Archive
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Crews have money to burn
GAZETTE & HERALD: Firefighters from Chippenham battled to stop £21 million in used notes being destoyed in a security van blaze, only to discover the cash was on its way to be incinerated at the Royal Mint. Two drivers from security firm Brinks escaped
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Car park shuts at night to foil noisy boy racers
GAZETTE & HERALD: BOY racers who tear around the ground floor of Chippenham's Emery Gate car park have forced North Wiltshire District Council to close it overnight. It is hoped the move will prevent anti-social behaviour in the area after residents
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Farewell to a diamond husband, dad and pal
15771GAZETTE & HERALD: THE best friend of Hercules hero Cpl David Williams paid tribute to a multi-faceted diamond in a poignant tribute at his funeral on Friday. Cpl Williams, 37, was honoured in a full military service at St Andrew's Church in Chippenham
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'Cancer victim' duped her lover
Alan OwenGAZETTE & HERALD: ABANDONED boyfriend Alan Owen yesterday claimed his former lover Caroline Morgan tricked him out of thousands of pounds by pretending she was dying of cancer. He said for four months Mrs Morgan, 35, fed him a pack of lies
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'Cancer victim' duped her lover
Alan OwenGAZETTE & HERALD: ABANDONED boyfriend Alan Owen yesterday claimed his former lover Caroline Morgan tricked him out of thousands of pounds by pretending she was dying of cancer. He said for four months Mrs Morgan, 35, fed him a pack of lies
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Triangle of love bent by angry wife's prize punch
GAZETTE & HERALD: A 28-year-OLD mother-of-four from Corsham has pleaded guilty to assaulting the woman who was having an affair with her husband. Prosecutor Michelle Hewitt told North Wiltshire Magistrates in Chippenham on Thursday how Clair Throupe
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Investigation into sarnie sickness
GAZETTE & HERALD: A CORSHAM sandwich business is being investigated by environmental health after a customer claimed he suffered with food poisoning after eating a chicken sandwich . Carpenter Luke Livesey, 25, claims he was forced to take a sick
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Objection to bookies move
GAZETTE & HERALD: PLANS to relocate a betting shop in Corsham's Martingate Centre have been opposed by traders. Bookies firm Ladbrokes are set to take over the lease on the shop occupied by the Three Cooks bakery, moving from their current spot in
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Marathon hits a bulls eye
15748/1GAZETTE & HERALD: THE Cross Keys darts club from Corsham are counting the pennies after a 24-hour charity darts marathon. On Good Friday the group of 11 took part in the challenge to boost funds for the Tsunami Appeal. Organiser Dave Philpott
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Hit and run victim may lose hearing and vision
15779/1GAZETTE & HERALD: HIT and run victim Simon Sproule is out of hospital and recovering at home after a quad bike mowed him down. The 30-year-old dad was taken to Bath's Royal United Hospital with a fractured neck and skull, where he spent a week
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Thieves beat caravan locks
THE spate of caravan thefts in north Wiltshire continues with another two being stolen over the weekend. Police are urging caravan owners to be extra vigilant because the thieves are determined and will break through all security devices. An £11,000 white
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Westminster or county hall?
INDEPENDENT councillor Philip Alnatt has revealed he is considering standing as an MP at next month's general election. Mr Alnatt, 55, said he wanted to challenge James Gray, Conservative MP for North Wiltshire, but was seeking the support of friends
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Expansion for pub in Enford
A VILLAGE pub near Pewsey has been granted permission to extend. Despite fears by residents in Enford of increased parking problems, Kennet district councillors approved a planning application for an extension to be built at The Swan Inn to create a larger
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Striker hails goal as most important of his career
DAVID Gilroy hailed his late winner against Halesowen on Saturday as one of the most important goals he has ever scored. His lob over goalkeeper Chris Taylor in the dying minutes gave Chippenham their 21st win of the season and helped pile the pressure
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Accident fear fuelled by speeding motorists
SELFISH drivers speeding through Malmesbury are ignoring the 20mph zone and councillors fear their recklessness could end in a serious accident unless something is done to stop them. Motorists are encouraged to drive at 20mph along High Street, Oxford
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Crash driver is lucky to be alive
EMMA Carter can't believe she's still alive after a dramatic crash yesterday left her upside down on the inside roof of her car with a fence post stuck in the engine. Miss Carter, 23, of Brinkworth, was driving to work in the rain at Swindon-based car
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Pictures win a Peruvian pal
15710/1CHILDREN from Malmesbury Church of England Primary School have been rewarded for their woolly ideas by alpaca farmer Phil Neale. Mr Neale, who owns an 11-acre farm near the Malmesbury bypass, asked them to draw and then decorate pictures of the
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Charity shop vandalised
A smashed window at the cancer research shop in Malmesbury has caused around £1,000 in damage and loss of business, according to store manager and deputy mayor Jacky Martin. The incident occurred at 10.30pm last Saturday, leaving a hole four-and-half
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Parents want changes to crash probe procedures
GRIEVING parents Richard and Thelma Oxley believe the police can learn lessons from the way the investigation into the death of their daughter was carried out. An inquest into the death of Helen Oxley, 19, who died while cycling home on the B4042 Malmesbury
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Mums asked for their views on maternity unit
MOTHERS who have had a positive experience giving birth at Malmesbury Maternity Unit are being surveyed in an attempt to help the facility win a prestigious award and safeguard its future. The National Childbirth Trust is carrying out its second Better
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Love in the air for singletons
MATCHMAKER Gill MacKenzie will be hoping love is firmly on the menu when she launches the first speed dating event to be held in Wootton Bassett. Mrs MacKenzie, who lives just off the High Street, has planned a romantic evening at Delicia's Wine Bar in
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New local transport scheme is launched
A NEW £30,000 local transport scheme, including the first subsidised taxi scheme in Wiltshire, will be launched in Wootton Bassett next month. The Countryside Agency funded initiative, called Transport4U, is set to transform the lives of people without
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Michael Owen wannabes take to the turf
15780/2AS the England football team edge closer to World Cup qualification, youngsters in Wootton Bassett are still dreaming of scoring the winner at Wembley. They have once again flocked to the football holiday fun weeks organised by Chris Kirkland.
