Archive
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Petition may lead to traffic calming
Local campaigners are celebrating now Wiltshire County Council has agreed to check out traffic problems in the Audley Road area of Chippenham. Andy Phillips of Sheldon Road called on hundreds of local residents to put together a petition voicing concern
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Chippenham news in brief
A takeaway meal from Chickoland worth £12 was stolen from a man in New Road at 6.30pm on Wednesday last week. The man put the meal on the ground while he engaged in an argument with a cyclist. When he turned round, his food had disappeared. : Thieves
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Heads call for radical overhaul of A-levels
HEADTEACHERS across the county have called for a change in the A-level system in the wake of fears that some results were artificially downgraded. An inquiry is underway after leading independent schools claimed Oxford Cambridge and RSA Examinations marked
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Police in dawn blitz on dealers
A MAJOR police operation to rid the streets of Calne and Chippenham of drug dealers had resulted in eight people from the area pleading guilty to drugs offences. More than 70 police officers were involved in the operation, codenamed Claire, that took
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PC to race the New York beat
Chippenham Round Table member PC Andrew Holyoake will be pounding the streets of New York in a bid to to raise money for the children's charity Whizz Kidz. PC Holyoake, who used to be based in Chippenham but is now a training officer in Gloucestershire
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Market to put brake on plans for move
THE owners of Chippenham Cattle Market have shelved plans to move to a new purpose-built market. Peter Kingwill, the director of Chippenham Livestock Market, said they had no plans to find a new site or build a new market for the foreseeable future. He
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Artist turns to the bible
Biblical themes have provided inspiration for Chippenham artist Alexandra Walker. Ms Walker, a former pupil at the town's Hardenhuish School, studied an art foundation course in Swindon before completing an honours degree in fine art in London. Now she
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Jail for dad who used car as battering ram
DAD John Connors, who used his car as a battering ram while his pregnant wife and children were inside the vehicle, has been jailed for 14 months. Connors, 35, of Thingley Caravan Park, Thingley, near Chippenham, drove his car with its wheels screeching
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Fear over church fire risk
THE oldest parish church in Chippenham could burn to the ground because the gates are too narrow for a fire engine to get through, says vicar Rev Simon Tatton-Brown. He said St Andrew's Church, in the Market Place, is being forced to seek approval to
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Rape victim tells of attack horror
A CARE worker who was raped on a tombstone in a Chippenham churchyard has spoken for the first time of her horrific ordeal. The 22-year-old has been left so traumatised by the attack in St Andrew's Churchyard two weeks ago that she is terrified to go
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Rod and Line
with Roland Batten Angling: Waldens Farm Fishery Update BISHOPS LAKE. Best pike of season reported so far to Lee Mitchell of Fordingbridge - a 22lbs fish taken on a smelt. ABBOTS LAKE. Ian Turner of Winchester took nine pike for 82lbs off of peg 50 and
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Juggling cash will not work
FOR the moment, proposals to cut key services for children and elderly people in Swindon have been rejected. Last night, the council's cabinet accepted that Swindon's social services department will go £800,000 over budget in order to preserve services
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Taxi customer has her handbag stolen
A woman waiting for a taxi outside Flamingos Nightclub in Westwells, Corsham, at 2.30am on Saturday had her handbag stolen by people standing nearby. Police said violence was used in the theft. The handbag contained a glass teddy bear, £40 cash and a
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Police should be praised for raids
FOR months householders in Devizes have berated the police for doing nothing about allegations of drug dealing in the town. Officers have had to take this criticism on the chin, without being able to tell anyone that they were planning Operation Ardent
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Adventurer ditches balloon record bid
ADVENTURER David Hempleman-Adams has been forced to abandon his bid to cross the Atlantic in a hot air balloon. Mr Hempleman-Adams, from Box, set off on Tuesday just before 11am British Summer Time but by early afternoon he had been forced to land. A
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Teens robbed of phones
A GROUP of teenage friends was held up at knifepoint by two men who demanded they hand over their mobile phones. About 20 teenagers aged around 15 from Corsham School were gathered at Hatton Way fields on Friday evening when the two robbers appeared.
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Firefighters called to tackle barn blaze
Firefighters were called to deal with a blaze at a barn opposite the Wragbourne Golf Club on the Shrivenham Road. The fire started at about 3pm on Tuesday and there were no reports of anyone trapped inside the building. The cause of the fire is still
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New foods officer to help producers
A new local foods officer has been appointed to give a boost to Wiltshire producers. Lian Doble has joined North Wiltshire District Council to create a network and new marketing opportunities for local food producers. Her post is funded jointly by the
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Council award is just the job
North Wiltshire District Council is celebrating its continued success in achieving the Investors in People standard. The award is usually made every three years but the council is keen to maintain standards and voluntarily applies for the assessment every
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Classic cars get revved up
MORE than 70 classic cars will be lining up for the fourth North Wiltshire Classic Car Discovery tour. The annual event for classic and cherished cars takes place on October 12 and 13 and and finishes at Castle Combe Racing Circuit where participants
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Two rare elms are discovered
Tree expert Adam Hollis, from Devizes, discovered the only recorded mature elm trees left in the county on a routine job in North Wiltshire. Mr Hollis, a chartered forester, discovered the elms when a local landowner asked him to appraise two large trees
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Fundraising dinner set to boost hospital
THE mother of Purton schoolgirl Inderjeet Bharaj, who collapsed and died of an asthma attack as she walked to an aerobics class, is planning a fundraising evening in her memory. Balbir Bharaj and her friends are staging an evening dinner with entertainment
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Pathway plan takes a step
Kington Langley Parish Council is hoping to start work soon on a£40,000 all-weather footpath through the village, after North Wiltshire District Council awarded it £5,000 funding. The 1.2km footpath will provide a safe and clean route from the A350 junction
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More turn to advice bureau for extra help
ABOUT 19,000 North Wiltshire people turned to the Citizens' Advice Bureau last year for help with their problems. The district's CAB Annual Report reveals the numbers set a new record. "This last year has been our busiest year ever and we are constantly
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CARNIVAL: Results
Geoff Kunkler Cup for the best decorated business or shop in Pewsey: Pewsey Radio Vision. Class 1: 1, Moonrakers/Pewsey Radio Vision with Queen Still On Tour; 2, Frank Chivers Coal, Devizes, with Captain Pugwash And Pirate Band; 3, Coral Centre Play Centre
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CARNIVAL: Marred by under-age drinking
PEWSEY Parish Council has congratulated the carnival committee for its organisation of Saturday night's carnival. But reservations have been expressed about the amount of under-age drinking at the event. At council meeting on Tuesday Sgt John Coppen said
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Website nets award
CHIPPENHAM Town's website is the 14th best in the country, according to a poll on the non-league paper's internet site. The top 100 list of non-league sites is compiled each week and each website is rated by taking into account content and number of hits
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Physio's run raises £200
PHYSIO John Lock has raised more than £200 towards medical equipment for Chippenham Town after completing the BUPA-sponsored Bristol Half Marathon on Sunday. Lock and girlfriend Helen Budd completed the gruelling 13.1 mile course around Bristol's city
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Davies will miss up to a month with injury
SKIPPER Gareth Davies is facing a month on the sidelines after suffering a torn groin muscle in Saturday's 2-1 win at Folkestone Invicta. Davies headed the Bluebirds level just past half hour, but limped off the field after the break after kicking thin
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DYSON FEATURE: My hopes for future
AS production of Dyson vacuum cleaners comes to an end in Malmesbury on September 27 with the loss of 590 jobs, company founder James Dyson has pledged his future to the town. The multi-millionaire spoke exclusively to the Gazette as the final moves were
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Appeal over plan refusal
Landowner Stuart Crook has launched an appeal after North Wiltshire District Council turned down a plan to build 34 new homes in Minety. The council refused his plan to build homes, a new pre-school and car park next door to Minety Primary School. About
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DYSON FEATURE: 'A void in the town'
Sophie Richardson, 48, of Charlton, said: "I think what has happened at Dyson is very bad for Malmesbury. "It's not good for the town, all these people losing their jobs. I think people would stay and keep their jobs if they could. "I do not have a Dyson
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DYSON FEATURE: The rise and rise of the Dyson empire
