Archive

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Buy Camilla's engagement ring for £19!

SWINDON romantics will soon be able to get their hands on a replica engagement ring just like Camilla Parker Bowles's. The ring, a replica of the one given to Camilla by Prince Charles will go on sale in Asda's two Swindon stores from April 8 the day

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SPRING WEDDING GUIDE

Check out the new spring wedding guide which is bigger and better than ever with even more great stories and more links to relevant advertisers. Click HERE for the spring edition of the wedding guide

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Help at MIND

VOLUNTEERS are needed in the MIND charity shop in Wootton Bassett High Street. In return for a few hours work, a friendly atmosphere and refreshments are on offer. MIND is a mental health charity. Call 01793 848956.

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Foreign police see ours work

international policemen are here this week. The officers from Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines, Botswana, St Kitts and Nevis and India are at a training centre in Hampshire. They will observe policing in Wiltshire, including major incident room co-ordination

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Ambulance aid

A CRICKLADE pub has handed over more than £1,000 to the Wiltshire Air Ambulance Appeal. The Red Lion Inn (pictured) chose the appeal as its charity for 2004 and raised £1,350 through its weekly draws and other charity events throughout the year. The Red

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Jools to perform in the arboretum

JOOLS Holland is to play at Westonbirt Arboretum near Tetbury. Jools will perform with rhythm and blues orchestra on July 29. Tickets, priced £27, go on sale at 9am on Friday, February 18. Ring 01842 814612.

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Bagging a bargain

SNIFF out a bargain at Immanuel Church this weekend. The church in Upham Road, Old Walcot, will be holding a table-top sale between 10am and 12.30pm on Saturday. Organisers say there are still a few pitches available at £5 each. All funds will go to the

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War veterans meet

VETERANS of the Korean War can next meet former comrades on March 8. The Swindon and North Wilts branch of the British Koreans Veterans Association meet at 11am on the second Tuesday of each month at the TA Centre in Church Place. Bert Davey, secretary

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Log on to claim a share of £2,500

COMMUNITY groups working to help disadvantaged young people and adults gain computer skills can apply for grants of £2,500. The awards are organised by a national charity, Citizens Online, together with Microsoft. Alistair Baker, managing director of

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Helpers needed

VOLUNTEERS who can spare just a couple of hours for a cancer charity are needed next month. Marie Curie Cancer Care provides relief for terminally ill patients and their families. The Great Daffodil Appeal runs each year. Swindonians are especially needed

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Campus scheme

SWINDON town centre could be home to a university campus. The Swindon Civic Trust report says the council must take the lead in making land available so the University of Bath can build in the town centre rather than at Coate. The report will be available

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Did you see saw?

Police are investigating the theft of a table saw from a carpenter's van. The van was parked in High Street, Wootton Bassett between 6pm on Monday January 31 and 7am on Tuesday February 1. Anyone with information about the theft is asked to call Wootton

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Question time

SWINDON Town FC directors will be quizzed on their plans for the County Ground. Coun Michael Dickinson (Con, Central) won directors' box tickets for a Town match in a charity auction and will use the chance to talk to directors. He said: "I will ask Bob

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Kids get somewhere to play

BROAD Green Centre has a brand new play area, youth shelter and garden. The new facilities, in Salisbury Street, were officially opened by Coun Peter Stoddart, the Mayor of Swindon, and Coun Justin Tomlinson, the council's cabinet member for Swindon Services

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Fairford Iraq War trespassers were denied justice rules the High Court

ANTI-WAR protestors who were prosecuted for trespassing on military bases were denied justice, the High Court heard. Those convicted were treated unfairly and should not have been found guilty because they were trying to prevent an "illegal" war, said

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Owner offers a reward for missing dog

A DISTRAUGHT Swindon woman is offering a reward for anyone who can reunite her with her much loved dog. Dolly Mixture, a six-month-old pure-bred Jack Russell (pictured) disappeared ten days ago, and her owner, Candy King, has searched high and low for

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£30m key to thefuture of hospital

BOSSES at Great Western Hospital were today handed the keys to a new £30 million treatment centre. Developers Carillion Services which also built the flagship hospital in Swindon in 2002 are now putting the finishing touches to the Brunel NHS Treatment

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Good news for workers

TODAY'S announcement of a £100 million boost to BMW's Cowley plant will help make the the workforce secure at Swindon Pressings. The success of the new Mini has led BMW to expand its Cowley factory known as Plant Oxford and take on about 200 new staff

