Archive
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Put hospital on park and ride route
SINCE the council claims the town's two park and ride schemes are so successful it would be unreasonable to object to the plan for a third one near the Great Western Hospital. It will keep more visitors to the GWH out of their cars, however, only if the
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Bluebirds' star attacked
CHIPPENHAM TOWN favourite Matt Rawlins faces some time on the sidelines after he was attacked with an iron bar on Sunday night. The right-winger was struck on the back of the head after coming to the rescue of his girlfriend who had her bag snatched during
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Town pay cup penalty
TWO penalties from former Swindon Town man Frazer McHugh cost Chippenham a place in the Dr Martens Cup final last night. The Bluebirds slipped to a disappointing 2-1 semi-final defeat at Halesowen, with both of the Midlanders' goals coming from the spot
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Microlight club hits new heights
A Swindon microlight club will be reaching new heights this summer having been awarded a grant from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Organic dairy farmers Sarah and Joe Smith who operate the club from Redlands Farm, have won the
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Claims crush small firms
SMALL businesses in the South West say that huge increases in insurance premiums for accidents in the workplace are causing some firms to go bust. But the Forum of Private Business is more concerned that some companies may simply avoid paying for this
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Music is the food of love for this happy couple
Eddie and Margaret Allen, both born and raised in Essex, celebrate their golden wedding this week in Wootton Bassett, where they have lived for more than forty years. Eddie, 74 and Margaret, 76, first met as youngsters, through a mutual friend of their
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Media tycoon Shah to open techno gym
FORMER media tycoon Eddy Shah opens a gymnasium with £300,000 worth of equipment in Wootton Bassett next week. The completion of the addition to the Wiltshire Golf and Country Club comes almost two years after the founding owner of the Today newspaper
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Wheeler's first-half goal eases Town relegation fears
SWINDON Town Ladies picked up three valuable points when they entertained Reading in a South West Combination League fixture and won 1-0. The visitors came close to taking an early lead when Vikki Smith crossed from the left but Denise Daniel's shot was
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Turning the corner
Drivers have warmed to Wroughton's Park and Ride scheme six months after the project looked like it was struggling to make an impact. Figures reveal that, far from being another millstone around the council's neck, the scheme, which opened in April 2002
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Diary dates
Sat Mar 8: Ivy House lakes junior match on new canal section. Draw 9am. New members welcome. Ring Mick on 644449 for more info and booking. Sun Mar 9: Ivy House AC club match on the large lake. Draw 10am. Fish 11am to 4pm. Please book in with Mick on
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One giant leap for the imagination
BRAVE Brian Anderson is hoping to be the first person to answer David Bowie's question about whether there really is life on Mars. For the 40-year-old NASA astronaut will be one of a nine-man crew scheduled to attempt the first landing on the red planet
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The keys to a great drive are just waiting
A drive in the sports car is one of the lots on offer in an auction of promises being held by Croft Playgroup to celebrate its 30th anniversary. Other items include services donated by parents, tickets to Wiltshire's major tourist attractions; cinema
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New park & ride plans as GWH brings in £30 fines
VISITORS to the Great Western Hospital now face being fined if they don't buy an 80p an hour ticket and park their cars in bays. And like motorists using car parks across Swindon, they will be fined £30 which doubles if not paid within 14 days for illegal
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Did she slap her?
Maran White (left) Anne Williams (right)PRIMARY school headmistress Maran White slapped a teacher across the face during a furious row over paperwork deadlines, a court heard. The 51-year-old headteacher of Robert Le Kyng School in Westcott Street, Swindon
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Unhappy champions
Chippenham Under 18s have been crowned champions of the Dorset & Wilts Under 18 Merit Table but there were few celebrations at Allington Field at the weekend. The team were due to play Bournemouth on Sunday where a win would have meant that they remained
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Supermarine crowned
ALL-CONQUERING Supermarine Ladies are setting their sights on joining the English elite after being crowned league champions. The South Marston side's 48-17 home victory over Worcester 2nd made it 11 wins out of 11 in Midlands One. And the good news continued
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Snap up the chance to become a top coach
FANCY your chance as a football coach at a higher level? Well, now is your chance to do something about it as the Wiltshire County Football Association, in conjunction with New College of Swindon, invites applications from all FA Certificate holders who
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Eastville lads are on to a shaw thing!