1947: James Dyson is born to academic parents against what he describes as a "middle class and not particularly wealthy background in the backwater of north Norfolk." 1965: Leaves Gresham's school in Holt, Norfolk with eight O levels and three A-levels
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Creating a new impression
Award-winning specialist printer Thamesdown Colour, of Kembrey Park, Swindon, has introduced a new-look website and brochure, signalling a fresh approach to the way it markets its services. Breaking away from the traditional images commonly found in marketing
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Firm puts safety first on the road
Driver Hire Swindon a leading specialist supplier of temporary drivers to the transport industry is backing Road Safety Week by asking its drivers to sign a pledge to drive safely. Organised by national road safety campaigners Brake, this year's Road
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Grants to open up worldwide business
GRANTS to help companies create business worldwide are being offered by Swindon Council. The money is available through two different schemes aimed at helping small and medium sized firms improve their management practices and make contacts with overseas
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Charity car wash
A car wash at Iceland car park, off High Street, Wootton Bassett on Saturday, September 28, is being organised by the Rotary Club of Wootton Bassett with the support of Iceland, Motorsave and Rouse and Son. Proceeds will benefit Rotary's Polio Plus charity
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Stocking up on cash
Stalwart fundraiser Annie Dowdell, of Wootton Bassett, was pelted with wet sponges while she sat in the High Street stocks dressed in period costume to raise money for Wroughton's Prospect Hospice. Her previous charitable efforts include a sponsored cycle
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Coffee keeps boats afloat
A coffee morning organised by the Wootton Bassett branch of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution at Church Croft on Saturday raised £252.63. Maureen Hunt won a competition to guess the name of a porcelain doll Elizabeth. A bring and buy stall and a
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Snap up a bargain for young children
A wide selection of children's goods will be available at the next nearly new sale on October 19 from 11am to 12.30pm at Wootton Bassett Methodist Church. This will include nursery equipment no prams/buggies will be on display but ads will be on view,
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Princess to speak about housing
THE Princess Royal will be visiting Oaksey Village Hall on Monday, September 30, at 3pm to make a speech at a village housing seminar organised by the Rural Housing Trust. Princess Anne is the president of the trust and will meet parish councillors to
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Playtime for tots, thanks to cash gift
CHILDREN at Allsorts Pre-school in Wootton Bassett are looking forward to some new play equipment, courtesy of the council's annual grant aid scheme. Allsorts is among the 15 local groups to have benefited from this year's grant aid presentation, in which
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Cattle hotfoot it to showground
Wiltshire cattle are to be making a welcome return to the Bath and West Dairy Show this year. Last year's show had to go ahead without any livestockbecause of the foot and mouth crisis, but this year the cattle are back and raring to go. The show has
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Studying helps wits to woo. . .
Part-time college courses could lead to romance and new friendships, according to a new survey. This week Wiltshire College will open its doors to thousands of new part-time students, enrolled on one of 1,600 courses. But there is still time to sign up
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Heads call for radical overhaul of A-levels
HEADTEACHERS across the county have called for a change in the A-level system in the wake of fears that some results were artificially downgraded. An inquiry is underway after leading independent schools claimed Oxford Cambridge and RSA Examinations marked
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Council ups green record
WILTSHIRE County Council staff are being encouraged to go green. Dozens of recycling bins have been placed around County Hall to encourage staff to recycle their rubbish. Aluminium, cans, glass, plastic and paper can all now be recycled at County Hall
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DRUGS FEATURE: Officers root out slippery customers
DRUG users and dealers go to any lengths to hide illegal substances from police. Sergeant Willie Glasgow, stationed at Chippenham, who led a raid on a flat in Binegar House, Calne, on Thursday, said: "I've been at raids when we've found drugs in cereal
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DRUGS FEATURE: Behind the curtains, residents look on
IT seemed just like any other day in Devizes last Thursday. As daylight broke traders were setting up their stalls for the weekly town centre market while postmen cycled on their rounds. Yet snaking through the town was a convoy of 20 police vehicles
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Trowbridge League round-up
DIVISION Two Rowde Sports and Division One Dursley Arms will have to replay their preliminary round game in the Knockout Cup competition, sponsored by Revolutions Cafebar Chippenham, following a 2-2 stalemate on Saturday. Rowde, who had Wayne Hillier
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Adventurer ditches balloon record bid
ADVENTURER David Hempleman-Adams has been forced to abandon his bid to cross the Atlantic in a hot air balloon. Mr Hempleman-Adams, from Box, set off on Tuesday just before 11am British Summer Time but by early afternoon he had been forced to land. A
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Juniors at their best
THIRD Division rivals Holt FC and Chippenham Black Horse were involved in a match that was a tremendous advert for junior football. Holt overturned a 4-1 deficit before earning a thrilling 5-4 penalty shoot-out victory in the preliminary round of the
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Call goes out for detectives
Wiltshire police are offering young people the chance to be detectives for the day. To promote Crimestoppers Week the police have devised a ten-point quiz, for youngsters aged between seven and 16, which tests observation skills, knowledge of policing
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Corsham Town 2 Brislington 0
MANAGERLESS Corsham Town sprang one of the surprises of the FA Vase second qualifying round as they dumped Screwfix Direct Premier Division leaders Brislington out of the competition at The Southbank. Corsham went into the clash without seven members
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Scheme brings relief to stressed carers
Share the Care Week is designed to encourage people to help families of disabled children. By providing occasional respite care, short break carers can make that essential difference. SARAH SINGLETON reports. PEOPLE in Wiltshire are asked to give up a
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Cyclists' charity trek
A TEAM of keen cyclists will saddle up for a ride to one of the most spectacular locations in France. Sara Smith, 41, and John Keat, 36, from Sutton Benger, Steve Mayhew, 39, from Great Somerford and Julie Clough, 37, from Swindon are taking part in the
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Odd Down 2 Devizes Town 2
A LATE penalty denied Devizes their first Premier Division win since the opening day of the season at bogey side Odd Down on Tuesday evening. Ray Baverstock's men led twice through David Lloyd and Steve Richardson but the Bath side, who defeated Devizes
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Yate Town 4 Pewsey Vale 0
HELLENIC LEAGUE: PEWSEY Vale's miserable week continued on Tuesday night as Yate Town racked up their sixth straight Premier Division win at Lodge Road. Don Rogers' men, who now have conceded 13 goals in their last two outings, went into the clash without
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MARCH FEATURE: Protesters revel in the carnival atmosphere
THE noisiness and diversity of the Liberty and Livelihood marchers created an atmosphere closer to that of a carnival procession than a political demonstration on Sunday. Fanfares of hunting horns were answered with choruses of tin whistles and whoops
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Laugh a minute for hosts as a comedy of errors seals tie
HIGHWORTH Town are back on the cup trail once again, after a 4-0 away win over Chard in the second qualifying round of the FA Vase. They were helped by two own goals, a spectacular header from Lee Wilson and a bizarre mistake by home keeper Steve Ritchie
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MARCH FEATURE: 'It wasn't all about hunting'
SOME 47 people from Ramsbury joined more than 400,000 protesters in Sunday's Countryside March for Livelihood and Liberty, possibly the largest ever demonstration in support of civil rights the UK has ever seen. The coachload of local people, including
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MARCH FEATURE: Marchers unite views
The Liberty and Livelihood March served mainly as a focal point for hunt supporters. But marchers voiced a host of other opinions, economic and environmental. ANDY DAVEY joined the demonstration. IN a massive demonstration of solidarity, thousands of
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Devizes Town 5 Bishop Sutton 1
FA VASE: DEVIZES Town secured their passage into the first round proper of the FA Vase with a handsome victory over Premier Division rivals Bishop Sutton at Nursteed Road on Saturday. Late goals from Jim Griffin, Andy Grange and Steve Richardson gave
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Youth football round-up
DEVIZES Town Youth have moved three points clear at the top of the under 16s Red Division of the Wiltshire Times and News Mid-Wilts Youth and Minor League following their home win against Malmesbury Youth. Matthew Oliver's hat-trick put the home side
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End of the line
MULTI-MILLIONAIRE James Dyson says he cannot guarantee the jobs of workers at the Malmesbury factory after making 590 people redundant by moving vacuum cleaner production to Malaysia. Mr Dyson said that he is excited about the future but, despite good
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Visitors targeted
WEST KENNETT: Visitors from Canada, Hawaii, Norway and Spain lost backpacks containing personal property including photo albums when a white Ford Fiesta was broken into while it was parked on the A4 near West Kennett Long Barrow last Wednesday.
