Archive
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Changing aisles
AFTER six months of work, the new Sainsbury's store in Chippenham opens today (March 27) and puts the super into superstore. The £9 million refurbishment, which started in October, has seen the store double in size, increasing its floor space from 32,000sq
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New plans for club site in the pipeline
THE developer of Chippenham's former Goldiggers nightclub says a detailed planning application will be handed over the week after next. Barry Jones, the director of E&J Commercial Property said a primary occupier had signed up and blamed the uncertain
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Home sales team is best
BUYERS have snapped up new town centre homes on the site of Chippenham's old grammar school, behind the High Street. Sales at The Courtyard have been very successful, with the first phase of the development - Chapel Mews - having just one unit remaining
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Farmers' dismay at market move
NORTH Wiltshire farmers and hauliers fear plans to move the Chippenham Livestock Market to Cribbs Causeway would make travelling a nightmare. Premier Livestock Auctions will lose their lease on the Cocklebury Road site in Chippenham at the end of the
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Centenarian is still sparky
GREAT-grandmother Rose Mallows enjoyed her 100th birthday surrounded by her friends and family from across the country. Her party was held at Avon Court residential home in Chippenham where Mrs Mallows has lived for four years. Attending the celebrations
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Building society robber is sent to jail
A ROBBER has been jailed for three years after a court heard how he made off with £1,000 from a building society. Mark Pentony handed over a note reading: "I need £1,000," after telling staff at the Chippenham branch of Britannia that it was a hold-up
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Olympiad alert on pool pervert
LEISURE centre staff are on the alert after a pervert tried to take pictures of two girls in the changing rooms. The girls, aged 11 and 14, were changing after swimming at The Olympiad, Chippenham, when they saw a hand holding a camera appear underneath
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Wife is left not knowing
IRAQ CRISIS: NEXT month, Sophie Croft will celebrate her first birthday, but there will be someone very important missing from the celebrations - her father, Staff Sgt Andy Dutton. Sgt Dutton is one of the hundreds of Wiltshire forces personnel currently
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Rod & Line - by Roland Batten
Fishing: A NEW carp record is on the cards for Salisbury Angling Club following the capture of a giant 31lb 12oz specimen from the lower lake at Steeple Langford. Pete Orchard caught the carp, which is a different fish from any previously taken from that
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Now the promotion race really hots up
Football: WITH less than six weeks of the season remaining, there is everything to play for at the top of the Dr Martens Eastern Division. As many as nine clubs can still claim to harbour serious intentions of filling the two promotion places. Ten points
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Cloud nine for United
Football: LEAGUE leaders Shrewton United hammered nine past visitors Purton Reserves without reply on Saturday to inch ever closer to the Skurrays Wiltshire Premier Division title. With seven matches still to play, the division's top scorers have now
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Bowers header proves a point
Football:SALISBURY City maintained their promotion challenge by securing a hard-earned point at Histon on Saturday. Nick Holmes' side took the lead on the stroke of half-time courtesy of a rare Tyronne Bowers header following skipper Scott Bartlett's
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Laverstock & Shrewton close in on league titles
Football: THE first senior footballing silverware of the season could be secured this weekend when Laverstock & Ford make the short trip to Ludgershall Sports looking for the victory that would hand them the Hampshire League Division Two title. Three
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Shopwatch
TUCKED away in Roman Quay in Fordingbridge is a new eaterie that aims to bridge the gap between cafe and restaurant. The New Forest Caf opened just before Christmas, weathered the floods (which crept close but stayed out) and is now building up a local
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Perfect start for Salisbury powerlifters
Powerlifting: A QUARTET of Salisbury powerlifters tasted success at the opening competition of the 2003 season, writes Mike Turner. Lee Steggles, Neil Arn-old, Paul Newell and Bren-dan Jaynes all secured top three finishes in their respective classes
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Wow, Mum! Take a look at you now
MOTHERING Sunday is traditionally a time when children give flowers and cards to their mothers, in honour of all that they do to enrich their lives. My Mum, Margaret, has certainly enriched my life. She takes an interest in all that I do, she gives me
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Gunner's on target once again for the Doc
Racing: INDIAN Gunner, the ten-year-old gelding, trained at Cleeve Stables, Shrewton, by Dr Jeremy Naylor picked up his second win in three weeks when he triumphed at Wincanton on Thursday. Despite carrying top weight, the horse, which won at the same
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City book county final date with Supermarine
Football: SALISBURY City toppled high-flying Dr Martens Premier Divi-sion outfit Chippen-ham Town on Tuesday night to secure a place in the final of the Wilts Premier Shield, writes Mike Turner. Second half goals from Adam Wallace and Reza Sotoudeh secured
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Take pride in where you live
IMPROVEMENTS to the environment of disadvantaged areas have often resulted in better behaviour by those who frequent them. So the £256,535 National Lottery windfall that will be shared between the Parks, Walcot and Central areas of Swindon could prove
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Hall hits soundproofing target
MORE than £24,000 has been raised to soundproof a village hall after it was banned from holding discos and parties there. Loud music was banned at Selwyn Hall in Box after a string of complaints from residents living in nearby Valens Terrace. North Wiltshire
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Police to act over gathering of youths
POLICE have vowed to keep an eye on a gang of youths who gather at the recreation ground in Box after complaints about their behaviour by families living nearby. Officers, who believe the youngsters are drinking and causing damage, said they will be taking
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Armed police in gun alert
ARMED police were on standby in Corsham after a 72-year-old man with mental health problems was seen parading around his house with an air rifle last Thursday evening. The Corsham man gave himself up to unarmed police and was arrested at 9pm for threats
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Police to act over gathering of youths
POLICE have vowed to keep an eye on a gang of youths who gather at the recreation ground in Box after complaints about their behaviour by families living nearby. Officers, who believe the youngsters are drinking and causing damage, said they will be taking
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Hall hits soundproofing target
MORE than £24,000 has been raised to soundproof a village hall after it was banned from holding discos and parties there. Loud music was banned at Selwyn Hall in Box after a string of complaints from residents living in nearby Valens Terrace. North Wiltshire
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Quiet room for stressed drivers
A RELAXATION zone is to be introduced at Leigh Delamere service station on the M4 near Chippenham to help drivers switch off. The rooms have been designed to let drivers unwind in a quiet atmosphere which will be furnished with plain seating, white walls
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Police divisions refining changes
CHANGES to policing boundaries are taking place in the Pewsey, Marlborough and Devizes areas. The Crime and Disorder Act 1999 required community and policing boundaries to be the same. As a result of the act, Devizes, formerly part of the Chippenham Division
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Legend takes a leap of faith
AUCTIONEERS David Harrison and Susan Owen believe that one of the lots going under the hammer in Pewsey on Wednesday has a legend attached to it. It's a print of a late 19th century painting of John Fricker who was huntsman with the Tedworth Hunt, which
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'I can't wait to come back'
STEVE Tweddle is expecting a good reception from Bluebirds fans when he runs out in the black and white stripes of rivals Bath City at Hardenhuish Park next season. The former Bluebirds' terrace hero moved to Twerton Park from Conference club Forest Green
