Archive
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Mother will fight to find the truth
MUM Jayne Langley does not think she will ever be able to prove what happened the night her son disappeared, a month before his body was found. Mrs Langley, of Unity Street, Chippenham, believes many questions are still to be answered about December 18
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Saddled with a £1,000 bill
BRIAN McDONOUGH is a mild-mannered man indeed. For Mr McDonough is the builder who has found a mare and her foal residing in a listed house he is doing up in Bath Road. Whoever let the horses in also broke in through a back window, kicked down the front
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Celebrations for Saddlebacks and Old Boars
Devizes 17, Frome 0 THE Saddlebacks entertained Frome in a friendly on Saturday. Frome have switched from the Somerset to the Dorset and Wilts Leagues and are currently top of Dorset and Wilts One, while Devizes are second in a league above, Southern
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Rovers pull off cup surprise
CHIPPENHAM SUNDAY LEAGUE SIX Division One sides were knocked out by team from the lower flights in a day of surprise results in the first round the WG Parr Trophy sponsored this season by Rainbow Launderette of Trowbridge. Third Division Semington Rovers
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Old debts could force closure of village hall
By Craig Evry THE FUTURE of Codford Village Hall is in doubt after the management committee revealed debts of £10,000 have to be repaid before vital maintenance work can be funded. Villagers will be asked to vote on a scheme to sell a piece of land to
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More CCTV cameras for Warminster
FOUR more security cameras could soon be installed in Warminster town centre to combat violent disorder and vandalism in areas not covered by the existing system. The CCTV committee is applying for Home Office funding for four cameras in Chinn's Court
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'We'll make Government stick to BSE promises'
Grieving parents of CJD victim's vow as report into BSE bungle is published. AS the Phillips Report into the BSE crisis is published, a couple who fought to get cash support for families, talk to LEWIS COWEN about the next stage. DAVE and Dot Churchill
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Councillor dumped by secret ballot
DISGRACED councillor John Syme has been left out in the cold as his Liberal Democrat party gears up for next year's county council elections. Cllr Syme, who hit the headlines in September after revelations of a secret child, was deselected after a secret
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County planning for the worst
Emergency planners at Wiltshire County Council are drawing up plans to evacuate people following predictions of more storms to come. About two inches of rain, the average monthly total, fell on Wiltshire in 48 hours on Sunday. Wednesday a severe flood
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Storms add to railway chaos
THE weather has caused one of the quietest weeks in the history of Pewsey railway station - with no passenger trains running and no prospect of services being restored until the weekend at the earliest. It is the first time in living memory passenger
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No memorial for war-dead
WOOTTON Bassett will not get a war memorial in time for this year's Remembrance Sunday Parade after all. But the working party committed to the project is confident one will be in place to honour the town's war-dead next year. Wootton Bassett has never
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No increased fly tipping? Open your eyes!
I READ with interest Cllr Fox's letter in your edition dated October 27. No evidence of increased fly tipping! Perhaps he should open his eyes and also read your paper because that is not what the councillor from Melksham said at the Melksham Council
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Come and play
Frome Town Band contested for many years under David Hayward. Since David resigned Frome has had three conductors, myself being number three. We would welcome experienced players of all instruments to join the Frome Town Band with the intention of competing
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Wigglybus takes route to success
THE pioneering Wigglybus service is to be extended after carrying 40,000 passengers in its first 18 months and attracting the attention of Government ministers. The Pewsey Vale-based bus run will feature a new evening run into Pewsey from the villages
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Screwfix Direct League
Chippenham Town 1, Bridgwater Town 0 CHIPPENHAM Town manager Tommy Saunders was not only delighted with his side's 1-0 Premier Division victory, but also with the attendance, as fans came to see their side despite the cold, wet, windy weather. It was
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Moss on a roll in cup win
Cherry Records Hellenic League PETER Moss was the Highworth hero in their 6-0 away cup victory over Bicester Town. The striker had a hand in the first five goals, scoring twice and helping out in the other three. Highworth keeper Mark Turner kept his
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Brave Cup run ends in tears
Kingstonian 5, Devizes Town 2 DEVIZES Town's best FA Cup run in nearly 30 years ended in tears, quite literally for teenage full back Chris Copp. Slick finishing by one of the top non-league players in the country and poor defending by Devizes cost Brian
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Ocean on the crest of a wave
FIVE-A-SIDE FOOTBALL OCEAN Black put in a magnificent performance this week, taking all nine points in their three matches to jump from fifth to second in the West Wilts League. Goalkeeper Craig Curtis pulled off a magnificent save against Phil's Five
