Stories from Toby Neal | Shropshire Star

Toby Neal

Feature Writer

A journalist in Shropshire for 40 years, mainly writes features and columns, especially about aspects of Shropshire history. Lives in Telford.

January 18, 2025

Starmer may want us to embrace AI - but where does that leave us? - Toby Neal asks

Plus

News|Jan 18

January 17, 2025

Climbing trees, bows and arrows, scrapes and madcap adventures... - Toby Neal looks back on childhood before smartphones

Plus

Nostalgia|Jan 17

January 11, 2025

'Child Abuse Bill may have opposite effect - and cancelling at Elon Musk and Donald Trump's criticism won't move us forward' - star columnist Toby Neal warns

Plus

News|Jan 11

January 6, 2025

Mid tournament snow failed to checkmate Shropshire's premier chess event which set a new record for entries

Plus

News|Jan 6

January 4, 2025

Need a New Year's resolution? Hug a rightwinger and live life outside your phone camera

Plus

News|Jan 4

December 31, 2024

Shropshire's premier chess tournament has hit a new record for the number of entries amid a surge in interest in the game.

News|Dec 31, 2024

December 15, 2024

In the weeks before Christmas, refugees arrived - and Midlanders welcomed them

Plus

News|Dec 15, 2024

December 14, 2024

'Get it in quick so they blame the Tories' - Toby Neal on the Prime Minister's plans for pensioners this winter

Plus

News|Dec 14, 2024

December 7, 2024

'Tis the season to update your Christmas songs - Toby Neal's 2024 take on traditional tunes

Toby Neal|Dec 7, 2024

December 5, 2024

World Champion body builder from Shrewsbury 'Mr Universe' dies aged 72

News|Dec 5, 2024

Shropshire village's disappearing doorstop mystery takes a new turn in search for unique relic from Munslow Church

Plus

Nostalgia|Dec 5, 2024

November 30, 2024

The vandalism of Scrooge's gravestone could be a hate crime, says columnist Toby Neal

Plus

Toby Neal|Nov 30, 2024

November 28, 2024

Veteran Star man tasted the highs and lows

Plus

Nostalgia|Nov 28, 2024

November 23, 2024

Comment: 'Countryside Clobberer' Kier Starmer's inheritence tax plan means hard working people with pay the price for the public purse

Plus

Voices|Nov 23, 2024

November 20, 2024

Ironbridge car park fountain "is like an undiscovered Banksy"

Plus

Nostalgia|Nov 20, 2024

November 11, 2024

Toby Neal on politics: American election inquest and how Rachel Reeves' 'working people' get by

Plus

Toby Neal|Nov 11, 2024

November 9, 2024

Covid, war and the death of The Queen: Shropshire in the 2020s

Plus

Nostalgia|Nov 9, 2024

November 8, 2024

A look back at Shropshire in the 2010s, including Elton John in Shrewsbury

Plus

News|Nov 8, 2024

November 7, 2024

Turning back the clock to look at Shropshire in the 2000s

Plus

Nostalgia|Nov 7, 2024

November 6, 2024

Mammoth bones and financial woes – a look back on 1980s Shropshire

Nostalgia|Nov 6, 2024

Clay subsoil spelt doom for Percy Thrower's magnificent Magnolias

Features|Nov 6, 2024

November 5, 2024

Strikes, power cuts, rampant inflation: A look back on Shropshire in the 1970s

Plus

Nostalgia|Nov 5, 2024

November 4, 2024

A look back at Shropshire in the 1960s

Plus

Nostalgia|Nov 4, 2024

November 1, 2024

Battleship battle veteran Tony Ditcham dies at 102

Plus

Cleobury Mortimer|Nov 1, 2024

October 19, 2024

Why I'm literally furious at our use of the English language – Toby Neal

Plus

Features|Oct 19, 2024

October 18, 2024

Villagers' lost battle to save line of beauty

Features|Oct 18, 2024

October 16, 2024

Why Shrewsbury man may have climbed Everest first – new evidence revealed

Features|Oct 16, 2024

October 6, 2024

The day a 16-year-old boy was needed for a Shrewsbury Town league match - and held his own

Plus

Nostalgia|Oct 6, 2024

October 5, 2024

How the Shropshire Star came into being 60 years ago today

Nostalgia|Oct 5, 2024

October 4, 2024

Historic power loss has changed the landscape

Features|Oct 4, 2024

September 27, 2024

Double disaster at West Midlands manor house which robbed the nation

Plus

Nostalgia|Sep 27, 2024

August 31, 2024

'Gone has gone the sunlit uplands tone optimist Boris Johnson' – Toby Neal on doom-monger Keir Starmer

Features|Aug 31, 2024

August 26, 2024

Fog-gotten game denied goal ace Arthur a crucial score

Features|Aug 26, 2024

August 24, 2024

'Southport rioters are being handed out in-the-moment sentences to send out stern message'

