crew for no PA announcements. I do wish people (and the Press) would find out reasons first and comment second!! Comment is one thing, criticism should only be voiced when aware of the facts. The facts are that when a rapid uncontrolled cabin depressurises, the flight crew must make an emergency descent as some people will become unconcious in a very short time if the level of oxygen is not rapidly raised to higher levels, (typically well under one minute). This might be available using the oxygen masks which drop down, usually after they have been pulled towards you which causes the oxygen to flow. Doing this procedure will result in the aircraft going down at a very high rate, to reach a more-oxygen rich level typically below 10,000 feet if the terrain will permit within 2 minutes; the flight crew do so immediately as they have been trained to do and usually leave the airway they have been flying along, so as to avoid the possibility of their route conflicting with other aircraft at lower levels on the same airway. Clearly in those 2 minutes they have to make sure they only descend to a safe height clear of obstructions, while talking to air traffic control on what their plans might be. Remember that the flight crew are probably unwaware of why the pressure has suddenly dropped but have to treat the descent as though the aircraft has possibly been damaged perhaps by fuselage failure. So not only would they wish to descend rapidly but the aircraft cannot fly as far at lower altitudes and hence need to prepare and execute a landing at an airfield with which they may not be familiar. This will involve finding out what the weather is at a potential landing site and then making themselves informed on the runway in use and the landing aids they will need to select to achieve a safe landing. All of the above leaves few if any opportunities for the flight crew to say anything on the public address system although in most circumstances they would attempt to do so. Be aware that the cabin staff need to breath oxygen too, and there is not usually a facility within the oxygen mask to use the PA system to talk to passengers. Further depending upon the workload of the flight crew, the cabin staff will not necessarily be aware at all times of what action the pilots are taking. From the reports so far I believe the crew acted precisely as directed to avert a potential disaster scenario and should be praised not criticised at this early stage. Journalists need to be responsible, to think carefully on what they are reporting and the public whether explorers or not need to avoid being induced to make unprepared statements to the hungry news reporters! Pen Haddow made a journalist's day yesterday with his outburst but did nothing to feed the public's understandable desire to find out what, if anything went wrong! It is a great pity that most passengers do not listen to the existing safety briefing announcements which the cabin staff have to make by law; if they did it might be worth increasing the length of that briefing by up to15 seconds or so explaining that in the event of a rapid depressurisation, the Captain MUST descend rapidly to ensure everyone can continue to breath oxygen! But they would not listen to that either. Shame.

Hazel Shave
Good morning Howard, my tip for keeping cool at night would be to fill a hot water bottle with cold water and add some ice cubes, KEEP COOL!!

margaret burston
Hi Howard I'm one of your regular listeners. I heard you talk to that lady who got the degree.Have you heard about Helen McCabe another local lady, who has published a number of romantic books amd now has a big book coming out, which is getting press/film interest nationally.Its called PIPER her first horror being published by Myrmidon Books.If you need more information her agents number is on Helen's website: www.helenmccabe.com and details of the book can be found on thereHope this is of interest to you and your listeners its nice to find local talent when trawling the internetLove your programme Margaret

Peter
I can see what your guest is saying and it makes sense. When I passed my test( a few years ago now) my car was a 1200cc ford with a maximum speed of 78 mph, these days a 1200cc car is capable of over 100mph and is far more responsive than a car of 20/30 years ago. My view is that the test at the moment is too simple. There should be: a)Bad weather driving testing b)Night driving testing c)Motorway and high speed driving testing d)Skid pan testing ( to show how to cope with a car in a skid- until you have one you have no idea what it is like or how to cope). e)The emergency stop' done at the test is not like the real thing when an emergency stop is needed. f)The vehicle engine size limited to 1000cc and speed restricted to 70mph for the first 2 years and then a test to see how the driver has improved and then and only thencan this be released to a higher specification of say 1500cc and then another test which if passed then go to unlimited.

Mike Tolley
Howard,Any chance of saying Happy 14th Birthday to my daughter, Christine Tolley, on Thursday 17th July please. She normally listens in to you from about 6.45am. Best wishes from Mum, Dad, and little sister Claire.Regards,Mike Tolley

Graham - Unison/Unite strikes
I have just listened to the "Shop Steward" trying to justify these strikes, which he appears to have engineered. These people already have the sort of job security most of us can only dream of. What arrrogance! He blandly stated the Local Authority can afford more. ALL of the Local Authority money comes from us taxpayers, and WE CANNOT AFFORD ANY MORE. We have seen our Council Tax payments go through our proverbial roofs. I wish we had the option of going on strike by refusing to pay our Council Tax until they cut out their waste, and until they ditch their extravagant pension scheme which is reckoned to be 25% of what we pay! Why should WE pay for something we cannot afford ourselves? So, these people strike against our children! What more is there to say?

Phil from Ross
Re schol bus.There is a schol bus that goes within half a mile of Linton. It is the new route the council have designed.Cant she get on that one, considering it impossible for her to get to school on time, It serves St Mary Lugwardine and Bishops in Hereford.

Peter - on Knife Crime
I disagree with this 'new' way of dealing with knife crime as described by the Home Secretary - it is a knee jerk reaction, not thought out properly, attention seeking to give the 'impression' this government is doing something. Far greater penalties for those caught with a knife and even stiffer for those who use them and cause harm to another. One of the problems is it 'seems cool' to carry a knife What is really needed is a sentence that deters, plus a justice system that enforces this not judges being too soft and lawyers using any way they can to get these people off with a 'slap on the hand'. The victim is the one who gets ignored and has the real sentence. Why is it that someone who does not pay their council tax gets put in prison, yet someone caught carrying a knife and using it in a threatening way or greater gets off or just a community sentence - this is wrong in my view.

Tina on Knife Crime
We were talking to a friend in Kent over the weekend who has a 17/18 year old boy. Our friend was becoming more and more concerned about his son. tried all sorts of jobs, nothing worked out, lounging aroung the house or roaming the streets. Although I don't think he would have fallen into the knife crime etc set. His son then took himself along to an army training scheme I think a government initiative for 5 or 6 weeks and has come back a changed boy. Helps in the house etc. He now intends to join the army.I think it has made him appreciate a lot of things about life.

Jeanetta Blake
Howard, Last week I bought a child's bike with stabilisers (14 inch wheels) from Droitwich Cancer Research shop for £10, jolly good condition. It would be £70-£100 to buy brand new! I've got two children under the age of four, and I think many new parents don't consider the fact that tiny baby clothes (newborn up to 12 months) will only be worn for at most 8-12 weeks... I suggest they try to buy most of their baby clothes second hand - most garments are "nearly new", and sometimes they are completely unworn!!!I've heard that people sell bin-bags of children's clothes at car boot sales for maybe £10, when each outfit probably cost that much! The National Childbirth Trust charity holds nearly new sales in Worcester 4 times a year too. I bought my first pram second hand from the newspaper for £50, after seeing a line-up outside the St. Richard's Charity shop in Pershore. It was a snip at only 10% of it's brand new value- the prams and pushchairs you see for sale second hand have to be sold with the original instructions and have their safety information still attached. Now the children are a little bigger, the things I'd like to buy second hand are children's coats and wellies!for toys, you can't beat membership of Malvern's Borrowers Toy Library (also a charity) They take donations of good quality toys, equipment and games. For a second-hand bike go to the Worcester Resource Exchange which sells on the bikes renovated by the MOTOVA8 charity (contact Reverend Mark Badger for details... Mark Badger )bye for now,Jeanetta Blake, from Droitwich

Chris - Albion pub Worcester
I went to a DVLA number plate auction some years ago to buy ALB 10 N thinking it would go with the pub name ALBION …. When the auction started the opening price was £8,000 and the finishing price was a staggering £22,000 paid by some footballer who was playing for West Bromwich Albion.

Peter
Hi Howard There are a few interesting car registration in Worcester- the two that are very noticeable are: B1 TCH and one that looks like Mistress but I think it is M155TESS or similar as is difficult to work it out precisely. Another good one I have seen is TUR 130 - put the 3 and 1 together and your TURBO.

Barry
SMIRTING!! On a lighter note, I wonder if the same thing is happening here that happened in Ireland following the smoking ban? Smirting, it was noticed in Ireland that shy men were all of a sudden getting girlfriends due to having to stand outside the pub, these guys that used be too shy, now chat to a woman/women about how cold it is or why do we come out here etc..... Smoking and Flirting at same time Smirting!! I of course being a typical Irishman, just built my bar in the garden and can smoke there to my hearts content.

Lesley
Hi Howard, how are you? Just e-mailing to say I really enjoy listening to you and the team every week day morning, you are such a lively bunch in the morning. Thanks love from Lesley.x

Howard - BBC H&W
Here's that explanation of fuel efficiency I mentioned on the show....Gallons per mile is a more accurate way of judging a car's fuel economy thanmiles per gallon, according to researchers.A study carried out by American scientists shows that the "miles per gallon"rating can be highly misleading.It causes the wrong assumption that increasing fuel efficiency reduces petrolconsumption at an even rate, said the experts.Volunteer students who were asked to make fuel saving car choices on the basisof miles per gallon consistently slipped up.For instance, most thought an improvement from 34 to 50 mpg saved more petrolover 10,000 miles than an improvement from 18 to 28 mpg.In fact, the reverse was true. Increasing efficiency from 34 to 50 mpg saved 94gallons, but a change from 18 to 28 mpg saved 198 gallons.Students made fewer mistakes when presented with fuel efficiency expressed asgallons used per 100 miles. Viewed this way, 18 mpg becomes 5.5 gallons per 100miles, and 28 mpg translates into 3.6 gallons per 100 miles."Miles per gallon is misleading and can play tricks on our intuitions," saidProfessor Jack Soll, from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University inDurham, North Carolina, who co-led the research.Colleague Dr Richard Larrick, also from the business school, said: "Thereality that few people appreciate is that improving fuel efficiency from 10 to20 mpg is actually a more significant saving than improving from 25 to 50 mpgfor the same distance of driving."The researchers, whose findings are published in the journal Science, want tosee that car manufacturers and consumer publications rate vehicles in terms ofgallons per 10,000 miles driven."This measure makes it easy to see how much gas one might use in a given yearof driving and how much gas, and money, can be saved by opting for a car withgreater efficiency," said Dr Larrick.Ten miles per gallon would then become 1,000 gallons per 10,000 miles. Twentymiles per gallon would be 500 gallons per 10,000 miles, and 40 miles per gallon250 gallons per 10,000 miles.Prof Soll said: "For families and other owners of more than one type ofvehicle, the greatest fuel savings often comes from improving the efficiency ofthe less efficient car."We believe that everyone should try to be as fuel efficient as possible. Forsome people, that may mean driving the most efficient car available, such as asmall hybrid car, but for others it may mean finding the most efficient optionpossible within their chosen class of car."There are significant savings to be had by improving efficiency by even twoor three miles per gallon on inefficient cars, but because we communicate inmiles per gallon, that savings is not immediately evident to consumers."(by John von Radowitz, PA Science Correspondent)

Rebecca Allen - Worcester
Hello Howard,I was listening to your show on Tuesday morning when Rebecca Spence from Which was advising the best slug and snail products on the market. I just had to write in to let you and your listeners know about Slug Buggers! They are fantastic and work on both slugs and snails so no need for two seperate products. They are made from sheeps wool so 100% organic and don't cause any harm to dogs, children or wildlife! Please tell your listeners about them as our slimy enemies are out in force! They are made by a company called www.kindtoo.com I bought mine from the online website Natural Collection. They are also sold on other on line sites such as The Green Trading Company, WWF & Harrod Horticulture.

Peter Fisher
Hi Howard Just listening to your programme and would comment - A lot of what your guest (Allan Hawkins) was saying I can agree with, I was a Mortgage adviser in the late 70's to mid 90's and then the amount spent as a proportion of income was often way over 40% and interest rates were around 15% and in some case as high as 20%. The difference now is rates are lower I would agree, but there was not the 'secondary' borrowing for cars, washing machines and the like then back then as there is now. You have to just look around and see that the average family has two cars and both are often new and or only a few years old. I have been involved in the property market for almost 30 years, either as an adviser on mortgages or buying and selling and or as an letting agent. The money was never too free it is just people could not see that the bubble had to burst and borrowed to the max- there had to a levelling in the market. The 'hype' in the press by so called 'experts' that there will be a crash of up to 40% is nonsense as such would cause a real crash in the UK economy and that would be a disaster - back to the 30's. What I believe will happen is for a few years, as in the early 90's price will 'stay' level and that is equivalent to a drop if you take inflation into account. The other point is that the cost of UK energy is also a concern as why are we having to 'store' our energy source aboard and then buy back at a higher price- I let out property aboard and the cost of energy there is a lot less than here - someone should be asking WHY.

Jayne Lloyd
RE: Child safetyIf you had listened to the interview properly, mum and toddler were playing in the fountains at South Quay, do we have to make our child wear reins when they are playing? As a mother of twins I am well aware that kids get into mischief. David from Hanley Castle ought to get his facts right before passing judgement on a parent.

David - Hanley Castle
Howard. I listened with relief at the outcome of the toddler who fell into the river and equally with disbelief when on Midlands Today last night this apparently concerned mum said better fencing should be put up. Where has parental responsibiity gone and has she never heard of reins? Today we seem to live in a society where someone else has to take resposibility for our actions. Thank you all for a great everyday programme.

Peter Fisher
Hi Howard Re: Black Panther.Just picking up on the discussion of 'Life should mean life'. It seems that we are continuing to head down a the road of the perpetrator having too many rights - what about the life and or lives a criminal takes? The family of such victims serve their own life sentence, to which they had no way to defend or stop. They have lost a loved one and that seems NEVER to be taken into account. Life should mean life if you have committed such an henious crime that is proved beyond doubt and to which you are found guilty of.Regards.

Donna Rushton - Worcester
Howard, Re: Child Safety. I have an 18 month old little girl and she has a cuddly monkey back pack with a tail, which is a rein. She wears it whenever we are out and about. She loves it and I have control of her safety. Monkey gets a lot of attention. This was bought over in the States, maybe we should see them on sale over here? As it's a cuddly toy it's probably more appealing to toddlers than the traditional rein.

Shirley Ellis
Fragrance Brand"Be part of the Appr(entice)with ENTICE the ultimate smell of success. Very cheesy!!

