Archive
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Mum's marathon to honour brave son
GAZETTE & HERALD: MUM-of-two Cara Mead will muster all her pedal power before Saturday when she embarks on a seven-day cycle challenge around Wiltshire. Mrs Mead, 32, of The Ridings, Kington St Michael, has planned the mammoth 250-mile bike ride in
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Drug-taking pupils expelled
GAZETTE & HERALD: TWO schoolboys have been expelled from Sheldon School, Chippenham, after smoking cannabis during a lunch break on Tuesday last week. The boys, aged 14, were sent home straight after the incident, which took place in a field behind
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Revamp of town centre footpaths flies into flak
GAZETTE & HERALD: North Wiltshire District Council's Chippenham area committee has poured cold water over plans to revamp footpaths and roads in the centre of town and branded them a waste of money. Wiltshire County Council has taken on consultants
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Never to be forgotten
16225/13GAZETTE & HERALD: THE MAN in charge of RAF Lyneham has paid a poignant tribute to the servicemen killed in the Hercules crash in Iraq, saying: "They were brothers in arms, united in the love and pride they took in what they did." Salisbury
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Opposition grows to trading estate extension
GAZETTE & HERALD: POTLEY Lane residents are fighting plans for an extension to Leafield Industrial Estate that could come within metres of their homes. The area has been identified for development in the future in the Local Plan 2011 Designated Employment
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Let's talk!
NEGOTIATIONS to try and extend Sam Parkin's County Ground contract are expected to begin when the player returns from his Australian holiday. The lines of communication have already been opened with the player's agent although there are obviously no guarantees
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Dickens play in jeopardy
GAZETTE & HERALD: CHARLES Dickens is due to make a visit to Corsham this summer, when the Pickwick Theatre Company holds a celebration of the writer and performs a play based on the Pickwick Papers. But the project could be scrapped if the company
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Mystery of merchant's ring found in field
GAZETTE & HERALD: Treasure hunter Tony Mims wants townspeople to help him unlock the history behind a silver medieval ring he discovered on a Malmesbury farm. Mr Mims, a 48-year-old lorry driver from Pinewood Way, Colerne, unearthed the 15th century
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Springboard patron to be in sponsored walk
LADY Lansdowne this week appealed for Gazette readers to join her on a sponsored walk around the historic Bowood estate to raise much-needed pounds for the Springboard Appeal. Anyone can take part in the event, and there is the option of raising sponsorship
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Cash paves way for bright ideas
Enterprising business initiatives to give North Wiltshire towns a boost could win thousands of pounds in funding from North Wiltshire District Council. It has a fund of £35,000 available to support innovative projects that encourage town centre improvement
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£3m mansion is sold but it's not to Robbie
ESTATE agents selling a manor house in the Pewsey Vale have denied rumours that superstar Robbie Williams is interested in the property. News that Williams is not buying the Manor House in Milton Lilbourne will be greeted with mixed feelings but largely
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Champagne celebration for agency birthday
An independent Chippenham estate agency is celebrating its first year in business this month. Since its launch in May 2004, the Michael Antony estate agency in New Road has gone from strength to strength- and its success has enabled proprietor, Chris
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New shops bring about trade revival in street
TWO new shops have opened in Marlborough, helping bring about a revival of trade in Kingsbury Street. All of the shops are now occupied in the street, which also houses the popular Coles Restaurant. Candle City has opened in the former bookshop opposite
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Candles light the way to success for single mum
Single mum Cheryle Walton has turned her fortunes around to become a successful businesswoman heading a sales team of 30, selling candles at parties. Ms Walton, from Chippenham, picked and trained her team and her sales figures have just won her an all
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Temporary car park is disaster, say traders
A temporary car park in Malmesbury which cost £10,000 to set up has proved a disaster, according to town councillors and traders. The overflow car park opened on All Fools Day, April 1, at the Station Yard Car Park in Malmesbury. It was intended to alleviate
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Residents form pressure group
White Lion Park residents in Malmesbury who bitterly opposed a skatepark being located near their houses are forming an association to improve recreation facilities. Householders were furious when town councillors proposed using a field near the 136-home
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Man dies on garden visit
STAFF at Abbey House Gardens in Malmesbury fought in vain to revive an 80-year-old man who collapsed during a visit on Monday. The visitor from Martock in Somerset, was on a coach trip with the Over Stratton Garden Club in Somerset, when he collapsed
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Toads' nursery made into nature reserve
Coun Bernard Ingham, Ann Skinner, NWDC's Mike Hasted, mayor Jacky Martin, English Nature's Jerry Hamersley and Coun Peter Davis 16227/1Nature lovers in Corston have been celebrating official recognition of their village quarry as a local nature reserve
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Mystery of medieval ring
Treasure hunter Tony Mims wants townspeople to help him unlock the history behind a silver medieval ring he discovered on a Malmesbury farm. Mr Mims, a 48-year-old lorry driver from Pinewood Way, Colerne, unearthed the 15th century ring with his metal
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Mother pursues burglars from home
Scheming burglars got a nasty shock when a mother-of-three from Minety chased them after they looted £1,200 of goods from her property. Nicky Hedderwick from Flisteridge Road, in Upper Minety, was up at around 5.30am last Thursday when she heard noise
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Accolade for teacher
16256/1Malmesbury School teacher Paul Thompson's success in making learning enjoyable for generations of townspeople has been recognised by the Department for Education and Skills. The 59-year-old from Milbourne in Malmesbury has reached the West of England
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Residents get to shape future
Librarian Carolyn Kennedy perusing the Community Plan, which is on display at Malmesbury Library 16148/5People in Malmesbury and nearby villages are having their say on how their communities should be developed. RONAN MCCaughey looked at the details A
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Mayor wants skate park and to improve play area