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Moss's Magic boosts Town
After two weeks of cup action it is back to league football for the local Hellenic sides. League leaders Highworth Town still head the Premier table by three points from Swindon Supermarine with Fairford in fifth spot and Wootton Bassett sixth. Highworth
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Swansong for bird garden
By Heather Skull FAMILIES made a final pilgrimage at the weekend to say goodbye to one of the area's tourist spots. Rode Tropical Bird Gardens closed on Sunday after almost 40 years. It was an emotional time for staff as well as visitors. Some of the
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Park swings removed amid danger fears
POTENTIALLY dangerous play equipment is being taken out of a North Bradley recreation ground tomorrow because it will cost too much to repair. Swings at the Peace Memorial ground are being taken out before they had become too dangerous to use. Now the
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Toddlers' group closes its doors
By Blaise Connolly CONIGRE Mothers' and Toddlers' Group in Trowbridge closed on Wednesday, due to a lack of support. The group was established 23 years ago at the Conigre Chapel by the wife of the minister, Pam Sweet and the mother of the current organiser
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Hallowe'en yobs cause chaos
POLICE were flooded with calls on Tuesday evening as trick or treaters caused havoc in Trowbridge and Bradford on Avon. Fireworks were thrown around by youths in Asda car park, with police reporting that a car had been set on fire by a stray firework.
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Let's stop this road
I WOULD like to offer the following up-date on the Hilperton Gap issue. Firstly, the prospective road has been withdrawn from the Wiltshire Local Transport Plan. This means that its construction is not an immediate priority and money earmarked under the
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Town in line for extra cash
MELKSHAM is in the running for new money designed to improve the town. The Regional Development Agency now has to decide whether the town, or Devizes, should be selected for a pilot project. The money has been made available by the government through
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Our son is a killer, but we all still love him
YES, our son killed Danny Doherty, he has never once denied it. We are ashamed and embarrassed by the situation but we believe that something awful did happen that night to provoke Chris. Mr Scott is reported to have said that if Chris had been let off
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B-road bypass is the way to go
IS THERE some deep and meaningful reason, which escapes the likes of lesser mortals like myself, why the road signs at present in use around Bradford on Avon have not been modified to reflect the frustration we all feel with the present traffic chaos?
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Bath waters are subsiding
PROSPECTS for rugby at the Recreation Ground this weekend are higher than they were earlier in the week when Bath's pitch was completely under water. At the height of the floods at the start of the week, there seemed to be no chance of tomorrow's cup
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Opera review off-key
HAS Mr Burnard entered a competition, I wonder, to try to be the most negative critic of the year? In his review of Norma by the White Horse Opera at the Corn Exchange (Wiltshire Times, October 27) almost every paragraph began with an acclamation of the
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Thanks...
MAY I, through your paper, thank everyone who gave so generously to the collections made in memory of Jenny Haines who sadly died last month. The total amount collected was £384, which has been kindly donated by her family to the Friends of Ashton Street
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Jinxed pub is open again
A PUB plagued by a string of problems including ghostly hauntings and fires has reopened for business. Regulars have blamed ghosts for the string of bad luck which has hit The Kings Arms at Monkton Farleigh and has included a kitchen fire and gas explosion
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Bypass only solution to Bradford jams
CAMPAIGNERS in Bradford on Avon have said the only solution to the town's traffic crisis is to revive plans for a relief road. Problems caused by increased traffic through narrow streets and pollution were compounded this week by floods which cut the
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Historic find in drained Kennet and Avon Canal
WORKERS restoring a stretch of the Kennet and Avon Canal have discovered an historic piece of engineering thought to be the last remaining example of its kind. A team carrying out re-lining work between Bradford on Avon and Dundas Aqueduct found a 200
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University joins plan
NEW plans for the future of the controversial Kingston Mill site in Bradford on Avon include the idea of setting up a small university presence in the town. A working group set up consider the creation of a town trust to oversee major projects in Bradford
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Heart team is on a life-saving mission
THE first three minutes after someone suffers a heart attack can make the difference between life and death. It only takes a few minutes for irreversible brain damage to occur if a person has stopped breathing or their heart has stopped and it is the
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Mystery tour set to be nautical but nice
A MOTHER and daughter team will be among the last to sail on the tall ship Winston Churchill. Caroline Gunning, who has no sailing experience, and her mum Gillian Perrott have volunteered to take part in a mystery journey aboard the ship. They have no
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Water, water, everywhere!