Jack (Malvern)
Hello HowardFirstly the NHS has a duty to care for all who pay their "premiums", and for example they do not quibble at paying for bi-passes and transplants which cost an absolute fortune.Having been wrong to deny someone the drug (which was prescribed) that is most likely to help, the Government compounds the injustice of leaving someone without a life-saver, saying that if they buy it themselves they are effectively no longer an NHS patient. What would you are I do staring death in the face, Howard? What a horrible dilemma! If we have sufficient initial savings for the drug we have a short-term choice, but what if we are unlikely to be able to afford to continue this treatment - Do we fund it in the short term - If so, we have to hope it cures us, or we die peacefully before our money runs out! BUT, how does this injustice make us feel, and if we feel agrieved how does that affect our health? If we feel angry and upset this only adds to our illness.OK, so if they insist on this ludicrous and totally unjust state of affairs they should surely at least return ALL of the patient's premiums with full compound interest, and, perhaps, "damages" for breach of contract.If this same patient had (with his own money) fuelled himself so full of alchohol, canabis, or any other drug to the extent he needed hospital treatment, logically the NHS would have to insist he "goes private", but this is far from the case. He gets proper NHS treatment, and is not asked to pay anything towards his self-induced state, even if he abuses the staff trying to help him, and has been in the same state many times before. I do agree with everything Bill Wiggin said on the subject.I try to listen to your programme every morning - Great!

Sue D. - Ross-on-Wye
Hi Howard,After listening to your report and interview with Bill Wiggin this morning on my way to work – I AM ABSOLUTELY APPALLED that this man has been denied treatment after paying for a cancer drug himself.We must STAND up to this Government on this issue – it is deplorable. Within a ‘free’ country we should be allowed to spend our money how we wish – if a Doctor advises a 'Round the World Trip' to help a sick patient – would this count as ‘paying for their own treatment’ and give the NHS a reason to ditch them.It is morally up to individuals if they want to pay for these drugs – the NHS should provide everything it possibly can – and leave the public free to assist in their treatment and their lives whenever they so wish.Of course some will be able to pay for it and some won’t – that’s life – if they want to make everyone equal they will have to deprive 90% of the population of everything they have and drag everyone down to the lowest common denominator – would this be fair!We really MUST stand up to these idiotic Labour guidelines – for everyone’s sake.

Jan
Good Morning Howard, Good luck to Mr. Eckley. I wish him all the luck in the world. I have a Husband and a Son, both of whom have terminal cancer and if only I had the necessary funds, I would break all the rules in the NHS to get them well again. What right have they to play God. No one can imagine how this dreadful illness impacts on everyone concerned.

Stella
Dear Howard Listened with interest to your programme this morning. Thought you might be interested to hear that in my "Gap Year" in the early sixties I went out to New York on the Queen Mary, absolutely beautiful with marquetry and craftsmanship, also going round the engine-rooms as the only female in a party of thirty men. Leaning over the stern looking at the phosphorescent wake one night I was approached by a burly sailor who put his hand on my arm..(oh-oh..) who turned out to the the Cunard "Suicide Watch" placed on guard to stop jumpers or witness that the ship was not negligent. Coming home I travelled on the Q. E One ( now at the bottom of Hong Kong Harbour) in a hurricane. We had Lifeboat drill and nets up and down the staircases. She was flung about like a cork and they said she would not roll but might snap in half fore and aft. Mid-Atlantic was traditional for the two "Queens" to pass each other and sound sirens. We went up on deck to watch and the other one seemd largish and impressive but there were no perspective features. I commented on this and one steward said "You do realise that she is over FIVE MILES AWAY " ! Great days.

Graham - Malvern
A very good morning to you, Howard. I was interested to hear of the couple having government assistance to get onto "the housing ladder", and I remember just how much simpler things used to be with mortgage tax relief, and stamp duty thresholds being high enough to keep first time buyers completely out of this particular tax money-spinner. The government apparently wants to help the housing market, ok...... So, for a start, scrap these rediculous "Home Information Packs" (which informed opinion says was a ridiculous idea and is an unnecessary expense). No-one with an ounce of sense, it seems to me is in favour. Whilst first-time-buyers do not directly pay for these, any cost to the seller is passed on to the buyer with a higher price, so it does impact. Secondly, raise the stamp duty limit to start at, say, £150,000. This would save many first-time-buyers paying any stamp duty whatsoever, and even those in city areas paying, say, £175,000 for their first property would only pay stamp duty on £25,000. If further help is needed, why not exempt first-time buyers from VAT on legal fees? Why draw up a complicated rule-book involving more government employees with their high salaries, perks probably, and a pension scheme (to which we poor taxpayers have to also pay for at a likely further cost to us of an additional 25% to the cost of their salary. This all seems like common sense to me, but what do your other listeners think?

Peter Fisher
Hi Howard I have been listening to the various comments about 'compensation' to prisoners and I can only agree with the lady from the Tax Payers Alliance. The lady from the Prison Reform Trust seems to have a very blinkered view of the situation. You go to prison as a punishment and not as we hear all to often - get a living equal to a 3-4 star hotel, TV/DVD player-education and so on. This 'nanny' attitude by people from the Prison Reform Trust needs to be seriously looked at- as you said where are the Human Rights of the rest of us and the victims of crime. The judge who said they should get compensation should be sacked and be made to see what the rest of us in the UK have to deal with day in day out. I have come across some these judges in business and they live in different world to rest of us. Regards.

David Hine
Morning Howard - 0870 numbers. Just heard some of your reports on calling the above and the costs incurred. I have a call package on my home phone which gives me unlimited calls to 01, 02 and 03 numbers but higher charges to 0870 0845 numbers etc. A useful website I use to avoid calling the high rate is www.saynoto0870.com Might be worth having a look and see what you find. In fact it would cost me to call the studio on your 0845 number but if I had a 01905 number the call cost would be included in my package.

Graham
Hi Howard, I'm appalled to hear that prisoners are getting thousands of pounds in compensation. They are in prison to be punnished for what they have done. What about the victims of their crimes? Surely that money would be better spent on compensation for the trauma that their victims have had to suffer?

Roch
Hi Howard,How do we know we are not going to be ripped off on the fitting costs of the new HD service . It says it starts at £80...but could be more. This sound like an open invitation for rip off merchants. What does your 'digital doctor' advise? Should we get a fitting quote or quotes befor we buy the equipement?

Jan
Good morning Howard, I think strawberry growers should state on the containers if they are polytunnel, raised tray or outdoor ground-grown fruit. They might be cleaner with the former two, but there is a vast difference in the flavour. Give me outdoor fruit every day. After all, egg producers have to state where the eggs are laid. As for facecream for men - rubbish - effeminite! Men should look like men, not baby's ............!!!

Sylvia Baker
Howard, could you please mention,my husband on Tuesday 20th May just after the 06.00am news, he will be 60.'Wishing him a great 60th birthday, with love from Sylv,sons and the four very special grandchildren. Thanking you in advance,our day starts with Hfd & Worcs - every day.

Tina - Hereford
I was passing the new Sutton St. Nicholas school. I started thinking 1. 2.5 million school for 55 children.2. School closures in discussion3. Marden and Withington both have fairly new schools with more than 55 children.4. Why did they build a new school at Sutton ( good for them it is a lovely village)when they could have sent the Sutton children to Marden or Withington. don't want to stir anything up but it doesn't seem logical. Maybe I have missed something and thats why I'm earning 6.50 an hour and not thousands working at Herefordshire Council!

Stuart - Worcester
Hi Howard, If the government "saved" £7bn through the abolition of the 10% rate and borrowed £2.7bn to fund the "remedy" to loud approval (?), this is in fact another stealth tax i.e a £4.3bn tax grab. Those earning under £18k will still be losers. Similarily, if petrol prices rise, VAT revenue will increase pro rata so a further rise in fuel duty is a double wammy.

Sue, Kidderminster
Hi Howard, First we hear a Severn Trent spokesperson saying how in 25 years we will have a problem with possible lack of water supply etc, then the following news story suggests we will have to get used to heavy flooding in our country - possibly worse than last year.Huh! What a laugh!! Perhaps if the water companies came up with a way to harness all that water falling from the sky more adequately, we will not have a future problem, eh? Also, aren't we surrounded by water? Perhaps desalination should be seriously considered aswell.

Marion
I have only one criticism of you Howard - you "gabble" - PLEASE slow down!!! It's not sports commentary!

Nicky Bottomer
Just wondered whether you could help with a problem of ours! Sainsbury's as you know are currently rebuilding the sports centre in St Johns and will finally be building a new supermarket next year. Our house backs on to Bromwich Lane Tennis Club and we have a lovely quiet life, only hearing balls hitting rackets on a Sunday morning. In a few weeks time though, Sainsbury's are to begin building their car park right at the back of our property. We put forward our concerns re the proximity of the car park to our house to the Council Planning Committee, more particularly re the fact that shoppers will be able to see right into our house, (if you stand in the tennis courts by the way you can see the Cathedral and St Andrews spire through our lounge!!.) and also that we shall be breathing in emissions from cars parking there. Sainsbury’s have said they will be ‘sympathetically landscaping’ the area – which we think will be huge trees which will block the sunlight into our garden (we have recently removed several trees which were shading the garden). The Council agreed that Sainsbury’s should take into consideration our concerns.We have asked that we be allowed to purchase some land from Sainsbury’s to give us greater distance from the car park, but Sainsbury’s have said there is a problem with this re the land registry. We really only want a few feet which (a couple of fence panels width from our land to the car park border), and with that and the proposed planting of approx 3 feet in depth – which they say will NOT block our sunlight but as yet have to let us know what they DO intend to plant, this will give us, we believe, a much better quality of life once the building etc is complete. Grateful if you could give any help with whom to contact re our request.RegardsNicky

Sue Hodgson-Jones, Fromes Hill
Regarding soaring costs, fuel prices should be lowered to help the economy all the government is doing is blatant profiteering, if prices had not risen they would not be benefiting, if a private company did this they would be pilloried, why oh why do we put up wth it, regarding electricity, the only fuel I have I changed from Npower to EDF saving around £20 per month at one point Npower wanted to increase my DD payment from £50 pm to £90 I only live in a 1 bed bungalow, work 6 days a week and never leave anything on standby!!!!

David
Dear Howard,Thanks for the great show and the drive to stay alive campaign. I am a regular cyclist on the roads of Worcestershire and make a quick plea to keep me alive!!!. On many many occasions motorist whistle past travelling 40-50mph faster than me leaving only the smallest of gaps between their car and my fragile body, and often when there is no traffic approaching in the other direction. PLEASE GIVE CYCLISTS PLENTY OF SPACE WHEN OVERTAKING!!!

Julia Wright - RoadPeace
Thank you for letting me take part in today's programme.PLEASE PLEASE encourage everyone to use COLLISION, INCIDENT, or CRASH and not ACCIDENT! I'm sorry that there wasn't an opportunity to discuss RP's response to the Transport Select Committee's Novice Drivers Enquiry. I expect there will be other participants talking about the Graduated Driving License, Black Boxes & 20mph in urban areas etc. It would be good to see a regular update (daily would be best) of the crashes that the Police in the area had attended & the extent of the resulting carnage. It would be a pity after all this input to loose the chance to re enforce the message.

Clive - Mamble (nr Tenbury Wells)
Thanks for your study of food prices in this morning's programme. I could not hear all of your output,but pleased to understand that you are keeping an eye on the subject. It may be appropriate that you research the cost of 'the basket' from some years past. Fresh produce can always be effected by seasonal variations (eg bad harvests). But more widley, I hope you can explain all the background to various situations. Current rises are vital to mantain supply because of the massive rise in input costs. A good question is whether or not all input cost rises are due to direct increase or are there elements of profiteering within the system. Another imporant message is the percentage of earnings spent on food purchase. 40 years ago, typically, one third of a families earnings was spent on food,today it's less than 10%, and presumably within more affluent times. Is belt-tightening required or a change in the priorities of life? The average British family on average earnings earn enough by 9th Feb to purchase a year's supply of food (Food Check-out Day). The amount of that is returned to the primary producer is paid for by 10th Jan. Food Check-out Day in Germany is 15 Feb, in Russia early April and in Indonesia during July. I hope to study more historic data by this illustration. Please keep up yor coverage, before the food queues start!

Jon - Worcester
Re: The listener's comments regarding 20 20 travel. It's a great information service when travelling in to work. The jingle is punchy and professional don't find it in the slightest bit irritating. I was stuck in the July floods last year and found them a vital information service. I have listened to BBC Hereford and Worcester ever since. Keep up the good work, great show.

Jan
Good Morning Howard, Government running of the air ambulance would be just as bad as the health service. There would be targets to reach, if they fell below, then stations would have to merge. The time to get to people would double, not to memtion the vast number of administrators to run it. No No No do not let the Government get their hands on it.

Tony Watt - Stourport on Severn
Thanks Howard for allowing me to express my views on young drivers. It is one of my hobby-horses, having been involved in a fatal head on collision with three 20somethings, ten years ago, which would have been avoided if they understood the skills necessary for driving. We tend to forget that you can pass your test without learning how to take a bend safely on a country road, and a car full of people handles differently to one person in a car.The Worcestershire Group of Advanced Motorists is a charity run locally by local volunteers. We actively encourage under 26's who have already passed their driving test to hone their skills by attending an advanced driving course in partnership with Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service. The course is great fun and is free, and the next one covers three Mondays and starts on Monday 22nd September 2008 from 7.30pm -9.30pm at the Countryside Centre, Wildwood Drive, next to County Hall in Worcester. At the end of the three sessions there is a written a test and the top three or four winners get free Associate Membership of the IAM, and once they have passed their advanced test, there is free skid pan training available. Booking for the next course can be made through our Group Secretary, Howerd Brooksbank e-mail worcester@groups.iam.org.uk.In addition, we want drivers of any age to improve their driving skills, and the same number will get details of our Advanced Course. The cost of reaching the standard of an Advanced Driver is only £99 (£74 for under 26) and includes all observed runs, Roadcraft the Police Drivers' handbook, and the actual Driving test with a Police Class one Instructor. Payment can be made in 2 instalments.

Clive Cooper
You want to know what people think about the BBC? Well I've just had to switch you off once again.Apart from not wanting to hear motor car engines being gunned whilst I'm eating my breakfast, you always have to have some iritating jingle playing in the background. It's the same with everything really. Do people really want to have "bongo music" playing whilst they are trying to get the latest traffic news? Do they really want all this "twenty twenty travel" repeated with such regular monotony . I don't think so.I'm reduced now to just trying to get the weather forecast. Then again, you won't shut up and let Paul Demari on to get on with it. What is particulary irritating is when football or some sporting event is being discussed just before the weather forecast and going over the time, only to find it gets a full 5 minutes again after the news. It's got so naff now that it's not worth listening to.Even radio 4 is no longer worth listening to, so in general, I don't bother with the radio any more.Clive.