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Dropped Paul vows to fight for place
TOP scorer Martin Paul admitted he is still in the dark over why he was dropped for the clash at Moor Green but is happy to stay and fight for his place in the Bluebirds starting line-up. Paul, who has scored only twice in his last 13 outings, was axed
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I'm going, says unhappy Mills
JP Mills has left Hardenhuish Park after becoming disillusioned with life of the Bluebirds bench. The 19-year-old midfielder joined the club in January after being released by Southampton but failed to start a single game. He became an instant hit with
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Bluebirds set to gain in league reshuffle
CHIPPENHAM Town could be playing under the Nationwide Conference banner in 18 months time after the Football Association agreed to an overhaul of the current National Leagues System. The breakthrough was made when all four competitions at the top of the
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Extra ribbon for birthday boys to undo
BIRTHDAY boys Jamie Wardel, Kieren Stagg and Haydn Amor had a pleasant surprise when they were invited to launch the new-look Co-op in Pewsey. Haydn, seven, Kieren, nine, and Jamie, 11, from Pewsey Primary School, all celebrated their birthdays last week
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Quiet room for stressed drivers
A RELAXATION zone is to be introduced at Leigh Delamere service station on the M4 near Chippenham to help drivers switch off. The rooms have been designed to let drivers unwind in a quiet atmosphere which will be furnished with plain seating, white walls
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Legend takes a leap of faith
AUCTIONEERS David Harrison and Susan Owen believe that one of the lots going under the hammer in Pewsey on Wednesday has a legend attached to it. It's a print of a late 19th century painting of John Fricker who was huntsman with the Tedworth Hunt, which
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Changing aisles
AFTER six months of work, the new Sainsbury's store in Chippenham opens today (Thursday) and puts the super into superstore. The £9 million refurbishment, which started in October, has seen the store double in size, increasing its floor space from 32,000sq
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Garage goes extra mile
The Murco Petrol station in Oxford Road, Calne, added an extra string to its bow this week, by opening North Wiltshire's first forecourt off license. Manager Jamie Punshon said: "No other petrol garage in Calne or Chippenham provides an off licence and
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The long, hard days
IRAQ CRISIS: PLUMES of smoke in the skies over Baghdad, hundreds of tanks advancing across the desert and missiles being launched from aircraft carriers. All are images of the war in Iraq, flickering on a TV screen in a house in Alexander Road, Malmesbury
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Families waiting at home for news
IRAQ CRISIS: SHIRLEY Collier, of Malmesbury, is showing her support for the troops in Iraq by displaying a controversial sticker in her car. The sticker reads "I am supporting our boys in Iraq. Are you?" Mrs Collier said whether people support the war
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Constable is on patrol for England tour of US
YOUNGSTER James Constable has been selected to play for England Colleges on a tour of the USA. The 18-year-old striker, who lives in Malmesbury, is one of only 18 players selected for the tour after four gruelling trials at the Lilleshaw National Training
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Name change on the cards
THE Walter Powell School in Great Somerford could have a name change. The school's full title is The Somerfords Walter Powell Voluntary Aided Church of England Community Primary School but is normally referred to as just the Walter Powell School, after
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Gardens help charity bloom
ABBEY House Gardens in Malmesbury has started its new season by raising £1,200 for charity. A special day was held at the gardens on Saturday with all entrance money going to the National Gardens Scheme, a charitable organisation that supports Macmillan
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Complex could pool resources
A MULTI-SPORTS complex with pitches, changing rooms and a clubhouse is one of the proposals to be discussed at a meeting on sports provision in Malmesbury on Thursday, March 27. The meeting has been called by Mayor John Bowen, who said it had been brought
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Nuns' path is clear for kids
THE Nuns' Walk between St Joseph's School at Holloway and St Aldhelms Roman Catholic Church at Cross Hayes, Malmesbury, was reopened to celebrate St Joseph's Day last week. It has taken volunteers a year to remove the undergrowth that has blocked the
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'Crass' bollards turn green to merge into background
THE bollards on Malmesbury's Tolsey footpath, labelled crass and insensitive by Janie Thomas, a Fellow of the Landscape Institute, have been painted green. The once steel grey bollards were installed as part of the £37,500 scheme to floodlight Malmesbury
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Waste not wantnot in our town
PEOPLE in Malmesbury are understandably fed up that when in comes to recycling they are being left out in the cold. While other towns in North Wiltshire are to get doorstep collections of a variety of goods ranging from paper and bottles to cans and cardboard
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Tears as post office closes
GWEN and Bill Marshall, the popular pair behind the counter of Devizes Road Post Office and Stores, in Salisbury, were overwhelmed on Saturday morning when a contingent of customers turned up to shower them with gifts and cards for their retirement. The
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Final re-run for holders
FOOTBALL: HOLDERS George & Dragon will take on Premier Division rivals PFC Durrington next month in the final of the Morrison Cup after they beat Meadow Park 3-1 in Saturday's semi-final. Jamie Glasson put them in front before Park equalised just
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Compliments won, but no points
FOOTBALL: HAMBLE ASSC manager Larry Clay described Down-ton as a team in a 'false position,' who are 'not far off being a good side,' after Saturday's 2-0 win at Wick Lane. Louie Langdown converted a first-half spot kick and Steve Whitcher capitalised
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Maximum points haul
BOWLS: FIVE Rivers Indoor Bowls Club's ladies stormed their way to a resounding 36 shots-win over East Dorset in their final Riversmeet league game of the season. Needing five points to retain their title, the Salisbury ladies crushed their Christchurch
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Veterans register a debut to remember
TENNIS: NEW members Kath More and June Keen made winning debuts as Salisbury's Over 40 ladies launched their first year in the National Veterans Inter-Club Champ-ionships by knocking out The Hampshire Club on Sunday. Playing together, More, who is also
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Rangers toppled as Juniors close on a high
JUNIOR FOOTBALL: AMESBURY Juniors' under 14s completed their first season in the Mid Wilts League on a high with a 2-0 success against title rivals Chippenham Town Rangers. Harry Gale put Ames-bury ahead mid-way through the first half before a Martin
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Chalk inspires Bemerton's young guns to victory
Football: BEMERTON Heath Harle-quins had their young brigade to thank for this fine victory on a very hard, uneven surface at Alton. Without the suspended Colin Hopkins and Neil Cole, and the injured Gary Burden, the 'Quins played Luke Haviland in goal
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Mine expert plans for aftermath of war
MINE clearance specialist Mike Wilson is preparing to enter Iraq on a post-war humanitarian crusade. Mr Wilson, 44, from Wootton Bassett, is heading up a team of experts for the Swindon-office of the Canadian International Demining Corps charity. Their
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A place to pray during wartime
MARCH 26: A CHURCH plans to open for extra prayers during the war in Iraq. As part of the Old Town Partnership of Churches' response to the war, Immanuel Church in Upham Road, Old Walcot is open from 6pm until 7.30pm each weekday evening. Rev Michael
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Mother's prayers for son in Gulf
MARCH 27: EVERY time news is released from Iraq of another allied casualty, Pewsey soldier's mum Maria Brennan says her heart is in her mouth. Retired nurse Mrs Brennan knows that her only son Desmond Wintle, 37, is somewhere in Iraq with the advancing
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Bowers header proves a point