WHILE Wiltshire is continuing the clear up after yet another wave of torrential rain. Many roads across the county were closed because of flooding on Thursday, including Frog Lane in Wootton Bassett and Tadpole Lane in Purton. River levels on the Thames
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Job fears at cable TV company
JOBS are in doubt after a cable TV firm announced nationwide cuts. Ntl, which has a centre on Swindon's Hawksworth Industrial Estate, employs 22,000 people in the UK. It is shedding 1,300 posts after buying out other firms in a £9 billion expansion programme
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Man due in court for hoax
A MAN is facing a criminal damage charge over the alleged making of a crop circle during the summer. The man, currently on police bail, is due before Devizes Magistrates Court on Monday, Octobet 30, and was one of two people arrested and questioned after
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Meet the neigh-bours!
TWO hairy guests have been lodging free of charge in the front rooms of a listed house in Old Town. A mare and her foal have spent at least a week living in a lounge and dining room in Bath Road . . . to the great surprise of the building's owner. Swindon
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Parents win their fight to keep school buses
CAMPAIGNERS fighting to save a threatened school bus service are celebrating victory. The Bus 81 Protest Group was formed by the parents of 50 children who travel between their North Swindon homes and Warneford School in Highworth. The are not entitled
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Attack on our town
SWINDON'S £350 million vision for the town centre has been attacked by one of Britain's leading lights on urban renewal. The criticism comes only three weeks after the masterplan for the town, which includes creating a tram system, a new library and a
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It's all hands to the pump
It was a very pleasing team performance last weekend against Munster. Everyone played their part and that includes the supporters who gave the team the lift that was needed to fight to the end. They say the spirit had gone and the players do not want
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Guy's barbel is new British rod caught best
ANGLING By Colin Scull THE British Record (rod caught) Fish Committee met last week and accepted a number of new records. In the freshwater species a new barbel record of 17lb 6oz 8dm, caught by Guy Robb on March 6 from the River Ouse in Buckinghamshire
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Blue Circle plans nature reserve
BLUE Circle has submitted plans to create an educational resource centre near its Westbury cement works. The site it wants to develop is currently rough grazing ground. The company proposes to consult the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust in developing a nature
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Dream for anglers is destroyed
PLANS to create an anglers' paradise outside Wootton Bassett have been refused. Farmer Gordon Hunt wanted to create three fishing lakes on nearly four hectares of land at Ballards Ash Farm on Flaxlands outside of Wootton Bassett. But North Wilts District
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Driver jailed for going behind the wheel
MOTORIST Mark Wheeler was jailed for a month after he was caught driving while disqualified for a second time. Magistrates heard that the 22-year-old was banned from the road for three years in February last year after being caught driving while disqualified
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No memorial for war-dead
WOOTTON Bassett will not get a war memorial in time for this year's Remembrance Sunday Parade after all. But the working party committed to the project is confident one will be in place to honour the town's war-dead next year. Wootton Bassett has never
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Open for business!