161661/1NEWLY elected mayor Jacky Martin has vowed to improve the lives of young people living in Malmesbury by securing a skate park for the town. The mayor, who speaks French, Spanish and German, wants more outdoor facilities at the Worthies sports
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Inquest date set on Amanda death
Amanda EdwardsANGUISHED parents Lee and Beverely Edwards hope their year long wait for answers following the murder of their daughter Amanda is nearly over. An inquest into her death is set to be held on June 22 and 23 at either Swindon or Devizes. The
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Rain frustrates the skippers
HEAVY rain washed out all the local West of England League games and left captains frustrated. They are now all planning victory in the coming week's games. One team that wanted to get back to winning ways was Premier One side Corsham, after their four-wicket
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Boss confident as season begins
WILTSHIRE open their Minor Counties Championship campaign with an away match against Oxfordshire at Banbury. The three-day came, starting May 29 signals the start of what manager Brian White believes will be a successful season. Buoyed by their performance
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County side will be hit by new rules on average age
WILTSHIRE could be faced with having to drop older players next season because of new rules being introduced by the English Cricket Board. From next season minor counties sides will have to have an average age of under 26 over the season or face losing
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Good showing by garden stars at Chelsea
Gill Dawson and Lesley Roberts, of Pop's Plants. DA7991P002DOWNTON auricula growers Lesley Roberts and Gil Dawson, of Pop's Plants, won silver-gilt flora at this year's RHS Chelsea Flower Show. It is the auricula specialists' third consecutive year at
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Benefit cheat may be jailed
Mario Young leaving Salisbury Crown Court.A BENEFIT cheat is facing up to a year in prison, after pleading guilty to fraudulently receiving £27,000 in income support, Salisbury Crown Court heard on Friday. Mario Young (38) claimed handouts between November
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Branch joins high society
STROUD and Swindon building society has marked the opening of the newly refurbished Highworth branch with a party for customers and staff. The refit, which took two months to finish, has involved a new colour scheme, redecorated interview rooms, and a
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Skills bank to help charities
A TRAILBLAZING scheme aimed at helping good causes get the most out of Swindon businesses is looking for new recruits. Swindon Employees in the Community Network is believed to be the only local network of its type in the country. It aims to match up
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Constables prove why they are so special
Police constables Derek Flexer and Kate Granger-Williams are two of the most special Specials around. Section Officer at Wootton Bassett Derek Flexer, 45, was awarded the Chief Constable's Award for outstanding contribution to their section while Special
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Pupils get in carnival spirit
CHILDREN from a Wootton Bassett primary school had a taste of carnival fever when they were put through their paces by members of Swindon Dance on Monday and Tuesday. The pupils from Noremarsh School, in Wootton Bassett, were taught dances they will perform
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Inquest date set on Amanda death
Amanda EdwardsANGUISHED parents Lee and Beverely Edwards hope their year long wait for answers following the murder of their daughter Amanda is nearly over. An inquest into her death is set to be held on June 22 and 23 at either Swindon or Devizes. The
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Evans hands out club's trophies
HIGHWORTH Junior Football Club drew the 2004-05 season to a close with the annual presentation evening held at the Rec. Presenting the trophies was Highworth old boy, Swindon Town goalkeeper Rhys Evans. He presented trophies to all age groups including
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Twins peak as Chavs triumph in Manchester
CALNE twins Steven and Graham Dean's football skills graced a Premiership pitch as they beat a side from Hull. Lightning struck twice for Steven when he won a competition run by Reebok and Sports Soccer in Swindon for a second year in a row. Last year
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Councillors welcome £70m golf hotel plan
KENNET planners have given an enthusiastic welcome to the proposed £70 million golf hotel at Tottenham House in Savernake Forest. The Earl of Cardigan, his wife, and son, Viscount Savernake, were at the council's regulatory committee meeting on Thursday
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Parents fight bid to merge school
Picture Ref: 77613-89PARENTS at a Swindon primary school are fighting to save it from being merged with a larger school. Windmill Hill is one of four West Swindon primary schools which could be closed or amalgamated to tackle surplus school places. Salt
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Deep sea bugs help medicine
AN effective antibiotic to fight the hospital superbug MRSA could have moved closer thanks to a discovery funded by a Swindon research council. Microbiologists investigating sediments taken from sea beds across the world have found a new species of bacteria
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Replica gun led to panic in park
A TEENAGER has admitted causing panic at a Swindon park while in possession of a replica handgun. The 17-year-old from West Swindon, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was showing his gun off to a friend in a children's playground at Lydiard Park
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16,000 homes will be enough
THE Swindon area could cope with an extra 16,000 homes before 2026 but only with financial backing for the town. That is the message which is set to be sent to the South West Regional Assembly, which will decide how many houses Swindon must build in the
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Flower power wins a show medal
SWINDON AND PROUD OF IT: FLORIST and Swindon lecturer Dave Martin has scooped a major award at the Chelsea Flower Show. Dave of Rodbourne who teaches floristy at Swindon College and owns Evolution Floristry near to Swindon Station won a silver gilt medal
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Rationing on cards for parking permits
Residents' parking spaces in Belle Vue Road Picture Ref: 77608-75MANY Swindon residents could only be allowed one parking permit for each house. The change is one of a series of measures put forward in a bid to improve the residents' parking system. In
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A hero from a forgotten war
Picture Ref: 77602-49A VETERANS group needs help tracking down the family of a forgotten hero killed in the Korean War. Lieutenant Robin Arbuth-not is believed to be the only soldier from Swindon who died in the 1950-1953 conflict. The Swindon branch
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Party funds boosted by donations
THE Swindon South Labour Party had its battle fund bolstered by £1,500 in donations ahead of its close-fought General Election campaign. The local party received two donations from the public sector union Unison in February of this year the first for
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What a comeback!