Terry Smith
Howard,Thank you for playing my choice of Eagle's tracks this week and for Toni and yourself for looking after me so well.It was great feel good music and hopefully gained some converts to the Eagles.

Pat Jackson
Dear Howard We love your morning programme and think the part between approximately 7.20 and 7.40 a.m. is unmissable. We get the road reports, morning papers, weather, news, sport, the Guide and all the wonderful banter between you, Tony, Dave, Paul, Alec and your producer. Thank you. You have been missed ---whilst we have been out to Australia to visit our daughter and family. We returned yesterday and, horror of horrors, the last 2 episodes of Ashes to Ashes have not recorded !!! Knowing your love of the programme please can you tell me if Alex got back and reunited with her daughter or perhaps let me know if there's a website I can find out the answer? We would be most grateful. Best wishes. From Howard BBC H&W - Hi Pat, Firstly thanks for the kind words....I'm glad you like the show. Secondly I think you'll have to wait for the dvd to come out as you have gone past the iplayer 7 day deadline but in a nutshell she figures out why her parents die...her dad is central to the plot....he wants to die and take wife and child with him...Alex sees it all happening but is powerless to stop it.....so there is a second series..weird bit though was that Alex (as child) is carried away from the scene by none other than Gene Hunt! Alex alludes to this in the post-explosion chat but it's left hanging and I think will be a plank of the next story line as there is obviously a love interest for the Gene Genie coming!!! Fire up the Quattro!!

Dave
Howard Hi: You can make your house flood resilient and cut your disruption from 6 - 8 months to 2 - 3 months but even that would play on your mind. Yes the insurance pays for refurbishment but what a lot of people are finding is you look at the new furniture etc and all the memories have gone. You have replacement objects, gone are memories like "We saved and went without a holiday to buy that furniture". It does not make a difference how long you are out of your house the heartache is still there.

Jon Clarke - Worcester
HI Howard, I enjoy the show on the way in to work 7:45 - 8:30. I thought I'd email my comment on the feature with Servern Trent and the lady from OFWAT very satisfied with the 36 million pound fine. Surely she must realise that as with any business it will look to recoup its loss somewhere along the line? and ultimately the cost is, as always, going to be passed on to us the consumer!

Dave Shaw - Pershore
Hello Howard.Besides my being involved in the organization of Pershore's Spring Bank Holiday May Carnival I am also the founder of Pershore's annual Plum Fayre. Next August's event will be the 12th staging of what has become the major national celebration of our local fruit.Around 18 months ago, I was intrigued to learn that there is a pub called "The Pershore Plum", in, of all places, Winchester. Since then I have been cajoling friends and colleagues to visit Winchester, and to learn the reason for this pub being so-named.With no success so far, I wondered if it is something that the local BBC Radio station covering that area might be able to help with, to throw some light on this.

Gerry - Bromsgrove
Hi Howard What's the point of Ofwat fining Seven Trent Water £36m. Who will end up paying the fine their customers (you & me) Ofwat must find a different way of penalising these companies, like making them give all their customers a refund which they can't get back in increases. Or by fining the directors & shareholders.

Gordon
I wonder if you and the power of radio can help me. Since I have been doing my various marathons I have from time to time been visiting a Sports Physio to tend to minor injuries and basically keep me in shape. His name is Neil Williamson and he used to based one day a week at the specilaist running shop, Runaround Sports, which used to be based near Foregate St Station. The business has now moved to the Top Barn business park in Hallow and they no longer have physios there. I rang them to find out how I could contact Neil,as he works from home in Malvern the rest of the week and they do not have his new phone number. I have tried directories and yellow pages etc without success. Maybe one of your listeners may know how I can get in touch with him as I could do with a bit of attention before the London Marathon, if possible. Many thanks for your help.

Anny
Regarding the lady who wishes to adopt. She mentioned her human rights to continue to smoke. What about the child's human rights to be bought into a smokers' atmosphere. Her attitude is very selfish, even is they smoke outside there are still health implications for the child who will still be around smokers, she even admitted that their first son was ill because of her smoking. There is also the issue of her own health in the future and how this could affect the child's life. She should take this as a chance to give up.

Gordon
Talking of roadworks, is there a vendetta against those of us who travel from Worcester to Kidderminster? For many months now we have had 3 different sets of roadworks between Black Bridge and Kiddi, so a number of us diverted through Stourport, but now, of course , we have roadworks there too. Once you get through all that lot you have to negotate the roadworks by the hospital!! And now I see there are signs up to say that Central Networks are soon to start work north of Ombersley!!! Aaargh!! What is going on?? All of this can add 20 minutes to the journey each way, each day!! Why can't they leave the A449 alone!!!

Graham (Malvern)
Good morning, Howard. IF the government sets £1,000,000,000,000 (or whatever) aside, this means that the administration costs (which we also all pay for) reduce the actual amount of benefits to the over 60s by, say 20%, whereas because the state pension system is in operation, if the same £1 billion were simply added to the state pension, all of the costs and complications of more bureaucrats would be avoided, and most importantly those over the age of 60 would receive 100%. Simple really! The same applies to the winter fuel benefits, the admin costs probably double the actual cost of handing out the benefits in this way. Further, every time this government wants more money from us (which is far too often) instead of simply increasing income tax (and again the system is in place so they would receive 100%of any increase) they dream up more new ways of extra taxation, plus new rules and regulations, more expensive staff, etc, so that if they want £5 billion, they probably have to collect £10 billion from us to additionally pay all the admin costs. It (to me) sems we do not have to be super-brains to work this out. All the best.

Donna
Over 60's free travel..why? The govt has not targetted those people who are really in need. There are many pensioners who are not well enough to travel on buses...cannot get out at all or who cannot use buses as they are too frail...these people will get nothing more. These people deserve more money. This scheme is another attempt to appease some pensioners...who are a big block of voters who 3 yrs or so before the winter fuel allowance was introduced were protesting about the council tax ... + causing the govt an electoral worry. I know ill people under 60 who don't get the winter fuel allowance. Any money available should be targetted at ill people ..they should be given winter fuel allowance. I am quite disgusted at govt giving more money to healthly pensioners. Help in our society in many ways is targetted at healthy people including heathly pensioners...not at ill people. Thats wrong...very wrong.

Philip - Bromsgrove
Hi Howard, One advantage of the scheme which I don't think Ruth Kelly really mentioned was the that the £1 billion being paid out for this scheme is in effect a subsidy being paid to bus operators. By filling empty seats in the off peak periods, bus services which otherwise might not be economic to run, or would need subsidising by other means, will be able to continue for the benefit of all passengers, free pass holders and fare payers alike.

Jenny - Worcester
It's good that there will be free travel for pensioners, but how much is my bus fare going to go up to now. It is presently over 20 pound a week on school runs. So how about giving me free travel or reduced fares for parents doing school runs this might help congestion on the road. I don't know anyone who is going to pay to run a car and pay bus fares to get children to school.

Graham - Malvern
Good morning Howard How on earth can such large salaries be justified?! Someone said Company Directors earn this much. The clue is in the word "earn". Those few directors earning this amount of money do so because they succeed in a competitive environment by providing what their customers want, need, and can pay for! Many Directors fulfil all of the above but cannot possibly earn anything approaching £25,000 a year. Indeed, some firms go bust every year, leaving no salary. Our councils are providing less and less. Essential services to the elderly are being cancelled. We have no confidence in our schools being kept open etc. The Council Pension scheme costs are rocketing at our expense, exasperated by the fact that these people can retire at 60 at the latest! So how can large salaries be fair or justified? What can we do to stop them giving themselves so much that we have to pay for? If a Director of a Company takes too high a salary, he goes out of business! If these people were running a private business in competition they would fail dismally. I wish we had the option to take our business elsewhere, but as we don't what right do they have to fleece us!

Tina
Re- Tenant farmersHave the council thought about the fact that it is not just the tenant farmers job it is their house, home.etc. What farmer would take on a tenancy for only 6 years? Is this just another underhand way of the council to change things with out the real truth. Also video games, My children do not play any kind of computer games, play station etc nor facebook etc. because they have a life! There was a time adult 'stuff' was only available if you were desparate enough to look for it, not in shops etc. There is the arguement that we are responsible adults we should be able to buy/rent as easy as the next thing but I say as adults should we be grown out of this kind of thing.

Peter Stonehewer
Hi HowardOne thing I did not mention this morning is that pension tax relief is changing on 6th April this year. At present savers get 22% tax relief on their payments into their pension funds but from 6th April it will reduce to 20% So if anyone is contemplating investing £10,000 as a lump sum into their pension then it is worth £200 more in tax relief if they do it before the end of the tax year.

Dave
It was interesting to hear the lady from the hotel say it cost her £300,000 on top of her insurance payout. We have had a lot of people who were not flooded say but you have a re-furbished house on the insurance. This is not the case for example we had to have a new kitchen but the insurance would only pay for the bottom half because the wall cupboards were not damaged. The suppliers could not match the two levels so we had to pay to replace the top cupboards. Its little things like this that we have to pay for and its hard especially if someone is on a pension. The same with the car being flooded and written off, it costs you to get the same standard you had back.

john meredith
Hi Howard, love your show, listen each morning. Is the cricket ground flooded? I live in Malvern not had chance to look on Monday. Regards

shirley
hello howard and co, my husband has taken his little hammer down to the regal tenbury today to help make the scenery for the local operatics production of g/s..coming up 31 march...just as I mentioned housework!!!!the regal is our wonderful art deco cinema, very badly flooded last july, and recently up and running after refurbishement, several of us under Ben Bydawells help, are putting on films during the time no plays or concerts are going on..........we dont know how that will work out as yet, we need so many folks in seats to cover the huge costs, but we are having a go, we are also taking part in the borderlines film festival over the weekend of april 12/13 including a buster keaton feature with a REAL piano accompaniment!!!last night there was a great concert for the Kemp hospice, the great sound of the winchcomb brass band, thanks to Bernard Morgan.....and the lovely voices of the primary school, especially Mary, who sang in her native chinese the jasmine song with her classmates accompanying her, it was magic....the kids did ever so well at the NIA last year coming 7th in the competitions with over 600 schools, not bad eh!! Tenbury has so many wonderful kind volunteers not just the regal, but the local community hospital, the blind, childrens charities and interests, etc...the Birmingham post featured several pages to the Regal yesterday, (the one with the hammer had his pics. featured)!! For all the great kind folks of tenbury who help or volunteer to make Tenners the place it is.....there was a record called "I can help" if you can ever find that perhaps you would dedicate it to all of them who make this small market town such a great place to live, and of course to the fellow hammer widows!!! thanks a lot Howard, I love the radio, Mike and you are "my favourites"!!!!! love shirl in tenners

Michelle - Martley
Dr Richard Taylor MP - what a sensible set of suggestions he had for ensuring A&E depts at hospitals are not over-loaded! The way things are going at the moment, in a few years government administrators will reduce the hospital and care services to a few regional super-hospitals, so from Worcester we will probably have to go to Stoke on Trent or Cardiff for treatment. No! Lets really do care in the community properly and adopt Dr Taylor's suggestion ASAP!PS when I was a child, my dad used to take us to Elmdon airport (as it was then) for a treat - a meal and watching the planes! My dad and I have since then had a day out to Brussels so that we could go on Eurostar and through the channel tunnel.

Chris
Once again wheel clamping has raised its ugly head in Worcester. Whilst we cannot condone the operating practices of wheel clampers surely the bigger responsibility lies with the people or companies that use their services. Once again the Carden Street site is in the news. Although they have the right to clamp vehicles they can also instruct the clampers to maximise their fines. Its time for the owners to look towards their own moral & ethical standards and lead the way by example. Good Clear Signage & Maximum Fines. £100. Then the choice is yours.

David Gladwin - Ewyas Harold
You were talking about car parking. Hereford rail station is now £4.20 per day. There used to be two rates, one for passengers with tickets and another for non passengers.It is extensively used by nurses etc so NCP (the operators) charge "what the traffic will stand" Rail pax tend to park in the road ! Abergavenny (the quick route to London via Newport) is operated by the 'bus/pseaudo-rail company Arriva and they charged £1.70 last week. Interesting!

Mark Smith - Bewdley
My mother waited for an emergency ambulance and the paramedics told us that there was an hour wait at WRH before she could be admitted.The care that she received is another story!I understand that the A&E unit has to comply with certain Government targets for waiting times for treatment. The timing starts from when the patient is admitted, so it is easier to keep patients outside the unit until a cubicle becomes available.The paramedics said that, in the days when Kidderminster A&E was open, we could have been there in 10 minutes but a round trip to WRH can be anything from 90 minutes fo several hours.Is this progress?

John Low
Good morning Howard, I listened with interest to your interview with the spokesman from West Midlands Ambulance Service this morning. Unfortunately I was unable to telephone BBC H&W at the time but would like to add a few of my comments to those already made. I suffered a Heart Attack on the morning of Sunday 17th February and was taken by Ambulance from Stourport to A&E at Worcester. I spent three days in the Coronary Care Unit at Worcester before being transferred to New Cross Hospital, Wolverhampton for an Angiogram and was then allowed home on the evening of Wednesday 20th. I am now attending Cardiac Rehabilitation at Kidderminster. I must praise all the Ambulance and Hospital staff for the care and consideration that they gave to both my wife and myself during what was a very worrying time for us both. I do have a number of comments that I would like to raise about the services provided by the NHS. 1. Kidderminster Hospital should never have been downgraded. If the A&E department was still operating it would reduce some of the overload on services at both Worcester and Redditch. In my case my trip to hospital would have been one of less than five miles instead of nearly 20, a reduction of some 15 minutes in journey time. If the length of journey alone was taken into account a Paramedic Crew could have returned to duty in the Wyre Forest area at least half an hour quicker than it did. In my case my condition deteriorated as we approached the WRI. I am thankful that my Heart Attack was relatively mild but even so was made worse by the delay in reaching A&E caused by the length of the journey to Worcester. 2. There is currently no Angiogram Suite at Worcester although one may be opened in the next financial year. I therefore had to be transferred by a Paramedic Ambulance Crew to Wolverhampton. The time involved in this transfer must have taken this crew out of front line action in Worcester for at least two and a half hours and reduced the available emergency cover in Worcester for that time. There are obvious reasons for using a Paramedic Crew for such transfers but as my condition was stable could it not have been possible to use a Patient Transfer Crew instead. 3. Kidderminster Hospital is now a pathetic sight. The old C Block where the Cardiac Rehab Unit is located appears to be almost deserted and needs to be updated. Kidderminster could undoubtedly operate as an efficient unit if the Worcester Health Authority could manage to divert even a small percentage of its funds to supporting Kidderminster. This in turn would relieve much over the overload on Worcester and Redditch. I was fortunate that I live in Stourport. If I lived in Cleobury things could have been much worse. The nearest A&E for Cleobury is at Worcester. I know paramedics who live and work in Ludlow who have to attend emergency calls in Cleobury. With the slower response times and longer journey times they dread having to make a "Blues and Twos" run to Worcester, I viable A&E at Kidderminster would make their life less stressful. One thing that your discussion did not cover was the effect on Paramedics lives when they have to wait in lengthy queues at Worcester. If they have arrived near the end of their shift they are obliged to stay with the patients until they have handed over to the Hospital Staff. This may mean a long drive to take the Ambulance back to its station and then possibly another long drive home. This does not leave them much time to eat and sleep before returning to another twelve hour shift. Most Ambulance staff are dedicated personnel but the additional stress to their lives is unacceptable. We, the public, expect an efficient Ambulance and A&E service but do not appreciate the work that the staff have to do to provide that service. Regards.