CROWDS gathered to witness the launch of Wiltshire College on Wednesday. Principals and governors were joined by students and staff from local industries to celebrate the combining of Trowbridge, Lackham and Chippenham colleges to create a new super-college
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Striker crisis for Wanderers
A STRIKING crisis and a woeful scoring record on their travels is hampering the promotion ambitions of Wycombe Wanderers. Town's visitors lie sixth in the table, but they have only managed a paltry three goals away from Adams Park. Wycombe's only other
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Odd man out Reeves is happy to be back
FROM being the odd man out in the summer, Alan Reeves suddenly finds himself the lynchpin of Town's new defensive back line. He has battled back from being told he was no longer required and is forming a promising partnership alongside Adam Willis and
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Closure is only option for bureaux
A FAILED merger, staffing problems and lack of support from the national association led to the closure of the West Wiltshire Citizens Advice Bureau, members have said. The service is to be wound up following a decision at the bureau's annual general
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Christmas gift from Ten Pound Ted
In a few weeks' time some 13.2 million pensioners will be receiving their annual £10 Christmas Bonus payments. This is the 28th year that this bonus has been paid, having been introduced by Sir Edward Heath's Tory Government in 1972. A Commons Pension
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Willo's Out
ANDY Williams is hoping to end his injury woe and extend his stay at County Ground. The player was expected to undergo an operation today to clear up a hernia problem. Many players with similar injuries try to struggle on through the season and then have
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Fish and chips were a first-class treat
MAY we, the residents of Eric Long Court sheltered housing complex, say a most grateful thank you to the proprietor and staff of Burleys Fish and Chip restaurant in Old Town. We were treated to a wonderful supper of our choice either fish, chicken or
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Weather beaten
TORRENTIAL rain and 90mph winds brought chaos to south Wiltshire as falling trees smashed through power lines and blocked roads. Emergency services were flat out coping with the worst weather the area has seen since the storms of 1987. Two inches of rain
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Clubs agree deal as todd is finally allowed to fly the county ground nest
COLIN TODD was finally free to join Derby County last night after the club agreed a compensation package with Town chairman Terry Brady. The week-long saga ended late yesterday afternoon when Mr Brady's injunction, forbidding Todd to talk to other clubs
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Road accidents must be the real priority
Why is John Prescott so obsessed with train safety when 10 people are killed every day on our roads? I accept that rail safety is of national importance but I am certain that the risk of death on the road is much greater than the risk represented by train
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Logo did not cost £10,000
WITH reference to the letter by Trevor Wilson, I would correct the issue of the cost of the new logo for Swindon Services. I am not sure where this £10,000 figure originated from but Swindon Contractors and Recreation Services will not be paying more
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No insurance for houses on flood plain
I WOULD like to comment on Coun Derek Benfield's statement (as reported in Tuesday's Evening Advertiser) calling for draining the flood plain on the Front Garden. The top soil there rests on a layer of Kimmeridge clay below which is the water table. If
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Remember BSE when you vote
THE long-awaited BSE report is a £2 million bucket of whitewash. The Tory ministers (including Major) who presided over this saga of cowardice and ineptitude keep mouthing, like a well rehearsed formula, "we acted on the best science available at the
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Celebrations for Saddlebacks and Old Boars
Devizes 17, Frome 0 THE Saddlebacks entertained Frome in a friendly on Saturday. Frome have switched from the Somerset to the Dorset and Wilts Leagues and are currently top of Dorset and Wilts One, while Devizes are second in a league above, Southern
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Clouds loom over Swindon's big day
Swindon's all-conquering rugby team face their toughest test for years this weekend but first they must beat the weather. The free-scoring team are due to face South West 1 promotion favourites Cinderford tomorrow, in the third round of the Intermediate
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Don't make a crisis out of this yet
WE could be forgiven for thinking that the country is falling to pieces as we watch the news this week. Floods stranding people in their homes, trains running slow or not running at all . . . and drivers queueing at the pumps to panic buy when there is
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King is facing battle royal
ANDY KING is confident he can keep Ian Woan at the club despite reports that Reading are hot on his heels. Royals boss Alan Pardew revealed this week he is interested in the former Forest midfielder and is keeping an eye on his progress at the County
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Gorman leads goal spree for ColtsYouth football
DESPITE atrocious weather conditions most games in the Wiltshire Times and News Mid-Wilts Youth and Minor League were played at the weekend just hours ahead of the worst storm in ten years. In the under 15s Division Calne Colts battened down the hatches
