Archive
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Romantic prose
AFFAIRS of the heart will be celebrated in a performance of song, prose and poetry at Corsham library. Trio Hen Party will be returning to the library, on Tuesday at 7.30pm with "The Heart Gallery". Community librarian Jane Dunmow said: "Hen Party have
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Residents join acid campaign
HUNDREDS of residents in Corsham have signed a petition to stop diggers disturbing toxic land near their homes. Up to 500 people have put their names on a petition protesting at plans to dig up chemical-ridden land off Hatton Way, to create an access
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A changed man
SAM PARKIN returns to Sixfields tomorrow on a mission to shoot down the club that made him feel 'unwanted'. The goals have flowed for the former Chelsea striker since his summer switch from Stamford Bridge but life was altogether less rosy as a Northampton
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Car attacked
Bottle-throwing vandals caused £200 damage to a car outside Corsham's Flamingo nightclub in the early hours of Sunday morning. The 18-year-old victim was leaving the club in his Citron Saxo just after midnight when vandals hurled beer bottles at his car
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Interactive centre opens
HIGH-TECH interactive media centre created to boost Wiltshire College's status of excellence in digital and broadcast media has been officially opened in Corsham. Margaret Hodge MBE, minister of state for further and higher education was due to open the
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Couple's anguish at losing puppies in fire
The owners of the 17th century bed and breakfast, which burned down in Castle Combe last Wednesday night, have told of their heartbreak at losing their beloved pet dogs. Hilary Baker and Mac Turner lost everything, apart from the clothes they were wearing
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Leisure survey
USERS of leisure centres across north Wiltshire are to be asked their views as the organisation that runs them battles debts. Rising losses, caused by a downturn in attendance and a falling grant from North Wiltshire District Council, saw the trust that
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Website is the key to advice
North Wiltshire Citizen's Advice Bureau has re-launched its advice website, to put practical, reliable and up-to-date information at everyone's fingertips. The CAB website can be found at www.adviceguide.org.uk It is divided into four main areas and each
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Illicit booze sales revealed in raids
SHOPS selling alcohol in north Wiltshire have fared well in an undercover operation to trap careless traders. Only one out of 11 stores surveyed in north Wiltshire sold alcohol to underage teenagers compared to one in four in Wiltshire. But Wiltshire
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Chip Tn Ladies under 14s 3, Frome Ladies under 14s 2
YOUTH FOOTBALL: SARAH Walsh hit a late winner as Chippenham triumphed in their league cup semi-final on Sunday 2 March. Hannah Cox opened the scoring for Chippenham, before Karen Whitton levelled for the visitors. Walsh's effort restored the hosts' lead
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Your chance to design a stadium
A KEY sponsor of the Chippenham Town FC Design a Stadium competition is appealing to budding construction workers to get their designs in. Wavin, a Chippenham based construction company, is the main sponsor of the competition and is looking to its future
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Draw gives Lambs last laugh
CHAMPIONS-elect Tamworth were the only real winners as title pretenders Chippenham and Worcester City cancelled each other out for the second time this season. A goalless draw at St George's Lane allowed the Lambs to move 11 points clear at the top of
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Clare's pancake joy
A SUPERMARKET chain is stocking its shelves with products from a west Wiltshire business after they proved popular with pancake-loving shoppers. From this week, Suzettes Pancakes will be available in Waitrose stores. Each pancake is hand made in traditional
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Sausage website is the pork of the town
A BUTCHER in Warminster has become one of the first in the county to feature on a website dedicated to the great British sausage. The website at www.sausagefans.com is based on feedback from its mailing list of over 2,000 banger lovers. C J Robbins, who
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Passengers face delays
WESSEX trains is warning of changes to its scheduled timetable through Westbury while it carries out essential track work. From Sunday March 9 to March 29, services from Cardiff to Portsmouth via Westbury and Salisbury will be affected while Network Rail
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Officers arrest 50 suspects
DETECTIVES working on an anti-paedophile internet sting have arrested 50 people countywide on suspicion of downloading child porn from a US website. The number of arrests reached the latest landmark earlier this week and Wiltshire detectives warned there
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MiMi third in contest race
SCHOOLGIRL singer MiMi came third in the race for Eurovision on Sunday and thoroughly enjoyed her day of fame. The 16-year-old from Westbury sang live on the BBC's Song for Europe on Sunday and her song, Ever Since That Night, was placed third in a regional
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Pupils at risk from reckless motorists
RECKLESS motoring on country lanes around Chippenham and Malmesbury is putting the lives of schoolchildren at risk, according to school bus drivers. Hatts Coaches are contracted by Wiltshire County Council to ferry children to school throughout the county
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Westlecot setback
BOWLS: Westlecot's duo of Wendy Anderson and Gill Webb, replacing Jean Bird, were knocked out in the first round (last 16) of the English Women's Indoor Pairs Championship in Basingstoke. They lost 23-20 to Yeovil who eventually lost in the semi-finals
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Springing into action
THE Wiltshire Groundsmen's Association is holding a 'spring preparation and summer maintenance' level one course at Westbury on March 16. The course will cover the principles and practical techniques involved in spring preparation and summer maintenance
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Flipping good day at races
A CHICKEN and chefs were among those who took to the streets and entered into the spirit of Wiltshire's annual pancake races on Tuesday. The 15th annual Bradford on Avon pancake race across the town bridge attracted more than a dozen entries and has been
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Ball for charity
HOSPITAL fundraisers in Melksham are holding a Spring Ball in the town tomorrow to raise money to help heart patients. The Melksham committee of the Royal United Hospital's Forever Friends Appeal is raising money for the hospital's cardiology unit. Helen
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Praise for pavement politician
COUNCILLORS in Melksham have backed a hairdresser's call for action over a dangerous high pavement in the town. Michael Clarke, 56, took his 800-name petition to County Hall last month and town councillors are vowing to make sure his efforts to have railings
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Inspector moves on
MELKSHAM police inspector Neil Bagnall is leaving the post after 18 months. Insp Bagnall has been reassigned to Chippenham police station and will start his new role in a matter of weeks. He has been the section inspector for Melksham and Bradford on
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Youth meeting
YOUNG Melksham people met Thursday night to celebrate initiatives which have made a difference to their lives. Projects celebrated included the Youth Caf, Wiltshire School of Gymnastics and the skate park development. A short film was shown at the Assembly
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Inspector to go
MELKSHAM police inspector Neil Bagnall will be leaving the post after 18 months. Insp Bagnall has been reassigned to Chippenham police station and will start his new role in a matter of weeks. He has been the section inspector for Melksham and Bradford
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Gas pipes will be replaced
ROADWORKS will return to Melksham later this month as a £6,000 two-week project to replace gas pipes in Bank Street gets under way. Transco will be replacing 160 metres of old pipe with modern plastic pipe as well as replacing 14 service pipes to individual
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£25m to help solve traffic problems
NEARLY £25 million of council money is to be spent on transport schemes in Wiltshire in 2003-4, with the vast bulk of the money going to improve the county's road network. Nearly £10 million will be spent on maintaining Wiltshire's roads and bridges,
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Why the rise after all the new houses?
