Archive
-
Date
Is Goldiggers hiding proof of castle myth?
CHIPPENHAM NEWS EXCLUSIVE: EXPERTS are a step nearer solving the mystery of an ancient castle hidden underneath Chippenham town centre, which has baffled experts for two centuries. Archaeologists have completed their first search for the 900-year-old
-
Date
'Get off my land', youths are told
RESIDENTS in Westbury can expect a little more peace and quiet at weekends after a landowner agreed scramblers should not be riding on its land. Young riders had been using the land off Storridge Road as a practice ground and claimed to have the landowner's
-
Date
Uncertainty 'is forcing businesses elsewhere'
BUSINESSES hoping to open shops on a Trowbridge housing estate are looking elsewhere according to a property agent in the town. Brian Fitchett of Brian Fitchett Commercial said businesses have been put off after West Wiltshire District Council deferred
-
Date
All part of the process for Lafarge
The kiln, above, can reach temperatures in excess of 1000CThe Lafarge cement works is a burning issue in Westbury and Wiltshire Times reporter Ed Mezzetti went on a tour of the plant which has been a key feature of the town for over 40 years. TOURING
-
Date
CCTV bid to beat village's vandals
16076/3Vandals have left a village hall committee with no choice but to install security cameras. Three cameras were put up at Bratton's Jubilee Hall this week to prevent another attack on the recently refurbished building. The £1,500 cameras mean the
-
Date
Hospital gets a facelift
MELKSHAM Hospital has undergone a revamp thanks to a fundraising effort by its League of Friends. The community hospital, on Spa Road, was given £7,000 in cash by the charity, which raised the money at its annual fete. Walls have been given a fresh coat
-
Date
Estate to go ahead on fields
PLANS to build 750 extra homes in Melksham took a step forward on Wednesday night after district councillors formally adopted a development brief for the east of the town. The land at Clackers Brook is now officially designated for residential development
-
Date
Call to lower limit outside school
16078/1A TOWN councillor has expressed her fears over speeding traffic after witnessing a crash outside a Melksham school. Cllr Angie Barker is calling for a lower speed limit of 40mph on Bath Road after seeing a crash outside The George Ward School.
-
Date
No business like snow business
16087/2A FUNERAL DIRECTOR is descending 150,000ft in six days on a snowboard to raise cash for charity. Aaron Bewley, of Church Street, Melksham, is taking part in the 2005 Colorado Challenge, organised by cerebral palsy charity Scope. Ski and snowboard
-
Date
New NSC manager
THE New Swindon Company has appointed Richard Crutchley as its planning manager to help develop the new proposals for the town centre. Richard has joined from Swindon Council where he was a senior planner. He said: "This is a very exciting time to be
-
Date
College hits road to boost learning
WILTSHIRE College staff used the half term holiday to promote learning in the community. Employees from the college, which has centres in Trowbridge and Chippenham, were out and about in a mobile learning unit to advertise free courses. The courses have
-
Date
Kate Adie gives talk to the WI
Journalist Kate Adie was the guest of honour at an autumn meeting of the Wiltshire Federation of Women's Institutes. Miss Adie, who was twice named as Reporter of the Year by the Royal Television Society, gave a talk at the WI's meeting in Salisbury City
-
Date
Water watchdog is happy
WATER watchdog OFWAT has issued a report showing water firms are giving customers a good level of service. The report reviewed the performance of the water industry since privatisation and looked at individual companies, including Wessex Water. It showed
-
Date
TV cheat's court bid
CONVICTED TV quiz cheat Charles Ingram has hit out at a judge for criticising his spending habits despite having his court costs slashed. The former Army major and his wife Diana had their defence costs bill from the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? trial
-
Date
Forum for landlords
A FORUM has been set up to convince landlords to consider renting their property to people on housing benefits. West Wiltshire District Council has set up the meeting on December 2 at its offices in Bradley Road for residential landlords and people thinking
-
Date
Pro-hunt farmers target Army
THE relationship between Wiltshire farmers and the Ministry of Defence hit rock bottom this week over the proposed ban on hunting. Farmers on Salisbury Plain have refused the MoD permission to use 35,000 acres of land in protest at the likely ban on hunting
-
Date
Crime figures fall six per cent
THERE have been more than 1,000 fewer victims of crime in Wiltshire in the last six months compared to the same period last year, according to figures released by Wiltshire Police. Recorded crime from April to September is six per cent lower than for
-
Date
Your paper on award shortlist
THE Wiltshire Times has been shortlisted for another prize in this year's Newspaper Society Weekly Awards 2004. The nomination follows on from last year's success when the Newspaper Society named the Wiltshire Times as its Weekly Newspaper of the Year
-
Date
Troops head north to assist US Army
SOLDIERS from the Warminster-based Black Watch have left southern Iraq and are heading to an area of the country nicknamed the triangle of death. Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon confirmed the move earlier this week. US Army chiefs requested the troops to
-
Date
Hopes and fears for Black Watch soldiers
US and British soldiers hold a signed Union Jack ahead of the deployment of the First Battalion of the Black Watch to an area near BaghdadTHE families of Black Watch soldiers have spoken of their fears as their loved ones step in to replace US troops
-
Date
Police fears over drink law changes