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Marathon bid runs in the family

THREE runners from the Swindon area are in the ideal position to spur each other on, with just 60 days to the London Marathon. Sue Horrobin, from Cricklade, her daughter Kathleen and Kathleen's fianc Steven Payne are upping the pace as the big race draws

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Shoes send an eloquent message

EMPTY shoes were laid at the war memorial in Regent Circus in a poignant memorial to British men and women who have died in Iraq. Swindon members of the Stop The War Coalition placed 85 pairs of shoes to mark the number who have died. Among those remembered

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Swap votes to defeat Tories

A WEBSITE has urged people in Swindon's two constituencies to defeat Conservative candidates at the forthcoming election by vote-swapping on-line. Tacticalvoter.net has called for tactical voting in north and south Swindon to prevent the Tories regaining

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Well loved vicar 'will be missed'

RESIDENTS in Purton have paid tribute to a vicar who served their village for two decades. Canon Roy Blake, 79, died after a long battle against stomach cancer. He also worked overseas in strife-torn Uganda to help Bishop Yokana Musaka rebuild his diocese

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Mature rugger players sought

GET FIT FOR '05: YOU are never too old to tackle rugby says former England and Bath captain Phil de Glanville. He helped launch a scheme to get older people to leave their firesides and get on the pitch. He was on hand to offer expert advice at the launch

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Don't call us say 24-hour doctors

DOCTORS have urged Swindonians to think twice before calling them out at night and on weekends. Swindon Primary Care Trust which runs the new out-of-hours service says the Shrivenham Road-based team are taking a hammering this winter. Now doctors are

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Biker died in head-on road crash

A MOTORCYCLIST from Swindon has been killed after colliding with a car near Burford. The man, who has not yet been named, was in his twenties and was travelling towards Lechlade on the A361 near the Cotswold Wildlife Park when it was in collision with

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Asbestos victims win court battle

73249-27WORKERS in Swindon exposed to asbestos can continue to claim compensation for pleural plaques following a High Court ruling. But the level of compensation they receive is likely to be halved following the test case, which will have implications

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Wild Man shares green ways in a museum visit

76032THE Wild Man Of The Woods ventured out of his natural habitat and turned up at the Swindon Museum and Art Gallery. He was taking part in a family event at the museum, tied in with the current exhibition, which focuses on nature. Museum spokeswoman

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Go central

I CANNOT think of a good reason why the University of Bath is insisting on a site adjacent to the hospital rather than a site in the centre of town. Siting the university in the centre of Swindon would bring new life to the area with the added bonus perhaps

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Same flannel

I have great sympathy for Mrs Loucas's father who spent time in a trolley space at Great Western Hospital, but I am not surprised. On a number of occasions I have spent time on many of the wards and been stuck on a trolley without being able to communicate

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A bit Grimm?

Re: Charles and Camilla's forthcoming marriage. Lies, deceit, hypocrisy. The very stuff of fairy tales. J ADAMS Bloomsbury Close Freshbrook Swindon

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Quaint interpetation of democracy

YOUR columns reflect growing concern regarding the area development Structure Plan 2016 and the Sub Regional Study 2026. This concern is linked to an increasing tendency for governments to divest action through quangos. This has always been the case,

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SPRING WEDDING GUIDE

Check out the new spring wedding guide which is bigger and better than ever with even more great stories and more links to relevant advertisers. Click HERE for the spring edition of the wedding guide

Date

Donor restores victim's faith

A 91-YEAR-OLD widow left traumatised by three burglars who pushed their way into her home has had her faith in human nature restored, by the kindness of a Salisbury man. Doris Woods, who had several hundred pounds in cash and her handbag stolen when three

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Fury as stroke victim is ordered off bus

A PARTIALLY paralysed stroke victim was ordered off a bus and forced to walk more than two miles because he was unable to count out his change for a ticket. Brian Davies, who has difficulty talking and limited mobility, had attended a routine appointment

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Pupils celebrate Chinese New Year

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Shutters planned to protect pavilion

AMESBURY town councillors have agreed to purchase £3,500-worth of metal shutters to help protect the town's pavilion. Councillor Larry Evenett said these would not only stop vandals smashing the windows but would enhance the visual security of the entire

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Deselection row threatens to split Tory vote

A DAMAGING split has hit south Wiltshire's Tories, just 11 weeks before voters go the polls in the county council elections. It follows the deselection in Amesbury of current Wiltshire county council chairman Allan Peach. Mr Peach (69) had planned to

