Archive
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Event raises arts profile
ARTSNOW, the networking and promotion group, hopes to raise the profile of the arts in north Wiltshire with The Event on September 13 and 14. The two days will provide information, advice and hands-on participation for all those working in or interested
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Two trapped in wreckage
EMERGENCY services battled for 40 minutes to rescue two people trapped in the twisted wreckage of a three-car collision on the A4 at Studley on Wednesday at 9.30am. Firefighters used hydraulic jacks and cutting equipment to free an elderly woman and a
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Inspector will decide on town centre site
THE future of Chippenham's key town centre site will be decided at a planning inquiry on August 20. The Flowers family, which used to run a scrapyard on the four-acre site, wants to develop up to 80 houses with shops and offices and leisure on the land
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Udder way to enjoy fete
FARMERS and their families celebrated the end of the foot and mouth crisis at Christian Malford fete on Saturday with a country bumpkin theme. Fete committee chairman Kevin Bolter said: "We had a whale of a time. We were blessed with a nice bit of sunshine
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Proms spectacular
THOUSANDS of concert goers were forced to wait in a field for more than an hour when sheer volume of numbers created problems after the first ever Lacock Proms. Nearly 6,000 people were enchanted by a superb evening of music and fireworks at Lacock Abbey
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Use needed for former rail museum
COUNCILLOR Peter Stoddart is right to raise the issue of the future of the former railway museum. And his suggestion about turning it into a meeting place for ethnic minority groups and asylum seekers should be given serious consideration. Swindon Council
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Angry reveller's threat to burn down nightclub
REVELLER Steven Vincent threatened bouncers and police outside a nightclub after he and friends were thrown out. Vincent, 26, of Long Close Avenue, Corsham, admitted to a public order offence on July 6 when he appeared before North Wiltshire magistrates
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Dragon tale at the abbey
A GIANT dragon will be the star of the show when theatre group Illyria appears at Lacock Abbey in August. The Reluctant Dragon will be performed with the abbey as stage backdrop on Saturday August 3. The tale was written by Kenneth Grahame, author of
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Angry reveller's threat to burn down nightclub
REVELLER Steven Vincent threatened bouncers and police outside a nightclub after he and friends were thrown out. Vincent, 26, of Long Close Avenue, Corsham, admitted to a public order offence on July 6 when he appeared before North Wiltshire magistrates
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Pigeon whisperer on a wing and a prayer
MALMESBURY'S own expert bird whisperer has come to the rescue to lure down invading pigeons who make themselves at home high above the nave of the abbey. The town's popular odd-jobman Henry Wheeler, of Parklands, a retired labourer, is a member of the
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Officer denies police station closure rumours
DIVISIONAL police commander, Chief Inspector Ian Hobbs, was given a rough ride by Pewsey parish councillors concerned at rumours about the village police station closing. Despite his assurances the police station would remain with a sergeant and five
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Lyus gets his kit on
CHAIRMAN Malcolm Lyus is hoping to see hundreds of Chippenham Town supporters decked out in the club's new shirt when his side kick off their Dr Martens League Premier Division adventure at home to Chelmsford City on August 17. The club will continue
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Eaton rifles out of deal
CHIPPENHAM Town manager Tommy Saunders could turn to a face from the past after being thwarted in his bid to lure experienced former Cheltenham Town striker Jason Eaton to Hardenhuish Park. Dave Godley, who left Chippenham at the end of the 1999/2000
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A Thorne in Tommy's side
MIDFIELDER Wayne Thorne is hoping to turn from zero to hero for Chippenham Town next season following his recent move from Western Division side Clevedon Town. He was the scourge of the Bluebirds last season when he bagged an injury time winner for his
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Bumper crowds for Bluebirds
CHIPPENHAM begin their pre-season campaign with visits to neighbours Calne Town and Corsham Town this week. Both can expect bumper gate receipts for the matches, which will give the Bluebirds' loyal band of supporters the first chance to see Tommy Saunders
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Clubs hit out at FA's blueprint for future
CHIPPENHAM Town have thrown their weight behind the Dr Martens League's claim that the FA's chosen blueprint for the future of the non-league game is undemocratic. The FA announced their plans at the National Leagues Conference in Birmingham at the weekend
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Chairman's alert over cash crisis
DR MARTENS PREMIER LEAGUE: CHIPPENHAM Town chairman Malcolm Lyus has promised supporters he will do his utmost to steer the club clear of the choppy financial waters that forced Wiltshire rivals Salisbury City into closure this week. The Bluebirds will
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Little wonder this mouse is a success
THE best gifts often come in the smallest packages, and the old adage certainly holds true for Stuart Little 2 (U). This is charming and heart-warming sequel to the 1999 smash-hit about a talking mouse adopted by an impossibly perky human family. Everything
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Pigeon whisperer on a wing and a prayer
MALMESBURY'S own expert bird whisperer has come to the rescue to lure down invading pigeons who make themselves at home high above the nave of the abbey. The town's popular odd-jobman Henry Wheeler, of Parklands, a retired labourer, is a member of the
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Show keeps up tradition
THE 107th Somerfords Show takes place at the Great Somerford Showground, near The River Avon, on August 10. The annual event, which was interrupted only by the two World Wars, features flower competitions, a dog show and a duck race. Men can test their
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Six new recruits attracted by fire station campaign
SIX new recruits are interested in joining the fire brigade in Malmesbury after the station launched a campaign to boost its number of retained firefighters. The station, in Gloucester Road, has 13 part-time firefighters on call and ideally wants at least
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School gets cash windfall
YOUNGSTERS at Burton Hill House School in Malmesbury, have benefited from a cash boost. The special needs school was given £3,500 from Swindon-based Nationwide and the money helped to refurbish one of the school's bathrooms. Headteacher Phil Drake said
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Plans for holiday homes are rejected
NORTH Wiltshire district councillor Michelle Phillips says plans for holiday homes at Oaksey Golf Course are like creating a mini holiday camp. The plan to build 18 two and three-bedroom holiday homes at Oaksey Golf Course, plus a bunkhouse, was turned
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Memorial for church couple
MORE than 100 people are expected to pack a remembrance service in Little Somerford on Sunday for Richard and Denise Rugg, who died after a car accident outside the Dyson factory on May 22. The service starts at 11am at St John The Baptist Church. "My
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Friends back Harry
FRIENDS of party-loving Prince Harry have rallied round the 17-year-old royal following revelations he downed vodka drinks with pals. Prince Harry was alleged to have drunk six Smirnoff Ices, the alcoholic equivalent of nine shots of spirit, at a party
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Swindon v Chippenham
