Archive
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Young newshounds make the headlines
BUDDING journalists at Kington St Michael Primary School are celebrating a real scoop after winning the Gazette and Herald's Hold the Front Page competition. The eight, nine, 10 and 11-year-old pupils have been awarded first prize in the competition to
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Pupils jump for joy at new equipment
REDLAND School pupils have been reaping the rewards of a year's fundraising by their parents, with some fun and games on their new gym equipment. The Friends of the School, which has 15 hard-working parents, held cake sales, a fair, a family evening and
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Kids' design for quiet spot
THE ribbon was cut on a new quiet area in the gardens of Ivy Lane School last week. The garden, designed by the school's children and lovingly tended by the enthusiasts in the school's gardening club, has been a year in the making. It will now be somewhere
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Honour for photographer
PHOTOGRAPHER Chris Burfoot has been awarded a prestigious Associateship by the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain. Mr Burfoot, 50, of Pembroke Photography in Market Place, Chippenham, had to submit a portfolio of work for approval by a panel
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TV guru sends couple in search of good life
WHEN bed and breakfast owners John and Joyce Bennett agreed to take part in a television series on relationships, they never realised just how much it would change their lives. The owners of Bennett's B and B in Patterdown, near Chippenham, were filmed
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Postman out of hospital
POSTMAN Phillip Burry, whose bicycle was in collision with a car in Marshfield Road, Chippenham, last Wednesday afternoon, is back at home in Plantation Road after six days in hospital. The 56-year-old former retained firefighter, was cycling home from
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Beware the cash machine con gangs
POLICE are appealing for people to be extra vigilant when using cash machines after £950 was stolen from a 64-year-old woman's bank account in a suspected Lebanese loop scam. Police believe the Chippenham woman's debit card was stolen at the beginning
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Date is set for work to start on play fields
Work on the newly-named Stanley Park, Chippenham's flagship playing fields project, is due to start on August 4, despite a shortfall of some £350,000. But the town council is confident it can amend plans to keep the project on track. Its leader Sandie
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Family tax credit is paid to wrong mum
MOTHER-OF-TWO Maria Watson, who has spent the last seven months trying to get the Inland Revenue to pay the family tax credit payments due to her, has discovered the money was sent to another family. Mrs Watson, 39, of Bramble Drive, Pewsham, Chippenham
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Girl honours Sir Stanley
TEENAGER Kitty Smith will be cutting the turf at the site of Chippenham's new playing fields after dreaming up the name of Stanley Park for the major project. Kitty, 15, from Chippenham, entered a contest organised by Chippenham Town Council and the Gazette
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Farmer admits caravan attack
ANGRY farmer Ian Stevens acted in the heat of the moment when he drove a baling spike into a caravan where a mother and her baby were cowering inside, a court was told. Stevens, 38, of Crossing Lane Cottage, Langley Burrell, pleaded guilty at Chippenham
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Mooney worry
TOMMY MOONEY heads Town's growing list of casualties and manager Andy King has said two loan signings are an absolute necessity as he prepares his squad for the visit of Portsmouth tomorrow night. King's men ended their mini tour of Devon with a 3-2 win
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Shop theft scam
CORSHAM Police have warned traders to be vigilant after three walk-in thefts from shops. On Wednesday a bankcard belonging to a shop assistant was stolen and he received a telephone call from the offender pretending to be the bank asking for the pin number
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Splashing out on a pool roof
Ref. 25851-18Highworth residents are unleashing their creative skills to raise cash for a new pool roof. Trustees at the Recreation Centre need to come up with £800,000 for a state-of-the-art, sliding roof and major refurbishment work. To help them on
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Historic viaduct at risk, says watchdog
The Brunel-built railway viaduct in Chippenham is among a host of North Wiltshire landmarks identified as being at risk by history watchdog, English Heritage. The organisation's annual Buildings At Risk register, published last week, finds many buildings
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Hunt on for pick of crop
Green fingered North Wiltshire residents are invited to take part in the 2003 North Wiltshire Flower Festival. The contest, now in its 14th year, is sponsored by North Wiltshire District Council. The event attracts many entries in six categories, which
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Church challenge
The Rev David Slater, minister of the Station Hill Baptist Church, has challenged North Wiltshire District Council to think again about the use of the Goldiggers building. He addressed a recent meeting of the executive committee and asked members to consider
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Winemaker takes a bow
A Vineyard is celebrating its fruity success after winning a silver and gold prize in an annual wine challenge. The Bow-in-the-Cloud vineyard at Noah's Ark, Garsdon, enjoyed success at the Thames and Chiltern Vineyard Association's annual wine challenge
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Call for locals to carry out speed checks
Volunteers armed with speed guns could be out on the roads targeting irresponsible drivers, if North Wiltshire district councillor Dick Tonge wins support for his plans. At a meeting of the district council next week Coun Tonge will be making the case
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Thrills, spills and lots of laughs at circus
ESCAPOLOGIST Dan Dare stunned the crowds inside the big top at Happy's Circus, in Sutton Benger, near Chippenham, when he shook off his handcuffs and chains to escape from his exploding prison. Not to be outdone a Lara Croft look-alike swooped into the
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Bookies' price is about right
BOOKMAKER Skybet has installed Chippenham as 16/1 shots for the Dr Marten's Premier Division title this season. The Bluebirds' first opponents Nuneaton Borough are 15/8 favourites, ahead of Steve Claridge's 7/1 shots Weymouth and 8/1 duo Dover and Tiverton
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Paul puffs his way back on to scoresheet
HOT-shot Martin Paul is hoping for a feast of goals this season after returning to action with a double strike for the Bluebirds at the weekend. The 28-year-old former Bristol Rovers striker played for Doncaster, Bath City and Newport County before joining
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Marksmen go head to head
CHIPPENHAM Town's friendly clash at Basingstoke Town on Saturday looks set to be a shoot-out between the twi team's strikers. Ryman Premier Division Basingtoke boast an exciting forward line of Craig McAllister and Neville Roach who netted 50 goals between
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Towler is relieved to be back in defence
SATURDAY'S friendly at Elmore marked the joint return of the Bluebirds' influential defenders Colin Towler and Tom Gould. Towler had been out of action for six weeks with a hernia injury while an ankle knock had seen Gould forced to sit out the club's
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Bluebird flying to Korea for Britain
CHIPPENHAM Town midfielder Ellis Wilmot will not be involved in their opening day clash at league favourites Nuneaton Borough. Instead he will instead be in South Korea proudly pulling on the jersey of the Great Britain University team. The 23-year-old
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More help for holidays
New Chippenham firm Global West Travel has proved a success in its first 11 weeks and now it is introducing a range of accessories for holiday-makers. The shop, at Borough Parade, has enjoyed booming sales in its first weeks. Partner Janet Daws said:
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Community mosaic plan
THE Young Craft Group in Sherston is seeking £350 funding to run a six-day workshop during the summer holidays. The group has applied to North Wiltshire District Council for a grant to help cover the costs of hall hire, materials and artists' fees. The
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Teeming with talent
Hundreds of proud parents, relatives and friends packed Dauntsey's School's Memorial Hall for the summer festival of music organised by West Wiltshire Young Musicians. In the first of two concerts on July 12, Devizes and District String Ensemble, conducted
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Malmesbury news in brief
