Archive
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Chemical leak scare at Chippenham Hospital
FIREFIGHTERS from all over the county were called to the Chippenham Community Hospital this afternoon after a chemical scare forced part of the building to close. The chemical, which is used to clean endoscopic tools, such as tiny cameras inserted through
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Corsham history open days
Corsham residents can find out more about the history of the town as part of national voluntary scheme, Heritage Open Days. In conjunction with the heritage days Corsham Civic Society is offering a programme of events between September 10 and 13 to celebrate
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Warminster soldier's family thank Wootton Bassett
Friends of 18-year-old Private Johnathon Young have publicly thanked the people of Wootton Bassett for turning out in droves to support his family at today's repatriation. Pte Young, of 3rd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment, was based in Warminster
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Chemical alert at Chippenham Hospital
SIX fire engines have been sent to Chippenham Hospital to a suspected chemical spillage involving cleaning fluid. A 999 call was made just before 4pm and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service have sent two fire applicances from Chippenham, two from Corsham
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Corsham's How to become a firefighter
A special recruitment evening is being held at Corsham fire station on Monday, September 7, to encourage people to become retained firefighters. Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service needs more men and women to come forward and help provide 24-
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Mum from Box dies in crash
Tributes have been left at the scene of the accident where a 39-year-old cyclist Sarah Hayward was knocked over in Box last week, and died later in hospital. Floral tributes are outside the Platinum Nissan garage where Mrs Hayward, who was
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Capital claim to TV fame in Malmesbury
VIEWERS of the popular BBC one television programme The One Show may have been surprised to see Malmesbury as one of the hot topics of discussion on Tuesday night’s show. The programme, which was presented by John Sergeant and Myleene Klass while usual
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Wish you were here pub at Giddeahall wins top prize
Landlady Pat Hard had a great idea for beating the credit crunch and creating a ‘wish you were here’ feeling for punters at her Chippenham pub. She turned the car park into a beach so customers unable to afford a holiday or even a day at the seaside
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Malmesbury Library talk by author
Crime writer Lyndon Stacey is going Malmesbury Library to inspire budding authors, Mrs Stacey, originally from Mere in Wiltshire, has been dubbed the queen of west country crime and the new Dick francis because she sets her thrillers in rural communities
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Malmesbury Abbey dream team reach out to young
A new dream team has been put together at Malmesbury Abbey. The vicar, Rev Neill Archer, has added three people to his pastoral line-up, who share his outward-looking style of helping the wider community. That philosphy has included forming an ambitious
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The rules situation has to be looked at
I’M still tired now writing this column after a ten-and-a-half hour trip back from Durham on Sunday, but the main thing was we got the two points we needed. The win ended up being via the Duckworth Lewis method, but we’ll take it, and that’s two wins
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We need to believe we can achieve
BEFORE the midweek match we talked about playing Hemel here last year on a Tuesday night, when we dominated the game and missed so many chances and ended up losing the game. So it was important that we got a foothold in the game and took our chances
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Fitting noisy exhausts ‘illegal’
Government ministers have given an encouraging response to North Wiltshire MP James Gray in his drive to curb boy racers in Malmesbury. Noise levels have soared since youngsters fitted bigger exhausts. Mr Gray this week announced that he received “encouraging
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Calne centre shut for one day
The Calne Leisure Centre will be closed all day Saturday for general maintenance work to be carried out. Staff are keen to take advantage of the quieter bank holiday weekend to give the centre a lick of paint and carry out any odd jobs before reopening
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Tutor from Chippenham dies in Thailand
Former Hardenhuish School pupil Thomas Payne has died suddenly while working as a teacher in Bangkok. Mr Payne, 33, was a well known face in Chippenham where he grew up and worked as a taxi driver for Easy’s, earning him the nickname ‘Happy Harry’.
