Archive
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Wiltshire battle in national club championship
Malmesbury and Devizes face each other on Sunday in the first round of the ECB National Club Championship this year renamed as the Cockspur Cup. The two Wiltshire sides do battle for the right to face Berkshire's Falkland in Group 11 (South) round two
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New boy to make debut
Swindon travel to Thatcham tomorrow for their last warm-up game prior to the start of the 2004 league campaign. Captain John Baden leads a full-strength side and will be expecting a stern test from the Thames Valley Premier League outfit. Swindon include
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Ticket cost rise a must Devlin
TOWN fans will have to dig around 10 per cent deeper to watch their heroes next season. A premium matchday seat will rise from £21 to £23 with an adult season ticket in either of the main stands going up from £330 to £360. And the price to sit in the
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Silver band hopes to shine in finals
BRATTON'S famed silver band is hoping to follow up success in the regional brass band championships at the finals in September. The band, which has been a part of village life in Bratton for nearly 150 years, was awarded second place in the 4th section
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Homes for bunnies
An appeal to find homes for 45 abandoned rabbits has been a success. Cottontails rabbit refuge in Westbury appealed for people to help find a home for the rabbits in the Wiltshire Times two weeks ago. Since the article 16 rabbits have been found homes
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Youngsters help fellow pupils to read
EIGHT youngsters have be-come educational researchers in an experiment to boost the reading age of fellow pupils. The Year 5 students at Bratton Primary School will give half of the school's Year 1 class extra help to boost their reading skills over the
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Pubs and clubs hail screening machine
CLUBBERS in west Wiltshire will soon be screened for illegal drugs before they are allowed to enter pubs and nightclubs. Police are stepping up their fight against illicit drugs with a pioneering new piece of computer technology. The £30,000 Ion Track
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March planned over Lafarge fuel burning
CAMPAIGNERS will march on Westbury's cement works tomorrow to protest against plans to burn recycled liquid fuel in its kilns. The march has been organised by residents in Edington who hope to mobilise support from across the Westbury area. Protesters
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No sports pitches for Penleigh park
A SCHEME to provide youngsters in Westbury with 25 acres of new playing fields has been scuppered by the narrowest of margins. Developer Persimmon Homes had proposed a swap deal to build houses on land owned by Matravers School in return for providing
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Woman's death had cancer link
BLADDER cancer linked to the inhalation of a toxic substance lead to the death of a Seend woman, an inquest heard. Olive Barrett, 82, died on Christmas Day. Although the cause of death was bronchial pneumonia it was linked to cancer. Working at Avon Rubber
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Ex devastated by death of Amanda
AN EX-BOYFRIEND of nursery assistant Amanda Edwards believes her killer took the 'wimps' way out'. Kevin Gibson, 25, of Short Street, Melksham, said he was praying for the 21-year-old's safe return the day before detectives found Amanda's body, wrapped
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Run to be a fun day for family
RUNNERS young and old are invited to take part in a charity half-marathon later this year. Nationwide Building Society has teamed up with Swindon Council and the Evening Advertiser to host the run on October 17. And organisers insist participants don't
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Out-of-town football may prove too expensive
THE chairman of Westbury Boys FC makes an appeal for new sports facilities for Westbury and seems to be repeating the points made three or four years ago when this suggestion first surfaced. We would all like more new facilities but not at the expense
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Pitch swap deal will let our children enjoy sport
There is an opportunity for the sports pitches at Redland Lane (belonging to Matravers School) and Penleigh Park (owned by West Wilts District Council) to be replaced on the other side of the road by twice as many sports pitches plus a 25-acre car park
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Boxing clever with the green and pleasant band
BOXES of fresh organic vegetables will be coming door-to-door in Swindon next month. Joanne Brodribb and her partner Richard Prosser gave up jobs in administration and finance to begin delivering organic vegetables in and around Swindon. They are the
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Drivers practise on virtual trains
Drivers employed by Swindon-based First Great Western will now be trained using a ground-breaking virtual reality simulator. The replica of the High Speed Train cab will be used to recreate hundreds of scenarios faced by drivers every day, including weather
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Prefects to keep order on school buses
CHILDREN on Wiltshire's school buses are being encouraged to behave through a new bus prefect scheme. Wiltshire County Council's passenger transport unit is to train some youngsters to report any incidents of bad behaviour on the buses and help ensure
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Imber's history on BBC
A CONCERT held at the ghost village of Imber on Salisbury Plain is to be screened on television. The film, combining archive footage and live music recorded at the village, will be broadcast next month. Over 160 residents were evacuated from Imber in
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Crackdown on overdue books
PEOPLE who do not return library books could face prosecutions under a crackdown by Wiltshire County Council. Over the past three months the council has prosecuted 10 people who have failed to return books. They were each fined £50 and ordered to pay
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Re-think urged on rubbish
DISCARDED rubbish can cause untold damage to animals and their habitats. Wiltshire Wildlife Trust has produced a new leaflet to highlight this problem and encourage people to act responsibly. The leaflet, called Stop Waste, Save Wildlife, highlights 12
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Invitation to express your views
PEOPLE living in west Wiltshire can now give their opinions on the provision of open spaces in the district. West Wiltshire District Council is asking for comments on proposed supplementary planning guidance, which could be adopted by the end of June.