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River litter louts set to face prosecution
THE conservation group Action for the River Kennet is hoping to prosecute louts who throw litter into the river in a bid to keep it clean. It is calling on the owners of land along the banks of the River Kennet to help identify those who pollute the waters
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Youth club gets off to fine start
Bromham has set up a new youth club for 11 15 year-olds in response to popular demand. After complaining that there was nothing for older children to do in the village a group of teenagers got together with parents and carers to form Bromham Youth, the
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Break-in is foiled
An attempt was made to break in to the Avebury District Club on Monday night when the windows of the ladies toilet and the bar were smashed. The offenders ran off when the alarm was activated.
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Africa is a step ahead
ALDBOURNE mother-of-two Kim Niblock has benefited from technology borrowed from the Masai tribespeople of east Africa after damaging her ankle on a child's pogo stick. Mrs Niblock found that walking around London on the Masai Barefoot Technology, or mBT
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Housing demands may spoil hospital
CAMPAIGNERS for the redevelopment of Savernake Hospital have expressed fears Kennet District Council's insistence on having 50 per cent of the planned houses as affordable homes will scupper the scheme. Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust has
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Appeal launched to revamp youth centre launched
AN APPEAL to modernise and refurbish a youth centre was being launched today by the Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire. Legge House in Wroughton is used by schools, church groups and scouts from all over the UK as well as overseas students such as those from
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Closure threat over Safer Swindon Shop
THE threat of closure hangs over the Safer Swindon Shop when funding runs dry at the end of next month. The one-stop advice point in Havelock Street, which operates in partnership with Swindon Council, has helped more than 3,000 residents since it opened
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Suspicious caller
Police want information about a man who called yesterday on an elderly resident and requested work replacing guttering. Although no access was gained to the man's property police believe it may have been an attempted burglary. The caller is described
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David will try again after abandoning record bid
EXPLORER David Hempleman-Adams, who had to abandon his bid to cross the Atlantic in a balloon, has vowed to try again next year. He was forced to land yesterday after 27 hours because of technical difficulties. After touching down safely on firm land
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Kathy's such a good friend
KATHY Kirby is Swindon's most helpful neighbour and that is official. For the 73-year-old is the winner of Swindon Council's Good Neighbour Award and will be presented with a gong by mayor Stan Pajak at tonight's full council meeting in the Civic Offices
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Carole moves from Supermarine to Twickenham
FORMER Supermarine rugby player Carole Thelwall-Jones has been appointed the RFU's first Constituent Body Volunteer Manager. Thelwall-Jones played for both Blackheath and Supermarine Ladies before being forced to retire with a shoulder injury. A member
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MP backs report on link road
SALISBURY MP Robert Key has backed a safety report examining the impact of the proposed link road to be built through residential areas of Boscombe Down. The report, from Amesbury resident and chartered engineer Richard Maguire, highlights the three main
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Neighbours work magic in garden
A DURRINGTON woman who was unable to sort out her scruffy garden because of a bad knee returned from a trip away to discover that her neighbours had done a surprise Ground Force-style renovation. Ellen Hider, of Ch arles Road, has battled with knee problems
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Marchers make their case for the country
THOUSANDS of people from the Salisbury and New Forest areas helped to make history on Sunday. They joined forces with tens of thousands of other protesters across Britain to take part in the Countryside Alliance march in London. It became the largest
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Creatures great and small join the flock
The pitter-patter of tiny feet and hooves could be heard as Yatesbury's children flocked into church to have their animals blessed by the Bishop of Ramsbury. The children brought their dogs, cats, goats and horses for the Bishop's blessing in All Saints
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Fire-raisers in third arson hit
FIRE-RAISERS have destroyed a barn and its entire contents of straw and grain near the village of Great Durnford - the third arson attack on farms in the Amesbury area this year and the second time that particular barn has been attacked. The latest blaze
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Rubbish costs boss £5,000
Businessman Anthony Clark has been fined £5,000 and ordered to pay £890 costs, after he dumped commercial waste at a domestic tip in Stanton St Quintin. Clark, the managing director of Converters European Limited in Calne, appeared before magistrates
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Calne news in brief
The town's area transport group celebrated its first annual general meeting by electing three new members to its committee, including Paul Smith from the Calne Young Persons Town Council, and adopting a formal constitution. The group is hoping to apply
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Questions still hang over plans for waste
Environmental groups and residents living near landfill sites around Calne slammed the presenters of a revised report on the future of waste disposal. The Wiltshire and Swindon Waste Local Plan is intended to provide guides for waste management in the
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Golden pair give welcome boost to surgery
A Calne couple celebrating their Golden wedding anniversary asked their guests for a cash injection, towards the cost of a blood-testing machine for a local doctors' surgery. George Stratton, 72, and his wife Maisie, 69, were so grateful for all the help
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Student is honoured
STUDENT Amy Campell-Golding has been presented with a baravery award for helping to save the lives of a boatload of drowning people in India. Miss Campell-Golding, 21, of The Green, Calne, was relaxing with friends on a beach in Tamil Nadu, in Southern
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Town a step closer to keeping its old library
CALNE has won a significant battle in its struggle to keep the Carnegie library for the use of future generations. Town and district councillors feared the historic building could be sold on the open market and were overjoyed when Wiltshire County Council's
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Brew packs a punch
BEER drinkers will be getting a little extra cheer this autumn after Wadworth Brewery, based in Devizes, launched its newest ale this month. Malt 'n' Hops is brewed from hops the day they are picked. Brewing director Trevor Holmes describes the newcomer
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Lions give lots of bear hugs
Devizes Lions Club has donated 120 "comfort teddies" to Devizes ambulances. The teddies were donated in memory of Ena Yard, late wife of John Yard, a long-time supporter of the Lions. A collection was taken at her funeral and the proceeds were split between
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Church funds set to blossom
ST MATTHEW'S Church, in Rowde, near Devizes, is to benefit from two fundraising events in the village. A flower festival is being held from September 27-29 at the church. The theme of the festival is fruits of the earth and admission is free. There will
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Church sends out appeal
WORSHIPPERS at St James' Church in Southbroom, Devizes, are being urged to donate cash and tins of food to help local people as well as those in South Africa. The church is holding its harvest festival on Sunday, September 29, at 10.30am. The vicar, the
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Devizes news in brief
Police are appealing for people who witnessed an assault in the Market Place at 1.30am on Saturday to contact them. A 24-year-old man told police he was punched in the face by two men. He suffered a swollen nose and cuts to his lip and ear. The attackers
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Orphans get helping hand
STEVE Cole, from Worton, near Devizes, has been helping to rebuild a workshop which will enable orphaned teenagers in Romania to get jobs. Mr Cole, 47, spent a week in Baiamare, in Romania, with the Maramures Young Person's Trust renovating a barn so
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Suicidal pair saved by police inspector
THREE Devizes police officers spent an hour calming down two mentally ill people, one of whom was armed with a knife. On Monday at 2pm officers were called in to deal with a middle-aged woman who had a kitchen knife and was making threats to kill herself
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Bassett girls stay on track
Following last week's fine win over local rivals Swindon Spitfires, Wootton Bassett Ladies travelled to South Wiltshire to face Porton. And the Bassett Ladies claimed another victory, winning 4-2, but not before Porton gave the Swindon side a real scare
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Farming firm sells up after difficult times
Forty-five years of tradition ended last Thursday as agricultural manufacturer Kverneland sold off the last of its machinery in an auction at its Devizes factory in Folly Road. The company, which started out as Archie Kidd Limited in 1957, used to make
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Lights may deter more criminals
IMPROVED street lighting could be a better crime deterrent than CCTV, Devizes Town Council was told at a recent meeting. Kevin James, Kennet District Council's representative on the Kennet Community Safety Partnership, told the town council fewer CCTV
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Police appeal for witnesses
MARLBOROUGH police have warned caravan owners to take additional security measures to protect their vehicles after a raid in the area. On Friday three men were seen at Baydon Hill Farm attempting to make off with a Luna Delta caravan. They pulled up at
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Heads call for radical overhaul of A-levels
HEADTEACHERS across the county have called for a change in the A-level system in the wake of fears that some results were artificially downgraded. An inquiry is underway after leading independent schools claimed Oxford Cambridge and RSA Examinations marked
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Silbury access plans prompt objections
ENGLISH Heritage is to object to the inclusion of Silbury Hill on a map showing areas where ramblers are free to walk when the Countryside and Rights of Way Act comes into force in 2005. Visitors to the Countryside Agency's roadshow at Marlborough Leisure