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Met tribute for former Calne policeman
Former Metropolitan policeman John Baggs, of Calne, has died of cancer at the age of 80. Mr Baggs, who lived in Quemerford, had been ill for 18 months and died peacefully at home with his wife Mercy at his side. There was standing room only at his funeral
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Calne teenagers held after gun alert
Two teenagers arrested on suspicion of firing a BB gun in Calne on Monday have denied any wrongdoing. Police were told that a 19-year-old and a 16-year-old fired at two men in Dixon Way at around 4pm on Sunday, but the teenagers said they had been
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Fun match at Calne to help war heroes
The old boys will take on a team of youngsters at a charity football match in aid of wounded soldiers on Sunday. The game will see Vanguard Sports taking on a team from the Bremhill View Social Club in a bid to raise money for Help For Heroes
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Rocking for air ambulance in Cherhill
The usually quiet village of Cherhill will be filled with music on Saturday with a fundraising concert in aid of Wiltshire Air Ambulance. Landlords father and daughter Bob and Kerry Perkins will host a day of live music at The Black Horse in Labour-In-Vain
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Rare lady drops into Calne garden
Nature lover Stan Gibbons, of Calne, was amazed to find an extremely rare butterfly in his town centre garden last week. Mr Gibbons, of The Pippin, noticed the insect when it landed on his buddleia and was delighted to find it was a rare strain of the
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TVs stolen from new guest rooms at Chippenham
Five top-of-the-range TVs were stolen from a hotel in Chippenham on Sunday, just days after owners David and Sally Warburton unveiled their new guest rooms. Thieves made their way into The Old House At Home, in Burton, during the early hours
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It’s art at St Bart’s in Corsham
Works by professional and amateur artists have been on show at St Bartholomew’s, Corsham, to raise funds for the church. The free exhibition, which started on Saturday and will run until Bank Holiday Monday, features paintings, sculptures and pottery
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Gypsies set up camp on Chippenham's busiest road
Gypsies caused a storm by driving on to the grass verge of Chippenham’s busiest road and setting up camp. The group of 20 caravans and cars parked along the A350 opposite Bumpers Farm Industrial Estate on Tuesday. Stewart Tasker, who works on the industrial
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Chippenham tragedy after gig
Tributes have poured in from all over Chippenham for popular father and rock band drummer Mark Guppy, who died suddenly a month before his second child is due. He collapsed at home on Friday night after he returned from a gig with his band Nexis. Mr
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So lucky to survive at Rockley
Tractor driver Shaun Willis has spoken of how his life flashed before his eyes as his tractor cartwheeled down a steep slope at Rockley, near Marlborough, on Sunday. Mr Willis, 38, had only recently returned to tractor driving after being made
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Much loved toys found at Marlborough
Two characters who have been in custody at Marlborough police station since last week are desperate to be returned to their family. The 12 inch high soft-bodied doll wearing a pink and white outfit and an eight inch high woolly monkey were
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Wiltshire students rate highly at GCSE
Early indications are that Wiltshire young people have had another positive year, recording a wide range of impressive performances at both individual and school level. Provisional figures show that GCSE results have again improved from the previous
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Open house at Wiltshire animal rescue home
Staff and volunteers at Bath Cats and Dogs Home are busy getting ready for their big fundraising event of the year. Their open day on Sunday September 6 from 11am to 5pm is expected to attract hundreds of visitors from a wide area, including a large
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Peak effort for hospice from Marlborough
Brothers Tim and Nick Jephson who run the Kennet Pharmacy in Marlborough hope to have hit on the right prescription to raise a lot of money for the Prospect Hospice. The pair of pharmacists are planning to lead a team on the Three Peaks challenge climbing
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Call for awards to unsung Wiltshire volunteers
John Bush, the Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire, is urging people to nominate outstanding voluntary groups for honours. He believes the unsung work of local volunteers should be considered for the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. Such accolades are
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Chippenham soldier smitten by a teenage fraulein
A young British soldier was smitten the moment he set eyes on a teenage fraulein in Germany after the Second World War had ended. It was a love story destined to last, because Edith and Bernard House, from Chippenham, will celebrate 60 years’ marriage
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Chippenham friends join forces to raise Legion’s profile
A group of friends will be pounding the streets to raise money for the Chippenham branch of the Royal British Legion when they take part in the town’s half marathon. Jess Swanborough will be joined by Dean Lucas and husband and wife Danielle and Carl
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GCSE joy in Devizes
Pupils and teachers at schools in the Devizes area are celebrating good results in GCSEs. Lavington School bettered its record results of last year with 74 per cent of pupils gaining five or more A* to C grades and 66 per cent achieved five or more in