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Hunt for treasure online
CHILDREN in west Wiltshire could win prizes for their school by getting involved in an online treasure hunt. Wiltshire County Council is encouraging as many people as possible to take part in a competition to get youngsters researching the county's past
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Transform waste into compost
EVERYONE Loves a Rotter is the latest scheme to try and encourage people in Wiltshire to make use of their kitchen waste. The Wiltshire Wildlife Trust and the Wiltshire Waste Partnership have teamed up with the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP
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Suspect found hanging
POLICE discovered the body of Amanda Edwards buried in a shallow grave just hours after her killer was found hanging in Calne. The drama unfolded at 2pm on Friday when police cordoned off a house in Woodsage Way, Calne, after receiving reports that prime
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Old towpath route steers walkers on history trail
VISITORS to Melksham can follow the trail of the town's lost waterway. A new guide has been produced by the Melksham branch of the Wilts and Berks Canal Trust to steer people along the route the canal used to take through the town. Chairman Colin Fletcher
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Town fan wins contract with City
A TEENAGE footballer from Seend is set to fulfil a lifelong ambition after winning a two-year professional contract at Bristol City. Luke Ballinger, 16, has spent the last two seasons playing for Trowbridge and District League side Seend but will make
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Stars line up for Perrin's benefit
A HOST of top footballing names will be running out at the Conigre on May 9 to help celebrate the career of one of Wiltshire's most talented sportsmen. Steve Perrin has dedicated most of his life to sport in the county and next month's match at Melksham
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Defender admits 'I had to go'
DAVE Hopkins held his hands up to his part in Friday night's skirmish but insisted it was only after severe provocation. The Corsham Town defender was red carded for throwing an elbow, along with three Larkhall players who were also dismissed for violent
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Flats plan criticised
A BID to build houses and office space in Warminster town centre has faced criticism from councillors. The plan to build four one-bedroom flats, eight two-bedroom flats and two office suites in the Market Place was hit by objections at a meeting of the
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Stalwarts rewarded
TWO members of Macmillan Cancer Relief received recognition in Warminster on Monday. Lady Silvy McQuiston handed certificates to bookkeeper Nora McMinn and secretary Betty Steele at the charity's annual meeting at Dewey House. Pam Goodger, of the Macmillan
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Anger as con firm continues
LETTERS from a scam operating out of Warminster have now reached households in the north east of England. The Media Age con promises households a guaranteed prize including a BMW Mini and asks for a payment of £14.95 before the winnings can be delivered
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In-patient ward set to reopen
THE in-patient ward at Warminster Community Hospital is to reopen on Monday a month after it was closed due to a lack of GP cover. Doctors drafted in from Trowbridge have agreed to provide the cover needed to reopen the ward but there are no guarantees
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Pupils come up with top designs for Lord Bath
LORD Bath was at a Warminster primary school this week to pick out a new waistcoat. Children at Horningsham Primary School took part in a competition to design a new waistcoat for the lord, famed for his flamboyant dress sense. On Tuesday he was guest
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Clean-up event for village
VILLAGERS in Winsley are being asked to muck in to clean up the roads and paths in the village. A Saturday Scrape is planned for tomorrow when volunteers from will shovel out dirt, grass and weeds to get the village looking ship-shape for summer. Organiser
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Designer joins car club rally
A BRADFORD on Avon designer joined members of a classic car club to mark 40 years of Austin, Morris and Wolesley 1800-type cars on Sunday. A group of 16 cars converged on the station car park to mark the 40th birthday of the Landcrab Owners Club. The
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Pitch decision should be in majority interest
WESTBURY has grown at a tremendous rate over the last few years but the facilities, particularly for young people, leave much to be desired. Our current sporting amenities are so woefully substandard that we cannot host visiting young football teams.