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SPRING WEDDING GUIDE

Check out the new spring wedding guide which is bigger and better than ever with even more great stories and more links to relevant advertisers. Click HERE for the spring edition of the wedding guide

Date

Trust needs help to move worms

WILTSHIRE Wildlife Trust is calling for volunteers to turn out this Sunday, between 10am and 3pm, at St Mark's open space to help build a reptile hibernacula to keep slow worms and common lizards safe this winter. The trust will be working in partnership

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Lettings agreed

WHITMARSH Lockhart has announced two new lettings. Greenmeadow Commercial Services has leased a third of an acre yard in Gypsy Lane for £12,000 a year. And Wiltshire Wholesale Electrical Company has taken out a lease at Unit 7, Bridgwater Close, Hawksworth

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Firms warned of new age law

A SWINDON solicitors' firm has warned employers to be prepared for new age discrimination legislation coming in next year. BLB, which has offices in Commercial Road, Swindon, says the directive which bans age discrimination in employment and vocational

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Villagers fight to save green

A TREASURED open space, lovingly cared and maintained for over a decade, could be lost, if highways' bosses cash in. For more than 15 years, Alderbury parish council has spent £6,000 on the upkeep of the open space in front of Waleran Close, opposite

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Hunts set to meet post-ban

SOUTH Wiltshire hunts plan to be out on Saturday, just 24 hours after the ban on hunting with dogs comes into force in England and Wales. One of the largest turnouts is likely to be the Wilton Hunt meet, at which about 100 horses and several hundred supporters

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Motorola aims to link planet

SWINDON firms are helping to get everyone in the world connected to a mobile phone. This week has seen the announcement of a new wave of Motorola technology and also seen Kodiak Networks which has its Europe Middle East and African headquarters at the

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Hike in parking costs could backfire

A HIKE in park-and-ride charges could backfire, if council chiefs decide to wave through new proposals. That was the message from a handful of members attending the Salisbury joint transportation committee meeting on Monday, who said park-and-ride should

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Fury as stroke victim is ordered off bus

A PARTIALLY paralysed stroke victim was ordered off a bus and forced to walk more than two miles because he was unable to count out his change for a ticket. Brian Davies, who has difficulty talking and limited mobility, had attended a routine appointment

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Fairford Iraq War trespassers were denied justice rules the High Court

ANTI-WAR protestors who were prosecuted for trespassing on military bases were denied justice, the High Court heard. Those convicted were treated unfairly and should not have been found guilty because they were trying to prevent an "illegal" war, said

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Corcoran scores on Highworth debut

PHIL Corcoran scored on his debut as Highworth dished out a predictable beating to brittle Bicester. Corcoran netted on 50 minutes against the Hellenic Premier's basement boys. John Fisher's side were already well in control by that point thanks to first-half

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SPRING WEDDING GUIDE

Check out the new spring wedding guide which is bigger and better than ever with even more great stories and more links to relevant advertisers. Click HERE for the spring edition of the wedding guide

Date

SPRING WEDDING GUIDE

Check out the new spring wedding guide which is bigger and better than ever with even more great stories and more links to relevant advertisers. Click HERE for the spring edition of the wedding guide

Date

TA soldiers set for Iraq

AT LEAST four members of the Territorial Army in Swindon will be flying out to Iraq, it has been confirmed. Captain Will Richards, of the Royal Rifle Volunteers, which has an outpost in Swindon and headquarters in Reading, said the men will soon begin

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Call to make sex education compulsory in schools

A NATIONAL charity has called on the government to make sex education compulsory in primary and secondary schools. The Family Planning Association has published a study examining attitudes of young people and adults towards sex, families and relationships

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Make schools priority

YOUR SWINDON YOUR VERDICT: SCHOOLS should be the top priority for Swindon Council, according to the Your Swindon Your Verdict survey. Social services and cleaning up the streets were also popular choices for the council to concentrate its spending on

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Driver who fled police is jailed

CHILDREN playing along a Swindon road feared for their lives when Hicks's car came hurtling towards them at breakneck speed. Heather and Harriet Bullock were out with friends at noon on December 29 last year, when a silver Mercedes came speeding down

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SPRING WEDDING GUIDE

Check out the new spring wedding guide which is bigger and better than ever with even more great stories and more links to relevant advertisers. Click HERE for the spring edition of the wedding guide

Date

SPRING WEDDING GUIDE

Check out the new spring wedding guide which is bigger and better than ever with even more great stories and more links to relevant advertisers. Click HERE for the spring edition of the wedding guide

Date

How long left?