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Toddlers on marks to cheer on Chippenham runners
Children will be lining the streets of Chipp-enham next month to cheer on a team of parents and staff from New Road Nursery who are competing in the half marathon. A team of 15 mums, dads and staff from the nursery on New Road are taking park
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Chief relays thanks to Pewsey teams
Cancer Research UK chairman David Newbigging handed out certificates to participants in this year’s Relay for Life in Pewsey that raised more than £14,500 for the charity. Katie Stokes and her fellow organisers invited teams who helped raise the money
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Wiltshire people can view Imber from the top of bus
Visitors will get the opportunity to view the village of Imber from the top of a double decker Routemaster bus in a one-off service being laid on for Saturday September 5. Situated in the middle of the Salisbury Plain artillery range, Imber was requisitioned
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Chippenham walker off to early start
Charity trekker Frankie Durham is to tackle the heights of Wales to raise money for the NSPCC. Mr Durham, 21, of St Mary’s Street, Chippenham, has set his sights on walking the 25 mile Llyn Peninsula, from Caerarfon to Porthmadog, on September 12 in
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Roll up to help build Stonehenge at Devizes
Meet the Ancestors presenter Julian Richards has appealed for volunteers to help him build a model of Stonehenge at Wiltshire Heritage Museum. Mr Richards, a noted expert on the ancient stone circle, will be constructing a model of the monument at the
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Ex-policeman from Chippenham shows he’s versed in poetry
Retired police officer David Burges has won a regional poetry contest. Mr Burges, of Orchard Road, Chippenham, beat off hundreds of amateur rivals to be named regional winner for the South West Vintage Inns Pub Poet competition. Mr Burges penned the
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Calne soldier’s court date
Soldier Robert Merritt, who was involved in a crash that left Daniel Winter fighting for his life, is due to appear in court again on October 2. Mr Merritt, 24, of Phelps Parade, Calne, admitted driving while under the influence of alcohol, failing to
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Calne bell ringer celebrates 50 years in the tower
Delighted Jean Downham, of Calne, was honoured for a lifetime of bell ringing on Sunday, fifty years to the day that she pulled her first bell rope. Mrs Downham was presented with a silver badge from the Salisbury Diocesan Guild of Ringers in recognition
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Calne mum on the run for 85 miles
Mum-of-three Nichola Newton is preparing to take on the mammoth 85 mile Ridgeway Challenge on Saturday to raise funds for her children’s school, Cherhill Primary. Mrs Newton, a keen member of the Calne Running Club, will be pushing herself to the limit
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Mystery of glow in Calne sky solved
A woman who was celebrating her birthday has thrown some light on the mystery of the strange orange glows over Calne last week. Arty Greig, of Rookery Park, believes they may have been sky lanterns let off at a party thrown by her friends. One family
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Cheque to help Chippenham canal restoration
Campaigners trying to restore a former waterway through Wiltshire have been given nearly £900 for canal conservation and restoration near Chippenham. The money was raised from the Wilts and Berks Canal Trust annual sponsored walk in April,
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New link to Salisbury from Great and Little Cheverell
A new bus service linking the villages of Great and Little Cheverell with Salisbury comes into force on September 1. The bus will initially operate on school days only but will be extended if there is sufficient demand. It picks up in Great Cheverell
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YOU BET: Kempton bow beckons for Davison
AFTER success training Arab horses, Sam Davison has become a fully-fledged racehorse trainer. She recently received her licence from the British Horseracing Authority and hopes to have her first runner at Kempton next week. Davison has taken over a
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Heritage site stokes up the fun at Crofton Pumping Station
It will be full steam ahead all weekend for the ancient engines in the Crofton Pumping Station, where for the first time, there will be a vegetable and flower show. The competition is open to people living or working in a 15-mile radius. There will
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Cherhill's ducks and rafts add a touch of colour
Rubber ducks will bring a splash of colour to Cherhill as villagers compete in the bi-annual duck and raft race on Sunday. Most of the village is expected to turn out to the event, which will be raising money for the village hall fund. Parish councillor
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Divers find a safe in Chippenham river clean-up
Debris including bikes, shopping trolleys and a safe was recovered by divers on the River Avon at the weekend in a big clean up ahead of the first Chippenham River Festival. Members of Calne Sub-Aqua Club used sonar detectors to locate objects
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Box rock show to make net gain
A charity rock concert in Box is set to celebrate its biggest year yet with a live internet link for people who can’t make it to the event on Bank Holiday Monday. Box Rocks at The Queen’s Head is celebrating its 16th year on Monday with nine rock bands
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Break-ins warning for Chippenham and Corsham
Break-ins at derelict sites have prompted police to warn parents to what their children are up to. Chippenham and Corsham police have taken a growing number of calls about children breaking into unsecured sites. In one incident a fire was started