Carolyn Bourne
Hi Howard,I spoke to Toni this morning and told her about a lorry map that we have at work on Rushock Trading Estate. It's called "Worcestershire Advisory Lorry Route Map", is in 7 languages and issued by Worcestershire County Council in conjunction with the FTA and RHA. Websites on it are www.fwt.co.uk and www.worcestershire.gov.uk, 'phone 01905 25121. We get many drivers, particularly foreign, who try and go into Rushock village which is definitely a no-no.Regards.

Trevor - Halesowen C.C. - The 70's Man!
Howard,Further to a discussion item on one of your recent progs, I have just come across 2 books (not quite complete) of Green Shield Stamps, in my magazine rack!! I also have a selection of 70's Sun calendars hanging from the inside door of my cloakroom.Best Wishes.

John - Worcester
Hi Howard - well done for highlighting the legalised highway robbery that is wheel clamping.How about everyone who feels had by one of the companies getting hold of an old wreck of car which is worthless and parking it in areas they know clamping is in operation.If we all did this and told them to keep the wrecks rather than paying the astronimical fees they charge, their compounds would soon be so full of useless, worthless cars they'd have nowhere to take any more vehicles they clamp.They'd also have the headache of getting rid of the cars too.What do you think?

Philip - Bromsgrove
Good Morning Howard, Here we go again - more tails of woe about car clamping. I hold no brief at all for the clampers but the only reason they can operate is because people will persist in parking illegally on other people's land. I don't know how obscure the clamping signs were but the important thing is that there were no signs saying you CAN park there. If there aren't, then don't. Within four or five minutes walk of Farrier House there are three Council car parks. Yes, there is a short walk and you'll have to pay a couple of pounds but surely, it's worth it. If you see a space which is free and looks too good to be true - it probably is!

Phil Baker
Hi Howard, loved the word( add subtract letters) item on the show this morning, any chance of a copy, or will you be adding to your web page?Keep up the good work!!

Phil Kendrick
I think this is a case of Ying & Yang. Last week you get a national award, this week you lose the moral high ground to the managing editor of the Sun of all people. There is a lot of confusion between the principle of "the public interest" which I'm sure you realise isn't what the public might(or might not, in this case) want to know, but what is in the greater good. The media profess to portray the news, much of this is trivia and the equivalent of emotional greenhouse gas, that is it takes up a lot of time to no real benefit & sometimes is positivly mischievous. There are some things we don't need to know & it isn't undermining democracy or our heritage to voluntarily or otherwise withold operational information on a whole range of security issues including the royals location. I liked your easy acceptance of the people's view though, shows a mature touch.Kind Regards

Mervyn Weaver - Hanley Castle
Re: royals in war zones.As Harry is at the moment simply another soldier, what makes his presence in a war zone any more news worthy than Joe Bloggs from next door? name one, then name them all.Also, what is the HSE take on this issue if you go down the line of duty of care to other people. Surely such news reporting heightens the danger that is faced on a daily basis by all troops thereby contravening HSE directives regarding saftey at work.Should the HSE take action against the media?

Kevin Ward - Editor, Worcester News
I'm afraid Howard has got it totally wrong with his comments this morning concerning the media blackout on Prince Harry's deployment in Afghanistan.This is precisely about the freedom of the Press. The media undertook this blackout on a voluntary basis - it was our choice to do so. If any part of the media had refused to take part, the agreement would not have happened and I suspect Harry would not have been deployed.The media agrees to blackouts like this on a regular basis, particularly when the issues involve military action and security. In this case, to run the story would have put many of our servicemen and women - not just the prince - in even more danger than they are currently.

Donna
Harry should n't be on the front line - how stupid! If the info had got out he would have endangered our soldiers.We shouldn't have this just because of a young man's desire. In my opinion royals go into the forces to escape the press...the press are essentially at fault for ruthlessly pursuing the royals.Great show...10 out of 10 this week..loved the Brian Viner day and today the bits+pieces and superprix chat...I was looking for a house in Brum when one of the super prixs were on.+even about the crocuses outside bristol street motors...nice little touches on yr show.I know u spend alot of energy on yr show and it's worth it..it's very good.

Mick.
I agree with you, it is a problem. the British press' virtue is that it is free and independent from government influence. By suppressing the story it is showing that it is no longer free and is quite happy to keep the public in the dark because the government want them to. A free press means reporting everything, even when it is difficult or uncomfortable or problematic.Thanks for expressing your opinions freely

Anny
Howard, I can't believe your arogance on the subject of Prince Harry. A Fireman's job is to put out fires but they don't run around putting out every fire on bonfire night - There is a time and place for everything. If it is in the safety of Harry and the other soldiers with him we have no right to know. You should not be so arrogant to think your job allows you to do anything you believe in, It doesn't worry me if I don't know and you have no right to say "you want to know don't you, it should be reported". You usually offer unbiased views on news stories and I'm suprised you have taken this track.

Julian
OK I don't usually do this but for once I would like to sound off over several issues1) Harry, sorry why is soldier does his job a story, except that we are celebrity mad. 2) Hospitals and the government. If the people want the government to fix the NHS the question is how much more extra tax are you willing to pay. They have to balance a budget, what ever they do something else goes short. Do we want to stop superbugs or cure cancers or have more midwife's they have to choose.3) Discipline in schools. Why do we always hear that there is no discipline in schools. Do people think teachers want there to be no discipline, because as a teacher I do. Do they realise that in most cases it is hard because parents usually want to protect their child, frequently believe they are innocent and are unwilling to let them be punished when they are not. Schools operate with their hands tied behind their backs and with systems designed to stop them taking action. OFSTED get very interested in the school if they exclude too many students. Basic situation firstly there are enough really important stories out there that matter more than a young soldier doing his job. Secondly there is not an infinite amount of money, choices have to be made.Last schools are not always to blame and amazingly cannot teach students everything or make all of them ideal citizensbring on the comments

Betty - Kidderminster
Hi Howard, I felt the earthquake, I was terrified as I thought someone or something had gone through my room. Took me ages to go back to sleep. I experienced a similar one when I lived in Windsor in the 80's, I think the Midlands was the epicentre of that one too.

From Simon near Droitwich.
Re quake - I was awake and sitting downstairs in darkness. Thought the noise was a car crash or somebody breaking in. It certainly a woke the pheasant who roosts in our garden.

Chris - Droitwich
Dear Howard, Re- Earthquake When the tremor woke me I immediately knew what it was. We have mirrored wardrobes and they were shaking and rattling, just like the last time (when the epicentre was in Dudley). There was also a roaring noise and the bed was shaking. I was a bit shaken, too, from being woken suddenly and the realisation of what it was, but my husband was cool as a cucumber, turned over and carried on snoring!

Yvonne Thomas - Hinton, Hereford
The conversation relating to the saving of Green Shield stamps on your programme yesterday reminded me of the time, many years ago, when I had my car stolen whilst on holiday in Great Yarmouth. Many months later, the car was recovered by the police, and having had a terrible holiday & an equally terrible train journey home, I had to return to Great Yarmouth to pick up the car from the police there. When filling out the necessary documentation, the Police asked why I had not mentioned the books of Green Shield stamps that had gone missing with the car. Not having a shop to redeem them here in Hereford, I had taken them on holiday planning to redeem them there. I had listed other things in the car including a picnic basket & contents, but had completely overlooked the books of stamps. It seems that the joy riders were actually arrested when they attempted to exchange the Green Shield stamps, and the books had my name in the back of them which had aroused suspicion. The car was not damaged, though it never seemed like mine after that. I can't remember whether I ever did get the Green Shield stamps back, but what I can remember about the incident is that an apple & blackcurrant pie within the picnic basket in the boot of the car remained intact and was a horrible lump of green mould when recovered!

tony from malvern
the wedge of cheese,was called a Bond bug

Donna
brilliant showmade me laugh...great.

Stuart - Malvern
Pot-holes - It staggers me that a main arterial route, the A449, should have such a pitted and crumbling road surface. The section a few hundred yards south of Black Bridge (and right outside the Worcestershire Highways depot, has some fantastic craters and a collapsed gully cover (marked by a sandbag!). It's been in a poor state for a very long time. Ocasionally it gets a splat of tarmac in the holes but that's usually gone by the next day. It needs properly re-surfacing.

Norman - Hereford
I'm a Christian minister, and just want to add my comments to the Golly debate. I'm 60, and like many of your callers this morning, I had a Golly when I was small, which I adored, and took everywhere. He was as big as me! I grew up in Highbury, North London, which, even then, in the 50's and 60's, was very cosmoploitan. I had as many black friends as white friends. So for me, the issue is not a problem. But times change, and I do very much appreciate the opposite point of view, which Toni voiced very clearly and powerfully this morning. I do very much appreciate her position, and would like her to know that I have wished more people had been sensitive to her feelings this morning.With warmest regards,Norman.P.S. I listen to your programme every morning, and find it of great help and value as I start my day.

Godfrey
Good Golly Miss Molly.I find it offensive that the "goodies" are trying to impose on the public at large that it is incorrect to have anything that has Colour. Nature is full of wonderful Colour as God intended it to be, not as one single entity, therefore if these Bigots really are of the Human Race, then why don't they join in and become one of all of us. WHATEVER THE COLOUR!I wonder if the "Green" Party could be construed as Racist on the grounds of colour or dare I say that's discrimination too!

Tim
Golly Dolls. Clarification needed. Is the objection to the 'Golly' representation of the doll. I am no expert in this area but can't recall any concerns at Sindy style dolls that are black. Struggling to understand.

Steve
Re: "Doin'Taters" - When I was a boy when spuds were picked in autumn they were often stored in very large mounds and covered with earth. These were called tatie pies. In winter they were removed, hence, cold, tatie weather leading to taters.Any better ideas?

Nicky Bottomer
HiJust wondered whether you could help with a problem of ours! Sainsbury's as you know are currently rebuilding the sports centre in St Johns and will finally be building a new supermarket next year. Our house backs on to Bromwich Lane Tennis Club and we have a lovely quiet life, only hearing balls hitting rackets on a Sunday morning. In a few weeks time though, Sainsbury's are to begin building their car park right at the back of our property. We put forward our concerns re the proximity of the car park to our house to the Council Planning Committee, more particularly re the fact that shoppers will be able to see right into our house, (if you stand in the tennis courts by the way you can see the Cathedral and St Andrews spire through our lounge!!.) and also that we shall be breathing in emissions from cars parking there. Sainsbury’s have said they will be ‘sympathetically landscaping’ the area – which we think will be huge trees which will block the sunlight into our garden (we have recently removed several trees which were shading the garden). The Council agreed that Sainsbury’s should take into consideration our concerns.We have asked that we be allowed to purchase some land from Sainsbury’s to give us greater distance from the above, but Sainsbury’s have said there is a problem with this re the land registry. We really only want a few feet which (a couple of fence panels width from our land to the car park border), and with that and the proposed planting of approx 3 feet in depth – which they say will NOT block our sunlight but as yet have to let us know what they DO intend to plant, this will give us, we believe, a much better quality of life once the building etc is complete. Grateful if you could give any help with whom to contact re our request.RegardsNicky

Steve
The Quattro has really niggled me. Even I can't defend the fact that it is registered as a 79/80 ( Aug 79 - July 80 )when it wasn't launched until late 80. Why go to all the trouble of making sure everything else is right, dismantling the millenium dome must have cost a fortune!!!, and get it so wrong with the car. Promising start but I fear it may just become another cop programme.

Tim
Hi Howard, Just listening to your comments on Bromyard, in reality how many towns still close for ½ day closing in the entire country?? not many I bet. I think the bank still closes at 3.30 in the town, can you imagine that happening in Worcester!!! I am led to belive that the people still wear "ROGER WHITTAKER ON TOUR T-SHIRTS 1976" There is even a rumour that some of the dinosaurs from the Jurassic period still graze on the gorse on Bromyard Downs just outside the town.

Gary
Howard, I was always told, en route to Wales, when going through Bromyard "if you blink, you'll miss it!". Both Bromyard and Pershore need to take a leaf out of Ludlow's book. Ludlow have got it right. Gary - born and bred in Evesham

Richard
Most people visiting Market Towns travel by car as public transport is totally inadequate in most areas. The only way to get people to visit them is to provide plenty of free car parking. If you venture over the border to the towns in the Cotswolds they nearly all have free car parks. In my travels these car parks are full of visitors. As a result there are often several gift shops in the town. Some years ago Pershore had two supermarkets on the High Street. Apart from these two there were no big chains in the town and it had a wealth of individual shops. It also had a large FREE car park with an area for coaches. Then Wychavon decided "Pershore warrants a third supermarket". To achieve this they altered the car park, removing the area for coaches and some other facilities, to make room for the "third" supermarket. The loss of the car park during the changes, which also made access to the market difficult, had an adverse effect on the town and the market in particular. The re-vamped car park was then made "pay & display" which also had an adverse effect on the town . The reason given for this was that the car parks in Droitwich and Evesham were "pay & display" so Pershore car park had to be !!! They then gave this new supermarket to one of the companies on the High Street who then promptly closed down their High Street store. As it was easier to park outside the new car park (and claim the car park fee back) the second store in the High Street could not compete and closed.The one store is now "Number 8" Theatre and Arts Centre; the other has had a series of occupants and is currently standing empty. A number of other shops are also now standing empty or have become charity shops. Instead of a third supermarket Pershore now has one, which is not on the High Street. The net effect is that now many people drive into Pershore, shop at the one remaining supermarket and drive home again. They rarely enter the High Street or its shops where they cannot claim back their car park charges. The re-generation needed in Pershore is not a cosmetic widening of the pavement in part of the High Street. That will only make the traffic problems worse with delivery vans and others parking on the reduced carriageway. What Pershore really needs is to get rid of the supermarket in the car park, return the car park to its former size and remove the "pay & display" machines. That will then give the shops and the town a chance to regenerate.

