Am dram legend Roland dies

The president of a Cannock drama group who was heavily involved with productions in the town for more than 50 years has died.

Roland Bird, former director of Cannock town centre shop Mary Bird, dedicated countless hours of his spare time to his work with Cannock Chase Drama Society and was known for his performances as the Dame in its annual pantomime.

He joined the society soon after it was founded and was part of its first production, Quiet Wedding, in 1948.

Mr Bird's widow Janet, aged 73, added: "He was larger than life and very charismatic. He liked an audience and he loved having people at the house and liked people around him. He was so gregarious."Mr Bird was involved, either on stage or behind the scenes, with more than 150 productions.

Mr Bird, grandfather to 14-year-old Joshua and nine-year-old Olivia, died on December 30, aged 83, after suffering a cardiac arrest while at hospital for an unrelated matter.

Mr Bird, who was born in the town and lived near the town centre for his whole life, joined the Army in 1942 and served with the Royal Signals as a staff sergeant. He was demobbed in 1947 and helped his mother with the family business, the Mary Bird shop in Market Hall Street, and sold women's fashions, perfume and cosmetics. He ran it with his wife until he retired aged 70.

Mr Bird's funeral will be at Stafford Crematorium on Wednesday at 3pm.