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Mayoral praise for FC's efforts
I WRITE as the mayor of Westbury, about to end my first term of office. During this year my most enjoyable and worthwhile engagements have been with Westbury Youth Football Club. My first was to present 257 young boys with hard won trophies at their annual
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Toxin risk to babies
HAVING listened to Trevor McDonalds's programme on the TV regarding toxins in mothers' milk can you please tell me why the Environment Agency allows tyre burning and very shortly RLFs to be burnt at the Westbury Lafarge plant, causing many toxins in our
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PO closure will harm community
I AM increasingly dismayed about the way that the residents of Walwayne Court and Broadmead estates are being treated. A month or two back, Bowyers wanted to divert the Innox Road public footpath and now Tesco wants to shut our post office. Bowyers' plans
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Councillors urged to work together
Your readers should not be misled by the inaccuracies and fantasies in Angela Milroy's letter in last week's Times in which she writes of "asset stripping" the county town. The facts are: the county council is not proposing to move the County Youth Services
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Small path such a giant leap
WHY is it that what seems to be a simple task sometimes causes the biggest problem? Bradford on Avon's new tourist information office opened about a year ago, to much acclaim and admiration from many hundreds of visitors. All is kept clean and shining
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Cinema - The Passion Of The Christ (18)
YOU'VE got to admire Mel Gibson's courage, if nothing else. The actor and occasional director has tackled what in the past has proved to be a movie minefield for film-makers - Jesus Christ. Since the earliest days of celluloid, the depiction of Christ
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Cinema - Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (PG)
THE sound of tinkling cash registers that accompanied the first live action transformation of cartoon legend Scooby Doo always ensured that a sequel would appear quicker than a ghost at a deserted coal mine. And sure enough Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed
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Cinema - The Cat in the Hat (PG)
The Cat in the Hat (PG) is based on a legendary Dr Seuss book and it is not hard to see why it was chosen as a vehicle for comedian Mike Myers. The Grinch, based on another Dr Seuss tale, made a mint and spawned an awesomely profitable merchandising industry
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Cinema - Shaun of the Dead
AS rock legends Led Zeppelin once asked of an audience in the middle of their most famous song (Stairway To Heaven): "Does anybody remember laughter?" Laughter seems to have dried up in cinemas in recent years. Bruce Almighty may have made a lot of money
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Cinema - The Girl Next Door (15)
IN 1993 Tom Cruise's teeth and tan starred in the rites of passage comedy Risky Business about a clean college boy's descent into the murky world of prostitution. The Girl Next Door (15) is so similar in tone and message it could be a remake of that film
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First bishop bids a fond farewell
Ref. 30068-19THE first Bishop of Swindon, Michael Doe, will today bid a fond farewell to the town he has served for the past 10 years. Bishop Michael arrived in the town in September 1994, following his appointment to the post by the Bishop of Bristol
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Court hears of alleged 100mph police chase
AN ANGRY wife attacked her estranged husband's car, forced her way into his home and then led police on a 100mph chase for 15 miles, it was alleged in court. Deborah Stewart, 35, of Thetford Way, Haydon Wick, Swindon, pleaded not guilty at Cheltenham
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Strong entryfor sevens
Sunday sees the 19th annual Wyn Rees Memorial seven-a-side competition at Wootton Bassett Rugby Club. Last year the Fijian influence of the Slashers of the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment won the tournament in a closely-fought
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Untaxed vehicles targeted
POLICE netted 12 untaxed cars and a disqualified driver in a joint campaign with DVLA staff on a Trowbridge estate. Using an Automatic Number Plate Recognition machine, police and DVLA officials targeted the Studley Green estate for a three-day period
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Herdsman slams NHS after losing a finger
A YOUNG herdsman from Trowbridge has labelled the NHS a disgrace after medics failed to save part of his hand, accidentally injected with a cow vaccine in a freak farming accident. Craig Watson, 21, of Chapel Lane, Wingfield, has criticised Bath's Royal
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Union takes Nestl debate to Brussels
A CAMPAIGN to stop the closure of Nestl's dessert factory in Staverton has gone all the way to Brussels. Officials from the Transport and General Workers Union met with French union leaders in the Belgian capital on Thursday to ask for their support in
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Residents plea for police action to stop boy racers
POLICE in Trowbridge have been accused of failing to take action over the rising number of boy racers tearing around the town's business and retail parks. One 38-year-old resident, who lives off Wiltshire Drive, said she was horrified to witness first-hand
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New pre-school opens at Studley Green
15060/3A £500,000 purpose-built nursery in Trowbridge opened for the first time. The 77-place Green Shoots Day Nursery, on the grounds of Studley Green Primary School, opened on Monday, less than eight months after work began. The nursery has 35 children
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Post offices under threat from Tesco
TWO community post offices are being closed to make way for convenience shops because they are failing to make enough money. Supermarket bosses are closing post offices in Brook Lane, Trowbridge and Thornhill Road, Warminster as part of the refurbishment
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Former family friend arrested
POLICE investigating the theft of a child benefits book belonging to the mother of tragic Trowbridge schoolgirl Jackie-Danielle Velvick have arrested a former family friend. Officers arrested 34-year-old Pauline Fortune on suspicion of theft and deception