TEENAGE all-rounder Jack Humphrys scored his maiden century for Chippenham in Sunday's 154 run crushing of Swindon in the West of England Trophy. The youngster, who is a member of the Somerset cricket academy, made 103 at exactly a run-a-ball to lead
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Chippenham 2nds v Taunton 2nds
CHIPPENHAM managed to avenge the defeat from earlier on in the season with a three-wicket win. After winning the toss, Chippenham put Taunton into bat where the visitors scored 163 for nine in their 45 overs, Stuart Rose top-scoring with 61. Dave Silvanus
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Taunton v Chippenham
NEW overseas player Sean Adams made a hard hitting debut, but could not prevent team Chippenham dipping to a 32 run defeat in a low scoring Premier Division Two game at Taunton School, on Saturday 13th July. West Indian Adams made 52 off only 40 balls
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Marlborough v Trowbridge
MARLBOROUGH fell 64 runs short of their target as Trowbridge completed a Gloucester and Wiltshire League double over their hosts at Savernake on Saturday 13th July. The home side were unable to match the disciplined game plan followed by the visitors,
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Hinton Charterhouse v Purton
PURTON should really have taken advantage of an impressive performance in the field as they slipped to defeat. Purton produced an excellent bowling and fielding display and needed only 120 from 50 overs to win but it was their hosts who triumphed by a
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Goatacre v Lydney
A MAIDEN league century from teenager Steve Gee helped Goatacre to a six-wicket home win over Lydney on Saturday 13th July. Chasing Lydney's target of 187 to win, the hosts made a poor start with the wickets of Andy Dawson and Andy Donegan falling early
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Duchy men will be big test for Goatacre
GOATACRE will be looking to book a quarter-final place on Sunday when they entertain Cornish champions Werrington in the last 16 of the National Village Cricket Championship, start 2.30pm. Goatacre, national village champions in 1988 and 1990, reached
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Stalwart dies, 70
CRICKET: WILTSHIRE cricket stalwart Gordon Gay has died at Salisbury Hospice last week just three days short of his 71st birthday. Mr Gay was co-founder of the Wiltshire Cricket Association, serving as secretary from 1968 to 1985 and chairman from 1985
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Talented West Indian ends search for a star
CHIPPENHAM'S search for a regular overseas man this summer could finally be at an end following the recruitment of confident West Indian all-rounder Sean Adams. Former St Vincent under 19s player man Adams made a blistering start to his club cricket career
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Chinese ambassadors compare notes on railway
SENIOR Chinese Government officials made a fact finding visit to Swindon-based Scott Wilson Railways. The delegation was led by Vice Minister Cai Qinghua from the Chinese Ministry of Railways, which visited the rail support company at Western House Swindon
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Biggest quarterly loss for Motorola
COMMUNICATIONS giant Motorola has recorded its biggest ever quarterly loss, but insists it is on course for a return to profitability by the end of the year. The world's largest mobile phone manufacturer took analysts by surprise by posting a $48 million
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More than half Duchy Manor's teachers to leave
DUCHY Manor Middle School, Mere, one of five facing the axe in the review of three-tier education in south Wiltshire, is to lose six of its 11 teachers at the end of term, tomorrow. Head teacher Tom Sleigh (58), who has been at the school for 18 years
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Chance of Life Fund reaches £10,000
NEARLY £10,000 has been raised to help Charlotte Wakeham, the seven-year-old schoolgirl who has an inoperable brain tumour. People have been holding numerous events to raise money for the charity set up in Charlotte's name, the Charlotte's Chance of Life
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Firm hit by downturn
WOOTTON Bassett company Optical Micro Devices has been hit by the global downturn in the telecommunications sector. Just a year after its £15 million purpose-built facility was officially opened by The Princess Royal, the firm has called in administrators
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Tycoon gets hotel go-ahead
FORMER media tycoon Eddy Shah has been given the go-ahead to build £3.5 million new hotel and leisure complex in Wootton Bassett. His company, Messenger Leisure Limited, bought the Wiltshire Golf and Country Club one year ago. The company has already
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Meeting on health issues
FUTURE arrangements to involve patients and the community in decisions about local health services will be discussed at a meeting at the Civic Hall, Trowbridge at 2pm on July 31. The meeting will discuss what is being done to tackle service and financial
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Gazette backs new zip cards for leisure centres
A NEW leisure centre card sponsored by the Gazette will make sport and fitness more accessible to all, removing the stigma of being on benefits. The North Wiltshire Leisure Ltd zip card, which covers all six leisure centres in the district, will enable
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Animal fat in veggie meals
THREE vegetarian meals out of a batch tested by trading standards watchdogs were found to contain animal fats. Officers from Wiltshire County Council's trading standards department bought the meals from pubs, cafes, restaurants and takeaways in Wiltshire
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Students rear 'hobbit'in new enclosure
ANIMAL Care students at Wiltshire College Lackham are hand rearing a "hobbit" as part of their studies. This Hobbitis not an escapee from Tolkien's Lord of the Rings but a four-month-old meercat, which has very hairy feet like his Middle Earth namesakes
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Council staff strike for better pay deal
SCHOOLCHILDREN were sent home, refuse collection rounds abandoned and Social Service centres closed down when hundreds of the county's public sector workers went on strike yesterday. A Unison spokesman said more than 5,000 workers in Wiltshire were expected
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Warning on conmen using 0900 numbers
WILTSHIRE police have warned residents and business people to beware of conmen using premium-rate 0900 phone numbers to fleece them of hundreds of pounds. Det Insp Paul Ginger of the Fraud Squad said a whole host of scams have been highlighted after officers
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TB testing turns up pressure on farmers
DAIRY farmers Barbara and David Sealy are this week breathing a sigh of relief after their herd was given a clean bill of health, bringing to an end a two-and-a-half-year nightmare brought about by bovine TB. The Sealys are not out of the woods yet. Although
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Garden row is resolved
A ROW over a BBC garden makeover is set to be smoothed over. Chippenham couple Sylvia and Martin Johns were horrified when they saw a platform and a cube fence erected in their next door neighbour's garden, in Gundry Close, as part of a makeover for the
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Organisers have the tournament licked
THE weather wwas so hot at Malmesbury Youth FC's six a side tournament the organisers ran out of ice cream four times. But they still raised more than £3,500 for club funds at the weekend after hosting more than 1,000 teams. The event, held on pitches
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Drugs squad set to be scrapped
A WILTSHIRE police division wants to scrap its drugs squad at a time when drug-related crime is at an all time high in the area. The drugs unit, based at Melksham and covering the whole of north and west Wiltshire, consists of just three highly specialised
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School's copybook is blotted by its design
A GLOWING report from schools inspectorate Ofsted has been spoilt by criticism of inadequate buildings at Worton and Marston Primary School near Devizes. But the comments in the report, published last week, will give ammunition to the governing body as