EASTVILLE Boys closed in on the under 16 title after extending their unbeaten run at Highworth. Brunel Boys went goal crazy in the under 14 section and Wootton Bassett's under 12s staged a remarkable recovery at Ballards Ash. under 11 Fairford continue
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Hulbert's strike beats Bassett
HOSTS Highworth edged the Swindon derby in the Hellenic Premier Division last night. A brilliant Tate Hulbert goal at the end of the first half secured John Fisher's men a narrow 1-0 win over local rivals Wootton Bassett. There was little between the
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A warm hearth at Blacksmith's Forge
THIS is the latest shape of an exclusive block of apartments in the heart of Old Town. Blacksmith's Forge is a mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments and three-storey town houses with two or three bedrooms. More than half of the 58 units have been sold
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Church camera watch
A VILLAGE church has resorted to installing security cameras amid growing concern about the security of rural churches. A new report has revealed that thefts from churches are a growing problem with 3,600 reported last year. Rural churches in the Swindon
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Doctor cleared of misconduct
A DOCTOR currently working in Swindon, has been cleared of serious professional misconduct after failing to see a child who died seven hours later. Dr Paul Dryden, who also provided out of hours care in Swindon in 2000, was told the 21-month-old was wheezing
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Music is the food of love for this happy couple
Eddie and Margaret Allen, both born and raised in Essex, celebrate their golden wedding this week in Wootton Bassett, where they have lived for more than forty years. Eddie, 74 and Margaret, 76, first met as youngsters, through a mutual friend of their
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Thanks ASDA
WE would like to thank the staff at Asda Wal-Mart for allowing Home-Start Swindon do a tin collection outside the store on Friday, February 21. Thank you also to everyone who kindly gave to the collection. We collected a grand total of £143 and this money
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Can you aid war book?
I AM writing to you in the hope that some of your readers may be able to help me. I am writing a book, and making a small museum, about the allied campaign in eastern Sicily in 1943, with special emphasis on the Siracusa-Avola area. I would like to prepare
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US and UK quash free speech
Self-confessed conservative RM Bennett wants to support the bombing of Iraqi people by trumpeting, 'The point is we have the right to speak out'. (Adver 27/02). RM must pause for thought. First, like all our democratic rights, free speech was won by generations
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Did Prince Philip visit public loos?
SO a rise of 15 per cent on council tax is deemed necessary to improve the amenities in Swindon. How does this council work out their housekeeping? Recently (this week) I visited the public toilets in Canal Walk. What a pigsty, I would be ashamed to take
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Under threat of closure
TRAGICALLY, following Swindon and Marlborough NHS Trust's decision to build a new miniature hospital that is too small for Swindon, there is now another blow to health care in the area. Malmesbury Hospital is threatened with closure, along with its excellent
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Space age is for granddads
ASTRONAUT Brian Anderson will be nearly 50 by the time the Mars expedition on which he hopes to be a crew member lands on the red planet. Youngsters from Watchfield Primary School who met him yesterday will then be teenagers. Let us hope they will look
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Hit 'em for six
ANDY King wants his players to banish the ghost of Cheltenham tonight and spark a realistic charge for sixth spot. Town's next three games are against struggling teams and a nine-point haul could dramatically change the top six picture. Bobby Gould's
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Record results for Persimmon
Persimmon Plc parent company of Malmesbury-based Persimmon Homes Wessex this week announced record results for the financial year to December 31, 2002. Sales increased by 16 per cent to £1,711m and profit before tax rose 42 per cent to £267.6m, mainly
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Happiness is . . . walking down the same business road together
SMALL and medium-sized enterprises should find working with business support organisations a simpler process, thanks to a new common accord signed this week. The historic accord will see the chief executive officers of Business Link Berkshire and Wiltshire
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War planes arrive as protesters keep watch
MARCH 4: FOURTEEN American B-52 bombers, which will be used in any war against Iraq, were in place at RAF Fairford today. The B-52s belong to the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota and more could be sent if a bombing campaign gets underway
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More B52s on the way to Fairford
MARCH 5: POLICE have stepped up security around RAF Fairford as more warplanes fly into the base from the United States. There are thought to be 14 giant B52 bombers in place at the US base. But internet-based plane-spotters have reported more aircraft
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Female officers get the blame
WOMEN police officers in Wiltshire are taking far more sick days than their male counterparts, new figures have revealed. The county's female officers took an average of 17 days off through ill-health last year, compared to 12 days missed by the men.