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Penhill on the cup trail
PENHILL UNITED go head to head with Swindon West Indians in the final of the Swindon Sunday League's Chairman's Trophy this weekend. Newly-crowned Division Two champions Penhill will start as favourites at Supermarine's Hunts Copse ground on Sunday (kick-off
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WE'VE BEEN LET DOWN
Wroughton FC's decision to withdraw from the Premier Division with just a handful of games remaining means that the club will lose their senior status. Wilts FA boss Mike Benson said: "It is a great pity that the local parish council would appear to have
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Corsham on march
CORSHAM bid to continue their fine run at home to Street tomorrow. A 1-1 draw at Bristol Manor Farm on Tuesday night lifted Nobby Bush's side to fifth in the First Division and the pending restructuring means promotion to the Premier is a distinct possibility
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Champagne's on ice at the Red House
PURTON boss Alan Clark insists the celebrations are on hold even though his unbeaten side need just a point to effectively seal the Division One West title. Quarry Nomads visit the Red House tomorrow for the penultimate game of the campaign and expectations
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...and a pair of victories could land the Western Division title for Cirencester
THIS time last week, Cirencester boss Brian Hughes was targeting runners-up spot in the Dr Martens Western Division. Seven days on, and with midweek results going their way, Ciren are suddenly back in the title reckoning. While Hughes' men were grinding
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WHITE AND HUGHES NEED A WIN DOUBLE
STEVE WHITE collected his first piece of silverware as a manager this week, but it will mean nothing if his Chippenham Town team fail to beat visiting Moor Green tomorrow. A 2-0 victory over a decent Swindon Town reserve side handed the Bluebirds the
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Terry lands the top job
A MELKSHAM union leader has been elected to the top job in coarse fishing. Terry Fell, 59, will be at the head of the 300 plus clubs and 23,000 members of the National Federation of Anglers after winning 60 per cent of the votes for president at the organisation's
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Project given a boost
JOB opportunities for people with learning disabilities in Wiltshire are set to improve. A £600,000 grant will help to create 170 supported employment places for people with learning disabilities across the county over the next three years. Ten job coaches
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Rose's romance with John blooms for 50 years
Ref. 30050-29JOHN and Rose Wilkins were so in love after their first date they decided to get married. The couple from Shrivenham have now celebrated 50 years of marriage. They first met at a fairground near Chippenham when Mr Wilkins was serving in the
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When love went cold
A FORMER serviceman who left the Army for the girl he adored resorted to stalking her when the love affair went cold. Swindon Magistrates' Court heard how Philip Tomlin, 29, would wait outside Donna Scribbins' home, follow her by car and harass her with
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Ban on hunting must be passed Julia
A LONG-AWAITED Bill to ban hunting should be re-introduced at Westminster and forced through the House of Lords, Swindon MP Julia Drown has insisted. She is among almost 200 Labour MPs who have now turned up the heat on Tony Blair to introduce legislation
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Savers are set to party
The Clivey Credit Union is having a party to celebrate its 18th birthday. The credit union, in Crick-lade Road, provides a variety of savings and loan schemes for 160 people who are aged between 15 and 80. Members will meet on Saturday at noon and new
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Police aim to boost Sanctuary
A SENIOR police officer has visited a medical centre that treats sexual assault victims. Wiltshire's Assistant Chief Constable Peter Vaughan went to the Sexual Assault Referral Centre, which operates from Taw Hill Medical Practice, in North Swindon. During
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007 glamour girl woos fans
Ref. 30071-48BOND Girl Maryam d'Abo glitzed into town yesterday to sign autographs for dozens of adoring fans. The star, who appeared alongside Timothy Dalton in the 1987 classic The Living Daylights visited memorabilia store, Infinitely Better, where
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Smashing response!
Ref. 30057-18EIGHTEEN more volunteers will be giving up their free time to help troubled youngsters thanks to the Advertiser. SMASH the Swindon Mentoring and Self-Help Group put out an appeal for volunteers through the Adver because it has a waiting list
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Office staff show they care for the Earth
Ref. 30063-18INTEL staff got to display their green side yesterday with a series of events to mark Earth Day. This week is Global Earth Week, and Intel's activities included the planting of three trees around the grounds of the Swindon offices in Piper's
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Taskforce set to report on future of RAF Lyneham
A TASKforce set up to consider the future of RAF Lyneham when the military leave in 2012 will present its vision for the site to North Wiltshire District councillors. The Lyneham task force is made up of local organisations, including Lyneham parish Council
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Trowbridge 10, Dorchester 17
TROWBRIDGE's first ever season in the Southern Counties South league ended in disappointment on Saturday thanks largely to unforced errors. Trowbridge have shown encouraging signs of improvement this campaign but after having their sights set on a fourth
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It's red hot for Blue
APRIL 22: SALES of tickets for this year's Wiltshire Festival rocketed this week after news that Irish soul band The Commitments are to join pop hunks Blue and songbird Jamelia on the bill. The nine-piece band, dubbed the Saviours of Soul, will be flying
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Sensational soul band lined up for pop festival
APRIL 23: TICKETS for the Wiltshire festival at Lydiard Park are selling fast after the news that The Commitments have been added to the bill, which also features boy band Blue and R and B singer Jamelia. The nine-piece soul band will be flying in from
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Restaurant - Pastiche Bistro, Bath