LEE HOLMES is keen to agree a third and final month at the County Ground and admits to being gutted that he won't be around to help Town across the play-off finishing line. The 17-year-old's loan deal expires after next Wednesday's encounter with Port

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SPRING WEDDING GUIDE

Check out the new spring wedding guide which is bigger and better than ever with even more great stories and more links to relevant advertisers. Click HERE for the spring edition of the wedding guide

Date

Hike in parking costs could backfire

A HIKE in park-and-ride charges could backfire, if council chiefs decide to wave through new proposals. That was the message from a handful of members attending the Salisbury joint transportation committee meeting on Monday, who said park-and-ride should

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Thief takes life savings

AMESBURY town councillors have agreed to purchase £3,500-worth of metal shutters to help protect the town's pavilion. Councillor Larry Evenett said these would not only stop vandals smashing the windows but would enhance the visual security of the entire

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Tesco hopes to be at heart of village

FOOD giant Tesco showed its support for the local community when it opened the doors of its latest store at Ludgershall last week. Readers of the Journal's sister paper, the Avon Advertiser, were asked to nominate a local charity they wanted to see receive

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SPRING WEDDING GUIDE

Check out the new spring wedding guide which is bigger and better than ever with even more great stories and more links to relevant advertisers. Click HERE for the spring edition of the wedding guide

Date

SPRING WEDDING GUIDE

Check out the new spring wedding guide which is bigger and better than ever with even more great stories and more links to relevant advertisers. Click HERE for the spring edition of the wedding guide

Date

County Hall's 3.9pc tax hike

WILTSHIRE county council has increased its demand on council taxpayers by 3.9 per cent. Councillors met last week to approve a budget of £409.6m, which will result in the average council tax bill going up by 60p a week. People living in a band D property

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Who would you like to see win a People Award?

THE time has come to start thinking about local heroes who might be worthy winners of a 2005 People Award. The Journal is asking readers to nominate people who go the extra mile to make south Wiltshire and the New Forest a better place to live. Last October

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Earl hosts dinner dance for charity

SUPPORTERS of the Hope and Homes for Children charity celebrated its tenth anniversary at the weekend, with a special Valentine's dinner dance, held in the splendid surroundings of Wilton House on Saturday evening. The Earl of Pembroke was host at the

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Cash help marked by plaque

A PLAQUE has been unveiled at Swindon's innovation centre to mark cash given by the regional development agency. Three years ago the South West Regional Development Agency gave the University of Bath £150,000 to refurbish the old Oakfield School. Now

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Donor restores victim's faith

A 91-YEAR-OLD widow left traumatised by three burglars who pushed their way into her home has had her faith in human nature restored, by the kindness of a Salisbury man. Doris Woods, who had several hundred pounds in cash and her handbag stolen when three

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Deselection row threatens to split Tory vote

A DAMAGING split has hit south Wiltshire's Tories, just 11 weeks before voters go the polls in the county council elections. It follows the deselection in Amesbury of current Wiltshire county council chairman Allan Peach. Mr Peach (69) had planned to

Date

SPRING WEDDING GUIDE

Check out the new spring wedding guide which is bigger and better than ever with even more great stories and more links to relevant advertisers. Click HERE for the spring edition of the wedding guide

Date

SPRING WEDDING GUIDE

Check out the new spring wedding guide which is bigger and better than ever with even more great stories and more links to relevant advertisers. Click HERE for the spring edition of the wedding guide

Date

Westlecot trio out of mixed

WESTLECOT'S quartet of Jean Bird, Wendy Anderson, Kevin Embling and Dave Snell were beaten 17-13 in the last 16 of the national mixed bowls fours in Northampton, writes DAVE EATON. They saw their hopes of progress in the national indoor mixed championships

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SPRING WEDDING GUIDE

Check out the new spring wedding guide which is bigger and better than ever with even more great stories and more links to relevant advertisers. Click HERE for the spring edition of the wedding guide

Date

SPRING WEDDING GUIDE

Check out the new spring wedding guide which is bigger and better than ever with even more great stories and more links to relevant advertisers. Click HERE for the spring edition of the wedding guide

Date

No value for money

YOUR SWINDON YOUR VERDICT: SWINDON residents have given a damning judgment of council services. Four out of five Swindonians think they do not get good value for money from their council tax payments. The result from the Your Swindon Your Verdict survey

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It's going to be a nail-biter

YOUR SWINDON, YOUR VERDICT: In the third of a series of special reports ISABEL FIELD looks at how Swindon will vote in the general election, whether they feel they are getting value for money from their council tax and what Swindon Council's top priority

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Did you see this man?