WITH reference to the latest news regarding the rise in council taxes, could the powers that be explain why so much, with all the new houses being built in the county? For example, just along the road from where I live there is a small development of
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We must be whiter than white
A FORMER Labour West Wiltshire District Councillor has recently criticised myself and fellow District Councillor Angie Barker for declaring an interest and playing no part in a local planning application. The site in question went before the Northern
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Bad train of thought
People in Wiltshire have good reason to be concerned about the future of our railways. The Strategic Rail Authority has announced the withdrawal of the Bristol to Oxford service. This means the long campaign to re-open Corsham station, which had seemed
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The real cost is hidden
I READ in last week's issue that Wiltshire County Council has applied for heritage lottery funding for the proposed new records office at Chippenham. I am surprised a statutory body is even allowed to ask the lottery for money. The lottery was designed
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The Cats that got the cream
A LONG-ESTABLISHED family firm has unveiled its new hi-tech premises and corporate name and revealed that it hopes to create an extra 40 jobs over the next six months. Cats Solutions Ltd, a digital print service provider, has recently moved into new purpose-built
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Canal champion
A CAMPAIGN to breathe life back into the Wilts and Berks Canal has gained a new voice. Dr David Fletcher, former chief executive of British Waterways, has become the first president of the Wilts and Berks Trust. His appointment is being seen as proof
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County's pools are hotting up
WATER temperatures could rise in west Wiltshire's five swimming pools if a request is granted. West Wiltshire District Council, which runs the pools, has been asked to consider raising the temperature of its pools once or twice a week to make the water
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Garage is fleeced in triple raid
THIEVES have raided a motorway petrol garage three times in a fortnight one of them wearing a jacket he had stolen on an earlier visit. The duo first struck at Leigh Delamere's westbound petrol station on February 18, when they were spotted by a customer
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Officers arrest 50 suspects
DETECTIVES working on an anti-paedophile internet sting have arrested 50 people countywide on suspicion of downloading child porn from a US website. The number of arrests reached the latest landmark earlier this week and Wiltshire detectives warned there
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Firm says 'thanks a million'
CUSTOMER loyalty has been rewarded by First Great Western to celebrate the train company reaching the milestone of more than 20 million passenger journeys in the last year. The firm has been handing out free tickets through prize draws at its stations
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Calling all candidates
PEOPLE in west Wiltshire are being encouraged to stand in town and district council elections in May. A series of seminars has been organised by the Wiltshire Association of Local Councils to get more people involved. The next seminar called 'So you want
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£25m to help solve traffic problems
NEARLY £25 million of council money is to be spent on transport schemes in Wiltshire in 2003-4, with the vast bulk of the money going to improve the county's road network. Nearly £10 million will be spent on maintaining Wiltshire's roads and bridges,
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Police anti-drugs unit is scrapped
WILTSHIRE police have scrapped the drugs squad which covered the north and west of the county amid fears of escalating substance abuse and drug-related crime. The drugs unit, based at Melksham, consisted of three officers, dwindling to one at the end
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Yalland hits a hat-trick
WEST Wilts gained a 6-0 away win over Chippenham in Sunday's Total Lettings Wiltshire under 14s league match. The match was played between mixed teams. David Yalland scored a hat-trick and other goals came from Maria Warren (2) and Ceitanna Cooper .
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Seend the top team
DIVISION One Seend United, who have reached two cup semi-finals this season, have won the Phoenix Screenprint and Print Workshop-sponsored Trowbridge League team of the month award for February. New teams wishing to join the league next season should
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Trowbridge Town 1, Shrewton United 1
SKURRAYS WILTSHIRE LEAGUE: TROWBRIDGE held on to their unbeaten home record as they became the first side to take points off the Premier Division leaders since the middle of November. The home side found themselves under pressure at the start, Lee Wilson
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Welton Rovers 3, Melksham Town 3
KEVIN Banks headed a late leveller as Melksham Town did struggling local rivals Devizes a favour at bottom club Welton Rovers. Robbie Lardner's men found themselves three goals behind with just 20 minutes remaining, but fought back to secure a 3-3 draw
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Westbury United 2, Exmouth Town 2
EXMOUTH overcame the first half sending off of captain Terry Price to snatch a point in Saturday 1 March clash between the second and third placed teams in the First Division. United opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a wonderful team goal. Steve
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Flipping good day at races
A CHICKEN and chefs were among those who took to the streets and entered into the spirit of Wiltshire's annual pancake races on Tuesday. The 15th annual Bradford on Avon pancake race across the town bridge attracted more than a dozen entries and has been
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Appeal for action on town's future
PLANS are being drawn up to give Warminster a vision for the future, including measures to ease congestion and promote commercial growth. Richard Haes, 56, is working on a plan to reduce traffic in the town centre, help trade and make the area more pedestrian
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School safety call for rat-run 'blackspot'
A SCHOOL is calling for urgent safety work to be carried out along a road in Warminster to prevent serious accidents. Kim Lyne, the headteacher of Minster Primary School, wants motorists who speed along Vicarage Street and Emwell Street to slow down before
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Police in anti-yob summit
RESIDENTS in Codford have invited the police to attend a meeting to help stop spiralling vandalism. Inspector Geoff Miles of Warminster and Westbury police is due to attend a parish council meeting next month. Chairman Romy Wyeth hopes councillors and
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Teen driver runs down pedestrian
TEENAGE driver Gareth Larmour mowed down a pedestrian just 20 minutes after buying his first car. Pine furniture assembler Larmour ploughed into pedestrian Brett Murphy in Fairfield Road, Warminster, leaving him sprawling on the bonnet of his Ford Escort
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Boy, 16, caught with 40 ecstasy tablets
WILTSHIRE TIMES EXCLUSIVE: A TEENAGER offered a bulk-buy deal on ecstasy pills told police the deal was too good to pass up. Police officers out patrolling in a north Wiltshire town busted a street drug-deal when they saw goods being passed between two
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Neat, nippy and stylish
IT might be a little early to start talking about the Car of the Year for 2003, but my money's on Nissan's Micra. Not only does it stand out in a crowd, thanks to some adventurous styling, but it's essentially a very sensible car which will have broad
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Does your car have a past?
WHEN it comes to buying a used car from a private seller, 90 per cent of us are 'Mad as a March Hare', according to AA Car Data Check. "Over a million people every year buy a used car privately, and March is traditionally a time when many people think
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Diesel Primera gets an upgrade
NISSAN'S diesel Primera is now bigger and better it's out with the existing 126PS engine and in with the 138PS version, the dCi. The result is a diesel Primera that's now as accelerative to 62 mph as its 2.0-litre petrol alternative, but is still just
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Chrysler concept takes Flite
THE Chrysler Airflite concept vehicle, unveiled this week at the Geneva Motor Show, has been touted as blending Chrysler design, the styling of a coup and the practicality and function of a saloon car. The long, clean aerodynamic lines of Airflite's striking
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Top value from Citron
TO coincide with the news that BBC's Top Gear magazine has just named Citron's Xsara Picasso the 'Best Value Car 2003', the company has confirmed details of its latest special offers, ready for the new 03 registrations. Citron is continuing its popular
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Station wins big response
NEW radio station Moonraker FM is nearing the end of its first successful week on the airwaves. The station, which can be found at 106.8FM, went live on Saturday and broadcasts to Trowbridge, Bradford on Avon and the surrounding areas. By the end of the
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Flipping good day at races
A CHICKEN and chefs were among those who took to the streets and entered into the spirit of Wiltshire's annual pancake races on Tuesday. The 15th annual Bradford on Avon pancake race across the town bridge attracted more than a dozen entries and has been
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Patients' lesson in self-help
PATIENTS are to be trained how to deal with their medical conditions in a new programme being started in Bradford on Avon. An internationally acclaimed Expert Patient Programme is being held at the Youth and Community Centre in Frome Road from March 12
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Fun and background insight into Royals
YOUNGSTERS in Bradford on Avon were treated to a royal occasion with an afternoon of half-term fun at the library. The workshop gave children aged five-eight the chance to make their own crowns and talk about what would happen if the Queen visited. Community
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Police in hunt for raid gang
This is the face of a man police believe may have been involved in a raid at Lloyds TSB in Bradford on Avon last week. Police believe professional bank raiders were responsible for the attack last Wednesday morning, when telephone lines to the bank were
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Several issues, just for the record
FOUR speakers from the campaign to keep the record office in Trowbridge were allowed to present their cases in public participation at the cabinet meeting of the county council. Having made their presentations, the chairman commented that they had all
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We give freedom to misbehave
I AGREE with Captain Nicholson that Tony Martin has been wronged, but it is unlikely that any government would allow ordinary people to use guns for home defence, as they do in some US states where there is less crime in consequence. The enormous increase
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Time to make things easier for burglars?