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Villagers fear for children's lives
BADBURY residents say they fear for the lives of their children because motorists are using their village as a short cut to Swindon. Resident and former Chiseldon coun-cillor Adelaide Dudman, 60, is spear-heading a campaign to reduce the speed and volume
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Business seminar to help victims of violence
SWINDON businesses have been learning how they can help employees who fall victim to domestic violence. Delegates at the Domestic Violence And Work Don't Mix seminar, heard that em-ployees who suffer physical violence cost Swindon busi-ness more than
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Badgers have moved on to new ground
THE badgers who plagued residents of Greywethers Avenue in the Lawns, Swindon, have gone underground. People living in the road had complained about the furry nocturnal animals when their digging began to pose risks to their homes and a nearby electrical
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Kay's happy day came to sad end
A WOMAN is appealing for the return of camera equipment containing pictures of her children taking part in a wedding ceremony. Kay Gorski, 40, from Toothill, says she left a Sharp camcorder and Canon still camera worth £440 in the back of a taxi after
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High life makes it a capital day out
A taste of the celebrity lifestyle was one of the highlights of a day trip to London for five disabled teenagers. The event was organised by a 35-strong team from the chief executive's office at Zurich Financial Services, who had spent three months raising
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Hole covered at last
WHEN shopkeeper Pete Dore spotted a three-foot hole in the middle of a busy Gorse Hill street, he was alarmed. But authough he alerted the authori-ties, he was astounded to find the manhole in Chapel Street, just off Crick-lade Road, was left covered
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No library in former museum
PLANS to re-locate Swindon's Central Library to the Railway Museum have been dropped. The council cabinet heard last night that such a move could cost around £2 million. Council leader Kevin Small (Lab, Western) said: "I don't believe the library option
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Inscription to be changed
COUNCILLORS last night agreed to change the inscription on Swindon's main war memorial. The words "all wars and conflicts since 1945" will be added to the cenotaph in Regent Circus. The decision follows a campaign by the families of soldiers killed in
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Princess in town
HRH The Princess Royal is meeting staff and pupils at Wootton Bassett School on Monday. Princess Anne will officially open the new school buildings that were completed in February. She will meet many groups of children at the school, including some pupils
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Barn destroyed in suspected arson attack
AN ARSON investigation has been launched following a barn fire in Highworth. The fire happened at The Buildings on Eastrop Farm, just outside the village, and led to £16,000 of damage. The flames took hold quickly around 2.30pm on Tuesday, destroying
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£800,000 in credit, hospital shop shuts
A snack shop in Princess Margaret Hospital is to close its doors after 43 years service. The League of Friends shop, in the main ward block, will sell its last drinks and snacks on November 1 after raising more than £800,000 for hospital funds. The voluntary
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Club aids Phillip's fitness training
A RECORD-BREAKING deaf swimmer has been given the chance to excel further in his sport - thanks to the newly opened LA Fitness club in Salisbury. The sports club has offered Phillip Cheverall (23), of Clarendon, free membership, to give him somewhere
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Detecting the silent killer...
Members of our Armed Forces regularly visit the well guarded Porton Down establishment. There, in a special train-ing laboratory, they are taught how to operate state-of-the-art technology which is being developed to give protection against an attack
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Chemical weapons were in use centuries ago
Iraq is not the only country to possess biological and chemical weapons, although at the moment Saddam Hussein is seen as the biggest threat. It is estimated that there could be as many as 20 States around the world who either possess or have shown an
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Vaccine against evil
PORTON Down scientists are working on the ultimate vaccine as part on the on-going war against weapons of mass destruction. It is a world beating new all-in-one vaccine that will protect people against attack from several different biological agents.
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Night of agony adds to couple's despair
A DESPERATE wife gave her husband a forbidden drug to ease his pain after a wait for an ambulance dragged on for more than four hours. In sheer despair Ann Sawyer finally cancelled the ambulance and gave her 60-year-old husband, John, who had been suffering
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Veggie views
THE number of vegetarian parents is growing every year. Many choose to raise their children veggie, while others feel that a meat-based diet makes more sense for their families. Animal Aid has recently launched a national survey, which will examine the
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In praise of Helen of joy
EVERY so often the Wyvern produces a show that is out of this world. Superlatives cannot do it justice. You must be there for the experience. I speak in praise of Helen Shapiro. Whether you were an original fan of the 14-year-old star or a recent convert
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No surprise council is in a financial mess
I AM sure that I am not alone in believing that our council has no idea of financial management. On the front page of Tuesday's paper was the headline: "Cuts are back... as council overspends by £800,000." Given some of the previous debacles with this
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Location slip-up
IN reference to Location Location in last week's Gazette, the picture of the wedding in Pride and Prejudice was taken in Luckington Church. Like Lacock we, too, have many visitors from countries all over the world to see the church and Luckington Court
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NFU is now failing to help British farmers
On September 20, the Farming Today programme on BBC Radio Four featured an interview with a senior member of the NFU. The subject was the anticipated lifting of the French ban on British beef. The NFU man belittled the effect of the ban on British farming
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Good news in store
IN reply to Nina Cooper (Gazette, September 12), it could be argued that Labour is today's new model army with Blair as Lord Protector. He is helping to protect the less affluent, and challenging the House of Lords' claim to rule by Divine Right. We need
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Good news in store
THE announcement that Sainsbury's is taking over the Budgen's supermarket is the most welcome news for Devizes town centre in the last ten years. This will increase the number of people shopping in the town centre, as opposed to the other supermarket
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Trowbridge 2nds 5 Devizes 2nds 25
DEVIZES clinched victory with an impressive performance against a strong Trowbridge XV on Saturday. The visiting forwards dominated their ball at scrums and line-outs and took ball against the head. The back row also outperformed the opposition and created
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Tetbury 7 Malmesbury 38
NEW boy Calvin Bailey scored a hat-trick of tries as Malmesbury ran out easy winners over Tetbury. The visitors took the lead when Bunn set up debutant Bailey to score in the corner. McLarnon added to Malmesbury's tally following a 60 metre dash to the
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Praise for NHS
I SHOULD like to endorse the letter from Eric Mandell regarding our local health services with the example of my own recent experiences. Over the last year my husband's health began to deteriorate and we paid several visits to the emergency department
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Wimborne U18s 0 Chippenham U18s 50
JUNIOR RUGBY: CHIPPENHAM U18s racked up 50 points for the second successive week to continue their winning start to the season. Early tries from number eight Shane Johnstone and winger Matt Page set the visitors on their way and Richard Coward and Chapman
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Bath in race to get Danny ban cleared
Bath are confident that "significant new evidence" will help clear skipper Danny Grewcock to play in Saturday's Premiership derby against high-flying Gloucester. Grewcock appears at an RFU appeal hearing in London tonight in an attempt to overturn a 35
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Wootton Bassett 3, Oxford Harlequins 26
BASSETT bailed out at the first hurdle of the Powergen Intermediate Cup losing to the early South West Two East leaders. Oxford started well scoring two early tries after mesmerising the Bassett defence with their pace, strength and running from depth
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Chippenham 3rds 49 Blagdon 7
BEN Chamberlain and Jon Whiteman each helped themselves to two tries as Chippenham 3rds overcame visitors Blagdon in a friendly on Saturday. Lynton Hackett opened the scoring, with Chippenham's other tries coming from Adam Kaley, Anthony Malcolm, Chris
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Keynsham 24 Chippenham 2nd 34
FREE-SCORING Chippenham 2nd maintained their 100 per cent start to the campaign with a solid away win at Keynsham. Captain Kenny Brown opened the scoring for the visitors, with further tries coming from John Billett, Matt Bouker, Julian Squires, Jon Lawrence
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Calne 0 Frome 70
AN UNDERSTENGTH Calne side were easily beaten by Southern Counties South rivals Frome in their first ever Powergen Intermediate Cup outing on Saturday. Missing several key players, newly-promoted Calne enjoyed a reasonable share of the play in the opening
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Minety 46 Hungerford 0
MINETY safely negotiated the first round of this year's Powergen-sponsored Junior Vase with a comprehensive victory. In-form winger Simon Barrett scored a hat-trick of tries and there were tries too for winger Ian Neal and full back Luke Huckin plus a
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Fair comment
I HAVE been intrigued by local announcements of forthcoming events described as fayre. Village fayre, church fayre, Christmas fayre etc. I have several dictionaries but none of them seem to admit the existence of such a word. Is this substitute for fair
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Masts pose risk
People have a choice to use a mobile phone, however, they have no choice if a radio mast is put up at the bottom of their gardens, as is the case in Aldbourne. Recent disclosures appear to show that prolonged use of a mobile phone may not be safe. A radio
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Treat others. . .