Fran, Kidderminster
I vaguely caught mention of a website on your programme this morning about finding money lost in accounts. Can you tell me the name of the website.

Roy , Droitwich Spa.
Don't know if he always does it, but the train announcer on the Paddington to Worcester train consistently called it SCRUB'ill, Worcester. It quite lightened the journey.

Sarah in Ledbury
Love the show, can we have you and some of the other presenters writing a blog like Katie does?

Janet - Hereford
With reference to the lady that spoke about her husband with Alzheimer's. I was on my way to work listening to your program. Oh! How I agree with her. I'm in a very similar position, my husband at the age of 57 had several strokes plus he's diabetic, this left him partially sighted, he has neuropathy so he is very unsteady on his feet. I get 3 x 1/2 hrs per week to get him lunch, the other days he is supposed to go to a day centre which really doesn't cater for his individual needs, he dislikes it so much that he has stopped going. I have now left him at home with no care as I have to work to keep a roof over our heads. I am in the process of trying to get another 2 x 1/2 hrs per week so that at least there is someone going in once a day. He was your normal family man, went to work, as a carpenter, enjoyed his game of crib once a week, and did all the maintenance around our home. He now sits in and listens to the T.V as he cannot see it very well and takes great joy from his dog which is his companion throughout the day. His age does not seem to matter nor his disabilities he is just a number that has been left to get on with it.

Alison - Ledbury
It makes me very angry that people are so prudish about breast feeding especially when practically every music video contains gyrating half naked girls leaving very little to imagination, also adverts in magazines and on tv contain much the same. Breast feeding is a totally natural thing to do and it seems madness to be villified for doing it. I've never seen anyone being anything other than discreet when doing it. Has the world gone mad?

Lucinda Kenny - Ombersley
Re your subject of breastfeeding, I have a ten month old baby and have not experienced any trouble with feeding as I am very discreet and to be honest, there is no need for any breast to be on show while you feed. I have found that Worcester city centre has plenty of places that are breast feeding friendly, M&S, The Art House Debenhams cafe - I believe as long as you are discreet and do not make a show of what you are doing then there is no need for anyone else to be offended. Times have changed and in my experience people are far more comfortable these days with breastfeeding in public. thank you!

Anne Lilwall - Hereford
Listening to your programme this morning you asked if anyone had been to Hereford, Texas. I did a detour there in September 2003 whilst travelling Route 66 from Chicago to Los Angeles. I was there for just a couple of hours. Met the local post lady who asked where we were from as we had arrived and parked up in a large RV. When we said England she went off down the one main street telling everyone there were people from England. When we left she had left a message on the windscreen of the RV saying that she loved The Beatles!! Have a couple of photos if you would like to see them. It was just a small town with one main street of single storey buildings near a railway line adjacent to which were large grain stores.

Hilary - Worcester
I was also clamped outside Farrier House. The police came and had to shine a torch high up to see the sign which they agreed wasn't easily visible. I did actually look for parking signs to make sure I could leave the car there when I parked but didn't see clamping sign as it is so out of the way! The police were sympathetic and said they wished they could do more. I had to pay the £295 demanded. I wrote to Michael Foster and had a reply to say that his office is trying to get enough information put together so that they get the law changed. Before the police arrived, I felt very intimidated by 2 men, in the dark on a quiet street, demanding money from me. No-one knows who owns the building and if the owners have actually called in the clampers!

Slava Elcock
Re: Wheel clampers. Like Adrian, I too was clamped by MPC at Farrier House and paid £295 to get the car released. I admire Adrian for the action he is taking. I did look into the legality myself. Unfortunately at present there are no regulations for private clampers, but I wish him every luck in nailing them. Please get your listeners to sign the Downing Street e-petition for the government to bring in regulations on private clamping. This practice has been banned in Scotland !

Steve O - Upper Welland
Hi Howard Regarding turntables which has been on your SWAP SHOP item of the show! I recently turned 40 (well 3 years ago) and Theresa, my wife, bought me a BRAND NEW good quality TECHNICS turntable 'seperate' on the internet....so they're not extinct yet!!Excellent show, but please play more from the eighties, esp Ultravox and OMD Steve

Sue
Hi Howard,Listening to your weird and wacky bets reminds me that years ago (many!) I took on a bet to water-ski on Chase Water, in a bikini on Boxing Day for £25.... won my money!!One of the funniest books I have read is about a bet. Tony Hawks 'Round Ireland With A Fridge' is about a drunken bet that he took on and actually did walk round Ireland, taking a fridge with him! Great stuff, my sort of man!

Steve Gray
Morning Howard, I'm sure I speak for the thousands of listeners across the region when I say how saddened I am to hear of Lola's tragic accident. She was always a bubbly character and made us laugh with some of her mis-pronunciations. It is always deeply saddening when a young life is lost and, I feel personally, that little bit worse when it occurs so far from home. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family, friends and colleagues. Regards.

Ros - Shrewsbury
Hi Howard,I just wanted to say a very big thank you on behalf of myself & my mum & dad, Margaret & Kenneth Johnson on all the wonderful things you did for them on their diamond weddding anniversry. They were absoluley thrilled to be interviewed on the radio, your reporter was so kind & considerate to them. We were wondering if it would be possible for you to say a big thank you on-air to all their family &friends & yourselves for making their day so special, they really did feel like royalty!!May I also add how professional & caring you all were to us, you provide a very special service to so many people, especailly those like my parents who's eyes sight is not all it once was. Thanks.

manrow
All I can say about football is that the departure of the head coach will give the FA the time to seek the best person for the job this time. Then there will be no excuses as they will have selected the best available for the task and heaven forbid that England should continue to play so badly but hopefully they will support the next England coach wholeheartedly.

Steve - Suckley
Morning Howard, Every time we lose at football we get some daft woman extolling the values of rugby passion and some daft radio presenter making glib comments like 'we are just not good enough, get over it'. Rugby, oh yes, that's the game where the players slag off the manager through the press isn't it. Not good enough at football? We are. What we don't have is a manager who knows how to make the best use of the talent available to him. I accept he has been desperately unlucky with injuries but he still manages to pick the wrong side and use the wrong tactics. As for Brian Barwick, my contempt for him knows no bounds. One can only hope that the right decisions are made today AND that Mclaren and Barwick are both shown the door. Bring in a Football man as head of the F.A and a manager who is RESPECTED and TACTICALLY astute. Rant over, I'm going back to bed to sulk!!!

Dave
Howard Good Morning: I think its a good thing that England are out of the European Championships. Maybe now the old men of football at the FA will have the guts to sort out all of English football. 1: The clubs to take more young English players and develop them instead of importing foriegn players. 2: Just enough is not enough win win win should be the attitude. 3: Limit the number of foriegn players in the Premiership because they use it as a training ground for their own domestic teams. McClaren was out of the Sven camp he was bound to fail. The FA barons should be should be culled and younger modern one put in.

Alan Pugh
Good morning sir,It’s NOT the fault of the manager entirely… the team on the field don’t possess the heart, skill or commitment to wear the England shirt, I have seen more ‘want and determination’ at an under15’s game on a Sunday morning.He and the WHOLE team should be replaced, sheer utter disgrace to the nation, made us a laughing stock.

Alan
I'm gutted after the result last night, but after the elation of watching Israel giving England a lifeline last weekend isn't it just typical of MuckClaren and the England team to throw it away with inept management, kamikazi defending and bungling goalkeepers, and now those other clowns at the FA will hopefully sack MuckClaren and will select another buffoon to run the three ring circus which is England. One day they'll make a movie.......... 'Carry On England' comes to mind All the best. Howard writes.....Hi Alan, It won't be a Carry On film....they were funny.It will be a disaster movie.Cheers

Lyn King - Malvern
Hi Howard & Toni just to thank you for featuring Cliff for me in the Album of the Week. I have been up extra early to listen to your comments and myself (which is strange) and I really enjoy the hour between 6-7am as I usually tune in between 7-9am. I will definitely be an early bird from now on. I think Howard that you and Toni are fast becoming Cliff fans although I think Toni is still on cloud nine after the Take That Concert she went to! It was nice to hear that somebody else can get passionate about their favourite group or artist. Keep up the good work and I will pop in to pick up my CD's next time I am in Worcester just in case you might fancy keeping them!!Best Wishes - Lynx

Paul
Morning Howard, I dread to think how many people have lost their lives on the A49 through Herefordshire over the last 20 years. Speed limits are ignored by a lot of drivers, what it needs is more use of speed camaras and active speed limit signs. I live just north of the Holmer roundabout and have to pull out of a small lane to turn left towards the city which is on a blind bend with a 30 limit on the A49, many times cars and lorries have ended up closing in on me with headlights being flashed at me as if I've done something wrong! Please drivers take notice of the speed signs!

Anthea
Just a quick note to say it was good to hear Mike Ruddock on your show this morning. Unfortunately I was only able to catch a little bit as I had to be at my desk for 8.30!! My husband (Alex) and I had the great pleasure of sitting next to Mike at the Rugby club ball back in May, not long after he'd been announced as the new coach, and it really made our night. He made us feel very at ease and it was just great to talk about rugby and his family etc and he came across as such a genuine, down to earth guy. We are really rooting for him and the team this year (not that we haven't before!) but feel that with the new guys coming in as well, we could be on the up!! We also had Pat Sanderson on our table (my friend Niki thought she'd died and gone to heaven!!) and he was fantastic too. Come on you Warriors!!

Veronica
When I was taught to drive (17 yrs) one of the first things I was told by my instructor was to respect the power of the tool in my hands and to remember that it in future it would be used for both work and pleasure and to treat all passengers as PRECIOUS cargo and to respect other road users.Recently I drove home from Craven Arms (A49) after 8pm and both MANNERS and COURTESY were non existent. A car overtook me in the face of oncoming traffic - on a slight bend. A few minutes later a car overtook from the opposite direction towards me. I was held up behind a potato tractor and when the car in front of me was given a signal to overtake I became lead car. I was given the signal to go but as I pulled out to pass there were two cars alongside me - they couldn't wait their turn. Recently, one afternoon, I was travelling to Hereford when an unthinking motorist overtook - on a bend - and came straight at me. I had to take avertive action and he zoomed off in the opposite direction in a 50 mile an hour speed limit. I have noticed more and more that motorists believe these new limits set on the road to Hereford don't apply to them. I believe that we should have more Police presence on the roads. Use motorbikes to show a presence particularly on rural roads.Have a good day.

Janet - Malvern
Stop blaming the pubs for the binge drinking problem, most publicans care and keep strict rules about underage drinkers, drunks etc.a number of pubs have and are closing, put up the prices and ruin a few more local pubs!

Steve Peters
Alcohol is not the cause of the problem of underage binge drinking. The cause is irresponsible parents and as usual the response is to throw Tax payers hard earned cash at it. In France alcohol is cheaper the age limit is lower however they educate there children to enjoy it rather than abuse it.

Stuart - Worcester
My brother lives in Bournemouth and for the first time on Tuesday, living a mile away from the stadium, he could hear the crowd. Cause? Leeds supporters. A similar result to Bournemouth at Elland Road, as I would not begrudge the Bulls a replay and the money, is a likely outcome. Come on you Leeds!

Mo in Hereford.
With regard to superstition, why is it that a black cat is supposed to be lucky when you see one but it is unlucky if it crosses your path? I am not superstitious but habit takes over if your parents were and so touching wood and not putting new shoes on the table have stuck.

Bill Holliday
Howard,Obviously the developments around the Diglis area are better than what was there previously, but I see it as a missed opportunity to do something very special.For example the building around the second canal basin looks like a prison block, with exposed steelwork painted battleship grey, a terrible blue facade at one end and on the corner of the front and a metal roof (normally used on factories) which will look tatty in the years to come. Other buildings also have this awful blue on parts of their facade together with the metal roofs.A refurbished building adjacent to the canal, which I think was a Worcester Porcelain building, has had an awful grey metal structure added to the top of the building, which stands out like a sore thumb especially when viewed from the top of fort royal hill.There is one building that looks special, on the land which formally housed Worcester Porcelain buildings. This has a traditional looking facade with stonework features, a traditional roof and windows which match the building.The developers have to my mind, lacked imagination. For inspiration they should look at developments such as those around Exmouth Docks and at Dartmouth on the river front.Regards.

Janey Cotton, Much Marcle
Hi HowardI heard you saying that I talk alot, on your programme this morning. I was so nervous recording that "ALbum of the Week" thingy that I ended up babbling on about pretty much nothing and I usually repeat myself several times too. Toni said that she would edit it anyway so I wasn't too worried until I heard myself going on and on and on and on this morning. I hope I didn't send anyone back to sleep!!!Looking forward to tomorrow's programme.xx

Steve
I have a mate, Jeff, who is a larger than life scouser in every sense. His brother in law is a fairly well known ex footballer and manager and Jeff would often regale us with stories of the famous people he had met and knows. One evening he, his brother in law and Gary Lineker went to a Rod Stewart concert at Wembley. After the show they had stayed behind for a drink and sometime later as they were leaving they had to answer a call of nature. As they were stood at the wotsits in walks a Rod Stewart lookalike. Linker turns to to Jeff and whispers 'plonka' They finished what they were doing and waited for the third member of the group to finish what he was doing and then they followed the Rod Stewart lookalike outside as he walked across to a large bus with ROD STEWART-TOUR BUS, plastered down the sides!!

Tim Bawler
I've tonight watched two tv programmes concerning the ambulance srevice and closure of A&E units across the country. This leads me to ask "Is it time that the UK considered a move away from the NHS towards a continental system of health provision". Given the H&W's excellent history of in-depth analysis of issues (mental health for one) I wonder if this is something that you might wish to consider. I hasten to add that I have no involvement with any health provider but have experience of using private emergency provision in spain which was excellent.

Alan Malvern
Repeats: A programme which the BBC has refused to repeat despite requests, is John Craven's "Countryfile". It is an hour-long programme on countryside matters, environmental issues, current problems (eg Foot & Mouth, and Blue Tongue), and also countryside pursuits. It goes out at 11am on a Sunday, just when many folk are actually out in the countryside enjoying themselves, doing conservation work etc! If we miss it - that's it - no repeats! No chance of catching casual viewers who would not normally see such a programme, but who may get "hooked"! I wonder why the BBC takes this attitude . Kind regards.