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Community ambulance role is with youngsters
WILTSHIRE St John Ambulance, almost half of whose membership is composed of young people, is looking for a volunteer child protection officer. The Devizes-based charity runs many courses for people under 18, including their own youth group called the
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The countdown to polling day begins
15799/2MORE people in the Devizes constituency have registered for a postal vote than ever before, throwing down a strategic challenge to the staff whose job it is to manage the upcoming General and county council elections. Even before the General Election
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Kverneland site ruling causes plan uncertainty
PLANNERS at Kennet District Council are seeking an urgent meeting with Government officials to clarify housing policy. Kennet's replacement Local Plan, approved 12 months ago, could be in doubt following the decision by planning inspector Chris Frost
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Sports centre given the green light to expand
IMPROVED sports facilities are to be provided in Ramsbury following the approval of a planning application by Kennet District Council. The plan by the trustees of Ramsbury Recreation Centre to build a single-storey pavilion plus an extension to the existing
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Stolen art roadshow
SWINDON residents who have been burgled could be reunited with their chattels thanks to the Wiltshire Police. A series of art and antique viewing roadshows will be taking place across the county featuring items that have been stolen from people's homes
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Appeal gets more power
Npower's Carol Hart gives a cheque to Macmillan's Vanessa Davey Picture: STUART HARRISON Ref: 76840-20CASH keeps rolling in for the Swindon Cancer Appeal with RWE Npower donating a massive £21,817 to the charity. After smashing the £600,000 target a year
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Churchill's Cuban cigar box sold at auction
A CIGAR box used by the wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill has sold for £2,600 at a Swindon auction house. The box was sold by the Dominic Winter Book Auctions in Maxwell Street. Churchill presented the box to Brendan Bracken, the Minister of Information
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Model Polishes up well
Helenka Nowicka with her parents Krystyna and Stannislaw Picture Ref: 76835-21AN ASPIRING model will be strutting her stuff in an international competition. Helenka Nowicka, of Chamberlain Road, Stratton St Margaret, is hoping to wow judges when she represents
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I'm still waiting
Patrick McGailey with (from left) Kasie, Tabitha, Theresa and Misty Picture: CLARE HOMER Ref: 76849-23A DAD-OF-FIVE claims he is living in poverty because surgeons are too busy to operate on his faulty heart. Patrick McGailey, 42, of Broad Street, has
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Wild card puts runner on marathon start line
GAZETTE & HERALD: CALNE road runner Liz Laird has been pounding the pavements five times a week in preparation for the London Marathon on April 17. But for the first-time marathon runner, who lives in Oxford Road, it was simply luck of the draw that
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Beacon of pride for vibrant town
GAZETTE & HERALD: CALNE has been praised as one of the most advanced and vibrant areas in Wiltshire by inspectors from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. They visited the town just before Christmas as part of Wiltshire County Council's effort
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Twin way to celebrate
15811/03GAZETTE & HERALD: THEY'RE more like chalk and cheese than two peas in a pod, but twins Peter Dew and Peggy Nash agreed on how to celebrate their 80th birthday in style. The octogenarians, whose big day is today, are hosting a party for 70
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Mayor leading boundary walk
DEVIZES Mayor Margaret Taylor will be leading the way on the annual Beating the Bounds. This annual sponsored walk follows the historic parish boundaries of Devizes, an approximate distance of seven miles. There will be a variety of walking conditions
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Safety fear on new flats plan
A FORMER office building next to the derelict Assize Courts in Devizes is to be converted into eight flats. Kennet district councillors were told estate agents Atwell Martin tried to market the former Bluemay offices in Lower Wharf, for more than two
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Burglar admits theft
CONVICTED burglar Nigel Stickley stole two video games from a house after he saw the householder leave, a court heard. Stickley, 22, of Eastleigh Road, Devizes admitted burgling the house in Stokes Close, Devizes, on March 15, stealing a PlayStation 2
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Victorian town hall major drain on finances
THE town hall at Marlborough continues to be a major drain on the town council finances it was revealed on Monday. Despite the efforts of a working party set up to promote greater use of the 102 year old building it remains a white elephant the annual
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Eighth year for Gardeners' Fair
THE Marlborough Gardeners' Fair will be held for an eighth successive year on Sunday, April 17 at the town's public school dining hall. Over the past seven years the fair which always benefits Cancer Research UK has raised tens of thousands of pounds
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Concert career beckons
15788/01DEVIZES flautist and singer India Webb is planning a career as a concert musician after being accepted by the most famous music college in Europe, the Paris Conservatoire. India, 17, is delighted that, after she finishes her A-levels at Dean Close