I must agree with the article by Captain Richard L Nicholson MBE and his concerns regarding protecting the home and personal property, and the numerous occasions he has been burgled (Letters, February 28). But surely he must be aware of the complaints
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Well g'day, Hazel
A short time ago I went into a photo-kiosk in Warwick, Western Australia and had a big surprise when the person serving me asked if I came from Wiltshire. The lady turned out to be Hazel Holmes who used to live at Winterslow Road, Trowbridge, which is
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Town has golden opportunity
PEGGY THOMAS' letter last week would have been more helpful if she had indicated precisely what she thought would be an appropriate redevelopment of the former Ushers site rather than direct everyone to an obscure and not particularly relevant website
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'The phone operators are getting away with murder'
Councillor Mike Bawden, leader of the Conservatives on Swindon Council, is demanding tighter planning regulations on mobile phone masts. He said: "Mobile phone operators are getting away with murder because the planning legislation simply is not strict
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Women's group hunts for caring teenager of the year
A CLUB for professional and business women is running a competition to find a the Swindon teenager who has given outstanding help to a group or person in the local community. The Soroptimist Club of Swindon and District, part of a world-wide women's service
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Razzell: date set for husband's trial
THE husband of a missing Highworth mother-of-four faces trial for her alleged murder on June 4. Linda Razzell's estranged husband, Glyn, 43, was charged with murder following her disappearance on March 19 last year. Razzell pleads not guilty and is set
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Murderer on a mission
ONE of Britain's most wanted criminals will be seeking sanctuary in a Swindon nightclub next week. Coronation Street killer Richard 'Tricky Dicky' Hillman has been on the run since confessing to a string of cold-blooded murders in the hit soap. And the
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Tories claim right-to-buy may be ended in Swindon
SWINDON is on a Government hit-list of areas where curbs on the right to buy a council house will be introduced, it is claimed. Conservative politicians have accused deputy prime minister John Prescott of planning to extend the initiative already in place
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Weekend Rugby Teams and fixtures
Cirencester Phoenix v Painswick/Cup (home, meet 1pm, ko 2.30): M Crawford, A Thompson, R Evans, D Bint, T Barefoot, J Seager, P Brennon, R Williams, D Shrimpton, R Baldwin, T Stubley, M Carter, N Owen, A Cooper, R Herbert. Subs: D Evans, J McGregor, D
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It's a must-win for Cricklade
JUST one league game is scheduled for tomorrow but Cricklade's Dorset & Wilts Two North visit to Marlborough is still an important one. Jason Johnson's visitors must win to draw level with Supermarine in second spot and keep their promotion play-off
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Lions pool funds
TROWBRIDGE Lions Club will be hoping to beat last year's total of £3,000 at a swimathon to be held at the Trowbridge pool from 4pm tomorrow.
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Charity appeals for volunteers
THE Research Institute for the Care of the Elderly, a Bath-based charity, is looking for volunteers to take part in a street collection in Trowbridge on April 5. Anyone interested can call Mrs Broadley on (01380) 870122.
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Flipping good day at races
A CHICKEN and chefs were among those who took to the streets and entered into the spirit of Wiltshire's annual pancake races on Tuesday. The 15th annual Bradford on Avon pancake race across the town bridge attracted more than a dozen entries and has been
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Station wins big response
NEW radio station Moonraker FM is nearing the end of its first successful week on the airwaves. The station, which can be found at 106.8FM, went live on Saturday and broadcasts to Trowbridge, Bradford on Avon and the surrounding areas. By the end of the
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Nightclub brawl
ONE man was left with a broken jaw and another with a gash to the head in gang fights outside a Trowbridge nightclub. Police were called to the Trowbridge Snooker Club in the early hours of Sunday morning to deal with a gang brawl. Officers were called
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Engineer fell 20ft as lorry hit pole
A WOMAN engineer died after BT failed to act on warnings about the safety of the telephone pole she had climbed, an inquest heard on Wednesday. Tara Whelan, 24, fell 20ft from a pole at Marsh Road, Hilperton, in June 2001, after a passing lorry snagged
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Road rage at roundabout
POLICE are hunting for a road rage attacker who threatened a 21-year-old driver at a Trowbridge roundabout. The victim, from Bratton, was driving his blue Vauxhall Cavalier on the Longfield roundabout at 11am on Monday when he was forced to pull over
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Roy Sloper
MARCH 7: DEBT-RIDDEN builder Roy Sloper is the latest Wiltshire driver to be banned from the roads for a drink-drive offence. Father-of-one Sloper, 58, of West Ashton Road, Trowbridge, was nabbed by police officers as he drove his Nissan along Canal Road
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Anger over £5m record office bid
A BID is to go to the Lottery for funding to move the county record office to Chippenham despite users voting overwhelmingly for it to remain in Trowbridge. Wiltshire County Council's cabinet gave its approval for a lottery bid on Thursday in a week when
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Reality check for lowly Town
DEVIZES TOWN come back to earth with an unglamourous bump when they face Bath City Reserves tomorrow. The club's FA Vase exploits already seem a distant memory after last Saturday's elimination at the hands of Maldon. A Premier Division clash with Bath's
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Purton boss targets upset
Purton will be looking for plenty of vocal support from the Red House faithful this weekend when they entertain Southall Town in the first leg of the Supplementary Cup semi-final, writes Ray Burroughs. It is the biggest game of the season for Alan Clark's
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More Shakespearian treats at Bath festival
UNTIL MARCH 15, BATH - Shakespeare Festival, Theatre Royal Bath (main house and the Ustinov Studio): The curtain rose on the Bath Shakespeare Festival this week but don't worry if you haven't been able to get along to it yet as there are plenty more performances
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Hughes bolsters Ciren squad
CIRENCESTER return to action after a two-week break with at least one new name on the teamsheet. The Centurions travel to Stourport Swifts tomorrow, and former Bristol Rovers and Bath City midfielder Mike Davis is expected to make the trip. Ciren boss
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Marine aiming for treble win
TWO in-form sides clash at the Valley Stadium tomorrow when Supermarine visit Redditch United. Hosts Redditch have been the surprise package this season and currently sit seventh in the Western Division. Boss Rod Brown recently picked up the manager-of-the-month
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Cup Sizzler
Highlight of the Wiltshire league programme this weekend is the clash between Premier Division leaders Shrewton United and Aldbourne in the semi-final of the Corsham Print Senior Cup. Shrewton dropped their first points since November when they were held
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Ingram in the dock
THE army major accused of cheating on ITV1's Who Wants to be a Millionaire? has told a court in London that he wanted to win the £1m jackpot to buy his three daughters a pony. The trial of 39-year-old Charles Ingram of Easterton, Devizes, who is charged
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Drug threat is getting worse
ILLEGAL drugs remain the scourge of our society. The clichd image of drug dealers lurking on every street corner may be an unrealistic one, but recent operations by Wiltshire police prove illicit drugs such as heroin, ecstasy and cocaine are out there
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Bullock finds right tactics to claim match victory
THE Avon at Chippenham was in good form on Sunday for the Chippenham match. Rob Bullock, of Chippenham, won with an all-chub catch weighing 19lb 4oz, taken on waggler-fished casters on an 18 hook. Steve Palmer, of Chippenham, was second with a mixed bag
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Chance to see behind the scenes
A Swindon theatre company has given people a peek behind the scenes of its operations during an open day. The Sixth Sense Theatre Company invited representatives from regional theatres, councillors, arts councils, youth project co-ordinators and educational
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The secret is humour, patience and give and take
JOYCE Downs says the secret to 50 years of wedded bliss is a sense of humour. The 73-year-old and her husband Derrick, 74, are due to celebrate their golden wedding next week. The couple met at a dance in Cirencester after Derrick had been demobbed after
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Pupils get chance to go bananas at Fairtrade
CHILDREN at Wroughton's Ridgeway School will get the chance to meet a banana grower from the Caribbean tomorrow. And youngsters will also have an opportunity to sample chocolate and Fairtrade goods produced in the Windward Isles by farmer Denise Sutherland
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127 armfuls between them!