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Chippenham celebrate cup success at the double
THE Chippenham Town Ladies club were celebrating at the weekend after two of their teams went through to their respective cup finals. After three weeks without a game, Chippenham travelled to Keynsham for their league cup semi final. The Chippenham squad
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Welcome back, Jack
JACK Heard made a spectacular return to action for North Bradley, bagging a hat-trick in his side's 5-0 demolition of Old Lane United in Division Two of the Vanitec-sponsored Chippenham & District Sunday League. Playing his first match for the club
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Croft keep on the heels of cricklade
Top-of-the-table Cricklade were beaten 4-2 by closest rivals Croft in an under 17/under 18 game littered with own goals. Croft went ahead through Stephen Palmer only for Cricklade to level from a free-kick. Cricklade then took the lead when a Croft player
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Blow for league as two clubs quit
THIS week's programme was marred by the resignation of two member clubs who have struggled to raise teams all season. A lack of players has forced Ashton Keynes under 14s and Blunsdon under 15s to fold, and their results for the season have been deleted
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Female officers get the blame
WOMEN police officers in Wiltshire are taking far more sick days than their male counterparts, new figures have revealed. The county's female officers took an average of 17 days off through ill-health last year, compared to 12 days missed by the men.
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Party time for Ashton club
Ashton Keynes Angling Club will be holding a working party this Sunday. The party will meet at Neigh Bridge at 9am, and all members are welcome. Raychem Angling Club's 2003-2004 memberships are now available in all tackle shops. Due to increase in rent
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Motorola plans giant Comic Relief nose
COMMUNICATIONS giant Motorola plans to set a Swindon Comic Relief record by creating the largest red nose in the town. Taking a tip from various Olympic Games opening ceremonies and mass stadium rallies, hundreds of staff will hold large red cards above
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Please don't give us rubbish
SWINDON charity shops are appealing for donations to be sorted more carefully. Electrical items, bicycles, and prams are just some of the goods that cannot be sold due to Goverment health and safety regulations. They advise against the sales of items
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Payne wins match
The Coleview Rover club fished their match on the Thames at upper and lower Rushy, with chub being the main quarry of the day. Ian Payne had nine of them, fishing the maggot feeder to weigh in a match win of 32lb 15oz. Colin Dunn was second with a mixed
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Seconds best as Minety bury foes
An inspirational performance and a brace of tries from pack leader James Hazel helped Minety 2nd thump neighbours Malmesbury 38-0. Six tries to nil told the story as Minety picked up the pace after a first half in which Malmesbury had held out well. For
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Teen Nathan sees off older rivals
THE rivers are starting to find form as we approach the end of the season. Ivy House Lakes' club match was fished on an away venue at Sutton Benger on the Bristol Avon at the weekend. Young rod, 13-year-old Nathan Reeves, pipped the seniors with a 3lb
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Stratton's colours are lowered by 147
LOWER Stratton were the latest club to succumb to the goal power of 147 Club, who maintained their 100 per cent record in the Premier Division with a 7-2 victory. Dean Parsons led the way with five goals and Paul Childs hit a 30-yard screamer for his
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Dynamo dimmed as Plough win at last
IT was a red letter day for Division Two side Highworth Plough as they gained their first points of the season. The bottom-of-the-table team romped to a fine 2-0 home win over Dynamo Ashton, thanks to goals from Chris Wardroper and Robert Groves. Despite
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It's the best fun to be had in Town
SWINDON Town's Football in the Community Office have been celebrating another successful soccer fun week. Nearly 200 children descended on St Joseph's School for the customary half-term event. Boys and girls were given coaching by community officers Jon
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Cirencester slip at Witney
CIRENCESTER Under 15s slipped to a 20-5 defeat at Witney in a friendly encounter. The Ciren youngsters were a try down when they lost skipper and fly-half Alex Hammond through injury. They fought back but the West Oxfordshire side went further ahead by
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Raising brass for organ fund
A BRASS band concert is being held at St Augustine's Church in Rodbourne, Swindon, to raise money for repairs to its organ. Chedworth Brass Band will perform there on Saturday, April 5. The concert will include a variety of musical styles and the ticket
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Would you befriend a youngster in care?