The Alderton Village Pond and Green charity is looking for funding to buy five more ducks for the pond, which is classed as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. There are more than 12 different species of duck on the pond at present and the charity
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Pupils make festival music
PUPILS at Burton Hill House School performed songs, dances and musical pieces at the Wiltshire Music Festival last week. Music from children all around the county was played at the festival for Swindon and Wiltshire schools with special needs students
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Firms are given the Queen's Awards
REPRESENTATIVES from Devizes company Omitec, and Dyson in Malmesbury, met the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at a reception for the winners of the Queen's Awards for Enterprise. The awards evening was held at Buckingham Palace last Wednesday. Omitec
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Future of units rests on two new surveys
TWO separate reviews are to take place on the future of community maternity units, including Devizes and Malmesbury. The Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust was due to make a decision on whether to close Devizes and Malmesbury maternity units
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Council considers street drinking ban
TOWN councillors in Malmesbury have expressed reservations about a total ban on drinking on the streets. The introduction of a bylaw was suggested by town councillors and Malmesbury police as a way of combatting the problem of underage drinking and petty
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Airshow organiser reduces road chaos
Villagers were relieved that the traffic problems they anticipated on the Malmesbury route to RAF Fairford did not happen last weekend. Residents were concerned that the traffic travelling to the air tattoo would cause chaos on the roads around Corston
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Chippenham v Westbury
CHIPPENHAM enjoyed a thrilling win over close rivals Westbury in the Bath League Cup. Bolstered by some loose Chippenham bowling and fielding, Westbury reached an impressive 134-5. Simon Orchard 36 supported by Saeed Ibrahim 22 not out and Luke Morris
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Chippenham v Ilminster
CHIPPENHAM'S promotion hopes were dealt a severe blow at the weekend as they crashed to a narrow defeat to rivals Ilminster in the Stroud and Swindon West of England Premier Division Two. But despite the defeat captain Jason Searle is refusing to rule
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Box v Hinton Charterhouse
AN UNBEATEN 50 from Barry Maggs took Hinton Charterhouse to a five wicket win at Box in Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Division Two. Put into bat on a rain effected pitch, the home side found runs hard to come by. Graham Tanner took the first wicket and
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Malmesbury v Marlborough
A SECOND straight victory for Malmesbury in Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Division Two was earned courtesy of a good display in the field, with all chances taken for a change. Set to score 150 to win, Marlborough looked comfortable against an accurate
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Swindon Evening League
IN a rain affected week only two of the top Division One matches were played but they each had significant outcomes. Winterbourne suffered yet another defeat and are effectively relegated to Division Two cricket next season. Against Southwest they reached
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Fifties and Fives
Batting: 162no M Spong (Beehive Bradford v Bath CS II) 156no W Dineen (Heytesbury v Moredon Royal Oak) 135 D Fry (Avebury v Mildenhall) 113 S Hudson-Wall (Corsham III v Westbury III) 108 C Doel (Lacock v Biddestone II) 100 Hathathotuwegama (Hinton Charterhouse
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County cricket
WILTSHIRE will be without their leading batsman and bowler when they travel to play Cornwall at Camborne in their Minor Counties Championship match on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. They are forced to make two changes to the side which beat Oxfordshire as
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Wiltshire Cricket League
THE meeting of the top two at Collingbourne resulted in a win for Calne which moved them back to the top of Division One. Batting first, Calne scored 200 for five, with major contributions from Liann Botes (55) and Chris Downham (42) and Barry Langfield
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Less rail commuter grumbles
FIRST Great Western, one of the train operators servicing Swindon station, said that there had been a drop in the number of customers complaining about the company last year. It cited a report from the Rail Passengers' Committee Western England the official
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Pre-emptive measures
BIBBY Factors has compiled a list of top tips to help avoid the pitfalls: Plan effectively and try to anticipate demand for products or services. Keep your eye on the ball and monitor stock levels regularly. Keep your cash flowing. If necessary, explore
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Wait for mast news goes on
Wootton Bassett residents are still waiting to be told whether they will have a 100 ft mast installed behind their homes. Network Rail originally planned to put the mast behind New Road, just yards away from residents' gardens. But, after a petition signed
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Anger at council's lack of support
Wootton Bassett Town Council has criticised North Wiltshire District Council's attitudes on employment and environmental issues affecting the town. At the town council meeting on Thursday Mayor Marion Sweet urged local district councillors to bombard
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England call for young duo
WILTSHIRE'S top two young bowlers Neil Hope and Russell Francis have been selected to represent England in the Junior International Series at Leamington Spa in September. Hope, 24, from the Westlecot club and the 2002 English Bowling Association's Young
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Wiltshire 98, Hanpshire 146
WILTSHIRE ladies hopes of reaching Leamington again and regaining the Johns Trophy are over for another year. They won the inter-county championship title in 1995 but tumbled out this year at the quarter-final stage. In the previous round they had thrashed
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County's men are one step from final
A PLACE at Worthing in the national finals next month beckons for the winners at Wiltshire men's championship semi-finals on Sunday. The semis at Chippenham Town were originally scheduled to be played this Saturday but have been switched to the following
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Crack down on tyre waste
The practice of burying waste tyres in Wiltshire's landfill sites will be phased out over the next three years. The first step in the process began last week, when burial of whole waste tyres was banned from hazardous landfill sites. Ian Smith, the South
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Council members vote for a pay rise
WILTSHIRE county councillors have voted themselves a 12.5 per cent increase in their basic allowance following a review by an independent panel. Every elected member will receive £6,750 for the year beginning September 2003. The allowance for the previous
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Teachers show how computers can help
WILTSHIRE teachers and education experts shared their expertise at a major school computer conference in Bristol. Around 500 delegates attended the West of England ICT conference on Wednesday last week to hear about the latest ideas for using computers
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Girls on the ball at Spitfires' festival
LADIES FOOTBALL: SWINDON Spitfires rounded off a successful season with a footballing feast at the weekend. The ladies' club held their annual tournament and fun day at South Marston Rec and the impressive turnout backed statistics which suggest football
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Oh yes, we do like to be beside the seaside
Wiltshire is seen as an affluent county with few of the problems associated with the inner city but as two charities reveal there are many hidden problems and poor families in desperate need of a holiday. LILY CANTER and SARAH SINGLETON report. Needy
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North/West Wiltshire XI 0, Bristol City 4
A CROWD of 250 turned out at Devizes Town FC on Thursday night to watch a mixture of local non-league players make Second Division side Bristol City work hard for their win. Thursday night's friendly match had been organised as part of Bristol City's
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Secret garden blooms again
A REMARKABLE renovation project came to fruition on Tuesday with the official reopening of the Victorian walled garden in the grounds of Rowdeford School. BBC Points West presenter Susan Osman, patron of the Rowdeford Charity Trust which found the funding
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Crusader is ready to roll
WILTSHIRE St John Ambulance has a new state-of-the-art Crusader ambulance, thanks to the Andover-based HSA Charitable Trust. The £45,000 vehicle has been given a special number plate V999 HSA and it was formally handed over by trust chairman Carolyn Lemon