SALISBURY City maintained their promotion challenge by securing a hard-earned point at Histon on Saturday. Nick Holmes' side took the lead on the stroke of half-time courtesy of a rare Tyronne Bowers header following skipper Scott Bartlett's cross. However
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Tyronne's double keeps City in hunt
PROMOTION hopefuls Salisbury City will be looking to make it three away wins in a row when they travel to Histon on Saturday. Tuesday night's 4-1 success at Dartford, following Saturday's solitary goal victory at Ashford Town, ensured Nick Holmes' side
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City book county final date with Supermarine
SALISBURY City toppled high-flying Dr Martens Premier Divi-sion outfit Chippen-ham Town on Tuesday night to secure a place in the final of the Wilts Premier Shield, writes Mike Turner. Second half goals from Adam Wallace and Reza Sotoudeh secured a deserved
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Shane's double delight
DAVE Coleman AFC re-discovered some of their early season form to register a 4-1 victory in their final away game of the campaign at Queens Keep, Southampton. The home side looked dangerous early on with the pacy Omar Khobji causing the DC defence some
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Mid-Wiltshire Sunday League
Bar OC clinched a place in the final of the John Strickland Memorial Cup after a 5-1 away win over Kings Arms. Tom Paget gave the visitors a 15th minute lead in the semi-final when he collected the ball from the by-line and fired home via the far post
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Swindon and District League
VICAIMA player-manager Colin Davis received his marching orders as his side slipped to a 1-0 defeat to Queensfield in their Division One encounter. Vicaima had a goal disallowed for pushing on the Queensfield keeper and it was after this incident that
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Match of the week
WESTBURY Rangers B look a good bet to claim a top two finish in Division Four after their 4-0 home victory over All Cannings B moved them up to second spot behind Trowbridge Town Supporters' Club who are the only team to beat Rangers this term. Lee Saunders
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Chippenham Sunday League round-up
BOX Rovers have set up an all-Premier Division showdown in the final of PPL Presto Print sponsored Eric Hughes Knockout Cup. Rovers needed extra-time before overcoming Biddestone Social Club 2-1 to set up their clash with All Cannings A. Biddestone, who
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Bassett can't stop leaders' progress
Hellenic League: Wootton Bassett Town failed to halt Carterton's challenge for a top two Premier Division finish as they went down 3-1 at Rylands Way on Tuesday night. Nick Tooley was on target for Bassett, whose place in the Hellenic League's top flight
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Constable is on patrol for England tour of US
YOUNGSTER James Constable has been selected to play for England Colleges on a tour of the USA. The 18-year-old striker, who lives in Malmesbury, is one of only 18 players selected for the tour after four gruelling trials at the Lilleshaw National Training
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Street 1, Corsham Town 1
CORSHAM failed to cash in on a home game with their fellow strugglers after they wasted chance after chance in front of goal. Luke Chapman's first goal of the season gave the visitors a first half lead, but they failed to add to their tally and Street
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Street 2, Calne Town 0
Screwfix First Division: Calne co-manager Kelvin Highmore has threatened changes for Saturday's visit to Chard after seeing his men suffer a surprise reverse at lowly Street. The visitors showed little sign of the form that has lifted them to third in
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Devizes Town 1 Bridgwater Town 3
Screwfix Premier Division: Sorry Devizes suffered another setback in their battle to beat the drop as high-flying Bridgwater Town capitalised on some generous defending to take the points at Nursteed Road. Frontman Graham Cheeseman was handed two first
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The Tories' pledge of recruiting for police
TORIES have pledged to put an extra 341 police officers on the streets of Wiltshire by scrapping the government's asylum system. Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith wants to introduce a strict quota on the number of refugees - claiming it would save
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Griffiths and Edney score
Chippenham Town U12s 5 Frome Town U12s 4 LOUISE Edney and Laura Griffiths both scored twice as Chippenham U12s held on to beat Frome in a nine-goal thriller. Edney's volley gave Chippenham the lead, and Griffiths scored the second with a shot into the
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Chairman is set to quit
UNDER-fire Devizes Town chairman Chris Belcher is expected to walk away from Nursteed Road for good this evening after holding crisis talks with the club's board. Secretary Roy King says he believes he will be the only member of the four-man Devizes committee
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Experiment with compost
WILTSHIRE Wildlife Trust is looking for people in the Devizes area to help with a new research project into home composting. The innovative study, run in conjunction with local authorities, is the first of its kind in the country. It will examine how
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New strategy highlights Kennet's diverse culture
THE culture of Kennet will become an issue for new planning applications after the district council published its cultural strategy last week. It has been drawn up by Kennet leisure and arts officers Lorraine Preece and Jo Beal. Ms Preece said: "We knew
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Couple face eviction bid
SELF-SUFFICIENT couple Peter and Denise Martin, who are fighting Kennet District Council in order to establish an organic market garden business in Devizes, have received an eviction notice. At a hearing planned for July 23, a Government planning inspector
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A wonderful song and dance
IN Chicago (12A) Renee Zellweger is sent to jail for murdering her no-good lover and trying to frame her hapless husband for the crime. Behind bars, she meets her idol, media-hungry songbird Catherine Zeta-Jones. They become enemies for the affections
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Wonderful Nicholson pitches it about right
JACK Nicholson has amassed a cupboard full of awards, including 11 Oscar nominations, in his career and the wonderful About Schmidt (15) looks certain to add to his collection. The charismatic star delivers a tour de force performance that is poignant
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Holocaust drama hits right note
THE Pianist is director Roman Polanski's Schindler's List. It's a solid, uncompromising account of the Holocaust through the eyes of one man. It's also a true story. Wladyslaw Szpilman (Brody) is a talented young Jewish pianist living in Warsaw with his
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Life is still worth living
SWINDON CANCER APPEAL: When John Mills was first told he had prostate cancer he said he thought he was dying from the disease. Now, a year later, he has realised he is living with it. And he says the transformation in his outlook is thanks to Macmillan
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Doctor goes missing
SWINDON Police are hunting for a missing Scottish doctor whose car was found abandoned on the A361 road to Highworth. Dr Lucy White's K-reg white Volkswagen Polo was found just north of the Honda roundabout at 3.50pm yesterday. Anyone with information
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Relax Spidey, there's nothing to see here
BEN Affleck squeezes into a suggestive red leather bodysuit as the latest superhero to leap from the pages of Marvel Comics to the big screen, but Spiderman can relax, Daredevil (15) is no threat to his crown as king of the crimefighters. Affleck's blind
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Hopes dashed of schools windfall
Swindon Council is ploughing extra cash into its schools but not as much as had been hoped will be used for raising standards. Council leader Kevin Small claims they are getting almost £6 million extra funding, but only £2.2 million will actually reach
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Ring of truth makes horror tale chilling
THERE is nothing more likely to stoke up fear and paranoia in a film than an urban legend. Mad Jason on the prowl in a ski mask in Friday 13th, the malevolent old crone in Blair Witch or even Dracula himself have all had been steeped in enough creepy
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Man, 79, is found dead after fire at his home
AN ELDERLY man was found dead following a fire at his Rodbourne home. The man has not yet been named by police, but electoral records show the house was occupied by Ronald Ford. Neighbours said Mr Ford, 79, had lived at 21 Fosse Close for more than 40
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That's our boy!