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Battle starts for airwaves
By Craig Evry A THREE-WAY battle has broken out in a bid to take over a local radio licence in Warminster. Warminster Community Radio, which has been campaigning to take over the slot for the last four years and has broadcast several times, has now got
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Millennium carnival parade Warminster's best for years
By Craig Evry THOUSANDS of people braved the cold and blustery wind to take part in Warminster's annual carnival celebrations. An explosion of colour, song and dance hit the streets on Saturday as more than 50 entries made the town's millennium carnival
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Pensioner duped by imposters
A PENSIONER from Warminster was conned out of £80 after being duped into letting two men who claimed to be from the water board into her house. The 77-year-old, of West Parade, let two men into the rear of her house after they told her they were investigating
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Man abandoned rescued buzzard
A FORMER shepherd who rescued a dehydrated buzzard from the wild, abandoned it at his Codford home after an argument with his girlfriend, a court heard. Mark Potter, 27, of no fixed abode, appeared before North West Wiltshire Magistrates' Court in Trowbridge
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Parents defend their killer son
By Craig Evry THE parents of Christopher Randall have spoken out at the torture they have gone through since their son was arrested for murder eight months ago. Hazel and Jimmy Randall, of Myrtle Avenue, Warminster, whose son started a life sentence last
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Urgent plea for new village post office
By Craig Evry THE CLOSURE of the post office in Codford after more than 40 years has left the village temporarily without post office services. Plans to open a smaller branch within the New Road Service Station are not likely to be put into effect until
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Out of order
AT the last full meeting of the district council a Liberal Democratic councillor made an unsuccessful attempt to denigrate Cllr Terry Chivers because he had chosen to leave that party. This was embarrassing and quite out of order. Terry Chivers has elected
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Flood warning 'Came too late'
ANGRY residents say the Environment Agency failed to warn them in time about flash floods which swept through low-lying areas in Malmesbury on Monday October 30 causing thousands of pounds of damage. And homeowners have blasted Wiltshire County Council
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Storms add to railway chaos
IT has been one of the quietest weeks in the history of Pewsey railway station, with no passenger trains running in the past 72 hours and no prospect of services being restored until the weekend at the earliest. It is the first time in living memory passenger
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Crack seized in drugs raid
WHAT is believed to be the first ever seizure of crack cocaine by police in the Marlborough area was made on the night of Tuesday, October 31, when drugs squad officers raided three homes and made three arrests. It was the third successful drugs raid
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Gorman leads goal spree for Colts Youth football
DESPITE atrocious weather conditions most games in the Wiltshire Times and News Mid-Wilts Youth and Minor League were played at the weekend just hours ahead of the worst storm in ten years. In the under 15s Division Calne Colts battened down the hatches
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Reserves take over at the top
Skurray's Wiltshire League QUALITY finishing by Devizes Town Reserves saw them run out 6-1 winners over Wroughton in the Premier Division, the victory taking Devizes above Cricklade as leaders. Wroughton never gave up and made the home side fight for
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Tom's hat-trick moves Centre up the table
Premier Division CORSHAM Centre United moved off the bottom of the table after recording their first league victory in seven outings. A 4-3 win over Malmesbury Town was led by Tom Laver, who bagged a hat-trick. Derek Moore completed United's quartet with
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Rudloe cruise to easy victory
TROWBRIDGE LEAGUE THE weather caused the postponement of eight matches in the Trowbridge League (sponsored by Just Signs Trowbridge). A ninth game, between Apetito and Bromham Reserves, was abandoned after 67 minutes in Division Three. Luke Rudman put
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Bin men in lorry protest
FURIOUS refuse collectors claim bins will go unemptied across west Wiltshire and jobs will be axed if plans to privatise the service go ahead. Bin men staged a massed demonstration with their refuse lorries outside West Wiltshire District Council offices
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School plans move forward
PLANS for a long-awaited primary school for a new Trowbridge estate could be given the go- ahead next week. The scheme to build a 210-place school to serve the new Paxcroft Mead estate is expected to be approved by Wiltshire county councillors on Wednesday
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Church rent rises could force playgroup to close
A TROWBRIDGE playgroup claims it will have to close after 30 years if a town church puts up its rent again. St Thomas Pre-School has been based at St Thomas's church hall since the 1970s, but is now struggling to pay the £100 a week rent. The next rent
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A350 plans will be monitored
