Archive
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Chuffed at station prize
GAZETTE & HERALD:CHIPPENHAM'S railway station has won a major national award for a scheme to improve its facilities and appearance. The station was a winner in the Station Excellence of the Year category in the HSBC Rail Business Awards in London
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Outside for first time in 13 years
15407/2/GAZETTE & HERALD: A CHIPPENHAM grandmother who has spent years battling her weight has ventured outside her front door for the first time in 13 years after losing nine stone. At 23 stone and a size 32, Shirley Kennedy spent a few months last
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Man who assaulted 12-year-oldfaces jail
GAZETTE & HERALD: A court has asked for a psychiatric report to be compiled on a depressed sex offender Danny Rogers after he admitted inciting a 12-year-old girl to commit an indecent act. Rogers, 33, of Portway, Chippenham, was told by Swindon Crown
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Councillor is remembered
GAZETTE & HERALD: POPULAR Corsham town councillor Pam Stratford died last Wednesday morning after a battle with cancer. She was a member of thecouncil for 12 years from 1991 but chose not to re-stand in 2003 due to ill health. Her funeral is being
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Darts round the clock
GAZETTE & HERALD: THE Cross Keys darts club from Corsham is hoping to hit a bull's eye and raise £2,000 for the Tsunami Appeal. On Friday, March 25 the group of 20 will take part in a 24-hour darts marathon and hold an auction and a raffle in a bid
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Craftsman to pass on his skills in Belize
GAZETTE & HERALD: CORSHAM chair maker Bill Hadfield has flown to a poor Central American country to pass on his skills to help local people earn a living. Belize, which borders the Caribbean Sea between Guatemala and Mexico, is plagued by high unemployment
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Club needs £15,000 to make grade
GAZETTE & HERALD: CORSHAM Town Football Club has applied to the local council for a substantial cash grant. A hard standing pitch perimeter path and a 100 seat covered spectator stand must be built at the ground and will cost £30,000. They have received
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Credit union plan wins backing from many quarters
GAZETTE & HERALD: PLANS for a credit union to help people save money and get loans at reasonable rates are in the pipeline for Corsham. The scheme has support from town councillors, the public and MP for North Wiltshire James Gray. Now the Community
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Model sets up a fund for tsunami victims
15331/01GAZETTE & HERALD: Glamour girl Taylor Morgan is hoping to raise funds from a saucy calendar so she can build a school for the victims of the tsunami. The 27-year-old mother-of-two from Corsham was heartbroken to see the effects of the disaster
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Mum knows best on staying in the black
15364/2GAZETTE & HERALD: A KIND-HEARTED mum-of-three has drawn on her own experience to help people with money worries by launching a Debt Advice Centre in Corsham. Forty-six year old Chris Grant and her family pulled themselves out of £10,000 worth
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Council seeks help on offices
Legal and financial experts at North Wiltshire District Council are trying to find another private finance initiative partner to replace Jarvis, its current partner for its Monkton Park offices. The council experts are in discussion with the Treasury,
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Campaign wins limits on speed
NEW speed limits are to be introduced on the A4 between Chippenham and Calne following a vigorous campaign by the Gazette and Herald after two fatal accidents and at least half a dozen serious road crashes in the space of three years. Last week Wiltshire
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Time to spring into action
14955/1Today the Gazette and Herald launches the Springboard Appeal to raise money to stop places being cut at the only pre-school for special needs children in north Wiltshire. Here Zoe Mills looks at the history of Springboard and its importance to
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Builder wins vole appeal
BUILDING firm owner Richard Dewey has had his fine slashed for damaging water vole habitat along a stream in Pewsey. The Pewsey-based family business of F Dewey Ltd, builders and undertakers, was fined £3,000 by magistrates last September when it was
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Joinery for happy couple
JUST as the country is celebrating the news that Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles are planning to marry, Pewsey craftsman Phil Lester is hoping they might buy one of his unique tables for their home. Mr Lester has a friend who works in the gardens
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Boy helped steal from woman in her home
POLICE say a boy possibly as young as ten has been involved in a series of distraction offences in the Upavon area. A woman with the boy called upon at least six houses in Watson Close at about 5.30pm on Saturday. They said the boy was doing a school
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Council backs homes protest
OUTLINE plans for ten new homes on a garden in Brunkards Lane, Pewsey, have met with opposition from the parish council. Members of the council's planning committee had before them a barrage of letters from objecting neighbours when the plans were discussed
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In the capital spotlight
15369/2FURNITURE designed and made in Pewsey is included in an arts and crafts revival exhibition in London. Fred Baier, whose workshops are tucked away off the High Street in Whatley's Yard, was commissioned by leading London store Liberty's to make
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Allison is relishing return to old team
CHIPPENHAM avoided an encounter with a premier division team when they drew Paulton Rovers in the quarterfinals if the Southern League Cup. The Bluebirds, who advanced to the last eight with an convincing 4-0 demolition of Tiverton, will meet the Division
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Striker joins Bath before big derby
CHIPPENHAM striker Martin Paul has switched to bitter rivals and former club Bath City on the eve of Tuesday night's derby. But a clause in the three-figure deal means he will not line-up against his former club at Twerton Park. Paul, 30, was informed
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City puts forward positive image
A SURVEY just published by Salisbury City Centre Management has found that Salisbury presented a more positive picture than other parts of the country when it came to retail sales over Christmas and New Year. December's footfall for Salisbury was up 20
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Landlords start tweaking their current licences
SOUTH Wiltshire's pub and club licence-holders have six months to apply for new-style licences, says David Ridley, of Salisbury solicitors Whitehead Vizard. "A lot of local licensees are changing or tweaking their current licences," said Mr Ridley, who
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Women narrowing gap in number of start-ups
THE Federation of Small Businesses in Wiltshire has welcomed a new study of small to medium-sized enterprises which has revealed that record numbers of British women are setting up businesses. The figures, released by the Department of Trade and Industry-funded
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Ten banned from all pubs
TEN people have been banned from all of Malmesbury's pubs for at least three months following a fight involving around 50 people. Members of Pub Watch, a neighbourhood watch type scheme operated between the publicans and Malmesbury police, met on Friday
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Talks hope in eviction row
A man who is being evicted by aunt and uncle hopes a meeting with his uncle this week could mean good news. Alan Selwood, 37, who is dyslexic, is being evicted from Home Farm in Brinkworth, where he has lived for 14 years, by his aunt Gillian Channing
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Sewage works set for £4.5m expansion
A SEWAGE works is to be extended to meet demands for further growth in Malmesbury. The sewage works in Swindon Road will be extended in March to increase the capacity by 45 per cent. The work is likely to cost around £4.5million and take a year to complete
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Builders facing tribunal
A 56-year-old Malmesbury man appeared at Swindon Crown Court on Monday charged with an offence under listed building regulations. Frank Faryab, of Oxford Street, pleaded not guilty to breaching an enforcement notice issued by council planners. The charge
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Overdraft dangers
SMALL businesses in the south west owe at least £197.6 million in overdrafts, according to independent research commissioned by GMAC Commercial Finance, a corporate funding specialist. About a quarter have overdrafts over £20,000. Nick Grainger, area
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Information on protecting assets
THE DTI has launched a booklet called Information Security: Protecting Your Business Assets. The publication, which says it is a jargon-free guide to guarding information and assets, is aimed at those responsible for information security, but can also
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Star of building society's adverts all set to drop in
