WHILE there were lots of hard news stories in your Worcester News last year - 2019 also saw some fun and bizarre tales.

Here are 9 of the best bizarre, weird and fun stories from the past year:

Malvern pool turns green

THE swimming pool at Malvern Splash was forced to close last January after the water reportedly ‘turned green’.

The Malvern Splash Facebook page announced the closure and ‘technical issues in the plant room’ was blamed.

Some readers compared it famously to the two Olympic competition pools that mysteriously turned green at the last Olympics in Rio, in 2016.

Repairs to plant machinery at the Malvern Splash leisure centre took place to return the pool back to blue.

Shock as man discovers snail in McDonald's burger

A MAN spoke of his shock when he bit into a McDonald's burger and discovered a dead snail.

The snail was found in a South Caroline Stack, and Mr Griffiths added he was keeping the meal, which includes the snail, in his freezer "as evidence".

The burger was delivered by UberEats from the McDonald's in Hylton Road, Worcester, and Aiden Griffiths said both were blaming each other for the slimy surprise.

Human tooth found in takeaway curry

STICKING with the takeaway theme, in October a couple claimed they found a human tooth in their Chinese takeaway.

Stephanie McDonough and David Burrows said they were happily tucking into their curries one Friday night at their home in Warndon when they allegedly found what appeared to be a large molar tooth.

Their Facebook post warning people against using Newtown Cantonese Takeaway went viral, but the restaurant reportedly denied it was a tooth and later declined to speak to the Worcester News.

Worcestershire Regulatory Services inspectors investigated the takeaway, and the tooth was wrapped in cling-film and plastic bags and kept in Ms McDonough’s freezer.

Councillor calls on ice cream makers to make a Worcestershire flavour

AN ice cream-loving councillor challenged the county's producers to find a unique Worcestershire flavour to help celebrate a proposed new festival.

Councillor Richard Udall said he wanted to see an ice cream extravaganza take place along the city's riverside and suggested Worcestershire Sauce, Black Pear, asparagus and Worcester Pearmain as potential heavy hitting flavours to sit on top of a county-commemorating cone.

"I am a huge ice cream fan and I have been asking for a festival in the city for as long as I can remember," the St John's councillor said.

But the councillor said he needed support to get the festival off the ground.

Bizarre items found at city's Travelodge

EARLIER this year the bizarre items left behind at a Travelodge in Worcester were revealed, that included a wedding dress and a chandelier.

Also left behind in the city hotel was a contract of employment, a pair of diamond earrings and Eurostar tickets.

All items left behind in Travelodge hotels and not claimed within three months are donated to local British Heart Foundation charity shops, Travelodge’s Charity Partner said.

Steven Collins becomes Spooky

'SPOOKY' Steven Collins, a reporter known for haunting many a place and person in the pursuit of a story, turned his focus to Halloween in October.

The reporter explored the Worcester News building, rumoured to be haunted, before previewing the best of the frighteningly good events around our city.

"Prowling the corridors in the depths of the building, I often hear strange noises – but it could just be the old heating system, or the hot air emitted by my colleagues," the reporter said.

Crossroads TV star supports Crossroads charity

A TELEPHONE box in Powick which had been adopted by a care charity was officially opened by an actor from the TV series that inspired it.

The box has been adopted by the Worcestershire branch of Crossroads Caring for Carers, whose patron is Tony Adams who played the character Adam Chance in the TV soap Crossroads, and it was opened at the Powick Crossroads.

The phone box was one of those which was made redundant by British Telecom, and Worcestershire Crossroads Caring for Carers bought it for £1 and transformed it into an information and recruitment point.

'I've made my own coffin - and will use it as a bookshelf' - Worcester councillor

A COUNCILLOR built her own coffin - but, for now, will be using it as a bookshelf at her home.

Councillor Ceri Stalker, spent six weeks building her coffin at an adult wood working course.

She said she made the bizarre choice in the hope it will save her family money on funeral services.

Cllr Stalker said: “Originally, I had an idea to make a plant stand, but I had second thoughts and decided to make something more useful.

“I knew I wanted to make a coffin," she added.

Seagulls saved from the cull

AND in October there was good news for the seagulls of the city after Worcester City Council, that has spent years tackling the significant seagull population, decided not to proceed with a cull.

Worcester City Council's environment committee met to discuss options to control gull stock, and Chairman Joy Squires said a cull was a non-starter, after receiving legal advice that found it would be illegal.

Instead the authority would continue to explore other options including lasers, drones and the fake eggs.