FUTURE developments near the spot where three people were killed in an car accident will be carefully monitored until road improvements have been carried out. An application to build a produce and machinery store on land off the A350 at Yarnbrook has
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Tory voices bed crisis fears
GP ANDREW Murrison, the Conservative Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Westbury, has voiced worries about a possible winter beds crisis in local nursing homes and hospitals. He claims that new regulations introduced by the new Care Standards Act
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Warning for police operator
A CIVILIAN operator at Trowbridge police station has been disciplined following an internal investigation into their handling of a complaint. The investigation was ordered in August after police received complaints about an operator's handling of a mugging
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Uniformly good time had by all
CORSHAM Town Hall was the unusual setting for an evening's cross-dressing, spelling tests and musical mayhem all to raise funds for the NSPCC. Members of Corsham Chamber of Commerce put away their office wear and donned gym slips and boaters to become
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Dog-proof fence for playground
A CHILDREN'S playground in Roundponds, Melksham, will soon be transformed into a dog-proof area. The site at the end of Dunch Lane has continually had problems with dogs fouling the grass. A new fence has been built with the aim of keeping the animals
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Worse off all round with this plan
CLLR Peter Davies clearly believes that the people of Corsham will be better off after the construction of an additional 600 houses in the town. Among the benefits I perceive are an additional 2,000 people in the shops, a further 1,000 children in the
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Lack of support
I REGRET to say that owing to lack of support Conigre Mother and Toddler Group will be closing as from Wednesday November 1. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who, over the past 23 years, have supported us. The toys and books will
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Police roadblock car is damaged
A POLICE car was left with a smashed windscreen after roadblocks were set up in Bradford on Avon to stop drivers attempting to cross the bridge. The roadblocks were set up on Tuesday night after signs blocking off the bridge were thrown into the river
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Safety fear cancels fireworks
FAMILIES in Winsley were left disappointed when the village school was forced to cancel its annual firework display. The event was due to be held on the school playing fields last Saturday but the Parent Teacher Association was advised to cancel the event
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Panic buying at the pumps
MOTORISTS in Swindon have started panic buying petrol as the country lurches towards a possible second wave of fuel protests. Petrol stations in the Swindon area have reported increased trade at the pumps as motorists look to fill up before any renewed
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Dream for anglers is destroyed
PLANS to create an anglers' paradise outside Wootton Bassett have been refused. Farmer Gordon Hunt wanted to create three fishing lakes on nearly four hectares of land at Ballards Ash Farm on Flaxlands outside of Wootton Bassett. But North Wilts District
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Woman threw glass at ex-friend
A WOMAN who threw a wine glass at her former friend, leaving her with cuts on her face, appeared before north west Wiltshire magistrates in Trowbridge on Thursday. Yumi Ash, 31, of St Thomas Road, Trowbridge, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily
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Award praises quality of service to jobhunters
STAFF at Wiltshire's JobCentres have been celebrating the presentation of an award which recognises their high standards of customer service. The Employment Service in Wiltshire and Swindon has been awarded its second Charter Mark from the Government.
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Hague elbows out his 6X appeal
TORY leader William Hague declined a pint of Wadworth's 6X during a press call at Devizes Corn Exchange on the evening of Thursday, October 26, despite it being sponsored by the local brewers. Although he has claimed to regularly drink 14 pints during
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Semi-clothed cellist fails to faze composer
By Morwenna Blake SEMI-NUDE cellists are not a familiar sight to many of us, but more so to Tim James. Mr James is a freelance composer who works from the attic of his Westbury home. This summer he was joined by two senior BBC executives, who commissioned
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St Margaret's Hall to be kept for Bradford
By Holly Robinson and Morwenna Blake MONTHS of talks about the future of St Margaret's Hall in Bradford on Avon have ended with a decision to keep it for the town. Bradford Town Council agreed on Tuesday to accept a transfer deal offered by West Wiltshire
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Charged with assault
THREE men and a youth all charged with offences relating to an assault on two teenagers with police-style batons and bicycle chains in July, appeared before north west Wiltshire magistrates on Thursday. Tommy Hitt, 22, of The Gables, Westbury Leigh and
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New supermarket debate continues
WEST Wiltshire district councillors were expected to make a decision on the controversial plan to build a Sainsbury's store at Westbury Leigh last night. The application has attracted criticism including claims that the planned store is too large, would
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£500,000 facelift for junior school