THE star of Halifax's TV adverts will be dropping into Swindon. Howard Brown, right, whose singing and dancing made him an instantly recognisable face, is due to be at the Bridge Street branch on Monday, May 9. It is part of a nationwide nine-month tour
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The cost of dying more than doubles
Burial fees in Wootton Bassett will rise by more than double from April 1. The cost for exclusive right of burial, currently set at £77, will rise to £170 with the burial of ashes being increased from £30 to £80. Walled graves and vaults will rise from
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Skatepark goes ahead despite late changes
Wootton Bassett's mobile skatepark project has jumped its latest obstruction after the town council agreed to overlook late changes made by North Wiltshire District Council. The town council has expressed its annoyance after the district council, which
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War memorial quest hailed
Jay Cunningham, 21, has received a Community Service Award from Wootton Bassett and District Rotary Club for her initiative and work on the town's war memorial. President of the Rotary Club Brenda Sedgwick said: "There's only been a very few people who
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Town calls for special treatment on parking
Traders and councillors in Wootton Bassett are urging residents to voice their concerns on controversial parking charges, which they believe will sound the death knell for the town if implemented. At last week's town council meeting Coun Steve Walls described
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Devizes still in the hunt
DEVIZES Town continue their pursuit of Warminster at the top of the U13 Red Division. A 4-3 home win against AFC Corsham puts them seven points behind the leaders with three games in hand. Kieran Chivers put Devizes one up with Jack Vasey bringing the
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Lavington duck out of clash with rivals
CHIPPENHAM SUNDAY LEAGUE: IT was unlucky 13 at the weekend as the weather caused the postponement of 13 matches on February 13. With a further six postponed because clubs were unable to raise a team, almost two thirds of the fixtures will need to be replayed
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Waste audit wins praise
PIONEERING planning procedures obliging developers to think about waste and recycling on new estates, have won regional acclaim for a team of Wiltshire County Council planners. The team prepared the Wiltshire and Swindon Waste Local Plan and came up with
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Gingell signs for Corsham
CORSHAM boss Colin Bush has added midfielder Craig Gingell to his squad to cope with the fixture pile up. After Frome called off Tuesday night's clash, Corsham are left with at least 21 games to play in under three months. If they progress to the later
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County at heart of a Prince's romance
Wiltshire has been at the centre of the royal romance between Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles for more than three decades. On Thursday police guarded Mrs Parker Bowles' home at Reybridge, near Lacock, as the couple's plans to marry were revealed
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Bemerton Heath Harlequins 5, Calne Town 1
KELVIN Highmore branded his side's performance on Saturday as pathetic before declaring his priority is promotion to the Screwfix Premier. A goal from striker Ben Highmore was the visitors' only consolation as they crashed out of the Wiltshire Senior
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Devizes Town 2, Trowbridge 1
ASSISTANT manager John Freegard heaped praise on Devizes new boy David Kilmurray as the striker helped his side to two impressive victories this week. The former Corsham forward scored his side' second goal in the Wiltshire Senior Cup quarter final against
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Woman sues for egg'n'spoon fall
Sarah CutlerA WOMAN who fell over during an egg and spoon race at a fun day has failed in her bid to sue her former employers. She had to pay £13,000 in costs. Sarah Cutler, of Melksham, was close to the finishing line at the sports day when she slipped
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Green waste service starts
KENNET District Council plans to compost an additional 1,000 tonnes of 'green' waste this year as part of its effort to hit the Government's recycling target. A fortnightly kerbside collection service of garden waste will be launched in April, available
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Earlier talks on plans plea
KENNET District Council is asking developers to involve the public at an earlier stage in the planning process. Major planning applications should be discussed with the public before being submitted to the planning authority, according to new guidelines
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Tally of mobiles
SWINDON'S CRUMBLING SCHOOLS: We asked all the secondary and primary schools in Swindon how many mobile classrooms they have on site and discovered a total of 120. All those listed have mobile classrooms: SECONDARY SCHOOLS WITH MOBILE CLASSROOMS: Highworth
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Tackling the problem
SWINDON'S CRUMBLING SCHOOLS: Swindon Council admits that it has a major problem with the number of repairs that need to be done on its schools. But it says it has a clear strategy in place to pay for the repairs and to bring Swindon's schools up to scratch
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Woman sues for egg'n'spoon fall
Sarah CutlerA WOMAN who fell over during an egg and spoon race at a fun day has failed in her bid to sue her former employers. She had to pay £13,000 in costs. Sarah Cutler was close to the finishing line at the sports day when she slipped on wet grass
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Bid to stop gardens vanishing under way
GAZETTE & HERALD: RESIDENTS in Churchill Close, Calne, are celebrating as work to stop land subsidence began last week. North Wiltshire District Council has now started clearing the land behind homes. Resident Jenny Lloyd said she had lost around
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Girl hit by truck makes her homecoming
15380/1GAZETTE & HERALD: A CALNE schoolgirl who was hit by a pickup truck has been reunited with her family after only two-and-a-half weeks in hospital. Delighted father Peter Horne said when he saw his daughter's injuries he didn't think she would
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Warning of traffic jam if housing goes ahead
BUILDING 158 houses on former allotment land at Spitalcroft will result in a column of traffic two kilometres long along the already congested London Road, a public inquiry was told. Resident John Smallshaw, who has a background in transport distribution
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It's pizza sizzle for business premises
PLANS for a pizza delivery and takeaway business at Hopton Business Park, Devizes have been submitted to Kennet District Council. Peter and Sue Booton of Calne have put in a planning application for one of the new units at the Glenmore Business Centre
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Helping to relocate
PUBS in the Devizes and Corsham areas are to are to feature on Channel 4 property programme Relocation, Relocation. Co-presenter Kirstie Allsopp was filming at The Bell Inn, Great Cheverell on Friday with two potential purchasers, a mother and daughter
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Pupil, 96, toasted
WILTSHIRE'S oldest student, Margaret White, celebrated her 96th birthday with staff and fellow students at the Devizes-based Wiltshire College last week. The surprise celebration took place during a break in the Ten Books Worth Reading course, the latest
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Courts clear firm of damaging old trees
A civil engineering firm and one of its foremen have been cleared of wilfully damaging four protected trees in Devizes. Tithegrove Limited, based in Bath Road, Swindon, and Patrick Byrnes, of Akers Way, Swindon, each denied charges of wilfully damaging
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Leisure centre closes for five days
DEVIZES Leisure Centre is to close for four days at the end of next month in preparation for a £1.87 million refurbishment. The centre will be closed from March 29, the day after Easter Monday, to April 2, so that the transition to temporary accommodation
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Funding may herald a new age of reason
15387/4A BISHOPS Cannings farmer is to create a new bridleway to allow access to ancient monuments on his land, including a Bronze Age settlement that was discovered less than 30 years ago. Bob Frearson, who has farmed at Bourton Manor Farm since 1975
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Man angry at arrest threat
15379/1DEVIZES businessman Chris Lugg is furious after a traffic warden offered him two alternatives take a parking ticket or face arrest. This week he opened Hollywood Entertainment, a video library and snack bar in Sidmouth Street. Vehicles have been
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Dreams of fresh lease of life die
A DREAM for a development of new shops, cafs and homes on the derelict North Gate site, which promised to breathe new life into Devizes town centre, has finally been dashed. Nearly £20,000 was spent on one consultation alone in an attempt to get an imaginative
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We are being undermined!
