A small group of Ross-on-Wye Girl Guides were given a guided tour of Ross on Saturday by Mary of Ross Heritage Centre. Mary talked to the girls about how Ross market began, how the Heritage Centre building had changed over the years and showed them John Kyrle's house, telling them about the town's greatest benefactor.

Later, Mary led the girls up through the churchyard to the Prospect Gardens where two of the guides made their Guides promise. You can see Amy and her friend make their promise on this week's edition of WNTV News.

If your group would like an interesting and informative guided walk around Ross-on-Wye, contact Mary at Ross Heritage Centre, for further details.

On Saturday, Ross Scout group manned the tills at Morrison's store to help shoppers to pack their shopping. There were Beaver Scouts, Cub Scouts, Scouts and Explorer Scouts, along with Leaders and parents.

Thanks to the generosity of the public of Ross, over £800 was collected during the day. Group Chairman Alan Harrison said, 'This is the first time I have been involved with this activity and I am overwhelmed by the response from the public.' Shoppers commented on the good behaviour and turnout of the young people.

As the Christmas period approaches, EnviroAbility thought it appropriate to tell those who receive the kerbside collections of the times they will be collecting over Christmas.

The Re-Box recycling collections will not be running on the 24th and 25th December, but will operate as normal all other days. Staff and volunteers will be out on the trucks collecting the bottles, cans and paper that have built up over the festive period.

We would also like to inform customers that use the Shop Mobility scheme, that there will be a weeks closure from Tuesday, 25th December until the service reopens on Wednesday, 2nd January.

The Manager, staff , volunteers and all those involved at EnviroAbility would like to wish all their customers a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

On a cold afternoon in Bristol, Ross finally broke their away duck. They registered their first away win this season, edging Bishopston out in the final minute after a tense and tight game. This game ebbed and flowed as the lead changed on four occasions, but when it mattered, on the final whistle Ross had their noses in front and came away with the spoils.

It was the home team that started the strongest. Using the slope and the wind to their advantage, they quickly took control of possession and territory, forcing Ross to defend in their own twenty two. Initially, some strong tackling from Gavin Oates, Tim Hanks and Ashley Nelms kept Bishopston at bay. However after 15 minutes the first crack appeared and Bishopston opened the scoring with a try and conversion. The score seemed to lift Ross from their torpor,and they slowly began to get themselves back into the game.

Chris Gage began to give his forwards some territory and with the set piece working well, it was now Bishopston's time to defend; and defend they did. Most of the time not legally, however and after a number of infringements, Chris Gage converted a penalty to put them 7-3 down. The Ross pack continued to dominate territory and after another infringement Ross took the lead.

Wayne Williams found Matt Taylor from a lineout and the forwards set up a driving maul. Good work from Mike Davies, then Tara Barnett, put Ross on the front foot. Some good handling from Ali Hunter-Blair put Wayne Bishop in space. He outpaced his opposite number, then had the strength to crash through the tackle of the fullback to score, putting Ross 8-7 up. Bishopston forwards continued to infringe and with the half drawing to a close, the Bishopston lock forward was dismissed for stamping.

With Bishopston now one man down, the game was there for the taking. However, it was the home team that had the better of the third quarter, scoring a try to put them 12-8 ahead. As the game entered the final quarter, Ross again snatched the lead. The Ross back line had set wing Luke Gray free on the left. He was tackled but quick ball was moved right before fullback, Ali Hunter-Blair cut through the defence to score under the posts. Chris Gage converted, putting Ross 15-12 up.

Again Bishopston came back hard at Ross and in the space of 5 minutes had added a penalty and a try giving them a 20-15 lead, with less than ten minutes to go. Once again the Ross pack raised their game. Driving hard into the Bishopston defence and after what seemed an eternity in the Bishopston twenty two, Ali Hunter-Blair cut through the defence again to score. Chris Gage added the conversion, to put Ross 22-20 ahead, with only a minute remaining. From the restart Ross controlled possession and closed the game out.

The Walford Timber man of the match was Ali Hunter-Blair.

Ross 2nds travelled to Pershore on Saturday for a Midlands Merit table game and came away with a fine 27-0 victory. Ross got off to flying start with a try in the first 10 minutes.

Ross put in at the scrum and saw scrum half, C. Powell give quick ball to B. Parker, who raced through the Pershore centres and drew the full back, before delivering a well timed pass to winger C. Dixon who brushed off his opposite wing to score in the corner. After this try, Ross realized this was the way to play against the big Pershore pack, running them around at every opportunity.

Although not pushing the Pershore pack back, Ross won a fair share of the opposition's ball due to some fine work at scrum time by C. Godwin and L. Lusty. Matt Winstanley also had a fine game, stealing lineout ball and giving Ross a good platform for the backs to run at Pershore. After further pressure from Ross, Pershore conceded a penalty that A. Bevan converted, to make it 8-0 at half time.

At the restart, T. Small caught the kick off and drove 10 metres before setting a ruck. A quick ball on the blind side saw C. Dixon receive the ball and beat his man to score his second try of the game with A Bevan adding the conversion.

Pershore upped their effort and for a 10-minute spell,l put Ross under severe pressure. Good defensive play by B. Parker, G. Holdsworth and C. Price, plus dogged determination at not wanting to concede a point, eventually paid off, with Bevan clearing his line with a fine 40 metre kick.

From the lineout, M. Winstanley stole Pershore ball. A fine break by C. Powell found B. Parker to burst over for Ross's third try, with Bevan, once again adding the conversion. By now Ross had taken the sting out of the Pershore 15 and rounded off a fine display with C. Dixon adding his third try of the match to give a final score of 27-0.

Congratulations to the Ross 15 in general, but man of the match, for his three tries went to C. Dixon. This win keeps Ross top of the Merit table. The next Merit table match is on 5th January away to Evesham.

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.

A new scheme to tackle crime in rural areas is now up and running in the Bromyard area, helping to provide extra 'eyes and ears' for the countryside.

Rural Watch has been established by the police and rural farms and businesses in a bid to deter crime in the more remote areas of the county.

'It is similar to the established Neighbourhood Watch schemes and we hold meetings to discuss rural crimes, such as theft of scrap metal, vehicles and farm machinery, as well as house burglaries and break-ins to sheds and outbuildings,' said PC Jill Richardson, who has helped set up the scheme as part of her role as Local Police Officer for the Bromyard Rural area. 'It's a two way information sharing scheme, where we issue bulletins about such things as suspicious activities or unusual vehicles in the vicinity. We in turn receive information about anything that arouses suspicions in the community.

While crime is at a low level in Herefordshire overall, it is still present in our rural areas and historically this has affected isolated farms and businesses as well as rural homes. Rural Watch aims to further promote the close community feel that often exists in these locations, with an 'eyes and ears' approach to crime prevention that brings together the police and the rural communities.'

Rural Watch is already proving its value and anyone in the Bromyard area wanting to join - and receive special stickers or sign boards for their farm or rural business - can contact PC Richardson on 07816 548932 or the Bromyard Rural Local Policing Team on 01432 346713.

You can also contact PC Richardson by email at jill.richardson@westmercia.pnn.police.uk.

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