A MOTHER who hasn't heard from her Royal Marine son since the outbreak of war found out he is alive and well when she saw his photo in the Evening Advertiser. The news agency picture was taken on Tuesday and showed three marines from 40 Commando launching
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A tour de force
IT would be a great shame if the dependable Moore didn't win something for her efforts in her two current releases. Curiously, both films see her playing troubled housewives in deceptively idyllic 1950s settings. After her eye-catching turn as the suicidal
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Carpet factory under pressure to relocate
A WILTON company with a worldwide reputation has had to consider moving from the site it has occupied for 300 years because there is no room to expand. Wilton Carpet Factory has been steadily growing since 1995, when it was closed down by its American
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War adds significance to wives' get together
As soldiers from 32 Regiment, Royal Artillery based at Larkhill prepared to go into action in the Gulf last week, the regular Wednesday morning get together by wives and families for coffee and cakes at the Larkhill Community Centre took on a greater
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Garage goes extra mile
The Murco Petrol station in Oxford Road, Calne, added an extra string to its bow this week, by opening North Wiltshire's first forecourt off license. Manager Jamie Punshon said: "No other petrol garage in Calne or Chippenham provides an off licence and
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Mum praises rescue hero
MUM Karen O'Hagan has hailed council worker Clive Halliday a hero for rescuing her two young daughters, after they accidentally shut themselves in a bedroom. Mr Halliday was clearing a blocked drain near the family's home in Newcroft Road, Calne, when
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Village to fight super circle plan for road
VILLAGERS are petitioning against a plan by Bowood Estate and a garden centre to install a £340,000 roundabout on the A4 at the Studley crossroads, because they say it is too big. In the planning application the developers claim the roundabout will help
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Drunk man abused police
A 19-YEAR-OLD Devizes man who admitted being drunk and disorderly in the town centre last week is given money by his father to buy beer, a court heard on Tuesday. Unemployed Jonathan Tinnion of Sunnyside House, Bath Road, Devizes, was seen in the Little
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Fear voiced on shop shortage
COUNCILLORS claim the North Gate development in Devizes will have too many houses and not enough shops. Some members of the Devizes Community Area Forum, which comprises town, parish, district and county councillors, expressed disappointment at its meeting
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Firm builds school links
CHILDREN at the recently opened Nursteed Community School, in Devizes, now have a new seat of learning thanks to one of the companies involved in the school's construction. Stoneform Ltd, the Bristol-based chartered building company which built the school
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Dealer is caught in police operation
DRUG dealer Christopher O'Donovan , who was caught during an undercover police operation in Devizes last year, has been remanded in custody after admitting selling heroin. O'Donovan, of Bridewell Square, Devizes, was arrested during Operation Ardent which
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Developer to boost flagging town centre
THE new chairman of Devizes Development Partnership is hoping to be able to use his experience with the regeneration of seaside resort Weston-super- Mare when it comes to reviving Devizes. Peter Lay was voted in as chairman at a recent meeting of the
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Star turn after anorexia battle
TEENAGER Sarah Davies who has fought and beaten anorexia is now pursuing a dream of becoming a singer. When she was ill, Sarah, 16, focused her attention on her ambition, and said this helped her to beat the disease. She said: "When I was in hospital
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Town must unite in battle for hospital
DEVIZES people are being urged to stick together and fight the threat of closure hanging over the town's hospital. Anger is growing in the town that Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust is considering closing it and replacing it with a nursing
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Friends for life
MEMBERS of Marlborough Brandt Group have been visiting Gunjur in Africa for celebrations to mark the 20th anniversary of links between the two communities. Over the last two decades, about 700 people from Marlborough have visited The Gambia in west Africa
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Time for toothy pegs
ELEVEN-YEAR-OLD West Highland terrier Buttons knows what's good for him, and makes sure his teeth get brushed every day. Surprisingly Doreen and Jim Ottaway's veteran pooch enjoys having his canines cleaned. So much so, he has developed a little ceremony
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Hope for the rebirth of maternity service
SCORES of people who packed into Marlborough Town Hall on Monday were given a glimmer of hope that Savernake Hospital may once again have a maternity unit. The 200-strong audience was assured that the proposed new hospital at Savernake, which is due for
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Buyer is found for business park site
THE long battle to secure land for a business park in Marlborough could be over. A Sold sign has gone up on the hoarding advertising the 15-acre field on the east side of Salisbury Road as a business park. The site, known locally as the triangular field
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Over 75s win the battle for free leisure discount cards
SEPTUAGENARIAN leisure users in Swindon have won their fight to get a free discount card. Responding to public pressure the council cabinet last night agreed that the new Swindon Card leisure discount scheme will be made available free for over-75s. The
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Celebrate spring with a stroll in the garden
NATURE lovers are invited to take a stroll around the blooms and shoots in the Twigs Garden to celebrate the arrival of spring. In the four years since the therapeutic garden project was launched on three acres of land near the Cheney Manor Garden Centre
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Easter joy with eggs
RECRUITMENT firm Select Appointments is to spread some Easter joy to youngsters around Swindon. On Friday, April 11, staff will deliver Easter Eggs donated by local businesses to Swindon Chalet School and the Great Western Hospital's children's ward.
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Have you a sweet tooth?
Children in Swindon have the chance to become sweet tasters. Haribo Sweets is running a competition asking under 14-year-olds to write 100 words about why they want to be a sweet taster. Applicants must also enclose their photograph and a design of their
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Hairdresser on a mission to crimp the cowboy's style
A HAIRDRESSER is on a mission to rescue the public from cowboy crimpers. Steven Goldsworthy, 38, of Old Town, is taking part in BBC1's Britain's Worst Hairdressers as a judge of the nation's worst hair disasters. Among the examples he has seen are dye
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Thieves target fencing company
HEAVY duty machinery worth £2,500 has been stolen from a Wootton Bassett fencing firm. Backfords Fencing lost gear which included a generator and two concrete breakers from a lorry at its site in Greenhill. The theft happened at some time between Saturday
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Radio amateurs collect for the blind
AMATEUR radio enthusiasts have raised £660 for the British Wireless for the Blind charity. Members of the Swindon Amateur Radio Club set up a mast outside the Designer Outlet Village and contacted fellow enthusiasts from across the world. The club members
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Old Town festival to be bigger
This year's Old Town festival is rapidly taking shape, and is reverting to its popular Victorian theme. The event, which runs from June 30 to July 6, looks set to be the biggest yet. Advance publicity for all the main events will soon be coming out, before
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Chance to share view
THANKS are due to the Mayor of Marlborough, Margaret Boulton, for arranging the excellent meeting with Kennet PCT on Monday evening. This gave the people of Savernake Hospital community a chance to hear about the exciting plans for new Savernake Hospital
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Gallipoli plea
I am writing a book about the Gallipoli campaign of the First World War. It will be a survey of the campaign, tied together with contemporary accounts about men who died, in an effort to clarify the human toll of the campaign. These accounts will be taken
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A waste of money says Tory leader
SWINDON'S multi-million pound cycle route network has been branded a waste of money by Conservative councillors. The comments were made as the council cabinet debated a £16 million programme of capital projects for the new financial year. Included in
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Two car families abound
WILTSHIRE has more than 25 per cent more two-car families than the national average. New figures show that more than 70,800 households in the county or 40.1 per cent have two or more cars at their disposal. Nationwide, the percentage is 29 per cent. Wiltshire
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Jail term is increased for attack
A TAXI driver who smashed his car into the front of his ex-girlfriend's house in a suicide bid has had his jail term increased. Darren Haakanson had two months added to his sentence after Swindon Magistrates Court heard how he burst into the home of his
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Tannery facade awaits its future
RESEMBLING a film set waiting for the arrival of the cameras and actors, the last remaining section of the former Downton tannery stands forlornly awaiting its future. Although the rest of the old tannery building has been demolished to make way for luxury
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Equality on the buses at long last
New legislation will allow men to qualify for concessionary travel five years younger. Until now, men had to wait until they were 65 to qualify, five years longer than their female counterparts. But from April 1 men who have reached their 60th birthday
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Work to begin on £2.5m flood defence scheme