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Firm is fined over flammable masks
A COMPANY must pay £12,900 after mislablling Halloween masks as non-flammable. When Swindon trading standards officials tested the masks supplied by Palmer Agencies, they burned after just two seconds exposure to a flame. The masks supplied by Tim Palmer's
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Bear necessities
A SINGING teddy duo enthralled pre-school children during a picnic service at Wootton Bassett parish church. The toys performed the Teddy Bears' Picnic song before the children joined in. The annual picnic was enjoyed on the lawn at Church Croft after
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Don't mention Status Quo
ANDY Scott is an international music star in his own right but he keeps being mistaken for a different rock idol. Scott, the only original member left in glam rock band The Sweet is frequently mobbed by Status Quo fans who think he is Rick Parfitt. Andy
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Man injured after building site fall
A DOZEN firemen were called in to rescue a builder who hurt his back in a fall while working on the new Homebase store in Haydon Wick. The 23-year-old man was fixing metal decking on the unfinished building when the accident happened just before 11am
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Evening is a symphony of delights
SUMMER arrived just in time for more than 7,000 concert-goers who attended this year's Wilton House concert and fireworks extravaganza on Saturday night. After weeks of cold and rain, it was close to a perfect summer evening, dry and warm. It all helped
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Former festival boss is wedded to the arts
SALISBURY Cathedral played host to a marriage made in media heaven on Saturday, when former Salisbury Festival director Helen Marriage married Bafta award-winning film director Peter Kosminsky. High-profile guests at the wedding included TV presenter
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Young royals in charity polo day
A SUN-DRENCHED Tedworth House provided the setting on Saturday as four members of the royal family turned out to support the Inspire charity at Tidworth Polo Club's annual Rundle Cup fixture. Princes William and Harry, along with their cousin Zara Phillips
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Parish takes crumbling well house under wing
CALNE Without Parish Council has adopted a Victorian well house in Derry Hill, which will cost £10,232 to renovate. The council has been unable to discover who owns the dilapidated structure, so it has decided to become its custodian to protect it for
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Queen's design could be hatter's crowning glory
THE peak of Calne's outrageous hat decorator Geoff Brown's career was when Rolf Harris performed in one of his wacky designs at last month's Glastonbury Festival. The hat was adorned with an Australian flag, didgeridoo, boomerang and fluffy kangaroos
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Group seeks new advisor
CALNE Young People's Town Council is looking for a new advisor to help it achieve its aim to set up a cinema in the town. Teacher Mike White, of John Bentley School, has been the YPTC's advisor for several years, but no longer has the time to devote to
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New police sergeant to target drug crime
CALNE'S new police sergeant Nic Shorten started work this week, pledging to battle drug-related crime. Sgt Shorten will target crime, such as petty theft and burglary, which he believes are often caused by drug addicts searching for their next hit. But
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Kids sample life in jungle
CHILDREN at Seend Primary School last week immersed themselves in the jungle as part of their arts week activities. The National Curriculum was put to one side as they depicted the endangered Amazonian rainforest of South America in painting, music, dancing
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Rotarians set for fun year
BRIAN Little has taken over as president of Devizes Rotary Club. At a recent club meeting he paid tribute to out-going president Bob Akerman. He praised the inspired way Mr Akerman had led the club during the past year during which it had raised large
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School in call for aid to revamp grounds
THE governors of Holy Trinity Primary School in Great Cheverell are calling on the community to help them improve their playing Two years ago the school made an unsuccessful £35,000 application to the Sports and Arts Foundation to fund improvement work
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Triple reason to celebrate
WEEKS of training by seven residents and staff from the Amber Foundation in Savernake Forest paid off when they completed the gruelling Three Peaks Challenge, to climb Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowden, in 23 hours 15 minutes. All the walkers were exhausted
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Warning of e-mail scam
TRADING Standards have warned computer owners to ignore e-mail requests from overseas which could appear as a way of getting rich quick. Coun Chris Humphries, the Aldbourne parish, district and county councillor, is among the people to receive one of
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Chance of Life Fund reaches £10,000
NEARLY £10,000 has been raised to help Charlotte Wakeham, the seven-year-old schoolgirl who has an inoperable brain tumour. People have been holding numerous events to raise money for the charity set up in Charlotte's name, the Charlotte's Chance of Life
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History tour
MEMBERS of Marlborough Local History Group toured the town when Nick Baxter gave a talk on the borough's history. They met at the Merchant's House in High Street and went to St Mary's Church, taking in Chandlers Yard, the Town Hall, Silverless Street
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Car crashes into pub restaurant
SUNDAY lunch customers at the popular Royal Oak pub in Easterton, near Devizes, had a lucky escape when a car crashed through a rear door and ended up in the restaurant. Just 30 minutes before the restaurant had been packed with more than 20 diners, but
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Ancient ring did not cause death of son
THE mother of treasure hunter Peter Cawley who died 12 days after unearthing a 300-year-old ring near the enigmatic Avebury Stones said his death was a tragic coincidence and she did not believe it was linked in any way to his find. Mr Cawley, 38, died
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Great-gran opens the revamped day centre
GREAT-GRANDMOTHER Kath Eyles who is over 80, and one of the oldest members at the Jubilee Centre in Marlborough, was helped by her great- granddaughter Raye MacMillan, nine, when she cut a ribbon to formally open £34,000 improvements. Mrs Eyles, from
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Young anglers battle it out for the big catches
A DOZEN junior anglers turned out for the second round of the four legs Millennium Trophy on Friday evening. The three-hour match was fished on the Devizes Angling Association's Crookwood Lake on the outskirts of Urchfont. Crookwood Lake is continuing
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It's time for Errol Flynn fans to dig deep
PERHAPS the world's finest private collection of Errol Flynn memorabilia is to go under the hammer in Swindon next week. Featuring more than 150 items, including 18 signed photographs of the film star, the collection is expected to raise £20,000. Flynn
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Hollywood zooms in on crop circles
A NEW Hollywood block-buster about crop circles is already being rubbished several weeks before it has even been released. The film Signs is clearly trying to cash in on the phenomena of Wiltshire's crop formations by telling the story of how the beliefs
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All smiles walking the plank
MORE than £250 has been raised for Sports Relief by the psysiotherapy department of Ridgeway Hospital. Staff and visitors took part in all-sorts of fun events, including a penalty shoot-out and three-legged relay while patients enjoyed the spectacle.
