Archive
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Hop along to top of lops. . .
RABBIT-mad friends Sarah Hawker and Lisa Fryer have organised a bunny photo show to raise money for two animal charities. Mrs Hawker and Mrs Fryer, who both live in Chippenham, have joined forces with Bristol bunny enthusiast Abbie Jordan to put on the
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Who's got mad March hair?
CUSTOMERS at Sainsbury's may have noticed something a little different about senior duty manager Steve Chamberlain this week. Mr Chamberlain, whose hair is usually brown, is now sporting a pillar-box red barnet and what's more, he's been running around
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Charity shop closing down
THE Sue Ryder charity shop in Fogamshire, Chippenham, is closing after 25 years of business because it is not making enough money. Manager Elizabeth Roberts, who has been working there for more than five years, said she would be very sad to leave. "I
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Security fears after second arson attack
POLICE are hunting arsonists after a fire at a computer firm caused more than £250,000 worth of damage. The fire is the second suspected arson attack in Cavalier Court, on Bumpers Farm, in just three weeks. Now police are appealing for witnesses and warning
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New hope on playing area
PLANS for a long-awaited children's play area for Barrow Green in Chippenham could be saved if North Wiltshire District Council provides extra money for running costs. A total of £25,000 to set up the play area was promised by the district council, and
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Warning over parking peril
RESIDENT Gary Booth said he fears that if drivers do not stop parking illegally and carelessly in Colerne, a fatality will happen. Badly parked cars on Tutton Hill are blocking the road and dustbin collectors are unable to get down the road on a Tuesday
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Firm's fine is cut by half
SAMSON Resins Ltd has had a £10,750 fine slashed in half after Swindon Crown Court heard that the company was in financial trouble. Last April, one of the firm's lorries was pulled over on the M4 at Leigh Delamere and found to be overloaded, with a broken
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Noise consultant called in on park's design
A NOISE consultant has recommended that a two-metre high acoustic fence is built around Corsham's new skate park on the Springfield playing fields to avoid the problems experienced in Chippenham. The Monkton Park skate park was closed after residents
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Charity offers river site for skate park
PLANS for a new Chippenham skatepark could at last be back on track, after the Borough Lands charity stepped in to end the stalemate. In a surprise announcement at the latest Skateinsafety2003 meeting, on Monday at Redland School, Borough Lands trustee
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Fears on impact of hospitals closures
MAYOR Richard Meek has spoken of his growing concern for the future of Chippenham Hospital, after health chiefs published controversial new plans this week. Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust, which is planning a major shake-up of health services
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Rod and Line
ANGLING: THE close season comes into force tomorrow and river anglers will be laying up their rods until the glorious June 16. It will not be remembered as one of the best river campaigns with excess floodwater dominating much of the winter fishing season
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George & Dragon settle for share of spoils
FOOTBALL: PREMIER Division champions George & Dragon were held to a 1-1 draw when they entertained fellow title hopefuls Harnham. George & Dragon dominated the opening half and led via an outstanding individual goal by Adie Scott. However, a second
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Laverstock hit nine
FOOTBALL: HAVING had top spot taken away from them last week due to rivals Overton's superior scoring record, Laverstock & Ford were determined to regain the lead and in some style when they took on Broughton. Laverstock soon got into their stride
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Charity trek falls prey to altitude
CLIMBING the highest peak in Africa was always going to be a challenge for a middle-aged mum who was quick to confess she was unfit and overweight, but Sarah Travis was determined to give it her best shot. She built up her stamina, lost close to a stone
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Jam today please, not tomorrow
IT is hardly surprising that a large and long-established Old Town retailer is talking about moving out and two more are already in the process of closing. They, like most of the other shops in this once thriving business area, are sick of claims that
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Station campaigners take heart after talks with transport chief
CAMPAIGNERS are disappointed with the news that Corsham train station will not be reopened for at least three years, but there is still light at the end of the tunnel. Transport Minister David Jamieson told campaigners that there was no chance of reversing
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New kids' club helps out busy mothers
A NEW after-school club for children opened in Lyneham earlier this month to help take the pressure off working parents with busy schedules. The club's organisers pick up children who have booked into the club from the village's infants' and primary schools
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Bus axed as drunk kids cause trouble
A LATE night service by the Wigglybus is being stopped because of drunk and rowdy teenagers, including some as young as 13. The Wigglybus organisers have agreed to a request from police in Pewsey to withdraw the 11pm service. Police said the late night
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Horgan's still an optimist
MIDFIELDER Gary Horgan was far from downcast after Chippenham were held at home by fellow high-flyers Stafford Rangers on Saturday. Victory would have made the Bluebirds firm favourites to clinch second spot behind runaway leaders Tamworth, but Horgan
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Keeper holds his hands up
LIAM Bull admitted the last thing he expected to happen on Saturday 8 March was to be collecting the sponsors' man of the match award at 5pm. The former Swindon Supermarine goalkeeper was thrust into the action as a second minute substitute following
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Walker is happy to stop all the jibes
NEW boy Scott Walker answered the jibes of his team mates in style on Saturday 8 March by heading the Bluebirds' equaliser against Stafford Rangers. The 22-year-old left midfielder admitted he had been the butt of the dressing room jokes after conceding
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Keeper is injured in freak accident
GOALKEEPER James Bittner is fighting to be fit for Chippenham Town's game against Halesowen after suffering a bizarre injury as he took to the field. The luckless 20-year-old, from West Lavington, was hit on the shoulder by a stray hockey ball when the
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Incare moves to new offices
INTERNATIONAL shipping and airfreight forwarding company Incare International has moved to new purpose-built premises in Kingfisher Park, Ringwood. The new 15,000-square foot unit at Headlands will dramatically improve facilities, bringing everything
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Self-employed pay up to 32 times more tax
A REPORT published today by the Federation of Small Businesses, has revealed that a self-employed person with £15,000 profits can pay up to 32 times more tax than their incorporated counterpart. The report called The Self Employed versus Incorporated
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Just carry on singing, boys
A WELSH rugby club choir brought the house down on Saturday with a concert to raise money for Malmesbury Rugby Club's youth team. There were no seats left in the abbey for the performance by the Morriston RFC choir, which sang with Shirley Bassey on the
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Give us an answer to costs rise, BT urged
THE chairman of BT, Sir Christopher Bland, is to be asked to explain why the cost of laying underground telephone cables in Malmesbury has soared. North Wiltshire District Council is writing to him for an explanation because it says the cost has escalated
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Christmas cheer for families
Lex Defence of Swindon has presented a cheque for £1,372 to the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association. The Westlea-based firm, which provides a vehicle support service for Britain's armed forces, managing more than 12,500 vehicles, raised
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99 years of service, and counting...