LOOKING for somewhere to eat before a visit to the theatre entails finding a place that opens early and because of this we had booked a table at the Pastiche Bistro in Bath. Opening at 6.30pm on a Saturday evening allows adequate time to eat and leave
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Puppet show tells the whole tooth
TOPSEY Tooth and Dan Decay paid a visit to Dilton Marsh School on Wednesday to help pupils brush up on their dental hygiene. The pair were joined by fellow puppets Sweetie Sue, Mr Dentist and Tony the Toothbrush for the show organised by Wiltshire's oral
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Landfill site set to close this summer
THE only landfill site in west Wiltshire is closing at the end of July because it has no more room to expand. The facility, which is based at the Lafarge cement works in Westbury, will close to household rubbish on July 30, with its commercial and industrial
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Retirement home builders are the tops
THE company behind retirement homes in Melksham and Trowbridge has won a national housebuilding award for the second year running. McCarthy and Stone was named best national builder at the 2004 British Housebuilder Awards. The company is responsible for
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It's a sure thing
HOLIDAY resort Center Parcs has sealed a deal with a gas cylinder firm to increase safety. BOC Sureflow will provide the Longleat resort with gas cylinders for the next 12 months. The deal is part of a safety drive to reduce the number of gas cylinders
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Smarter look for the Shires
The Shires shopping centre in Trowbridge is undergoing a £70,000 spring facelift. Work started this week to redecorate and spruce up the mall, although shoppers are unlikely to realise anything is going on at first. Steve Murray, centre manager said:
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Meet your match at new singles event
A NEW business venture could at last have some of the answers for people in west Wiltshire hunting for Mr or Miss Right. Helen Plummer, 28, former events and corporate officer for Bath's Royal United Hospital Forever Friends Appeal has started her own
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Director jailed after child porn discovery
Company director Timothy Wakely has been jailed for a year after a court heard how he distributed child porn over the internet. The 33-year-old was found with scores of sickening images on his computer and CDs at his family home in Westbury. Swindon Crown
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Woman is not fooled by scam
A GROUP of men posing as professional road surfacing workers called at a house in Dilton Marsh last week and tried to charge a woman nearly £2,000 to tarmac her drive. Police are warning residents to be on their guard after the men told the woman they
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Old towpath route steers walkers on history trail
VISITORS to Melksham can follow the trail of the town's lost waterway. A new guide has been produced by the Melksham branch of the Wilts and Berks Canal Trust to steer people along the route the canal used to take through the town. Chairman Colin Fletcher
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Man stepped in front of motorbike
A MOTORBIKE enthusiast from Melksham died from head injuries after stepping in front of a lorry, an inquest heard. James Utting, of Thackery Crescent, died two days after the accident in Nursteed Road, Devizes, in September. He was airlifted to the Great
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Children and families speak out about future of the fields
I'M INFORMING you that us children shouldn't have ANOTHER play area removed, therefore it's a bad thing what you're doing. Children and some adults should feel free and get energy in the play areas. Also whenever we go to play football we get told to
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The club's point of view
As the chairman of Westbury Youth FC, I am writing to express the club's strongest support for the plan to provide Westbury with first-class sporting facilities. These facilities are desperately needed to rectify the acute shortage of sports pitches and
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Confident outlook for small business
BRITAIN'S biggest study of entrepreneurs has revealed a healthy and confident small business sector. The Federation of Small Busi-nesses study, Lifting the Barriers to Growth in UK Small Businesses, received more than 18,000 responses five times more
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Westbury has lost enough green fields
I NOTICE Mr McDonald's comment that the new playing fields' facilities would provide open parkland for walking and exercise. Before houses were built on what is now known as Leigh Park there were several public footpaths passing through a large green
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Why not use Leighton field?
MR McDonald's letter touches a raw nerve with me and many others who do not want to see houses on the Penleigh Park playing fields. These playing fields were obtained for the community by people like me and others of my generation who lived in the then
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Musicians perform with stars
WILTSHIRE'S most talented young musicians are getting together for a jamming session to celebrate the sounds of jazz. The best junior jazz musicians will be performing at the Wiltshire Youth Jazz Festival at the Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford on Avon
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Runners complete marathon mission
RUNNERS battled through blisters and downpours to raise thousands of pounds for west Wiltshire good causes at the London Marathon on Sunday. Cash was raised for a wide variety of charities and projects including Cancer Research, a charity to help parents
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Vitamin petition
VITAMIN and mineral supplements are under threat from European legislation and west Wiltshire MP Andrew Murrison is calling on the county's residents to take action. Dr Murrison is urging his constituents to sign an online petition against the European
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It's sport for all
SPORT England has launched a search for a family to champion its campaign to get the nation active and tackle obesity rates. Finalists chosen from nine UK regions, including the south west, will go on to a national selection day in London in June. Application
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Chance to perform at circus