PARENTS will be asked for their views on plans to spend £500,000 improving a school in Upper Stratton. Swindon Borough Council wants to build a resource and library area and new classrooms at Ruskin Junior School. The proposals will involve replacing
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Making sweet music for charity
A CARPENTER has recorded a song to raise cash for this month's Children In Need. But he is no relation to the famous double act of the 70s he is woodwork expert turned singer-songwriter Chris Meek, from Upper Stratton. Chris, 54, took the inspiration
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Dog clean up scheme under way
DOG mess bins are to be pioneered in West Swindon and could herald a borough-wide anti-fouling scheme. And one area is to have three extra bins thanks to a campaigning 11-year-old schoolgirl. The council is to pay for a six-month trial involving 30 bins
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Dramatic rise in race crimes
LATEST crime figures for north and west Wiltshire have highlighted a dramatic increase in the number of homophobic and racial hate crimes reported to the police. Figures for April to August show a 260 per cent rise in homophobic incidents and a 33 per
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Sexy shop brings its lingerie to life
PEGGY Weston proved herself to be the oldest swinger in town when she passed a newly opened Ann Summers store in Regent Street. But for 70-year-old Peggy, of Cranmore Avenue, the main attraction was a live mannequin in the window, who was wearing a hot
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Bin men in lorry protest
By Sara Oliver FURIOUS refuse collectors claim bins will go unemptied across west Wiltshire and jobs will be axed if plans to privatise the service go ahead. Bin men staged a massed demonstration with their refuse lorries outside West Wiltshire District
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Wheel appeal
YOUNG motorcycle enthusiasts are on the right track thanks to a pioneering scheme. The Parks Wheels Workshop opened about a month ago and provides youngsters with practical skills in vehicle maintenance. Such has been its success that it has even received
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Riding the Rollercoaster
VETERAN defender Mark Robinson is very rarely shocked when it comes to the goings on in football. If nothing else, his 13 years in the game have left him expecting the unexpected. So when Colin Todd walked out on Town a little more than a week ago Robbo
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Businesses hit as floodwaters rise
LANDLORD Clive Holman was philosophical about the floods which swamped the Swan Hotel in Bradford on Avon. Things started to get really bad for the town centre premises around 11am on Monday, October 31. "I had a puddle in the car park at the beginning
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Worst storms for years
THE WORST flooding in west Wiltshire for more than a decade caused chaos and misery as homes were washed out and roads closed. In the wettest 24-hour period recorded in west Wiltshire for 50 years, more than an inch of rain fell in 12 hours. Rivers and
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Emergency services put crisis plans into action
MONDAY'S overnight flooding meant extra work for the emergency services, who were stretched to the limit as they worked around the clock. Wiltshire County Council's emergency planning team opened their special operating centre to help co-ordinate the
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How to escape council rules
IF I allow my dog to foul in an open space the council has a nice man who will prosecute me. If I flytip some rubbish where I shouldn't, the council has a nice man who will go through that rubbish in order to ascertain my identity and once again prosecute
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King is facing battle royal
ANDY KING is confident he can keep Ian Woan at the club despite reports that Reading are hot on his heels. Royals boss Alan Pardew revealed this week he is interested in the former Forest midfielder and is keeping an eye on his progress at the County
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Misery as floods hit towns
AS floods and storms hit the county on Sunday night Bradford on Avon braced itself for a crisis. At first all seemed well on Monday morning as other towns were awash the main road through the riverside tourist attraction was still being used as a route
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Day the rains came
WEST Wiltshire is on red alert as yet more torrential rain is set to sweep across the district. The Met Office has issued another severe warning for the area which is still heavily under water from Monday's deluge. Flood water has started to drop in Bradford
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The Phillips report affects all of us
THE Philips report on BSE/vCJD has profound implications for everyone. Because of the timescale involved in many dietary related diseases, it's vital we learn the lessons from this catastrophe, if only for the sake of our children. For years, Viva! warned
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Extra-time win for Cooper-Avon
Trowbridge 5, Cooper-Avon Tyres 12 (aet) IN atrocious conditions, both sides came out of this Dorset and Wilts Plate game with credit for the way they played good rugby in a very close encounter. Trowbridge had the better of the first half and with their
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Frustration as in-form Bassett have week off
WOOTTON Bassett have no fixture this weekend not because of the weather, but because no Southern Counties South fixtures were scheduled. It is disappointing for Bassett because they are in excellent form, having won their last three games convincingly