SPORTS fans love a good comeback story and there will be few better than when Jimmer Courtney pulls on a Swindon Rugby Club shirt again later this year. Just over a year ago, the tenacious scrum-half was hospitalised with a condition that threatened his
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Police hunt flasher who terrified teenage girls
GAZETTE & HERALD: POLICE in Calne are hunting a serial flasher who struck twice within minutes terrifying a group of schoolgirls and a pensioner. The man, thought to be in his 40s, exposed himself to the girls at around 6.30pm on May 3 as they played
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Inquest on murdered nursery nurse
Amanda EdwardsGAZETTE & HERALD: ANGUISHED parents Lee and Beverely Edwards hope their year long wait for answers following the murder of their daughter Amanda is nearly over. An inquest into her death is set to be held on June 26 and 27 at Devizes
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Nice weather for ducks
16216/16GAZETTE & HERALD: SUPPORTERS of Calne's annual duck race were as wet as their plastic friends on Saturday but the downpours failed to dampen their spirits. Two-and-a-half thousand ducks floated down the river from Somerfield Bridge, past the
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Parents offered chance to get real on nappies
PARENTS are to be told the benefits of their babies wearing cloth nappies in a bid to cut down on the number of disposable nappies that are sent to landfill sites. The newly set up Wiltshire Real Nappy Network will be offering vouchers to parents towards
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Celebration for everyone to mark VE/VJ Day
FORMER Devizes mayor Jim Thorpe, who is organising the VE/VJ Day celebrations, has called on the community to help make it a success worthy of the occasion. Mr Thorpe is hoping shops , especially those with premises in the Market Place, will put out bunting
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Assault man escapes jail
ADAM Rose, 19, who was convicted of assaulting a man in a late night attack, has escaped a jail term. Passing a 200-hour community sentence, Judge Charles Wade told Swindon Crown Court he could not be sure that Rose had kicked builder Roy Wylie outside
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Drink led man to damage car
A DEVIZES steelworker who punched a car window in with his fist is seeking help for his drink problem, Kennet magistrates heard on Tuesday. The court was told that Craig Grant, 20, of Waiblingen Way, Devizes, drinks at least eight cans of beer a day and
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Driver ran off after hitting two other cars
A TREE surgeon who ran off after his Land Rover crashed into two parked cars in Marlborough has been allowed to keep his licence. But Kennet magistrates sitting in Devizes on Tuesday heard that it has taken 17 months to bring Nicholas Thompson to court
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Green lung fight hots up
16239/1DEVIZES Guardians have joined forces with the Quakers Walk Preservation Group to oppose council officers' insistence in retaining development on the town's "green lung" in the local plan. Kennet District Council is due to discuss today whether
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Crash driver charged with causing man's death
Jason RawlingsA 21-YEAR-OLD former Devizes man has been charged with causing the death of Jason Rawlings in a car crash. David Pearce was charged by police at Melksham on Tuesday of causing the death of Mr Rawlings while driving without due care and attention
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Former gym members call on owner to pay up
Bill Montgomery, who formerly ran Gym and Tonic in Devizes Market Place has not paid back membersA NUMBER of former members of a Devizes gym are still waiting to be reimbursed 15 months after it closed. Billy's Gym and Tonic, based above the One Stop
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Duchess is queen of gardens
THE green-fingered Duchess of Northumberland gave a talk at the weekend to boost the funds of the Marlborough Riverbank theatre/cinema project. The duchess spoke about her work in creating gardens at Alnwick Castle in Northumberland. Together with the
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Pub award winners close doors and leave
A COUPLE who won the title of Village Pub of the Year for the Rose & Crown in Worton, near Devizes, have closed the pub and left, claiming they were driven out by overpricing by their landlords. Ellie Preston-Gill and John Leiper won the accolade
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Family call for action as cars come crashing in
The silver Astra caused massive cracks to appear in the wall of the Pressleys' homePETER and Joan Pressley had a rude awakening on Thursday morning when a car catapulted into the side of their home on the unclassified road between Lavington and Worton
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Break with tradition
16233/2DEVIZES' new mayoress, Sue Evans, had to miss her husband's inauguration as mayor last Thursday after she broke her leg in three places. Guests were told by retiring mayor, Coun Margaret Taylor, Mrs Evans would not be attending because she was
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Hall dream set to come true at last
A PLANNING application for the new activity hall at Rowdeford special school near Devizes has been submitted nearly two years after an astonishing £30,000 was raised at a fire walk in the grounds. The delay in preparing the plans has been put at the door
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Police on stand-by to halt illegal forest rave
POLICE leave has been cancelled for the weekend because of fears of a mass invasion of Savernake Forest to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the notorious Battle of the Beanfield in June 1985. Information has been received by the police that attempts
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Crier to carry a sword
WOOTTON Bassett has a new town crier, after Fred 'Boots' Deacon had his last outing in the role at last week's carnival. Owen Collier, 45, of Blackthorn Place, also takes over as the town's sword bearer. He has had his portrait painted by Wootton Bassett
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Shop needs helpers
A CANCER charity shop is appealing for new volunteers to help out in the store. Michelle Iveson, from Cancer Research UK in Havelock Street, said: "Everyone seems to have a new lease of life now that the clocks have gone forward and the nights are drawing
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Culture gets seal of approval
World Heritage Site - Avebury stone circleA REPORT by the Audit Commission says that cultural services provided by Wiltshire County Council are good and likely to get better. The Audit Commission assessed a variety of services including libraries and
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US pilots strut their stuff at air show
HOTSHOT American pilots will be displaying at this year's Royal International Air Tattoo. The US Air Force's F-16 East Coast Demonstration team will be flying at the Fairford show on July 16 and 17. The multi-million pound fighter jet will be flown by
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Delight greets quality award
SWINDON'S trading standards department has been recognised for its high quality legal advice. The department's consumer advice service was awarded the Legal Service Commission's Quality Mark after auditors were impressed with the service offered. Robert