Were it not for public outrage about the suggested hefty hike in Devizes car park charges, the increases would have stood as an additional charge on the motorist. It is indeed an outrage, for here we have a situation where all the employees including
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Join battle against more air pollution
FOR all those people who have become complacent about what is going on in the Westbury cement kilns, wake up. Not only will Blue Circle/La Farge burn four million tyres every year and spread their emissions over Melksham, Devizes, Warminster, Frome and
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All parking should be seen as one issue
COMMONSENSE did prevail in the end over the proposed car parking increases. However the ruling Tory group did a complete U-turn in the face of massive opposition. It's a pity they didn't resolve the issue of Station Road car park, which will remain under-utilised
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Learn lesson of relaxation
A night of rest and relaxation will soothe visitors to Frogwell School in Chippenham on Wednesday. The Friends of Frogwell have organised a special night of pampering, to raise money for the school. Visitors can try out taster sessions in a range of alternative
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Princess's visit will bring help to victims
The Princess Royal will visit Chippenham Town Hall on Monday to launch Victim Support Wiltshire's new support services. Victim Support Wiltshire is expanding its role to help witnesses giving evidence in magistrates courts. Chairman Francis Waken said
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Safety work for park's trees
Tree surgeons will fell one White Willow and trim four others in Monkton Park, Chippenham. North Wiltshire District Council discovered that urgent work was required on the trees, which line the bank of the River Avon. Routine checks revealed one tree
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Fire engine is hot stuff
Chippenham Fire Brigade has a new, state-of-the-art fire engine. The emergency support unit has heavy rescue hydraulic equipment for accidents involving heavy goods vehicles and incidents such as rail crashes. The engine also carries decontamination equipment
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Boy misses lessons as town schools are full
TEENAGER David Green has spent months out of school because Sheldon and Hardenhuish in Chippenham were too full to take him. Now the 15-year-old, who lives at Heathfield, about ten minutes' walk from the schools, will have transport laid on to take him
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Dartford hit by City treble
Salisbury City 3 Dartford 0 Football: SALISBURY City turned in their most convincing performance of the season so far to brush aside lowly Dartford on Saturday. Their 3-0 win provided the clearest indication yet that manager Nick Holmes is more than capable
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Heath look to make a Cup splash at Bath
Football: BEMERTON Heath Harlequins' FA Cup fairytale continues on Saturday when they visit Team Bath in the second qualifying round of the famous competition, writes Mike Turner. Having already banked £8,500 in prize money from their successes in the
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'Bored' Bill returns for new record bid
Powerlifting LEGENDARY powerlifting champion Bill West is coming out of retirement this weekend to compete at the UK Championships. But West, now aged 56, is not simply heading to South Wales for the contest looking to make up the numbers. The 12-times
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The figures have never added up
IT IS costing £132 million and it has been years in the planning. So it is staggering to think that Swindon's brand new Great Western Hospital is short on space before it has even opened. No one likes to say 'we told you so', but the facts are there for
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No pay, No play!
MARK DEVLIN is calling for a complete overhaul of the transfer tribunal system which, if implemented, would see Sol Davis excluded from the Luton Town team on Saturday. The club's chief executive believes the County Ground outfit are getting a raw deal
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System has let youngster down
WHEN Tony Blair's government came to power it famously promised that its priorities would be education, education and education. Ever since we have been told the Government is pumping more money into schools than ever before. So why is it that 15-year-old
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Hands up musicians for hands-on workshops
Musical novices as well as accomplished instrumentalists are needed for a series of contemporary music workshops. The Hands On! project will give musicians the chance to perform and compose. Corsham Festival is teaming up with Kokoro the contemporary
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Earthquake tremors felt in the town
BRITAIN'S biggest earthquake for ten years rocked homes from Monmouth to Malmesbury. Striking at 12.24am on Monday and measuring 4.8 on the Richter scale, the earthquake's epicentre was in the West Midlands but the tremor was felt in places as far apart
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End of the line
MULTI-MILLIONAIRE James Dyson says he cannot guarantee the jobs of workers at the Malmesbury factory after making 590 people redundant by moving vacuum cleaner production to Malaysia. Mr Dyson said that he is excited about the future but, despite good
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Princess to speak about housing
THE Princess Royal will be visiting Oaksey Village Hall on Monday, September 30, at 3pm to make a speech at a village housing seminar organised by the Rural Housing Trust. Princess Anne is the president of the trust and will meet parish councillors to
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Pavilion's fund close to target of £32,000
Castle Combe Football Club raised another £1,000 for its new pavilion at a car boot sale at the village's race circuit on Sunday . For the last six years the club has been raising money to replace the clubhouse with a £32,000 purpose-built pavilion. Now
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Councillor co-opted
Alison Reed has been co-opted on to Pewsey parish council to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of long-standing councillor Geoff Olsen. Mrs Reed was one of four candidates and the 13 councillors at Tuesday night's full council meeting held a secret
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Extra trains welcomed
The Newbury and District Railway Passengers Association has welcomed two new additions to the timetable of trains to Pewsey village station. From the end of the month the 2.33pm from London Paddington will stop at Pewsey at 3.35pm. There is also a new
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CARNIVAL: Prized bull entry bolts from owner's clutches
CARPENTER Ben Kent is trying to locate his push-along red bull carnival entry, which disappeared following the Pewsey procession on Saturday. Father-of-three Mr Kent, 44, from George Lane in Marlborough said: "The last thing I heard was that it was seen
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CARNIVAL: Pints a-plenty in wheelbeero race
MEN and women downed pints as they took part in the wacky Wheelbeero Race. The event is firmly established in the Pewsey Carnival calendar. It was held last Thursday and thousands of people turned out to cheer the participants on. There were 132 entries
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CARNIVAL: Magic spell brings fantasies to life
Thousands of people converged on Pewsey on Saturday evening for the illuminated carnival procession. Among those taking part for the first time were members of the Devizes Apollo Majorettes. The group has taken part in Devizes, Bromham and Melksham carnivals
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Charity aims to stay in side
SIMON Charity wants to keep last season's top scorer Matt Rawlins kicking his heels on the bench as he continues to hold down a starting spot on the right of the Bluebirds midfield. The long-serving utility man made his first start of the season in a
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We was robbed, says fed-up coach after break-in
CHIPPENHAM Town's joy at taking maximum points from their visit to Folkestone Invica on Saturday turned sour at the final whistle when the visiting players discovered their dressing room had been ransacked by thieves. Seven members of the Bluebirds squad
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Thommo could play despite the pain
GOALKEEPER Paul Thompson wants to help Chippenham Town go one better than his former club Devizes Town did three seasons ago and reach the first round proper of the FA Cup. The Bluebirds stopper, a £2,500 buy from Devizes in the summer, almost helped
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Cup win would be dream come true
CHIPPENHAM Town manager Tommy Saunders can move a step closer to achieving another of his managerial goals when his in-form side entertain Dr Martens Premier Division rivals Weymouth on Saturday. The Bluebirds chief, who has achieved back-to-back promotions
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Villager is selling his shop after 20 years
SHOPKEEPER Roger Clements has decided to sell the village shop in Sherston. Mr Clements, 60, who lives on the shop premises in Sherston High Street has been running the business for 20 years. He has been forced to retire because of problems with his health