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Frantic search for two missing milestones
15794/3BISHOPS Cannings parish councillors are concerned that two milestones along the A361 Devizes to Avebury road have gone missing and another is also in danger of disappearing. Parish councillor Eric Clark noticed that the two stones, which date from
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Discworld creator coup for children's bookshop
15805/01THE only specialist children's bookshop in the West of England is about to expand its premises in Long Street, Devizes. Former teacher Karen Hellewell took over the Well Wisher bookshop from Brian Luckwell in 1999 and was soon joined by Jo Williams
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Veteran wins battle for memorial
OLD soldier Gordon Rendle who lives in Marlborough is celebrating success in a campaign to get a memorial erected to wartime buddies who died when a gun blew up in their faces. Mr Rendle, 76, has lived Marlborough in Kingsbury Street for 30 years but
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David takes the Blaine
15776/2TRAVEL shop employee David Challinor spent a day in isolation in the style of American illusionist David Blaine to raise money for charity. The 18-year-old volunteered to spend Saturday shut up on a window ledge at the Thomson travel agent shop
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Art coup for jazz festival
THE colour and movement of the Marlborough International Jazz festival will be captured by a team of leading artists this year. One of the festival sponsors, the Marlborough-based stockbrokers Brewin Dolphin, has secured a prestigious New Partners Award
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Awards to salute eight community stalwarts
UNSUNG heroes of Devizes will be recognised at this year's civic awards, due to be presented at the town council's annual parish meeting on April 21. A panel of judges, including the rector of St John's and St Mary's, Canon John Record, the Rev Ron Williams
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Checkout operator had hands in the till
MANAGEMENT at Waitrose in Marlborough set up a covert operation on their checkout operator Nicola Clements when they suspected she had been stealing money. A secret camera was fitted above the till she worked on and it showed her taking money from the
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Neigbours fear being stranded in own homes
15798/1PEOPLE living in Drews Park Village, the former Roundway Hospital site, fear an accident on the only access road could leave them stranded. The residents are so concerned about the road from the junction of Byron Road and Green Lane they have presented
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Sam's legacy of hope
15817/2THE parents of Sam Waters, the ten-year-old who died last September after a battle against brain cancer, have made donations from a fund set up in his name. Susi and Howard Waters, of Wick Lane, Devizes, chose Monday, which would have been Sam's
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Fears of damage to trees on Green
The trench is close to treesFEARS are mounting that more damage will be caused to The Green in Devizes by Wessex Water just as a lengthy battle for compensation for previous damage has been agreed. Workmen for the water company have dug a trench on The
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Rail fan rescued from slippery slope
A RAILWAY enthusiast from South Wales who got stuck on a steep cutting by the Marlborough tunnel on Sunday had to be rescued by fire fighters. Marlborough fire station commander Dave Ward said it was one of the most unusual tasks they had been asked to
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Sports centre given the green light to expand
IMPROVED sports facilities are to be provided in Ramsbury following the approval of a planning application by Kennet District Council. The plan by the trustees of Ramsbury Recreation Centre to build a single-storey pavilion plus an extension to the existing
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Dog owner fined
A DOG owner has been given a six-month conditional discharge and a fine of £100 for letting her pet out without a collar. Samantha Webdale, 36, of Theobold Street, Swindon, pleaded guilty to four offences of allowing her dog to roam without a collar and
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In market to win
THE Wiltshire Farmer's Market is donating a free hamper full of local produce as a prize in a free raffle. Anyone who makes a purchase from the market tomorrow will get a free raffle ticket and stand a chance of winning. To enter just write your telephone
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Town safe from election scams
Alan Winchcombe who is urging voters to return their postal vote applications Picture: MATTHEW SWINGLER Ref: 76854-08ELECTORAL fraud on the scale committed in Birmingham could not happen in Swindon. That is the message from the town's election officers
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Find out about extra help
AGE Concern Swindon will hold its next general meeting at 2pm on Friday, April 29 at the Pilgrim Centre, Regent Circus, Swindon. Graham Pearson, the head of adult social services, and Shareen Campbell, from Swindon Primary Care Trust, will be describing
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A crafty way to learn an old skill
THERE will be a craft extravaganza in Old Town on Saturday. People are being invited to learn about traditional crafts at a Country Crafts Day at Swindon Museum and Art Gallery in Bath Road. Crafts on display will include cane and rush seating, paper
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Stella's desert island risks...
