IT will be the broadcast that nearly wasn't when Radio Winchcombe takes to the air from 7am on Thursday, October 25.

The community station nearly had to forgo its regular autumn broadcast because it took to the airways for an emergency information service during the floods in July.

Ofcom first ruled that broadcast illegal and then said it could go ahead provided the October slot was forfeited, then charged a transmission licence.

Following an outcry, including pressure from local MP Lawrence Robertson, the October broadcast was saved and much of the licence fee refunded.

The October broadcast, which runs for four days for the first time, will include discussion on the flood issues in the daily breakfast show and in a series of programmes called Focus to be aired at noon on the first three days.

Mr Robertson will also be on hand to answer listeners' questions on a variety of subjects.

This autumn's broadcast sees much more emphasis on drama, thanks to the help of new equipment purchased with various grants and through station fundraising.

Winchcombe School year seven pupils recorded a production of retired headmaster Gordon Ottewell's ghostly play A Welcoming Light, aired on Friday at 9pm and 2.45pm on Saturday.

Another play, Really Beautiful Company, is based on visits to Winchcombe in the early 1900s by Australian composer Percy Grainger, as part of his quest for traditional folksongs. The production includes several of the songs he heard there performed by folk-group Puzzlejug.

Topical sketches will be presented in Variety Hour and there will be music to suit all tastes from pop, rock and jazz, through country and western and brass band music, to church and classical.

Programmes on local history include an interview with Lord Neidpath about Stanway House, while Fr Peter Slocombe tells of his recent visit to Tibet, and local firefighters describe a visit to Peru.

Winchcombe Radio can be heard on 87.7FM.