Picture posed by actorsWILTSHIRE TIMES EXCLUSIVE: A TOP Wiltshire police officer is worried that new 24-hour drinking laws could turn the county into a haven for binge drinkers stretching his resources to breaking point. New licensing laws, which will
-
Date
Problem teenagers targeted
PARENTS of troublesome children in Bradford on Avon could soon be sent letters highlighting their behaviour. Sgt Mark Rees of Bradford on Avon Police addressed the town council on Tuesday and helped it form a plan to combat anti-social behaviour after
-
Date
It's a sign of the times for babiesIt's a sign of the times for babies
A NURSERY is teaching babies sign language to help them communicate with their parents. Longscroft Nursery School in Bradford on Avon is teaching babies signing using music and actions. Sing and Sign teacher Alison Harper, 41, of the Common, Holt, whose
-
Date
Accused in court
A 51-YEAR-OLD man accused of a string of thefts at sports clubs across the UK will appear in Taunton Crown Court today. Alan Philip, of no fixed address, has been charged with one count of burglary and three counts of theft. Philip was arrested on suspicion
-
Date
Yachtsman sails in for St John talk
16052WORLD famous yachtsman Tony Bullimore spoke of his battle for survival after capsizing in the Southern Ocean at a talk to raise money for Bradford on Avon's new St John Ambulance. The talk at the Wiltshire Music Centre on Saturday evening was part
-
Date
End the campaign
IT is sad to see your earlier excellent campaign for safer driving being subsumed by the attack upon Colonel Stibbe's military OBE. This campaign has opened old wounds and is now creating divisiveness between officers and other ranks in our armed forces
-
Date
Council tax: answers
IN response to Dr Nigel Knott's letter of October 22: the district council sends out council tax bills but we only retain 10.5 per cent of the money to help pay for our services. For 2004/05, we managed to limit the increase to our part of the bill to
-
Date
NHS is ducking responsibilities to provide care for Alzheimer's
ANYONE who saw the Panorama programme recently will have been horrified at the discrimination faced by people with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia who are being denied access to healthcare. The care needs of people with Alzheimer's and
-
Date
400 jobs could go at council
SWINDON Council has not ruled out making redundancies following calls to axe up to 400 of its workers. Tory councillor Owen Lister wants the local authority to shed at least five per cent of its 8,000 workers to prevent further hikes in council tax. And
-
Date
Police exhume body of father
GRIEVING family members endured the harrowing spectacle of seeing a loved one exhumed and then reburied. Services were held as the coffin containing the body of Stephen Smith, 44, of Haydon Wick, was removed from a cemetery and then taken to Bristol for
-
Date
Jungle sounds
CHILDREN learned how to play west African drums at a workshop at the John of Gaunt School, Trowbridge on Thursday. The event, organised by the Wiltshire Rural Music Society, used 20 African drums called diembas, borrowed from St Laurence School in Bradford
-
Date
Knitters boost shoebox appeal
AGE is proving no barrier to supporting Operation Christmas Child for members of a Trowbridge pensioners group. Honeypot Luncheon Club, which meets in St John's Church Hall in Upper Studley, has been contributing to the appeal for the last six years.
-
Date
An unusual lift home for Bob
A VINTAGE lorry provided an unusual lift home from the pub for a Trowbridge man. Bob Hallam, 65, was surprised to find colleagues from the environmental health department at West Wiltshire District Council had arranged the 1937 Albion lorry to take him
-
Date
Boy admits carrying weapon in public
A 14-YEAR-OLD Trowbridge boy has appeared in court charged with common assault and possession of an offensive weapon. The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty at Chippenham Youth Court on Wednesday. He also admitted intimidating
-
Date
Village dramatics
Trowbridge Players are repeating their spring play Educating Rita as an autumn production to raise money for a village hall. The Willy Russell play was such a success that amateur actress Nadine Comba is bringing the production to Hilperton Village Hall
-
Date
Estate in flames as arsonist hits again
16054/3AN ESTATE plagued by a series of arson attacks has been hit by three more fires, just hours after residents turned out to try and fireproof the area. A serial arsonist is believed to have been active on the Seymour estate in Trowbridge for over
-
Date
Husband's lasting tribute to Rachel
A TROWBRIDGE man who has raised over £13,000 in memory of his wife has pledged to carry on fundraising until he doubles that amount. Rob Deadman, whose 28-year-old wife Rachel lost her three-year battle with cervical cancer in May, received a certificate
-
Date
Virgin staff get creative
STAFF from a Trowbridge firm got the chance to try out their drumming and DJing skills on Friday. Workers from Virgin Mobile were taking part in a workshop run by Creative Factory at the Wiltshire Music Centre in Bradford on Avon. Ben Jones from Creative
-
Date
Banding together
16051/3A VISITING army cadet band entertained shoppers in Trowbridge and caught the attention of musical youngsters. The cadets in Wiltshire have no musical element but want to form a combined air, sea and army cadet band based in Trowbridge the first
-
Date
Chicago Rock Caf employee in court
Kelly DalzielAN assistant manager at the Chicago Rock Caf, Trowbridge has appeared at Chippenham Magistrates' Court charged with assisting an offender. Kelly Dalziel, 24, of Pine Walk, North Bradley, appeared at court on Tuesday and was released on bail
-
Date
Nature centre beg council to relent
APPALLED: June FlemingCHARITY leaders fear their nature centre project could lose hard-earned grants if councillors do not restore their lease quickly. The committee aiming to create the Hope Nature Centre on land at Southwick Country Park delivered an
