SAD news: Pedigree the Brewers' cat is no more.

An era ended last week when the long-time resident mascot of our village pub made his final trip to the vet's, aged 20. Pedigree and his litter sister Stella (as in lager!) were brought as kittens from the Shropshire village of Picklescott in 1995 by Bobbin Payne as a 70th birthday gift to the late Len Cole, who lived next door to the Brewers and spent most of his days in the corner by the bar doing the crossword. They got into the habit of coming to the pub to remind Len when it was their teatime, and in due course joined their master as semi-resident regulars. Both cats were originally (and imaginatively!) named by Len as Puddytat; Pedigree acquired his later name through his liking for sleeping by the Marstons pump on the bar. When Len died in 2006, the cats sensibly decided to stay on and enjoy the pub's comforts. Until last week Pedigree was usually to be seen sleeping in his own bed on the windowsill, impervious alike to the disturbances of noisy drinkers and visiting dogs. RIP Pedigree!

And of course life goes on at the Brewers. Tomorrow the pub will host the latest Cricket Club quiz, starting at 7.30pm under genial question master Ian Clayton. An enjoyable way to spend a February evening among friends and support our local team.

COLIN JACKSON 01684 577604