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2019 was a busy year in and around Malvern, so we have put together a round-up of the most read stories from the Malvern Gazette month by month.
January – Royal Mail gives dad £250 after postman calls his disabled daughter a “spastic”
January’s most read story, with more than 13,000 views, was the story of James Beresford, who was trying to park in Malvern with his daughter Sophie, who is disabled.
A post office van was blocking the disabled space, and when asked to move, the driver instead launched a tirade of abuse at the pair.
As a result, Mr Beresford was given £250 by Royal Mail and given a written apology.
February – Armed police swoop on Great Malvern Hotel
9,000 people read our coverage of a police incident in Malvern in which armed police stormed the hotel following concerns a man was “going to harm himself” – according to West Mercia Police.
A witness described seeing two police cars, as well as an unmarked police car and a van – while several officers were in “tactical gear” – before a man was brought out of the hotel at around 11am.
March – Body of man missing from Colwall Green found
March’s most read story, with more than 4,500 views, was the sad news that the body of Steve Batty, from Colwall Green, near Malvern, was found by police.
Mr Batty had been suffering with mental health difficulties, and his sons Dan and Simon subsequently raised more than £7,000 for Herefordshire MIND in his honour with a charity walk of the Malvern Hills.
April – Police presence outside Malvern Technology Centre
Nearly 4,500 people read our story as police vehicles and a helicopter were spotted near the Malvern Technology Centre.
Police dogs and uniformed officers were also seen at the site.
May – Regulars trying to raise £5,000 to save Malvern community pub
May’s most read story, with more than 3,500 views, was the story of Sarah Wiggett, landlady of the Forester’s Arms in Wilton Road, who was trying to raise £5,000 to pay the bond agreed with the brewery that owned the pub.
The pub had been closed for several years and had stood in Witton Road since the 1880s.
June – Pervert tried to meet girl in Malvern park for sex attack
More than 5,000 people read June’s most read story, which saw Malvern resident Christopher Postans admit sexual communication with children, all young girls.
The 42 year-old appeared via videolink from HMP Hewell, and the case was adjourned for sentencing.
July – Malvern man’s anger over ‘disgusting’ flat swap gone wrong
July’s most read story saw Malvern resident Kevin Halford’s row with a housing association after he agreed to swap to a new flat.
More than 5,500 people read the story, which involved damp, leaking radiators and a leaking toilet.
August – End of an era as Brays department store closes
6,900 people read August’s most read story, which saw the iconic Brays in Malvern close down.
The store had been a fixture in the town for more than 100 years.
September – Car stolen from Three Counties Showground in Malvern
In September, 7,300 people read our story of how a car was stolen from the Three Counties Showground.
The blue Ford Escort, was stolen from Busfest at the Three Counties Showground on September 7 between 11.30am and 5pm.
October – Flooding hits Malvern area with water levels still rising
October’s most read story was, unsurprisingly, our coverage of the flooding which hit Worcestershire.
More than 3,800 people read our story, and across the whole family of sites including our sister papers the Worcester News and Evesham Journal, more than 140,000 people followed our coverage.
November – Time running out for first-time buyers to take advantage of Help to Buy scheme
November’s most read story, seen by more than 6,600 people, was our story about how the deadline was fast approaching to apply for a Help to Buy Isa.
Financial expert Javed Ahmed, an associate at county law firm mfg Solicitors, said: “There are very few occasions in life when you will be offered what is effectively free money.”
December – Shocking picture of car which rolled off country road
Despite December being dominated by the general election, our most read story was not Harriett Baldwin’s re-election as West Worcestershire MP, it was the shocking photo of a car which rolled down the bank off a country road in Malvern.
3,100 people read this story, which, despite the damage done to the car, saw the driver walk away without a scratch.