SWINDON council has been accused of not listening to the residents after plans for a new road were pushed through. It is claimed the £4million tunnel and link road under the M4 the Croft Road link to Hay Lane has been given the go-ahead before the outcome
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Town and country cash row
THE Conservatives stand accused of planning to move government cash from Swindon to rural Wiltshire. MP Michael Wills (Lab, North Swindon) claims former Wiltshire council leader Peter Chalke has helped devised a policy to be launched before the general
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Honda's Civic pride at show
car manufacturer Honda is to unveil its new Civic at the Geneva motor show. The car, built exclusively at Swindon, will at the show in Switzerland from March 1 and will give a close indication of what the production version will look like. The production
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13 miles and counting for marathon effort
TWO mums from Abbey Meads are in training for the London Marathon to raise money for visually impaired children. Natalie King, 31, and Lucy Skittrall, 37, are neighbours who met at a party and decided to take up running together. And the two competitors
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Dance delight
THERE are still tickets available for a charity dance night on Saturday. The Irish dance night is to help raise money for 12 disabled children from Swindon to visit Lourdes. The Moloney School of Dancing and the Pilgrimage Trust are organising the dance
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Irish migration under the spotlight
AN EXPERT in Irish studies is to give a talk about Irish migration in Swindon next week. Dr Graham Davis, the course director of Irish Studies at Bath Spa University College, will be talking about Ireland in 19th century Britain on Wednesday, February
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Football players boost tsunami fundraising
SWINDON Town's footballers have helped a group of businessmen raise £50,000 for victims of the tsunami. The money raised will help the Red Cross meet emergency needs as well as support longer-term development programmes. The businessmen from Chippenham
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Design a cover for festival programme
ORGANISERS of the Old Town Festival are inviting people to design the front page of this year's programme. The festival is takes place this year from June 25 to July 3. More than 1,500 programmes are printed each year, helping to provide a timetable of
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Asbestos kills man
A MAN who worked surrounded by asbestos at a Swindon factory died 18 years later from asbestos-related lung disease. Graham Horne of Medina Way, Swindon, retired from Swindon Pressings in 1987 and was ill for three years with a heart and lung condition
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Cancelled ops 'a thing of the past'
BOSSES at Great Western Hospital are confident that no operation will have to be cancelled once a £30m treatment centre opens in April. As reported in later editions of the Adver, the flagship hospital was handed the keys to the Brunel NHS Treatment Centre
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Grants offer to charities
THE Evening Advertiser's parent company will be giving grants to local charities again this year. The Gannett Foundation Fund, which is the charitable arm of the Gannett Company, gives out grants of up to £5,000 twice each year. And charities in and around
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County makes it on to rich list
ESTATE agents in the Swindon area are surprised to learn Wilt-shire has been ranked seventh in a list of the top ten richest counties for homes. Wiltshire boasted 78 homes priced over the £1 million price tag that were sold in the last quarter of last
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No night at the opera this year
AN OPERA night in Swindon has been cancelled because of lack of interest. The Operatic Dinner, which last year raised £6,000 for local charities, was being organised by the Rotary Club of Swindon. But former Swindon Mayor Derek Benfield, who was to host
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Delighted PC thanks Advertiser
A POLICE officer who lost his helmet has thanked the Advertiser for helping him get it back. PC Mike Armishaw has now been reunited with his headgear after it was knocked off in the line of duty. Following an appeal in the paper for the missing helmet
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Youngsters wreathed in smiles at willow wonderland
A WILLOW wonderland was created at the Richard Jefferies Museum, to inspire a group of budding artists. Ten children, aged between five and 11, were eager to try their hands at making decorative wreaths using real willow cut from Coate Water. The afternoon
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The most seductive kissers are named
SWINDON residents should start forming an orderly queue the town's best kissers have been named. Customers at the Abbey Mead pub, in Elstree Way, puckered up to raise money for charity over the Valentine's weeks. Men and women alike were asked to pay
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Planning for future
YOUR SWINDON YOUR VERDICT: Swindon Council has been running a consultation of its own to develop its second five-year Transport Plan. All local authorities with a responsibility for transport are required by the Department of Transport to produce a plan
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Eco-school told to put 3Rs first
A SCHOOL is thinking more about the environment than core skills like reading and writing, claims a Swindon councillor. Earlier this week the head of Covingham Park Infants fended off accusations from some parents that the school is taking it's eco-policy
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Girl's animal magic
76068-28WHEN 12-year-old Zoe Illing learned about the work of a Wootton Bassett animal sanctuary she decided she had to do something to help. The Commonweal pupil, who wants to be a vet, first read about the Swindon and District Animal Haven in the Advertiser
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Books plea
MAY I through the newspaper ask Swindon Council not to stop our mobile library. There are a lot of sheltered flats in Freshbrook and Toothill, and a lot of residents who enjoy reading but cannot get to the library. It visits us once a fortnight. Surely
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Check alarms for dates
YOU have recently published reports of fires and the importance of fire alarms. It should be drawn to your readers' attention that in certain circumstances domestic fire alarms have only a limited life span. A short while ago one of our smoke alarms was
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bjections
I WAS very interested to read your article in last week's Gazette about J D Wetherspoon. Your remark that there were no objections to the liqueur licence is incorrect. I wrote to the court at Salisbury and had a telephone conversation with a lady. She
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Fun a crime
I SAW the two men driving the invalid carriage through Devizes (Gazette, February 10). It amused me and others in town. They certainly were not a danger to life or limb, the rationale behind the drink driving laws. The concerned motorist who flagged down
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A high price
KENNET District Council has just turned down a housing application for 150 homes at Devizes (population 13,000). As the Gazette reports "the creation of so many houses not included in the replacement local plan would result in more people commuting out
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Proud Aroskin mixes with the big guns
PEWSEY Vale Rugby Club founder Dave Aroskin had his dream visit to Twickenham dampened by a poor England display. Aroskin was invited to the home of rugby by RFU President Malcolm Philips to recognise his efforts and achievements at grass root level.