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Two caravans go missing
TWO caravans were taken in Lyneham on the same night. A Swift Challenger 500SE, valued at £7,500 was towed away from its owner's driveway in Eider Avenue overnight on Tuesday May 17. Another theft occurred in Slessor Road between 10pm and 4.30am. On that
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A night of big band sounds for Prospect
THE Glenn Miller Orchestra and The Celebration Jazz Band will be appearing at the Wroughton Science Museum in July. The performance is part of a fundraising spectacle for the Prospect Hospice at Wroughton with the aim of celebrating that organisation's
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Brownies go over the town Rainbow
Lauren Stepp and Freya Sharpes Picture Ref: 77583-33HIGHWORTH Rainbows have re-affirmed their promise at the official launch of their group. The Fourth Highworth Rainbows was launched in February and this week, district commissioner Ruth Law presented
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Arkell anger at licence muddle
THE new pub and club licensing system is in a complete muddle, according to the boss of Arkell's Brewery. Just 17 of Swindon's 850 licensed premises have applied for licences under the new system, which sees responsibility shift from the courts to local
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Their art is in the work
Picture Ref: 77591-30YOUNGSTERS have been getting to grips with digital gizmos and art techniques to help spruce up Swindon's town centre. Twenty children from Drove Primary School in Drove Road have been working with Swindon artist Tony Marlow who has
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Tale of the white horses
Picture Ref: 77407-151TODAY'S artists have sketchpads and pencils. But in early times they turned to the hills and crude etching instruments to imitate nature. Dotted around Wiltshire's stunning landscape are eight white horses, all carved into the chalk
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Fears as gunman targets pet cats
AN AREA of Wootton Bassett has seen five cats shot in the last six months. Incidents in the last week have left two cats needing extensive veterinary care. Sergeant Andy Fortune, of Wootton Bassett police, said: "Five cats have been shot in the Elm Park
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Festival to make bandstand grand
Picture Ref: 77581-31THIS year's Old Town Festival is to have the biggest opening ceremony so far, with mini Brunels taking centre stage. Organisers have announced that they want to tie the festival in with the Brunel 200 celebrations, which will be going
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Residents still wait for action
RESIDENTS in Southbrook Street in Ferndale are worried a child is going to be killed outside their front doors. They have been campaigning for Swindon Council to make the road safer and stop cars illegally parking on both sides of the road. And they fear
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Chinese take whistle-stop tour of the rail industry
SWINDON'S reputation in the railway industry has spread to all corners of the world. So much so that a group of Chinese railway managers have come to visit Scott Wilson Railways and First Great Western to learn how the railway industry works in England
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The team who are working to brighten up the town
Picture Ref: 77609-51SWINDON... AND PROUD OF IT: SWINDON town centre may come in for a bit of stick but there is a small team working hard to make the best of it. Town centre manager Bernie Maguire has been working for 10 years to make it a safe and appealing
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Those ID cards are coming
I WANT to be clear that I support the principle behind the necessity to have identification cards. So what is this Government's reason for ID cards? We all carry cards, library cards, works ID passes, passports and driving licences. How many cards do
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Cheap justice is hardly free
Exposure of the activities of ambulance chasers at the A and E Department comes as no surprise. No win, no fee claims chasers have been advertising on some radio channels for unqualified assistants to drum up business for commission. Not only are greedy
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Additional honour
Your obituary (Gazette, May 12) on Sir Charles Morrison failed to mention the singular honour bestowed by Devizes Town Council to mark his retirement from public life and acknowledge his services both to local government in Wiltshire and as the MP for
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Trust should rethink
Your report on hospital closures (Gazette, May 19) says Wiltshire residents will have to be prepared to lose their cottage hospitals if health services are to be appropriate for the 21st century. Carol Clarke, chief executive of both local Primary Care
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Event a great success
The Trustees of Kennet Valley Arts Trust raised the profile of the Riverbank project to develop an arts facility by the visit of The Duchess of Northumberland last weekend. She enthralled an audience of some 130 people with her enthusiastic presentation
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Do unto others...
May I add my support to the two correspondents bold enough to censure the heartless action taken by both the council and the law courts in the eviction of 79-year-old Mr Pardue and the fine imposed on his friend (letters, May 19). This to me shows no
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Thanks for all help
I would like to thank Louis Tavey for all the help and advice over the last seven years, the auctioneer at Frome Market for the help he gave towards the Charolais cattle and also the hauliers Steve and Martin Handy. Thanks for all your help. We could
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Where is the trophy?
On contemplating what was on offer at this year's Devizes Festival, I looked back at other Festival programmes and discovered that during the 1989 Festival on Sunday July 2 at the Devizes School Ground the Devizes Festival played the Marlborough Festival
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Will not give up land
I write in response to the item pertaining to Burbage Village Hall AGM (Gazette, May 5) which unfortunately I missed through being on holiday. I have spoken to many people who, like me, found the survey confusing and misleading. Only in small print was
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Family pay tribute to veteran policeman
GAZETTE & HERALD: GRIEVING relatives of former Chippenham police sergeant Francis Stickler said a final farewell on Tuesday, almost four weeks after he was injured in a minibus accident. Mr Stickler, known as John, was among a party of pensioners
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Thanks to public
May I on behalf of Devizes & Wilts Fibromyalgia Syndrome support group thank the people of Devizes for there generosity and support on our recent Awareness Day. We raised £93.25 for our much needed funds. M Restarick Chairman Chippenham
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Hill climb mystery
I have recently acquired two old badges which were awarded at the Devizes Hospital Week 1922 Hill Climb. Being an enthusiast of vintage motoring, and a collector of motoring ephemera, I wondered if any of your readers would know more about this event.
