Local rock band, Eclipse provided a great evening of entertainment at the Prince of Wales on Saturday evening. The band played a great range of cover songs, ranging from 'Runaway Train' to 'Sweet Child of Mine', which soon had the audience up on their feet, dancing the night away.

It was good to see you all again guys. We all thoroughly enjoyed our evening and hope to get to see you again soon.

The next meeting of Ross U3A will be the AGM on Monday, 19th February at 2.30 pm in the Larruperz Centre. Nominations have been received for all the committee vacancies, including the Chairmanship.

A brief musical entertainment will follow the AGM and after tea, a Business Meeting will be held. New members or prospective members are welcome to attend. Telephone: 01989 567107 or 01989 763166 for further information.

Ross U3A is the University of the Third Age. U3A is an international organization for older people, run by older people. Ross U3A holds a monthly meeting, normally with a speaker, and offer twenty different groups with educational, social and physical aims.

Tina and I have been sleeping at the White Lion at Wilton as Tina is looking after the Inn whilst landlord and landlady Dave and Jacqui are away on holiday, and this has provided something of a nature photographing opportunity, without having to leave the comfort of our bedroom.

Below are just three photos from the location: a swan flying past the Royal Hotel and a robin by the river, directly outside.

I did also manage a very short video clip of a kingfisher. I have not included it here however as I handheld the camera and it is quite shaky. I am hoping to catch some kingfisher video for next week and, if possible, some otter film. Can't promise either as nature is nature and I have not actually seen otters for the past two weeks due to high water levels, but the river is receding and I will try my best to catch them.

Ever since Kingswood established themselves as league leaders prior to the Christmas break, Ross knew that their trip to Bristol would go someway to deciding which team would top this competitive league. Kingwood had gone fifteen months without losing at home and as league leaders, fancied themselves to continue their winning ways. Ross unbeaten since the opening day of the season were looking to continue their impressive unbeaten run. The game played out on a heavy pitch proved a titanic battle with both sets of forwards giving their all. However, Ross showed the greater composure when it mattered and prevailed after more than twenty minutes of extra time, added on by the referee.

Kingswood had achieved league leader status through their uncompromising forward play, and with home advantage dominated territory and possession for the opening quarter. Ross found themselves in the main camped in their twenty two. However, they did not panic. Wave after wave of rolling mauls were set up by Kingswood, however the Ross pack with Tim Hanks and Matt Jones to the fore put their bodies on the line and prevented Kingswood from opening the scoring.

As the game entered the second quarter with no score Ross began to get back into the game. Having seen off the opening salvo from the Kingswood pack, Ross began to establish a platform of possession with Gavin Oates and Matt Redman securing quality ball. Both Simon Gwynne and Chris Gage were now turning that possession into field position with some well directed and weighted kicks. After a Kingswood infringement Chris Gage sent a towering penalty kick within 5 yards of the Kingswood line. The Ross pack sensed an opening score. Nick Rawlings found his jumpers and Ross set up a driving maul. Both Wayne Williams and Mike Davies went close but the Kingswood defence were holding out. Ross did not panic though and after Matt Redman had set up another maul, Tara Barnett broke off left, to crash over to score, giving Ross a 5-0 lead. Kingswood converted a penalty just before half-time giving Ross a 5-3 half-time lead.

Ross showed greater urgency in the second half, looking to move the ball wider and give their wingers Wayne Bishop and Baz Parker the opportunity to test the Kingswood defence. This strategy put Kingswood on the back foot as unlike the first half, Ross dominated territory early on and, as a result opened the scoring in the second half. The Ross forwards had set up good field position some 40 yards from goal. Chay Brine fed Alistair Rees who broke through the first tackle from the ensuing ruck Kingswood killed the ball and from 30 yards Chris Gage converted the penalty. Within 5 minutes Kingswood infringed again and Chris Gage converted. With 60 minutes gone, Ross were now 11-3 up.

Ross brought on fresh legs in the shape of Paul Hayward and Andy Lovering and with their proud home record under threat, Kingswood launched a last gasp effort. After some interesting referee decisions, Kingswood finally found themselves in the Ross twenty two with only minutes remaining from a lineout, they set up a driving maul and finally broke through a tiring Ross defence to score. The conversion was missed leaving Ross 11-8 up with only 2 minutes left on the clock. However the referee had other ideas and Ross had to endure a further 22 minutes of injury time before the ref finally blew for full time. After a titanic battle Ross had prevailed 11-8, after a brilliant defensive performance.

Ross are back in league action on Saturday, 3rd February against Cotham Park. Kick off is at 2.30 PM, at Ross Sports Centre.

Ross-on-Wye Weather Station is located by the tennis courts and bowling green at 'Crossfields' and is one of the important stations around the country which regularly sends data to the Meteorological Office. This is why Ross-on-Wye is sometimes mentioned on the BBC weather reports. It is currently still a manually monitored station and readings are taken twice per day by husband and wife team, June and Rex Swallow.

If you have a local news item or story of local interest which you would like to appear on Wyenot News you are very welcome to submit it by email, telephone or by post.

Please advise as early as possible if you would like me to photograph your local event so that I can put it in my diary. This service is offered strictly on a first come, first served basis.

Many Wyenot News photographs appear in various local newspapers and magazines. This does not imply that Wyenot News or any other part of this web site belongs to those publications. Wyenot News is a totally independent news magazine.

Contacting Wyenot News:

Email: please click here.

Telephone: 01989 763217 - Mobile: 0779 683 4077

Postal address: Wyenot News, 1, Hillview Road, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire. HR9 7EY

If you would like to order prints from Wyenot News photographs, please click here.

Prints are only available for photographs taken by Wyenot News (Not of those which have been sent in by readers).

Prints of 'people' photographs are only available to those directly involved in the news event covered. i.e. I do not sell prints of people to the general public.