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Walcot 17, Corsham 0
CORSHAM produced a brave display against Western Counties opponents Walcot before slipping to a 17-0 defeat in their Bath Combination Cup outing. The visitors, top of Dorset and Wilts Division One North, went behind when Walcot grabbed two tries late
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Whatling also victim of French whitewash
JUST as their senior counterparts did on Sunday, Simon Whatling and his England U21 team mates wilted in the second hald of their Six Nation's clash against France on Friday night and suffered a last minute loss. The 20-year-old former Devizes and Chippenham
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Chippenham 55, CAT Melksham 0
Chippenham had a weekend off league action, resting comfortably on top of South West Two (East), and entertained Cooper Avon Tyres of Melksham in a friendly at Allington Field on Saturday. The home side were 12-0 up after the first 15 minutes and the
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New cycling section
GAZETTE & HERALD: A new section of cycle path is planned for the area around Kings Lodge School in Chippenham, in a bid to reduce pollution and congestion and support the Safe Routes to School initiative. Wiltshire County Council wants to build the
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Devizes Vets 76, Supermarine Vets 0
In accepting a late request for a fixture Supermarine could hardly have expected the rugby tirade they were subjected to at the Chivers Ground in this veterans' contest. They were outmuscled, outskilled and outplayed by a Devizes squad bolstered by the
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Weymouth 8, Wootton Bassett 5
Wootton Bassett crashed out of the Dorset and Wilts Vase on Saturday when they went down to a surprise 8-5 defeat to Weymouth in a rousing quarter-final clash. A league below their Southern Counties visitors, in Dorset and Wilts Division One South, the
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Minety 12, Trowbridge 24
After a promising first half in which they scored two tries, Minety were unable to cope in the second half against a combination of a strengthening wind, a steep slope and a powerful Trowbridge pack. Playing down the hill in the first half, Minety opened
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Call to doctor will cost more
GAZETTE & HERALD: The Lodge Surgery in Chippenham is introducing a new 0844 contact number, which will cost callers slightly more than the local rate and bring in extra revenue for the surgery. Assistant practice manager Lynn Smith said the new streamlined
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Don't be dim
COUN Callow is right in her letter (February 10) on the wheelie bins issue. We also have problems with cats etc, tearing open plastic bags. It has been said many times that these bags are a health hazard and will continue to be so in the future. Would
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A sorry cygnet saga
15404/02GAZETTE & HERALD: AN INJURED cygnet had a rescue team in a flap as it took five days to catch in Chippenham. The young swan had its leg caught in fishing wire and was in danger of losing its life but still battled against Mike Hanes and Paul
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Family hunt
I am researching my family history which includes, through my grandmother Jessie, the Flux family, who were farmers, originally from the Isle of Wight, sometime of Basingstoke (1907) and Buncton Manor, Wiston, Sussex (circa 1910). Currently I am interested
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Bristol Blitz
Chain Reaction Films is looking for individuals and families who lived through the Bristol Blitz for a brand-new documentary. We are particularly interested in hearing from people who were living in the city and surrounding areas and can recall the raids
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High stakes for pancakes
GAZETTE & HERALD: Teenager Edward Daley has been flipping pancakes to raise money towards a month-long African adventure. Edward, 17, of Cepen Park South in Chippenham, is trying to raise £2,900 to join Camp Kenya in June 2006. An A level student
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Inconvenience as fire closes bus station loo
GAZETTE & HERALD: BUS drivers and travellers needing to spend a penny will have to cross their legs after the loos next to Chippenham's bus station were shut down this week. North Wiltshire District Council made the decision to close the well-used
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Warning on go-peds
15332/2GAZETTE & HERALD: CHIPPENHAM police are warning that mini motorbikes and petrol scooters can only be used on private land. In just two months, 29 complaints have been made about the scooters, known as go-peds, and mini motorbikes being used
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Headteacher, 54, dies after major operation
GAZETTE & HERALD: Inspiring headteacher Vicki Konynenburg, who steered many troubled adolescents towards a better future, died suddenly in the early hours of Friday after a brain operation. Mrs Konynenburg, of St Mary Street, Chippenham, discovered
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Centre staff's fury at vandals' paint attack
15367/1GAZETTE & HERALD: A CASH-STRAPPED community centre is facing a huge clean-up bill after vandals destroyed files and children's work when they covered the interior of the building in paint and bleach. Around 20 mothers and toddlers had to be
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So chuffed to be cuffed for charity
15366/3GAZETTE & HERALD: CHIPPENHAM Mayor Ross Henning was handcuffed and whisked away in a police car on Thursday accused of wearing his civic chains in inappropriate circumstances. The builder was arrested shortly after 9am at Travis Perkins in
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Money floods in for memorial to crew
15401/2GAZETTE & HERALD: A multi-faith chapel in the grounds of RAF Lyneham could be restored as a lasting memorial to the airmen who died when their Hercules crashed in Iraq. But money is already pouring in from station veterans for a memorial window
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Help us preserve this lad's lifeline
15255/3GAZETTE & HERALD: THIS is little Fabian Viles, an innocent child who stands to lose his lifeline a place at special needs pre-school Springboard unless funds can be found to save it. Fabian, who was born with cerebral palsy, will have his place
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Double birth makes it a day to remember
GAZETTE & HERALD: A BROTHER and sister have welcomed their new babies into the world within hours of each other. Despite being due nine days apart, tiny cousins Nicholas LeMasonry and Tamzin Louise Fisher surprised their parents by arriving on the
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Help North Wiltshire to go batty
GAZETTE & HERALD: FARMERS in the Corsham area are being urged to let their hedgerows grow tall and thick to help look after a rare kind of bat. The Wiltshire Batscape Project has been launched to prevent the Greater Horseshoe breed becoming extinct
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Helping to relocate
GAZETTE & HERALD: PUBS in the Devizes and Corsham areas are to are to feature on Channel 4 property programme Relocation, Relocation. Co-presenter Kirstie Allsopp was filming at The Bell Inn, Great Cheverell on Friday with two potential purchasers
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Let me stay
TORQUAY tormentor Sammy Igoe admits he would love to spend another two years at the County Ground as he ponders life beyond the end of the current campaign. The 'showman' says he has made it clear to Andy King that he would like to stay in Wiltshire although
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Shoeboxes are defended
GAZETTE & HERALD: An Islamic group opposed to Operation Christmas Child has criticised Corsham Town Council for acting as a collection point for the shoeboxes. In an article on its website www.inminds.co.uk the Innovative Minds group has launched
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Plans to repair clock take a costly turn
GAZETTE & HERALD: CORSHAM Town Hall's clock that was taken down two weeks ago to be refurbished will cost an extra £1,000 to fix. It is in a worse condition than first thought and will now cost £4,000 to repair. The internal mechanisms have been destroyed
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Council tax is set to rise
BAND D homeowners in north Wiltshire could have to pay an extra 8.2 pence per week or £4.27 a year in the district council element of council tax if budget proposals are given the go-ahead on Tuesday. Members of the council's executive committee voted
