Archive
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Bookham deal means job losses, but long term optimism
FIBRE optics company Bookham Technology, once the darling of the stock market, is to buy two businesses from Canadian firm Nortel Networks in a deal which will result in job cuts in the UK. Under the deal, Bookham will supply the Canadian group with products
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Initiative to help the disabled
SOME of Wiltshire's top employers are helping to shape an initiative aimed at getting more disabled people into the workplace. The Workable Wiltshire website was launched in June offering advice and information to disabled people who want to access work-related
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Sharing the carload has a lot going for it
SWINDON firms are taking the stress out of the morning commute by helping staff find lifts into work with colleagues. Car share schemes are being organised to save time, money and the environment. Some companies are even stopping lone drivers parking
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Two stars awarded for crime crackdown
COUNCILS and police in Wiltshire have been praised for their success in targeting crime, disorder and the fear of crime. A new joint report by the Audit Commission and Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary has given the thumbs-up to Wiltshire's community
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Evans gets off the mark as Bar OC men leapfrog Netheravon
BAR OC moved from fourth to third in the Mid-Wilts Sunday League table after a convincing 5-0 win at home to Netheravon. Pete Swales gave them a 20th-minute lead when he broke through the middle of Netheravon's defence and converted from inside the area
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Vultures are picked off
TOP-OF-THE-TABLE Cricklade Youth maintained their winning streak Wiltshire Times & New Series Mid-Wilts Youth & Minor League Under 17/18 Division with a 2-0 home win against Swindon Vultures. Darren Coleman and Ben Carter scored the goals. Croft
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Bailey notches hat-trick as Towngo on a goal spree
SWINDON Town Ladies had their biggest win of the season in the South West Combination League when they beat Newton Abbot 5-2 in a game played at Aldbourne. Newton Abbot kicked off but after four minutes the Town took the lead. Kim Reeves headed clear
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Mark and his Amps light up the pop charts
SWINDON singer and guitarist Mark Kilminster is celebrating his first taste of chart success with a debut single entering the Top 40. Mark, 26, beat off 20,000 other hopefuls to become the lead in Stamford Amp, the resident band on BBC1's the Saturday
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Signpost to Steam
SWINDON'S Steam Museum is undergoing a marketing overhaul. Having been consistently dogged by a lack of visitors since it opened to widespread acclaim two years' ago, now nine new signposts have been put up around the town in a bid to rectify matters.
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PC assaulted by dangerous driver
A MOTORIST who assaulted a policeman as he tried to escape after being caught drink driving has been spared a jail sentence. Benjamin Clapton, 26, was put on 40 hours community service, given a one year probation order and banned from driving for three
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Student in assault ordeal
STUDENT Suzanne Baker has told how an attacker punched her to the ground on a Swindon street and kicked her repeatedly in the ribs. Suzanne, 17, was walking near Buckhurst Crescent, Walcot, after a night out when she was grabbed around the neck and punched
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Bidders line up to redevelop Locarno
FOUR companies are preparing final drafts in a bid to redevelop the Locarno and Old Town Hall. Swindon Council, which owns The Planks car park and land at the rear of Old Town Square, and Gael Mackenzie, who owns the Locarno and Town Hall, are awaiting
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He's made our lives a misery
A FAMILY described how a burglar ruined their lives when he ransacked their home to pay for his drugs habit. Daniel Liptrott has been jailed for three-and-a-half years after admitting a string of offences. A judge at Swindon Crown Court was told that
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Clifton triumph is feather in Chippenham's cap
CHIPPENHAM 2nds managed one of their most impressive wins of the season so far as they defeated their Clifton counterparts 22-15 at Allington Field. The hosts made a good start as fly-half Paul Jenkins fed a long pass out to centre Ben Salisbury who scored
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Devizes defeated
DEVIZES lost their Southern Counties South unbeaten record as they went down 29-20 at Bournemouth. The visitors did the hard work, scoring two tries into a stiff breeze to lead 15-9 at the break. But the Saddlebacks were brought down to earth by a strong
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New sponsors for under nines
FERNDALE Rodbourne's under nine team, pictured above, is now being sponsored by Sloggi For Men. The team has played twice this season, each time against Wootton Bassett and winning both games 1-0. Sloggi, a Triumph International brand, is a leading name
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Keeper Chris gets on the scoresheet
GOALKEEPER Chris Rees was involved in the most bizarre goal of the day. The Intermach Engineering custodian scored direct from a kick-out, the ball bouncing twice before beating Rees's opposite number in the Duckhams Q goal. But it was not enough to stop
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Bassett hit by late goal
WOOTTON Bassett Town Ladies were denied a fourth successive victory as an injury-time goal helped hosts Frome Town Sports Reserves to a 2-2 draw. Bassett found things tough in the first half as the home side piled on the pressure and forced a number of
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Bassett girls' Window clean-up
WOOTTON Bassett Under 14s proudly wore their new strip at Langford, and repaid their sponsors handsomely with a 14-0 victory. The kit has been sponsored by Swindon-based company, The Window Factory. It clearly had the desired result as the team went ahead
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Chippenham gunning for sweet revenge
CHIPPENHAM Town have the chance to exact some swift revenge tonight when they travel to Weymouth in the Dr Martens Premier Division. Tommy Saunders' men suffered a humiliating 4-1 home FA Cup defeat at the hands of the Terras 10 days ago. Now the Bluebirds
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Everything must go!