CHRISTINE Jefferies and her father Percy Smart have donated a total of 127 pints of blood together and they reckon that puts them amongst the most prolific of donors in Swindon. Christine, 49, from Stratton St Margaret, has been boosting the national
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Would this make Del Boy App-ey?
RELIANT, the makers of Del Boy's favourite motor, the three-wheeler Robin, have come up with a real congestion-charge buster and you can drive it at the age of 16. Reliant's Ape (pronounced App-ey) is classified a moped, and exempt from London's new £5
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Ambulance teams ready for terrorists
WILTSHIRE ambulance bosses have ordered 100 chemical protection suits amid ongoing fears of a terrorist attack. The state-of-the-art suits will allow ambulance staff to safely treat the public in the event of an attack using, for example, smallpox or
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Super-mini is really fab
HELPING Skoda's reputation surge ahead is the fabulous little Fabia. Its strengths lie not in being fancy and flash, but in being straightforward, solid and safe. And the little load carrier, the Fabia Estate, injects purse-pleasing practicality into
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'Nearly-new' prices may be about to fall
GLASS'S Information Services reckons buyers will become increasingly scarce in the used car market this year, with the bonus of knock-on price cuts. While second-hand car sales showed growth of around five per cent in 2002, Glass's believes the second-hand
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Women really are safer behind the wheel than men
A NEW survey confirms what the people who set your insurance premiums have long known. This may be hard for you to believe, lads, but women are safer drivers than men, and far less likely to take risks when behind the wheel. The UK-wide poll of 1,000
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Book bonanza for primary school
YOUNGSTERS at a Swindon primary school have been given free books to encourage them to develop a love of literature. Around 25 children from King William Street Primary School attended a giveaway at the Waterstone's store in Brunel Plaza to celebrate
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Roam with a view
PORTALOOS and tow bars have never featured high on fashion's hit-list until now that is. Yes trendy types, it's time to dig out your thermos and plastic cups because the In Crowd are swapping the Caribbean for the caravan site and down-to-earth celebrities
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Sunroof or ski storage?
HYUNDAI'S new Getz supermini now has a full range of smart and stylish accessories, to help customers give their new purchase a personal touch. On the outside, customers can choose reversing sensors, headlamp protectors, fog lights, front and rear mudflaps
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Playing word games is a knockout and all in a good cause
TOP-CLASS Scrabble players will converge on Swindon on Sunday as part of the lead-up to October's World Championships in Kuala Lumpur. Highworth Scrabble Club chairman Steve Perry, 53, has organised a charity warm-up tournament at the Nationwide headquarters
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Kelly now works for the group herself
Kelly Woodwards-Palmer, 22, is a beneficiary of the charity's work. She was born with a hole in her heart and during surgery to correct this the blood supply to her spine was cut. As a result she has had spinal injuries since the age of four. On a good
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Still nowhere to go after three months
A SWINDON woman says her elderly mother has been waiting in a Great Western Hos-pital ward for a nursing home place since before Christmas. Nora Stack, 75, was admitted to the hospital on Decem-ber 14 after a fall at the Wilks House sheltered housing
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David is on the mend
A BOY knocked from his bicycle and seriously hurt in a collision with a motorcycle is home from hospital after three months. David Gallagher, 12, suffered serious head injuries in the accident, which happened as he helped a friend with a paper round.
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Wiltshire claims top 10 slot in survey of English counties
Wiltshire has been voted one of the top 10 counties in England. The county is rated as ninth equal with Norfolk and Warwickshire in a survey just published by Country Life Magazine. Wiltshire was among 36 counties assessed by the magazine. The judges
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Fire call outs are hit by school run
FIREFIGHTERS fear they could be delayed getting to an emergency because of parents parking their cars to pick up children from a nearby school. The crew at Cricklade fire station say that parents who collect their children from St Sampson's Junior and
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Nature talk on how to get balance right
A talk exploring the conflicts between conservation and development in Cotswold Water Park is to be held on Thursday. Dr Simon Pickering, the park's biodiversity and conservation officer, is discussing how development pressure is balanced with the area's
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Celebrating a fine railway heritage
THE acclaimed architecture of Swindon's Railway Village features in a pioneering collection of online photographs celebrating English working life. English Heritage has launched ViewFinder a site bringing more than 20,000 hitherto unseen images to the
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Time to bite the bullet on recycling rubbish
RECYCLING is the only way to save the green fields for our childrens' children. I write in response to Theo Godfrey's excellent letter and applaud him for his recycling efforts. We do the same and put out only one bag each week which isn't full, but I
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Gorse Hill is no Ghost TowN
I OBJECT to the headline 'Ghost town' it is enough to put off any prospective traders who might be looking to come to Gorse Hill. The idea that the traffic lights at the Cricklade Road/Ferndale Road junction are forcing people to shop elsewhere just doesn't
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Just trying to have fun
If you look over the back fence of my garden, you will see the land where, if all goes ahead, a skateboard park will be built. I think it's a great idea. People of Swindon against the project say it will attract drug addicts and other bad habits. Surely
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Bradford on Avon 15, CAT Melksham 10
THIS was a do-or-die relegation dog-fight. The loser would almost certainly be relegated and possibly the winner too. After 15 minutes the home side made the first incisive break, John Cotton slicing through with Ben Butterworth and Graham Reynolds in
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Westbury 14, Ivel Barbarians 0
SATURDAY'S game was dedicated to the memory of Robbie Bowden, who died on Friday. After holding a minute's silence, Westbury started the match at a tremendous pace and were unlucky not to score in the first 10 minutes. Ivel defended well and were soon
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Trowbridge 41, Sherborne 0
Trowbridge made sure of promotion to Southern Counties with a comprehensive victory. Sherborne found themselves constantly defending their line and kicking for territory. Trowbridge's willingness and ability to run the ball from all areas paid dividends
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Church concert
A CONCERT featuring North Wiltshire Orchestra will take place in St Andrew's Church tomorrow at 7.30pm. The programme includes Sibelius, Haydn and Berlioz. Tickets cost £6 for adults, accompanied children free, available from the China Bowl or on the
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Hosts required
HOSTS are needed to accommodate visitors from French twin town La Fleche from May 1 to 4. The Chippenham Twinning Association is keen to hear from people who could host single women, a single man, a couple and a woman with a teenage daughter. The association
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Protest at new homes
RESIDENTS have raised a storm of protest against plans to build new homes that will pay for a £500,000 extension for a Chippenham primary school. More than 60 people have complained to North Wiltshire District Council about plans to build houses on land
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Your chance to design a stadium
A KEY sponsor of the Chippenham Town FC Design a Stadium competition is appealing to budding construction workers to get their designs in. Wavin, a Chippenham based construction company, is the main sponsor of the competition and is looking to its future
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Teeing off to raise vital cash
VICTIM support in Wiltshire is hosting a golf challenge to raise funds for its work across the county, and a Chippenham player is hoping to make it to the final. Best Improved Junior 2002 at North Wilts Golf Club, Tim King, is the first local golfer to
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Scott eyes Marathon
Shopkeeper Scott Terrell is hoping for a case of third time lucky this April, after his two earlier attempts to enter the London Marathon were scuppered by injury. Mr Terrell, 31, the assistant manager of Costcutter in Queen's Crescent, Chippenham, has
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Spot checks give taxis clean bill of health
TAXIS in Chippenham passed a safety test when they were scrutinised in the town. Police, the vehicle inspectorate and licensing officers called in 20 of the town's taxis to the North Wilts District Council car park last Friday to carry out unscheduled
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Don't boo at the Mission!