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Good sports need help
NEW players are being urged to join Bromham Boys Football Club who recently won an award at the White Horse six-a-side tournament in Calne recently. The Bromham undernines squad battled their way through to the semifinals where, after a 0-0 draw with
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Battlefield tour's rally good
Drivers of classic cars navigated their way across Wiltshire's battlefields in a military history themed road run on Saturday. More than 60 cars gathered at Bowood House for the two-day Great Western Rally, before embarking on the 80-mile tour, which
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The last laugh
DOUG Bower, who claims to have been Britain's first crop circle hoaxer, has been on the Marlborough Downs showing a Japanese film crew how it's done. Mr Bower and his late friend Dave Chorley became famed as Doug and Dave when they claimed ten years ago
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Vale moving the goalposts
PEWSEY Vale's first scheduled pre-season game match ended goalless because the club's goalposts didn't arrive in time. The Hellenic League Premier Division club were due to play Selectabook at home on Tuesday evening but the game had to be postponed until
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Your guide to summer fun
Ref. 24882-2Wondering what the children are going to do during the holidays? ALEX EMERY comes up with few bright ideas to help you. School is out for the summer for thousands of children across Swindon. But while most adults would jump at the chance to
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Watercolours up for grabs
A HOST of British and continental watercolours were today expected to go under the hammer in Swindon. A Works of Art on Paper auction was starting at 11am at Dominic Winter Auc-tioneers, at the Old School, in Maxwell Street. The 270 lots include an early
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'I didn't think she'd jump' says boyfriend
PAUL Bowell, who is accused of paralysing his girlfriend, has told a court he had no idea she would jump out of his moving car. Bowell, 38, of Westminster Road, Toothill, denies inflicting grievous bodily harm and falsely imprisoning Tracey Hurley on
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Noises over plan to upgrade sound system
COUNCIL leader Mike Bawden (Con, Old Town and Lawns) will be quizzed tonight about why the authority needs to spend £50,000 upgrading its sound system in the council chamber. Swindon Council has allocated the money as part of improvements to the debating
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Man still fights for life after fall
The man who fell down the stairs of the Brunel Rooms nightclub is still fighting for his life. The 23-year-old from Swindon is sedated at the Radcliffe Infirmary in Oxford. He was apparently involved in a brawl at the club. The Evening Advertiser's appeal
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Long service to RNLI rewarded
TALENTED fundraisers have been singing a merry tune to support a colleague suffering from breast cancer. When music and modern languages teacher Irene Jones was struck down with the disease last autumn, staff at Stonehenge School decided to raise funds
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Teachers raise funds for cancer unit
TALENTED fundraisers have been singing a merry tune to support a colleague suffering from breast cancer. When music and modern languages teacher Irene Jones was struck down with the disease last autumn, staff at Stonehenge School decided to raise funds
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Workmen unearth Bronze Age remains
A COMPLETE skeleton of a Bronze Age man dating back to 2,000 BC and buried with a beaker pot has been unearthed near Amesbury. Archaeologists this week confirmed that the skeleton was that of a man aged between 30 and 40 and that the bones and the beaker
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Builder is sent to jail for attack with spade
Builder Michael Wells has been jailed for eight months after he attacked a man with a shovel during a row over a blocked road. The 52-year-old, of Oxford Road, Calne, knocked his victim Duncan Haig to the ground before smashing the heavy end of the tool
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Armed robber strikes at shop
A MANAGER was subjected to a terrifying ordeal at the hands of a man wielding a gun, as she opened the Spar shop at Boscombe Down on Monday morning. The woman had arrived at the premises in Boscombe Road just before 6.30am and was opening the store when
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Ex-Porton scientist at centre of political row
PORTON Down has paid tribute to a former head of microbiology at the establishment, biological weapons expert Dr David Kelly, who was found dead on Friday. Dr Kelly (59), the source behind the BBC allegation that the government "sexed up" its first intelligence
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Oh yes, we do like to be beside the seaside
Wiltshire is seen as an affluent county with few of the problems associated with the inner city but as two charities reveal there are many hidden problems and poor families in desperate need of a holiday. LILY CANTER and SARAH SINGLETON report. Needy
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Council acts to safeguard allotments
THE future of Calne's new allotment site has been safeguarded by the town council's decision to designate it as statutory. At a meeting of the town council last week members unanimously agreed that the new allotments at Beversbrook and the 26 planned
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Future looks good for Futa
MUSICIAN Nola Marshall and husband Steve were dining at the hotel Fawlty Towers, in the Gambia, when they heard Senegalese band Jelitara Futa for the first time. The couple were so impressed that on their return to their home in North Street, Calne, they
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CCTV staffing trial is hailed
VOLUNTEERS manned Calne's CCTV monitoring station on Friday in the first of a series of trials, which could lead to 24-hour manned surveillance of the town centre. The town's CCTV system consists of seven cameras positioned around the town recording around
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Victim of vicious attack to leave town
CALNE factory engineer Duncan Haig, who was savagely beaten by a shovel-wielding builder outside his home, is moving away to escape the memories of his violent ordeal. The father-of-two said he will never be able to forget the horrific attack because
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Cancan kicks in school hols
THERE was more than a taste of Ooh La La at All Cannings Primary School near Devizes last week as the school enjoyed a French week in the run-up to the school holidays. Headteacher Julia Roberts ran the French tricolour up the flagpole as pupils were
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Firms are given the Queen's Awards
REPRESENTATIVES from Devizes company Omitec, and Dyson in Malmesbury, met the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at a reception for the winners of the Queen's Awards for Enterprise. The awards evening was held at Buckingham Palace last Wednesday. Omitec
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Market cancelled
FOLLOWING the recent debacle when a Continental market in Devizes turned out to have only three stalls, Devizes Development Partnership has cancelled one due to take place next month. Organiser Alex Duffey said: "I thought it best to forget the markets
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Silver choir shines out
DEVIZES Town Hall was packed on Saturday night for the silver jubilee concert of Devizes Chamber Choir, conducted by David King. The audience of supporters was entertained by some glorious singing, accompanied by Tim Hutchings on the piano. The programme
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Pre-school set to shut as pupil numbers fall
PUDDLEDUCKS pre-school in Bath Road, Devizes, is closing after 27 years because of falling numbers. The death blow was delivered by the announcement of a new nursery school being set up at St Peter's School next door. Dominique Nursoo, a member of the
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No call to lose first link with exchange
A PIECE of Devizes history has disappeared without trace following the recent renovations at the town's branch of the Cheltenham and Gloucester. Its loss was first noticed by local historian and blacksmith John Girvan who gives regular guided tours of
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Skateboard club offer is won from governors
GOVERNORS of Devizes School have held out a glimmer of hope for hundreds of young skateboarders who lost their park 15 months ago. They say there may be a chance of organising an after-school club for skateboarders if the school achieves sports college
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Hughes is in to bag ace Bevan
CIRENCESTER Town boss Brian Hughes has had a mixed week in the transfer market after snapping up one target and seeing another slip away. Former Cheltenham midfielder Russell Milton has opted to join Bath City rather than Hughes' men, but the blow has
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Is it calm after the storm?