Stella Hopkins Picture: STUART HARRISON Ref: 76850-163AN island castaway from Swindon is embarking on a challenge of a lifetime. Stella Hopkins, of Park North, will be taking part in the Anthony Nolan Trust's Island Survival Challenge Trophy 2005. And
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Grief stricken husband pays tribute to wife stuns
Dennis Cooper and his wife Jan who died from a brain haemorrhage last weekGRIEF-stricken grandfather Dennis Cooper has paid an emotional tribute to his wife, who died suddenly from a brain haemorrhage at the age of 59. Jan Cooper had just enjoyed watching
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Intruder posed as a policeman
THIS is the man police want to speak to in connection with a distraction burglary in Gorse Hill. Swindon officers are renewing an appeal for information about the incident at a house in Gladys Plumley Gardens in which the intruder posed as a policeman
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Girls dumped by bus driver
Mother Michelle Gray with her daughter Imogen, right, and friend Haidee Clarke, centre Picture: MATTHEW SWINGLER Ref: 76855-78THE mother of a 13-year-old girl who was kicked off a bus for not having 40p says the action was irresponsible and she could
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I will suffer
RE: The story about charging blue badge holders to use town car parks (April 1). It is a sure sign the Conservative councillors are in the Swindon offices. Trust the Tories to decide to cut back on the most deprived disabled people by taking away our
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Recycling is waste of our money
ON the morning of April 1 (please note the date), everyone living in Wroughton High Street received an orange plastic box for recycling. I duly separated all my recyclable waste and, once I had filled my box, I consulted the booklet which came with it
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Projects will not benefit us
AS a pensioner who has lived in Swindon for 43 years I feel I have the right to protest at the proposed plans for various projects in our town. The proposed mutilation of the Mechanics' Institute, right. The proposal for a ten storey block of flats at
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It's people's choice
MALMESBURY is England's oldest borough and oldest market town and I love my home town. I am proud of its lovely abbey and Market Cross. Reading my council tax leaflet, I quote: "The Market Cross is one of the finest in the country, built in the reign
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Space for exhibition
AS a committee member of Marlborough Artists, who are holding their 56th annual exhibition in Marlborough Town Hall on April 16 and 17, I am writing to say what a welcome step forward the Riverbank project is taking in providing permanent exhibition space
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Toilets always filthy
EVERY morning I go to the coach station toilets in Swindon only to find that there is no hand soap, the floor is filthy, the toilets are disgusting, and there are cigarette ends all over the place. The person who is supposed to work there is never there
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Take part in series
One of BBC3's highest rated programmes, Who Rules the Roost?, is coming back for a third series. Fitting the kids around a hectic career can be a constant struggle for some parents. This programme gives parents a chance to see what it might be like to
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Worth every penny
THOSE readers who have been following the misdemeanours of our town council I am sure will want to congratulate the councillor who made the unpleasant decision to bring out into the open the latest maladministration. Councillors often have to make difficult
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Beer festival on track
GAZETTE & HERALD: EIGHT hundred gallons of ale are expected to be downed at the 14th annual Chippenham Beer Festival later this month. Tickets for the popular event, which has been a complete sell-out in previous years, are shifting like hot cakes
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Touched by response
I AM writing to thank all the patients, carers, staff and members of the public who have taken the time to write to the government body, NICE, in an effort for them to overturn their initial ruling, stopping future patients having the memory boosting
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More transparency
According to the booklet 'How your council tax is spent' accompanying this year's council tax bill, in 2005/06 Marlborough Town Council expects to spend £119,003 on unexplained 'administration'. This represents 38 per cent of the overall budget, and an
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Recycling directory leads way to the future
GAZETTE & HERALD: A TREASURE trove of information on how to reduce, re-use and recycle household waste will be launched in Chippenham today. The free Chippenham Recycling Directory is the fourth in a series of 20 being produced by the Wiltshire Wildlife
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Resounding success
I was honoured to be present with the party from Marlborough, Massachusetts at the 800th anniversary celebration. I read the article that offered criticism to your mayor and some members of the council. All I can say is that I was extremely impressed
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Sizeable collection
IN advocating the siting of a Devizes Heritage Centre in the old Assize Courts (Gazette, March 31), P Little is perhaps unaware of the vast archive on Devizes history held by Wiltshire Heritage Library in Long Street. We have a large collection of photographs
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Drug users snared by nightclub's scanner