Pat Worcester
Reference Howard Bentham's comment on the radio this morning about "who around here has been to Malawi" ? I lived in Zimbabwe until a few years ago and visited Malawi on a couple of occasions - and one of my colleagues here in Worcester has a brother who runs a lodge on an island in Lake Malawi and has visited there a number of times. The Malawi people live a very simple life, it is a poor country, but the people are lovely and friendly - as they are in most African countries. The country is beautiful, from the highlands of the Zomba plateau to the shores of Lake Malawi.

Ian Bromsgrove
Howard, friends of mine in Birmingham, living close to what was Pebble Mill, allowed their house to be used for an episode of 'Doctors'. They were quite happy to leave the house on the day that filming took place so didn't get involved and didn't know anything about the storyline until seeing the episode on broadcast day. They were somewhat surprised to see two dead bodies in their bed !!

Marion & John Martin
Hi HowardRe: The Great Storm 20 years ago, my now husband and myself were awaiting a flight back from Ibiza to Gatwick (at the time we lived in Sevenoaks in Kent) which should have taken off around 10 am ish !! As we watched the departures board all the flights to the UK were coming up 'Delayed' !I thought that civil war or something must have broken out !!Our plane finally arrived at 2.30pm and we took off within 1/2 an hour ! The flight apparantely was one of the fatest ever recorded because of the tail-winds at the end of the storm. The air stewardess told us what had happened so we arrived back with some great trepdiation to our house (we had only moved in the week before we went away!) to find we had been extremely lucky and had only lost the TV aerial! All our neighbours had had much more damage. Sevenoaks as an area lost over 1 million trees with, of course, the famous 'seven oaks' (Have to say they weren't the originals!) going down !! Oh memories!!!!

Steve
Morning Howard, Testing for horse riders is a great idea. Whilst I think the majority of horse riders atr sensible folk I've lost count of the number of times I've had a rider in the lanes waive me by on a blind bend and then get agitated when I wait until I can see that it's safe.

Lucy
Just thought i would let you know that there is now a Riding and Road Safety Test for horse riders. Although it is not compulsory, it makes very interesting and knowledgable reading for anyone involved with horses.The aim of the manual is, in conjunction with the Highway code, to promote responsible, considerate and courteous riding on public highways, and with correct training by qualified instructors you will complete a British Horse Society Riding and Road Safety Test, and receive a certificate as proof.However, at the end of the day - The figures given were as a 40% increase in accidents, and thats what they are - accidents. Yes, horses are unpredictable animals, but so are people in vehicles.I have a husband who races motorbikes and plays rugby, a son who plays rugby and a daughter who rides and competes on horses. Out of the three sports, I would say that the rugby has far more injuries.At the end of the day, education for riders is the key fact, but also for drivers as they need to understand that horses can be unpredictable. Perhaps this should be put in the driving lessons and test.

Sue, Whitbourne.
Good morning Howard, I think it would be a good idea if horse riders had some training or at least knowledge of the Highway Code. Driving around the country lanes last week, I came upon three horses and riders, two abreast, and one in front. If cyclist shouldn’t ride two abreast, then horses’ shouldn’t. I always slow down and give them as much space as possible .Most acknowledge you, but many look at you as if you shouldn’t be on the road! Great show as always.

Judith Popp
Was very interested in it being Mental Health Day today - but I do feel as someone who has suffered from severe mental health problems and who works with people who suffer from all variety of mental health problems that the suggestions discussed on the early bit of your show this morning does not really cover people who suffer from mental health problems. Yes some of the suggestions about looking after your basic health will help but that is more to do with anxiety. Depression for those who suffer is so crippling - there may not be any visable signs but it does not mean that there is not something wrong. No one choices to suffer from a mental health illness and when talking to supportive doctors they do not understand all areas of mental health and treatment for each person is different. One another point how come with have a week of something silly that does not really have any meaning - BUT WE ONLY HAVE ONE DAY FOR MENTAL HEALTH.

Alan
Hi HowardI believe the criticism leveled at Wayne Barnes is unjustified!Warriors supporters did have some issues when he first came to Sixways for a Saracens game, but he has improved immeasurably since then.The Kiwis have enjoyed worldwide success on the back of playing the game fast and hard while right on the edge of the laws. Wayne Barnes was smart enough to spot their tactics and they suffered as a result.They have nothing to complain about!

Claire Bradnock, Norton
Greetings, Howard... Long time no speak (the Mad Bunny Woman here) I was listening to your piece on the Ghurka Knights.. Ken (the poor soul married to me) and two of our friends went out there in May.. we had a fantastic meal, the people were charming and attentive, when we did a tour of the restaurants my mate and I thought the pictures were great, we were trying to figure out how to get them into our handbags, to give our hubbys a few tips!!!!! I highly recommend the Ghurka Knights, the food and service is superb!!!!Keep up the great work ... when is the beard coming off??????Take care, Claire

Nicky Jackson
Regarding your topic on the armed forces. I think this country should be more patriotic (like the USA) and be less miserable and appreciate these men and women, who do such a good job. As commented by one of your listeners they would not want their children doing this job. It takes a special kind of person to take on this role.

Tricia Davies
Hi Howard, Remember me? You kindly let me air my feelings on your progrmme last Ocotber, when I was forcibly retired from Worcs.C C because I got to 65. I am delighted to report that I got a really great job at N Power, where I* was very happy. However in July my husband took early retirement and we sold up and moved out to Spain. To the Costa del sol. It is a wonderful life here in the sun, but we have to tune in and hear you still most days and get our dose of H&W, which we always enjoyed so much. Hope you are well, I know you went to Portugal for your hols, but if you ever get near Malaga you would be assured of a big welcome here in Nerja!Just listening now, I would like to say that Diana should still be remembered, she was a lovely girl who sadly had her life cut short. We love her still. Please say hi to Phil Simpson for us.Tricia and Peter Davies

Denis
HowardI heard your interview with the highways agency and whilst you raised a number of valid points I felt your interview was somewhat unfair. It has to be remebered that the conditions were unpresedented. Where were the highways agency supposed to send the Motorway traffic when a large number of non motorway roads were flooded to an even greater degree. We also as drivers have to accept a certain amount of resposibility ourselves, the bad weather was widely forecast. Some may have had the choice to delay their journey. It must also be remembered that many people believe it or not do not listen to the news or weather. I know people like that and on friday had to contact them to advise them that their property was in danger of being flooded. The point I am making is whilst it is right to aim some critisism at certain agencies we all also have to accept responsibilty for our own safety etc

Lewis Hurley - Cardiff
Thank you for your coverage on Friday night and Saturday morning you were the most up to date service on-air. Your callers were mostly accurate and the caller about 7am regarding the "forgotten" between junction 7&8 was excellent. The highways boss that was interviewed suggested that they had provided more than enough information to yourselves but anyone tuned in would have know that he was talking rubbish as you had virtually no contact with them for most of the night especially with regards to the situation at stratham and the options available. You deserve a pat on the back for your dedication and the high spirited message you conveyed throughout the night. The lady in labour was sorted out I heard when I got home from the news, even the old people in the blue mini bus, with diabetes, were attended to probably due to your coverage. I only wish I had tuned in earlier about 1pm and I would not have spent 20.5 hours travelling from Manchester to Cardiff. Many thanks to you and your staff for a job well done I will never forget the experience and have many stories of people aiding those much worse off than themselves. You are a credit to your profession and the next time the TA interupts my radio listening I will continue to listen and not turn it off as I usually do. Thank you very much for spending the nght with me, yours gratefully Lewis Hurley home in Cardiff because of you.

Claire Bradnock
Greetings, Young Howard and The Very Young Toni!! Am at work slaving away......It's the Mad Bunny Woman here - how's tricks?Still listening to Albums of The Week - hey, what about a bit of Bon Jovi?!!!It was a difficult choice between Night At The Opera or Keep The Faith ...... Bat Out Of Hell was ace, and I had forgotton how good the Human League were! I hope to drop some nibbles off for you both in the week, so I hope your Reception makes sure you get them!!Take care - tell Toni to keep smiling (and shopping!)TTFNClaire & The Bunny

mrslholder@hotmail.com
Hello Howard i started listening to H&W the day that you came on air and have listened every day since then.I dont hear much of your prog especially since your time change but still catch what i can and today heard about a place in herefordshire that makes cars(at the end of the prog).Could you please email me the address.Thanks for the good prog that you do. Lynn.

The Bransford Fox
Hi Howard, surprised at the lack of coverage on BBC H&W regarding the planned closure of Hereford and Worcester Ambulance Control Centre. It'd be interesting to hear what your audience think. Public opinion has been asked for, but the public aren't being told.

Sue, North Worcestershire
Hi Howard,Re: Ageing Rockers - Rod Stewart.I went to see him with the question in my mind.. was he still as good or, like you said, was it all in my mind?Answer? He definately does still wear it well. Physically, he really is in good nick. Long legs and a pert rear still evident! Four changes of clothes including shoes and a swathe of tartan covering front of stage, instruments and musicians left you in no doubt who was performing.Before he arrived on stage we were treated to a short film. Black and white images flashed up, accompanied by a voiceover announcing that in a world where boybands are pushing the old stagers aside, you have to sing to survive. Taking up the challenge was the Rodfather, who promptly appeared from the flor to open with 'You Wear It Well'What followed was a tour through his hits, both original and covers. 29 in all!His drummer was amazing, his backing singers had voices that echoed around the stadium, the saxophonist had legs up to her ears, and the violinist was brilliant.I am now convinced that the Rod the Mod that I went to see back in 1973 has matured into someone who knows how to perform and still does it to perfection. Rock on Rod, if he IS retiring, he will certainly go out with a bang, like the fireworks at the end of the show. And guess what? It stayed fine, all evening! The first of his 11 concerts to be able to say that! I think I should be your concert correspondent and then you could send me to all the gigs to report back!!! Bestest from a very tired Sue.

Dave (From Redditch)
Re Yvonne Rhodes interview this morning and posting from Polly,wrong,wrong wrong people are taking their young children to school at the time of day that this was broadcast and should not be subjected to what was broadcast this morning.I am not a prude anything but and it may well be an important issue to be aired and discussed,but 8.20 a.m. is not the time to be doing it.

Audrey Bailey
Hello Howard,I was very interested in the news last week about the Rotherwas Ribbon serpentine ancient site in Hereford especially the interview that one of your reporters conducted with one Angie Walters at (about) 7.30 on Friday July 6th. Is there any possibility that this can be put on the 'listen again' list please?Many thanks,Audrey

Dave
Howard Hi:Karting has always been a good training ground for F1 because Nigel Mansell was a member of the Bromsgrove Kart club racing at Little Rissington.It was a family thing his mum was a lap scorer on my team as competition secretary and his dad was a kart scrutineer.

Dave (From Stourprt)
Howard, we were asked to bring marigolds to the cricket ground - if we don't have any - will geraniums do ???

Cheryl, Hereford
Hi HowardIt was with utter disbelief that I listened to your report this morning with regard to the archaeology find at Rotherwas, Hereford. This is something that could be over 4000 years old, and the council wish to protect it for future generations, by apparently placing a membrane and then allowing the new access road to completely cover the site. Maybe this is something that the current generation would like to see. I really do not know what Hereford Council wish for this county. Where is the heritage? Over the years the city has lost the Market Hall, part of the city wall, the city gates and it has turned into something resembling the new towns like Milton Keynes and Telford. The city should be thriving with tourists, which until recently it used to be, but due to changes in the city centre, traffic flows etc there seem to be fewer visitors to the city. Maybe this is Hereford’s chance to get the city back on the map, but no doubt, the council, in its wisdom will allow this very important site to be covered and lost to our generation in order for the new road to be completed. It seems, to my point of view, as if the council wish to bulldoze ahead and dispose of everything of any heritage that could enhance our city. We need items such as this find to be protected not only for the future but also to be enjoyed by people today.Regards

Simon
Great show every morning Howard! Always listen when driving from Tenbury Wells to Kidderminster each morning, tuning in from 715 - 750!

Polly - Hereford
I listened to the piece this morning about Yvonne Rhodes - I admire her immensely for being able to speak out about transsexualism. As she says, the public and the authorities need to catchup with what is happening. The internet, the Gender Recognition Act and increasingly positive coverage from the media (like yourselves) means that more and more transsexuals are having the confidence to 'come out'. And maybe this will help to reduce the appalling suicide rate within the transsexual community. Thank you to Hereford & Worcester and thank you to Yvonne for helping to normalise the condition. It needs more of us to do this.

George Hudson
I was very pleased to be given the opportunity to speak to Andrew Easton at Kempsey churchyard today regarding the restoration of the vault containing General Bell VC and the restoration work being funded by the masons. I mistakingly advised that the dedication of the works is on the 24th June whereas I should have said that it will be on the 26th June at the churchyard. For anyone interested in General Bell and connections - local and genealogical - they may be amused to know that his mother, Mary Ann (also buried in the vault), was of the Chapman family of Killua Castle Westmeath in Ireland. The first Chapmans - probably originally pronounced and written "Champernoun" - got their lands from the influence of their first cousin, Sir Walter Raleigh, and the last male member was Sir Thomas Chapman, the father of T E Lawrence, otherwise known as "Lawrence of Arabia". Sir Walter Raleigh was given the Wick estate near Pershore by Elizabeth I when it was forfeited by the Babington family following the plot to which they gave their name. And for VC enthusiasts: amongst the families decended from General Bell there are two further VCs - that of Maurice Dease, who was awarded the first VC of the Great War and Clement Robertson who also gained his VC in the Great War.If anyone wants further information do please feel free to e-mail me.Kind regardsGeorge HudsonWickNear PershoreGeorge Hudson [georgewwarynhudson@msn.com]

Alan
I went to see Star Wars (A New Hope...You know, the original!!) back in the day at the ODEON at Worcester!! I remember watching the first scenes of Star Wars with the Imperial star destroyer pursuing Princess Leia's ship across Tattoine (with the booming John Williams soundtrack) and I was sold!!! Ive been a big fan ever since and went with the missus to see the prequels on the big screen!!I bought the Star Wars trilogy (on video), then the widescreen version of the trilogy (on video too) then the digitally remastered trilogy (yes, on video too) and the THX remastered trilogy (you guessed it on video) Then I bought the remastered DVD box set of the trilogy and the new trilogy!!! So I think Ive helped put George Lucas where he is today!!!I think I helped buy an acre of Skywalker Ranch!! I'm undecided as to who is my favourite character?I like Obi Wan Kenobi (particulary Ewan MacGregor) and I'm a fan of Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) and my favourite quote from Star Wars (episode 4) was Han Solo in The 'Falcon when Luke Skywalker shoots down the TIE fighter and Luke screams "I got it!! I got!!"and Solo looks across and says "Great kid!! Don't get cocky!!!"It was a film that changed a little eight year old's life!!(for the better I think? !!)All the best

Mechthild.Matheja-Theaker@uwe.ac.uk
Hello there!I don't know whether this will reach you in time, but the stickman on the Malvern Beacon might have to do with the fact that it's the last school day at the Chase for Upper 6th students. As my son is one of them, I know that they took in a giant set of eyes and an aluminium man into school this morning for some jokey decoration only to be told to take it all down again. Humour by-pass I think. And really sad for the students who worked quite hard to make these things (and totally harmless).All the best, really enjoy your programme,Mec

Mike Challinor, Albanchez, Spain
Just tuned in to BBC H & W again after moving to Spain 14 months ago. Caught the pieces on both Dementia and on Seagulls in Worcester. I know now why I used to listen all the time back home - brilliant variety! Keep it up, I will keep tuned in!!!