REVIEW, The Fight for Barbara, DH Lawrence - Bath Theatre Royal: The life and work of writer DH Lawrence has long held an intense fascination for me, so the chance to see the world's first production of his play The Fight For Barbara promised to be a
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Top marks for town primary
ST JOSEPH'S Roman Catholic Primary School in Devizes, has received glowing reports in its latest Ofsted inspection. Staff, parents, pupils and governors all have a share of the praise in the report from Dr Eric Peagam, who visited the school with his
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Akela enjoys a Mexican party
THE 3rd Devizes Cubs have bid an emotional farewell to Julie Midcalf who has been their leader, or Akela, for the last 13 years. Mrs Midcalf became involved with the group while her three sons were going through the Scouting movement. She began as a parent
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Cruelty case is dropped
THE trial of Devizes farmer Richard Lewis, 36, of Dundas Close, who had denied a charge of causing unnecessary suffering to a bull calf, collapsed on Wednesday when the RSPCA prosecutor offered no further evidence. There had been 24 adjournments since
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Linpac refute FC sale bid
THE owner of Devizes Football Club ground says it was not consulted by club chairman Chris Belcher over a plan to sell the site . Linpac, which bought the ground from the club in the 1990s, confirmed Wednesday that it has not been approached about any
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Family's agony as Charlotte weakens
THE family of terminally ill Charlotte Wakeham are not giving up hope despite being told that she has two to three months to live. Charlotte, eight, who has an inoperable brain tumour was progressing well while taking Chloripramine, an anti-depressant
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Pub closes as licensee resigns
THE owners of Munnelly's Bar in Southbroom Road say it will stay a pub despite the resignation of licensee Bill Montgomery. Mr Montgomery handed it over to the Punch Pub Company on Monday. He said he is buying property near Alicante in eastern Spain and
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Author's novels help bridge two cultures
Rural Wiltshire may seem a world away from the challenges of life in China during the Cultural Revolution, but writer Liu Hong has drawn on her own Chinese heritage as well as a love of England and its language, to become a successful novelist. Ms Hong's
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The last laugh
DOUG Bower, who claims to have been Britain's first crop circle hoaxer, has been on the Marlborough Downs showing a Japanese film crew how it's done. Mr Bower and his late friend Dave Chorley became famed as Doug and Dave when they claimed ten years ago
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New horses on horizon
TWO new white horses are to appear in the Wiltshire countryside when the Marlborough business park opens. Members of the town council's planning committee supported plans on Monday for the proposed road layout in Salisbury Road with a new roundabout providing
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Matron's 100 happy returns
FORMER Savernake Hospital matron Mabel Blackwell was delighted when former nursing colleagues visited her on her 100th birthday. Miss Blackwell celebrated her centenary on Friday at Marlborough Lodge nursing home in London Road, where she has lived since
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Mum appeals for the chance of life
MARLBOROUGH mum Gillian Hackney, who suffers from a rare degenerative genetic lung condition, has appealed for the gift of life. She is urging everyone to carry an organ donor card to help those like herself whose lives depend on a transplant. Every time
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Are there mystic pegs at Ivy and Wick lakes?
IT seems as though peg numbers 23 and 24 are the hot pegs, not only at Ivy House Lakes but also at South Cerney's Wick Water top lake. In the South Cerney Angling Club Carp Cup on Sunday the Wickwater complex fished really well for the club's Carp Cup
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Leaflet warns of the dangers of getting too much sun
LEAFLETS warning of the potential dangers of too much exposure to the sun are being made available at Swindon Council outdoor playschemes this summer. Apart from the risk of heatstroke and dehydration, excessive exposure can carry a long term risk of
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Nikki says farewell to special 'family'
Ref. 25828-09A HEADTEACHER said an emotional farewell to pupils on her last day at school following her resignation over mounting bureaucracy in education. Nikki Lawrence resigned as head of St Sampson's Infant School, Cricklade, earlier this year but
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Alfie brings a cheer to children's ward
Ref. 25816-32ALFIE the Adver Alligator brought a smile to children's faces at the Great Western Hospital. The Evening Advertiser's new mascot was on one of his monthly visits to the children's ward. As well as handing out goody bags, the cuddly reptile
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Wedding wishes for top bride
LOVE and best wishes are being sent from as far away as Australia for the Evening Advertiser Bride of the Year. There are now just days left before Lucy Griffin, 20, becomes Mrs Neil Zerebecki, and she says she can't wait. But Lucy and Neil, from Covingham
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Disabled complex to be built
DISABLED people in Swindon will benefit from a purpose-built sheltered accommodation complex in Abbey Meads. Swindon Council planners have approved the construction of 49 apartments within a complex in Redhouse, off Thames-down Drive, in north Swindon
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Love at first sight for diamond couple
Ref. 25822-22A COUPLE who fell in love at first sight were today celebrating 60 years of marriage. Because Margaret and John Tudball married at the height of World War II, a traditional lavish church ceremony was out of the question. Instead, they went
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New building planned for school site
COUNCIL planners have approved a multi-million pound scheme to merge a school split over two sites and create state-of-the-art sports facilities. St Joseph's Catholic Comprehensive will demolish the lower school in Queens Drive and construct a new building
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Thanks for cash
RECENTLY a collection was made at Sainsburys Supermarket at Cepen Park South, Chippenham and on behalf of the local committee I should like to extend my very grateful thanks to Sainsbury's for granting us permission to collect at their premises. Their
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Children get glammed and glittered up for holidays
Ref. 25825-44Children at Rodbourne Cheney Primary School will welcome the summer holidays with vibrant hands - thanks to Georgina Akers. The 24-year-old beautician, from Rodbourne Cheney, treated a class of 11-year-olds to a nail art workshop. She said
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More parking means more chaos
In response to comments in two recent letters regarding parking at Avebury during the solstice, I feel it is important to set out the National Trust's current position on parking over that period. Both letters suggested that more parking should be provided
