It was only supposed to last three months. Six years later she was still firing from the lip, Elsie Tanner style.

Since when did cooking walnut cake in a rush become a sport?

Len Woodhall, who made a champ out of son Richie, shares his ringcraft secrets with Ben Bentley.

Elf and safety! A bulbous-nosed gnome flashes a cheeky smile from the herbaceous border, while a sentry meerkat wears a red bandana to show off his status

Advice from the Shropshire Institute of Advanced Drivers for those venturing out on icy mornings

Ben Bentley takes a driver safety awareness course and realises you can never be a good enough driver to not need to continue learning.

Worried that you may not be able to make changes to your new home? Ben Bentley meets the land search officers who can give you all the information you need before you buy.

Blog: Federico Macheda is in the wrong job, writes Ben Bentley. The Manchester United starlet should have listened to his careers advisor and instead applied for the role of cultural spokesman for modern society.

New research suggests that many of us are living in “clone towns” where independent stores are drowned by national chains. But is Shropshire bucking the trend?

Blog: I envy Tim Burton, Ben Bentley admits. And not just because his partner is Helena Bonham Carter.

Feature writer Ben Bentley took a copy of Nintendo’s Face Training software to a hair salon in Telford – and got some surprising results.

It was to be a proud moment, and one that vintage car racer David Rushton had looked forward to for some time writes Ben Bentley.

Shropshire people are among the highest spenders in the land when it comes to following sport. Ben Bentley investigates.

Shropshire’s Kaleidoscope Theatre group was the first of its kind in the world and opened up so many closed doors for youngsters with Down’s Syndrome. Ben Bentley finds out more.

The Bentley family visit southern Ireland in a bid to research the lives of Kate’s ancestors.

Two teenage Shropshire lads are off to compete for the country tomorrow in their sailing class world – championships in France.

There is one hot topic dominating the discussion on this week’s podcast – male ironing.

Shropshire husbands looking to earn a few brownie points were today advised to forget the flowers and get ironing instead. And our columnists seem to agree.

We was robbed, weeps Ben Bentley. Well, okay, we left the shop door open, the safe ajar and a note on the counter saying: “Please can you lock up when you leave and pop the keys under the pot plant”, BUT we was robbed. . .

My plea is guilty, confesses Ben Bentley.

Hundreds of hip Shropshire and Mid Wales revellers flocked to a unique forest location in Anglesey over the weekend for a new ’boutique’ music festival created by a former Shrewsbury School pupil.

A little boy’s dream begins to come true as fire laps at his short and curlies, smoke swirls about his ears and sense of rumbling inevitability is replaced with a sensation that can only be likened to the earth starting to move.

More people are becoming home farmers, keeping chickens, hens and pigs. The Shropshire Smallholders Group has members from all walks of life, from vicars with pigs to hippy-types who want to live a greener life.

A pint of beer in Shropshire is cheaper than almost anywhere else the country, according to a study published today.

Seventy years on from the start of World War Two, Shropshire soldiers are fighting a different kind of battle on the other side of the globe.

Are shoppers avoiding one of Shropshire’s busiest retail areas because of its growing army of so-called “charity muggers”?

Traditional toys are making a comeback across Shropshire.

Ben Bentley and family join the growing army of people spending their holiday at home.

Pubs aren’t just a place where you can drink. You can even learn French at one county inn. Ben Bentley reports.

Ben Bentley learns more about the cameras that follow our every move.