A RODBOURNE nursery sold off its possessions after shutting up shop following 40 years of service to the community. Staff at The Happy Hours Playgroup raised £300 by selling items such as a playground slide, a climbing frame, tables and a computer. And
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Tidy village sweeps to a county title
ASHTON Keynes celebrated winning Wiltshire's best-kept village competition with the help of the county's Lord Lieutenant, Sir Maurice Johnston. He unveiled a plaque in Church Walk to honour the achievement. Organised by the Council for the Protection
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Anger at plans to keep road closed
LADY Lane looks set to remain closed for good. The road, which links Haydon Wick in north Swindon with Blunsdon, closed temporarily at the end of May to allow contractors to put in services for a new primary school. Although the work was completed on
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£10 million homes for all project is opened
A £10 MILLION scheme to improve Swindon's social housing stock has been officially opened. Some 130 new homes have been built by housebuilder Barratt at Gable Close in Groundwell. The mixture of flats and houses were built by the developer as a planning
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Go French at market
PREPARATIONS are under way to give shoppers a taste of France later this month. Bruno's French Market will be in the town centre from October 18 to 20.The organisers say about 35 stalls will be sited on Canal Walk. Items on sale will include olives, spices
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They played, they sang, they raised money
AROUND £800 was raised for charity as Wroughton moved to the sounds of the Wiltshire Constabulary Band and Janice Thompson Concert Choir. More than 200 people packed the Ellendune Hall for the extravaganza, the proceeds of which will be split between
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Library to mark black history
BLACK history month is being celebrated in Swindon with a dedicated display of books in the town's Central Library, which is in Regent Circus. The books, which celebrate black history and black writers, will be available to lenders. This will be in addition
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Two stars awarded for crime crackdown
COUNCILS and police in Wiltshire have been praised for their success in targeting crime, disorder and the fear of crime. A new joint report by the Audit Commission and Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary has given the thumbs-up to Wiltshire's community
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Credit union a victim of its own success
THE Parks and Walcot Credit Union is proving so successful it is having to turn people away. And according to treasurer Patrick Chaney, the only way to satisfy the demand for its services is to open more centres across east Swindon. Set up in 1993 and
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Links to TV's Big Brother
A VILLAGE pub has supplemented the usual dcor of exposed beams and horse brasses with a pair of doors from the Channel Four Big Brother house. The doors to the boys and girls bedrooms will be familiar to anyone who watched the cult fly-on-the-wall game
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Home owners treated unfairly
I AGREE with Mrs Cuttings' letter about the 15 per cent extra tax we may have to pay. If the council needs more money, why are most of the tenants in council flats and homes paying such a small rent. I talk to these pensioners, and some tell me they pay
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Can you make their holiday a happy one?
WE are looking for people willing to give a week of their time to help people with physical disabilities have a holiday and give their carers a break. The Winged Fellowship Trust has five purpose-built centres around the country and volunteers help us
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Compare a pheasant's life with a chicken's
It was apparent from Mrs M Harrison's comments (Letters, October 4) that her concern for animal welfare far outweighs her knowledge of pheasant shooting. Her letter contained many incorrect facts that should be addressed. Pheasants are usually released
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A cloud hangs over initiative
CONGRATULATIONS to youngsters who have been made 'graduates' at Swindon's Children's University. The initiative offers a great chance for young people to enjoy new experiences during the school holidays. Unfortunately a cloud hangs over the service as
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Sort out the signs to our museum
IT is almost two-and-a-half years since Swindon's Steam Museum opened its doors. So it is baffling beyond belief that we are still having to ask questions about the effectiveness of signs to the attraction. Many people shopping in the neighbouring Designer
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Coppell to Gulls
ANDY KING will have to fight on alone after Steve Coppell turned his attentions from one struggling club to another. Town's temporary assistant manager has signed a one-year contract as the new boss of First Division Brighton. While Town have lost nine
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Mark and his Amps light up the pop charts
SWINDON singer and guitarist Mark Kilminster is celebrating his first taste of chart success with a debut single entering the Top 40. Mark, 26, beat off 20,000 other hopefuls to become the lead in Stamford Amp, the resident band on BBC1's the Saturday
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FSB welcomes survey findings
THE Federation of Small Businesses has welcomed the findings of a survey into advice sourced by Start-Up businesses. The results of the survey, conducted by Atlantic Consultants, show that after personal advisers (such as accountants and solicitors) and
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Open day success shows interest in organic produce
MORE than 300 people visited Coleshill Organics' open day. The farm, near Highworth, opened its doors to show the public what goes on behind the scenes at one of the most successful organic operations in the area. Visitors were able to walk around six