SWINDON Independent Visitors Project is appealing for volunteers to befriend children in local authority care. Based at Pinehurst People's Centre, the project is looking for couples or individuals who may be able to share their interests and hobbies with
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More B52s on the way to Fairford
POLICE have stepped up security around RAF Fairford as more warplanes fly into the base from the United States. There are thought to be 14 giant B52 bombers in place at the US base. But internet-based plane-spotters have reported more aircraft en route
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RAF priest denies stealing military diesel
AN RAF Lyneham padre made a night time raid on forces fuel supplies to fill his own car up after a day trip, a court martial heard. Squadron Leader Matthew Olanrewaju is accused of driving into the base and ignoring 12-feet long signs forbidding him from
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Lighting back on but how?
THE street lights are back on in Shelley Street but no one knows why they went out and no one claims to have fixed them. And it looks as though there is no link between the blackout and a fire which broke out in the power supply to the former Radnor Street
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MP Drown demands councils are allowed to put more 20mph speed limits near schools
NEW rules to make it easier for speed limits to be cut outside Swindon schools have been demanded by Labour MP Julia Drown. The South Swindon MP urged transport ministers to relax the criteria used by local authorities to decide whether pleas for lower
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Media tycoon Shah to open techno gym
FORMER media tycoon Eddy Shah opens a gymnasium with £300,000 worth of equipment in Wootton Bassett next week. The completion of the addition to the Wiltshire Golf and Country Club comes almost two years after the founding owner of the Today newspaper
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Waiting to get online
A WROUGHTON man has launched a campaign to get his area connected to Broadband services. John Forster-Heatlie, 51, of Thorney Park, is trying to get high-speed internet access through a satellite company because the telephone exchanges in Wroughton and
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Funnyman in a funny boat
FUNNYMAN Tim FitzHigham is kayaking the length of the Thames from Cricklade to Tower Bridge in a paper boat to raise money for Comic Relief. Tim, a Perrier best newcomer nominated comedian, was inspired to take on the challenge to break a 383 year-old
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More beat cops
WITH reference to the Wiltshire Police claiming extra money to recruit extra police. We could do with less senior ranks and more beat police officers. May I point out the fact that I have not seen a police officer walking the streets of Swindon, for the
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The patients have a puff
Such a smart place, but for how long we wonder. Already we notice that patients at Great Western Hospital are standing outside the main entrance in their pyjamas, sometimes covered with their dressing gowns, in order to have a smoke. Even this morning
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We await council statement
I offer the Cambridge example below for your readers' consideration and could supply similar from Manchester City Council and Bristol Labour Group. "Cambridge City Council notes that the government white paper 'Strong Local Leadership' calls on councils
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Human rights are in danger
There is no doubt that the current Iraqi regime is responsible for gross human rights violations in Iraq. Many people, including Tony Blair, are invoking the human rights situation in Iraq to justify military action. Amnesty International has been working