Michelle, Worcester
Football songActually I rather liked the footbal song you played at about 8.20am on Friday morning, just before the Big Red Ribbon song. I thought the song was rather jolly and I could definitely sing along with it, although the only thing I know about football is that David Beckham plays it!

Elizabeth, Broadwas
Hi Howard, Just tought you might like some feedback on the recent roads (state of) feature. Well the Droitwich to Hanbury road potholes have been filled, as have those around Broadwas on the A44. Today roadmen may be repairing the 'non-skid' surface which has deteriorated very quickly just to the east of the village. Maybe the publicity stirred someone's conscience!

Alan
Good Morning Howard. Ive never owned a gun and I still don’t, and I live in a country where guns are so readily available, but where there is so much gun related crime is just baffling to me............... Americans seem to want to hold on to the right to bear arms and gun control like we in England want to believe in Father Christmas There have been so many shootings in and around the Buffalo area. A police officer was recently shot and paralysed by a bullet to her spine and yet there seems to be a lack of public opinion to want to try and increase gun control. I have my doubts about Canada having worse gun controls than the USA because at the US/Canada borders (which as you know Howard I live by) there have been many incidents where canadians have been caught at various checkpoints trying to smuggle firearms into Canada, mainly because if youre in the US (depending on what state) it's easier to get guns than in Canada. It's a tragedy what happened at Virginia Tech but the public will eventually forget and and NRA will campaign to keep the right to bear arms intact.Well, you never know when I might try to take back the colonies 'for Queen and country' (just kidding mate!!)

Richard, Defford
While researching our family history I found an interesting surname, Grazher. Searching for the name Grazher in the UK census data shows them only in one place, Walsall, Staffs. Searching worldwide I have only ever found three other references to the name, one in Austria and two in the US.One Walsall family in the 1891 census is headed by a James William Grazher (but may also have been known as William James Grazher) born in Sale Green, Worcestershire in 1844. Since the name Grazher was only found in Walsall I am convinced that the name is actually a transcribed error of the name Grazier which is relatively common in Sale Green/Crowle census data from that time.I just wondered if anyone listening who is related to James William Grazher (Grazier) has ever heard of relatives with the name Grazher in Walsall as this might prove the connection for me. In case it helps James William's father may have been Henry Grazier born around 1813 in Grafton Flyford. James also had children James Henry born in Longton, Staffs (the Potteries) and married Mary Ann Wilcox born in Stone, Staffs.

Alan
Good Morning Howard and Toni, We get a letter every so often when sex offenders of a specific category move into our local area. There are children who play around the area where I live so it doesn’t seem as though parents here havent kept their kids in, or stay outside and watch their kids. Not as though I advocate or condone Megan's Law.I can understand parents' concern about convicted sex offenders, particulary with children, you know aswell as me that there have been many cases of children who go missing and etc.... so I don’t blame parents for being worried about sex offenders living in the area. The only problem is how far do you take away people's civil liberties to suit the public? but my conscience tells me that if it saves a life of a child then I don't feel so bad. Afterall forewarned is forearmed.........I just wonder if people have become blasé to it allPS.................I remember Peters and Lee........................... from Opportunity Knocks!!! Remember Hughie Green and the 'clapometer' !!

Anthea Hill
I heard your comments last Wednesday morning regarding the start of Life on Mars, sadly I missed it but was able to catch up with it last night on BBC4. What a fantastic start, my husband and I were crying with laughter, and as for last night's episode I thought that some of Gene's one liners were superb. In this world of over the top PC it's just great to watch such an entertaining programme. Sadly I've read that this is the last series, but here's to the DVDs and re-runs!!!Love your show in the morning (rushing around the house and the school run) keep up the good work!!

Russ (of Malvern)
I wonder what the situation would have been had Mrs Thatcher been in power post-Falklands. No-one doubted her integrity, her patriotism, and her support for our armed forces. 1 I doubt the Iranians would have dared to kidnap our personnel 2 If the kidnappings had occurred, would the personnel have been so ready to co-operate with the Iranians, knowing the backing they had from Mrs T? 3 Further, IF everything happened as it did, as, in my view, they are in no way heroes, would they themselves be embarrassed to tell how they co-operated, and in such atmosphere would any journalist have been willing to pay them?

Alan
Hi Howard Interesting you are featuring this problem this morning; but 2 aspects are not fully understood.It is relatively easy to allow selected computers to access your Internet connection through your router. That does not stop hackers getting into your hard drive, and creating havoc. Furthermore while someone may be able to download pornography using your Internet line, there will be no evidence on your hard drive to prove you were responsible. Following on from that most of us have limits imposed by your Internet provider in terms of amounts of data which can be downloaded per month. With several computers on line this could happen quite quickly! I realised only last week that I had a problem as my computer downloads seemed to be going much slower after 4 pm. My computer expert then discovered that neighbours some 50 yards away were (inadvertently) using my Internet, as were their 3 children with their laptops once they came home from school!

Graham, Malvern
I always feel that the installation of traffic lights is a poor solution (IF it is in fact a solution!) as it guarantees that traffic will be standing with idling engines at all time sof day, causing pollution, wasting time, costing the motorist money, and wasting the petrol itself.In addition is the cost of installing lights is the cost of running them.Surely, a better way if possible is to divert traffic from the bottlenecks. For example, traffic approaching this roundabout from the ketch wanting Malvern has its own filter lane on the roundabout. Why not put in some sort of extra road to filter the Malvern traffic away nearer to the ketch.Unfortunately, to filter the Worcester city traffic from nearer the Powick roundabout would probably need further river bridge work, BUT such positive action will have permanent benefits, will help keep traffic moving and therefore be far superior in the long term.Surely additional filter lanes would cut corners in every sense!Kind regards

Marion Martin
Hi Howard, Just watching 'Life on Mars' takes me back ! My dad had a Cortina exactly the same as the one in the programme - same colour, vinyl roof and trim ! I can remember the registration even now - TPX 702K and I even had some driving lessons in it! It was like seeing a ghost when I saw it in the first series and it brought back many memories! Unfortunately he had it stolen a few years later and we never saw it again ! I would love to bid for it, but have nowhere to put it ! Best regards.

Elizabeth - Broadwas
POTHOLES: The busy B4090 from Droitwich to Alcester road is a disgrace. Potholes galore. In contrast 2-3 weeks ago a short stretch of the A44 at Cotheridge was resurfaced, causing inconvenience for four days. It was part of a larger peice of road which had been resurfaced in the last year, was in perfectly good condition, neither the road level or width has been changed and the begining and end now has a 'bump' where the previous surface was completely smooth. What a waste of money!!! And why???

Rob - Worcester
Just to let you know I myself did get my money back from the council for a damaged tyre and rim on my motorcycle after dropping it in a pop hole, Thanks to Liz Tucker who put me in the right direction. fortunatly i managed to stay on my bike unfortunatly the pot hole is still there and that was two years ago.

Brian - Worcester
Re Litter In the St Peters area of Worcester, there is regular clearing of the streets. They even have a small mechanised sweeper that goes around.

michelle higgins
transport: 1. Bicycles - I had a bike for my birthday when I was about 12 - a Dawes "Daisybell". I kept it for 40 years, although I have to admit that it spent a lot of time in my garage! I rode it a lot when living in North london and in Chichester where it is relatively flat! 2. Driving - some "people carriers" and 4x4s are nearly as big as minibusses and have pretty much the same purpose i.e. transporting several people at once. A special driving test is required to be able to drive a minibus - should it not also be the same for these very big vehicles?????

Andy Mapp, Malvern.
Thats why I love BBC H&W. Where else can you hear the Newsreader say "Local VENTQILOTRIST" in the morning!! Thanks it made my day.

Sue Radley
Howard, Howard There are lots of pictures of you on the web site ! How about pictures of your team i.e. Lizzie and Tim ? Regards Sue

Tony - Hereford
Comments - Really Mr Bentham, so the answer to the problem of excessive violence and shocking language on our televisions is to switch it off! In the meantime we are forced by law to pay for the damn thing. Our children can watch anywhere now and if they miss the cooking moron with his stream of pathetic profanity they can download it from the web anyway. Sorry mate you are soooooo wrong! Profanity is the cause of most of our problems. It is almost impossible to be a yob or to start a fight without using profanity. I am not advocating that we pass a law against swearing on TV (God knows we have enough stupid laws already) just that we tell people like Gordon Ramsay and Johnathon Ross et al, and admit to outselves that it is disgusting, banal and sub-moronic to use swear words for cheap laughs.

Steve - Suckley
Morning Howard, Last weeks lengthy power cuts reminded me of when we first moved here in the summer of 95. Only two weeks after moving in there was a major electrical storm and the power went off. It was off for over 24 hours but worst of all the water pumping station at the bottom of the hill had been hit and we had no water for the best part of a week. We had to fetch water in buckets from a bowser at the local pub. Having come from the civilised north we were both wondering what kind of place we had moved to. However, water was restored and life got back to normal. Only a couple of weeks later we had another storm and off went the power. It was a summer evening and by the time we retired for the night we still had no electric. The next morning it was still off. When we got home from work it was still off so we decided to go out for a meal. On our return it was still off and when we got up the next morning it was still off. When I arrived home that night it was on!! I greeted H and asked, 'How long has the power been back on?' 'About ten minutes' she answered, 'when I got home I could hear next doors tele but our power was still off so I went round thinking they must have a generator.' She asked them 'Has your power been off?' 'It was off for about two minutes two nights ago' they answered. H came back, opened the door to the electric cupboard and restored the power when she reset the trip switch which had tripped two nights earlier!!!

lee warren
with regards to space invanders you can download a free version that you can play on your pdq from the mircosoft web site great fun

James
I live in Callow Hill near Bewdley. Power went off about 1.30 yesterday afternoon. Tuned in to H&W at 7.00pm on battery powered radio. Went to bed at 11.00pm. Between these two times there was no indication of when power may be restored. If we had been told it would be off for 12 hours then OK we could plan for it. If we had been told it would be off for at least 24 hours and then we would be given an update that would be OK too, we could plan for it. But nothing. Central Networks put up Emily something to answer questions on your show this morning. She didn't know where the problems were - even the big ones - or how many men were working to restore all their customers. Not good enough. Not your problem. We pay their wages we should get better service. Oh and tell her that there would have been some people listening who were concerned about compensation and how they were going to afford to pay to replenish the contents of their freezers.

Sue
Morning Howard & crew, I don't think that what has been happening in the Big Brother house can be construed as racism; it is bullying plain and simple - through ignorance of another's culture - that is not racism, but I'm sure that there are plenty of lefty yogurt-knitting twits out there who will find something in what has been occuring to call it just that. Look at what we're dealing with here - Jade's family and her emaciated thicko boyfriend epitomize, for me, the part of society that should be bred out of existence. Jade's little 'gang' are just jealous of Shilpa, because she is a beautiful, elegant, well-bred woman and I hope she wins this; she certainly deserves to.

Alan
Morning Howard Having visited Egypt several times in recent years, I would agree it is one of the best wroldwide destinations if you enjoy the antiquities and their history! However driving is different as is true in most other countries, but in my opinion most examples of dangerous driving are rare. One oddity is that night driving on even the main rural roads, (which generally travel straight across the desert for miles), is conducted on sidelights only if there is a vehicle coming in the opposite direction. The Egyptian drivers complain they are blinded by dipped headlights, although in reality this is probably because the average Egyptian car's headlights are badly adjusted! None of this detracts from the experience; Egypt should be top of the list for must see destinations! And one notable difference, toilets other than in modern areas such as Sharm El Sheihk are basic to say the least; this even applies to the now very old Cairo airport!!

Steve
Your interviewee didn't give an entirely accurate picture of broadband availability. My phone line is 12km from the exchange (although I'm only 5 miles from the centre of Hereford) so I can't get broadband via BT. Advantage West Midlands are rolling out wireless broadband but it is by no means everywhere yet and he forgot to mention that it costs £100 to connect up then at least £15 per month subscription, so we are being penalised because our phone lines are too long!! I'm still waiting for connection...

Steve, Suckley
Morning Howard, My daughter got married at Swansea registry office. She wanted however to be dressed traditionally and wore a long white wedding dress and veil. All the principal guests wore morning suits, apart from son in law and best man. Daughter and I came through the rear doors of the room to the strains of here comes the bride. My chest was puffed up like a pigeon and then I saw son in law and best man and I cracked out laughing! They were both Goths! They were dressed like Adam and the Ants! I couldn't stop giggling all the way through the proceedings. The reception was held in the hotel next door and because son in laws family (mother and grandparents) are German I was warned to avoid any jokes about penalty's etc. Everything was OK until the evening do when all Son in laws mates turned up in their goth gear. Not that that caused the problem though. We had laid on a buffet and H decided to announce the food was ready. I asked her to wait for a few minutes but she suddenly got up on the stage and clapped her hands for attention. Everyone, apart from me, ceased talking and turned to look at her. I was halfway through a joke. 'excuse me' H shouted ' and that means you as well Steve' The room fell silent as I turned and from across the room I came to attention, clicked my heels together and threw a Hitler type salute accompanied by 'Jawvol mien fuhrer!! You could have heard a pin drop. My brother lent across and whispered 'I don't think you've got away with that one' Not my finest hour. Fortunately the Goths came to my rescue by advancing on the food and the timely intervention of the wedding photographer who proceeded to tell us that his camera was broken and all the wedding photographs had been ruined. The next morning we all had to get dressed up again and have the photos retaken but using a local park as the back drop. Happy days!! Regards Steve Suckley

Dave, Bromsgrove
Hi Howard Was listening with interest to your session on road safety this morning (Tuesday 2nd). Perhaps driving needs to be taken more seriously and the simplest and maybe most influential thing you and your colleagues at Hereford and Worcester can do to influence this is to: Stop using the word accident. Instead, refer to it as a crash. By using the term accident we attempt to deny or dilute responsibility for an incident. Something unexpected happened or something was just done to us. There was nothing we could do. It really wasn't our fault. By referring to them as accidents we let ourselves off the hook. The records show that errors or misjudgement by drivers contribute to almost every incident on the road. We must start being honest about that and recognise that it is us, the drivers who are responsible. That is not the same as to apportion blame because not all drivers are at fault or can prevent a crash. I think this simple change in how we report and refer to road incidents can influence how we think about driving. When we take a vehicle out onto the road we should be in no doubt that we are accountable for the safety of ourselves, our passengers and every other road user we encounter. If we continue to talk about accidents then we will always be able to kid themselves that we can somehow shirk this responsibility. Thanks to you and the gang for helping us get going in the mornings. We usually listen from about 7am.