THIRTEEN members of staff at Specsavers Opticians in Swindon have been recognised by their firm for clocking up 99 years of service between them. Specsavers store director David Greives awarded all 13 members of staff, who work at the Havelock Square
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Cellular Ops is bought out by Vodafone
Swindon-based Cellular Operations Ltd has been bought out by Vodaphone UK Limited for an undisclosed sum. The firm, which provides mobile airtime services to more than half a million mobile phone users, currently employs more than 500 staff. Vodaphone
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Bumper line-up at Larkhill meeting
POINT TO POINT: ALMOST 200 horses have been entered in the New Forest Foxhounds annual point-to-point meeting at Larkhill on Saturday. The eight-race card gets under way at 12.30pm with Hunts race. Among its 22 entries are Bally Wirral which won at Barbury
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Salisbury III 5, Wheatsheaf Cabin Crew 33
WITH a large number of regular players missing due to other commitments, a new look Wheatsheaf team took to the field to seek revenge for last year's defeat at Salisbury's hands. In atrocious conditions the Wheats started the brighter of the two teams
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Salisbury overpowered by 'Head's heavyweights
RUGBY: MAKE no mistake about it, this Salisbury team is good. Very good, writes Stuart McArdell. The trouble is, they're having to punch well above their weight week in, week out and that saps the strength over 80 minutes. Last week they had Wimborne.
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Fourth triumph
JUNIOR FOOTBALL: A FIRST half goal by Bem-erton Heath Harlequins captain Charlie Young proved enough to settle the issue against Salisbury Juniors in their South Wilts Youth & Minor League under 11s match. This local derby clash provided numerous
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Bridge look on course to retain title
BADMINTON: HOLDERS Avonbridge are steering a steady course towards retention of the Wessex Cup after a maximum win against Salisbury Cyclones at Westwood in the semi-final. Their opponents in the final will be West Tytherley B who squeezed past West Grimstead
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Salisbury shaping up as survivors
TENNIS: SALISBURY A are shaping up as likely survivors in the Sarum League relegation battle after one of their strongest line-ups won well at Riverside on Saturday. Three sets from the return match this weekend will be enough to secure their Division
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Ladies embark on trophy defence
BOWLS:FOLLOWING their huge success in the Yetton Trophy campaign, Five Rivers Indoor Bowls Club's ladies have embarked on defending their Riversmeet league title. Two more matches have been played since they won their first game. The two teams, comprising
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Seniors take first trophy
WESTLECOT senior ladies are the toast of Wiltshire's top bowls club after winning the English Women's Indoor Bowling Association Over 60s Double Rinks Championship. It was the first national title to be won by either the men's or women's indoor section
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Redditch 2, Swindon Supermarine 1
DR MARTENS WESTERN DIVISION: SUPERMARINE manager Ray Baverstock could only watch on in despair as his side spurned a golden opportunity to boost their Western Division survival hopes on Saturday 8 March. Baverstock's band of battlers led in-form Redditch
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Eastville book cup final place
SWINDON MINIORS LEAGUE: EASTVILLE BOYS and AFC Mannington will meet at Swindon Town's County Ground in the under 16 cup final. The two clubs booked their places in the end of season showpiece with wins over Brunel and Highworth respectively. Under 11s
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Vandalism disrupts league matches
SWINDON SUNDAY LEAGUE: RAIN-SOAKED pitches and the cancellation of matches at Moredon due to vandalism disrupted the league programme. There was no change at the top of Division Three, where top teams Penhill United and South Marston both won. Marston
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Marlborough through in goal thriller
SKURRAY'S WILTSHIRE LEAGUE: ONLY a handful of fixtures survived the weather, but those that did provided some exciting cup and league encounters. Premier Division leaders Shrewton strolled to a 5-0 win over Aldbourne in the Corsham Print Senior Cup semi-final
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MPs back pharmacies battling for survival
A PETITION containing 700 signatures has been handed to Devizes MP Michael Ancram by pharmacists Andy and Sue Rugg, who are fighting moves to deregulate local chemists. The Office of Fair Trading is putting forward a proposal to deregulate pharmacies,
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Collins at the double as United crash out
NORTH BERKS LEAGUE: DIVISION FOUR Appleton caused the shock of the day as they crushed Coleshill United of Division Two 6-0 in the War Memorial Cup. Greg Collins (2), Paul Haynes (2), Colin Haynes and Dave Cookson were the Appleton goal heroes. Kintbury
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No favours at Melksham
SCREWFIX ROUND UP: MELKSHAM Town failed to do struggling local rivals Devizes Town a favour as they slumped to a 3-1 reverse at Elmore on Saturday. The home side began the day just two points ahead of Pete Tripp's side in the table, but were inspired
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Guernsey U18s 1, Wiltshire U18s 5
COUNTY FOOTBALL: WILTSHIRE U18s shone in front of the television cameras as they destroyed highly-fancied Guernsey in the South West Counties Championship. Mel Gingell's reigning champions remain on course to finish as runners-up to Somerset in this year's
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Clyst Rovers 2, Corsham Town 1
MISSED chances proved costly for Corsham as mid-table Clyst Rovers completed a league double over their Wiltshire opponents on Saturday 8 March. The shot-shy visitors failed to take advantage of three excellent opportunities early on, with former Bath
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Shelter's butt of criticism
KENNET and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust is back-peddling furiously after its planning application for a smoking shelter outside its Devizes HQ was criticised by local councillors. The trust has submitted an application to Kennet District Council
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Stalemate over the name of new street
COUNCILLORS are locked in a row with housing developers over the naming of a new street. Maplecroft Developments are unhappy with the proposed name Bryant Fields for the road to the rear of the High Street in Corsham. The name was originally proposed
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Corsham Town 4, Cadbury Heath 0
CORSHAM lifted themselves off the bottom of the Screwfix Direct League on the night of Monday 10 March as they recorded their biggest win of the campaign. The First Division's lowest scorers went goal crazy at The Southbank, with Rob Humphries, John Freegard
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Ewe did really well, sheep rescuers told
FIREFIGHTERS and vet Alice Hall, who battled to save hundreds of sheep from the wreckaged of a crashed lorry, have been commended for their hard work and compassion by the RSPCA. The full-time and retained officers at Chippenham Fire Station were presented
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Theft takes toll on victim
A FORMER client of the Amber Foundation, at Tottenham House in Savernake Forest, denied being involved in a burglary which has left a Marlborough woman deeply traumatised. Lisa Darke, 26, who now lives in Taunton, Somerset, pleaded guilty to handling
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Couple in court over fracas at takeaway
A MARRIED couple launched a violent assault on a 20-year-old man after words changed to blows in a Chinese takeaway, Kennet magistrates heard. Andrew and Claire Ball, of Chiminage Close, Marlborough, both pleaded guilty to assaulting by beating Barry
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Man jailed for long string of offences
A 20-YEAR-OLD who went of a four-week crime spree has been sent to jail for more than eighteen months. Nicholas Mutter's spate of offending in January culminated in him being found asleep in a stolen car on the Green Lane playing fields at Devizes. At
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Jury returns open verdict on jail death
A JURY took more than two hours to reach a majority open verdict on the death of a prisoner at Erlestoke who was found dead in his cell. David Lewis, 29, from Swansea, was found hanging from the window in his cell at 10.30pm on August 13 2001. Mr Lewis
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60-year-old men can now travel cheap
Swindon men have a new reason to celebrate their 60th birthday. From April 1 they will qualify for concessionary travel, instead of having to wait until age of 65. There are three options available for permanent residents of Swindon Borough. These are
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Can't buy a house, not able to build one either
BRINKWORTH residents who want to build their own homes because of rising house prices will have to wait a bit longer to find out if they can go-ahead with their plans. A group called the Shenley Brook Self-build Association wants to build 14 affordable
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Stores sold cigarettes illegally to teenagers