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Bad press is unjust
WE are writing on behalf of the students of Lavington School, to show our utmost disgust at the alleged accusation of the ill mannered behaviour and disrespect by the pupils. In light of recent events, it has come to our attention that the bad publicity
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Reduce breeding
Your letter from Lisa Ward (May 19) misquotes the Masters of Foxhounds Association. Far from advising hunts to carry on breeding hounds as normal the MFHA said: "The Masters of Foxhounds Association has advised hunts to breed fewer numbers but to keep
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Town deserves a good clean
Devizes is rapidly decaying into an environmental mess a matter of concern to its citizens, a discouragement to local business development, and the thin end of the wedge into associated social degradation. Things need to be put right in short order by
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Lost 'lampers' admit poaching charge
GAZETTE & HERALD: THREE men charged with poaching just hours after the hunting ban came into effect in February have appeared before Chippenham magistrates. They were not charged under the new legislation that made hunting with hounds illegal but
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Diamond pair celebrate years
16214/3GAZETTE & HERALD: Diamond couple Dennis and Brenda Harding celebrated 60 years of marriage with a family meal at the Bell in Lacock on Sunday. Both Chippenham born and bred, Mrs and Mrs Harding, of Hungerdown Lane, first met in town when Mr
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School's healthy eating campaign bears fruit
16234/2GAZETTE & HERALD: CRISPS were swapped for breadsticks and cherries replaced chocolate bars as children at Charter Primary School, Chippenham, learned about healthy eating this week. Youngsters got the chance to try foods they wouldn't normally
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Brave schoolgirl's heart op ordeal
16242/9GAZETTE & HERALD: Brave Emily Hudd, who was born with only half a heart, is ill in hospital with a bone infection and kidney problems following a heart operation. The eight-year-old's family are enduring an agonising wait to see if she will
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Anger after town views ignored on parking
GAZETTE & HERALD: TRADERS and councillors in Corsham are furious that their views have been ignored by a working party set up to decide on car parking charges in north Wiltshire. Jock Fraser, chairman of Corsham Town Council, said he was disappointed
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Pupils' enthusiasm burns
16212/8GAZETTE & HERALD: YEAR two pupils from St Patrick's School in Corsham got all fired up on a class visit on Friday. Twenty-two youngsters aged six and seven went to see how a modern fire station works in Corsham. Class teacher Lisa Kirby said
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Police operation clears town of troublemakers
GAZETTE & HERALD: A SECRET police operation was undertaken in Corsham over the weekend in a bid to reduce the amount of anti-social behaviour on the streets. Ten police officers patrolled the town centre on Friday and Saturday night in what was hailed
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Revelling in the Forties fun
16189/6GAZETTE & HERALD: BOX Revels will be going off with a bang this weekend as villagers mark the 60th anniversary of VE Day with a flying forties theme. Revellers will enjoy three days of fun activities before an impressive finale when a dam of
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£214,000 fine for overspend
CASH strapped Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust is to be surcharged £214,000 for not balancing its budget. The trust finished the financial year (2004/5) with an overspend of £10.158 million. As a result the Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire
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MP remains defiant over return to back benches
James Gray whose controversial remarks about the Scottish Parliament led to his resignationNorth Wiltshire MP James Gray is unrepentant for voicing controversial views on the Scottish Parliament that led to his resignation after just a week in the job
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Village wants loos not kiosk
AFTER hearing parish council colleagues debate whether Pewsey would benefit from an automated information kiosk, district councillor Anne Hayhoe announced she had already given the idea the go-ahead. On Tuesday parish councillors spent some time discussing
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Online access for everyone
AN innovative project that will make broadband internet available to members of the community who may otherwise miss out, opens its doors in Calne today. E-Calne launches during National Adult Learning Week and will provide community access to broadband
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Pensioner bikes over 2,000 miles
Retired bank manager Peter Lambert has cycled 2,009 miles from Calais to Rome for charity despite having both his hips and knees replaced two years ago. Mr Lambert, 69, was joined by friends David Bourne from Chippenham, who suffers from diabetes and
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Councillor 'gutted' over twinning decision delay
PLANS to link Malmesbury with its namesake in South Africa have been delayed because the councillor championing the link was in right town but on the wrong continent. Town councillor Ray Sanderson was furious that other councillors refused to back the
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Aces reach for the sky
16228/5THOUSANDS of visitors wielding umbrellas in one hand and cameras in the other braved the elements for the annual Great Vintage Flying Weekend at RAF Hullavington. But just 200 vintage and classic planes made it through the torrential rain and thunder
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CAB forced to reduce hours
DOUBTS over the future of Malmesbury Town Hall has contributed to the Citizens' Advice Bureau reducing its hours on Wednesdays. Sheila Venn, bureau manager, said North Wiltshire District Council's decision to sell the building had created a climate of
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Come back globe trotter
16236/6LANDLORD Michael Kemp hopes a local snout may soon save his bacon and squeal on the thief who has kidnapped a prized ornamental wooden pig from his pub. He's been left scratching his head over the rustler's identity since postcards began arriving
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Brothwood's innings is ruled out by the weather
U11 Red - CHIPPENHAM were very unlucky to be thwarted by the weather in their match at Devizes. A fine innings by opener Guy Brothwood saw Chippenham to 68-6 in their 20 overs. Alex Jopling took 2-22 in four overs for the home side. In reply, Devizes
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The youngsters who are waiting in the wings...