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Money floods in for memorial to crew
15401/2A multi-faith chapel in the grounds of RAF Lyneham could be restored as a lasting memorial to the airmen who died when their Hercules crashed in Iraq. But money is already pouring in from station veterans for a memorial window at the village church
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Alarm saves neighbour's life in fire drama
SLEEPYHEAD Tanya Foxton says her neighbour Jane Brown probably saved her life after she slept through a smoke alarm at her Pewsey home at the weekend. Mrs Brown called the fire brigade after hearing the smoke alarm going off at about 7am on Sunday in
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Great honours for Pewsey duo
15384/3TWO Pewsey fire fighters have been rewarded by Wiltshire fire chief Andy Goves for their combined service of more than 40 years. Mr Goves, Wiltshire's Chief Fore Officer, went to Pewsey on Monday to present 20-year long service and good conduct
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Midfielder is glad he stayed
MIDFIELD dynamo Ben Kirk's season is getting better and better after he scored with a header that gave Chippenham the three points on Saturday. The 20-year-old struggled to break into the first team until December after his transfer from Screwfix Premier
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Bath aim to keep up unbeaten sequence
CHIPPENHAM and bitter rivals Bath City finally come head to head on Tuesday night. The original fixture on December 27 was called off due to a frosty Twerton Park pitch. After an exciting FA Cup run that saw City knocked out of the second round proper
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Four figure fee for goal ace Gilroy
PROLIFIC goal scorer David Gilroy sealed a permanent move to title-chasing Chippenham last Thursday. After completing a three-month loan deal Gilroy, 22, made the switch from Conference South side Weston-super-Mare for a sum of £1,000, despite manager
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Stamford 1, Chippenham Town 2
MIDFIELDER Ben Kirk's header four minutes from time kept the Bluebirds' promotion charge on track just as relegation strugglers Stamford looked to have frustrated them. Manager Steve White's warning to his players not to underestimate the division's bottom
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We are only worried about ourselves
STEVE WHITE COLUMN: CONFIDENCE is the key to winning football matches, and I cannot knock team spirit at the moment. Over the past few weeks the players have showed an air of confidence. They are looking forward to every game and can't wait to get stuck
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Exhibition
SALISBURY company Marketing et al is to exhibit at next week's direct and interactive marketing event in London, said to be the biggest in Europe. Marketing et al of Catherine Street will be at The International Direct Marketing Fair at Earls Court, which
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Top prize of £10,000
WAITROSE is on the hunt for the best of British produce. The supermarket, which has stores in Salisbury and Ringwood, has launched its Small Producers Awards 2005 and is looking for small businesses that make quality food and drink. The competition is
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Firm wins mystery shopper survey
ETHICAL investment company Barchester Green of Salisbury has come top in a mystery shopper survey of financial advisers in Salisbury and the New Forest. Adviser Ian Hudson was said to have "hit all the right notes" in the telephone interview. The survey
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Publicity advice at network session
PUBLIC relations consultant Jackie Neylon will speak to Salisbury networking club Ambassadors at their business breakfast at the Grasmere House Hotel in Harnham tomorrow. Ms Neylon (right) was marketing director of Nuffield Hospitals before setting up
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It's pizza sizzle for business premises
PLANS for a pizza delivery and takeaway business at Hopton Business Park, Devizes have been submitted to Kennet District Council. Peter and Sue Booton of Calne have put in a planning application for one of the new units at the Glenmore Business Centre
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Builders facing tribunal
MALMESBURY couple Jim and Ann Paterson are taking Ball Brother Builders Ltd of Tetbury to a tribunal to reclaim money they say they are owed after it went bankrupt. Mr Paterson, 65, worked for the company on contract for eight years and then as a self
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Ball tickets snapped up
TICKETS for the Malmesbury Mayor's Ball are selling fast with dignitaries coming from all over the area to support the event. Eleven mayors from Wiltshire and Gloucestershire will join James Arkell, High Sheriff of Wiltshire, for a meal at the town hall
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Change is in the air at gym
NEW owners at Malmesbury gym, Focus on Fitness, are attempting to offer the complete healthy living centre. Ric Bulzis, who has worked at the gym for eight years, bought the gym from Trowbridge-based training company Premier Global and is now running
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Teams' desert challenge
15395/04A FATHER and son team from Malmesbury will be setting off on a journey across two continents in the Plymouth to Banjul Rally. Sam Drew, 19, and father John Drew, 55, from Bristol Road, Malmesbury, are to set off on Friday on a journey of a lifetime
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School celebrates new college status
15324/2ENTERPRENEUR, James Dyson, is helping Malmesbury School to celebrate its Special Status awards. The official opening of the school as a Science and Performing Arts College took place on Friday. Mr Dyson and Ian Bolden from White Horse Education
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Staying independent
Morris Owen accountants in Devizes Road, Old Town, say they have decided to remain independent financial advisers. In December new regulations were introduced, meaning that all advisers had to declare themselves either independent or multi-tied. Morris
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New owners to boost company
THE new owners of Cadillac Plastic say it is full speed ahead after a management buy-out. The distribution firm, which employs 24 people in Rivermead Drive, Westlea, has been bought from former owner GE Advanced Materials Speciality Film and Sheet for
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Tunnel chaos is predicted
A tunnel under the M4 would result in complete traffic chaos according to Wootton Bassett's Wiltshire county councillor Mollie Groom. And Coun Groom is now concerned that Swindon Borough Council will sign the legal agreements for the proposed tunnel before
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Golf club aims for expansion
Wootton Bassett could have a new golf course if planning permission is granted to the Wiltshire Golf and Country Club. The club, at Vastern, has applied to extend the course by approximately 95 acres to allow the creation of a new nine hole course. The
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Second term mayor in the mood for fun
15370/2Chris Wannell has been selected as the new mayor elect for Wootton Bassett. Mr Wannell, 63, of Noremarsh Road, will take over from present mayor Susan Cooksley on May 12 at the mayor-making ceremony. Mr Wannell, who first became a councillor in
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Problem of rubbish piles up for farmers
The problem of illegally dumped rubbish is piling up for Wiltshire farmers, the county's National Farmers' Union heard. The county's delegate to the NFU national council, Denise Plummer, said: "How can we deal with fly tipping it's a huge, huge problem
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Chippenham Town Ladies U14s 8, Bradford on Avon 1
Bradford started the better of the two teams, and won a penalty to take the lead. But Chippenham settled and Hannah Way equalised with a low shot. A quick one-two involving Emily Tudgay and Louise Edney saw Way score her second. Goalkeeper Laura Griffiths
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Spirits high at victory
BG SPIRIT, the 72ft yacht with local men Jon Duffield and Robin Hyde aboard, has won the third leg of the Global Challenge round-the-world race. The striking orange hull of BG Spirit crossed the line under Sydney Harbour Bridge at 3.31am Greenwich Mean
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Broughton bounce back