-
Date
'I've suffered as well' says Hart
Gary HartTHE parents of a Trowbridge train driver killed in the Selby rail disaster have hit out after the man who caused the crash claimed he had suffered as much as they had. In a documentary screened as part of the BBC's One Life series on Tuesday,
-
Date
Biker Bill gets royal send-off
BIKER Bill's funeral proved to be a memorable occasion as a cavalcade of 50 motorcycles accompanied his hearse to Trowbridge's Holy Trinity Church. Around 200 people turned out for the service on Friday and lined the procession route as it made its way
-
Date
Pigeon feeder is caught on camera
16050/6A woman blamed for worsening the pigeon problem in Trowbridge has been caught on camera feeding the birds, despite the threat she could be taken to court. Danuta Rogova, of Langford Road, was snapped by the Wiltshire Times as she fed the birds
-
Date
Low sex drive claim by accused rapist
Holyoake in the dockTHE jury in the Geoffrey Holyoake trial have retired to consider their verdict, just days after the man accused of drugging and sexually assaulting three Trowbridge women took the stand. Hollyoake told Bristol Crown Court this week
-
Date
The weekend's local football fixtures
SOUTHERN LEAGUE Premier Division: Aylesbury Utd v Cirencester Tn, Chesham Utd v Merthyr Tydfil, Gloucester City v Banbury Utd, Hitchin Tn v Dunstable Tn, Kings Lynn v Chippenham Tn, Solihull Boro v Bedford Tn, Stamford v Team Bath. Division One West:
-
Date
Work to start on wasteland
WORK has begun to improve the appearance of a piece of land near a Swindon supermarket. The land, to the south of the Orbital shopping centre in Haydon Wick, has become overgrown with trees and been subject to vandalism. The area is now being cleared
-
Date
Mike's record bid
IRON man Mike Buss will be trying to smash six endurance records at the McArthur Glen Designer Outlet Village, Swindon. He will be at the shopping complex every Saturday between 10am and 4pm next month trying to beat challenges including running with
-
Date
Get in the picture
SWINDON Photographic Society has a members' exhibition on show at West Swindon Library at the Link Centre. The exhibition is on until November 19 during library opening hours. Admission is free. A society spokesman said: "This is a great way to see what
-
Date
Support plea for play area
CHILDREN in Penhill could get a £150,000 adventure play area. But if it is to be become reality, parents need to behind the plans. The Twist project plans to build the play area on the old paddling pool site near Penhill park. Anyone who wants to help
-
Date
Seeking a deal
OLYMPIC athlete Matt O'Dowd has caught the eye of a Swindon IT recruitment firm over a possible sponsorship deal. But his trainer Bruce Tulloh stresses that nothing has been signed and he is still open to offers. As we reported earlier this week, Matt
-
Date
£400 raised at disco
A DISCO at Stratton Community Centre raised £400 for charity. The money will be split between the Prospect Hospice and Manchester's Wythenshawe transplant unit. Organiser Sandra Stimson, a former patient at the transplant centre, said 130 tickets were
-
Date
Irish dancing
IRISH music and dancing will be on offer at an event on Saturday, November 6.The Moloney and McInerney Schools of Irish Dancing are holding the event, which will star Brendan Shine and his showband. There will also be exhibitions of Irish dancing.
-
Date
Sailors slip back
THE competition in a global yacht race is hotting up, with a vessel crewed by a woman from Ashton Keynes losing its second place spot. Georgina Walker, pictured, 38, from Ashton Keynes is one of 17 crew members on Samsung that was overtaken yesterday
-
Date
Bookies boost for babies
Ref. 73067-44STAFF at Great Western Hospital are celebrating a windfall from the bookies. Earlier this month Ladbrokes organised a charity evening at the Swindon greyhound track in Blunsdon. A dozen local firms took part in the event, which raised £3,700
-
Date
Police chase driver
Motorist Joseph Palmer sped away from police at 80mph after he was spotted using his mobile phone behind the wheel, a jury has been told. The 33-year-old nearly knocked over an elderly man who was wheeling his bike across the road as he drove away from
-
Date
Paedophiles are escaping
INTERNET paedophiles are escaping capture and child victims are not being rescued because police resources are inadequate, according to seven leading children's charities and the Association of Chief Police Officers. On Tuesday the Adver revealed how
-
Date
Asylum seeker went on credit card spend spree
A 25-year-old man used a stolen credit card to buy hundreds of pounds worth of goods from shops across Swindon in one day. Arikarin Senthivel carried out 13 transactions with the card always keeping the level low enough so that he wouldn't be detected
-
Date
Fast Hercules turnaround
REPAIRS to Hercules C130 aircraft could be carried out even faster thanks to new initiatives already underway at RAF Lyneham. According to the Defence Logistics Transformation Programme being rolled out across the MoD around five days can be shaved off
-
Date
Hunters 'fight prejudice'
HUNDREDS of hunt supporters, countryside workers and their families from the region picketed Downing Street yesterday to show their fight against a hunting ban continues. The picket was the third in a series being held on Cabinet Meeting days until the
-
Date
Green light bid for kart centre
A karting centre in Wroughton could be allowed to stay open. Winners has run the centre in a hanger at Wroughton Airfield since 1997 and now wants permanent planning permission. But the parish council, the Science Museum and three neighbours have objected
-
Date
Bar owner goes back to his roots
Ref. 73139-76 Paul Studholme, left, behind the bar at the Brewers Arms with fiancee Amy Cullum and her parents Beverley and John.A PUB landlord is returning to his childhood home to breathe new life into the inn where he grew up. And it was during the