SHOPS selling cigarettes to children have been caught out in an undercover trading standards operation in the town. And to coincide with National No Smoking Day, trading standards ceremonially destroyed the cigarettes outside the civic offices in Euclid
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Company's oil polluted stream
A scrap metal firm has admitted spilling oil into a Swindon stream. European Metal Recy-cling Limited, of Gypsy Lane, pleaded guilty to causing oil to enter the Hreod Burna watercourse between February and June 2001. The firm, which took over the site
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The £60,000 win that wasn't meant to be
PUNTER John Dudek won nearly £60,000 - by picking the wrong horse. John landed his huge gamble in last Saturday's Scoop6, when he had to pick all six winners of the televised races on Channel 4. His first selection was horse number two, Massey, but he
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Cellular Ops is bought out by Vodafone
Swindon-based Cellular Operations Ltd has been bought out by Vodaphone UK Limited for an undisclosed sum. The firm, which provides mobile airtime services to more than half a million mobile phone users, currently employs more than 500 staff. Vodaphone
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Firms warned about cash scam
SOUTH Wiltshire businesses are being warned of a scam involving demands for payment for Data Protection registration. The warning came after two businesses in the Salisbury area had been approached by callers posing as collectors on behalf of Data Protection
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£1m haul as police raid drugs operation
DRUGS with an estimated street value of nearly £1m were seized when police raided ex-farm buildings near Whiteparish on Thursday morning. It is one of the biggest-ever drug hauls in the Salisbury area. As well as large quantities of drugs, including a
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Plea to knock down 'eyesore'
CALLS have been made for a fire-damaged house in the centre of Amesbury to be demolished. Town councillors heard at their March meeting that firefighters had again been called to the empty and semi-derelict house adjoining Logan Homecare centre in Salisbury
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Royal couple give their backing to art project
ART received a royal seal of approval on Sunday when the Earl and Countess of Wessex met Shrewton youngsters, who were offered art as a way of combating village vandalism. The royal couple presented certificates as the culmination of arts workshops set
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Demon and a dame join fun
A FRIGHTENING demon descended on a Calne playgroup fundraiser, but failed to put a dampener on the event. Demon Sheerspite and other friends from The Calne Players, including the pantomime dame and Robin Hood, joined in the fun at the fundraiser for Guthrie's
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First-time dealer told he could face prison
A 20-YEAR-OLD man caught up in Operation Claire, the major police clampdown on drug dealing in Chippenham and Calne, was warned at Swindon Crown Court last week, to expect a prison term. Andrew McCaffrey, of Braemor Road, Calne, offered to supply crack
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Man jailed for dealing heroin and cocaine
A 26-YEAR-OLD man who dealt drugs to undercover police in a children's playground has been sent to jail for four years. Stephen Knight was one of fifteen people arrested in a string of dawn raids on homes in Devizes last September as a part of Operation
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Players needed
STRATTON Juniors FC are looking for new players in the under seven and under eight age groups. They will be training at Greenbridge Playing Fields on Saturday March 15 at 9.30am. For further information contact Kevin Iles on Swindon 831251 or Ade Rowe
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Drivers escape crashes
A TAXI driver escaped serious injury in a head-on collision at Potterne Woods on the A360. The 42-year-old, whose name has not been released by police, was taken to the Great Western Hospital in Swindon but was allowed home after treatment. A 28-year-old
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Sportsman dies while playing round of golf
KEEN golfer Robert Jennings, a stalwart of West Lavington, has died of a heart attack while playing his favourite sport. Mr Jennings, who was 61, became unwell while playing on the tenth hole at Erlestoke Sands Golf Club. Paramedics were unable to resuscitate
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High risk to repay loan
DEVIZES Town Council has changed its investment brokers after it lost up to £100,000 with previous brokers. The new brokers are Bath-based Accrue Investment Management. Representative Gavin Allcott presented three options for the council to invest £260,000
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Refuse lads' study pays off
REFUSE collectors at Kennet District Council have celebrated achieving success in National Vocational Qualifications. A spokesman for Kennet said it was unusual for refuse collectors to study for NVQs and it demonstrated the council's commitment to developing
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Deputy mayor pulls plug on lights at mayor's ball
DEPUTY mayor Bill Cavill pulled the plug on the entertainment at the mayoral ball on Friday after flashing lights upset him. Coun Cavill, who is due to be Marlborough's Mayor next year, took the law into his own hands and unplugged the band's lighting
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Safe and sound
THE future of Savernake Hospital and its minor injuries unit looks safe. The hospital appears to have survived a raft of cost cutting measures being introduced by the Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust as it struggles to save £10 million. But
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Megabait just miss a place in the final
ANGLING: DEVIZES PA Megabait team efforts nearly paid off at the weekend. They had reached the Angling Times Winter League Southern Region semi-finals and missed out on a place in the finals by just three points. Fishing against some of the top teams
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These magnificent seven run a real family pub
SEVEN members of the same family are running a Liddington pub. Landlords Donna and Vince Jones have chosen to keep things in the family when it comes to running The Village Inn. In all 15 people work at the pub, yet only eight are from outside the family
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At 90 Arthur is on the list for adoption
ARTHUR Ayres wants to be adopted - at the ripe old age of 90! But he's after someone to support his drinking habits rather than a new set of parents. A scheme aimed at saving country pubs and their regulars is putting up locals for adoption. Arthur has
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Further tests on Silbury
CIVIL engineers have returned to Silbury Hill to begin further exploration of the prehistoric mound. It's almost three years since an ancient shaft at the core of the hill re-opened leaving a gaping hole. English Heritage was forced to act after the old
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Forget the rain, it's time to play
CHILDREN from Greendown playgroup have been enjoying their new all-weather play area. It was installed early last week following a successful charity raffle, auction and disco, which raised £2,300 - more than double the expected figure of £1,100. The
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Rights infringed
YOUR article about the increasing damage being done to The Ridgeway quoted a local 4x4 driver, Mr Freeguard, who cited the right to pursue their so-called sport there. As so often happens, those who are quick to remember their rights forget that for every
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Stop in-fighting
WILTSHIRE is in danger of losing its archival records to London because of a campaign against the Record Office being sited in Chippenham. Whilst I understand other Wiltshire towns might relish the prospect of hosting a prestigious purpose built Record
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Dig deep for Red Nose Day
TOMORROW, Comic Relief will invade our lives and dominate television screens across the land. And it's all for a good cause - raising millions of pounds for the poor and needy. In Swindon individuals and organisations will pull out all the stops out to
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Thieves take wheelchair
THIEVES deprived a disabled teenager of his independence when they stole a wheelchair from outside the front door of a house in Thresher Drive. The 13-year-old boy's wheelchair, which is worth £200 and fitted with special silver anti-roll bars, a long
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Town has changed
ROBERT Baggs who announced his intention to stand in the forthcoming local elections for the British National Party, in your paper last week must be a sad and jaded man. He harks back to his youth in Calne and can see nothing that has changed for the
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Women run against all odds
EXPERIENCE as a special needs teacher has helped Ros Liddington decide to run her first marathon in aid of I-Can, the speech and language nursery at Woodlands First School, Bemerton Heath. Ms Liddington (47), of Britford Lane, Salisbury, made her decision
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Join the hunt for treasures of the deep
KEYNES Country Park has unveiled a new range of activities for Easter. Small groups can gain a new perspective as they join a search for minibeasts or hidden treasures of the deep. Education ranger Sophie Tackett said: "We have exciting new activities
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Is it a stitch up?
THE Record Office project involves the county council buying land on the livestock market site in Cocklebury Road, Chippenham, from North Wiltshire District Council. At the last county council cabinet meeting this project bid was approved. There were
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Crackdown on vendettas promised
A CRACKDOWN on "vendettas" on the streets of Salisbury has been promised by a Crown Court judge. It came after he heard how a teenager had been pressured by older men into mugging two boys in the Harnham residential district of the city last September
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Patients let down by trust's lack of action
IT is appalling that the current situation with regard to Chippenham's Marshfield Surgery and Dr B J Williams should have been allowed to continue for so long. The Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust has failed to deal responsibly with the situation
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We came, we saw, we conquered and marched like tortoises
THE ROMANS fought the Celts in a battle at Ruskin Junior School. But it wasn't our ancestors revisiting the school in Wordsworth Drive. Children from year three travelled back two thousand years and spent the day as Romans or Celts. They dressed up as
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GP deserves gratitude not cold bureaucracy
I READ with horror and indignation the action being carried out by the Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust against Dr Barney Williams by withholding £10,685 from his budget, and threatening to close him down from April 1 because he can no longer
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Company will rid the dog mess
THE identity of the company charged with collecting the contents of Swindon's dog waste bins will be known later today. Directors from the council's environmental protection department will open envelopes from companies bidding for the contract at 2pm
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Concern as to the future of estate
THE editorial comment in the March 7 issue regarding development at Okus Trading Estate rightly pointed out that proposals for high density housing there must be carefully studied by the council. It should, however, also have been stressed that the estate
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Two dozen new homes is too much for village
I AM not in the habit of complaining but the possible addition of 24 houses on the site at Aldbourne Road, Baydon, combined with the 24 houses being built on the garage site, is too much. This would add some 100 cars, 200 people with children. My main
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Forensic pathologist called in to help with bank worker's death
A FORENSIC pathologist has been called in to help police investigate the death of Salisbury bank worker Charles Lennon, who died after being found unconscious in a city subway last week. A post mortem was held last Tuesday afternoon but further tests
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Devizes 41, Weston-super-Mare 2nd 0
A DEVIZES side drawn from all three senior squads proved too strong for Weston's second string in Saturday 8 March's friendly match. With the wind at their backs Weston tried to compensate for lack of numbers by kicking for position and using their bigger
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rise in allowances? nay, nay, thrice nay! cont...
I hear that Swindon councillors are to increase their allowances by up to 43 per cent. May I remind them that we, the electorate, should have a say in what, if any, increase they receive. Are not all employees answerable to their employers? Yes, you may
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Royal couple give their backing to art project
ART received a royal seal of approval on Sunday when the Earl and Countess of Wessex met Shrewton youngsters, who were offered art as a way of combating village vandalism. The royal couple presented certificates as the culmination of arts workshops set
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rise in allowances? nay, nay, thrice nay!
No, no, no! There is no way that the council can even begin to consider a 43 per cent allowance increase. How the five-strong 'independent' remuneration panel can come up with such a daft figure is beyond comprehension they must be on a different planet
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Longlevens 31, Wootton Bassett 14
WOOTTON Bassett returned from a trip to Gloucester's Longlevens a beaten side after a 31-14 reverse. Bassett started the game well and for 10 minutes were camped on the home side's line but could not convert this pressure into points. It was Longlevens
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Sing a song of sixpence and leave the euro out of it
MANY readers will want to applaud David Messenger, the headmaster of Windmill Hill Primary School (EA, February 17) for withdrawing his school from the Swindon Junior Music Festival on account of the pro-EU songs that his children would be expected to
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Swanage and Wareham U18s 20 Chippenham U18s 31
YOUTH RUGBY: DESPITE their worst performance of the season, Chippenham U18s kept alive their hopes of a league and cup double as they made it through to the last four of the Dorset and Wilts Cup. Despite this, Chippenham managed to take a 12-point lead
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Rivals share the honours
MINIS RUGBY: IT was derby time again as Supermarine hosted a series of minis squads from local rivals Swindon. At under seven level, the hosts lent their opponents a player for two clashes. And Swindon won the opener 6-4, with two tries from George Bates
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Tetbury 0, Minety 30
MINETY RUGBY: MINETY prospered in the wind, rain and mud on Saturday afternoon, dominating from start to finish in this friendly against Tetbury despite a lively performance from their hosts. The home side eventually threw in the towel after 60 minutes
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Borthwick's England call
BATH lock Steve Borthwick has been called into a 30-man training squad for England's Calcutta Cup clash with Scotland a week on Saturday. Borthwick joins clubmates Mike Tindall and Danny Grewcock in the party, which also includes Northampton's veteran
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Promotion showdown ends in joy for Marlborough
MARLBOROUGH celebrated their return to Premier Three of the Gerrard League on Saturday 8 March after thumping title rivals Westbury United Banks 7-2. The unbeaten home side led their second placed visitors by just a point at the start of play, but raced
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Store boss is given award
STORE manager Andrew Windram has received a prestigious award from the British Hardware Federation. Mr Windram, 33, store manager of Robert Dyas in Borough Parade, was rewarded for his outstanding achievement. He joined the Borough Parade branch at the
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Firefighters blaze trail to highlight safety
FIREFIGHTERS changed tactics and deliberately started fires rather than putting them out at a safety demonstration day on Saturday. Corsham fire station was lit up all day as visitors watched firefighters demonstrate ways of keeping their homes safe.
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Guilty verdict is welcomed by police
THE family of Stephen Palfrey, who was left severely brain damaged after a brutal assault on April 13 last year, have expressed relief at the guilty verdict at Bristol Crown Court on his work colleague Paul King. King was found guilty of grievous bodily
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Reprieve on GP contract
THE Department of Health has stepped into the row between Chippenham GP Barney Williams and Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust. Dr Williams was due to have his contract terminated at the end of the month after a dispute over out of hours coverage
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Businesses angry as travellers' convoy camps on the car park
COMPANIES are furious that more than 20 travellers' caravans have moved on to the car park at Bumpers Farm in Chippenham. The convoy arrived on Sunday and took over the car park. Caravans and vans were parked in front of the new offices at the far end
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Families at war
WARRING neighbours came to blows this week after months of dispute over a garden fence ended with two arrests. Next door neighbours in Kingsley Road, Chippenham, each amassed a long list of complaints after the fence row spiralled out of control. But
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Unlucky robins
FOOTBALL: sDOWNTON could count themselves unlucky to lose 2-1 at BAT Sports on Saturday, having hit the woodwork twice, writes Ryan Lovejoy. They were a goal down after two minutes when a shot from Dave Puckett slipped through the normally reliable hands
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City shut out again
FOOTBALL: SALISBURY City's lack of firepower again proved costly away at promotion rivals Stamford. Despite creating numerous chances, Whites were unable to break the deadlock against one of the best home defences in the league. They still claimed a share
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Echoes of past royal liaisons
ECHOES of royal liaisons past and present will pulse through Netherhampton next month, when furniture with 100-year-old regal connections comes under the auctioneer's hammer. Valuable items once owned by Mrs Keppel, the famous married mistress of King
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Heath suffer high five defeat at semi-final rivals
FOOTBALL: THE odds were stacked against Bemerton Heath Harlequins before this game against the side they face in next week's League Cup semi-finals even started. Matty Holmes, Carl Jones and Andrew Waters were all out due to a flu virus while Paul Gulliver
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'Stock's cloud nine
FOOTBALL: LAVERSTOCK & Ford took a major step nearer to securing the Hampshire League Division Two title when they hammered Broughton 9-0 on Saturday. Manager Andy Wykes had urged his players to win in style against a side who had conceded 11 goals
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Just what the doctor ordered
HORSE RACING: SHREWTON-based racehorse trainer Dr Jeremy Naylor landed a 14-1 winner in the Showcase Handicap race at Wincanton on Thursday. Richard Thornton steered Indian Gunner home comfortably in the meeting's £12,000-added Wincanton PLC Chase to
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City fight to save points
FOOTBALL:SALISBURY City are to launch the "strongest possible" appeal against a decision by the Dr Martens League to dock them three points for fielding an ineligible player. Whites were also fined £100 at last week's hearing which was held to discuss
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Get lucky by pure chance
AS the old saying goes, the man who never made a mistake never made anything. John Dudek has just proved it. His blunder when picking likely winners for Saturday's Scoop6 made him £60,000. He ringed what proved to be a 5/1 winner in error. It looks like
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King the axe man
ANDY KING will wield the axe for Saturday's trip to Mansfield after watching his troops sleepwalk through a humiliating home defeat by Cheltenham Town. The County Ground boss was furious after a dreadful 3-0 thumping by the Whaddon Road outfit and he
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Minister gets animated
GOVERNMENT minister Margaret Hodge branded the new £120,000 Interactive Media Centre at Corsham Media Park a vital tool for education and business when she declared it open. The minister for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education unveiled the
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Record office plan on display
ARTISTS' impressions and blueprints revealing plans for the new Wiltshire and Swindon Record Office will go on show throughout the county. The record office project is a partnership between Wiltshire County Council and Swindon Borough Council. The architect's
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Minister gets animated
GOVERNMENT minister Margaret Hodge branded the new £120,000 Interactive Media Centre at Corsham Media Park a vital tool for education and business when she declared it open. The minister for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education unveiled the
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Young and old benefit from new grants from district council
AN all weather path and seating are on the cards for the playing field at Maud Heath Primary School at East Tytherton. North Wiltshire District Council's Chippenham area committee agreed at a meeting on Monday to contribute £500 towards the £1,280 project
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'Idiot' vandal in bus attack
BUS bosses have condemned as an idiot the vandal who threw a brick at one of their vehicles, shattering a side window. Seats were showered with shards of glass as the Wilts and Dorset Bus Company vehicle drove through Netheravon on Thursday at 6.25pm,
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Porton Ladies 1, Chippenham Town Ladies 2
LIA Painter and Tash Perry were on target as Chippenham Town Ladies fought back from behind to take maximum points at Porton. The Bluebirds had triumphed 11-0 in the reverse fixture earlier in the season, but the hosts proved a much stronger outfit on
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Browner will miss the rest of the season
WINGER Steve Brown has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a broken left leg. The 28-year-old collected the injury in the early stages of the goalless draw at Worcester on March 1 and received the shattering news at Bath's Royal United Hospital
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Stagecraft to install hydrotherapy pools
HAMPSHIRE county council has appointed Salisbury company Stagecraft to develop and install two hydrotherapy pools at schools in the county. Stagecraft will work closely with the county council and architects to provide the new facilities. With 273 pupils
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Noveos gets catalogue out early
A SEMLEY computer specialist has helped a holiday company to produce its catalogue early and get its website functioning better. Noveos, the trading name of Wessex Information Solutions, has been delivering solutions for information management for more
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Friends open Tidworth garage
TWO men, who grew up in Durrington and trained as vehicle technicians in Amesbury, have set up their own garage business in Tidworth. Richard Swaffield and Danny Cavanagh, who have known one another for more than 20 years and still live in Durrington,
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Orphan status to boost Enact
ENACT Pharma, the biopharmaceutical company with a base at Porton Down, has announced that the European Union has adopted the European Medicine Evaluation Agency recommendation of Voraxaze for orphan drug status in the European Union. Orphan drug status
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Whitehead Vizard's team gains two new soldiers
SALISBURY law firm Whitehead Vizard has welcomed two new solicitors. Carmel Winskill specialises in residential conveyancing and Rob O'Hanrahan in company commercial law. Mrs Winskill, who qualified last year, served as an army officer from 1994 to 1999
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Minister gets animated
GOVERNMENT minister Margaret Hodge branded the new £120,000 Interactive Media Centre at Corsham Media Park a vital tool for education and business when she declared it open. The minister for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education unveiled the
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Play park is top of pops
NEWNTON Grove is the most important playground in Malmesbury, according to a survey of householders. The playground came top in the poll of 1,000 households conducted by North Wiltshire District Council in areas around Newnton Grove, Reeds Farm and St
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Councillors put parish homes firmly on map
LOST and confused delivery men should be a thing of the past in the lanes and roads of St Paul Malmesbury Without parish, thanks to a new house name map. It has been put together by members of the parish council who trudged every street in the parish
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School scheme may mean more housing
PLANS are being drawn up for a new school building at Malmesbury CofE School's current site at Tetbury Hill. The school has outgrown its present building and the new scheme, revealed at a public consultation meeting last Wednesday, follows on from a previous
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Explorer to open school
MALMESBURY School will be officially opened on May 2 by explorer David Hempleman-Adams. The school moved from its split location site at Corn Gastons and Filands to the new £12.5 million building at Corn Gastons last Easter. Headteacher Malcolm Trobe
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Firstsalvosfired in battle of bollards
JANIE Thomas, a Fellow of the Landscape Institute, has branded the bollards erected on the Tolsey footpath as crass and insensitive. Ms Thomas, of Gloucester Street, Malmesbury, wants the Friends of Malmesbury Abbey to reconsider the designs for five
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Casualty of cuts
MALMESBURY hospital is likely to close and the site be sold off it was revealed this week. The town is likely to be left with nothing more than a glorified nursing home and a health centre providing physiotherapy, occupational therapy and a day hospital
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Hospital dream is dead and buried
HEALTH issues have once again hit the headlines this week with mixed fortunes for towns in Kennet and North Wiltshire. Options revealed this week for changes to services seem to show that Devizes and Malmesbury are about to lose their highly regarded
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Firms warned about cash scam
SOUTH Wiltshire businesses are being warned of a scam involving demands for payment for Data Protection registration. The warning came after two businesses in the Salisbury area had been approached by callers posing as collectors on behalf of Data Protection
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Missed chances again prove costly in relegation struggle
HOCKEY: SALISBURY Hockey Club's men's team's fight for Hampshire Division One survival faltered slightly when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Portsmouth & Southsea. However, with basement side Blandford also drawing and fellow strugglers Alder-shot
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'Wood shine early on, but Foresters emerge triumphant
RUGBY: VERWOOD enjoyed the better of the early exchanges and had the sniff of the Ellingham line on two occasions after a succession of rucks and mauls. However, it was Ellingham who scored first on 16 minutes after an impressive counter attack starting
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Harnham 4, Royal Oak (Shrewton) 1
NADDER VALLEY FOOTBALL LEAGUE: THIS was the fourth year running that these two teams had met in the WC Stokes Cup semi-final. The game was highly charged and started at a fast pace with the Oak creating several early chances however, Gary Shears was on
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Residents' protest on phone mast plan
RESIDENTS in Wootton Bassett have branded a proposed phone mast a complete monstrosity. The mast, on railway land behind New Road, would be 33 metres, or more than 100 feet high. The plan has angered residents because they say they were not consulted
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Trip of mixed fortunes
SWINDON and District Bowls Association enjoyed mixed fortunes on their annual two-night trip to the Isle of Wight. Led by men's president Mike Large, of Cricklade, they won the opening mixed match defeating Isle of Wight Indoor Bowls Association by 15
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Come to soldiers' reunion
Ex-members of The Royal Berkshire Regiment will be holding a reunion at Brock Barracks, Reading, on Saturday and Sunday, July 26-27. All national service and regular soldiers are welcome, as are comrades who may have joined up in training and been posted
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It's a dog's life
WILTSHIRE police dogs Flynn and Shadow have been praised for their perfomances against dogs from forces across the country in a national competition. A total of 12 dogs and their handlers represented police forces in the South West and Wales at the regional
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Chippenham Sunday league
ALL Cannings A became the first side to reach the final of the PPL Presto Print sponsored Eric Hughes Memorial Knockout Cup when they defeated Premier Division rivals Dog and Fox Ashley 2-1. The Dog and Fox made early inroads into Cannings' defence and
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Sunshine county in 12th place
WILTSHIRE has come 12th in a poll of the counties with the highest quality of life in England. The counties were judged in a range of categories including sunshine hours, sports and arts, tranquillity and education in the survey, carried out by Country
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Cash paves way for cutting cars
GOVERNMENT money amounting to nearly £25 million will enable Wiltshire County Council to move ahead on a raft of new transport projects. The Local Transport Plan settlement sets out to reduce dependence on the private car and promote alternatives, such
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Good Evans seals victory
MID-WILTSHIRE SUNDAY LEAGUE: BAR OC remain second in table after easing to a 4-1 win over third placed Devizes Snooker Club. Pete Swales and Tom Evans combined for the latter to place the ball just outside the goalkeeper's reach to open the scoring for
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Warning of scams promising riches
POLICE and trading standards officers are warning people not to be taken in by elaborate scams that involve them sending off money to companies. One e-mail received this week by a Gazette reporter was from a Loi Estrada, who claims to be the wife of Joseph
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Belcher leaves Fairford with a bad taste
A LATE goal from Mark Belcher gave Highworth a 2-1 win over local rivals Fairford Town in a hard-fought Premier Division game at The Elms. It was Highworth's third win on the trot and gave them an outside shout of the title should the leaders slip up.
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Abingdon United 4, Pewsey Vale 0
HELLENIC LEAGUE: MANAGER Steve Wootton is still searching for his first Hellenic Premier Division points as his struggling Pewsey side took another battering at Abingdon on Saturday 8 March. The visitors, without a league win in three months, were unlucky
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Five generations see changes in child care
CRADLING her great, great grandson in her arms 90-year-old Lucy Grocott is in little doubt that times have changed since she was a mum. The birth of baby Jack Brain last month marked a milestone for the Chippenham family, which now has five generations
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Fury as hospitals are given death sentence
ONLY two out of the four community hospitals run by the Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust look likely to survive, it emerged this week. Health staff believe Devizes and Malmesbury hospitals will be closed and the land sold off while the future
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'I thought he played fair'
WHO Wants To Be A Millionaire? host Chris Tarrant told a court yesterday of Army major's Charles Ingram extraordinary, exciting behaviour as he answered his way to a £1 million pound prize on the show. The 56-year-old entertainer said he was elated when
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Fire crews may strike over new control
FIREFIGHTERS across the county could vote to go on strike over their row with bosses about the new joint control room in Devizes. The Wiltshire branch of the Fire Brigades' Union is to ballot its membership from tomorrow. The ballot concerns the FBU's
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Devizes Town 0, Bath City Reserves 2
SCREWFIX PREMIER DIVISION: FORMER Chippenham Town skipper Lee Burns made a triumphant return to Wiltshire as his Bath City Reserves side proved too strong for relegation-haunted Devizes Town at Nursteed Road. Burns' men took the points thanks to goals
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Roving reporters make a marathon effort
THE Gazette's runners will take to the streets of Bath on Sunday to raise money for Dorothy House Hospice. Six members of staff will be taking part in the Bath Half Marathon to fundraise for the hospice at Winsley. The team consists of editor Gary Lawrence
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Calne Town 4, Minehead 0
CALNE boosted their chances of a top three First Division finish as struggling Minehead were put to the sword at Bremhill View on Saturday 8 March. The game was over as a contest inside 30 minutes as the hosts raced into a three-goal lead thanks to strikes
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Further tests on Silbury
CIVIL engineers have returned to Silbury Hill to begin further exploration of the prehistoric mound. It's almost three years since an ancient shaft at the core of the hill re-opened leaving a gaping hole. English Heritage was forced to act after the old