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DYSON FEATURE: Clean sweep of sales
The Dyson Dual Cyclone vacuum cleaner now sells nine times the amount of its nearest rival. Inventor James Dyson is proud of the innovation that has driven his company's success and the firm continues to plough cash into research and development to continue
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DYSON FEATURE: The rise and rise of the Dyson empire
1947: James Dyson is born to academic parents against what he describes as a "middle class and not particularly wealthy background in the backwater of north Norfolk." 1965: Leaves Gresham's school in Holt, Norfolk with eight O levels and three A-levels
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Brew packs a punch
BEER drinkers will be getting a little extra cheer this autumn after Wadworth Brewery, based in Devizes, launched its newest ale this month. Malt 'n' Hops is brewed from hops the day they are picked. Brewing director Trevor Holmes describes the newcomer
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Farming firm sells up after difficult times
Forty-five years of tradition ended last Thursday as agricultural manufacturer Kverneland sold off the last of its machinery in an auction at its Devizes factory in Folly Road. The company, which started out as Archie Kidd Limited in 1957, used to make
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Earthquake tremors felt in the town
BRITAIN'S biggest earthquake for ten years rocked homes from Monmouth to Malmesbury. Striking at 12.24am on Monday and measuring 4.8 on the Richter scale, the earthquake's epicentre was in the West Midlands but the tremor was felt in places as far apart
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Scrapyard boss fined after worker injured
SCRAPYARD owner John Holland has been ordered to pay more than £5,000 after an explosion on his premises nearly killed one of his workers. Magistrates in Chippenham were told on Monday that David King, who had worked for Holland for 12 years, suffered
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Reading club
MALMESBURY library is launching an after school group to open a world of adventure to children discovered through novels plays and poems. Youngsters between the age of ten and 11 are being invited on the last Tuesday of every month to read books, write
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Bright as a brush
Talented youngsters were rewarded for their artistic invention at a special presentation for the Malmesbury In Bloom painting competition. Mayor John Bowen presented the prizes at Malmesbury Town Hall on Thursday and thanked the children for their efforts
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News in brief - Malmesbury
The River Valley Trust will be holding a large indoor market and hobbies and collections exhibition on Saturday, October 12, from 10am to 4pm. Stalls cost £20 per table. So far 44 stalls have been booked for crafts, small antiques, books, photographs
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Library spreads the word at festival
Malmesbury Library invites readers of all ages to enjoy the magic of words this week as it joins the rest of county in a festival of literature. A children's writing workshop for seven to 11 year-olds will be held on Saturday, September 28 from 10am to
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Villager is selling his shop after 20 years
SHOPKEEPER Roger Clements has decided to sell the village shop in Sherston. Mr Clements, 60, who lives on the shop premises in Sherston High Street has been running the business for 20 years. He has been forced to retire because of problems with his health
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DYSON FEATURE: Clean sweep of sales
The Dyson Dual Cyclone vacuum cleaner now sells nine times the amount of its nearest rival. Inventor James Dyson is proud of the innovation that has driven his company's success and the firm continues to plough cash into research and development to continue
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DYSON FEATURE: My hopes for future
AS production of Dyson vacuum cleaners comes to an end in Malmesbury on September 27 with the loss of 590 jobs, company founder James Dyson has pledged his future to the town. The multi-millionaire spoke exclusively to the Gazette as the final moves were
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Last days of the roaming umpire
SUNDAY marked the end of an era as former Devizes schoolboy Ken Palmer packed away his umpiring jacket for the last time after spending a lifetime in the first class game. Palmer, 65, joined Somerset in 1955 after finishing his studies at Southbroom Secondary
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New priest welcomed
Father John Reville was welcomed as priest of Sacred Heart Roman Catholic parish last weekend. Fr Reville knows the area well, having been chaplain and head of RE at St Joseph's School, Swindon, from 1974 to 1994. His predecessor at Wootton Bassett, Fr
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Police chief's jungle trek
ONE of the country's first police wildlife liaison officers is off to explore the jungle of Costa Rica, in Central America. Bob Phillpot, 53, of Wootton Bassett, a former Swindon chief inspector, spent years tackling the illegal importation of exotic
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Families asked to share care
Wiltshire residents are being asked to put aside some time on one weekend every month to be visited by a disabled child as part of Wiltshire County Council's Share The Care week. The council aims to recruit people of all ages and backgrounds to provide
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Plan for new train services
TRAIN operator First Great Western is negotiating for extra services after a cut in the number of trains to and from Cheltenham and Gloucester. During the summer 14 non-direct First Great Western and Virgin trains ran from Swindon to Cheltenham and Gloucester
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DRUGS FEATURE:Jigsaw is put together
THE majority of the raids in the Chippenham division were on homes in Calne, where townspeople have complained their lives were being blighted by drug dealers and drug crime. Officers swooped on ten addresses in the town, mostly on the Coleman's Farm
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DRUGS FEATURE: Now police can reveal months of planning
POLICE found themselves coming under fire for failing to act on the drugs scourge when all the time they were secretly planning Thursday's blitz on dealers. Detective Inspector Chris Drake, who led Operation Ardent in Devizes, was one of those officers
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DRUGS FEATURE: A warning to dealers
As police across Wiltshire staged early morning raids to catch drug pushers Gazette reporters JILL CROOKS, ANDY DAVEY and LILY CANTER were on hand to witness the teams in action. POLICE dealt Wiltshire drug dealers a massive blow in a wave of early morning
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Mid-Wiltshire Sunday League round-up
TOM Paget helped himself to a brace as Bar OC continued their winning start to the season with a 6-3 home win over the New Inn on Sunday. The hosts were denied twice by the woodwork inside the first ten minutes, but soon took the lead when Paget capitalised
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Swindon Sunday League round-up
CARRIERS Arms staged a superb comeback in the first round of the KO Cup against holders Greyhound. Trailing 3-0 at half time they looked dead and buried, but fought back to 3-3 at full time and went on to win 5-3 after extra time. On target for the Arms
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Skurray's Wiltshire League round-up
A HAT-TRICK from Lee Curtis enabled Wroughton Reserves to keep their 100 per cent record intact against last season's Junior Division champions Wootton Bassett United. Billed as the match of the day, the first 45 minutes turned out to be a midfield tussle
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Volunteers are sought to advise drug users
A SERVICE which helps drug users is looking for new volunteers. The Bath Area Drugs Advisory Service is expanding its work in the county and wants to find people willing to work for one full day a week for a minimum of a year after basic training. Volunteers
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Everson's goal rush continues for ladies
Keynsham Town Res 2, Chippenham Town Ladies 7 PROLIFIC striker Seb Everson took her tally to 12 goals in three games as Chippenham Town ladies romped to victory at Keynsham Town on Sunday. Harriet Titcombe put the unbeaten Bluebirds in front on nine minutes
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Rural arts season has plenty on offer
A host of top performers will visit villages across the county in Rural Arts Wiltshire's new autumn season. The rural touring scheme was taken over by Posthorn Arts in April. Now Posthorn Arts has unveiled its new-look programme and it is keen to hear
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Bridgwater Town 9 Pewsey Vale 1
MANAGER Don Rogers endured an afternoon to forget as Pewsey Vale's first ever FA Vase outing ended in disaster at Screwfix Direct Premier Division outfit Bridgwater Town on Saturday. The Somerset side handed Rogers his biggest defeat since taking charge
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Calne Town 2 Bitton 2