AFTER a taste of England action Great Cheverell youngster Tom Stayt wants more. Stayt got on the Old Trafford pitch when England played the West Indies last August. He was asked to travel up to be England's twelfth man after finishing his Gloucestershire
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Future looks bright for county's rookies
Wiltshire bowler Jon Lewis has risen from Wiltshire Youth to the full England squad. ALEX LAWLESS looks at how the county is trying to bring more players to national attention THE verdict from the man at the top of Wiltshire's cricketing tree is Jon Lewis
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Fanfare and cheers greet arts centre reopening
Spectacular aerial dance from Gravity and Levity at the long-awaited reopening of Salisbury Arts Centre. DA7989P05AFTER its closure for nearly two years, Salisbury Arts Centre has reopened its doors. The centre, housed in the Grade II* listed St Edmund's
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Fear and uncertainty as OAP wardens go
AS council chiefs sought to justify the removal of wardens from old people's sheltered housing this week, the Journal heard of growing fears among vulnerable old-age pensioners. Andrew Reynolds, head of strategic housing at Salisbury district council,
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£214,000 fine for overspend
CASH strapped Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust is to be surcharged £214,000 for not balancing its budget. The trust finished the financial year (2004/5) with an overspend of £10.158 million. As a result the Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire
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Residents give views on future
A new community plan has been launched aimed at tackling the main issues identified by residents of Wootton Bassett and its surrounds. Copies of the plan known as the Northern Community Area Plan (NCAP) will be distributed to every household from today
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Cats shot at by gunman
A GUNMAN has been shooting at cats in Wootton Bassett and one cat has been left fighting for its life after a pellet tore through his body puncturing the lung and piercing the diaphragm, stomach, pancreas and colon. Two cats, both from Elm Park, are still
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Councillors back plan to develop beauty spot
Wootton Bassett Town Council has voted in favour of a controversial development on Brynards Hill despite fierce opposition from residents. The decision, made at the end of a heated and at times riotous debate on Thursday, left residents angry. Speaking
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Ambulance service could be merged
WILTSHIRE'S ailing ambulance service could be merged with Gloucestershire and Avon to create one super trust in a bid to buck up the service and improve response times. A report by management consultancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, commissioned by the
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£100,000 for experts to delve into our rubbish
A scientific stock-take of Wiltshire's rubbish is about to begin in a bid to find out exactly what and how much we throw away. Wiltshire County Council and the four district councils have been jointly awarded up to £100,000 from DEFRA to pay for a waste
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Hunt demonstrators deny causing distress
Otis Ferry told a court today how he was throttled by a doorkeeper at the House of Commons after he and a group of pro-hunting demonstrators, including Lacock chef Nicholas Wood, invaded the chamber after posing as builders. Ferry, the son of rock star
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Winning in the rain at festival
A CHELSEA scout was among those who braved the wet conditions for the rain-soaked FC Chippenham Youth six-a-side tournament at the weekend. The final few games for the U9s and U11s tournaments were called off after a refereeing decision to guarantee the
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Four in the hat to take over Devizes hotseat
FOUR people have applied for Devizes Town's vacant manager's job since the departure of Mark Godley. Of the four applicants two are currently in jobs, one is out of football at the moment and another is looking from a promotion from within the club. It
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£214,000 fine for overspend
CASH strapped Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust is to be surcharged £214,000 for not balancing its budget. The trust finished the financial year (2004/5) with an overspend of £10.158 million. As a result the Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire
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Mumps jabs for more students
Nurse Jane Lyons immunises student Kristian Rees at New College after the recent mumps outbreak there Picture Ref: 76922-275STUDENTS at a Swindon secondary school are being immunised following an outbreak of mumps. There have been several confirmed cases
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17-year-old driver killed in crash
Hinton ParvaA 17-YEAR-OLD girl was killed in a car crash on a dangerous country road, police said today. The girl from Swindon, who has not yet been named, was driving a blue Renault Clio on the road between Hinton Parva, pictured, and Bishopstone when
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Joyriders take forklift truck
GAZETTE & HERALD: THIEVES stole a forklift truck and took it on a late night joyride around a Calne building site. Police are searching for the culprits, who struck between 8.45pm and 9.30pm on May 11. It is thought they entered the site of the new
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Design for village hall unpopular with officers
GAZETTE & HERALD: The designers of a new school and community hall for Hilmarton have been sent to the bottom of the class because plans for the new building don't look good enough. Members of North Wiltshire District Council's development control
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Artists exhibit at ideal venue