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Counsellors put bad times behind them
MID Wiltshire Relate, the counselling service for people having problems with their relationships, was within days of shutting up shop when news of its repreive came through. Its staff of counsellors had already received their redundancy notices when,
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Firm denies safety failing
STONE wholesaler McMarmilloyd, based in Great Bedwyn, has denied failing to ensure the safety of its employees. The company entered not guilty pleas to two charges brought under the Health and Safety at Work Act at Kennet Magistrates' Court in Devizes
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Pig farmer furious at bungalow verdict
PIG farmer James Bodman has lost his appeal to build a bungalow for an employee. Mr Bodman, of Windsmere Farm, Worton, put his case to planning inspector Peter Drew at a hearing in Devizes last month. Kennet District Council refused planning permission
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Bookworms of old character
THERE was no doubting what the most popular books are with pupils from Shalbourne School when they celebrated National Book Week. The pupils were asked to celebrate the week by going to school dressed as their favourite book characters. From a school
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Rail engineering work over Easter weekend
Train operator First Great Western reminds customers that its Easter weekend services between London, South Wales, the South West of England and the Cotswolds will start and terminate at Ealing Broadway, not London Paddington. From late on Thursday, April
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Driven out of the area
With car parking scarce and congestion always an issue, shoppers are abandoning Old Town - and leaving traders in trouble in the process. VICTORIA TAGG reports. Parking problems are driving shoppers out of Old Town, traders have said. One shop that has
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Still not enough teachers
SWINDON'S schools are heading for a shortage of teachers. Senior headteachers in the town say things have not improved one bit since the recruitment crisis in 2001, when two secondary schools were forced to shorten the school week because they had so
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Science invades the classroom
CHILDREN from schools in the Salisbury area were enthralled by workshops put on by scientists from the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Porton Down. As part of National Science Week, the defence scientists visited pupils aged between five and
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Rates to hire hall increased to pay for improvements
GROUPS and individuals wanting to hire Antrobus House in Amesbury will have to pay higher fees from April. Chairman of the Lady Antrobus Trust Vernon Smith told the annual Amesbury town meeting last week that there had to be a small increase in charges
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Porton develops gear to protect soldiers
SCIENTISTS at Porton Down are developing a revolutionary 'second skin' to help protect British troops against chemical or biological weapons. By subjecting materials to a process known as plasma polymerisation, staff at the Defence Science and Technology
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Link road fighters take new stand
RESIDENTS fighting to stop the controversial Amesbury link road passing near their homes at Boscombe Down have warned district councillors they will use the ballot box to help stop the road. At the annual Amesbury town meeting last week, they passed an
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Town crier wannabes given a sound testing
OH ye, oh ye - Calne has chosen a new town crier. After an hour of vocal duelling on Saturday, the ears of townfolk were ringing nearly as much as the bells brandished by the four competing criers. The town council was looking for a local loud mouth to
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Youth appeal for members
CALNE'S Young People's Town Council is appealing for youngsters to boost numbers and offer fresh ideas. The group originally had 16 volunteer members, including a chairman, vice-chairman and treasurer, but recently numbers have fallen as members have
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County pulls out of 20mph zone scheme
WILTSHIRE County Council has withdrawn its financial support for a plan to create a 20mph zone in Calne's town centre. At the last minute the county council pulled the plug because it claimed other schemes across the county had higher priority. The scheme
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Stately home's famous gardens get feminine touch
BOWOOD Estate is confident its new head gardener Charlotte Hart will blossom in her new role. Mrs Hart, 28, of Derry Hill, who has worked at Bowood for two years, is one of the youngest ever in charge of the 300-year-old gardens. She takes over from Dougie
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Health chief quizzed on threat to surgery
MORE than 40 angry patients, fearful for their future healthcare, confronted health boss Barbara Smith on Monday to demand answers about the future of the Marshfield Road Surgery in Chippenham. Last week, the Gazette reported that some 3,600 patients
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Super Ben
WOOTTON BASSETT were victorious in the battle of the mid-week specialists last night. Pete Yeardley's side triumphed 3-1 at Gloucester United to pull further away from the lower places in the Hellenic Premier Division. Both club's are able to field stronger
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From this... to this
THE much-maligned former Co-op building in the Market Place is living on borrowed time after Kennet councillors approved a bold new scheme to redevelop the area of the North Gate. They have selected a bid by Bath-based developers Phoenicia Barr, which
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Two loos, long trek for vicar with somethingto go on. . .
DEVIZES vicar Chris Tebbutt is swapping pews for loos. Mr Tebbutt, of St James' Church, Southbroom, is to run the Bath Half Marathon on Sunday and will be raising money to refurbish the toilets at the Parish Centre, in Victoria Road. Mr Tebbutt, who is
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Childminders come of age
DEVIZES Childminders Group came of age last week as it celebrated its 18th birthday with a special party and a delicious cake. Sue Jeske, chairman of the Devizes Childminders Group, said: "A lot of parents send their children to nursery schools because
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Battle of bus stop is lost
DEVIZES Town Council has lost its battle to prevent the bus stop in Southbroom Road being moved to a new site. The objection to the move was overruled by county council engineers. Town councillors were in favour of having the bus stop, originally sited
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Driver too scared to admit an accident
DRIVER Michael Reeves, who at first denied driving into a parked van, changed his mind and finally pleaded guilty to failing to report an accident. Kennet Magistrates' Court on Tuesday was told by his solicitor he was a very naive man. Reeves, 39, of
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Last traditional baker is leaving town
HIGH rents, business rates and falling custom because of parking charges have been blamed for the closure of the Baker's Dozen caf in Maryport Street, Devizes, which shut up shop at the end of last week. Rowde baker Tony House said: "It just wasn't worth
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Dead and buried
EXCITING plans for a modern hospital in Devizes looked dead and buried this week when it was revealed the old building is set to be sold off and no replacement built. Devizes is likely to be left with nothing more than a glorified nursing home and a health
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Delight as lost bag is found
SHOPPER Jeanne Whitehorn was delighted to have her handbag returned intact after she left it hanging on a Waitrose shopping trolley. Mrs Whitehorn, of Bucklebury, near Reading, went to the store before visiting a chiropodist in the town last Wednesday
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Vet team takes animals out to meet the children
VETS with practices in Marlborough and Pewsey are running their own vets school, but it is nothing like the popular TV series. Instead of veterinary students learning their profession as in the television series, the Drove Veterinary Hospital's scheme
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New probe under way on Silbury Hill shaft
CIVIL engineers have returned to Silbury Hill this week to begin further exploration of the pre-historic mound. It's almost three years since the Gazette was the first to reveal that an historic shaft at the core of the hill had partially collapsed leaving
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Fundraising auction lives up to promises
AN auction of promises has raised £5,500 for Easton Royal School's building appeal. The £5-a-ticket event, held in Pewsey's Bouverie Hall on Saturday, was a sell-out. One of the organisers, Ruth Day, said everyone was delighted. "We got twice as much