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Cooper-Avon Point to a first draw in 20 months
THIRD Division Cooper-Avon ended a wait of 20 months for their first point in the Chippenham & District Sunday League. Against Corsham Park Rangers they were just 10 minutes away from claiming their first win in more than two years. Trailing to a
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Ferndale on the rampage
IT was hat-trick heaven for Ferndale Rodbourne Under 11s as they trounced Wroughton 10-0. Trevors and Grant both scored three apiece, with Page, Drewitt and Lovitt also on target. Lydiard Youth Under 11s maintained their 100 per cent start to the campaign
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Graduating from university aged 10
CHILDREN as young as 10 have been honoured with university certificates. More than 150 students and their families crowded St Joseph's School hall, in Queens Drive, for the presentation ceremony of Swindon's Children's University. But there are fears
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Under 10s' semi delight
A WONDERFUL display of rugby from the Devizes Under 10 team saw them reach the semi-final of the Salisbury Festival. Playing some of their best rugby ever, the team saw off Portsmouth 5-0, as some inspired running by Toby Cox and Nicholas Balls made the
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Better late than never for Bassett
MAKING a very late start to their season, Wootton Bassett Under 16s produced a fine performance to defeat Brockworth 34-0. With the game minutes old, Bassett interlinked impressively from the kick-off, with captain Aston and Warren sending right wing
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Walbyoff drops in for the seconds
Wootton Bassett defeated Oakmedians 19-12 in their latest Dorset & Wilts Second Team Merit League match. Both teams exchanged attacks for the first 25 minutes of the game, neither side coming away with points. Eventually, Bassett full-back Gareth
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College have power for cup clash
SWINDON College's experienced forwards proved far too strong for the Minety second string's makeshift pack as the Old Boys romped into the second round of the Dorset & Wilts 2nd XV Cup with a 74-12 win. Still without an established front row, Minety
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Shave blow affects Swindon as Bath run in half-century
SIX tries in first half condemned Swindon Under 14s to a heavy 56-0 home defeat to a strong Bath side. Swindon matched Bath in the forwards but were unable, due to excellent defence, to cross the try line despite near misses from Matty Luker, Phil Cozens
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Eldene crash out of Shield
ELDENE'S three-year unbeaten home record remains in tact but the away goals rule ended their hopes of glory in the Cirencester and District Knockout Shield. Ashton Keynes Under 12s forced a 3-3 draw with their hosts, a result which secured their passage
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Faringdon slip up, but Reserves grab points
FARINGDON Town returned home pointless after a 5-2 defeat at Steventon in Division Two. There was better news for the reserves however as a goal from Robbie Harrington was enough to edge out bottom club Hagbourne United in Division Three. Coleshill went
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Spectrum edged out in thriller
QUEENSFIELD and Spectrum XI were involved in an eight-goal thriller in Division One. Queensfield won 5-3, with goals from Tony Smith, Ian Bowsher, Simon Titcombe and Andy Cullern (2). Spectrum, who played their part to make this such a good game, replied
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Park stages girls' course
A WEEKLY course in girls' football is being staged at the Park Youth Centre, Swindon. The course, for 10 to 14-year-olds, will offer opportunities for girls to have fun, play competitively and develop their football skills. Limited spaces are available
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Open day success shows interest in organic produce
MORE than 300 people visited Coleshill Organics' open day. The farm, near Highworth, opened its doors to show the public what goes on behind the scenes at one of the most successful organic operations in the area. Visitors were able to walk around six
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Town is just so efficient
THE Germans have long been known for their efficiency, but it seems boom-town Swindon now leads the way. So much so that a group of German engineering apprentices has just arrived in the town pick up some tips. The six-strong party from Salzgitter, Swindon's
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After 20 years of marriage, Jane hits the wall of China
MOST people make do with receiving china for their 20th wedding anniversary but Jane Pitcher is travelling there. Jane, 46, from Brinkworth, plans to trek part of the Great Wall of China to celebrate the occasion, and also to help Breast Cancer Care.
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Swindon College in national 'good practice' guide
A MAJOR examination board has commended Swindon College for the excellence of its work in providing expertise in key skills. Now the college is set to feature in a teaching guide produced by exam board Edexcel. The London-based organisation has written
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Innovative plastic bridge to carry traffic across river
EUROPE'S first plastic road bridge is being installed near Shrivenham. Engineers were today using a 200 tonne crane to install the new deck for West Mill Bridge, Oxfordshire, which will carry the B4508 across the River Cole. The bridge is to be built
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There are no free compost bins left
IN the Letters column on Friday, October 4, Coun Judith Peppitt (Lib Dem, Freshbrook and Grange Park) went to great lengths to clarify the situation regarding the charge for green waste sacks. She pointed out that the council has a dwindling supply of