GAZETTE & HERALD: Artists and visitors gathered to view local pieces of work including paintings, ceramics and calligraphy at the launch of a new exhibition at the Calne Heritage Centre. The launch of the exhibition, organised by the Calne Artists
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Mother bit her son's wrist in drunken rage
GAZETTE & HERALD: Less than a day after appearing in court, mother-of-two Linda Long went back to the bottle before once again attacking her 19-year-old son. Long, 52, of Bremhill, Calne, first appeared before Chippenham Magistrates on Friday after
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Seasonal swing at Sports Club
SWING into the first weekend of summer with the DS Big Band at Devizes Sports Club on June 3. One of the west country's most highly regarded group of musicians, the 18 piece ensemble will be playing a variety of hits from all the jazz standards and all
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Plea for clues on missing cat
HEARTBROKEN cat lover Carole Hulland has appealed for the return of her 14-month-old moggy Lilly, who was last seen disappearing off in the back of a skip. Lilly went AWOL on Thursday when she climbed into a skip that had been parked outside her home
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Mobile skate park in town
FOR the first time in three years Devizes will have a skatepark facility when mobile equipment comes to the town. The mobile unit will be in Devizes on Sunday afternoons and Wednesday evenings. It will initially be based at Station Road car park from
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Vandals leave trail of damage
POLICE and parish councillors at Little Cheverell, near Devizes, have joined forces in calling for information on a spate of vandalism that has plagued the village over the last two months. On Saturday morning villagers awoke to another trail of criminal
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Carnival plea for helpers
LOCAL groups wishing to benefit from the proceeds of this year's Devizes Carnival will have to apply for funds by the end of the month. The carnival committee has also appealed for help. Carnival chairman Noel Woolrych said: "This year we want to involve
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Tennis coach hopes for sister's success
DEVIZES tennis coach Dan Tunstall hopes to emulate the success of his singing sensation sister KT when he takes to the courts this week. Mr Tunstall, 26, is head coach at Devizes Tennis Club and proud of the incredible rise to fame of his elder sister
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Man kicks PC in groin after row with girl
A MAN who kicked a police officer in the groin while causing a disturbance outside a Marlborough pub has been sentenced to 40 hours' community punishment. Stephen Bosley, 33, of Rabley Wood View, Marlborough, pleaded guilty to assaulting the officer outside
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Cash given as a tribute will help cancer centre
MONEY raised following the death of Devizes woman Kirstie Lucas from cancer has been given to the Bristol Cancer Help Centre. Miss Lucas, who was 34, was a strong supporter of the centre and a collection was made at her funeral held at St Peter's Church
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Air views on new play area
A PUBLIC meeting is to be called by the town council to discuss the way a new hard play area for youngsters on the Marlborough Recreation ground should be run. As part of a deal between the council and the developers of the new home at Coombe End House
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Man faces child porn charges
BUILDER Andrew Navin has admitted four charges of downloading pornographic images of children from the internet. Navin, 39, of Thorne Road, Netheravon, pleaded guilty to four out of five charges dating from between October 2002 and January 2003 when he
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Car careers into pub wall
STRUCTURAL engineers are assessing damage caused to the front wall of The Bell pub at Broad Hinton after a car crashed into it on Tuesday. Two men from the Swindon area were arrested on suspicion of aggravated taking without consent after the crash. Licensees
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Rain fails to put off big wheelchair push
16218MEMBERS of Devizes PHAB Club braved the elements on Saturday to take part in their 22nd annual wheelchair push and walk. As the heavens opened and the rain hammered down, members and friends resolutely completed two laps of the route from the Nursteed
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Mayor puts support behind bosom pals
16202/1THE Mayor of Marlborough Hilary Cripps has made a number of new friends bosom pals they could be called after visiting the town's breastfeeding group. During her year in office Coun Cripps has vowed to visit as many of town's organisations, particularly
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No parking at the golf club for hospital staff
TOWN councillors are refusing to allow staff from Savernake Hospital to use The Common to help solve a parking crisis at Marlborough's new hospital even before it opens. Patients from the Ailesbury geriatric ward, who have been looked after in Devizes
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Top dog Ziggy gains an award for saving woman
16201/1A POLICE officer, a dog and its owner have all been rewarded for their part in saving the life of an elderly woman. PC Ben Braine, Ziggy, a Jack Russell, and Ziggy's owner Robert Brandler were all given a certificates of merit at a ceremony in
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Fire rips through thatched cottages
16231/14TWO thatched cottages on the picturesque Green in East Grafton stand in ruins after a devastating fire on Sunday night. By Monday morning all that was left standing apart from the whitewashed walls were the spectral chimney stacks in each cottage
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Could you be king or queen?
PURTON Helping Hand Carnival committee is hosting a family night at the village hall on Saturday, June 11 when selections will be made for a king or queen. The selection is open to anybody including adults over the age of 14, with prize money of £50.