CONTRACTORS are set to move in at Downton to start work on the £2.5m flood defence scheme aimed at preventing villagers suffering a repeat of the floods of December 2000 and January this year. At the same time, work has started on a £1.2m defence scheme
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OAPs can't pay
THE rate demand from North Wiltshire District Council a bill that does, of course, include the county council precept has increased by more than ten per cent, while the cost of Wessex Water to householders is up by seven per cent. Ratepayers who are in
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Windfall for town's parks
A NATIONAL Lottery windfall of more than a quarter of a million pounds will bring better parks and play areas to Swindon. The £256,535 has been awarded under the Fair Share scheme to help disadvantaged areas judged to have missed out previously on Lottery
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Injured driver meets saviour
INJURED sports car driver Peter Mabey has met the woman who saved his life by helping to pull him out of the cockpit of his burning car. Amanda Sluman, who is a PE teacher at St Edmund's Girls' School, Laverstock, visited Mr Mabey at his bungalow home
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Shock greets mental health service cuts
SHOCK and disbelief greeted the announcement by Salisbury MP Robert Key on Saturday that mental health services in south Wiltshire are to be cut even more drastically than first thought. Mr Key was in the Guildhall Square to receive a petition from Adrian
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Making people aware of what has become the silent killer
SWINDON CANCER APPEAL: Prostate Cancer Awareness Week was launched on Monday to raise the profile of the condition, dubbed the silent killer. Figures released this week show that prostate is now the most common form of cancer in men, having overtaken
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Council's leaflet is just a waste of cash
When I received last year's council tax demand it was accompanied by a single sheet, partly paid for by advertising, setting out how my taxes were being spent. This year's demand for taxes, which have been increased at five times the rate of inflation
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Bishops urge churches to stay open for prayers
CHURCHES throughout the Salisbury diocese - especially those in military areas - were urged this week to keep their doors open for people wanting to pray for loved ones fighting in Iraq. With some 500 troops from camps on Salisbury Plain involved in hostilities
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The facts - all you need to know about prostate cancer
SWINDON CANCER APPEAL: The prostate is a walnut sized gland near the bladder which produces one of the components of semen. The first warning of cancer is usually difficulty in passing urine. Other symptoms include painful ejaculation, blood in the urine
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Peace campaigners take to the streets
WITH cries of "Don't attack, don't attack Iraq" and the sound of beating drums and placards calling for an immediate end to the war, about 40 anti-war campaigners gathered in the Cheese Market, Salisbury, last Thursday. They had arranged to meet in front
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Swan sadness
HOW sad to read about one swan being shot and killed and another blinded. These people are sadistic and dangerous. It is frightening to think anyone could do such a thing to such a beautiful creature. Coate Water is a beautiful country park and a credit
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Carpet factory under pressure to relocate
A WILTON company with a worldwide reputation has had to consider moving from the site it has occupied for 300 years because there is no room to expand. Wilton Carpet Factory has been steadily growing since 1995, when it was closed down by its American
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Please act now
On Sunday there was yet another accident on Thamesdown Drive at the bend by Pembroke Park. Motorists come down the road too fast and lose control of their vehicles. Over the past 12 months the safety railings on the pedestrian crossing have been flattened
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Salisbury's cup dream is over
SALISBURY crashed out of the Dorset & Wilts Cup at the quarter-final stage by just four points at Wimborne on Sunday. In a game of different styles and changing fortunes, Wim-borne attacked almost solely through their forwards. With the lighter pack
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Devizes come from behind
Chippenham 2nd 15 Devizes 2nd 26 DEVIZES overturned an eight-point deficit to take the honours in Saturday's friendly. John Wacka scored two tries and Nat Tawaki and Cobus Plank one apiece for the visitors. Tom Curly also added three conversions. The
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Blaze victim admits arson in hotel room
PAUL Benns, who nearly lost his life in a giant explosion at his room in The Pines Hotel, Chippenham, has been remanded in custody after admitting causing the blast. The explosion at the hotel on Marshfield Road, which happened in November last year,
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Pensioner in appeal over hedge damage
PENSIONER Rachel Wetzel said something must be done to stop children ruining householders' hedges by jumping into them and running along the tops. She said the children's actions were damaging hedges in Hungerdown Lane, Chippenham, beyond repair. "People
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Artists rally to support work of hospital friends
ARTIST from as far as Bristol and Somerset have responded to an appeal from the Mayor of Chippenham and artist Syrah Arnold for donations of original artwork to raise money for the Friends of Chippenham Hospital. More than 50 artists have already promised
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Tractor Ted to starat lambing weekend
CHILDREN'S video star Tractor Ted, created by Chippenham mum Alexandra Heard, will be a guest star at Lackham's Lambing Weekend. Mrs Heard, of Spye Park, will be launching Tractor Ted's fourth video, at the Wiltshire College Lackham Spring event, Saturday
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Teenager used baby as shield from police
TEENAGER Ricky Green threatened police with a metal bar and then used a baby as a shield to evade arrest, Chippenham Magistrates' Court heard last Monday. Green was convicted of cruelty to a child or young person and assault. Prosecuting, Anna Humphreys
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Easy riders raise money
MORE than 80 toddlers put their feet down and pedalled hard to raise money for ChildLine last week. The toddlers at Busy Bees Nursery in Chippenham took part in the national pedal push fundraising event to help other children. "We raised £800 last year
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Tractor made for two
SHEEP farmer Ruth Sparrow got more than she bargained for when she wanted a novel mode of transport to her wedding. Instead of a sparkling limo, the 35-year-old bride turned up to Saturday's ceremony at Hilmarton Church on a brand new tractor, driven
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Young anti-war protesters pack towns to air views
IRAQ CRISIS: STUDENTS at Chippenham schools walked out of their lessons on Thursday March 20 to protest against the war with Iraq. More than 40 pupils from Sheldon School, Hardenhuish School and Wiltshire College protested on the Bridge Centre roundabout
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Skatepark site dream moves one step closer
PLANS for a skatepark in Chippenham took another step forward when Borough Lands trustees gave their blessing for land the charity owns at Westmead to be used. But campaigners for the new skatepark are still not home and dry yet because the plans must
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Salisbury's cup dream is over
Rugby: SALISBURY crashed out of the Dorset & Wilts Cup at the quarter-final stage by just four points at Wimborne on Sunday. In a game of different styles and changing fortunes, Wim-borne attacked almost solely through their forwards. With the lighter
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Keep cash coming in
THE donations and wonderful messages of support that have flooded in since this week's launch of our Swindon Cancer Appeal prove what we always knew. The people of this town have generous hearts and willingly dig deep in their pockets for a good cause
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Chairman is set to quit
UNDER-fire Devizes Town chairman Chris Belcher is expected to walk away from Nursteed Road for good this evening after holding crisis talks with the club's board. Secretary Roy King says he believes he will be the only member of the four-man Devizes committee
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Asylum claims are rubbished
MANAGER Hamish Reed has rubbished rumours that asylum seekers are staying in his hotel after explaining they were trainee air traffic controllers from Algeria. Stories have been circling Corsham claiming Iraqi asylum seekers were staying in the Methuen
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New face for the town police team
SERGEANT Deborah Ashley is the latest recruit to join the team at Corsham police station. Sgt Ashley joined the team after a series of reshuffles within the constabulary and she is looking forward to working closely with the community. Before moving to
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Tractor Ted to star at lambing weekend
CHILDREN'S video star Tractor Ted, created by Chippenham mum Alexandra Heard, will be a guest star at Lackham's Lambing Weekend. Mrs Heard, of Spye Park, will be launching Tractor Ted's fourth video, at the Wiltshire College Lackham Spring event, Saturday
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New face for the town police team
SERGEANT Deborah Ashley is the latest recruit to join the team at Corsham police station. Sgt Ashley joined the team after a series of reshuffles within the constabulary and she is looking forward to working closely with the community. Before moving to
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A century in just a wink
STAFF at the Wiltshire and Swindon Record Office have found documentary evidence to prove the tiny hamlet Tiddleywink dates back at least 120 years. The hamlet, consisting of a handful of cottages near Yatton Keynell, was put back on the map recently
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Festival may take on whole new feel
NORTH Wiltshire Festival 2004 is set to have a whole new look as organisers learn lessons from the last event and draw up ideas for the next. Festival project leader Michael Paul-Williams has left North Wiltshire District Council to take up a post as
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Mother's prayers for son in Gulf