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Street party is birthday surprise for West Lavington man
Former district councillor Harold Judkins had a big surprise on Saturday when his whole street turned out to congratulate him on his 90th birthday. Mr Judkins had an inkling something might be up when neighbours in Sunnyside, West Lavington, began preparations
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Send rain to Spain, please, says former Devizes pastor
Former Devizes pastor David Hamilton and his wife Pam say they could do with some Devizes rainfall after their home in southern Spain was threatened by wildfires. Although the couple, who used to run the Devizes Christian Fellowship at the Salem Chapel
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Hilmarton's love of Julie
Cancer patient Julie Slade says she has been over-whelmed with the support of her friends and family as they rally round to raise money to buy her life-prolonging drugs. Mrs Slade, 48, who lives in Hilmarton with husband Steve, had previously battled
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Sad homecomings inspire Derry Hill composer
Student Michael Whytock, of Derry Hill, was so moved by a recent repatriation in Wootton Bassett that he composed a musical tribute to the war dead. Mr Whytock, 20, was inspired to write Elegy For The Fallen when he joined his grandparents to see the
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Wiltshire young need befriending
Adult volunteers are needed to befriend young people living in care. Wiltshire Council wants to increase its independent visitor scheme from 20 to about 30 volunteers. Each volunteer is matched with a young person with whom they meet regularly throughout
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Joyriding gang raid two houses
Police in Chippenham are hunting four youths who broke into two houses before going joyriding in a car they had stolen from one of the properties. The teenagers, who are only described as wearing dark clothes, were seen breaking into properties in Cepen
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Junior sleuths from Corsham win a load of goodies
Young ‘detectives’ who won the annual Spot the Oddity contest in Corsham collected goody bags at Automattic Comics on Tuesday. Children from three age groups were presented with goody bags from Automattic Comics, Somerfield and the Martingate Centre.
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Prize offer for Wiltshire cyclists
Participants in the Wiltshire Bike Ride could win a Nintendo Wii. The British Heart Foundation, which organises the ride, is offering people who register for the event on September 20 the chance to enter a competition for the computer game. The event
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A million cartons recycled in Wiltshire
People in Wiltshire recycled more than a million Tetra Pak drink cartons in the first year of a new scheme. Wiltshire Council introduced bins at the county’s ten household recycling centres last July. The cartons used to be sent to landfill. More than
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At last, Wiltshire's Milk Hill has summit special
The generations-old controversy about which is the highest point in Wiltshire has at last been settled, thanks to satellite technology. An Ordnance Survey team using the latest global positioning equipment awarded the honour to Milk Hill. It has finally
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Let the play begin in Everleigh
There was a mad rush of children on Saturday eager to try out the new equipment they helped choose for the extended play area in Everleigh. The parish council spent just over £20,000 which, with only 200 households in the village on the edge of Salisbury
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More road chaos ahead for Marlborough
There is no end in sight to the continuing traffic problems in Marlborough with a gloomy outlook stretching into next year and beyond, town councillors have been warned. Although the current gas excavations in St Martins and Barn Street necessitating
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Food feast in Marlborough whets the appetite
Preparations are well under way for the annual Feast of Food in Marlborough that not only showcases local produce but has also raised well over £70,000 for cancer research over the past six years. The Marlborough branch of Cancer Research UK takes advantage
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New store for Marlborough bridges gap
The re-opening of a Marlborough High Street shop was given full civic endorsement on Saturday with Mayor Nick Fogg, his wife Edwina and the town council’s officers of dignity. Town crier Alfie Johnson rang his bell to announce the opening of M&Co clothing
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Triplets celebrate absolutely fab 50th at Devizes
People in Devizes Market Place did a triple take when the Bewley sisters posed for a 50th birthday picture. Joan Bewley, Jenny Webster and Jacky Dodds made national headlines as the heaviest triplets in Britain when they weighed in at more than 6lbs
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Fireworks policing fee waived for Devizes
Wiltshire police have agreed to waive charges for policing the spectacular firework display that will end the Devizes Carnival street festival on bank holiday Monday. Initially, police sent a bill for £800 to the carnival committee, a contribution towards
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Crossing bid in historic Devizes street
Devizes town council has had to compromise in its struggle to counter increasing traffic in historic Long Street. Residents plagued by a rise in heavy lorry use over the last two years appealed to the council for a 20mph zone and traffic calming
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Boy’s fire prank at Potterne
A 12-year-old boy has been spoken to by police after admitting setting fire to a bale of hay in Potterne. Police described the incident in a field behind St Mary’s Close as a schoolboy prank.