CORRIE killer Richard Hillman is due to meet his end next Friday. His final credits will hardly have finished rolling before Brian Capron, who has been playing him, arrives for a personal appearance at the Mission nightclub. Don't boo him, folks. Don't
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Okus traders deserve a better fate
THE council should look very carefully at the proposal to build yet more high density housing on what until now has been the Okus Trading Estate. Many people will rightly be asking whether Old Town really needs more homes of this kind. The Okus plan means
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Drunken youths smashed up coach
TWO teenage boys went on a drunken wrecking spree, causing £5,000 damage to a coach, a court heard on Friday. A 15-year-old from Corsham and a 14-year-old from Colerne pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage to the coach when they appeared before magistrates
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SciSYS lands radio contract
BATTLEFIELD training for Army radio operators has been made easier with the help of a Chippenham-based computer firm. SciSys has started work on a suite of simulators to support the training of 70,000 service personnel in a new communications system called
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Guide set to tackle false alarm menace
BUSINESSES in Wiltshire can help reduce time wasted through false fire alarms with a new guide launched this week. Chubb Fire, one of the UK's leading fire specialists, has produced the free Guide to Managing False Alarms to reduce the number of unwanted
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Class outfits are a school success
A WESTBURY clothing company is branching out into a new area of business, and has this week been showing off its new school uniform designs. Alldesignzs in Westbury has been open for nearly nine months and Gary and Danny Taylor who run the company have
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Student pals launch high-tech firm
A NEW engineering and technology consultancy has been launched in Corsham. Hartham Technology Ltd has been opened at Hartham Park by a team of seven young graduates from the University of Bath. The new firm started life as MantaTEC, based at the university
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The night Clinton won the election
LAST year's winner of the Trowbridge Employee of the Year competition was Clinton Perry, who beat 40 entrants to the grand prize. Husband and father Mr Perry even shed a few tears on the night he won. As one of the six finalists, BBC Points West presenter
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Finalists close in on night of drama
WITH less than a week to go until finals night, the six contenders in the Trowbridge Employee of the Year competition are studying hard for their head-to-head interview with top broadcaster Roger Cook, live on stage. With a two-week holiday to the Gambia
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Police in anti-yob summit
RESIDENTS in Codford have invited the police to attend a meeting to help stop spiralling vandalism. Inspector Geoff Miles of Warminster and Westbury police is due to attend a parish council meeting next month. Chairman Romy Wyeth hopes councillors and
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Group needs performers
A new drama group in Westbury is on the lookout for budding dancers and actors to come along to auditions this weekend. The newly formed Kris Kros Kidz drama group is holding auditions on Sunday for its first production, and the organisers are promising
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Racism in rural areas
CHURCHES in west Wiltshire are being urged to tackle the problem of racism in their communities through the launch of a new course called 'In God's Image'. The course, which was launched at the West End Baptist Church in Westbury on Wednesday, aims to
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Flipping good day at races
A CHICKEN and chefs were among those who took to the streets and entered into the spirit of Wiltshire's annual pancake races on Tuesday. The 15th annual Bradford on Avon pancake race across the town bridge attracted more than a dozen entries and has been
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Bowled over
BOX cricketers have been bowled over by the support from their village. Faced with an estimate of more than £50,000 to replace their decaying pavilion, the cricketers decided to do the work themselves. And thanks to help and donations from many Box people
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Phone threats
A TEENAGER whose mobile phone was stolen in Melksham was left terrified when the thief began making threatening calls to her friends and family. The girl's £80 Nokia 3310 phone was taken in Melksham between 9am on Saturday and midday on Sunday. During
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Car thieves torch Astra
CAR thieves doused a stolen car in petrol and set it alight in a quiet Melksham street. Thieves broke into the Vauxhall Astra in Pembroke Road and stole an expensive CD player and speakers before driving the car into nearby Coronation Road. The car was
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Memorial fund hits £20,000 mark
A FUNDRAISING appeal set up by the family of young Melksham meningitis victim Kieran Smith has topped £20,000. An annual dance in memory of the 20-year-old electrician's life was held at Melksham House on Friday with revellers helping to raise more than
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Police anti-drugs unit is scrapped
WILTSHIRE police have scrapped the drugs squad which covered the north and west of the county amid fears of escalating substance abuse and drug-related crime. The drugs unit, based at Melksham, consisted of three officers, dwindling to one at the end
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Trio are fined for brawling
TWO gangs of late-night drinkers clashed in Melksham during a boozy night-out. Three people involved in the brawl appeared before magistrates in Trowbridge. Chloe Spreadbury, 20, Mark King, 29, and Christian Richards, 29, all admitted being drunk and
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Dorothy Hodsoll
MARCH 7: AN EMOTIONAL reunion in a Melksham town centre pub led to a drink-driving conviction for a grieving Melksham mother. Officers stopped, Dorothy Hodsoll, of Churchill Avenue, on Queensway in the early hours of January 11. Magistrates in Trowbridge
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What do we get for our hard-earned cash?
WITH the anticipated rise, yet again, in council tax this year I feel it may be time to question what value for money we get for which for most people is a considerable amount. Nearly every road in Trowbridge, and many surrounding areas, are in a bad
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What is happening to our money?