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Israel the winner of school's Olympics
AROUND 280 pupils from Abbey Meads Primary School took part in a young Olympics during their sports day on Tuesday. The children aged from four to 11 were split into 20 groups and dressed up representing countries from Japan to Trinidad. The annual event
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Forget-me-not: Our order book stolen
CUSTOMERS of a Swindon flower stall may not have their blooms delivered because of the theft of the business order book. The book was stolen from ARJ Flower Stall, which has a pitch outside Debenhams in The Parade. They stallholders reckon they have about
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Battle for care
THERE has been much in the press recently about pensions, but there is another very disturbing personal care issue for older people. If you fall ill with cancer you are, quite properly, looked after by the State. If, however, in your advancing years,
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Dog was sufferer
I FELT great sympathy for the loud noise protesters (fireworks 10.45pm, Saturday July 6). My little dog was very distressed at the time and every evening since then, at 10.30pm precisely, she has crouched at my feet a tight little bundle of misery, anticipating
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Forget Stonehenge . . . Avebury is better
AVEBURY is a major World Heritage sitewhich attracts thousands of visitors every year and is recognised by English Heritage as the best preserved prehistoric temple of a type unique to Britain. Yet it remains a poor relation on a tourism trail on which
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Drugs squad set to be scrapped
A WILTSHIRE police division wants to scrap its drugs squad at a time when drug-related crime is at an all time high in the area. The drugs unit, based at Melksham and covering the whole of north and west Wiltshire, consists of just three highly specialised
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Who'll get council's £100,000 top job?
SWINDON'S £100,000 director of education could be named by the end of the week. Interviews are being conducted tomorrow and Friday and the decision could be announced as early as Friday afternoon. The council advertised in the national press for a new
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Man died after fall from roof
A FORMER company director who lived near Fairford plunged to his death from the roof of a north London house, an inquest heard. Derek Lawrence Gold, 66, of Waiten Hills, Meysey Hampton, fell from the roof of a friend's home in St John's Wood on July 7
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Tisbury strike gold with rare orchids
TISBURY has struck botanical gold after a colony of rare bee orchids was discovered growing on a disused allotment. More than 100 of the valuable plants were discovered by chance last month during a routine visit to keep the allotments tidy. They had
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MP Julia's bid to change rape law doomed to fail
A PRIVATE members bill tabled by South Swindon MP Julia Drown, which would make it easier to convict rapists, has gained its first reading in parliament. However, it stands no chance of becoming law because it will run out of time before it can go through
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Fight to keep the library for town
There is a strong feeling within Calne and the surrounding villages that the now redundant Carnegie Library should be for the future use of its people. The library was left in a trust: "For the purpose of a public library for the borough of Calne." Owing
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Elderly victims of distraction burglaries
A DISABLED, 91-year-old woman and a woman suffering from multiple sclerosis have become the latest victims of distraction burglars operating in Salisbury. The two incidents are part of a spate of such burglaries last week, others having taken place in
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Add voices to rules on temporary signs
I write regarding the disapearance of signs from the village of Lea, promoting this year's Musicalea Festival. As a member of the organising group for this event, I would like to highlight a few points to make sure that other local event organisers do
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Our views are ignored
THE refusal of the Portman Building Society to discuss or consider reviewing the decision to close the Pewsey branch is indefensible. In correspondence about this closure lip service is paid by the society's managers to the interests of its members. No
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Results of the council survey are no surprise
The findings of last November's survey by focus groups into the levels of dissatisfaction with Wiltshire County Council will come as no surprise to those of us who have campaigned for reductions of vehicle speed levels in our respective localities and
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Former festival boss is wedded to the arts
SALISBURY Cathedral played host to a marriage made in media heaven on Saturday, when former Salisbury Festival director Helen Marriage married Bafta award-winning film director Peter Kosminsky. High-profile guests at the wedding included TV presenter
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Drumming up support
A GROUP of soldiers have taken up guard outside Swindon's town hall as part of the Army's continuing recruitment campaign. The troops from the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment were in Swindon challenging young people to "Be the
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It is vital to be aware of plans for our area
Since losing the Public Inquiry on Marlborough's Angel Yard I have been approached by many residents who have assured me they would have supported the cause had they known what was happening. I would like to sound a cautionary note with everyone. The
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Why not ask what the villagers want?