Audrey Bailey, Worcester UK
Yule Greetings! this morning you spoke about how Christmas is not religious anymore, and interviewed a local clergyman about this. My comment is that the festivities at midwinter go back much further than the birth of Jesus Christ. Many religions have stories of special children born at this time, e.g. Mithras. For the Romans this was the festival of Saturnalia which featured much feasting & merriment. This was seen as the rebirth of the sun, amid cries of 'Sol Invicta!' (the sun is invincible). For myself, it is the Pagan festival of YULE (a word we still see at this time of year!),itself very ancient. I have opted out of the gift-giving entirely,& don't spend months preparing for it or consume huge amounts of food & drink. In my view it is over-commercialised, & I would like people to understand that there are many aspects to the midwinter festival, it is not just Christian. Good wishes, Audrey

felix snell
hi howard i have heard there is a interview about the smoking ban, i am a publican from norwich norfolk 85% of my customers smoke,i have NO garden, NO carpark and nobody can be outside my pub after 10-30 pm even though i have a licence till 2am. the pub is totaly air-conditioned and air cleaners are also installed making the air inside more pure than outside. also i have a seperate room known as the smokeroom as it has since 1870.are we free to choose what we do or told?? perhaps we would have been better with a german goverment!!!! our relatives fought and died for our FREEDOM WHAT FREEDOM.what about signs like........ this is a smoking pub. or non smoking pub . seperate smoking area provided, this would tell customers what to expect. smoking is not ilegal so why treat them like lepers and dont forget smokers are voters and they sponsor the goverments deep pockets.do all these people making this decision on no smoking realise there is only one country in the world with a traditional pub community and its here well at least for the next 7 months. i will write again in 12 months if i still have a PUB.i could say a lot more but i am just of to the pub and wont be back till the early hours. yours through the fag smoke felix p.s.we only sell drink not food too much competition.

victoria reynolds
Stamping Out Christmas Dear Sir/Madame I would like to express the horror that I felt upon discovering “The Royal Mail has this year removed any Christian references from its Christmas stamps” ,in order to keep up with the trend of political correctness not to offend alternative religions. I, for one, am extremely offended at this movement and, as I copy this email to the (so called) Royal Mail,I would like to point out that I have forwarded this email to all my personal and professional contacts informing them that I, in protest to the movement, will not be using the traditional postage method to send Christmas greeting cards. Further to this I have also politely requested that I do not receive any posted cards in return. If Royal Mail wants to stamp out Christmas... I say "at their most lucrative time of year stamp-out Royal Mail" Yours faithfully Victoria Reynolds Worcester

Ben Ellis
I would like to add my name to the growing protest against the latest restrictive law concerning smoking. Such draconian legislation is unwarranted and unwanted by the vast majority of the popoulation, freedom of choice is, as it always has been, the answer. We all know now that this latest attack on our basic freedoms has nothing to do with health, no-one has ever died from the inhalation of tobacco smoke, positively or "passively".

ray askew
hi re banning of smoking in public places.july 1st has been revealed as the start date of a law which nobody really wants.we publicans should have the option to allow smoking or not depending on customers wishes.as for bthe workers there are enough no smoking places to go to in each town if they are really that bothered.the government as usual are listening to the voiciferous minority how about talking to the silent majority and really find out what the people want.

John Mallon
I note the UK is to follow Ireland down the smoking ban route. Let's hope you do not experience the same outcomes like, increased cigarette sales, smoking becoming attractive to the young, rising alcohol abuse in the home, daily pub closures and social partition & exclusion (both ways), John Mallon

Roy Andrew.
Smoking ban. I am writing to give my opinion on the smoking ban planned for the UK on July 1st 07. I am a publican currently operating a pub here in Exeter. I am ashamed to say I voted Labour in the last election on the strength of thier manifesto pledge of a partial smoking ban in pubs. It may sound trivial to cast a vote on that one subject alone but the freedom to allow me as an independant publican to operate my business as I see fit & within the law is very important to me & the survival of this business. As we all know , Labour caved in & allowed a free vote on the smoking issue & this resulted in a total ban in all enclosed public spaces. I'm not going to get in to the whole "is passive smoking harmful" argument but on that I will say that the "evidence" presented by certain organisations is shaky at best. What I can confirm is that smoking bans harm businesses like mine...700 pubs in Ireland have closed since the ban & apparently due to the ban itself, thousands of jobs have been lost & there is now a social divide between smokers & non smokers . Its the same story in Scotland where the ban has been in since March 06.Smoking rates have increased in Ireland & tobacco sales are up 4% ? So the ban works ? I think the need to rethink that one. Labour should have stuck fast to thier 05 manifesto pledge , a partial ban would ahave allowed pubs to cater for smokers & non smokers alike.. A choice for everyone with dedicated smoking area's & good ventilation... This smoking ban is expected to cause the perminant closure of around 3000 pubs in England once its impemented. Thousands more jobs will be lost. At present around 60% of my customers smoke. Politicians have put my business in jeopardy , I will lose money , thats a fact... Takings will fall , the value of my business will tumble if I can sell it at all ? Again , Labour should have stuck to thier word of the 05 manifesto.. Millions of smokers may have too casted thier vote on the promise of a partial ban.. Some would say that they told bare faced lies to the Electorate to gain a few more votes... I am disgusted that politicians can behave in such a manner.... They will still be allowed thier cigarettes in the bars in the houses of Parliament,these are classed as Royal palaces ? So they are above the law. I am seriously considering selling up & moving to another Country where they have a sensible & fair view of the smoking issue...Compromise. Regards. Roy Andrew , The Showman of Exeter.

Steve Cross
Patricia Hewitt today expressed her joy at the upcoming smoking ban saying it would improve public health. I wonder why she did not instead support an indoor air quality policy to 'protect' people from the approximately 400 known indoor airborne carcinogens that have nothing to do with smoke. Could it be that under such a policy she would not be able to ban smoking without first banning cooking on a grill because that produces more carcinogens than passive smoke? With the particles in passive smoke in the average pub environment being thousands of time below OSHA recognised and published safe levels, this ban has nothing to do with public health, it is political pandering to an un-elected hate group, that is riding high on current politically correct healthism.

Belinda, Edinburgh
I wish to comment on the announcement of the smoking ban in England. From the Scottish side of the border, this is bad policy because it is denying recreational facilities to citizens who smoke and the alleged harm of secondary smoke is given as a reason for this. Ordinary citizens have challenged anti-smoking lobbies to televised debate and been ignored. I don't smoke and have no time for this kind of legislation – it claims to be in my interests and I just don't buy it.

Fiona Kidd
Dear Howard I understand you are doing an interview on Monday morning with regards to the forthcoming smoking ban in enclosed public places. I am totally against such a ban, especially when it has never been proven that passive smoking causes any disease at all. It is hysteria caused by a vociferous minority who are hell-bent on imposing their will on a large section of the community. I, for one, will never again enter a pub, restaurant, cafe or any other place (cinemas and theatres excepted) once the smoking ban is implemented. Smokers are not second-class citizens to be forced out into the inclement weather or be persecuted because they smoke. Indeed, smokers pay extra tax with every tobacco product they buy. Perhaps the anti-smokers should remember it is the smokers who subsidise them, not the other way round. Without the taxes of smokers the NHS for one, by the Government's own admission, would collapse overnight. I have no doubt such a ban will not only have a detrimental effect (as has been seen in both Scotland and Ireland) on the pub trade in general but also on the very social fabric of our society. The "ban it" brigade have their sights on smoking at the moment, are now turning their attention to overweight people and are already targetting 4x4 drivers. Who will be next? By the way, my views are supported by my husband who gave up smoking 3 years ago and also my brother who has never even tried smoking a cigarette or any other tobacco product in his life. Yours sincerely Mrs Fiona Kidd

Dr Phil Button
Hi Howard I find it difficult sometimes to be dispassionate on the issue of "passive smoking" but I have been told that you are currently interested in people's opinions on this matter. I am a senior NHS hospital doctor and so have many other matters in which my views are different to the government. Specifically though I believe very strongly that tobacco and smokers have been seriously misrepresented and under represented and that this position has been deliberate and orchestrated by the powerful and possibly corrupt anti-smoking lobby. The other way of expressing this is that government and media have been hoodwinked into believing a myth. I won't enlarge further but I believe that the dangers of smoking have been overstated with the altruistic aim of reducing smoking by education. I also believe that "passive smoking" is only an irritant and nothing else.

John Monteiro, MBII
As a pro-choice licensee I feel its important that we do not get the goverment telling us how to run our business, unless they are to contribute towards the rent, rates, staff payroll, suppliers, utilities when all this fails. As a non-smoker who runs two town-centre olde worlde pubs where the average age of our patrons is 60 years of age in one pub and 35 in anther, with nearly 80% of these being smokers, we feel we are being treated unfairly. I have put all my life in the pub trade, come across many changes over the years none more so than the last couple of years where the red-tape from goverment and local authority has turned me into an office-wallah, rather than mine host in my pubs. I spend HALF my day in the office, the other worrying where we will go from here, ...... I am told by my 80% of smokers that if the ban comes in, that 60% of them will not frequent our public house but use the money to purchase from supermarkets and stay at home, smoking in their own house! They are rightly peeved cause they will have no social life, no meeting up in the mornings for a banter with their mates of 40 years or more! My wife & I, our two children will lose our future, our hard-worked-for pension will disapper & we will have nothing to look forward to. We will be also homeless as we have no other way of earning a living and will not have the accommodation unless by the local authority. It was our intention to retire in comfort, not rich but at least not sponging off the state! Now we are told that in six months time, unless we off-load for a pittance, our two pubs we will not be seeing any return on our investment. I am 56 and was considering moving to a nicer climate, leaving Gordon Brown the £200 heating allowance for some other deservering pensioner, but it appears we will need the allowance after all, to help feed & clothe us! I am so angry that our business cannot be conducted on the same level playing field as other businesses, without goverment interference into how we run it day to day. WHY not take clean air legislation to PROPER VENTILATION and moniter it by the LA? WHY do we have to STOP customers from coming in and light a ciggie if they feel like it? Why not ban tobbacco proucts so that we HAVE a level playing field, maybe cause there's more tax yet to be gleaned from the smokers? So its not a general health benefit that the goverment are looking towards then, if the SALE of tobacco is still legal. Tax & Spin......... Spin and Tax...... Is there no end to the nannying this goverment will make us endure? Bah humbug to you T Blair, G Brown, P. Hewitt & co !!

SueTtaylor
Both my children (aged 27 and 28) will be travelling to Australia, one going next week the other on the 21st with friends and meeting up in Brisbane for the 1st test. They miss the 2nd test but head for Perth, then Melbourne for Christmas and Sydney for New Year. They have managed to get some tickets and have 4 for Melbourne. My son Chris plays cricket for Wyre Piddle and daughter Kate is secretary of the club. She also plays hockey for Droitwich ladies. I haven't spoken to them yet but they may be interested in contacting you from Aus.

Carol Litchfield
Hello Howard,Keith and I would like to thank you and the radio station for a great night at the rugby on friday.As a birthday treat,I couldn't have asked for more.It was lovely to meet you and your wife and the winners of the other tickets.I'm sure they enjoyed it as much as we did,even if the result wasn't what everyone might have hoped.Thanks again,Carol

jo
Hi Howard, I am afraid I agree with Jack Straw, although I respect their beliefs. The problem is that today it poses a security threat. It would be so easy for would be terrorists, thiefs etc, to use this as a disguise. Bikers are asked to remove their helmets, youths are asked not to wear their hoody's, all of these things help to hide identity. Also I agree when visiting their countries we have to comply, why can we not ask for the same respect here.If we were to hide our faces it would be regarded as offensive. The issue is sensitive, but really needs discussing properly with the muslim community. JO

Anny Hewston
Hi Howard Could you tell kieth that if he used real nappies, he wouldn't be producing so much waste. Please click this link to see how much nappy waste 1 baby produces http://www.realnappiness.co.uk/RealNappyweekpictures.htm None of this waste will break down for hundreds of years and so will remain on our land for our children and their grandchildren to deal with. New designs of real nappies mean they are really easy to use and wash, and they save loads of money too. Anny

Mrs Lesley Weaver
Just to say that thanks to your programme---my Husband is now in possession of a POSTURE-SAFE-SYSTEM---and he is now sleeping much better with this support to his back.He can now sit up in bed and get to sleep quite comfortably.The company is very helpful and friendly----and I can recommend them to anybody.Many Thanks once again for your help with matter Lesley Weaver (Stourport)

Clive
In regard to the traffic problems in Hereford,we dont relise how fortunate we are some times.I have just come back from trip to Mumbai were what should be a 20 minute journey takes 2 hours

sally
Howard - Emailed BBC but you might get this quicker - THANK YOU!!! Fantastic! Had the required effect - Richard loved it. Gail was behind at the level crossing too - such an exciting morning. May you see you tonight - with love and thanks! Sally

Terry Burton
Train Fares might be a bit late in the day to comment on the lively debate on the morning show last week but anyway on hearing that train fares were being hiked up by some percentage way ahead of inflation brought to mind another statement last week that the railways were carrying more passengers than at any time since 1958.. So surely more passengers generates more profit some of which should be earmarked for refurbishmant and capital expenditure...not trying to screw more and more out of the travelling public who are being encouraged to leave their cars at home.. Bring back the Monmouth to Ross line and I might catch the train myself Terry Burton Lydbrook Glos