-
Date
Sharron to make splash at film evening
CELEBRITY swimming star Sharron Davies will be guest of honour at a charity film screening next month. The Olympic medallist will grace a glittering reception prior to the charity premiere of Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason at Cineworld, Greenbridge
-
Date
Beat thieves by bagging it
Ref. 73132-16 Luke Bowns and Nicole Cotrell receive their bags from promoters Erin Leighton and Virginia Silberberg at the Adver roadshow at Canal Walk yesterdayMOTORISTS have been snapping up the their free RAC Safe Sacks as part of the Adver's fight
-
Date
Bob drives off with major classic car title
A PORSCHE supercar owned by a Swindon enthusiast has scooped two awards in a high-profile final of one of Europe's major classic car competitions. Bob Weekes, 58, of Burghly Park, received the awards at a ceremony held at Birmingham's National Exhibition
-
Date
Toys taken by council staff
WHEN toys and furniture were swiped from her garage, mum Allison Lock assumed she was the victim of thieves. But the Advertiser can reveal the garage was hit not by crooks but by Swindon Council workers who cleared out the wrong unit. The embarrassing
-
Date
Not above law
A 20-year-old, let's call him Harry, gets drunk. As he leaves the pub someone takes his photo. Harry goes over to the man, uses a lot of bad language then assaults him causing actual bodily harm. The press would call him a lager lout. Why should the title
-
Date
Campaigning
I AM writing in response to the letter from S Chapman in Evening Advertiser, October 26. Age Concern Swindon campaigns for better pensions and benefits and are working to improve the financial position of older people. I am unable to comment further without
-
Date
Humphreys returns to lead Bath
Jonathan Humphreys returns to captain Bath as they travel to Dublin to face Leinster in the Pool-topping clash at Lansdowne Road tomorrow. The former Wales skipper missed last weekend's 22-12 victory over Bourgoin at the Rec with a shoulder strain, but
-
Date
Plenty on offer for youngsters
CHIPPENHAM NEWS: YOUNGSTERS were given help in finding fun events to fill their spare time at a mini street festival on Wednesday night. Over 60 children aged between 11 and 16 enjoyed workshops at Chippenham Library which encouraged them to join youth
-
Date
Walsh: Roberts could be a steal
TOWN assistant boss Mike Walsh feels the club could have a 'steal' on their hands if Christian Roberts blossoms into a consistent match-winner. The Welsh wizard had a significant part to play in all three of Town's goals against Sheffield Wednesday, although
-
Date
Pub drinkers raise cash to buy tots toys
REGULARS at a Bratton pub have raised over £1,000 for the village pre-school. Fortnightly raffles held at The Duke in the summer raised the much-needed cash and on Friday the pre-school's staff were presented with equipment. The raffles were the brainchild
-
Date
Councillor exasperated by officers
A WESTBURY councillor has claimed planning officers "live on another planet", after visiting the site of a refused application. Bill Braid, chairman of the town council's planning committee, made the comments after he and fellow members inspected Frogmore
-
Date
Burglary charge
A 27-year-old Atworth man accused of breaking into a house in Westbury is to face trial by jury. Aaron Gibbings is accused of burgling the property on Beech Grove on June 10. Gibbings, of Mountpleasant, Atworth, near Melksham, pleaded not guilty when
-
Date
Surgery petition is instant hit
MORE than 1,000 Westbury people have signed a petition calling for a second doctors' surgery in the town. The exercise is the latest phase in a campaign to persuade health bosses of the need for the facility. Campaign organiser and town councillor Charlie
-
Date
MP raises fears over chalk quarry extension scheme
DR Andrew Murrison MP is urging Lafarge Cement to rethink plans to extend its chalk quarry near the White Horse. The extension would include Ministry of Defence land farmed by Richard and Rosemarie Gale, who are leading a campaign against the plan. Dr
-
Date
Lots of interest in The Lamb
AN ESTATE agent's search to find new owners for a 400-year-old village pub near Westbury could soon be over. Christie and Co's Bristol office put The Lamb in Edington on the market last month, offering its remaining eight-year lease for £92,500. Spokesman
-
Date
Cement factory hits dust target
LAFARGE Cement UK says it has met an environmental improvement target seven years ahead of schedule. The company, which operates the Westbury works, has cut emissions of dust per tonne of cement made at its factories to less than 30 percent of the levels
-
Date
Cllr rewarded for blood gifts
A MELKSHAM town councillor was among a group of donors who were thanked for giving between 50 and 75 pints of blood. Cllr Vic Oakman was awarded a gold pen and tie pin for giving 50 units of blood over 18 years. "I would advise anyone to take it up because
-
Date
Minister snubs eco unveiling
A WILTSHIRE housing association was left fuming after a government minister scuppered plans to unveil state-of-the-art eco-homes in Bromham. Keith Hill, minister for housing and planning, pulled out of the official opening ceremony days before the event
-
Date
Public train as lifesavers
AN emergency scheme training Melksham people to respond to life-threatening situations was launched in the town this week. The Wiltshire Ambulance Trust Emergency Responder was officially unveiled during the presentation of a £3,000 cheque at the Kings
-
Date
Emmerdale fan caught in pot raid
A MAN caught in a police drugs raid that netted a single cannabis plant has escaped with a conditional discharge. Lascell Allison, 43, of Littlejohn Avenue, Melksham, was watching Emmerdale on TV when officers broke his door down searching for drugs.