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Move to fix Devizes church wall
St James' Church in Devizes is seeking permission to repair the partially collapsed Crammer wall. It was damaged 18 months ago following torrential rain and high winds. Churchwarden Noel Woolrych said permission would be needed from Wiltshire Council
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Staff joy at Devizes C&G reprieve
Jubilant staff at the Cheltenham and Gloucester in Devizes took the “branch closing” sign out of the window after it was announced that the building society had been reprieved. Manager Michelle Sharpe was called to meeting in Chippenham to be told the
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Family lay birthday flowers at crash site for Bromham grandfather
The family of Bromham grandfather Tony Rance have marked his birthday with floral tributes at the spot where he died in a car crash last October. Flowers were left on the A342 outside Rowdeford School, where Mr Rance died.He would have been
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Police chopper seeks building site thieves
The Wiltshire police helicopter was scrambled at midnight last night on reports of materials being stolen from the Spitalcroft building site in Devizes. The helicopter overflew the area looking for signs of the men who had been reported as
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Heap happy in Poulshot
Sarsen Housing Association tenant Samantha Wright has thanked the Gazette for featuring the story telling how she and her partner Michael Hurn dug up their garden to find a heap of household rubbish. Miss Wright was unhappy that Sarsen had not taken
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Village’s tributes to Mr Pewsey
St John's Church in Pewsey was packed for a service to celebrate the life of Colin Lampard, who was chairman of the parish council for 33 years and did so much in the village, he deserved the accolade of Mr Pewsey. His funeral took place the previous
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Fears over safety at Devizes bus stop
Concerned company boss Neil Fautley has called on Devizes Town Council to install a replacement bus shelter in the Market Place because he fears for passengers’ safety. The glass shelter outside his business, Hallmark Flooring, blew over in strong winds
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Builders battle to make profit in Devizes
Battle lines are being drawn by the developer of the former Spitalcroft allotment site in Devizes and Wiltshire Council. The developer, Crest Nicholson, is appealing against the refusal of the council’s eastern area planning committee for it to downsize
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GOLF: Carl heads nett junior standings at Marlborough
CARL Merchant, of the Wrag Barn club near Highworth won the Freddies Cup for the best nett score at Marlborough Golf Club's inaugural Junior Open. The 23 handicapper's round of 92 (69) gave him the prize in front of the host club's Jamie Amor (90-17=
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Fred finds his way back to Devizes
Roaming reptile Fred the tortoise has been returned to his loving family following an appeal from his owner in last week’s Gazette. Veronica Tyrrell and her husband Steve, who live beside Hillworth Park, in Devizes, were frantic with worry
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Farewell to Marlborough school buildings
Former students at the Marlborough senior schools are being asked to search out any items of memorabilia of their school days for an exhibition that will mark the end of the road for the present St John’s buildings. Both sets of buildings
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Lucky to survive in Chirton
The Health and Safety Executive is to investigate an incident in Chirton on Monday when the wall of a house collapsed, injuring three workers. The accident took place at 8.45am when specialist contractor Simon Jones and two of his employees were working
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John Baggs
Former Metropolitan police officer John Baggs, of Calne, died peacefully at home at the age of 80 after a battle with cancer. Mr Baggs was the husband of former Calne Mayor, Mercy and there was standing room only at his funeral in Holy Trinity Church
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Tom Payne
Thomas Louis Payne died in Bangkok aged 33 years. He was born in Slaughterford and spent his early years there before moving into Chippenham. He attended Ivy Lane School and continued on to Hardenhuish School. He enjoyed a variety of activities
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Gwynne ‘Taffy’ Davies
Retired builder Gwynne “Taffy” Davies who forsook his native North Wales for Wiltshire after meeting and marrying a Ramsbury woman has died at the age of 82 after contracting c-difficile. His family believes he contracted the superbug during a of a
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Madge Jones
Madge Jones who lived for many years in Kingsbury Street in Marlborough with her late husband Ron has died at the Brendoncare home at Froxfield at the age of 83. Mrs Jones spent her final years at Brendoncare where she died on Tuesday last week and
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Sarah Louise Hayward
Company director Sarah Hayward, 39, died after being involved in a crash while cycling along the A4 in Box last Wednesday. Mrs Hayward, of Box Road, near Box leaves a husband Peter and son Harry, who will be two next month. She was born on
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Warminster soldier's body flown home today
The bodies of two soldiers killed in Afghanistan - including the son of an SAS hero - will return to British soil today. Serjeant Paul McAleese, 29, of 2nd Battalion The Rifles, died shortly after Private Johnathon Young, 18, of 3rd Battalion The