EVERY time news is released from Iraq of another allied casualty, Pewsey soldier's mum Maria Brennan says her heart is in her mouth. Retired nurse Mrs Brennan knows that her only son Desmond Wintle, 37, is somewhere in Iraq with the advancing British
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Fans can lift us out of the doldrums says Saunders
MANAGER Tommy Saunders wants Chippenham supporters to help lift his side out of the doldrums when relegation-haunted Cambridge City visit Hardenhuish Park on Saturday. The Bluebirds' confidence has been dented by their worst run of results for 18 months
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City visit will bring chance to end run
CHIPPENHAM will be aiming to bring an end to their worst sequence of results in more than two years when Cambridge City visit Hardenhuish Park on Saturday. The Bluebirds have lost four and drawn two of their last six matches and are without a win on home
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Badman hurt in city attack
MARK Badman has become the second Chippenham Town player in a month to fall victim to an attempted mugging in the centre of Bristol. He was left with blood gushing from a broken nose after he was set upon by two men while walking to his car in the city
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Developer to boost flagging town centre
THE new chairman of Devizes Development Partnership is hoping to be able to use his experience with the regeneration of seaside resort Weston-super- Mare when it comes to reviving Devizes. Peter Lay was voted in as chairman at a recent meeting of the
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Swimming pool set to open late in year
EXCITEMENT is mounting in Malmesbury as work on the new £2,359,670 indoor swimming pool adjoining the Activity Zone in Bremilham Road, reaches an advanced stage. Since last September when the start of work was delayed for three weeks because of a national
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Centre on alert after pervert stalks girl swimmers
LEISURE centre staff are on the alert after a pervert tried to take pictures of two girls who were changing following a Malmesbury Swimming Club event. The girls, aged 11 and 14, were in the changing rooms at The Olympiad, Chippenham, when they saw a
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Future of hospital set to be revealed
THE future of Malmesbury Hospital could be decided in a proposal document to be released to the press tomorrow. The Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust is looking at ways to tackle a £10 million deficit and will publish results of the six-month
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Town misses out on recycling plan
THE Gazette & Herald is launching a campaign to bring kerbside recycling to Malmesbury after the town was left out of a new £938,454 scheme. Wootton Bassett, Calne, Corsham and Chippenham have been selected to receive the fortnightly service. The
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Communocop comes to town
THIS week saw the launch of a new community policing scheme in Wiltshire. It is a sort of half-way house between traditional officers and part-time specials. These new officers will be full-time and receive a salary of about £15,000, which is substantially
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Friendlies appeal
COLLINGBOURNE Cricket Club are looking to fill three blank Sundays in their fixture book ahead of the 2003 season. They have free dates on June 1 and August 17 and 31 and are prepared to play either home or away. Anyone interested can contact Karl Rogers
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Academy is showing fruits of its labours
CHIPPENHAM Cricket Club's junior cricket academy proved a success during the winter months. The academy was established last year with the aim of helping young, committed cricketers realise their full potential in the game. Three groups of young players
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Cricketers see the light
DAUNTSEY'S School made a winning start to the season as they staged Wiltshire's first-ever floodlit cricket match on Tuesday evening. The home side, who christened themselves Dauntsey's Ducks for the 20-overs-a-side spectacular, eased to a three-wicket
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Hairdresser on a mission to crimp the cowboy's style
A HAIRDRESSER is on a mission to rescue the public from cowboy crimpers. Steven Goldsworthy, 38, of Old Town, is taking part in BBC1's Britain's Worst Hairdressers as a judge of the nation's worst hair disasters. Among the examples he has seen are dye
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Seminars for success
Thring Townsend Solicitors and James & Cowper Accountants are holding two free seminars in Swindon for local entrepreneurs and business owners. The first, on April 3 , is dubbed A Place in the Sun and covers all the legal and financial issues involved
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Poor toilets add up to lost business
Retail businesses in the South West could be facing a cheeky threat to their bottom line after new research suggests that customers regard high levels of cleanliness in customer toilet facilities as just as important as good customer service. The MORI
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Women well supported
SUPPORTERS of Salisbury's Well Woman Centre flocked to its annual fair in the Guildhall on Saturday to help it raise vital funds. The centre has been under pressure financially but staff are determined their work will go on. Centre chairman Alison Leacock
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Male double puts 'Stock on course
FOOTBALL: LAVERSTOCK & Ford know that victory on Saturday at Ludgershall Sports will almost certainly guarantee them the Division Two title. A 3-0 success against Queens Keep Southampton in their final home game of the campaign, ensured they kept
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A close shave for fun mayor
WOOTTON Bassett Mayor Peter Roberts is to shave his head and his legs, and pack shopping bags to raise money for charity. Coun Roberts has a packed day of fundraising planned on April 12, to raise money for Burton Hill House School, which caters for children
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Order is placed for town war memorial
WOOTTON Bassett is one step closer to having its own war memorial now that the final order for the monument has been placed. The base for the memorial was installed next to the town hall in the High Street a year ago. Enough money has now been raised
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The long, hard days
MARCH 27: PLUMES of smoke in the skies over Baghdad, hundreds of tanks advancing across the desert and missiles being launched from aircraft carriers. All are images of the war in Iraq, flickering on a TV screen in a house in Alexander Road, Malmesbury
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That's our boy!
MARCH 27: A MOTHER who hasn't heard from her Royal Marine son since the outbreak of war found out he is alive and well when she saw his photo in the Evening Advertiser. The news agency picture was taken on Tuesday and showed three marines from 40 Commando
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Laverstock stay three points clear
LAVERSTOCK & Ford kept their title bid on track with a gritty win against a determined young Aw-bridge side. In blistering sunshine and on a hardening, bobbly surface, 'Stock adapted to the conditions well and took the game to their hosts from the
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Cloud nine for United
LEAGUE leaders Shrewton United hammered nine past visitors Purton Reserves without reply on Saturday to inch ever closer to the Skurrays Wiltshire Premier Division title. With seven matches still to play, the division's top scorers have now netted a whopping
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Now the promotion race really hots up
WITH less than six weeks of the season remaining, there is everything to play for at the top of the Dr Martens Eastern Division. As many as nine clubs can still claim to harbour serious intentions of filling the two promotion places. Ten points currently
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Striker Phillips opens his account for City
SALISBURY City's slender 1-0 win at Ashford Town was marred by some bizarre refereeing that resulted in four red cards being brandished, including one for opposition manager Tim Thorogood, writes Ryan Lovejoy. Ironically it was the same official responsible
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Skurray's Wiltshire League round-up
WANBOROUGH'S Paul Parsons scored all three goals to put his side 3-1 up against Dunbar Westside, but the Intermediate Division leaders fought back to nick a point. Wanborough needed a victory to put the pressure on, but fell behind to a strike from Mike
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Swindon Sunday League
REIGNING Division One champions Greyhound destroyed cup semi-finalists and third-placed club Carriers Arms 13-0. Playing against a side having already put them out of the cup, Greyhound went on a spree with five goals for Paul Hunt, a four-timer for Christian
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Brackley Town 3, Pewsey Vale 0
Hellenic League: Two late goals gave the scoreline a flattering look as lowly Pewsey Vale came close to securing a surprise point at seventh placed Brackley Town. The visitors paid the price for some wayward finishing and remain fourth from bottom of
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Wiltshire U18s, 2 Devon U18s 1
MANAGER Mel Gingell is preparing to rebuild his successful Wiltshire U18s squad after seeing them finish the season on a high note with a home victory over Devon. Saturday's result ensured second place in the South West Counties Championship for Wiltshire
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Brislington 5, Devizes Town 0
MANAGER Pete Tripp was angered by the decision of at least four of his players to play Sunday morning football at the weekend as troubled Devizes crashed to their biggest defeat of the season on Tuesday night. The title-chasing hosts showed their struggling
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Corsham Town 0, Larkhall Athletic 1
Screwfix First Division: A late winner from Rob Peters consigned Corsham Town to another dose of local derby misery as near neighbours Larkhall took the spoils in front of a bumper Southbank crowd on Monday night. The result saw the Larks complete a league
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Two car families abound
WILTSHIRE has more than 25 per cent more two-car families than the national average. New figures show that more than 70,800 households in the county - or 40.1 per cent- have two or more cars at their disposal. Nationwide, the percentage is 29 per cent
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Youth football round-up
CROFT Juniors are through to the final of the Wiltshire Times and Chippenham News Mid-Wilts Youth and Minor League under 17s league cup. They took a 3-0 half-time lead in their semi-final against Cricklade Youth, thanks to goals from Jason Smith (2) and