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NHS reforms were rushed says report
HEALTH service reforms have been botched, according to a damning report by an influential parliamentary committee. Julia Drown, Labour MP for South Swindon, helped draw up the paper which calls on the Government to back down on its timetable for forcing
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Steam rail restoration group hit by break-ins
VOLUNTEERS at a Blunsdon steam railway restoration charity are at the end of their tether after being hit by three break-ins. The group, based at the buildings occupied by Swindon and Cricklade Railway Society, on Tadpole Lane, is having to mount extra
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We are all being let down
I AM sure people must recover far better and more quickly when they are cared for in a hospital near to their own home than in one which it them and their visitors up to one or even two hours or more to reach. Our Primary Care Trust has let us down very
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Violence helps push city crime up ten per cent
CRIME in Salisbury is up an alarming 10 per cent, despite the city's remaining one of the safest places to live. Violent crime accounts for the majority of the hike, with 430 more incidents of assault, bodily harm and fighting being reported. In the year
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Call for closer link with Europe
FORMER Swindon mayor Stan Pajak (Lib Dem, Eastcott) will tonight call for a debate on further integration with the European Union and will urge fellow councillors to adopt a pro-European stance. He believes that there will be great advantages to all our
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Solar power plan launched
THE future looks bright for a team of green enthusiasts who have joined forces to land a major grant, which they hope will turn Salisbury into the solar energy capital of the south. The five friends all share a dream of launching a solar energy club,
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We want to marry
Ref. 25835-10ANDY Shaw and Gary Napier want to be married. And they could be one step closer if Swindon Council creates a civic register of same-sex and heterosexual couples. The proposal, being spearheaded by Swindon Liberal Democrats, is to be debated
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Thugs beat motorist at roadside
A YOUNG man spoke this week of how he became the victim of a vicious attack by four thugs as he drove home to Salisbury on Sunday evening. The 20-year-old, who is called Richard and is only 5ft 2in tall, was repeatedly punched in the face by the men,
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Deep sea tragedy kills city rugby club player
A POPULAR Salisbury rugby player has died in a deep-sea diving tragedy off the coast of Iraq. Peter Rudolph (25) was working as a commercial diver in the south of the country when the incident happened on Monday morning. The well-loved former Cathedral
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Forget pensions crime pays better
CALLING all old age pensioners. Sign up today and become members of the OAPSBU (The Old Age Pensioners Swag Bag Union) and set out on a life of crime with an abundance of rewards which will make your present pension look sick. I have just finished reading
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Alarm centre seeks recruits
HANOVER Housing, which established a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week emergency alarm monitoring centre five years ago in Chippenham, is looking to recruit new staff. Hanover On-Call, which is situated on the Bumper's Farm Estate, provides support and reassurance
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Pupils' rainbow day for a special friend
THE children of Langley Fitzurse CE Primary School said a fitting goodbye to a light of their lives this week, when they held a rainbow-themed memorial day for cancer victim, Diane Schofield. Mrs Schofield, 53, died in June following an eight-year battle
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Legendary band to play
Folk rock band Fairport Convention will be starring at a multiple sclerosis benefit gig in Chippenham on October 25. Tickets are on sale now for the two-hour acoustic show at the Olympiad from 7.30pm. Fairport Convention, described by the Times as a national
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LA to Wiltshire village
BESTSELLING author Susan Lewis, famous for a string of romantic thrillers, has abandoned the sunny, star-studded climes of Los Angeles to take up residence in a country house in Yatton Keynell. Now Ms Lewis, 47, whose latest book, Wicked Beauty, was published
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Pedal power helps charity
YOUNG cyclist Luke Johnson, nine, has raised more than £200 for charity in a 27-mile bicycle challenge. Luke, a Year Four pupil at St Mary's Primary School, Chippenham, took part in the Wiltshire Heart Cycle to raise money for the British Heart Foundation
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Young arsonists fire popular river bridge
A FIRE which caused thousands of pounds of damage to a Chippenham bridge is believed to have been caused by arsonists. Children on their way home from school on July 16 saw flames and black smoke coming from the Blue Bridge in Baydon's Lane, Chippenham
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Man attacked in town centre
POLICE are appealing for witnesses after a man was mugged and assaulted in River Parade, Chippenham, in the early hours of Saturday morning. The 36-year-old Corsham man was walking towards the Porter Black pub at 1am when he heard the sound of people
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Teenager jailed for stabbing good Samaritan
A TEENAGER faces at least 11 years in jail after being found guilty of murdering good Samaritan, Liam Attwell, who went to the aid of a group of Chippenham youngsters. A jury at Bristol Crown Court took 11 hours on Tuesday to unanimously find Brian Grady
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Sad news for school pupils and teachers
ONE would need a heart of stone not to feel for the pupils, headteacher, staff and governors of Headlands School today. The Cricklade Road school has been taken directly under the control of Swindon Council, amid concerns that it is at the bottom of the
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Builders to be targeted
North Wiltshire District Council is set to blitz illegal building work using a £124,000 cash injection from a planning development grant. Planning enforcement will have a new, high profile in a bid to stop unscrupulous developers flouting planning regulations
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Touch of South Seas adds to fun
BUCKLEY Barracks in Hullavington got a taste of the exotic on Saturday, when a troop of six Fijian wives performed traditional dancing at the camp's cultural day. Organised to bring the wives and families of the 9 Supply Regiment, currently stationed
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Make mine a double says boss
SOME people will go to any lengths to boost their business, but two Wiltshire publicans have gone beyond the call of duty. Maxime Smith, landlady of the Cross Keys at Rowde , near Devizes, has got in the spirit of Wadworths new 6X appeal campaign by posing
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Fears more jobs will go