Artist's impressionTHIS is the man who carried out a terrifying attack on a 60-year-old woman. Although his face in this artist's impression is covered, officers think people will still be able to recognise him. The attacker punched her in the face twice

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Handbag making

CHILDREN can make their own handbags at an event taking place at the Swindon Museum and Art Gallery. Freaky Fabrics takes place on tomorrow from 2pm to 4pm. The workshop costs £4 per child. Book in advance. Call 01793 466556.

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Dementia care charge protest

A GROUP will travel to London next month to lobby ministers over care charges for people with dementia. Around 10 members from Swindon's newly-formed Alzheimer's Society will make the trip. Hundreds of people from across the UK are expected to meet outside

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Royal Mail delivers a better performance

THE region's postal service watchdog has welcomed improved figures from Royal Mail. Postwatch South and West congratulated Royal Mail after it announced that its performance had improved significantly. Gary Hepburn, regional manager of Postwatch South

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Elderly woman is victim of conmen

THIEVES stole money from an 87-year-old woman after tricking their way into her home. Two men called at the woman's home in The Mead, Ashton Keynes, at 4.10pm on Monday saying they needed to turn her water off. While she was distracted, one of the men

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Help for elderly

RESIDENTS in Cricklade will meet on March 3 to discuss bringing a Link scheme to the town. Such schemes, which are run by volunteers, help the elderly and disabled access local services and complete jobs around the home. The public meeting will be held

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Kentwood to sing for special school

AN ASHTON Keynes special school is set to benefit from a concert by the Kentwood Choir. NCH Cotswold Community is for boys who have experienced severe emotional, behavioural and social difficulties. The independent residential school is to receive all

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From the darkside

DARTH Vader will be visiting Swindon on Saturday. Dave Prowse, who played the sci-fi villain in Star Wars, will be meeting fans and signing autographs at Infinitely Better in the Brunel Centre. Entry is free. Photographs will be available to buy on the

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Robber steals OAP's handbag

A PENSIONER had her handbag snatched as she walked along Shrivenham Road on Sunday. The 68-year-old victim was approached from behind at 1.30pm. When she attempted to fend the assailant off she was pushed to the ground. The large red bag contained a pair

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SPRING WEDDING GUIDE

Check out the new spring wedding guide which is bigger and better than ever with even more great stories and more links to relevant advertisers. Click HERE for the spring edition of the wedding guide

Date

Traffic delayed after car overturns on the A419

THERE were delays on the A419 after a car overturned. A Rover 620 lost control, struck the barrier and came to rest on its roof after a collision with a Ford Focus at 11.20am yesterday on the A419 southbound at the Rat Trap overbridge, Stratton St Margaret

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Call to stop able bodied drivers parking in disabled bays

THE SWINDON Coalition of Disabled People has called for Swindon Council to introduce a by-law for disabled parking. The organisation wants the local authority to consider making it illegal to park in an allocated disabled bay anywhere in the town unless

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Outdoor centre slates union ban on school trips

STAFF at Swindon's outdoor activities centre have welcomed new Government guidelines on school trips. Workers at the Plas Pencelli Outdoor Education Centre in Brecon, Wales, which is owned by Swindon Council, say that taking part in outdoor activities

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Hosts needed for French

A FRENCH exchange group for youngsters is desperately short of Swindon volunteers. Belaf Language Study Holidays, which has its offices in Calne, celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. But a lack of interest from Swindon families could dampen the

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Legal citizens

MORE than a million EU citizens have entered Britain from Eastern Europe during the last seven months according to Home Office statistics. They arrived from the eight new European Union countries that joined the EU in May 2004 and are arriving at the

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Short staffed?

I WAS pulled into a police roadside vehicle check the other day, my crime a faulty brake light. I hold my hands up to this crime and I have since had the fault repaired. What bothers me is that there were eight officers in this lay-by and as they were

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We need bags of contact

I HAVE been wondering if it would be possible for directors of charities to contact each other and work out a system for delivering their bags? Two weeks ago, I almost filled one for Great Ormond Street and a couple of days later one arrived from Age

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It's a funny old world we live in

IT appears that new evidence, in the form of exchanges between the Prime Minister and the Attorney General, confirm Mr Blair thought that Saddam Hussein was lying to the UN when he presented a report which stated Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction