CENTURY-old cobbles at Kidderminster Train Station are being removed this week as part of a £4.3million redevelopment scheme.

The revamp, which will welcome a bigger glass-fronted station to Comberton Hill, is now in its second stage, starting with the removal of some of the forecourt's historic cobbles to allow for drainage works.

As part of the project, which is being led by Worcestershire County Council, most of the cobbles outside the new station will be replaced by Tarmac in an effort to improve safety and accessibility, while the stones at Severn Valley Railway will remain in place.

For some nostalgic rail users, their removal means losing a part of Kidderminster's heritage.

Mum-of-four Sarah Edwards said: "It's a perfectly good surface - pretty much maintenance free, yet it's being replaced by something that requires regular maintenance. It doesn't make sense.

"I understand it's not 100 per cent wheelchair friendly because people will need to get across it to get to the taxi rank and car park, but rather than remove it all, just replace a strip instead.

"Water will sit on the Tarmac and create puddles which are a hazard themselves.

"The cobbles are a central part of the town. They're part of our history and they're just going to be stripped away."

Kidderminster Shuttle:

Fellow resident Malcolm Ballard, who has lived in Kidderminster for 60 years, added: "I think it's a shame. I used to visit the town centre a lot in the 60s and those cobbles hold a lot of memories for me."

Worcestershire County Council says some of the cobbles will be reused as part of the redevelopment, but could not confirm what will happen with the rest.

Councillor Ken Pollock, cabinet member for economy and infrastructure, said: "The majority of cobbles, which belong to Network Rail, will be removed from the main station forecourt to make the station easier and safer to move around for all station users.

"Some of these cobbles will be retained and reused as part of the redevelopment to demarcate some of the forecourt.

"The cobbles at the forecourt of the Severn Valley Railway station will be retained to maintain its heritage feel and we are in discussions with Network Rail regarding the remaining cobbles."

A spokesman for Network Rail said the decision as to what happens with the remaining cobbles would be up to the county council.

The upgraded station, which will feature a new indoor waiting area, is set to be completed this autumn.