AN insider at RAF Lyneham's largest contractor claims the actual number of job losses will be larger than was admitted last week. HCS Babcock announced 31 proposed redundancies. But the source, who does not wish to be named, claims the company will shed
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Contest for new postcard
ARTISTS are being invited to enter a competition to create a postcard scene based on Lydiard House. The winner will have their design commercially printed. The scene can be a painting, drawing or photograph of any aspect of the house or park. There are
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Fear for hospital as ward is closed
KENNET and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust has denied that services are being run down at Devizes Hospital following the closure a 20-bed ward last week. The trust said the ward was shut as part of a drive for more efficient use of resources. It said
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Boss may quit village lacking Broadband
BUSINESSMAN Rob Thompson has said he will have to consider moving his business out of Pewsey if the village does not get Broadband Internet connection very soon. Mr Thompson, better known as the chairman of Pewsey Vale Football Club, said he will have
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Sally game to weave a web of intrigue
ARACHNAPHOBES beware, a new spider board game has been invented by Pewsey fifth former Sally Mortimer. Sally, 16, invented the game, simply called Spider, as part of her design and technology GCSE course work at Pewsey Vale School. Philip Hussey, head
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Broadband fight hots up
IF more computer users in Pewsey register an interest in Broadband the service could be provided within as little as three months, campaigners claim. BT says it needs at least 250 people to register an interest in taking the service, which speeds up Internet
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Fanfare for launch of Quiet Lanes project
A NEW safer roads initiative was launched in the Pewsey Vale on Friday urging all road users to "share with care". The Pewsey Quiet Lanes project is one of only a handful of similar schemes in the country funded by the Government to try to make rural
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Saunders' ultimatum to unsettled keeper
FED-UP boss Tommy Saunders has given unsettled keeper James Bittner a week to make a decision on his future. Bittner could play for Exeter City this weekend but Saunders hopes he will commit his future to Chippenham if the trial proves unsuccessful. "
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Business boom for mobile phone firm
BOSSES at Trowbridge-based Virgin Mobile are celebrating the company's latest performance figures which show it continues to be the fastest growing mobile firm in the UK. Figures out this week reveal the mobile phone giant increased its business from
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Firms are given the Queen's Awards
REPRESENTATIVES from Devizes company Omitec, and Dyson in Malmesbury, met the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at a reception for the winners of the Queen's Awards for Enterprise. The awards evening was held at Buckingham Palace last Wednesday. Omitec
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Honour for photographer
PHOTOGRAPHER Chris Burfoot has been awarded a prestigious Associateship by the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain. Mr Burfoot, 50, of Pembroke Photography in Market Place, Chippenham, had to submit a portfolio of work for approval by a panel
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Laura Ashley to go
Laura Ashley is to close its store in Homebase at Hathaway Retail Park in Chippenham, even though a major revamp is taking place. It was due to move to a newly built mezzanine floor. A Homebase spokesman said: "All the concessions are being given the
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Make mine a double says boss
SOME people will go to any lengths to boost their business, but two Wiltshire publicans have gone beyond the call of duty. Maxime Smith, landlady of the Cross Keys at Rowde , near Devizes, has got in the spirit of Wadworths new 6X appeal campaign by posing
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Winemaker takes a bow
A Vineyard is celebrating its fruity success after winning a silver and gold prize in an annual wine challenge. The Bow-in-the-Cloud vineyard at Noah's Ark, Garsdon, enjoyed success at the Thames and Chiltern Vineyard Association's annual wine challenge
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Pub closes as licensee resigns
THE owners of Munnelly's Bar in Southbroom Road, Devizes, say it will stay a pub despite the resignation of licensee Bill Montgomery. Mr Montgomery handed it over to the Punch Pub Company on Monday. He said he is buying property near Alicante in eastern
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New horses on horizon
TWO new white horses are to appear in the Wiltshire countryside when the Marlborough business park opens. Members of the town council's planning committee supported plans on Monday for the proposed road layout in Salisbury Road with a new roundabout providing
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New businesses compete for cash prize
Wootton Bassett Chamber of Commerce is to launch a competition for new businesses today, in an attempt to attract investment into the town. The aim of the competition, which boasts a £2,000 first prize, is primarily to publicise existing business opportunities
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Family's agony as Charlotte weakens
THE family of terminally ill Charlotte Wakeham are not giving up hope despite being told that she has two to three months to live. Charlotte, eight, who has an inoperable brain tumour was progressing well while taking Chloripramine, an anti-depressant
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Dogs top for obedience
IT was waggy tails all round when all 20 dogs entered into the good citizen awards at Malmesbury and District Dog Club. Chairman Rae Jones said it was the first time that all the dogs entered had passed, and the first time members had been entered into
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Busy rural shop is up for sale
SHERSTON shopkeeper Roger Clements is selling up after 21 years. Mr Clements, 61, has decided to retire for health reasons. The village shop in the High Street, which is up for sale for £375,000 as a going concern along with an adjoining cottage valued
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School show is a sell-out
CREATIVITY and innovation were the key focus of the end of year musical production at Hullavington School. The production called Emerald Crown was performed three times to pre-school children and proud parents and friends of the school. More than 120
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Family homeless after car hits house
A family of six have been left homeless for months after a car smashed into their home on Saturday, leaving it too unstable to live in. Lisa Manning, 33, was at home in Silveston Way, Malmesbury, with her her son Gary, 15, her partner Richard Woolliams
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Invalid couple's break-in shock
MULTIPLE sclerosis sufferer Peter Philpot was horrified after a burglar climbed into his bedroom while he was sleeping and stole cash he had saved up for his wife. Mr Philpot, 54, of Cowbridge Crescent, Malmesbury, had given £230 as a present to his wife
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Tourists who needs them?