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Historic play needs support from town
THE success of a historic production relating Marlborough's history as part of the town's 2004 celebrations, will depend on the support from local people. Organiser David Sherratt, a retired teacher who lives on The Green, is chairman of the Wheels of
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Forty year wait for surgery finally over
A medical centre which has been awaited for 40 years is finally being built in Lawn. Ward councillor Mike Bawden (Con) claims residents have wanted a GP surgery since the Lawn estate was built in the early 1960s. He said: "This is fantastic news for the
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Post office is under threat
THE threat of closure hangs over Cavendish Square Post Office, which has issued a 'use it or lose it' ultimatum to its customers. The popular sub-post office, a fixture of the square for more than 30-years, could be forced to close if planned changes
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Paperboy David is on the mend
After a ten day coma, two bouts of pneumonia, four hospitals and severe malnutrition, paperboy David Gallagher is now back at home following his bike accident. Thirteen year-old David, of Faringdon Road, Swindon was knocked off his bike by a motorcyclist
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At last - council gets an excellent rating
SWINDON Council has received an excellent rating for its plan to introduce a new government housing scheme. In contrast with the council's zero rating in social services and a poor Ofsted report on education it seems the council is doing things right
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Clampdown on hooligans
HOOLIGANS are set to be banned from areas they terrorise under tough new laws. And under-18s given anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs) by the courts will no longer be automatically prevented from being named and shamed in the press. The measures are
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The biggest scrabble game in Britain
The Swindon Matchtight Scrabble tournament was the biggest Scrabble one-day tournament held in Britain, with close to 200 people attending. Organiser Steve Perry, of the Highworth Scrabble Club, said he was delighted with the 192-strong turnout. The players
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Caring hospital
IT seems to be the fashion to knock the Great Western Hospital in Swindon and I therefore take pleasure in going against fashion by heaping praise upon it and the caring staff. My father, 85, was admitted to the hospital on January 31 after vomiting didn't
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Porton develops gear to protect soldiers
SCIENTISTS at Porton Down are developing a revolutionary 'second skin' to help protect British troops against chemical or biological weapons. By subjecting materials to a process known as plasma polymerisation, staff at the Defence Science and Technology
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Prosecution due to end in Motorola hearing
THE prosecution, in the trial of two men accused of conspiracy to burgle, following a raid on Swindon based Motorola, was due to rest its case today. Arfan Khan, 25, of Ferndale Road, Swindon, and Martin Miller, 23, of Melfort Road, Peckham, London, both
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Skate park vote
FOLLOWING your item on the skateboarding site, can we appeal urgently to your readers to respond to the opinion poll in the current issue of the Devizes Town Council's Messenger newsletter. As you correctly reported, the majority opinion is that the skateboard
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To boldly go
THE team responsible for shaping the future of Swindon town centre have been urged to be bold in their plans. The chief of The New Swindon Company, Peter Andrews, has just been appointed to look at all the possible options for redeveloping the town centre
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Science invades the classroom
CHILDREN from schools in the Salisbury area were enthralled by workshops put on by scientists from the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Porton Down. As part of National Science Week, the defence scientists visited pupils aged between five and
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Undercover police will tackle yobs on buses
POLICE officers in Salisbury are going undercover on the buses in a bid to stamp out antisocial behaviour and vandalism. The plain clothes officers aim to put a stop to people abusing drivers and damaging vehicles. During the past six months, there have
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Marlborough 5 Cricklade 27
CRICKLADE stayed in the hunt for second place in Dorset and Wilts Two North after two tries from fly-half Simon Howse helped them to victory at Marlborough. The home side only found their feet in the final quarter of an hour, by which time they were 22
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Maternity unit should be promoted much more
I WRITE as a mother, and a qualified birth educator for the past 14 years. I have been teaching pregnancy yoga and ante-natal classes in this area since I moved here from London in 1992. A significant proportion of women attending my weekly classes become
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Chippenham 25, Frome 3
CHIPPENHAM moved into the next round of the Bath Combination Cup with a comfortable 25-3 victory over Frome at Allington Field. They opted to play into the wind for the first half, but for a time failed to convert their pressure into points. Frome also
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£1m haul as police raid drugs operation
DRUGS with an estimated street value of nearly £1m were seized when police raided ex-farm buildings near Whiteparish on Thursday morning. It is one of the biggest-ever drug hauls in the Salisbury area. As well as large quantities of drugs, including a
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Town's gymnasts deserve better
I am responding to your article concerning the plight of the gymnasts at Swindon School of Gymnastics (EA, March 10). I have two daughters, Katie, 12, and Amanda, nine, who are both budding gymnasts. They have both won acclaim in the state and maybe,
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More double standards?
Last week at work I attended our annual fire training session, provided by Wiltshire Fire Brigade. Besides looking at on-site fire safety and fires in the home, we were shown a video about arson at commercial properties which particularly emphasised the
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Melksham/Devizes U15s 58, Andover U15s 5
THE combined U15s side bounced back in style from their narrow defeat at Chippenham with a comprehensive demolition of their Hampshire neighbours from Andover. Scott Simmons crossing for the first try after five minutes and a splendid attack then saw
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Chippenham U15s 17, Grove U15s 26
CHIPPENHAM U15s' second half recovery proved in vain as Oxfordshire County Champions Grove took the honours at Allington Field. The hosts played into a strong wind in the first half and found themselves trailing by 19 points at the break as Grove ran
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Cats and dogs have teeth too
I AM writing to you from the Pet Health Council regarding the article published in the Evening Advertiser on February 15 entitled 'Pooped out'. Formed in 1979 with the specific aim of promoting the health and welfare of pet animals in the interests of
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Wondrous sight of myriad starlings
OVER the past few days I have seen the most amazing and wondrous sight. In the skies over the Oasis and North Star College in the twilight between 5.30pm and 6pm there have been thousands of starlings swooping, wheeling and diving in a vast cloud, rather
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Suffering in the system
THIS story may never be written, but at least it has been told. I'm writing on behalf of a friend and how she is being treated by the Housing Department of Swindon Borough Council. My friend was in a terrible incident which almost cost her her life. She
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Dorset and Wilts U20 34, Berkshire U20 11
COUNTY RUGBY: DORSET and Wilts Under 20s opened their Tetley's National County Championship campaign with a deserved 34-11 over Berkshire at Bournemouth. They opened the scoring after just five minutes with a brilliant individual try from Bournemouth's
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Tetbury 2nd 0, Minety 2nd 67
IN an amiable but one-sided friendly, Minety seconds succeeded in completely blowing away their counterparts from Tetbury. Despite the wet and slippery conditions, the Wiltshire team ran in no fewer than 11 tries without reply, and there were hat-tricks
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Youngsters bid for full cabinet of trophies
YOUTH RUGBY: CHIPPENHAM'S junior teams have it all to play for in their respective Wiltshire Cup competitions as the season draws to a close. The U13s have already won the Bristol Combination Cup and have one more pool game to play in their Wiltshire