TALENTED Wiltshire performers could be missing out on the chance to perform at Blackpool Tower's Circus. A recent call for people to showcase their talents at the circus has prompted massive interest from all over the UK, apart from Wiltshire. Tower and
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Smart idea for 150 Fund
SCHOOLCHILDREN across west Wiltshire are being asked to help out with a fundraising drive to celebrate the 150th birthday of the Wiltshire Times. As part of the anniversary celebrations we are hoping to raise £20,000 this year to invest in a 150 Fund,
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Ex devastated by death of Amanda
AN EX-BOYFRIEND of nursery assistant Amanda Edwards believes her killer took the 'wimps' way out'. Kevin Gibson, 25, of Short Street, Melksham, said he was praying for the 21-year-old's safe return the day before detectives found Amanda's body, wrapped
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From rat infestations to fly-on-the-wall
Reality TV shows A Life of Grime and Food Police have brought the everyday life of an environmental health officer into the limelight. From virtual obscurity, suddenly everybody wants to know about rat infestations, food poisoning and filthy flats. Dirt
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Pubs and clubs hail screening machine
CLUBBERS in west Wiltshire will soon be screened for illegal drugs before they are allowed to enter pubs and nightclubs. Police are stepping up their fight against illicit drugs with a pioneering new piece of computer technology. The £30,000 Ion Track
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Hospitals face an uncertain future
COMMUNITY hospitals in west Wiltshire could disappear within five years after health bosses refused to guarantee their long-term future. Speaking to a seminar of district councillors on Thursday night the new chief executive of West Wiltshire Primary
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Pewsey Vale Res 0, Bradford Town 7
ROBBIE Simmons helped keep Bradford Town on course for third place with four goals in their 7-0 away demolition of Pewsey Vale Reserves on Tuesday night. The other goals were scored by Mark Gerrish, Charlie Powell and an own goal as Bradford produced
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AFC Stratton 2, Trowbridge Town 2
GORDON Saunderson came off the bench to score a vital equaliser at AFC Stratton on Saturday to all but clinch the Premier Division title. The victory left Trowbridge four points behind Stratton at the top of the table but with four games in hand they
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Broughton Gifford 3, Rudloe 2 (aet)
FORGET the six bookings and a 103rd-minute double dismissal this historic all-Trowbridge League Wiltshire Junior Cup final between the Division One title rivals was one to cherish. A crowd of around 250 at Corsham's Southbank ground were absorbed in almost
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Westbury United 0, Wellington 1
WESTBURY United manager Derek Graham has vowed his team will never lose their attacking reputation, despite a dismal end to the season. Saturday's loss was Westbury's 11th defeat in their last 14 games as they continue to slide down the First Division
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Melksham Town 1, Welton Rovers 1
MATT Taylor capped his full debut with the equaliser on Monday night as ten man Melksham built on Saturday's win over Elmore. Melksham looked to be up against it when defender Jamie Cheeseman was sent off for a professional foul just after the break with
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Melksham Town 3, Elmore 0
AN inspired double substitution by Melksham Town boss Nigel Tripp helped his side to their first win in seven matches against the league's strugglers. With the match goal-less ten minutes into the second half Tripp replaced Dave Macey and Steve Wickens
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AWOL striker is back for now
GLENN Armstrong has sorted out his differences with Calne Town manager Kelvin Highmore and is back in favour for the moment at least. The striker upset Highmore by going AWOL for the local derby at Corsham on Easter Monday but after lengthy talks has
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Westbury United 2, Bemerton Heath Harlequins 4
DEREK Graham admitted he felt he has let his Westbury side down this season as their miserable run continues with an exit from the quarter final of the Hospital Cup. Wednesday night's defeat was just the latest in a long line of disappointments, as Westbury
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Concert in aid of roof
A LEAKY church roof could be fixed after a concert was held to plug the funding gap. Over 165 people turned up at the All Saints Church in Chitterne on Friday for a organ and classical music concert. Visitors donated over £3,500, which will go towards
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Tributes to Anzac soldiers
VILLAGERS are holding a day of commemoration to pay tribute to fallen Australian and New Zealand soldiers on Sunday. Services are being held at war graves in Sutton Veny and Codford in honour of Anzac Day. Over 20,000 soldiers were stationed throughout
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Crash kills 21-year-old
A Warminster man has died following a car crash on the A36. Christopher Lewis, 21, of Highbury Park, died after his Vauxhall Corsa collided with a Land Rover Discovery at Claverton on April 9. He was taken to the Royal United Hospital in Bath and later
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Tenants' session
A FREE drop-in session for West Wiltshire Housing Society tenants will be held at Medlicott House, Warminster, on Tuesday. As well as giving tenants a chance to raise issues, it also offers people from the Portway estate the chance to set up a tenants
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Memorial to Navy heroes
13971 A GLASS sculpture created in Warminster will be the centrepiece of a memorial to the D-Day landings in France 60 years ago. The sculpture, designed to resemble a wave, is a tribute to the British Navy who helped to liberate France in the Second
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Petition gets good response
A PETITION launched to save a threatened petrol station and convenience store in Warminster has already attracted almost 200 signatures. Owners of the Murco petrol station, Costcutters and Toyota car showroom in Victoria Road, are in negotiations with
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Post offices under threat from Tesco
TWO community post offices are being closed to make way for convenience shops because they are failing to make enough money. Supermarket bosses are closing post offices in Brook Lane, Trowbridge and Thornhill Road, Warminster as part of the refurbishment