GAZETTE & HERALD:A REVOLUTIONARY drug-testing machine was used in a Chippenham nightclub on Saturday to get across the message that illegal substances are not welcome. Manager John Drew at Buds 2000, on Station Hill invited police officers to test
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We're missing you from head to toe
GAZETTE & HERALD: Mourners wiped their eyes as the coffin of Flight Sergeant Mark Gibson was carefully placed in the back of a hearse alongside a floral tribute from his seven-year-old daughter Poppy that read: "To Daddy missing you from head to toe
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Fun-loving hero lived life to the full
GAZETTE & HERALD: THE tears were mixed with smiles and laughter at the packed funeral of another victim of the Hercules tragedy, fun-loving Master Engineer Gary Nicholson. At the opening of a moving tribute, his son Adrian, 22, told the congregation
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Hundreds expected at devoted pair's funeral
Hundreds are expected at the joint funeral of Nicky Gough and Colette HolbrookGAZETTE & HERALD: RED and white flowers bearing the names of Nicky Gough and his fiancee Colette Holbrook will accompany their coffins into church on Monday for what is
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Benches recall top sportsman
GAZETTE & HERALD: TWO memorial benches are to be placed overlooking the cricket and football field in Box as a tribute to late grandfather Alec Cogswell. His family wanted to honour him after he died aged 84 last July and decided on the benches because
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£40,000 of golf clubs are stolen
GAZETTE & HERALD: A FAMILY business suffered a huge loss last Thursday when £40,000 worth of top-of-the-range golf clubs were stolen. Between 60 and 70 new sets of Taylor Made clubs were taken from the Tony Valentine Golf Centre on Bradford Road,
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Mick the Miller
MICK Harford has accepted the challenge of lifting rock-bottom Rotherham United back into the Championship and hopes both Town and the Millers will taste the joy of promotion in the not too distant future. After just 46 days at the County Ground, Town's
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Mother desperate for help
GAZETTE & HERALD: THE mother of a ten-year-old Corsham truant who has skipped school more than 100 times in the last eight months said she is desperate to control her daughter. The concerned mother, who can't be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty
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Our lovely little miss nosey
15791/3As the Gazette's Springboard Appeal received another big boost this week, winning support from staff at Woolworths in Chippenham, ZOE MILLS spoke to another family who have been helped by the pre-school DOLL'S clothes were all little Lucy Walker's
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Right Royal snub
Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles costumes are not a popular line in party wear 15822/6PEOPLE in North Wiltshire have turned their backs on the jinxed royal wedding and would rather watch the Grand National than the heir to the throne tie the knot
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The countdown to polling day begins
15799/2VOTERS in North Wiltshire should expect their ballot cards to drop through the letterbox in the next couple of weeks after a general election was called on Tuesday. Prime Minister Tony Blair asked the Queen for Parliament to be dissolved ready
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Pub landlords standing firm against the yobs
15808/02PUBLICANS and police are adopting a new get tough policy towards anyone who causes trouble in any of Pewsey's half a dozen pubs. The reactivation of the village's PubWatch scheme has been prompted by the stringent new licensing laws that come
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Dean links back up with Chalkie
STRIKER Dean Evans is delighted to be linking back up with Steve White after being shown the door by Championship outfit Plymouth Argyle. The 17-year-old has been told to find another club by youth team manager Stewart Gibson after completing two years
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Aussie says forget Histon
AUSSIE defender Matthew Mcentegart has warned his teammates to forget the crunch clash against Histon on the final day of the season as the title race could be over by then. The centre back believes his side have cannot afford to look too far into the
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Quick action foils burglars
NEIGHBOURHOOD watch co-ordinator Ian Mace has praised the eagle-eyed vigilance of a Corston resident who helped police stop two burglars. The resident became suspicious when she saw two men wearing tool belts go round to the back of a house opposite her
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Billionaire Dyson tops South West's rich list
INVENTOR James Dyson has been cautioned over polluting a river near his home in the same week he topped a Sunday Times rich list. Mr Dyson, 57, was top of the South West section of the list with a personal fortune of £1,050,000,000. Mr Dyson, who is said
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Walker, 61, takes up a tough 50-mile challenge
15795/10PENSIONER Alison Bailey is on a mission to help her friend and others suffering from Multiple Sclerosis by walking 50 miles around Wiltshire in three days. The sprightly 61-year-old from Minety will join around 300 people who are expected to walk
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Clive's Jaffa Cakes were our secret weapon
STEVE WHITE COLUMN: OUR kit man Clive Garraway might have been our secret weapon on Tuesday night when we beat Swindon Town 6-4 to win the Wiltshire Premier Shield. Clive was a bit worried that some of the lads, who had come straight from work to the
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Chippenham Town 2, Halesowen 1