-
Date
Confusion over school relocation
A GOVERNOR at a Melksham primary school has criticised the town council for "making judgements on hearsay" which have led to rumours that it is facing closure. Gordon Hiscock, chairman of governors at Forest and Sandridge School, said he wanted to clarify
-
Date
Party fun marks library's 40 years
16055/2A LIBRARY in Melksham celebrated in style after notching up 40 years at its present home. The library in Lowbourne organised two events to mark the anniversary of its move from Bank Street in September 1964. A children's party on Saturday attracted
-
Date
Play area hit by graffiti vandals
16037/4GRAFFITI condoning the use of drugs has been found in a Melksham park just months after a £50,000 refurbishment. Town councillor Vic Oakman described the vandalism as moronic and said the council could be forced to cut opening hours at Methuen
-
Date
Banking on a makeover
Barclays Bank staff will be giving up Saturday morning to redecorate Thames Hall in Cricklade High Street tomorrow. Activity organiser Nicola Arthurs of Barclays said: "We hope that by swapping our pens and suits for paint and overalls for a day, we can
-
Date
Seminar to be held focusing on funding
Wiltshire and Swindon Economic Partnership together with The Wessex Association of Chambers of Commerce are holding a seminar next month. "How to access funding, new technologies and improve manufacturing" will be held at Trowbridge Civic Hall on Tuesday
-
Date
Father hands keys to business over to son
SWINDON businessman Ken Knox is stepping down after 40 years at the helm of SW Transport. But the family connection will live on as his youngest son Richard has been given the keys and will be taking over. Mr Knox said: "It's a proud moment for me. Richard
-
Date
Thanks to store for caring
I WAS shopping with my son on October 10 in Tesco. We decided to have a cup of tea when I felt very unwell. I would like to thank the staff of Tesco for their concern and kindness, following their concern up with a phone call to me two days later. V POWELL
-
Date
Code of practice for cashpoints?
NATIONWIDE Building Society has welcomed an MP's bid to regulate cash machines so customers know whether they are being charged. James Plaskitt made a move this week to raise the issue of fee-charging cash machines in the House of Commons. He has called
-
Date
Call to turn off and save
PEOPLE across west Wiltshire are being urged to switch off unused electrical appliances for an hour today as part of the Big Turn Off, which marks the annual Energy Efficiency Week. West Wiltshire MP Dr Andrew Murrison has added his name to a Parliamentary
-
Date
Violent thug will spend 11 years behind bars
Colin CookeDETECTIVES believe west Wiltshire is a safer place now that a violent thug who kidnapped and assaulted a man in Trowbridge has been jailed for a total of 11 years. Colin Cooke, 32, was sentenced to three years in jail at Swindon Crown Court
-
Date
Green bin scheme 'having positive effect'
INCREASING volumes of recycled waste have left council chiefs in Wiltshire quietly confident of meeting their Government targets. With landfill sites filling up fast the Government has told local authorities they face penalties and intervention if they
-
Date
MPs' expenses are under the spotlight
THE spending habits of MPs in west and north Wiltshire were put in the spotlight as their expenses were published for the first time. Shadow Health minister Dr Andrew Murrison, who represents the Westbury constituency, was among the lowest claimants in
-
Date
Hopes and fears for Black Watch soldiers
US and British soldiers hold a signed Union Jack ahead of the deployment of the First Battalion of the Black Watch to an area near BaghdadTHE families of Black Watch soldiers have spoken of their fears as their loved ones step in to replace US troops
-
Date
Police fears over drink law changes
Picture posed by actorsWILTSHIRE TIMES EXCLUSIVE: A TOP Wiltshire police officer is worried that new 24-hour drinking laws could turn the county into a haven for binge drinkers stretching his resources to breaking point. New licensing laws, which will
-
Date
Police hunt driver who stole petrol
POLICE are hunting for a man who has twice driven off from the petrol station at Warminster bypass services without paying for fuel. The man, who drives a grey Vauxhall Cavalier, struck for a second time on Sunday after his initial theft on October 2.
-
Date
It's not cricket, say no-mast protesters
16053PEOPLE power won the day in Warminster this week when the town's cricket club agreed to back down over a mobile phone mast plan. The club had offered part of its Sambourne Road ground as a mast site to phone giant Hutchison 3G and said it had no
-
Date
Town ready for float cavalcade
MORE than 50 floats will parade through Warminster town centre tomorrow as carnival week reaches a colourful climax. The annual event, which is part of the Wessex Grand Prix circuit, is set to be as keenly contested as ever with rival groups bidding to
-
Date
Longleat portrait proves a big draw
BUDDING artists in Wiltshire teamed up with Lord Bath this week to try to draw the world's biggest group portrait. Lord Bath officially launched the Big Portrait at Longleat House on Friday with members of the public sketching their faces on a giant canvas
-
Date
Lab enables officers to try out battle tactics
16085/1A MILLION pound project designed to keep soldiers safer in battle was unveiled in Warminster this week. The Battlelab based at the Land Warfare Centre, on Imber Road, uses cutting edge technology to simulate battle situations. Officers can try
-
Date
Hopes and fears for Black Watch soldiers
US and British soldiers hold a signed Union Jack ahead of the deployment of the First Battalion of the Black Watch to an area near BaghdadTHE families of Black Watch soldiers have spoken of their fears as their loved ones step in to replace US troops
-
Date
Trust's lectures
A JOURNALIST from The Times gave a lecture as part of the 40th anniversary celebrations of Bradford on Avon's Preservation Trust on Friday. About 200 people turned up to hear Marcus Binney OBE, architectural correspondent for The Times and keen conservationist
-
Date
Fair to aid centre
BRADFORD ON AVON Tourism Association's autumn fair at St Margaret's Hall tomorrow will raise money for the town's tourist information centre, which is visited by 38,000 people each year. Attractions at the fair will include handmade crafts and light refreshments
-
Date
Town stages I Can We Can
THE programme for a weekend of inspirational activities across Bradford on Avon promises a packed schedule of fun and unusual events for residents. The I Can We Can event will take place at venues across Bradford on Avon on the weekend of November 6 and
-
Date
Tributes to former mayor
A FORMER Bradford on Avon mayor has died, aged 86. Roy Beresford, known as Nic, died at his Grange View home on Tuesday of a suspected heart attack. Mr Beresford not only served as mayor in the 1980s but also played an active role in West Wiltshire District
-
Date
Kit promotes need to stay fit
16049/2AN OSTEOPATH keen to promote health and exercise among children has sponsored a local football team's new kit. Christian Sullivan, owner of Bradford on Avon Osteopathy Centre has sponsored the town's under 9s football team with new kit featuring
-
Date
Searching for tales of the supernatural
TO many people ghosts and the supernatural lie beyond the realms of possibility, but two women from Bradford on Avon have discovered there may be some truth to Wiltshire's wealth of ghost tales and legends. As youngsters prepare to celebrate Halloween
-
Date
Can you help?