THANKS to the Gazette (July 11) for providing us with the information concerning the projects of a mini roundabout and pedestrian crossing in Potterne, at the end of this year. I have been living in Potterne for the past five years, right at the corner
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Old people should receive a better deal
OLD people deserve a better deal from social services and the community over the provision of care homes in which they can enjoy their twilight years, according to the head of a care home association. The comments by Frank Ursell, chief executive of the
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For them all
I think the Swindon Memorial should be to all who died of mesothelioma. I feel for those with it now, but what about the railway men who died of it 50 years ago? It was put down then as broncho-pneumonia. My father was one of them. To see him suffer and
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'Turkey' is a misnomer
I WONDER who chooses the programme to be 'Tonight's Turkey' (TV Highlights). The choice in the Evening Advertiser of July 10 was the programme about the battle of Monte Casino, narrated by Richard Holmes. It was an extremely good programme. Richard Holmes
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First Peter, now Paul?
I have never met Peter Heaton-Jones, but would not hesitate to assert that were I to do so I would undoubtedly find him one of the most unpleasant, malodorous individuals I have ever had the misfortune to come across. There, I've proved my credentials
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Wake up, parents, and teach children the 3 Rs
IT'S not how much money one spends on education that matters, but rather what is taught. As a frequent visitor to England from South Africa, I am appalled at the urban decay and social ills that are visible everywhere since my last visit. This has been
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Working for the good of the elderly
DOROTHY Tenty is, of course, strictly correct (Letters, July 15) when she says that Age Concern Swindon started life as the Old People's Welfare Committee. This year we are pleased and happy to be celebrating 50 years since Swindon Corporation first established
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Minor blip, major feat
I REFER to the letter on Monday regarding Old Town Festival Entertainment. The letter was not from the Entertainment Sub-Committee, it was from one member of the sub-committee who had responsibility for the dance stage performances between noon and 3pm
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Skaters slide into despair
NEARLY 50 young skaters went looking for answers when they filed into a meeting of North Wiltshire District Council's executive committee. The skate ramps in Monkton Park, Chippenham, were closed suddenly last month when a local government ombudsman found
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Council's appeal for feedback
THE town council in Chippenham wants to know if people think it is doing a good job. The council has just published its third Best Value Performance Plan which outlines the responsibilities, achievements and new targets in the coming year, including ambitious
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Hundreds sign traffic petition
HUNDREDS of residents have signed a petition calling for a traffic survey in the Audley Road area of Chippenham. Andy Phillips, of Sheldon Road, spent hours collecting 460 signatures because he was so concerned about road safety in the area. He sent the
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Thieves steal OAP's bike
PENSIONER Lilian Mortimore was heartbroken when the bike she had saved her pension for was stolen a week after she bought it. Mrs Mortimore, 75, of Oaklands, Chippenham, had saved for months to buy the £200 blue and silver Classic Claude Butler. It was
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Police drugs team could be scrapped
WILTSHIRE Police wants to scrap its drugs squad at a time when drug-related crime is at an all time high in north Wiltshire. Many police officers are appalled by the proposals and have said they fear for the future of fighting drugs in towns like Calne
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Davison's in pucker form
Robin Davison, the Swindon Lynx ice hockey player, and Ian Richards smashed Gloucester Civil Service for a club record third-wicket stand of 225 on Lydiard Millicent's 2002 Tour. Davison hit five sixes and 18 fours in his flawless innings of 125 with
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Steam needs your support
STEAM has had a tough time of it and is still not out of the mire. Its failure to attract enough visitors and, therefore, enough revenue, has seen it become a millstone around the council's neck. Now it is set to reveal more of the secrets behind Swindon's
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'I've Been Had': King
ANDY KING has warned that the 'lies' of certain football agents could hamper his attempts to unearth a hidden gem. The Town boss is sick of being spun tales by agents who claim they have players of outstanding quality on their books. Half a dozen triallists
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TV recruits fall in again
SERGEANT Major Richard Nauyokas attracted a real army of thousands of fans to the Hullavington Barracks open day at the weekend, quadrupling the expected number of visitors. Sgt Maj Nauyokas, who is based at Hullavington, has been catapulted into the
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Tester has fat chance of staying wafer thin
DONNA Kelly thought she had scooped the coolest job in the world when she was promoted to taster in an award-winning ice cream company based in Calne. But she has discovered sampling luxury ice cream every day has its drawbacks. The deputy product manager
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Cancer charity cash boost from festival
CHARITIES are set to cash in from 100,000 people who will be flooding into Monkton Park, Chippenham, for North Wiltshire Festival 2002. The festival, which runs from July 26 to 28, will raise cash for Cancer Research UK, the charity picked out by North
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Minibus fund gets council cash award
A £5,000 appeal to buy a new minibus for children at St Nicholas School in Chippenham has received a £300 boost from North Wiltshire District Council. Members of the Chippenham area committee agreed last week to make the grant. The bus will enable the
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First aiders cross over to St John
HISTORY will be made when first aid cadets in Pewsey take off their Red Cross uniform for the last time tomorrow and switch to the uniform of St John Ambulance instead. The move follows the nationwide Red Cross decision to withdraw from first aid training
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Possession game is so vital warns Bush
CHIPPENHAM Town assistant boss Colin Bush is positive the Bluebirds playing staff will be ready for the increased demands of the Dr Martens League Premier Division by the time Chelmsford City travel west for the season's curtain raiser on August 17. Bush
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Firm hit by downturn
WOOTTON Bassett company Optical Micro Devices has been hit by the global downturn in the telecommunications sector. Just a year after its £15 million purpose-built facility was officially opened by The Princess Royal, the firm has called in administrators
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Tycoon gets hotel go-ahead
FORMER media tycoon Eddy Shah has been given the go-ahead to build £3.5 million new hotel and leisure complex in Wootton Bassett. His company, Messenger Leisure Limited, bought the Wiltshire Golf and Country Club one year ago. The company has already
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Tributes are paid to ex-Gazette deputy
TRIBUTES have been paid to former Gazette deputy editor Steve McLean, who died last week, just 12 weeks after being diagnosed with cancer. Mr McLean, who was 45, and lived in Old Railway Close, Malmesbury, died in Malmesbury Community Hospital last Wednesday
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Police drugs team could be scrapped
WILTSHIRE Police wants to scrap its drugs squad at a time when drug-related crime is at an all time high in north Wiltshire. Many police officers are appalled by the proposals and have said they fear for the future of fighting drugs in towns like Malmesbury
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Is this a victory for the dealers?