HOTSHOT striker David Gilroy struck the decisive winner three minutes from time to reboot Chippenham's championship challenge on Saturday. The prolific marksman 15th goal for Chippenham since his move in December came just two minutes after Nathan Lamey
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Park life flourishes
A NEW Swindon business park has been hailed a success. The Equity Trade Centre (ETC) in Hobley Drive, Stratton St Margaret, is nearly full just a year since construction work began on the site. Just three out of the 20 units on the site is vacant with
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Good deed days at Thames Water
THERE will be no excuse for Thames Water employees not to do a good deed at least twice a year thanks to a new scheme. The company has launched an initiative called Time to Give which allows all its employees to take two days' paid leave a year to do
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Motorbike firm in the fast lane
MOTORCYCLE firm George White is accelerating plans to open a new headquarters. The firm founded in Swindon 40 years ago is currently based in Manchester Road and is now one of the UK's leading motorcycle retailers. Now it is planning to consolidate its
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Flats would be town eyesore
Angry Wootton Bassett residents have opposed a plan for flats on the former Rosary Health Clinic because they claim it would create an eyesore on the town landscape. Ten residents from the Rosary and surrounding area attended last week's town council
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Driver's lucky escape
Emma Carter after her accident yesterdayADMIN assistant Emma Carter can't believe she's still alive after a dramatic crash yesterday left her upside down inside the roof of her car with a fence post stuck in the engine. Miss Carter, 23, of Brinkworth,
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Mums asked for their views on maternity unit
MOTHERS who have had a positive experience giving birth at Malmesbury Maternity Unit are being surveyed in an attempt to help the facility win a prestigious award and safeguard its future. The National Childbirth Trust is carrying out its second Better
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Threatened unit throws open its doors to public
DEVIZES Maternity Unit, which has won a reprieve after a successful campaign by the community, is holding an open day on Saturday. The open day, which runs from 10am to 5pm, is open to parents to be or people who just want to know what facilities the
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This haircut raised £1,000 for charity
Amanda Cox Picture References: 76841-185/172A TEENAGER has managed to raise more than £1,000 for Cancer Research in memory of a family friend who died of leukaemia. Amanda Cox, 18, of Grove Orchard, Highworth, had her long pink hair all shaved off for
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Waste food still makes something grow
WASTE food from Wiltshire school dinners can be composted rather than dumped as landfill thanks to a £95,000 grant received by Wiltshire Wildlife Trust. The trust has been working closely with Sheldon School in Chippenham to pilot the scheme whereby meat
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Community ambulance role is with youngsters
WILTSHIRE St John Ambulance, almost half of whose membership is composed of young people, is looking for a volunteer child protection officer. The Devizes-based charity runs many courses for people under 18, including their own youth group called the
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Driver's lucky escape
Emma Carter after her accident yesterdayADMIN assistant Emma Carter can't believe she's still alive after a dramatic crash yesterday left her upside down inside the roof of her car with a fence post stuck in the engine. Miss Carter, 23, of Brinkworth,
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Who benefits?
KENNET District Council is contacting pensioners to let them know that they could be eligible to receive council tax and housing benefit. Kennet has been working with the Pension Service and as a result will be writing to 400 householders who it thinks
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Suspension pest
KENNET District Council has warned residents and businesses that it has had to suspend its pest control service until a new officer has been properly trained. Richard Fielding, a former police officer, had been the council's pest control officer for about
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New licence rush warning
KENNET District Council is warning licensees to apply for new licences now rather than wait until August. The Licensing Act has been overhauled by the Government and officials at Kennet are worried that they could be overwhelmed with applications if people
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A sanctuary for abused women
Picture: CLARE HOMER Ref: 76844-77POLICE insist their top priority is to get rape victims seen by doctors not convictions. Previously, victims had to go to the police to get access to specialist health care. Now all they need to do is contact their local
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Did you witness Easter stabbing?
SWINDON police are renewing an appeal for witnesses to a stabbing. A 27-year-old man was repeatedly stabbed after leaving the Studio nightclub at about 2.30am on Sunday, March 27. The man had been approached by two men and a woman in a vehicle at Hoopers
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Dad back home after finally having surgery
Paul and Debbie Picture Ref: 76845-17A DAD-OF-TWO reckons he is lucky to be alive after waiting nine weeks for a heart operation. As reported in yesterday's Advertiser, Paul Lovegrove, 43, was told to keep stress-free after a heart attack in February.