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Club faces being booted out of cup for illegal players
Wiltshire Senior Cup: Devizes face expulsion from the Wiltshire Senior Cup after fielding two ineligible players in their quarter-final victory over Trowbridge on March 15. The Screwfix Direct Premier Division outfit scraped into the last four at the
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Two car families abound
WILTSHIRE has more than 25 per cent more two-car families than the national average. New figures show that more than 70,800 households in the county - or 40.1 per cent- have two or more cars at their disposal. Nationwide, the percentage is 29 per cent
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The Tories' pledge of recruiting for police
TORIES have pledged to put an extra 341 police officers on the streets of Wiltshire by scrapping the government's asylum system. Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith wants to introduce a strict quota on the number of refugees claiming it would save up
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Mum of the Year
TV star and former model Melinda Messenger was today named Celebrity Mum of the Year. Mother-of-two Melinda, 32, beat the likes of Victoria Beckham and Jamie Oliver's wife Jools to the coveted title. The celebrity Big Brother contestant, who lives in
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Crumbs - a slice of country life
MAY 31, GREAT BEDWYN: WHAT is being billed as a unique event is taking place at Wiltshire's only working windmill in May when an attempt will be made to turn sheaves of wheat into bread in one day. The Sheaf to Loaf event will be taking place at Wilton
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Talented pupils take West End by storm
PUPILS from Dauntsey's School, West Lavington, were given a five-minute standing ovation after they performed their version of Les Miserables in front of a packed theatre in London's West End. The 1,100-seater Prince of Wales theatre was virtually sold
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Audience figures win vicar new series
THE Reverend Jamie Allen, the star of TV show A Country Parish, has been signed up for a second series after the first drew audiences of more than three million. The rector has been inundated with letters, e-mails and telephone calls from people who have
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New drug treatment hope for Charlotte
CHARLOTTE Wakeham, the eight-year-old schoolgirl fighting the effects of an inoperable brain tumour, is likely to fly to the USA in the next two weeks to undergo treatment with the controversial drug Thalidomide. Thalidomide got a bad press in the 1960s
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Villagers reject plan for derelict farmyard
RESIDENTS of Urchfont, near Devizes, have united in opposition against plans to replace a derelict farmyard in the centre of the village with housing. About 50 residents turned up to a meeting of the parish council's planning committee last Wednesday
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Di Caprio can't win battle for New York
MARTIN Scorsese returns to the mean streets for Gangs of New York (18), a 19th century tale of gang warfare and doomed love, inspired by Herbert Asbury's book of the same name. The film is an epic undertaking, and with a budget estimated in excess of
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Spielberg catches up with another winner
STEVEN Spielberg films are a bit like buses. Nothing for donkeys' years and then three come along at once. Catch Me If You Can (12A) is the third in the director's quickfire treble, completed in less than 18 months, and significantly different in both
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Mum of the Year
TV star and former model Melinda Messenger was today named Celebrity Mum of the Year. Mother-of-two Melinda, 32, beat the likes of Victoria Beckham and Jamie Oliver's wife Jools to the coveted title. The celebrity Big Brother contestant, who lives in
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Three wonderful actresses
THE Hours (12A) cuts back and forth between three different times and three women facing similar dilemmas. In 1923, writer Virginia Woolf (Nicole Kidman) struggles to complete her novel, Mrs Dalloway, while coping with estrangement from husband Stephen
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Pollyann is proud of her old star pupil
CATHERINE Zeta Jones may feel more at home in Hollywood but she learnt her dancing skills with Swindon star Pollyann Tanner. Pollyann, 40, who runs the Tanwood School of Dancing, helped to choreograph Catherine's dances when she attended the Hazel Johnson
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Pick up the five a day eating habits
EATING five portions of fruit and vegetables a day sounds like straight-forward advice, but the practicalities of adhering to the government health advice can be fraught with pitfalls. To clear up any confusion the Government has launched a logo to clearly
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One big, happy creepy crawly family
Mark Maskell collects tropical creatures, including spiders. But his partner Kelly Johnson is arachnophobic and has threatened to pack her bags or evict his eight-legged friends if they ever escape. Mark, 33, from Haydon Wick, said: "She is very accommodating
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Clooney gets himself lost in space
SOLARIS was a big disappointment when it opened in the US . . . and it's not hard to see why. With George Clooney starring and director Steven Soderbergh (Traffic, Ocean's Eleven) at the helm, big things were expected of the sci-fi movie. And they were
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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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No Oscar for Jennifer
WITH Maid in Manhattan, the closest Jennifer Lopez is likely to come to holding an Academy Award is when she dusts down the one on the mantlepiece that hubby-to-be Ben Affleck won for co-writing Good Will Hunting. Lopez is as good an actress as she is
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Matter of life and death
THE Life Of David Gale has a novel premise a dedicated campaigner against the death penalty ends up on death row himself. It should be the basis for a tense and thought provoking thriller. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite come up to the mark. Campaigning
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With all things being equal
SCI-FI thrillers are the genre of the moment. The success of The Matrix seems to have encouraged film-makers to experiment with new styles of cinematography and special effects. Unfortunately, many of them come across as poor imitations. And while Kurt
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Shaken but not stirred
THE name's Doyle, Desmond Doyle. Doesn't quite have the same ring to it, does it? But at least James Bond actor Pierce Brosnan is having a go at breaking free from the 007 straitjacket at least temporarily. Evelyn is inspired by the true story of Desmond
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Ford Escort is 'fastest in the west'
A FIRSDOWN mechanic has described himself as the owner of the "fastest Ford Escort in the west", after receiving his ninth mistaken congestion charge from Transport for London. Roger Johnson (53), who works on a farm in Dorset, received his latest penalty
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Villagers support troops
Mr Gordon Flint of Salisbury Road in Bulford who is showing support for the British Troops, as are some of his neighbours by flying union jack flags. Mr Flint is an ex-serviceman who was involved with the paras. He said that he is fed up with peace protesters
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Marathon run for builder
A SHREWTON builder is running the London marathon next month to try and raise more than £3,000 for Children with Leukaemia. Neil Chapman (33) decided to take part in the challenge and raise money for the charity, after seeing a friend battle with the
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Objectors unite to resist new 120 home estate
BATTLING Laverstock residents - opposed to a bid to build 120 new homes in their village - blew a hole this week in the much-vaunted replacement Salisbury district local plan. The plan, which has been seven years in the preparation and seeks to lay down
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Tractor made for two
SHEEP farmer Ruth Sparrow got more than she bargained for when she wanted a novel mode of transport to her wedding. Instead of a sparkling limo, the 35-year-old bride turned up to Saturday's ceremony at Hilmarton Church on a brand new tractor, driven
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Link scheme needs helpers
THE Calne and District Community Link Scheme, which has provided a lifeline for elderly and vulnerable people for six years, needs more volunteers. The Link, one of 37 similar schemes in the country, operates a team of devoted volunteers who are involved
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Channel hop makes £1,300
BLACKLANDS Leisure Club presented a cheque for £1,320 to Wiltshire Air Ambulance after members rowed the English Channel without setting foot on a boat. In November, 44 members of the club, in Stockley Lane, took it in turns on a rowing machine in the
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Mobile cinema project may soon be set to roll
PLANS to provide Calne with a regular cinema have moved a step closer after councillors agreed to back the cinemobile project. The cinemobile, which provides a 100-seat, air-conditioned cinema complex, can be up and running within 15 minutes of arriving
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Eggstra stars are locked up
TWO tall, dark, rich Europeans were kept in careful isolation in St Mary's Independent School, in Calne, after a rigorous five-hour journey from Leeds. There were fears the guests, originally from Belgium, might crack while in transit, and then not even
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Families in fight to save allotment site
FURIOUS families campaigning against scores of homes being built on an old allotment site in Calne are to try for a judicial review to overturn the scheme. They claim North Wiltshire District Council betrayed them when it approved plans to develop Calne's
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Blaze victims thank rescuers
THE Barter family, who were burned out of their home in Commercial Road, Devizes, last week, have thanked members of the community for the support they have received. It was the latest tragedy for the family. Maggie Barter lost her husband Alan early
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Bored man killed bird