GLENN Armstrong struck a stunning late leveller to ruin Bitton's 100 per cent record and stretch Calne's unbeaten run to three matches at Bremhill View on Tuesday night. The former Wroughton hitman's first goal for the club completed a rousing recovery
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Prosecutors praised in inspector's report
THE people of Wiltshire have every reason to feel confident about the county's Crown Prosecution Service, according to an inspector's report. Her Majesty's Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate published the report last week, finding much to commend,
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MARCH FEATURE: Rector swaps church for bus
THE Rev Christopher Mulholland gave his Sunday service en route to London so he could take part in the march. The Rector of Westonbirt, Sopworth, Didmarton, Leighterton and Boxwell, who is a member of the Beaufort Hunt, said: "I am going on the march
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Giantkillers given reward
CORSHAM Town's reward for their excellent FA Vase victory over Brislington is a first round tie at home to Screwfix Direct Premier Division outfit Backwell United. The North Somerset side knocked Corsham out of the Les Phillips Cup with an extra time
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Calne Town 2 Shepton Mallet 0
STRIKER Steve Davis bagged his first goals of the season as Calne Town turned the tables on Shepton Mallet to move into the first round of the FA Vase at Bremhill View on Saturday. Shepton had defeated Calne 2-0 in Somerset on the opening day of the Screwfix
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Bush says no after Corsham's approach
Screwfix Division One: Chippenham Town assistant boss Colin Bush has turned down the chance to take over the managerial reins at Screwfix Direct First Division neighbours Corsham Town. Bush, a former Corsham player, was approached by chairman Colin Hudd
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Swindon Sunday League round-up
PREMIER Division sides Corsham FC and Melksham Motor Spares were sent crashing from the preliminary round of the PPL Presto Print sponsored Eric Hughes Memorial Knockout Cup as Third Division Somerford FC and First Division Atworth United claimed the
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Grandad's gift comes straight from family's heart
GRANDAD Tony Bushnell has handed over £1,450 to the British Heart Foundation in gratitude for the support he and his family received when his granddaughter Samantha needed emergency surgery when she was a baby. Samantha, now five years old, underwent
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Garden tips from TV host
TV gardening expert Sarah Raven is to give two lecture workshops at East Kennett Manor, near Marlborough, on Tuesday, October 1. Ms Raven, who appears on BBC's Gardeners' World, will present a lecture titled The Autumn Cutting Garden in which she describes
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Silbury access plans prompt objections
ENGLISH Heritage is to object to the inclusion of Silbury Hill on a map showing areas where ramblers are free to walk when the Countryside and Rights of Way Act comes into force in 2005. Visitors to the Countryside Agency's roadshow at Marlborough Leisure
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Drunk faces a two-year sentence after calling policeman 'Scottish'
A drunk has been branded a racist after shouting abuse at a policeman in Swindon including calling him "Scottish". Simon Simms, 28, pleaded guilty to racially aggravated threatening behaviour because he used the term 'Scottish' when he was shouting at
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End of an era
Today marks the end of vacuum cleaner production at Malmesbury's Dyson plant. A total of 590 employees have been made redundant as the production line moves to Malaysia, in order to cut down on labour costs. Production of the washing machine is staying
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Asylum plan delay
Plans for Swindon to take young unaccompanied asylum seekers currently housed by Kent County Council have been put on hold for a month. The council cabinet, which met last night, was split across party lines on the issue. Lead member for housing, Mavis
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Hospital needs more bed space
THE much-criticised £132 million Great Western Hospital will not have enough beds to cope with the projected numbers of patients, according to its chief executive. With just two months to go until the GWH's completion, Swindon and Marlborough NHS Trust
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Man loses after suing doctor for illness
A MAN who sued his doctor for giving him a common cold has had his case thrown out by a judge at Salisbury county court. Trevor Perry brought the case after a consultation with Dr Helen Young at Salisbury hospital. He claimed that the doctor was suffering
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War comrades meet for first time in 55 years
TWO Royal Marine war comrades living on opposite sides of the Atlantic and who last saw each other in 1947 met again last week, thanks to detective work by an Amesbury woman. Jack Dwan (85) and Ken Blake (81) both joined the Royal Marines as bandsmen
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Night of agony adds to couple's despair
A DESPERATE wife gave her husband a forbidden drug to ease his pain after a wait for an ambulance dragged on for more than four hours. In sheer despair Ann Sawyer finally cancelled the ambulance and gave her 60-year-old husband, John, who had been suffering
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Shock as roof tiles stripped
THE roof tiles on an ancient well house in Derryhill were stolen weeks before restoration work on the monument was set to begin. Thieves wearing yellow hard hats stripped the tiles off the building, at the bottom of Derryhill, and then drove off in a
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Town crime rate falls as police work pays off
CALNE'S crime rate has continued to fall overall with dramatic reductions in violent crime and burglaries in the last two months. In a report to Calne Town Council, Sergeant Nic Shorten, of Calne police station, attributed the latest drop in crimes to
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Surprise motorcycle ride makes gran's day
A GREAT great grandmother has celebrated her ninetieth birthday by going for a spin on a Harley Davison motorbike. Doreen Maslen was born in Bradford on Avon and lived most of her life in Devizes, but emigrated to Victoria, Australia 20 years ago to be
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Prognosis is good for play
TWO Devizes doctors have completed a 300-mile bike ride from Padstow, Cornwall, to Devizes to raise money for Green Lane Hospital. Dr Simon Philips, a retired Devizes GP, and Dr David Stevens, who works at Green Lane, have raised almost £3,500. They hope
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Charity event delights hosts
CHEQUES worth a total of £12,500 were presented to three cancer charities last week The money was raised at a clay pigeon shooting event held at the home of Devizes estate agent Gordon Straker and his wife, Helen, in Potterne in July. Mrs Straker, 51,
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Bigger centre opens its doors to homeless
Kennet Action for Single Homeless has moved its Devizes drop-in centre to bigger premises with more facilities. The new centre has moved from a small office in Northgate Street to the Cromwell Rooms in Station Road. KASH, a registered charity, offers
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Lifeline puts pupils in swim
DEVIZES School has stepped in to rescue youngsters at Bishops Cannings Primary School who lost out on swimming lessons. Bishops Cannings Primary School had expected to send its pupils to swim at the White Horse Leisure Centre in Calne, as it has done
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Parking slots look set to be put back
FOURTEEN car parking spaces look set to be re-instated in the Market Place, Devizes, following pressure from townspeople. A review of the changes to the Market Place recommends that the extra spaces be created. A survey carried out for the review questioned
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127 homes could be built at barracks site
AN agent for the Ministry of Defence has applied for planning permission to build 127 houses and flats on the site of Le Marchant Barracks in Devizes. The number of homes applied for is more than double that allocated for the site in Kennet District Council's
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Marlborough news in brief
Mike Tupman from Marlborough has been named Wiltshire's special constable of the year. He will receive his citation from Chief Constable Elizabeth Neville at a ceremony in Salisbury. Mr Tupman, who is married with two daughters, has been a special constable
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Boy shot by airgun
MARLBOROUGH Police are appealing for witnesses to the airgun shooting of a youth in the town on Tuesday night. The young victim was hit by two airgun pellets fired from a gold-coloured Peugeot 206 in the Parade as he walked home pushing his bike at about
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Police in swoop on drug dealers
A MAJOR police operation to rid the streets of Devizes of drug dealers has resulted in nine people pleading guilty to drugs offences. Police are hailing the operation a success and say it should also see a decline in burglaries and thefts in the town.