TROWBRIDGE LEAGUE: THE Division One title is back in the melting pot as champions Broughton Gifford gained immediate revenge for their 3-0 home defeat by arch rivals North Bradley Saints last weekend. In windswept conditions first half goals, from Neil
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A better service for court witnesses
A NEW unit to advise and protect witnesses from intimidation has been launched in Wiltshire at the Crown Prosecution Service. The Witness Care Unit has been set up in conjunction with Wiltshire Constabulary to provide witnesses with guidance and support
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£2m grant safeguards charity for children
AN organisation that supports Wiltshire's most vulnerable youngsters has been awarded almost £2 million to continue its work. The Wiltshire Children's Fund, administered by Barnardo's South West, has secured the three years' funding from the Department
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Abbey on top after thrilling encounter
WILTSHIRE LEAGUE: BAD weather disrupted the Wiltshire league programme with around half the scheduled matches postponed due to waterlogged pitches. Pinehurst OB and AFC Abbey Rodbourne produced the match of the day in Wilts Junior Two, visitors Abbey
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Only slight hope for proud regiment
THERE is a slight but only very slim chance that the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment might be saved from extinction, it emerged this week. The three counties regiment is one of those under threat as a result of continuing defence
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Stunned Tripp back after shock resignation
HUMILATED manager Nigel Tripp has not let his shock resignation deter him from the beautiful game after signing as a player for Malmesbury Victoria last week. Tripp, 41, said he still feels embarrassed after Melksham were taken apart by league leaders
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Cruel end after revival
PURTON helped to serve up the game of the day in Division One West but that will be of little consolation to the Red House faithful. Chris Pethick's men seemed to have secured a dramatic late point before they were hit by an even later sucker punch in
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Pewsey Vale 0, Henley Town 1
THINGS could be very different for Pewsey if they had converted all their penalties this season. Saturday was a familiar story for Vale with a missed penalty, missed opportunities and a late lapse in concentration that allowed Graham Toonley to score
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Bid to halt Record Office plan thwarted
CAMPAIGNERS against the transfer of the Wiltshire and Swindon Record Office to Chippenham have lost the latest round in their bid to stop the project. They claimed the decision to allow a new record office and heritage centre to be built on the former
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Corsham Town 1, Westbury 0
PROLIFIC striker Alan Griffin struck the winner a minute from time after the two captains agreed to play the last seven minutes of Saturday's quarter final in bad light . A battling Westbury team held their hosts until the 83rd minute when the referee
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Hunts saddle up for change
RED coats will adorn Wiltshire's countryside on Saturday when some of the county's most established hunts ride out for the first time since a ban that made their sport illegal came into force. The ban coms into force after yesterday's failed attempt by
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Winger Gullick waiting on a contract
BIDDESTONE winger Luke Gullick is one step away from a professional football contract after spending a week on trial with League Two club Oxford United. Gullick's four-day trial ends today with the possibility he will appear for Oxford Reserves in their
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Big plans for North Swindon
SWINDON'S CRUMBLING SCHOOLS: Swindon Council is building seven new schools in North Swindon under a PFI Private Finance Initiative. As part of the Northern Schools Development, Hreod Parkway School, which is currently split between two sites either side
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£9m to be spent updating buildings
SWINDON'S CRUMBLING SCHOOLS: Swindon Borough Council has committed £8.9million worth of cash to spend on improving school buildings this year. The following building projects are currently in progress: At Ferndale Junior School three temporary classrooms
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Our schools'crumbling classrooms
SWINDON'S CRUMBLING SCHOOLS: HUNDREDS of Swindon children are being taught in decrepit mobile classrooms as Swindon Council works hard to find the £50 million needed to repair crumbling school buildings. There are 120 temporary classrooms on school sites
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If ucne uligans @ ftbl u cn txt cops wivout ne1 noin
76093-40A pioneering scheme is coming to Swindon to stamp out football hooliganism. The County Ground will become the first football stadium in the country where fans can text the police if they see trouble. The man behind the idea, Swindon Police's football
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Transport cuts are criticised
COUNCIL cuts to public transport will damage an already rock-bottom service, according to the Lib Dems. The council plans to cut £238,000 in support for bus services and concessionary fares as part of its £10m savings to keep council tax down. But the
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He never lived to see our little boy
THE partner of a dad-to-be who died instantly after a high speed crash on the M4 today spoke of her heartbreak. Natasha Hutchins, pictured, and Luftim Toci planned to marry after the birth of their baby. But Luftim died in the 110mph smash and never saw
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High Society - Theatre Royal
UNTIL FEBRUARY 26 2005, BATH: IT HAS been a baptism of fire for Liza Goddard. At the start of the year she had never sung and danced on stage in her life, but all that was about to change as she joined up with the cast of High Society on Monday. Offered
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Village bid for volunteer first aiders
GAZETTE & HERALD: HILMARTON resident Simon Barnfather urgently needs more volunteers to help him get a life-saving First Responder scheme off the ground. First Responders provide vital treatment to people within their local community before the emergency
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Elvis' son to unveil new Calne nightclub
GAZETTE & HERALD: ELVIS Aaron Presley Jr, son of the original king of rock and roll, is to be the star guest in Calne for the opening of a new late night club. Donal O'Dwyer, licencee, of The White Hart Hotel, said Mr Presley had agreed to open the
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Look out for neighbours
GAZETTE & HERALD:A PLAN to boost the profile of Neighbourhood Watch in Calne will be set in motion at a meeting tonight. The meeting will be chaired by Inspector David Cullop and Wiltshire Constabulary's Neighbourhood Watch and crime reduction officer
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Driver escapes as car hits pole
GAZETTE & HERALD: A CALNE man escaped without serious injury after his car clipped a telegraph pole and flipped over into a hedge on the Lyneham to Calne road at Hilmarton last Thursday. The 21-year-old was treated at the scene but declined hospital
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Councillor on crusade to clean up a foul mess
GAZETTE & HERALD: TOWN councillor Cathy Bowyer is on a mission to have the streets of Calne cleaned-up after parents at Holy Trinity School complained about the amount of dog mess in the town. Coun Bowyer, who is ward member for Marden, said that
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Council's gift for cricketer
GAZETTE & HERALD: CALNE Town Council is making the dreams of a young cricketer come true by creating a new gift fund. Liam Dawson, 14, from Hazel Grove in Calne, has been selected for the West of England side to tour the West Indies in March and April
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Bowood Estate plan unpopular in villages
GAZETTE & HERALD: RESIDENTS in Derry Hill and Studley are up in arms about a proposal to build 50 new homes. A petition urging North Wiltshire District Council not to approve the plans for the Derry Hill development is underway in the villages with
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Gym users' anger as equipment is moved
15398/01GAZETTE & HERALD: DISGRUNTLED gym user Yvonne Cripps said North Wiltshire Leisure Ltd acted like Robin Hood in reverse after it took some cardiovascular equipment from a gym in Calne for another in Chippenham. North Wiltshire Leisure admitted