IT beggars belief that Wiltshire Constabulary is considering disbanding its drugs unit to fall in line with some high-handed, and totally unproven, Government edict. The national model of dealing with drugs is being imposed on police forces across the
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Wiltshire Cricket League round-up
PROBABLY the best performance of the day was at Beanacre where the home side entertained second placed Westinghouse in Division One. Batting first, Beanacre were restricted to 135-8, with Paul Gilbert (34) and Greg Lapham (23) the major contributors.
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Swindon v Devizes
DEVIZES slipped to eighth in the Gloucester and Wiltshire League Division One as they were swept aside by promotion-chasing Swindon. The visitors, who won the toss and elected to bat first, were dismissed for a disappointing 144, with Tom Edwards top
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Wootton Bassett v Hatherley and Reddings
BASSETT missed the chance of increasing the pressure on leaders Frocester as they lost by four wickets. Inserted on a greenish wicket, the Bassett innings started disastrously, with the first four batsmen not troubling the scorers and after 10 overs they
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Malmesbury v Colwall
INDIAN paceman Sami Akhtar made an impressive debut as bottom of the table Malmesbury arrested their losing run with a 40-run home win over Colwall on Saturday 13th July. Colwall won the toss and inserted the hosts, who made a slow start as the run rate
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Staff at Intel could face job losses in scaledown
INTEL today confirmed staff at its European headquarters in Swindon face job losses in a global scale down of 4,000 workers. The world's biggest computer chip-maker, which has a 750-strong workforce at Piper's Way, Old Town, said it was too early to know
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Telephone answering firm logs 100,000th call
TELEPHONE answering company, The Virtual Business Centre, celebrated taking its 100,000th message this week. Based at Brinkworth since 1999, the company was created to offer business services such as telephone answering and telemarketing, to small and
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Firm apologises for threat
CABLE company NTL threatened to set doorstep debt collectors on a recently-widowed grandmother after she cancelled a television service ordered by her late husband. John Gray, 68, of Wootton Bassett, died suddenly on Boxing Day last year, several months
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Villagers' fears over plans for 'invasion'
A WAR of words has been sparked by North Wiltshire District Council over accusations that Swindon Borough Council wants to "invade" towns and villages beyond its boundaries. The district council claims Wootton Bassett, the Lydiards, Purton and Cricklade
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Firm puts £70,000 into plan for park
A BID to restore Lydiard Park to its former glory has been kick-started by a £70,000 donation. West Swindon-based Innogy, formerly National Power, has provided the full amount of corporate sponsorship needed to begin detailed feasibility work on the £5.5
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Burglary gangs mar county's crime rate
WILTSHIRE Constabulary's normally enviable crime figures were spoilt by burglary statistics higher than the national average because of crime sprees by gangs in Salisbury and Swindon. Assistant Chief Constable Stephen Long said crime in the county, the
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Balloon flight is postponed
DAVID Hempleman-Adams' world record-breaking balloon flight attempt has been postponed until next month because of the weather. Mr Hempleman-Adams, 45, from Box, and Bristol-based Cameron Balloons owner Don Cameron want to reach 25,000ft in a 77,000 cubic-foot
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Caribbean look at youth
TWO people from the Caribbean have been learning about the work of Wiltshire County Council's youth service. Nishard Mohammed, 26, and Angela Nesbitt, 25, from Trinidad and Tobago, were hosted by staff at Wiltshire County Council when they visited Britain
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Lamplugh's safety rules
STAFF at Wiltshire County Council are to benefit from a talk on personal safety by the director of the Suzy Lamplugh Trust. Diana Lamplugh founded the trust in 1986 the year in which her estate agent daughter, Suzy, disappeared while showing a man around
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Putting Big Foot out in front for MS charity
THE three day Big Foot charity walk across the Marlborough Downs at the end of August needs a lot more volunteers to take part if the initial £250,000 target is to be anywhere near achieved. At present 100 people have enrolled to take part in the unique
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Wheelie bins on their way
EVERY household in North Wiltshire will be supplied with a wheelie bin and kerbside recycling will be introduced within the next two years in a bid to reduce landfill. Under the proposals North Wiltshire District Council, responsible for refuse collection
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Artists open studios
MELISSA Cole is a blacksmith. She does not fit the typical image some might expect but she has considerable ability, as she proved when she won the international competition to design the Town Bridge in Chippenham. She is as keen to work with people as
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Villagers' complaint rejected by ombudsman
VILLAGERS in Market Lavington are considering their next move after the Local Government Ombudsman turned down their complaint against Kennet District Council over the granting of planning permission for a housing estate near their homes. Residents of
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Dad and son bow out
A DYNASTY has come to an end at Roundway Parish Council after father and son Mark and Stephen Oram resigned in protest against the Government's new code of conduct. It requires councillors to sign a declaration, about their financial dealings. At Monday's
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Triple reason to celebrate
WEEKS of training by seven residents and staff from the Amber Foundation in Savernake Forest paid off when they completed the gruelling Three Peaks Challenge, to climb Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowden, in 23 hours 15 minutes. All the walkers were exhausted
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Forest's barriers will stop short cuts
BARRIERS are being put up on two of the private roads in Savernake Forest which motorists have been using as rat runs to avoid rush hour traffic jams in Marlborough. Traffic heading north from Salisbury on the Burbage road into Marlborough frequently
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Boy, oh girl, oh boy
TRIPLETS Harry, George and Lauren are home from hospital and that means the hard work has just begun for their parents Alison and Neil Twine. They are having to get used to a new hectic routine after the babies were given the all clear by medics at Princess
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Plucky strike
RESIDENTS in Old Town were left feeling bemused when their weekly bin collection did not materialise. Most had gone through their usual ritual of putting their black bin bags in front of their house, seemingly unaware that virtually all collections were
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Man dies after 10mph crash
AN inquest heard how wearing a seatbelt could have saved the life of a man who died after a 10mph crash. Wiltshire Coroner David Masters heard how Brian Stratford, 53, of St Andrew's Close, Wroughton, died in hospital 40 days after suffering a broken