MARLBOROUGH is accepted as being one of Wiltshire's biggest tourist attractions and so what does Kennet District Council want to do? Close its popular Tourist Information Centre of course. The council wants the existing well-used office in George Lane
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Why landowners have a grievance
A CHIPPENHAM farmer has admitted driving his tractor fitted with a spike into the side of a gipsy caravan after being incensed that it was parked in his field. Although taking the law into his own hands can not be condoned many people will understand
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Cann can Peter leads Churchways comeback
Stratton Churchways A and Faringdon finished all square on 77 shots each in the latest matches in the Swindon and District Four Rink Bowls League, writes RAY BURROUGHS. The Faringdon rinks of J Osbourne beat Ian Gough 22-16 and Maurice Simpson beat Stratton's
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Chippenham v Swindon
CHIPPENHAM have become the first winners of the Portman Building Society County under 15s Knockout cup. Having defeated Westbury, Wootton Bassett and Marshfield in earlier rounds, Chippenham comprehensively defeated Swindon in the final. Swindon batted
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North Wilts Junior League
Under 11s - CHIPPENHAM Arrows consolidated their position at the top of the table with a nine wicket success at Wootton Bassett. Tayler Aitken (21), Tewi Te Pou and Sam Burdock gave Bassett a good start but the later batting fell away against the bowling
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Corsham v Taunton St Andrews
CORSHAM'S title hopes suffered a massive dent at the weekend after a superb individual performance from Somerset all-rounder Keith Parsons proved to be the difference as they crashed to defeat against Taunton St Andrews . Parsons put the Corsham batsmen
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Wiltshire under 17s v Bedfordshire under 17s
A SUPERB unbeaten 218 by Corsham youngster Andy Davis helped Wiltshire to their first league win for over three years in a thrilling match against Bedfordshire. The 17-year-old batted for over six hours and hit 32 boundaries as Wiltshire snatched an unlikely
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All work and no play for bosses
MANY small business bosses are missing out on their summer holidays because they can not afford to take time off, research shows. A recent poll found that up to a third of bosses of the UK's 3.7 million small and medium-sized businesses will be unable
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New businesses compete for cash prize
Wootton Bassett Chamber of Commerce is to launch a competition for new businesses today, in an attempt to attract investment into the town. The aim of the competition, which boasts a £2,000 first prize, is primarily to publicise existing business opportunities
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Girl's battle against ill-health nets award
WOOTTON Bassett School student Rachael Bowden has been nominated for an award for her fight against kidney failure. Rachael, 15, was diagnosed at two-and-a-half with nephrotic syndrome, an extremely rare condition which affects one in a million children
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Chief is to retire in face of rapid change
Fire chief Neil Wright, who is retiring this year, fears the future amalgamation of fire control centres under a new Government plan, could cost lives. He also fears rapid change could be damaging. LEWIS COWEN reports. WILTSHIRE fire chief Neil Wright
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Info line for youth
A NEW free and confidential information and advice line called On-Line will give young people in Wiltshire a seven day service. The county council's youth development service set up the service, which will be open from 10am till 10pm. Callers and texters
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Well behaved kids get award
A NEW scheme to reward pupils for good behaviour on school buses has more than halved the number of incidents of bad behaviour. Pupils and staff at Wilton Middle School, near Salisbury, took part in a pilot project for the Best Bus Awards, which encouraged
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Young newshounds make the headlines
BUDDING journalists at Kington St Michael Primary School are celebrating a real scoop after winning the Gazette and Herald's Hold the Front Page competition. The eight, nine, 10 and 11-year-old pupils have been awarded first prize in the competition to
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Calne Town 10 Clanfield 0
IF THIS had been a boxing match the referee would have quickly put a stop to the bout as two goals in the opening ten minutes left Clanfield clinging to the ropes. On paper Calne were in for a competitive game against their Hellenic League opponents,
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Bromham get warmed-up
WILTSHIRE League Division One side Bromham kick off a week of friendlies tomorrow night with a game at home to Broughton Gifford. One Wednesday they will face fellow Wiltshire league side West Swindon and on Friday they play Calne Town Reserves. Pre-season
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Hellenic League
PEWSEY Vale boss Steve Wootton is looking forward to watching his first choice strike force of Barry Flippance and Craig Wall run rings around opposition defences next season after they both signed up again. Wall missed long periods of the last campaign
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Corsham Town 1, Trowbridge Town 2
COLIN Bush's first game in charge of Corsham Town has given the new manager a clearer picture of the task ahead of him. Bush, who left his position as assistant manager at Chippenham Town at the end of last season to take the reins at Lacock Road, watched
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Vicar asks for a delay before new TV series
A SECOND series of the BBC's hit A Country Parish, featuring Seend vicar the Rev Jamie Allen, has been put on the back burner at the request of the star himself. Although Mr Allen hasn't said that the filming of the first series, which was broadcast in
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Youth side in urgent plea for new players
A CHIPPENHAM boys' football team urgently needs new players so they can continue to run two sides at under-13 level. Last season FC Chippenham Youth ran two sides in the under-12 age group. However, the summer has seen some players move on to pastures
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Crisis club chief runs out of allies
BELEAGUERED Devizes Town chairman Chris Belcher was ostracised by many stalwarts from his own club before the friendly match against Bristol City. The match on Thursday evening which should have been a showcase opening for the new season was dogged by
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The last laugh
DOUG Bower, who claims to have been Britain's first crop circle hoaxer, has been on the Marlborough Downs showing a Japanese film crew how it's done. Mr Bower and his late friend Dave Chorley became famed as Doug and Dave when they claimed ten years ago
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Ploughing reaps a cash crop for charity
FOR every furrow ploughed by vintage tractors at Burbage at the weekend pounds rolled in for the British Heart Foundation. The annual ploughing match was organised for the fifth successive year by Tony Bushnell whose granddaughter Samantha was born with
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Plea after gang of tricksters strikes
CONMEN preying on the elderly have been in action again in the Avebury area. Two elderly women in Avebury Trusloe and in Winterbourne Monkton have been the latest targets for bogus callers. In both cases they were visited by three men. In the first instance
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Fathers' Time is a nice idea says Paul and his son Tom
Ref. 25812-23Househusband Paul Hemming, 35, has been attending Fathers' Time with son Thomas, three, since the sessions began 11 weeks ago. Paul, of Lilac Court in Pinehurst, who also has a seven-year-old daughter Danielle, says that he and his partner
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Classic sax appeal
Ref. 25840-27A FORMER Stratton St Margaret schoolgirl cannot wait to make a name for herself in the world of classical music. Sarah Ings, 22, of Highworth Road, Stratton St Margaret, says her main target now she has finished a music degree at London's
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Are you the lady in Jilly's book?