Plus

Features|Aug 24, 2024

August 2, 2024

Progress on the move in county town

Features|Aug 2, 2024

July 29, 2024

Revealed – the haunting legend of Wolverhampton Royal School's Long Dorm

Plus

Features|Jul 29, 2024

July 27, 2024

Toby Neal – The strange story of Bill of the Big Medal

Plus

Features|Jul 27, 2024

Environmental message in Roy's new book

Madeley|Jul 27, 2024

July 20, 2024

'Trump cannot lose as he is chosen by God' – Toby Neal

Features|Jul 20, 2024

July 13, 2024

Political column - July 13

Features|Jul 13, 2024

July 12, 2024

Death of former councillor and teacher who was colleague of prominent TV campaigner

Plus

Madeley|Jul 12, 2024

July 6, 2024

Toby Neal - 'It's a new dawn, but without the charisma'

Plus

Features|Jul 6, 2024

July 1, 2024

Old photo throws up a giant mystery

Features|Jul 1, 2024

June 29, 2024

Political column - June 29

Features|Jun 29, 2024

June 17, 2024

Kingswood – A camp of children's laughter that rose again

Features|Jun 17, 2024

June 15, 2024

Political column – June 15

Features|Jun 15, 2024

June 8, 2024

Incredible story of Wolverhampton's famous Sunbeam car that missed its land speed record target

Plus

Features|Jun 8, 2024

Political column – June 8

Features|Jun 8, 2024

June 1, 2024

Political column - June 1

Features|Jun 1, 2024

May 31, 2024

Perfect pub received accolade from yodelling star

Features|May 31, 2024

Toby Neal

Starmer may want us to embrace AI - but where does that leave us? - Toby Neal asks

Climbing trees, bows and arrows, scrapes and madcap adventures... - Toby Neal looks back on childhood before smartphones

'Child Abuse Bill may have opposite effect - and cancelling at Elon Musk and Donald Trump's criticism won't move us forward' - star columnist Toby Neal warns

Mid tournament snow failed to checkmate Shropshire's premier chess event which set a new record for entries

Need a New Year's resolution? Hug a rightwinger and live life outside your phone camera

Shropshire's premier chess tournament has hit a new record for the number of entries amid a surge in interest in the game.

In the weeks before Christmas, refugees arrived ­- and Midlanders welcomed them

'Get it in quick so they blame the Tories' - Toby Neal on the Prime Minister's plans for pensioners this winter

'Tis the season to update your Christmas songs - Toby Neal's 2024 take on traditional tunes

World Champion body builder from Shrewsbury 'Mr Universe' dies aged 72

Shropshire village's disappearing doorstop mystery takes a new turn in search for unique relic from Munslow Church

The vandalism of Scrooge's gravestone could be a hate crime, says columnist Toby Neal

Veteran Star man tasted the highs and lows

Comment: 'Countryside Clobberer' Kier Starmer's inheritence tax plan means hard working people with pay the price for the public purse

Ironbridge car park fountain "is like an undiscovered Banksy"

Toby Neal on politics: American election inquest and how Rachel Reeves' 'working people' get by

Covid, war and the death of The Queen: Shropshire in the 2020s

A look back at Shropshire in the 2010s, including Elton John in Shrewsbury

Turning back the clock to look at Shropshire in the 2000s

Mammoth bones and financial woes – a look back on 1980s Shropshire

Clay subsoil spelt doom for Percy Thrower's magnificent Magnolias

Strikes, power cuts, rampant inflation: A look back on Shropshire in the 1970s

A look back at Shropshire in the 1960s

Battleship battle veteran Tony Ditcham dies at 102

Why I'm literally furious at our use of the English language – Toby Neal

Villagers' lost battle to save line of beauty

Why Shrewsbury man may have climbed Everest first – new evidence revealed

The day a 16-year-old boy was needed for a Shrewsbury Town league match - and held his own

How the Shropshire Star came into being 60 years ago today

Historic power loss has changed the landscape

Double disaster at West Midlands manor house which robbed the nation

'Gone has gone the sunlit uplands tone optimist Boris Johnson' – Toby Neal on doom-monger Keir Starmer

Fog-gotten game denied goal ace Arthur a crucial score

'Southport rioters are being handed out in-the-moment sentences to send out stern message'

Progress on the move in county town

Revealed – the haunting legend of Wolverhampton Royal School's Long Dorm

Toby Neal – The strange story of Bill of the Big Medal

Environmental message in Roy's new book

'Trump cannot lose as he is chosen by God' – Toby Neal

Political column - July 13

Death of former councillor and teacher who was colleague of prominent TV campaigner

Toby Neal - 'It's a new dawn, but without the charisma'

Old photo throws up a giant mystery

Political column - June 29

Kingswood – A camp of children's laughter that rose again

Political column – June 15

Incredible story of Wolverhampton's famous Sunbeam car that missed its land speed record target

Political column – June 8

Political column - June 1

Perfect pub received accolade from yodelling star

In the weeks before Christmas, refugees arrived - and Midlanders welcomed them