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Spotters swoop for early show
LORRY drivers were furious when they found a Cotswold lane completely blocked by dozens of plane spotters. Early-bird enthusiasts had started arriving outside the RAF Fairford base at the crack of dawn to see the first of 350 planes fly in from around
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A refuge for our refugees
THE former railway museum in Faringdon Road could be turned into a base for community groups for ethnic minorities and asylum seekers. Tory councillor Peter Stoddart believes the historic building should be put to good use instead of lying dormant, waiting
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Games bring schools together
CHILDREN from feeder primary schools descended on Upper Avon School at Durrington to celebrate the Commonwealth Games with a day of mixed activities. In conjunction with Sports England and the Salisbury schools sports co-ordinator, the event, held on
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Intricate crop circle 'no hoax'
A SPECTACULAR crop circle has appeared on Normanton Down, near Stonehenge. The elaborate design measures 740ft across and is considered very sophisticated. Just a fraction smaller than Britain's largest-ever crop circle, which appeared last year, the
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Fun of the fair
BRIGHT sunshine and a large turnout ensured that this year's Figheldean summer fair was a great success. Hundreds of people descended on the village playing field for an afternoon of games, displays and demonstrations. The event began with the Ken Lacey
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Lawyers' work raises questions
A PROBE is under way to find out why legal searches for homeowners living on the outskirts of Amesbury failed to reveal the existence of a controversial link road. Residents living in and around Pilot's View and Beamont Way on one of the new housing estates
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Old people should receive a better deal
OLD people deserve a better deal from social services and the community over the provision of care homes in which they can enjoy their twilight years, according to the head of a care home association. The comments by Frank Ursell, chief executive of the
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City fans rocked as club quits league
SALISBURY City fans were in tears this week after learning that full time had been blown on their beloved club. Shocked supporters gathered outside the club's Raymond McEnhill Stadium on Monday evening, after hearing the news that the club had withdrawn
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Tester has fat chance of staying wafer thin
DONNA Kelly thought she had scooped the coolest job in the world when she was promoted to taster in an award-winning ice cream company based in Calne. But she has discovered sampling luxury ice cream every day has its drawbacks. The deputy product manager
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Pirate raises panto booty
THE panto season arrived early in Calne this year when Snow White, a pirate and a pantomime dame turned out to run a fundraising fete on Saturday. The Calne Players Pantomime Group organised the event in the Pippin to raise money for the next production
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Villagers' concern at plan for new homes
MORE than 150 people packed a public meeting in Derry Hill on Monday to question Lord Lansdowne about plans for 36 new houses near the A4. The houses would be sited on 1.64 hectares of land belonging to the Bowood estate, near the village hall, and at
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Man admits rude gesture
DRINKER Jason Edwards made a rude gesture at police officers as they drove past him and later swore at them, a court heard. Edwards, of Bailey Close, Bishops Cannings, pleaded guilty at Kennet Magistrates' Court in Devizes on Monday to a charge of using
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Appeals over missing cats
TWO families in the Devizes area have put out a plea for the return of their missing cats. The Walkers, from the Marina Meadows area of Devizes, have not seen their cat Jess, who is 15,since July 9. They have have had the black-and-white tom since he
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Putting Big Foot out in front for MS charity
THE three day Big Foot charity walk across the Marlborough Downs at the end of August needs a lot more volunteers to take part if the initial £250,000 target is to be anywhere near achieved. At present 100 people have enrolled to take part in the unique
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Forest's barriers will stop short cuts
BARRIERS are being put up on two of the private roads in Savernake Forest which motorists have been using as rat runs to avoid rush hour traffic jams in Marlborough. Traffic heading north from Salisbury on the Burbage road into Marlborough frequently
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'I won't give up,' vows robbery attack victim
POSTMISTRESS Ann Goss has vowed to carry on her business despite a brutal raid in which she was beaten around the head by thieves wielding baseball bats. The 54-year-old, whose post office in Patney was raided three weeks ago, spoke for the first time
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Signs too big for baskets
MEMBERS of Marlborough Town Council's planning committee have expressed concern over the size of sponsorship signs naming businesses who have contributed towards the hanging baskets in the High Street central parking reservation. Committe chairman Coun
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Pub wins licence but loses Sunday extension
OWNERS of the Royal Oak pub in New Park Street, Devizes, say it will not disintegrate into a late night drinking den following the granting of an extended public entertainment licence. Kennet licensing committee agreed entertainment could on until midnight
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Lighting for danger spot
TOWN councillors in Marlborough have asked Wiltshire County Council for some speedy action over better lighting for the pedestrian crossing by the town hall. There has been criticism of the siting of the crossing ever since it opened a year ago, claiming
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Trust to consider old hospital's potential
A FULL evaluation of the existing Devizes Hospital site will be undertaken as part of the proposals to replace the hospital. The Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust, which runs the hospital, has been consulting people about its proposals to
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Police drugs unit closure
WILTSHIRE Police may scrap its drugs squad, even though drug-related crime is at an all-time high in the county. Many police officers are appalled by the proposals and fear for the future. The drugs unit, set up five years ago in Melksham, has three highly
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Pupils' Gambian gift
PUPILS at Preshute School, in Manton, near Marlborough, have a new seating area in the school grounds. It is thanks to the craftsmanship of visitors from The Gambia who are spending a month in Marlborough. The playground at the village school in Manton
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Author goes back to school
POPULAR children's author Lauren Child returned to her old school on Monday to talk to pupils about her work and her memories of life in the classroom. Ms Child travelled from London to spend the day at Kennet Valley School in East Kennett, where she
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Gala's simply the best
MARLBOROUGH International Jazz Festival 2002 was the biggest and best in its 14-year history just as festival director Nick Fogg promised. The weekend gala of music and magic brought an estimated 10,000 visitors flooding into the town. In bright sunshine