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Yobs on quads menace town
LOUTS tearing around on quad bikes could have their machines seized. Crimebusters are warning youths that they have the power to confiscate bikes which are being used to cause a nuisance. Since it was launched five weeks ago, several people have contacted
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Music just for funky babies
GAZETTE & HERALD: BABIES as young as three months old will soon be able to take part in funky new pre-school classes in music and dance which are starting up in Calne. MAD Academy is designed as modern and fun classes for children from three months
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New name for firm on move
GAZETTE & HERALD: A LONG-established Calne engineering company is investing in the future with a new name and a move to new premises. Family firm Zebedee and Powney has traded in the town for 50 years, specialising in engine remanufacture and machining
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Coach making border crossing for his sport
15682/1GAZETTE & HERALD: JOHN Bentley School might take on nearby public schools after it launched lacrosse as an extra curricular activity. As part of the launch John Bentley School has also brought in a secret weapon. For a month Grant Griffith,
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Bravery award for junior hero
15801/2GAZETTE & HERALD: JENNY Glennon was proud as punch to see her 11-year-old son Ryan receiving an award for saving her life. Quick-thinking Ryan, who was just ten at the time, put his mum in the recovery position before calling an ambulance when
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Dragon walk to be heaven sent
PEOPLE who go on a countryside walk can learn about the history of Bishops Cannings as well as raising money for the village church. The Friends of Bishops Cannings Church are repeating the Walk for Saint George on April 23 due to demand. Last year the
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Corn Exchange open all night
A MIX up between workers at the Corn Exchange led to the building remaining unlocked all night. Devizes Town Council which owns the building, in the Market Place, said nothing was stolen from the building. Procedures have now been tightened up. Deputy
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Puzzled pooch passes big test
BESS, the one-year-old police dog who hit the national headlines when she went AWOL in Savernake Forest, has passed her initiation tests and is now a fully qualified member of Wiltshire Constabulary's K9 corps. The jet-black German Shepherd bitch, last
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Fundraiser has lots up for grabs
OFFERS of goodies for auction are coming in thick and fast for a fund raising event in Marlborough this month. The !Hola Honduras evening is being staged at St Peter's Church on April 15, starting at 8pm, to help fund a scientific opportunity of a lifetime
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New school site decided in Quakers Walk plan
THE site of the proposed new primary school on land at Quakers Walk has been set in a draft development brief issued by estate agent Carter Jonas this week. The plan is to build the school parallel to London Road, close to Parkfields, though residents
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Belly good show for kids
15813/03GRATEFUL Heather Brothers is planning a fundraising belly dance to help parents whose children have heart conditions. Mrs Brother's four-year-old son, Francis, has undergone four operations in his short life to treat a heart defect he was born
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New head credited by inspectors as catalyst
HEAD teacher Jeff Mason received top marks from Ofsted inspectors for turning round falling standards at Collingbourne Primary School. But parents copped a ticking off in the report for taking their children out of school during term time. Although, the
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Residents relieved after nuisance van impounded
RESIDENTS of Victoria Road in Devizes have expressed relief that a camper van, allegedly being used to deal in illegal drugs, has been impounded by police. Local people have been complaining for the last two or three months about the presence of the two-tone
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Judge may seek alternative for serial burglar
House burglar Lee Capel has been freed on bail by a Crown Court judge even though he has fallen foul of the three strikes rule for a second time. The 29-year-old heroin addict of Rabley Wood View, Marlborough, may escape a mandatory three years jail after
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Threatened unit throws open its doors to public
DEVIZES Maternity Unit, which has won a reprieve after a successful campaign by the community, is holding an open day on Saturday. The open day, which runs from 10am to 5pm, is open to parents to be or people who just want to know what facilities the
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Crowds Keane on lent lecture
MORE than 300 people attended the annual lent lecture in Marlborough last Wednesday to hear the BBC special correspondent Fergal Keane talk about his work. Keane was the BBC war correspondent for 25 years and he spoke about some of the atrocities he reported
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Teacher runs marathon for chronically ill sister
15786/3KATE Delaney spends her days in bed or in a chair. On a good day she can summon up the strength to send a text message to a friend. Miss Delaney, 28, has been struck down by M.E. (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis), a chronic illness. The effect of the
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Cottage home stars on TV
SUPERMARKET section manager David Tippets will be appearing on a TV homes relocation programme in the autumn. A team from Talkback Productions which makes the BBC series Escape to the Country spent a day filming at the 300-year-old Ogbourne St George
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Neighbour made our life a misery
HAPPIER TIMES: Robert and Lorraine McGowan, pictured two years agoA FAMILY have spoken of their two years of putting up with a Neighbours from Hell situation after a court imposed a £1,000 binding over order on Adrian Talbot. Talbot, who gave a Pewsey
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Brain operation is on hold
PLANS to send George Mitchell to New York for pioneering brain surgery have been put on ice. The Lyneham youngster, who celebrates his fourth birthday later this month, will now undergo seven more weeks of chemotherapy in an attempt to further shrink
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Drown will march in STOP protest
LABOUR MP Julia Drown will join a protest against the development of Swindon on Saturday. The demonstration by the Swindon Together On Planning aims to raise awareness of the opposition to building on the countryside surrounding the town. Organiser Alan