IN 1914 Captain Cooper, with a group from the Bradford on Avon Church Lads Brigade, went down to Dawlish and transmitted to the surrounding areas using a rotary spark transmitter with a crystal diode. Although I have consulted numerous amateur radio books
-
Date
Farmers need our support
THE backbone of every rural county is its farmers. They have had a hard time in recent years, what with pressures from supermarkets, foot and mouth etc. Now I am told they are going to lose yet another livestock market in Wiltshire and be made to drive
-
Date
Fight for Waterloo link
SO the Warminster-Waterloo service is probably going to be axed. As a regular user of this popular rail link I consider this decision to be a paradox. On the one hand the government is trying to persuade us to use public transport and at the same time
-
Date
Knitters have kept on working
ON Wednesday Hilary McFall (of Operation Christmas Child) visited Hilperton Village Hall to receive hats and mittens for the charity and to give a short talk. The hats and mittens have been made by members of the Hilperton 60+ Club and others in the village
-
Date
Honour our soldiers
MOST of us probably don't even think twice about the freedom we have or the independence we enjoy every single day. Yet without the sacrifices of those who fought in two World Wars and many other conflicts, our lives could be so very different. Remembrance
-
Date
Let's preserve our Victorian heritage
THANK you Councillor Hedley for pointing out that Newtown is a conservation area, whoever would have guessed? When I came here not so many years ago the streets were weed free and not littered permanently with dustbins, the beautiful Bath stone was not
-
Date
Cinema - Finding Neverland (PG)
ANYTHING Matthew Pinsent can do, a bunch of hard-bitten, male film critics can do better. And I'm not talking about winning an Olympic rowing gold medal. The problem was that the house lights came up too quickly at the end of a screening of moving true-life
-
Date
Rambert Dance Company - Theatre Royal
NOVEMBER 16 - 20 2004, BATH: Modern dance lovers should hotfoot it to Bath next month. Britain's oldest dance company, the Rambert Dance Company, pictured, will perform a range of displays on November 16. The vibrant repertoire includes Songs of a Wayfarer
-
Date
House prices dip slightly for first time since 2001
HOUSE prices fell for the first time in three years this month, dropping by 0.4 per cent, according to Swindon-based Nationwide. The company's Monthly House Price Index for October reported the largest decline in prices since February 2001. Despite this
-
Date
Residents complain about care home plan
RESIDENTS are protesting against plans to extend a care home. The planned extension at 12a Masefield Avenue, Upper Stratton, caused 20 residents of the street to object. The development would provide an extra four rooms for the home, which currently has
-
Date
Councillor calls for parish council
A TORY councillor is calling for West Swindon to have its own parish council as he does not believe enough is being done for the community. Douglas Stewart, who represents the Shaw and Nine Elms ward at Swindon Council, is calling for the change because
-
Date
Up for the hunt for mammoth
A world famous palaeontologist is to lead a hunt for fossils in the Cotswold Water Park. Dr Neville Hollings-worth, who starred in the BBC's The British Isles: A Natural History, will lead the event Mysterious Monsters and Amazing Ammonites on November
-
Date
Caring cabbies come to the aid of the party...