SERVICES are very poor from the District to the County Council to the police, due to in-house mismanagement and bad work practices from all three. We should all be writing to our local MP Dr Andrew Murrison of the Westbury Constituency expressing our
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Increases yet again
Yet another year of Council Tax record increases. As an elected Councillor I must question local residents' ability to pay these increases. We are looking at an increase of 10.8 per cent at County level in Wiltshire before we look at the District, Police
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Residents face taxing times
There's a sad fascination in observing that the annual council tax hikes have now become so certain that letters appear in advance of the event. As one who likes to travel by rail from time to time, Cllr David Lovell's letter on February 21 did, however
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Plea to admit what is being recycled
I SHOULD like to say that I think that the Household Waste Recycling Centre located on Canal Road is a great step in the right direction towards zero waste. However, on a recent visit there I decided to take my bag of aluminium foil that I had collected
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Stop the tide of takeaways
In response to your article last week, perhaps this letter will explain the reason for Melksham's anger at the vote to allow yet another fast food takeaway in the town. Only one member supported my contention that a town should be allowed to decide what
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Good luck in keeping the records office
Good luck to the people of Trowbridge in their endeavour to retain the records office in their town. But do we really need a new office? The latest estimate shows an increase of £3m to well over £12m, anyone care to guess where it would end up? Who on
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Millionth Honda rolls off Swindon production line
HONDA'S millionth Swindon-built car a silver CR-V rolled off the South Marston production line amid celebrations yesterday. Among those who witnessed the achievement was Minoru Harada, president of Honda Motor Europe. According to Mr Harada, more than
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Website reaches new high
THE WILTSHIRE TIMES website This is Wiltshire and sister site Fish4 are proving more popular than ever with January visitors at an all-time high. This is Wiltshire is the county's biggest news, entertainment and information website. In January the site
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Bands rocked by new licence plan
LIVE music in west Wiltshire could be under threat from a new law going through Parliament. The new licensing bill was introduced to Parliament in November and will mean musical events will have to be covered by an entertainment licence. The law will
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Look out for rare lapwings
BIRDWATCHERS are being urged to take part in a countywide lapwing survey. The RSPB survey, which lasts until the end of May, aims to pinpoint the remaining lapwings in Wiltshire. Emma Foulger, RSPB Wiltshire community officer, said: "Unfortunately breeding
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Prayers for Julia before transplant
THE family of leukaemia sufferer Julia hember were on tenterhooks this week, hoping her life-saving bone marrow transplant would finally take place yesterday. Miss Hember, 32, has undergone a course of chemotherapy and total body irradiation to prepare
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Paper plan saves trees
A PAPER-RECYCLING scheme launched by staff at Wiltshire County Council has been hailed a huge success. Employees at County Hall recycled 82.5 tonnes of paper, a 50 per cent increase on the 56 tonnes recycled the year before, the equivalent of saving 1,400
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Students set for debate
FORTY students will debate the mental and emotional health of young people in Wiltshire when they take over county hall next week. Teams of students aged from 16 to 19 will be taking part in a debate in the council chamber on Wednesday. Issues covered
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Ingram appears in dock
THE army major accused of cheating on ITV1's Who Wants to be a Millionaire? has told a court in London that he wanted to win the £1m jackpot to buy his three daughters a pony. The trial of 39-year-old Charles Ingram of Easterton, Devizes, who is charged
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Cash for transport schemes
MILLIONS of pounds have been allocated to pay for transport schemes in Wiltshire over the next year. Around £3.7m-worth of spending was approved by Wiltshire County Council's regulatory committee when they met on Wednesday. The money is part of the total
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Two 'tried to disrupt hunt'
TWO men accused of disrupting a fox hunt in west Wiltshire have appeared before magistrates in Trowbridge. Aubrey Burge, 50, and Steven Dixon, 36, both faced charges of aggravated trespass relating to a fox hunt near Coulston on January 18. Burge, of
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Interactive centre opens
HIGH-TECH interactive media centre created to boost Wiltshire College's status of excellence in digital and broadcast media has been officially opened in Corsham. Margaret Hodge MBE, minister of state for further and higher education was due to open the
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Racism in rural areas
CHURCHES in west Wiltshire are being urged to tackle the problem of racism in their communities through the launch of a new course called 'In God's Image'. The course, which was launched at the West End Baptist Church in Westbury on Wednesday, aims to
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Chefs get ready for cook-off
CHEFS in Wiltshire are being invited to take part in the county's version of the BBC programme, Ready, Steady, Cook. The event is being organised by the Wiltshire Food Links Partnership to showcase county food and drink producers. Chefs will be formed
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MiMi third in contest race
SCHOOLGIRL singer MiMi came third in the race for Eurovision on Sunday and thoroughly enjoyed her day of fame. The 16-year-old from Westbury sang live on the BBC's Song for Europe on Sunday and her song, Ever Since That Night, was placed third in a regional
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Illicit booze sales revealed in raids
THREE stores in west Wiltshire have broken strict laws banning the sale of booze to underage teenagers despite the risk of tough penalties. Wiltshire trading standards officers said they are "horrified" at the results of this latest undercover operation
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Surf the net free at the library
Library members in Highworth can now enjoy free Internet access. Peoples' Network is a Government initiative giving everyone the opportunity to surf the net. It is billed as placing facilities such as Microsoft Excel, Power Point, Publisher and Paint
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Razzell: date set for husband's trial
THE husband of a missing Highworth mother-of-four faces trial for her alleged murder on June 4. Linda Razzell's estranged husband, Glyn, 43, was charged with murder following her disappearance on March 19 last year. Razzell pleads not guilty and is set
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John's Baize of glory
CORSHAM player-manager John Freegard scored the winning goal as Green Baize continued their quest to win the Umbro Veterans' Cup with a 4-3 win over Corinthian Casuals on Sunday 2 March. Former Swindon Town stars Paul Bodin and Martin Ling were also on
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Padget pounces to crown Bar OC's comeback
MID-WILTSHIRE SUNDAY LEAGUE: BAR OC/The Crown climbed to second spot with a 2-1 away win at JB Lions. The home team took the lead on 20 minutes and held on to their advantage until midway through the second period, when Tom Evans scored the equaliser
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It's a knockout as Rudloe rue Frome defeat
TROWBRIDGE LEAGUE: RUDLOE went out of the Knockout Cup when they were beaten 2-1 by cup favourites Frome Town Sports in Saturday's quarter-final. Damien Edwards scored both goals for Sports, with Richard Boore on target for Rudloe. Frome Town Sports meet
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County star joins Town on loan to season's end
DR MARTENS LEAGUE: WING-BACK Scott Walker is hoping to help Chippenham to a top two Premier Division finish this term after signing for the rest of the season for Newport County. Manager Tommy Saunders moved quickly to bring in the 22-year-old left-sided
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Prayers for Julia before transplant
THE family of leukaemia sufferer Julia hember were on tenterhooks this week, hoping her life-saving bone marrow transplant would finally take place yesterday. Miss Hember, 32, has undergone a course of chemotherapy and total body irradiation to prepare
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Roadworks hell begins
A 10-WEEK programme of roadworks in Warminster could cause heavy congestion and create dangerous rat-runs through housing estates. Gas transportation company Transco began work in West Street and Station Road on Monday. The two projects, to replace the
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Lighting up time in town
THOUSANDS of pounds could be spent on lighting up buildings around Warminster. Lights have already been put up on the Obelisk and Cllr Paul Batchelor is keen to show off some of the historic buildings in the town. These could include the Athenaeum, the
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School celebrates after getting business award
A PRIMARY school is celebrating its achievements after being named as one of the most successful businesses in the county. Sutton Veny Primary School was runner up in the training and development category of the Wiltshire Business of the Year Awards.