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Officer denies police station closure rumours
DIVISIONAL police commander, Chief Inspector Ian Hobbs, was given a rough ride by Pewsey parish councillors concerned at rumours about the village police station closing. Despite his assurances the police station would remain with a sergeant and five
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Outcry over threat to chop police drugs unit
WILTSHIRE Police may scrap its drugs squad when drug-related crime is at an all time high in the county. Many police officers are appalled by the proposals and fear for the future in fighting drugs across the county. The drugs unit, set up five years
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Artists open studios
MELISSA Cole is a blacksmith. She does not fit the typical image some might expect but she has considerable ability, as she proved when she won the international competition to design the Town Bridge in Chippenham. She is as keen to work with people as
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College in tribute to ex-pupil
MARLBOROUGH College deputy head Bob Pick had to carry out one of the saddest duties of his career on Saturday when he gave an address at a memorial service for 23-year-old former student Nadim Khalaf. Mr Khalaf, who was a pupil at the college from 1992
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Pub sues rock star as garden gig axed
INTERNATIONAL rock star Van Morrison has pulled out of a sell-out concert due to take place in a pub garden next month. The news will be a bitter blow to the 1,500 fans who paid £32.50 for tickets to the August 3 gig at The Crown Hotel at Everleigh. The
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Road accident could have been averted
THE DEATH of a man hit by a car while walking home from a party along the A419 could have been avoided if the road was better lit. This was the conclusion reached by a police traffic expert at an inquest into the death of Nationwide worker Andrew Cook
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Wheelie bins on their way
EVERY household in North Wiltshire will be supplied with a wheelie bin and kerbside recycling will be introduced within the next two years in a bid to reduce landfill. Under the proposals North Wiltshire District Council, responsible for refuse collection
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Steam uncovered
TUCKED up in boxes and cabinets at Steam are some of the Great Western Railway's most valuable and historical treasures. Most have never been on show before, but on Saturday curator Tim Bryan and his team will be exploding the mysteries, as they open
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Thanks to all
Last weekend saw the third annual Malmesbury youth football club six-a-side tournament and 170 teams and their supporters descended on our ground at the Red Bull. A lot of work went into the organisation of the event and we are particularly pleased to
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Thanks, rescuers
I would like to thank the modern day Samaritans who came to the aid of my husband and myself on July 13. Returning from the Cavalier/Roundhead skirmish on Roundway we took the wrong road which landed us on a field path. Our car became embedded in mud,
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Roman secrets are unlocked by radar
RADAR technology is being used to unlock the secrets of the Abbey Meads Roman site. Two archaeologists are surveying the area using a ground-penetrating radar. The device will provide the most detailed picture ever of the four large stone structures which
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A burning issue
Summer, such as it is in Devizes, brings the problem of bonfires. Come the summer afternoons and evenings, when you feel the need to hang out the washing to dry and have the windows open to cool the house down, you far too often can't because of the stink
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Idyll is over
I SEEM to have given the erroneous impression that village children walked a railway line with the knowledge of their parents and I would like the opportunity to dispel such a notion. It is certainly true that almost the entire countryside was once their
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Intricate crop circle 'no hoax'
A SPECTACULAR crop circle has appeared on Normanton Down, near Stonehenge. The elaborate design measures 740ft across and is considered very sophisticated. Just a fraction smaller than Britain's largest-ever crop circle, which appeared last year, the
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Skatepark users are good kids having fun
I would like to put a parent's viewpoint concerning the teenagers who use(d) the Chippenham skate park. I'll confess that before my son became interested in skateboarding, I viewed the skate park with a certain amount of suspicion. However, my son, aged
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Can you tell what it is yet?
THE next generation of young artists have the chance to hone their skills at a summer school in Swindon. The two week course for gifted and talented artists, at Peatmoor Primary School, is open to youngsters in school years six, seven, eight and nine.
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Evening is a symphony of delights
SUMMER arrived just in time for more than 7,000 concert-goers who attended this year's Wilton House concert and fireworks extravaganza on Saturday night. After weeks of cold and rain, it was close to a perfect summer evening, dry and warm. It all helped
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£3m extension to ease overcrowding
PARENTS at Greendown School have been given their first close-up look at a £3 million expansion scheme designed to solve its chronic overcrowding. Comments have been invited from both parents and children at the West Swindon comprehensive which has become
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Weather plays along for carnival
WILTON Carnival was blessed with sunshine on one of the brightest days of the summer so far. After a rainy and grey week of preparations, the costumes of the carnival participants brought a welcome burst of colour. This year's carnival procession took
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Charlie's journey of hope
YOUNG Charlie Jarvis, who has a rare form of cancer, is set to jet off to Texas on Sunday for the first stage of her pioneering treatment. And cash has been rolling in to meet the £50,000 cost of the drug therapy that could prolong the four-year-old's
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Young royals in charity polo day
A SUN-DRENCHED Tedworth House provided the setting on Saturday as four members of the royal family turned out to support the Inspire charity at Tidworth Polo Club's annual Rundle Cup fixture. Princes William and Harry, along with their cousin Zara Phillips
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City fans rocked as club quits league
SALISBURY City fans were in tears this week after learning that full time had been blown on their beloved club. Shocked supporters gathered outside the club's Raymond McEnhill Stadium on Monday evening, after hearing the news that the club had withdrawn
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Independents are a nice idea but...
I READ with interest the letter from M Chesterman (EA, July 12) advocating the election of independent candidates. While this may seem like an attractive idea in principle, the system of government we have in Swindon would not enable 10 or even 20 independent
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Smith is sworn in as Bath's coach
Bath have confirmed the appointment of former Australia and Ireland fly-half Brian Smith as first team coach. The 35-year-old was coaching co-ordinator with the ACT Brumbies and helped guide them to the Super 12 final this season. Smith, who was a dual