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School group faces closure
THE parent/teacher association at St John's School and Community College in Marlborough could fold unless new volunteers step forward. The St John's Association, which has raised money for the school and supported pupils' education for many years, will
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Chamber joins row on Sunday parking
MEMBERS of Marlborough Chamber of Commerce are to write to Kennet District Council expressing their disgust that no consultation with the local community took place over the introduction of Sunday parking charges. Following a decision by last week's meeting
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River litter louts set to face prosecution
THE conservation group Action for the River Kennet is hoping to prosecute louts who throw litter into the river in a bid to keep it clean. It is calling on the owners of land along the banks of the River Kennet to help identify those who pollute the waters
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Waste plans alarm locals
RESIDENTS of Priorfields and St Margaret's Mead in, Marlborough, will attend a meeting in the town hall at 7pm on Tuesday, October 1, to register their worries about a proposed neighbourhood waste recycling centre. The county council depot off Salisbury
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New rector is here to stay
THE new rector of the Marlborough team ministry, the Rev Andrew Studdert-Kennedy, was licensed by the Bishop of Salisbury on Saturday, 50 years to the day that his father was ordained a priest. Mr Studdert-Kennedy's father, Christopher, who retired ten
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Prized bull entry bolts from owner's clutches
CARPENTER Ben Kent is trying to locate his push-along red bull carnival entry, which disappeared following the Pewsey procession on Saturday. Father-of-three Mr Kent, 44, from George Lane in Marlborough said: "The last thing I heard was that it was seen
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Gambian town is to get vital investment
MARLBOROUGH'S Gambian twin town of Gunjur is likely to get its £1.5 million piped water project within the next year to 18 months after the Marlborough Brandt Group helped secure £200,000 worth of grants for it and other vital schemes. Tom Skitt, the
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Porn mail inquiry at Civic Offices
SWINDON Council has launched an internal investigation after a number of staff were caught sending inappropriate emails, one of which included a naked person. Three members of staff in the Swindon Services department were suspended on Friday for misuse
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Singer's fans are to get refund
BLUNSDON House Hotel is refunding all ticket holders who attended a disappointing Tom Jones tribute night. The event offered an un-welcome surprise when Tom Jones double Phil Steed failed to turn up last Friday. Linda Everard and Rita Hammond were among
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Mother tells of crash trauma
A MUM says her family was lucky to escape injury when their car was struck by another being driven erratically. Jacqueline Camilleri, 35, of Chiseldon, had her four children in the back of the car and was driving along Edgeware Road, Swindon, when a woman
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'We made a mistake over Age Concern'
SWINDON Council has backed down on its threat to stop funding for Age Concern effectively admitting that it made a mistake. Last month Swindon Council released a report stating that Age Concern Swindon did not deserve an education department grant of
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Council drops cuts to social services
PROPOSALS to slash key services for children and the elderly have been rejected by Swindon Council. Instead the council's cabinet has decided to accept the social services department will go £800,000 over budget this year and try to make good the deficit
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Should it be war?
AS PM Tony Blair reveals his 50-page dossier on Iraq, claiming Saddam Hussein has a growing programme of weapons of mass destruction, Swindon's two MPs and the town's anti-war and church leaders give their views. Julia Drown 'We should avoid military
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War comrades meet for first time in 55 years
TWO Royal Marine war comrades living on opposite sides of the Atlantic and who last saw each other in 1947 met again last week, thanks to detective work by an Amesbury woman. Jack Dwan (85) and Ken Blake (81) both joined the Royal Marines as bandsmen
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City mourns loss of former mayor
FAMILY and friends were this week mourning the loss of former mayor of Salisbury Pauline Stocken. Mrs Stocken was an escort to Lady Benson in 1969, mayoress to her architect husband Anthony Stocken when he held the office in 1975-76 and then mayor in
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MS sufferers are high flyers
MULTIPLE sclerosis sufferers from all over the south took to the skies at Old Sarum at the weekend, courtesy of the British Disabled Flying Club. The club, which has members throughout the country, organised the flying day and invited branches of the
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The dummy who plays a vital role
Few people have a more important role in the fight against biological and chemical weapons than Porton Man. He is not a real person but a mannequin who was given his title by scientists at Porton Down. And this is a dummy with a big job who could help
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Teenager hopes to shoot to stardom
TEENAGE Salisbury College student Russell Parsons is hoping a television appearance this weekend will shoot him to stardom as a pop singer. Russell Parsons (16), of Quidhampton, will impersonate Robbie Williams when he competes in the new kids version
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Man loses after suing doctor for illness
A MAN who sued his doctor for giving him a common cold has had his case thrown out by a judge at Salisbury county court. Trevor Perry brought the case after a consultation with Dr Helen Young at Salisbury hospital. He claimed that the doctor was suffering
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Marchers make their case for the country
THOUSANDS of people from the Salisbury and New Forest areas helped to make history on Sunday. They joined forces with tens of thousands of other protesters across Britain to take part in the Countryside Alliance march in London. It became the largest
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Mum sheds weight to save her son's life
MOTHERLY love was taken to a new extreme by Kim Harrison, of Laverstock, who lost nearly five stone to save the life of her son. In July, she donated one of her kidneys to Nicholas (18), who was born with a kidney defect but is now on the road to recovery
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Tectonic tract?
NOW that the UK is in the earthquake belt, what did people think would happen when oil was taken from the North Sea? If not oiled, machinery rusts and breaks. Scientists tell us there are plates beneath the earth and the same thing is happening. If one
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Answers, please
IN the letter from Mary Ratcliffe concerning the termination of the contract of the Simpsons at Barbury Castle, the questions that are asked must be answered. There was a consultation process and many people I know voted for no change. So we must insist
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Fox and fence
MY letter suggesting that the Countryside Alliance march was purely in support of hunting with hounds has elicited the expected response from the likes of J Curtis and JP Hunter. I will leave it to people to make their own judgement. I am country born
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A daft decision
On my return to Malmesbury I was amazed to find Corn Gastons has now been made the main thoroughfare for vehicles to the new Malmesbury school. Do planners live in the real world? The decision to make this roadway a main highway is ludicrous. At the end
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He's alright, Jack
SO average earnings in Swindon are now £25,439 (Evening Advertiser, September 19). How nice for Mr and Mrs Average. I have heard that Unison union workers are struggling to live on £200 plus per week and that firemen want a 40 per cent increase to around
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Skatepark plan is a criminal waste
I have just received my latest issue of Calne Connection and am astounded that a sum of £90,000 is to be spent on a skatepark in the town. For such a vast sum to be spent on a project that, although high profile, will benefit only a small minority of
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Time to rhyme
I SHOULD like to point out to your readers that in the piece headed 'This will be week to pen ode to the world,' in the September 19 issue of the Gazette, one important detail was omitted the closing date for the One World Week poetry competition. This
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Wootton Bassett 3, Oxford Harlequins 26
JUNIOR RUGBY: DAN Mayland helped himself to a hat-trick of tries as Devizes U14s produced an impressive performance in their local derby with Bradford on Avon U14s. Mayland scored the opening try, with Ryan Pickard and Daniel Sloane both grabbing tries