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Cyclists to power in for charity
A TEAM of cyclists who work for Npower are riding from their branch in Germany to their offices in Swindon to raise much-needed money for Macmillan Cancer Relief. The team set off from their German office in Essen on Monday, May 23 and will arrive back
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Top pianist to perform at college
AN internationally renowned musician will be performing alongside students at New College. Kenneth Hamilton will perform the first movement of Chopin's Piano Concerto in E Minor with an orchestra of over 60 music students. Among the orchestra there will
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Enthusiasts prepare for a Mini adventure
A GROUP of Mini enthusiasts will be embarking on a 3,000 mile trip to Spain tomorrow. The Swindon Mini Associates Club, based in Rodbourne, will be going to Salou for the two-week trip. And the chairman of the association, Alan Jones, 27, says from now
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Murder inquest date set
A DATE has been set for an inquest in to the death of murdered nursery assistant Amanda Edwards. Amanda's body was found on a Malmesbury building site in April 2004 a week after she disappeared. The family of the 21-year-old, who live in Purton, hope
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Teaching children not to be reserved about nature
Nature for All will be promoting the town's nature reserves throughout June. The celebrations are designed to teach children about the natural environment in which they live. Activities will begin on Tuesday, June 7 from 4pm at Sevenfields Nature Reserve
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MP not alarmed by hunt protest
NORTH Wiltshire MP James Gray has given evidence in the trial of eight pro-hunting demonstrators who stormed the House of Commons chamber during a debate on the bill to ban the sport. Mr Gray, who was speaking in the chamber at the time of the stunt said
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Warning to pet owners
AN alert is being issued to pet owners after pollen from a bunch of supermarket flowers killed a cat. The cat brushed against the flowers and then licked the pollen from its fur. Within minutes she started being sick and within hours had gone blind and
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Tourists related to B&B owners
Picture Ref: 77569-45A SWINDON couple were amazed to discover that guests who stayed at their B&B were their lost long relatives. Christine Saunders and her husband Graham, who own the Old Farmhouse B&B in Purton, offered to help two guests from
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Travellers to move on
POLICE acted quickly after complaints from residents that travellers had moved on to land in Dorcan. Last night, two caravans and two trucks remained at the Dorcan Way site. But after visits from the police and council officials, they have agreed to move
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Youngsters find council visit means storytime
Picture Ref: 77572-41YOUNG children now have something to do when visiting Swindon Council with their parents. The council has introduced a new book scheme, which means there will be books for children to read while their parents are talking to customer
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Children to learn how to stay safe
CHILDREN will be put in realistic danger scenarios to test their awareness as part of the Junior Good Citizen Scheme 2005. Year 6 children, aged 10 and 11, from 25 schools in Swindon will be taught how to cope in emergency situations by taking part in
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Swindon is just so much fun
Lauren HolbrookSWINDON ...AND PROUD OF IT: A YOUNGSTER'S love for Swindon has led her to become an ambassador for the town. Ten-year-old Lauren Holbrook, was selected by judges of a I Love Swindon competition organised by McArthurGlen's Designer Outlet
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It's the people that make this a special place
Derique MontautSWINDON...AND PROUD OF IT: Sharayi Mashasha, of St Paul's Street, Gorse Hill I moved to Swindon from Maidenhead last year and I must say that Swindon is a great town. The people are friendly, the streets are relatively safe, it's surrounded
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Recipe for success
Picture Ref: 76648-45SWINDON... AND PROUD OF IT: PETER Andrews, chief executive of the New Swindon Company, says the town has all the ingredients necessary to make it a success. Mr Andrews believes Swindon has the six key factors which add up to a vibrant
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Deaf ears
All attempts that have been made to point out that there are better sites in Swindon to build a new university have been ignored. Even the report by Alan Hayward for Swindon Civic Trust was ignored. This is a dialogue of the deaf. I have held the view
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Shops to blame
MUCH has been written and said about the problem of escalating scrawl or graffiti which plagues all areas of Swindon. Some points which appear to be ignored are, firstly to examine the source of the spray cans and indelible felt tip pens which are the
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How stupid
KEVIN Shoesmith should be congratulated for becoming a 'hoodie' for the day with a group of young people and watching peoples' reaction. It just illustrates how stupid it is to judge people by what they are wearing and not by the way they behave. Back
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Standards slipping
So the pen is mightier than the sword? Or light sabre? How speedy your weekly publication is to expose the fall in standards and behaviour across the region and social groups. Maybe the time has come to look a little more introspectively and begin with
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Coate needs to get this project
I HAVE just seen the latest proposals for the development of the Coate site. We are lucky that a company is willing to transform a scruffy bit of land, wedged as it is between the continuously roaring motorway and two busy dual carriageways into a desirable
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Heartfelt thanks
May I offer my most grateful thanks to my family, friends and all the Town Hall for making my special day of being installed as Mayor of Devizes a complete success. The night before the installation my wife Susan, who was to become my Mayoress, fractured
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Four step out in tribute to pal
GAZETTE & HERALD: FOUR workmates from Morrison's in Chippenham are gearing up to take part in next month's Race for Life in memory of a colleague who died from cancer. Pam Wickham, who was in her 60s and worked on the deli and meat counters at the
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Crash driver was three times over drink limit
GAZETTE & HERALD: AN airman based at RAF Lyneham pleaded guilty to drink driving at more than three times above the legal limit last week. Chippenham magistrates heard Michael Langford, 23,who is based at RAF Lyneham, crashed his car into a lamppost
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We've got this game tagged
PRIMARY Schools from across Kennet took part in this year's second tag rugby festival in Marlborough. Children tried their best Jason Robinson impressions as they tried to wriggle and weave through their opponents in the non-contact version of the sport
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Hoods not to blame
My wife and I would like to thank the half dozen or so middle-aged yobs who so carefully drove past us as we walked down the 30-odd metres of Potterne Road between the Hillworth Park lane and the Wick Lane roundabout on Saturday lunchtime. Without exception
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Oak titan to fire again
GAZETTE & HERALD: Master craftsmen from Chippenham are creating the ultimate monster of medieval warfare the world's biggest siege machine, a gargantuan 18m tall trebuchet, which will be fired daily at Warwick Castle from July. Craftsmen at Carpenter
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Trickster given another chance
GAZETTE & HERALD: TRICKSTER Andrew O'Donnell cheated an employment agency out of more than £1,600 by pretending to employ himself. The 25-year-old from The Causeway, Chippenham, pretended he was a boss looking for staff and managed to hire himself
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Newsagent goes red for the appeal
GAZETTE & HERALD: CHIPPENHAM newsagent Ali Ashley was transformed into a Sharon Osborne lookalike on Thursday to raise money for the Gazette's Springboard Appeal. Mrs Ashley, 49, well-known in the town for running Hollands Newshop in Market Place,
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Extraordinary visit from choir
I would like to thank the many people in Marlborough who contributed to the success of the extraordinary visit by the Yale Schola Cantorum under their conductor Simon Carrington. It was truly Marlborough at its best. Twenty-five members of the choir from
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Villagers celebrate as developer loses appeal
15342/4GAZETTE & HERALD: Slaughterford villagers are celebrating victory in the long-running campaign to protect a former paper mill in the tiny hamlet from development. Campaigners were cracking open the champagne as news came through yesterday that