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War hero homeless after kitchen blaze
Ref: 15034/1WILTSHIRE TIMES EXCLUSIVE: A WAR hero has been left homeless after fire gutted his bungalow at the weekend. Bill Cheeseman, 83, was gardening when the blaze broke out at his home in Thornhill Road, Warminster, on Saturday afternoon. The ex-Navy
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War hero homeless
Ref: 15034/1WILTSHIRE TIMES EXCLUSIVE: A WAR hero has been left homeless after fire gutted his bungalow at the weekend. Bill Cheeseman, 83, was gardening when the blaze broke out at his home in Thornhill Road, Warminster, on Saturday afternoon. The ex-Navy
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Musicians perform with stars
WILTSHIRE'S most talented young musicians are getting together for a jamming session to celebrate the sounds of jazz. The best junior jazz musicians will be performing at the Wiltshire Youth Jazz Festival at the Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford on Avon
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Plenty going on at Fayre
THE countdown is on to one of Bradford on Avon's biggest fundraising events of the year which takes place on May 3. The annual May Fayre has been held at Christ Church Primary School, Berryfield Road, for 26 years and this year organisers are hoping to
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Tickets for film finale
SEATS are still up for grabs for the grand finale of Bradford on Avon Film Society's 2003-4 season tonight Organisers are worried the title of the feature film chosen for the end-of-season event, Intolerable Cruelty, may have put regular society members
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New ranger to patrol town's scenic parkland
UNDERAGE drinking, vandalism and intimidation in a picturesque Bradford on Avon Park have led to a new park ranger being brought in. Barton Farm Country Park has proved to be a magnet for young people to hang out and drink on summer evenings and Wiltshire
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More history
YOU recently published a HJ Knee Ltd 125-year supplement which interestingly gave a potted history of the company. A small omission was that having bought in April 1880 the ironmonger business of Isaac Chapman operated from 49 Fore Street, now GAME, John
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Driving slower is only part of it
SO the road carnage continues. Maybe current prescriptions oppressive regulation, eager recourse to speed cameras, constant tinkering with speed limits, road signage and markings, and so on aren't working? There is a county-cultural alternative. It won't
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Cutting edge
APRIL 20 - 24, BATH: A trip to Bath could put you off eating meat pies for life. That's because Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street, is coming to town. Stephen Sondheim's most macabre musical hits the Theatre Royal Bath next week. Paul Hegarty
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Thanks for festival support
AS chairman of the Melksham branch of the Wilts and Berks Canal Trust I wish to pass on our sincere appreciation to everyone who worked so hard in establishing the recent Spring Festival. Specifically, we would like to thank Melksham 1st chairman Ian
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Duo team up to tackle dilemma
UNTIL MAY 1, BATH: FOLLOWING critical acclaim at the Hampstead Theatre, My Boy Jack appears at the Theatre Royal Bath next week, starring Belinda Lang and David Haig. Written by David Haig, this compelling new play visits Bath as part of a nationwide
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Cinema - 50 First Dates (12A)
THERE'S something sweet and charming about 50 First Dates . . . unfortunately there's also a fair bit that's crude and jarring. In what's presumably an attempt to woo a bigger audience, this gentle romantic comedy sports an incongruous sex-starved aquarium
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Cinema - Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (18)
The second half of Quentin Tarantino's eagerly anticipated martial arts epic begins with a whimper and ends with a bang. Unlike the frenetic and relentlessly violent first instalment, Volume 2 bides its time with entire sequences devoted to dialogue and
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Hero worship for our Jonny
ST GEORGE'S DAY: The English are keener than ever to celebrate St George's Day according to a new survey published today. Conducted by the NOP, the poll found that nearly 50 per cent of people think we increasingly want to celebrate our national day.
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Dragon slain just down the road
ST GEORGE'S DAY: St George wasn't a stranger to these parts if local legend is to be believed. Dragon Hill, a prominent natural outcrop on the lower slopes of White Horse Hill near Uffington, is so-called because it is believed to be the site of the great
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St George? St George who?
Ref. 29994-21ALEX EMERY asks why the English will happily sup a pint for St Patrick, but seem to be apathetic about celebrating their own patron saint's day People as far afield as Australia celebrate St Patrick's day, and St David has his fair share
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Town's HIV cases continue to rise
Ref. 30043-17THE Terrence Higgins Trust has opened a support centre in Swindon to help cope with the town's rising number of HIV cases. The charity will offer advice and counselling to around 100 HIV-infected people in the borough. Doctors believe sex
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By George
Ref. 30060-49PATRIOTIC Robb Forty braved the tattooist's needle for a total of 18 hours to celebrate St George's Day. Robb, 39, has had his entire back covered with a dramatic design depicting St George in his legendary battle with a dragon. The building
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1380 jobs lost
WORKERS at a drug manufacturing company will be victims in the latest swathe of redundancies to hit Swindon. Cardinal Health, based at Blagrove Industrial Estate, has yet to announce which employees will lose their jobs. The American company has confirmed
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Mixed sides in friendlies
After the close of the league campaign last week, Swindon are looking to next season with friendly games for two mixed sides. A combined first and second team will play at home in a fixture to be confirmed. Front rows Sean O'Rourke and Darren New retain
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Fundraising continues for park nature centre