Ref. 73136-76HACKNEY carriages await residents of a Swindon nursing home left wondering if Christmas would happen. Yesterday we told how a transport mix-up threatened to put paid to the pensioners' festive bash. But within hours of the Adver hitting the
-
Date
Police appeal after man is robbed at knifepoint
POLICE are searching for witnesses after a man was robbed at knifepoint in a Swindon park. The 32-year-old was walking through the lakes area in the Lawn Woods on Saturday between 12.15pm and 1.15pm when two men approached him and threatened him with
-
Date
How could children be this evil
Ref. 73135-34CHILDREN tortured a five-week-old kitten by stubbing out cigarettes in its eye. The cruel act has shocked animal carers in Swindon, who say they are sickened by the deed. The kitten is recovering at the Swindon and District Animal Haven after
-
Date
Brooks thrown in for Swindon
Swindon will be aiming to keep the pressure on leaders Drifters in their Berks, Bucks & Oxon Premier campaign when they travel to lowly Harwell tomorrow. The Greenbridge Road men are forced into a number of changes for the short trip into Oxfordshire
-
Date
Staff think pink for charity day
EVEN the food in the canteen was pink at a Trow-bridge factory on Friday as staff took part in a fundraising day. Staff at Pork Farm Bowyers held a pink-themed day in support of breast cancer awareness month. Organiser Maureen Sheppard said: "Every-one
-
Date
Jamie's jet set's dream Paris jaunt
A VIP air trip to Disneyland Paris was the prize won by a Trowbridge travel agent in a national competition. Jamie Morris, who works for Howard Travel, at Church Walk, Trowbridge, won his very own plane for a day in the competition run by British Airways
-
Date
Uncertainty 'is forcing businesses elsewhere'
BUSINESSES hoping to open shops on a Trowbridge housing estate are looking elsewhere according to a property agent in the town. Brian Fitchett of Brian Fitchett Commercial said businesses have been put off after West Wiltshire District Council deferred
-
Date
Witnesses sought after assault on girl
POLICE are appealing for witnesses after a 17-year-old girl was assaulted near the Stallards park in Trowbridge. The girl was cutting through the park from Stallard Street towards Bradford Road at 10pm on October 1 when a man started following her. When
-
Date
Charged with 'skunk' dealing
POLICE have charged a 20-year-old Trowbridge man with possessing nearly £3,000 worth of herbal cannabis with intent to supply. Paul Reynolds, of Orchard Court, answered bail on Wednesday after a police raid on his home in September, and was charged with
-
Date
Attack in street
POLICE are appealing for witnesses after a woman was punched in the face and robbed in the Timbrell Street area of Trowbridge around 1am on Sunday. It follows a knifepoint robbery in Bradley Road and a gang mugging in Park Street within the last four
-
Date
Museum outbid as Pitman's pen sold
A GOLD-NIBBED pen belonging to Trowbridge-born shorthand pioneer Sir Isaac Pitman fetched six times its asking price at an auction on Monday. The pen, which went for £705, was included in a collection of more than 300 of Sir Isaac's possessions sold at
-
Date
Driver crushed by lorry
A LORRY driver from Trowbridge narrowly escaped being crushed to death under his cab after yobs released the handbrake. The man, who has not been named, had to be released by firefighters after he was pinned against a fence by the lorry at a Weymouth
-
Date
Victim's disgust at jail sentence
Dean PeverleyONE of the victims scarred by the brutal violence of Colin Cooke has spoken of his anger after the thug received just three years for kidnapping and assaulting Craig Dyer bringing his total sentence to 11 years. Dean Peverley, 29, pictured
-
Date
Council objects to road
The Hilperton GapPLANS to build a road on a green area of land separating Hilperton from Trowbridge have hit another snag. Hilperton Parish Council has objected to the planning application by Persimmon Homes to build a relief road through the Gap. Parish
-
Date
Irish pub due to open next month
Thomas RothschildA NEW theme bar in Trowbridge has finally got the go-ahead after a lengthy battle to gain a liquor licence. The Shires Tavern, Murphy's Rest, in the Stone Mills complex developed by entrepreneur Thomas Rothschild, has been granted a licence
-
Date
Fish not taking the Mickey
JOHN FISHER is desperate for a victory in the preliminary round of the Hellenic Challenge Cup tomorrow, but not for the reasons you might expect. The Highworth boss wouldn't say no to a decent run in the competition, but more importantly he wants to avoid
-
Date
White hits another brick wall in search for striker
Steve White faces the long trek to King's Lynn following another frustrating week in the transfer market. A fortnight after failing to lure Scott Griffin from Cirencester, his namesake Alan Griffin at Corsham has also turned down a move to Chippenham.
-
Date
STRATTON FACE UP TO ACID TEST
AFC Stratton face their toughest game of the season so far when they visit league leaders Corsham Town this weekend. The home side have been beaten only once from 11 starts and are without doubt the most consistent side in the section. Tony Dyer's troops
-
Date
Have a heart
Volunteers are needed to spread the word about the British Heart Foundation in Swindon schools. The charity is looking for volunteers to take on the role of volunteer school co-ordinator in the borough, visiting schools to promote the work of the BHF.
-
Date
Band plays a treat
American personnel at RAF Fairford were treated to a performance by American Air Force's band The Tops In Blue. It is an entertainment show made up of United States Air Force personnel. The band is currently on a world tour and will be appearing at bases
-
Date
Frosty's big day
FROSTY the snowman will drift into Swindon next week to deliver Royal Mail's new Christmas stamps. He will unveil the set of six seasonal stamps drawn up by cartoonist Raymond Briggs. The stamps, which will be issued on Tuesday, show Santa bravely taking
-
Date
Spirits at pub?