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Marrying on success
THE Gazette and Herald is repeating its enormously successful wedding fair, which saw over 2,000 people flock to Devizes last year. The second annual wedding fair will take place at the Corn Exchange, Devizes, on Sunday August 7. Thirty local companies
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Phone stolen from a friend
A DEVIZES man changed his plea to guilty of stealing a mobile phone belonging to a friend of his family, magistrates in the town heard this week. Nicholas Hodges, 23, of Waiblingen Way, originally denied taking the mobile phone, which he had been lent
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Maternity unit is to hold an open day
PARENTS to be are among those invited to take a look around Devizes Maternity Unit. The midwife led unit is holding an open day on April 9. The centre, along with Malmesbury Maternity Unit, has been threatened with closure by the Kennet and North Wiltshire
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Milk Wood on St David's
WELSH poet Dylan Thomas's masterpiece, Under Milk Wood, is the next production at the Wharf Theatre in Devizes. Through the use of the most lyrical, evocative language, Thomas takes us through the waking and sleeping hours of the inhabitants of one village
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Cop an original panto
15372/2AN original tale of cops and robbers will be gracing the stage at Potterne Village Hall this week. Potterne Panto Group present their annual pantomime which is called Crafty Crooks and Panto Peelers. It is on today at 7.30pm, tomorrow at the same
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Village tapestry is a true stitch in time
15360/1A TAPESTRY that has been five years in the making has been unveiled at Christ Church, Worton. The tapestry was a millennium project for Worton and its sister village Marston that sprang from a meeting in April 1999. It consists of a number of nine
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Village to get a shop after wait of 16 years
URCHFONT is to get back its village shop after 16 years. The last general store to operate in the village closed in 1989 after the owner, Dave Nelson, was forced to retire due to ill health. Then butcher Bill Ford closed his shop in 1999 after he was
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Love is in the air in romantic Devizes
15397/03DEVIZES has more than its fair share of Casanovas according to a survey by Barclays. The town's thirty-something men are among the most romantic in the country. The findings are based on analysis by Barclays of its male customers' spending on
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Man wins cut in door costs
A MARLBOROUGH man succeeded in disputing the cost of a front door that he admitting smashing during a domestic incident just before Christmas. Michael Trotman, 33, of Southview Place, pleaded guilty to criminal damage on the night of December 6 when he
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Council objects to housing scheme
TOWN councillors in Marlborough have said too many homes are planned on the St John's School site in Chopping Knife Lane. On Monday residents from Chopping Knife Lane and Barnfield were delighted when town councillors supported their own objections and
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Sodexho in bad books
15363/3/5THE food provided by Sodexho has received the thumbs up from pupils at Potterne Primary School even though the headteacher has worries about how healthy it is. The quality of the food provided by Sodexho was criticised by some parents and schools
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RSPCA upsets judge in dog cruelty case
A JUDGE has demanded an explanation from animal charity RSPCA after he heard that three dogs that are the subject of an appeal against conviction have been re-homed with new owners. Judge Keith Cutler has ordered the RSPCA to present a report on what
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It's make or break time for carnival
UNLESS there is more public support the annual carnival procession in Marlborough could disappear. The traditional parade will be missing from the carnival activities this year because of a lack of manpower to organise it, the carnival committee has agreed
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We're lucky to be alive
15382/5DRIVER Ali Smith and her partner John Furness say they are lucky to be alive after they were pushed along in their car by a tanker during a horrifying collision. Miss Smith, 34, and Mr Furness, 33, from Devizes, escaped serious injury and are appealing
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Super-fit runner dies during charity race
WILTSHIRE coroner David Masters found that super-fit sportsman Garry Giles, who collapsed during a ten mile run last June, died from natural causes. Paul Tranter, acting coroner's officer for Salisbury, said Mr Masters' verdict was that Mr Giles, 29,
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Pupils benefit in uniform arrangement
UNIFORMS formerly worn by well-heeled children in Marlborough are now being proudly sported by pupils at two schools in West Africa. Privately owned Kingsbury Hill House School in Marlborough closed last summer because of dwindling numbers. Some parents
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Protesters win £30,000 pay out from police
TEN animal rights protesters who were arrested while disrupting a pheasant shoot near Marlborough more than three years ago have won £30,000 damages from Wiltshire police. The out-of-court settlement was revealed this week by Midlands solicitor Iftikhar
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Shock rejection of theatre plan
An artist's impression of the proposed £5 million Riverbank theatre/cinemaTOWN councillors in Marlborough have astounded trustees of the proposed new Riverbank theatre/cinema by objecting to the plans on a technicality. The Riverbank trustees are baffled
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Film about dyslexia is nominated
PUPILS from Swindon's Commonweal School will attend a star-studded mini Oscars bash in London next week. The budding film-makers all members of the school's dyslexic unit have been nominated for Best Animation in a competition run by the UK Film Festival
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Events company keeps homeless centre sweet
DROP-in centre, The Green Hut, was given a boost when events management company Inspire Success Ltd donated boxes of tasty treats to them yesterday. The boxes, full of hundreds of selection bags of chocolate, sweets, gingerbread biscuits and flapjacks
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Youngsters strike a chord in contest
YOUNG musicians hit all the right notes in an annual competition to showcase their talent. Harriet Leech, a pupil at Bradon Forest School, and Phillip Williams, of Highworth Warneford School, were named Swindon Young Musicians of the Year. The contest
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Man worked with asbestos for 28 years
ASBESTOS contributed to the death of a Swindon man who spent 28 years working in the Great Western Railway works. Coroner David Masters recorded a verdict of death by industrial disease after hearing evidence at the inquest of Victor Clemm. Mr Clemm,
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Capture the town's spirit in your poem
BUDDING Wordsworths and Tennysons are being urged to put pen to paper for Swindon's Learning Partnership The partnership is encouraging people aged 16 and over to express their thoughts and feelings on the theme of Spirit Of Swindon. To enter poems should
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Erbie's a real tonic for the children in hospital
A CHILDREN'S entertainer brought a smile to children's faces at the Great Western Hospital. Jeff Smith, alias Erbie the Clown, visited the children's ward thanks to a fundraising effort. The show was organised by POD, a charity that raises funds to send
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Man died from deadly weedkiller
A DEPRESSED man killed himself by drinking highly toxic weedkiller. And the herbicide, called paraquat was so strong that a police officer investigating the death had to be sent to hospital after he sniffed the bottle. Former Securicor worker Rodney Cox
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Warning over profits banks make from credit cards
THE Swindon-based Nationwide building society has revealed that credit card providers make £500 million extra in profit every year from the way they allocate the payments customers make to their accounts. Nationwide says that banks make money by applying