VOLUNTEERS aiming to build a £260,000 nature centre in Trowbridge are getting closer to their goal. Fundraising efforts for the Hope Nature Centre are continuing apace, with the Kentwood Choir putting on a charity bash for the project on April 30. Tickets
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Players stage Russell's film classic Rita
AWARD-winning play Educating Rita is to be brought to the stage by the Trowbridge Players. The group is taking on Willy Russell's classic work which was made into a film in 1983. The film won an Oscar nomination for Michael Caine and he and Julie Walters
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Loans to beat sharks
A COMMUNITY-based loan scheme has been launched in Trowbridge to help people resist the loan shark trap. Following the launch of a similar scheme in Melksham, to which 100 people have already signed up, organisers launched Trowbridge's first Credit Union
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Girls to help in Gambia
AN African adventure beckons for two ex-Star delivery girls from Trowbridge. Chloe Ross and Lauren Sheath, both 16, are giving up their summer holidays and leaving their Hilperton homes for a three-week mission to Gambia. The girls, both pupils at The
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50s star gives pensioners a musical treat
CROONER Edmund Hockridge entertained the crowds at the launch of a new retirement complex in Trowbridge. Pensioners at Regal Court, Bythesea Road, were singing along to the 83-year-old's greatest hits dating back to the 50s and 60s when he made a guest
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Company running as normal
TIMOTHY Wakely's one-year prison sentence has been welcomed by the detective in charge of his case. DC Emma Powell, of Trowbridge CID, said the 12-month tariff was what she and her colleagues had expected and sent out the right message to offenders. She
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Appeal to keep school building
COMMUNITY leaders in Steeple Ashton are pleading for help to keep the former village primary school building in use. The last pupils left St Mary's Primary School on April 2, sparking a campaign by residents to retain the 100-year-old Victorian building
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Man to face jury
A Trowbridge man is to face trial by jury after pleading not guilty to racially aggravated threatening behaviour. Trevor Spooner, 23, of Beech Road, denied the charge, relating to an incident on November 21 2003, when he appeared at Swindon Crown Court
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Full speed ahead for record attempt
HURTLING along at 145mph in a F1 racing car sounds scary enough but a Trowbridge man is planning to take the challenge one step further by doing it blindfolded. Ed Elliott, 53, of Green Lane, will take up the white-knuckle challenge in June, aiming to
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£110,000 facelift for town centre
A £110,000 cash injection will transform the streetscape of Trowbridge as town leaders bid to clean up the county town's image. Up to £40,000 worth of vandal-proof street furniture, including bins, bollards and flower planters will start appearing on
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Fixtures
SATURDAY DR MARTENS LEAGUE Premier Division: Cambridge v Tiverton; Chippenham v Moor Gn; Crawley v Hinckley; Dorchester v Newport C; Eastbourne v Nuneaton; Grantham v Worcester; Havant & W v Bath City; Hednesford v Weston-s-Mare; Merthyr T v Dover
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Long trip rewarded with full limit bag
THE amazing fishing from Wick Green at Chew Valley Lake continues for boat and bank anglers. Although Chew was stocked at the Sailing Club and Nunnery, many of the newly stocked fish turned up at Wick Green within a couple of days. Last week many limit
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Now you can be a record breaker
Ref. 30061-17LOCAL bands can get a foothold on the ladder to stardom by recording in a new £100,000 studio at Swindon's New College. The state-of-the-art studio has been used by music technology students since the new £13m Walcot East campus opened last
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Schools set the stage
A THEATRE company has started a tour around Swin-don's schools. Sixth Sense has launched its Theatre in Education project The Unplanned Space, which will visit Even Swindon Junior, Ferndale Junior, Goddard Park Primary, Holy Rood Catholic Junior, Mountford
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Sensational soul band lined up for pop festival
TICKETS for the Wiltshire festival at Lydiard Park are selling fast after the news that The Commitments have been added to the bill, which also features boy band Blue and R and B singer Jamelia. The nine-piece soul band will be flying in from Dublin on
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Stage set for launch of new boat
ACTOR Timothy West is to launch a newly-built Thames trip boat at Lechlade today. The actor, who has starred in many films and television series for more than four decades, including the Inspector Lynley Mysteries and the dramatisation of the Alan Clark
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Council votes to be GM free
WILTSHIRE County Council is the latest local authority in Britain to go GM free. The council has banned genetically modified food from its catering and all new tenant farm agreements in the county will ensure GM crops are not grown on council land. All
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OAPs are better off under credit scheme
THANK you for your article (EA April 19) on pensions, it will be a great help to pensioners who want to claim what you say is rightfully theirs. Following the introduction of Pensions Credits, additional spending on pensioners as a result of measures
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Public don't care about hunt ban
A persistent minority within the Labour Party is suggesting it might again be a good idea to concentrate on banning hunting, despite the fact that just two per cent of the public agrees. The Government should reflect carefully on its priorities for the
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Student allowances won't all go on beer
IT is not often that I am moved to put pen to paper, especially if it is in response to some right wing claptrap spouted by one of our esteemed councillors. However, I could not in good conscience allow Coun Garry Perkins' rant against the Government's
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It's Le Crunch
OLLY Barkley returns to Bath's line-up as the English Premiership leaders defend a 14-point advantage over Montferrand in tomorrow's Parker Pen Challenge Cup semi-final, second leg in France (1pm). The England international nominated for the Professional