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Fight on to save bus route
Kathleen Poynter and Kim Herron Picture: CLARE HOMER Ref: 76855-23A CAMPAIGN has been launched to save a bus route to rural areas outside Swin-don. Stagecoach has made a decision to terminate the Number 70 bus service in May. The company says the route
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6-a-side to fight cancer
CANCER charities will be given a boost thanks to a new football tournament. The Dig Football League will hold the six-a-side on June 11. Organisers hope it will raise £1,000 for three charities in Swindon. Derek Leppard, 42, runs the Dig Football League
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Fathers say it is time for change
Paul Milburn with Georgia Picture: SIOBHAN BOYLE Ref: 76839-32DADS are to be offered male-only antenatal classes. The Having A Baby Company started classes for couples in Wroughton a year ago. But partners Sian Beautyman and Sandy Bridges found men were
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Police join youngsters at disco
POLICE in Marlborough have launched a weekly supervised disco for teenagers. They have teamed up with the Marlborough nightclub Azuza to launch the Bluez 'n' Zuz club that will be open to teenagers up to 16. The disco will take place from 6.30pm to 9.30pm
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DIY team goes back to nature
Ash-Mae Fawthrop lends a hand during the clean up Picture: SIOBHAN BOYLE Ref: 76846-36WORK to give a derelict farmhouse at Stanton Park nature reserve a new lease of life has begun. Swindon College and the Parks DIY community group have joined forces
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Drama students enjoy success at island festival
DRAMA students from New College in Swindon went down a storm at an arts festival. They performed their production of Educating Rita at the Isle of Wight Easter Festival and received the biggest audience of the week. And to top things off the show's star
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Fringe is growing
The Beehive pub is set to host the second Swindon fringe festivalIF Edinburgh is big enough for two festivals then so is Swindon. That seems to be the thinking behind the organisers of the Swindon Fringe, which will run at the same time as this year's
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Firefighters put on a show of their skill
THE outgoing High Sheriff of Wiltshire, James Arkell, joined firefighters in Swindon for a training day. Mr Arkell, pictured, who is also managing director of Swindon-based Arkell's Brewery, spent the day with Wiltshire Fire Brigade as the guest of chief
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Salt Way School is the first for the axe
THE West Swindon primary school that will be the first to face the axe has been named. Salt Way Primary School is the only school to be put forward for closure as part of a re-organisation of West Swindon schools. The news was made public in a report
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Join the race
LEUKAEMIA Care is a national charity that provides care and support to patients, their families and carers during the difficult journey through the diagnosis and treatment of leukaemia, lymphoma or an allied blood disorder. We have 150 guaranteed places
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Land must be for the public
WITH all due respect to Mr Davis in his reply to my letter concerning the County Ground redevelopment, I am aware of the area Trust STFC and the football club consider to be open space. The cricket and athletic grounds may be fenced off, but are still
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Life after death
On behalf of NHS UK Transplant, I'd like to say a thank you to all your readers who have pledged to help others to live after their death. Six months ago, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the NHS Organ Donor Register, we launched a nationwide challenge
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Take educated guess
IN the light of the 'geometric progression' characterising recent increases in the earth's human population, would any of your mathematically minded readers care to venture a 'guesstimate' as to the rise in the present total, by the end of this century
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Honesty over future
OVER the past six weeks Carol Clarke, chief executive of the Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust, has released to different newspapers hints of the possible direction yet another health review will take. Her visions are incomprehensible, such
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Police praise top neighbour
GAZETTE & HERALD: A MAN carrying out odd jobs for an elderly woman was arrested on Friday when a quick-thinking neighbour flagged the police down. He was arrested on suspicion of deception after carrying out work on a tree and charging more than £100
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Town image as Little Bath
GAZETTE & HERALD: CHIPPENHAM Town Council is aiming to re-establish the town as a Little Bath, putting the town firmly on the tourist trail. This week the council took over the running of the Tourist Information Centre, the biggest in north Wiltshire
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Women meet health minister on cancer care
GAZETTE & HERALD: CHIPPENHAM breast cancer sufferers Nina Rack and June Nelson joined 50 women from across the country to voice their concerns about cancer care to health minister John Reid. The women, who run the Chippenham Breast Cancer Support
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Picture not of a rave
I was disturbed to see the article entitled 'Police clamp down on raves' in the March 31 issue of the Gazette, as attached to it was a photo of a low-key Druid winter solstice ceremony held in Avebury last year. The photo doesn't even look like a rave
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Tools still required
CAN I thank your readers for donating tools. We have had some splendid gifts metal working, shoe repair, carpentry, vehicle and bicycle tools are urgently needed. We also need more Singer sewing machines with a round bobbin. They can be hand or treadle
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Scrap modern art sculpture
NOW the demolition of the former General Post Office in Fleming Way in Swindon is almost complete, why stop there? Why not move 20 yards further on and demolish that giant rusting, graffiti-splattered, modern art sculpture the Swindon Big C. In the years
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Parking should remain free
I HAVE written to Kennet District Council about parking in the Market Place thus: I wish to object to the proposal to introduce pay and display car parking in Devizes Market Place for the following reasons: 1. The income derived from off- street parking