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God was on her side, says PC
A WOMAN had a lucky escape when her car tyre blew out at 3.30pm yesterday. She was westbound one mile east of junction 17 when the car slewed into the central reservation. It took out 30 metres of protective wire . PC Mark Hood of Swindon Traffic Police
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University should be in centre
THE County Ground, Oasis leisure centre and Wyvern Theatre could all be used as part of a town centre university campus, it has been suggested. Swindon Civic Trust insists that the University of Bath can build within the town centre rather than at Coate
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Space is the final frontier
AID worker Nick Cooper reports from Sri Lanka where he is helping the relief effort following the tsunami. Nick, 39, from Old Town, is working with fellow members of Goal - an international humanitarian organisation. The ex- soldier gives a first-hand
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Officers from the East pay police visit
POLICE officers from the Far East will be visiting Swindon today to find out more about British policing. Wiltshire Constabulary is hosting a visit from eight International Police Commanders this week. They are all currently training at the Police Training
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Cabbies plea to hospital
CABBIE Keith Radway claims that his drivers are being picked on by parking wardens when delivering patients to the Great Western Hospital. Mr Radway owns Swindon Black Cabs, which has a contract with the Oxfordshire Ambulance NHS Trust to transport renal
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Children find dad hanged
A FATHER'S body was discovered by his daughters after he killed himself on the spur of the moment over worries about losing his job and doing up his home, an inquest heard. David Smart, 38, a Swindon Pressings worker, hanged himself from the rafters in
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Thumbs down for the parking situation
YOUR SWINDON YOUR VERDICT: TRAFFIC wardens and their replacement parking attendants have never been popular in the eye of the public. Many are seen mercilessly giving out parking tickets to unsuspecting drivers in towns and cities across the country.
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Services head in the right direction
Your Swindon, Your Verdict is the first major survey into what Adver readers really think of the key issues affecting our town. More than 880 readers responded. In the fourth of a series of special reports Anthony Osborne looks at what readers think of
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Window memorial for Herc crew
A STAINED glass window could become a lasting tribute to the RAF Lyneham Hercules crew who died in Iraq. Names of the 10 men who died in the crash would be inscribed on the window at St Michael's and All Angels Churchmin Lyneham. Jim Semple, pictured,
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Protesters win compensation
TEN animal rights protesters have been given £30,000 compensation after claiming they were falsely imprisoned in Swindon. Wiltshire Constabulary settled out of court with the protesters but did not admit liability. Their lawyer Iftikhar Manzoor said they
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Assumption
IT was disappointing to read that Sheffield Samaritans have been refused lottery funding. This could mean Swindon Samaritans may get the same negative response. The reason given was that groups such as asylum seekers, ethnic minorities, and the elderly
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Stamp waste
MRS Richards and many others received two envelopes with their bus pass renewal forms. Did she not realise that the forms could be returned in the same envelopes, no stamp required. Had she looked a little more closely she would then have saved another
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An oversight?
THE current issue of Swindon News includes a council parks use survey. No mention is made of Coate Water in this feature. Is this an accidental council oversight? Or is the omission a deliberate avoidance of embarrassment or hassle? Although a relatively
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Healthy profit
MRS Janet Louca has my sympathy with regard to her father's experience at our new hospital. Perhaps it will comfort her to know that the company which built it, Carillion, has made £37m from a £13m investment. This was made within three years of the opening
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Our generation are not cowards
WHY did it come as such a shock and surprise to your staff that no one over a certain age would dream of wandering around town at night? You must have mothers and older relatives who do not lead an exciting night life because they do not go out after
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The needy pay too high price
LIKE Neil Martyn I was shocked by the proposed swingeing increases in care prices at Fessey House, where my mother in-law spent her last days. A great many of these people will have given a lifetime's service to this country and many will have served
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Violence IS on the increase
I WAS born in Swindon and I've lived here most of my life. I know full well what it was like years ago in terms of violence. There's no doubt that it is more violent today than it ever was. And it's the same in every town in the country. Only a little
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Swindon 0, Newbury Stags 26
SWINDON went down to their Newbury visitors in this friendly encounter. The home side fielded a number of fringe, second-team and development squad players and for that part it proved a useful exercise. Newbury opted to play into the strong wind in the
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Comic show for boat fund
GAZETTE & HERALD: NINE professional stand-up comedians including Wil Hodgson, came to Chippenham last week for a night of hilarity in aid of the Tsunami Appeal. They travelled from all over the country to take part in the event at the Neeld Hall.
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Artistic appeal to Fairtrade idea
GAZETTE & HERALD: TWO events are being held at St Cyriac's Church in Lacock next month to raise awareness of the positive impact of Fairtrade and tackle the ambiguities created by other products in the market place. Both events are being held as part
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Devizes U15 10, Keynsham U15 5
On the Friday before Sunday's fixture Devizes U15 team manager Roy Farrant thought that he would have to call the game off. As a result of two school ski trips and a late call up of six players for a county fixture, he had lost ten of his normal starting
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No thought
AT the risk of boring your readers may I once again bring up the subject of wheelie bins. Wheelie bins can be very successful. The Newbury area is a good example but they were introduced after very careful thought as to being practical, the right size
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Line crossed
VERY recently my son received a parking fine. The reason given on the ticket was because his front wheel was slightly over the line into the adjacent disabled space which are wider than normal bays anyway for obvious reasons. This was in the centre of
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Sad loss of a good friend
Just a short note on the sad loss we have all suffered with the passing of Ian McAbendroth at the early age of 57. How we are all going to miss that smiling face down at Devizes Wharf. He and his wife Liz were past customers of mine at White Horse Boats
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Choice of housing is what tenants deserve
I am writing to bring to readers' attention an excellent service which started in the Kennet area, but which is now to be extended across the UK. Homes@Kennet offers choice-based letting for social housing tenants. This means what it says anyone on the
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Must be fairer way to pay than council tax
A COUNCIL tax rise in the coming financial year of 9.9 per cent will mean a small increase in a band D property of 21 pence per week or £10 plus per year (Gazette, February 3). So says Tony Duck who would opt for that 9.9 per cent. But this increase is
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Hotel worries not being addressed
Great Bedwyn Parish Council remains concerned over the Tottenham House project (February 3) and its impact on the area. We have voiced these concerns to the developer's architect and to Kennet District Council, and have asked for clarification on a number