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Late night for iIory rRoms
A YOUNG entrepreneur will not repeat the mistakes of a shamed nightclub if he gets permission to offer late night entertainment in Warminster town centre. Roland Daniels, 24, runs the Ivory Rooms restaurant and bar underneath the former magistrates court
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Sausage website is the pork of the town
A BUTCHER in Warminster has become one of the first in the county to feature on a website dedicated to the great British sausage. The website at www.sausagefans.com is based on feedback from its mailing list of over 2,000 banger lovers. C J Robbins, who
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Three new models on Vauxhall stand
VAUXHALL has unveiled three world premieres at the Geneva Motor Show this week. The Signum, already seen as a concept vehicle, is about to make its production debut, while the uncompromising roadster the VX220 Turbo, is about to be released. The third
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How often will your vehicle need fixing?
OVER the next 12 months somewhere in the region of £55bn will exchange hands between Britain's car sellers and buyers. Knowing what can go wrong with that new vehicle, how often you'll be visiting the local garage and what it will cost to fix has, until
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Car club success growing
A CAR club is stepping up its drive to increase membership after a successful start. The A2B car club in Bradford on Avon says several thousand residents live within five minutes of its cars, which are based at the station. Now one car will be moved north
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Youths face attack charge
FOUR teenagers accused of launching a gang attack on an air cadet leader in Bradford on Avon were due to reappear before magistrates yesterday for their case to be committed to Swindon Crown Court. Steven Rose, 18, of Southville Road, Bradford on Avon
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Put politics second
I WOULD like to correct the statements made by Cllr March in a local paper last week. It is a great pity that a well-respected member of the community feels he has to play party politics with the town and district council elections due in May. He talks
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A few pointers about parsonage
I REGRET that once more I must correct you on the details given about Conigre Parsonage in Then and Now (Wiltshire Times February 28). As the last surviving tenant (vide your report in last week's issue) I feel I know more about the premises than most
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Who is tackling litter?
OVER the past few months it has been my pleasure to spend many happy hours walking around some of our local towns. I say pleasure but to be honest it would have been a pleasure if it had not been for the vast quantities of rubbish that now seem to be
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Come on ladies, you are needed
WE, the ladies of the Trowbridge Women's Branch of the British Legion, are trying to save our branch from closing down. We came very close to it at our AGM last November but we decided to move our meetings to evenings to see if we can recruit some younger
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Upwardly mobile
They are springing up all over town and often prove unpopular, usually because of their appearance and concerns over health implications. But are mobile phone masts really a danger? VICTORIA TAGG reports Mobile phone masts are increasingly being installed
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Mystery buyer snaps up 1918 Iraq poster for £1,400
A POSTER claiming Britain freed the people of Iraq has sold at Dominic Winter Book Auctions in Swindon for £1,400. The original poster, dated March 1918, was issued following the British invasion of the country in that year. It reads in part: "Our armies
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Thieves make off with golf club haul
GOLF clubs worth up to £30,000 were stolen in a raid. In what is thought be a professional raid, a team of four hooded men forced entry into the golf shop at Wrag Barn Golf Club, Highworth, and stripped all of the clubs from the racks before driving away
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800 more houses?
Traders on the Okus Estate face having to close or move their business as developers plan more homes next to the PMH site OKUS Trading Estate could be flattened to pave the way for yet more houses in Swindon. The 14-acre estate, which is home to some
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Six appeal hits Marine
SUPERMARINE skipper Jamie Barrett has admitted that the Six Nations Championship is having an effect on selection at the South Martson club. Marine entertain Devizes 3rd tomorrow, with a side of up-and-coming players and first teamers, including lock
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More dirty washing from the Catholics
THE Catholic Church has come in for its fair share of criticism in recent times, and The Magdalene Sisters (15, 119mins) will not do it any favours. The film tells the story of the notorious Magdalene Asylums in Ireland, which were run as laundries by
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Finalists close in on night of drama
WITH less than a week to go until finals night, the six contenders in the Trowbridge Employee of the Year competition are studying hard for their head-to-head interview with top broadcaster Roger Cook, live on stage. With a two-week holiday to the Gambia
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The Masons' alms
TROWBRIDGE freemasons have presented cheques totalling £600 to Stepping Stones pre-school and Dorothy House in Winsley. The money was raised at a Christmas carol supper held at the Masonic Hall in December.
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She's a reel champ
A YOUNG Irish dancer from Trowbridge brought home two trophies and nine medals from the first ever international competition held in Dublin at the weekend. Abigail Little, nine, was one of just 15 English children to take part in the event and came away
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Boy, 16, caught with 40 ecstasy tablets
WILTSHIRE TIMES EXCLUSIVE: A TEENAGER offered a bulk-buy deal on ecstasy pills told police the deal was too good to pass up. Police officers out patrolling in a north Wiltshire town busted a street drug-deal when they saw goods being passed between two
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Coat snatched
A THIEF stole a 50-year-old woman's coat as she walked through Trowbridge Park in the early hours of Sunday morning. The man approached her, snatched a beige coat from her grasp and fled. A Samsung mobile phone, cash and keys worth a total of £165 were
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Accident triggers safety bid
ROAD improvements have been promised after a lollipop lady was knocked down outside a school. Patricia Hefnawy, 69, broke her leg in the accident, which happened outside Holt Primary School, near Trowbridge, at the end of January. A 165-signature petition
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Memorial for town martyr
THIS month sees the 200th anniversary of the death of one of Trowbridge's most famous industrial figures. Thomas Helliker was tried and hung on his 19th birthday for his part in the rioting at Littleton Mill in Semington in the middle of the industrial
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Primary talent makes for a Star-y night
CHILDREN at Longmeadow Primary School in Trowbridge put on such a good performance at a Stars In Their Eyes night that their parents now want their own show. The youngsters took to the stage as their favourite artists, from Shania Twain to Kylie, to raise
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Accused fail to appear in court
A warrant has been issued for the arrest of two men charged with offences in connection with illegal CDs on sale in Lacock. Shaun Clark, of Longfield Road, Trowbridge, and Graham Bowles of Church Street apartments, Westbury, failed to appear at Trowbridge
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Crests to go on display
TWO regimental crests saved from the former Territorial Army centre in Trowbridge are soon to be displayed in the town. The crests were taken from the building at Bythesea Road before it made way for retirement homes and are to be made into a permanent
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Inquiry launched into tragic death
AN INTERNAL inquiry has been launched at a top London hospital into the death of a 30-year-old former Trowbridge football player. Lee Cafferkey was treated for a migraine on his first visit to Chelsea and Westminster Hospital but six days later was diagnosed
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Elizabeth Shah
MARCH 7: A MOTHER who drove home from a pub at more than twice the legal alcohol limit has been banned from driving for two years. Elizabeth Shah, 43, of Common Hill, Steeple Ashton, drove home from The Hungry Horse despite knowing she was over the limit
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Developer announces new plans for Usher's
THE latest plans for the former Usher's brewery site in Trowbridge have been submitted to West Wiltshire District Council. Developer Foinavon has completely revised the application for the regeneration of the former bottling plant to answer concerns voiced
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The great coin robbery
ARMED robbers tied up a Yarnbrook man in his own home before making off with a collection of £6,000 in pound coins on Saturday 1 March. Police believe that the raiders, who subjected the 35-year-old market trader to the terrifying ordeal, may have known
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A case to die for