SEMI-PROFESSIONAL footballer Daniel Curran shot dead a goldfinch because he was bored, a court has been told. The 21-year-old had been helping to clear out rats from old buildings on the Horton Road industrial estate in Devizes on November 28 when he
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Highworth wrap up United win
Highworth Town were comfortable winners at Gloucester United in the Hellenic Premier Division last night. John Fisher's men fell behind early but Tate Hulbert levelled before half time and second-half goals from Matt Jack and Justin Miller (penalty) sealed
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Harriers on marks for marathon
HEADTEACHER Barry Hickey will be watching from the sidelines as three members of the local running club he set up take part in the London Marathon on April 13. It is the first time for many years that marathon veteran Mr Hickey, who is head of St Joseph's
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Fight to the top
THE Adver Cup continues to descend into chaos, with one of the quarter-finalists threatening to take their case as far as the English Football Association. Any such appeal would without doubt delay the final of the Swindon and District League's premier
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Policing area is to change
CHANGES to policing boundaries are taking place in the Devizes area. The Crime and Disorder Act 1999 required community and policing boundaries to be the same. As a result of the act, Devizes, formerly part of the Chippenham Division, and Marlborough,
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Villagers say no to land sale to fund new centre
A PUBLIC meeting at Market Lavington on Tuesday night firmly set its face against selling off any land in the village to fund the proposed community centre. Some speakers questioned why a new hall had to be built at all, and suggested refurbishing the
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Actors show cheeky side
NEWBURY Watermill's touring production of the comedy Gigolo comes to Marlborough Town Hall on April 10. The event has been organised by Kennet Valley Arts Trust, which is raising funds towards the provision of a theatre/cinema, called the Riverbank, in
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US kids look at best of west
NINE underprivileged American children were greeted in Marlborough by Mayor Margaret Boulton last Thursday. The 14 year-olds from Minneapolis in the state of Minnesota are spending a week in Europe with two of their teachers from the Sanford Middle School
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Police divisions refining changes
CHANGES to policing boundaries are taking place in the Pewsey, Marlborough and Devizes areas. The Crime and Disorder Act 1999 required community and policing boundaries to be the same. As a result of the act, Devizes, formerly part of the Chippenham Division
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Steps towards a safer town
ONE hundred families in Marlborough are to get free smoke alarms courtesy of the town's unique Fire Forum. The forum was established following the huge blaze in June 1998 that gutted the rank of buildings in the High Street on the south side opposite
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Roving brief for warden
TRAFFIC warden John Bordiss will be spending less time in Marlborough when he starts a new roving brief on Tuesday. From April 1 Mr Bordiss will spend some of his time in Devizes, Pewsey and Avebury. Devizes has been without traffic warden visits for
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Trust reveals health plans
PEOPLE in Marlborough turned out in force this week to support Savernake Hospital, and the latest artist's impression of the proposed new hospital was unveiled. Tomorrow the health trust is due to unveil its proposals to the press for changes to its hospitals
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Mother's prayers for son in Gulf
EVERY time news is released from Iraq of another allied casualty, Pewsey soldier's mum Maria Brennan says her heart is in her mouth. Retired nurse Mrs Brennan knows that her only son Desmond Wintle, 37, is somewhere in Iraq with the advancing British
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Rod & Line - by Roland Batten
Fishing: A NEW carp record is on the cards for Salisbury Angling Club following the capture of a giant 31lb 12oz specimen from the lower lake at Steeple Langford. Pete Orchard caught the carp, which is a different fish from any previously taken from that
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Strange makes it a double success
WOOTTON Bassett's Terry Strange added the club's Committee Cup to his victory in the club's Senior Aggregate Cup with a 354-point total, in Sunday's match. He won with a 24-10-0 catch ahead of Alan Buckland 11-10-0 and Steve Bell (8lb) was third on the
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The Tories' pledge of recruiting for police
TORIES have pledged to put an extra 341 police officers on the streets of Wiltshire by scrapping the government's asylum system. Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith wants to introduce a strict quota on the number of refugees claiming it would save up
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Ready for the brolly parade
A GROUP of 14 students from Hreod Parkway have been learning new skills by building an enormous dragon. Children from year eight constructed the long-nosed beasts out of umbrellas as part of an annual project to build a dragon for the brolly parade at
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Get work in tourism through JobCentre
MORE jobseekers are being encouraged to work in tourism. A series of events have been organised by Tourism Skills Network Wiltshire and Swindon Jobcentre to encourage more people to enter the industry. On Monday, a specialist careers stand will be set
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BNP is no shock
THE entry of the BNP into local politics in Wiltshire comes as no surprise to me. While neither condoning or criticising their extreme policies, I would rather like to ask the reason why? My age group, 70s plus, probably make up at least one third of
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Big jewellery haul
HAYDON WICK: A large quantity of jewellery was stolen when a house on the High Street was burgled. A ring, necklace and cufflinks, all gold, were among the items stolen. Police are searching for a white male, aged 18 to 23, 5ft 5in with a large nose.
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Memories of club
I WAS very disappointed to read in the Gazette that Devizes Town Football Club was on the verge of finishing. I remember when Westbury United and Devizes Town would be fighting for the Wiltshire League title and the games over Easter would decide the
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We have acted
I WRITE in response to the letter of March 20 by Mr Ody, regarding what he sees as a lack of action into the local health care issues by the town council. Devizes town councillors have been very vocal during consultation m meetings held by the PCT to
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MP wants an end to motocross misery
NEW laws to stop motocross fans bringing misery to villagers in Wanborough have been demanded by MP Julia Drown. The Labour MP for South Swindon urged ministers to change the Licensing Bill to make it compulsory to obtain a licence for outdoor events
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Shifting views
IF, as Coun Scott claims, all the North Wiltshire-dominated county council cabinet did was to confirm the record office bid, then why did the county council send out a press release headed "record office bid approved by county council cabinet"? To approve
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Hitting wrong note
YEARS ago there was a sound I used to hear that went up and down in a discernable pattern perhaps with words you could both hear and understand, that was good to listen to, or at least I used to find it so. I think it was called music. What has happened
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Closure no joke
I have never given the impression that I think the closure of Malmesbury Hospital is a joke, as many people who know me are aware. I, above many others, have a personal reason for appreciating the service that all hospitals give, including Malmesbury.
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Pupils pleased to have trees again
A SWINDON builder has stepped in to help a special school hit by theft. Peter Mapson has donated 12 trees to Crowdys Hill School in Stratton St Margaret, where 40 saplings disappeared last year just weeks after they were planted. The Evening Advertiser
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Disturbing waste
THE Gazette's article on the opening of the new hole at the Hills landfill site was clearly disturbing. The present rate of disposal of waste into landfill sites is clearly unsustainable. Residents and businesses in North Wiltshire need to do more to
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Making people aware of what has become the silent killer
SWINDON CANCER APPEAL: SWINDON councillor Mike Bawden is living proof that early detection of cancer saves lives. The leader of Swindon Council's Conservative group was diagnosed with prostate cancer 18 months ago. But following a three-month course of
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Council is bound to fight on in responsible ways
WE can assure Jeff Ody, the chairman of the Trust For Devizes, that all local councillors in Devizes have been united and working constructively, in various capacities, to retain a community hospital in Devizes. Hospital services have certainly been under
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Why has firm waited so long to clean up?
OUT of their own mouths they condemn themselves. The statement by Westbury works manager for Blue Circle La Farge, we "can clean up what comes out of our chimney." Too right you can Blue Circle, you have known this for years but what have you done? The
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Continuous rises in our council taxes must stop
THOSE who continually increase our council tax, well above inflation, must be stopped from seeing this as an annual routine. For Kennet residents there was a 9.9 per cent rise last year followed by a compounded 12.3 per cent recently. So, you might ask
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Objectors unite to resist new 120 home estate
BATTLING Laverstock residents - opposed to a bid to build 120 new homes in their village - blew a hole this week in the much-vaunted replacement Salisbury district local plan. The plan, which has been seven years in the preparation and seeks to lay down
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What a night
I WAS one of the lucky ones at the Mayor's Gala Night at the Wyvern. It was brilliant. We didn't have to go far for such a West End performance. Thank you all for taking part. It made my evening. (Mrs) A MAYELL Lennox Drive Walcot Swindon