A SWINDON-based team of ghosthunters will spend Halloween in a haunted pub. The Paranormal Site Investigators will set up cameras and sound recording equipment at the Hare and Hounds in Corsham. Group member Dave Wood, of Old Town, pictured, said: "We
-
Date
Under the hammer
SPECIALIST collectors are expected to descend on Swindon on Wednesday when a collection of rare science and economics books go under the hammer at Dominic Winters Auctioneers in Maxwell Street
-
Date
Star man in town
JEREMY Bulloch, the actor who played the bounty hunter Boba Fett in two of the Star Wars films, appears in Swindon next month. Mr Bulloch will be meeting fans and signing autographs at the Infinitely Better Shop in the Brunel Centre on Saturday, November
-
Date
Snap up tickets for the Snow Queen
TICKETS go on sale next month for Wroughton's pantomime. Rehearsals are now well under way for the Wroughton Amateur Dramatic And Music Society (WADAMS) production of Snow Queen on December 9 to 11. The show starts at 7.30pm with a 2.30pm matinee on December
-
Date
Businessman on council tax charge
A SWINDON businessman who lost everything after his company was defrauded by an employee will appear in court today for not paying his council tax. John Keeping, 61, of Swindon Road, Stratton, lost everything after his haulier business Keeping Transport
-
Date
Music to aid church
A CONCERT to benefit Christ Church's Skyline appeal is taking place. It will feature the Swindon Male Voice Choir and the Thamesdown Ladies Choir on November 6 at 7.30 pm in Christ Church. Tickets are priced £5 for adults, £3 for concessions, while a
-
Date
Man in court on assault charge
A SWINDON man is accused of assaulting his ex-girlfriend and threatening to kill her. Antonio De Brito Lourenco, 30, of Armstrong Street, Gorse Hill, appeared before town magistrates yesterday. The alleged incident took place on Tuesday evening at an
-
Date
Chinese theatre
A CHINESE film banned in its own country will be shown at Swindon Arts Centre on Wednesday. Blind Shaft (15), in Mandarin but with English subtitles, is a story of Chinese itinerant workers seeking fame and fortunes of mining accidents.Director Li Yang
-
Date
Match date for calendar girls
A GROUP of women who bared all for a fundraising calendar will be launching it tomorrow. Organiser Jacki Barnwell and her team of mums decided to strip off to raise cash for Swindon Town's Centre of Excellence. They will be selling their calendars at
-
Date
Man held for fake dollars
A man was helping police with their enquiries yesterday after trying to exchange four and half thousand counterfeit US Dollars in a Swindon post office. Staff at the Sandford Street Post Office called the police when they discovered that the notes that
-
Date
First come for distance run
TICKETS will be handed out to runners of a popular half marathon event who are willing to support a worthy cause. Competitors who raise at least £200 for Youth Action Wiltshire could claim one of the 19 tickets available for the Bath Half Marathon. All
-
Date
Scrooge needs aid
SCROOGE is coming to Penhill. The Penhill Players is staging the Dickens' classic this Christmas. But volunteers are needed on the group committee. Helpers should attend the annual general meeting at 6.30pm in St Peter's Church on Tuesday, November 23
-
Date
Church CD inspires Belgians
THE peel of Christ Church's bells have travelled to Belgium. Sales of the choir's CD, called Skyline Sounds, have hit the roof, say organisers. And some of the 420 copies sold have ended up in Antwerp. All profits from the album will be go to the Skyline
-
Date
Tory call centre to target voters
POTENTIAL Tory voters in Swindon will be targeted by call centres in the run-up to the next election. The Conservative Party plans to use marketing software to identify potential supporters in key constituencies then telephone them to try to win their
-
Date
New chapter for bookstore
BOOK retailer Borders opened a new chapter by joining forces with Amazon to launch its first website for UK customers. The chain, which has a Swindon branch at the Orbital shopping park, started selling books, music, DVDs and videos as part of a 'multi-year
-
Date
Drinking hours threat to police
FEARS have been raised that 24-hour licensing will lead to police officers working intolerable hours. Round-the-clock boozing may be good news for revellers, but the Police Federation's Wiltshire branch says it will mean more unsociable working for officers
-
Date
Music night raised £1,150 for hospice
A SELL out concert in Wootton Bassett raised £1,150 for the Prospect Hospice in Wroughton. The Swindon Concert Band played music by Glenn Miller, George Gershwin, Johann Strauss and Andrew Lloyd Webber at the town's memorial hall. Apart from the music
-
Date
Crackdown on vice girls
Ref. 25782-50MEMBERS of a Swindon vice patrol hope new Gov-ernment consultation will stop women from turning to prostitut-ion. With less than a month until the consul-tation period for the review of prostitution closes, the Home Office is calling for
-
Date
Drivers bubble with enthusiasm for challenge
Ref. 73110-83IT will be no ordinary booze cruise when five drivers from BP Castrol in Swindon fill their car boots with red wine and champagne. They will be navigating some of France's hidden routes and, when they reach home on Friday, November 19, their
-
Date
The right tune
I'D like to appeal to all readers who may be planning to celebrate the festive season with a carol concert or musical event, to consider singing or playing, for ChildLine. In Tune with ChildLine aims to raise £320,000 to enable us to counsel an extra
-
Date
Exotic fruit for sale but not to buy
My wife and I do our normal weekly shopping at Tesco. My wife enjoys exotic fruits from around the world which Tesco supply. On the shelf are displayed different fruits and in among them we pick out and put in our shopping what I believe are called butter
-
Date
Taking notice
I HOPE we will not see the usual hate mail from those who think a weekly penny extra on their pensions better than paying for proper office support for our local MPs. I wonder if Robbie Williams earns more each week than both of them claim in a year.
-
Date
Scrapstore wants to hear from you
THE Swindon Children's Scrapstore would like to use your letters page to make contact with people who have had past involvement with the project, as volunteers, employees, resource users or suppliers. Scrapstore is a registered charity providing a vital
-
Date
It's not too late to save Coate
YOUR headline 'Coming to a town near you' (October 20), in which you say a 'Green light given for university to be built on controversial Coate site', is misleading as it gives readers the impression that this development is a foregone conclusion, that