MARCH 15, BATH: Whose Life Is It Anyway, Rondo Theatre: A ROAD accident leaves sculptor Ken totally paralysed. Brought back from near death by a dedicated medical team, Ken argues wittily and passionately for the right to die. As we await the judge's
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Bluebirds' season on a knife edge
CHIPPENHAM TOWN'S whole season could hinge on the next four days. A disappointing mid-week Dr Martens Cup exit at Halesowen leaves the Bluebirds with just the Wiltshire Premier Shield and ever-decreasing title hopes to play for. If Town fail to beat fellow
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All the local football fixtures this weekend
Dr Martens League Premier Division: Chelmsford City v Havant & Waterlooville; Chippenham Tn v Stafford Rngs; Dover Athletic v Ilkeston Tn; Halesowen Tn v Cambridge City; Hastings Utd v Welling Utd; Hednesford Tn v Newport County; Hinckley Utd v Crawley
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Keep our soil pure
We heard this week how a Corsham couple have been collecting signatures to stop diggers moving in to churn up toxic land near their homes. Since Doreen Stevenson and her husband discovered there was toxic waste on the land, they have been trying to find
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Farmers sign up to ecology
FARMERS in one the country's most archaeologically and environmentally rich areas have signed an agreement saving hundreds of acres from the threat of intensive agriculture. Special protection has been given to land next to the Avebury and Stonehenge
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Cross-dressing to boost coffers on Red Nose Day
STAFF at a Co-op store plan to celebrate Red Nose Day with some comedy cross-dressing. A total of 25 people at the branch in Swindon's Cavendish Square will dress as members of the opposite sex. They are hoping customers will be sufficiently impressed
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Book your train seat for a day at the races
Rail users from Swindon are among those being advised to plan ahead to avoid disruption during next week's National Hunt Festival in Cheltenham. Thousands of racing fans are expected to catch the train to the three-day gathering. Train operator First
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Royal Navy team talk of operations across the world
ROYAL Navy officers are to deliver a multimedia presentation to explain the service's operations across the globe. The public presentation will be held at the Defence Academy in Shrivenham on Tuesday, beginning at 6.30pm. Royal Navy officers will be describing
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Scout group hit again
THIEVES have targeted the 1st Stratton St Margaret Scout group for the second time in as many weeks. During the latest break-in at the group's Taylor Crescent headquarters, the burglars stole a PlayStation and games worth several hundred pounds, which
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Meet Nita,a champion knitter at 96
NITA Taylor is living proof that you are never too old to knit for charity even at 96. For more than 20 years Nita, from Swindon, has been knitting blankets for the Prospect Hospice. She said: "It is good fun and a social way to support a local charity
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Clinical trial needs Swindon volunteers
DOCTORS in Swindon are taking part in a major national study of a common but little-known bone disease. A team at the Great Western Hospital, led by Dr Elizabeth Price, is hoping to recruit up to 30 patients who have Paget's Disease to take part in the
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Debating a role in wartime
THE ROLE the anti-globalisation movement could play if war breaks out with Iraq was discussed at a meeting in the Swindon Arts centre last night. The meeting was addressed by Alex Callinicos, a professor of politics at York University who is also on the
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Reunion at old school
AN APPEAL has gone out to former pupils and teachers of Kingsdown Secondary School who were there from the years leading up to and including 1960 to get in touch and help organise a reunion. Some former pupils of the Stratton school are hoping to hold
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Award for charity helping disabled
A SWINDON charity that aims to get disabled people into work has received a national standard of excellence award. Working for Opportunities (WfO) received the prestigious Matrix Quality Standard award for information, advice and guidance services. It
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Why I'm no boffin
SWINDON scientist Nikki Woolmore has been selected to inspire more youngsters to take up a career in the field. Nikki, 24, is one of 13 young people from across the country who have been drafted in to help scientists throw off their boffin image and encourage
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Cotswold Water Park users get chance to have their say
COTSWOLD Water Park users will be able to have a say in the future of the park on Wednesday, March 19. That is when the Cotswold Water Park Society plans to hold a users' forum, and members of the public are invited to come along and voice their views
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Village mourns its famous resident
THE village of Langford, near Lechlade, was today mourning the death of the designer who for more than 40 years had made clothes for the Queen. Hardy Amies died peacefully in his sleep on Wednesday afternoon at the age of 93 at the School House which
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Charity branch meeting date
THE North Wiltshire branch of the Motor Neurone Disease Association is to hold its annual meeting in Swindon next week. Lawn Community Centre in Guildford Avenue will host the meeting on Wednesday at 7.30pm. The speaker will be Tricia Holmes from the
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Parish seeks gatekeeper to replace loyal Eric
A NEW gatekeeper is being sought for the cemetery at Stratton St Margaret in Swindon. Eric Smith, who has spent 20 years opening and closing the gates at the beginning and end of the day, is giving up the job through ill health. The pensioner had himself
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Protests at 25m masts at hospital
Although there is no proof that radiation emitted from phone masts is a real risk to health, the arrival of mobile telephone masts at the now derelict Princess Margaret Hospital sparked protest among residents. People living nearby were shocked to see
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Why do they judge what they do not know?
I AM writing to defend the residents of Penhill. I am sick and tired of people putting the area down. I have lived on the estate for 18 years and 10 of them in the Valley. I also worked at Rick's off-licence in the Valley for quite a few years until Mrs
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Give these lights a chance
I WAS very surprised to see the news about Gorse Hill losing its shopping centre. Just because two or three businesses out of 144 are having a hard time, it doesn't mean we all are. The percentage is very small. You can't compare trade before Christmas
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Cells are only option
WITH reference to your story 'Keep police cells for criminals' (March 3). In reply to: "If other authorities can deal with mental health patients in a more civilised way, why can't we?" The population of Swindon is approximately 182,000. Those registered
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We will provide medals
All the gymnasts at the Swindon School of Gymnastics want a new gym. We would all love it if we had a new gym with pits and proper sprung floors, but we can't find anywhere. SSG has some very talented gymnasts who go to competitions and come back with
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i am disgusted by the counciL
I AGREE wholeheartedly with J Hare's letter (EA, March 3). My nine-year-old daughter and her friend went to the swimming baths on Saturday only to be told that as they didn't have a SwindonCard they would have to pay the adult price (£3.60) to swim instead
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Carole chases England place
PROMISING centre Carole Elms is gunning for international honours after being selected for the South West Counties under 16s squad. The 16-year-old, from Melksham, has been selected for the squad of 22 after attending trials with more than 80 young hopefuls
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Olly's Out
Bath's Olly Barkley, who had been named on the bench for the A team match against Italy at Northampton tomorrow night, has pulled out with ankle trouble. Martyn Wood, of Wasps, comes in.
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Hansen on offensive
Wales coach Steve Hansen threw a protective arm around his players as they arrived in Edinburgh for tomorrow's RBS Six Nations Championship clash against Scotland at Murrayfield. Cardiff flanker Martyn Williams Wales' third skipper in three games will
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Plans for flats
FOUR new flats could be created within 9 London Road, with the addition of two rear extensions. North Wiltshire District Council has received a planning application from Mike Newell of Bampton.
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Nursery application
NORTH Wiltshire District Council has received a planning application for a new plant nursery and buildings at Lanhill, Bristol Road, Allington.
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Knock back for new house
AN appeal has been lodged against a refusal by North Wiltshire District Council to grant planning permission for a new house on land next to 24 Danes Close. The appeal will be determined on the basis of an exchange of written statements and a site visit