Jilly Cooper has contacted the Evening Advertiser in a bid to track down a Swindon woman whose story features in her latest best-seller Pandora. The novelist, who got chatting to the "delightful and elated woman" on a train, thanked her in the book's
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Taken over
At bottom of the league tables, no-one will deny Headlands School needs to improve. But despite some progress made over the past two years, the council has decided to put it under the control of the Local Education Authority. A FAILING secondary school
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Violence helps push city crime up ten per cent
CRIME in Salisbury is up an alarming 10 per cent, despite the city's remaining one of the safest places to live. Violent crime accounts for the majority of the hike, with 430 more incidents of assault, bodily harm and fighting being reported. In the year
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A feast of football at fun day
YOUNGSTERS were able to enjoy a feast of football when Amesbury Town football club held its annual fun day on Sunday. This year, it was decided to hold a football festival as well, for teams of under-eights, under-nines and under-tens. The festival took
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Soldiers swap arms for aprons
CARTER Barracks, Bulford Camp, was a hive of culinary activity last Wednesday, as some of the British Army's leading chefs convened to battle it out in a cookery competition. The 3rd (United Kingdom) Division Improvised Field Cookery Competition - an
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Town's popular priest retires
FATHER John Quinn, popular Roman Catholic priest in Amesbury for the past 29 years, is retiring after more than 40 years in the priesthood. On Sunday, more than 120 people, young and old, gave Father John a surprise retirement party, to mark his long
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Mean machines roar in for bikers' jamboree
CALNE'S rally driving mayor Tony Trotman swapped the roll cage for a hog when he swept through town on a Harley-Davidson, flanked by other bikers, to open the annual motorcycle day. The mayor, who took part in the 1976 RAC Rally, had initially declined
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Police under fire after boys vandalise centre
FURIOUS town councillor Mercy Baggs is rallying public support to insist policing in Calne's town centre is improved after vandals damaged Calne's drop-in youth centre. Police arrested two teenagers at the scene, recording the name of one and cautioning
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Chamber flies flag for town
Retailers and residents got together for an evening at Springfield School as part of a new initiative to raise awareness about Calne. The town's chamber of commerce arranged the event, which was held earlier this month, to highlight the resources the
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Dad tells of despair after car is torched
DAD Alan Sealy has told of his struggle to see his estranged four-year-old daughter after thieves stole his car and set it ablaze. The 29-year-old said he has also become the victim of malicious taunts and jibes from residents who blame him for the thousands
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Pupils show they can do
PUPILS at Potterne Primary School near Devizes helped a local company celebrate the production of its billionth aerosol can last week by taking part in a special competition. Children at the school were asked to design their own cans and the winners were
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Drunken man in disco assault
CONSTRUCTION worker Shane Smith was so drunk that he could not remember head-butting a girl he hardly knew at a disco. Smith, 32, of Waiblingen Way, Devizes, pleaded guilty to assaulting Donna Edwards at the disco in the town's Corn Exchange on June 28
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Future of units rests on two new surveys
TWO separate reviews are to take place on the future of community maternity units, including Devizes and Malmesbury. The Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust was due to make a decision on whether to close Devizes and Malmesbury maternity units
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Scout leader remembered
SCOUT leader Fred Oliver will be remembered by generations of Sea Scouts after a safety boat was named in his memory last week. Hundreds of Scouts, Cubs, friends and parents converged on Devizes Wharf last Friday for the naming ceremony, carried out by
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Concern as prison governor moves on
THE independent monitoring board of Erlestoke Prison, near Devizes, is to write to Home Secretary David Blunkett complaining about the removal of their governor Claudia Sturt after less than a year in post. Ms Sturt, the governor of Erlestoke since last
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Make mine a double says boss
SOME people will go to any lengths to boost their business, but two Wiltshire publicans have gone beyond the call of duty. Maxime Smith, landlady of the Cross Keys at Rowde , near Devizes, has got in the spirit of Wadworths new 6X appeal campaign by posing
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Legion memorial
THE Devizes branch of the Royal British Legion celebrated its 80th anniversary last week by planting a tree on the Green. Devizes Mayor Paula Winchcombe, joined branch chairman Herbert Brothers in planting the tree, a red oak, and unveiling a memorial
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Fault causes power failure
VILLAGERS in Urchfont had to endure more than 12 hours without electricity after a fault developed on high-voltage cables on Monday. The power went off shortly before 9.30am, affecting Urchfont, Chirton, Marden and parts of Market Lavington. Most of the
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Reserve tie for Stratton
AFC Stratton, formerly Stratton Crosslink and beaten favourites last season, have been drawn against Shrewton United Reserves in the second round of the Wiltshire League's Corsham Print Senior Cup. Wroughton take on local rivals Purton Reserves and Cricklade
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Top marks for town primary
ST JOSEPH'S Roman Catholic Primary School in Devizes, has received glowing reports in its latest Ofsted inspection. Staff, parents, pupils and governors all have a share of the praise in the report from Dr Eric Peagam, who visited the school with his
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Ploughing reaps a cash crop for charity
FOR every furrow ploughed by vintage tractors at Burbage at the weekend pounds rolled in for the British Heart Foundation. The annual ploughing match was organised for the fifth successive year by Tony Bushnell whose granddaughter Samantha was born with
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School on target for sports bid cash fund
IF Devizes School succeeds in its bid for sports college status it will be down to the enthusiasm and support of the local community, said headteacher Malcolm Irons. Mr Irons said he has been overwhelmed by the support from businesses, clubs, schools
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Cycle target draws near
FIVE intrepid school leavers from St John's in Marlborough hope to have reached John O'Groats today (Thursday) after cycling from Land's End. The five decided on the charity ride in aid of Cancer Research UK as a way of capping off their school careers
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Council looks at setting up trust
MARLBOROUGH Town Council is to look into setting up a trust to take over the running of the town hall. Its finance and general purposes committee agreed on Monday to form a working group to look into the pros and cons of letting the hall be run by a trust
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Driver freed after crash
A 36-YEAR-OLD woman had to be cut free by firefighters after her car crashed into a wall and ended up on its roof on the A360 between Devizes and Potterne at 11.15am on Thursday. The local woman, who has not been named, was taken by ambulance to Salisbury
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College reveals plan for new music school
A ROW broke out over Marlborough College's latest building plan for a new music school even before town council planners started their meeting on Monday. The public school's estates bursar, Simon Eveleigh, bursar David Williamson, and architect David
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Outcry at bid to shut centre for tourists
KENNET District Council has been slammed for its total lack of consultation over a proposal to shut Marlborough's tourist information centre. When Kennet issued a press statement saying it intended moving the centre to the town's library as a cost cutting
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Mystery over barn blaze
FIRE investigators are sifting through the charred remains of a barn that was destroyed by fire at Ogbourne St George on Saturday. So far no cause has been established for the blaze that swept through the barn at Lower Herdswick Farm, destroying 400 tonnes
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Girls get pat on the back
GIRLS from the 1st Stratton Rainbows raised almost £300 for a children's cancer charity. The 18 girls, aged from five to seven, were today enjoying a family picnic on the vicarage lawn in Beechcroft Road, to celebrate their achievement. The children visited
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Rachael carries on toasting life
Ref. 25821-10KIDNEY patient Rachael Bowden has been given a bravery award because of the courageous way she deals with her condition. The 15-year-old has suffered from an illness known as nephrotic syndrome since she was two. Her condition has deteriorated
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School wins top award for quality of its teaching
AN INFANT school finished the school year on a high by picking up an award for the quality of its teaching. Gorse Hill Infant School, in Avening Street, has won the Primary School Quality Mark for improving the quality of literacy and numeracy across
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Trim Jenny set for a challenge
Ref. 25807-11JENNY Lawson lost four stone to be able to take part in fundraising events like Cycle For Life being held on Sunday. Jenny, 32, of Gorse Hill, weighed 15 stone when she decided to start losing weight three years ago. By cutting out junk food
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Danger junction
HOW I endorse the comments made by Annie Richards in her letter to the Gazette on July 3 concerning the dangerous junctions on to the A4 between Manton and Beckhampton. I live in Clatford and brave the turning on to the A4 into Marlborough on a daily
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Splashing out on a pool roof
Ref. 25851-18Highworth residents are unleashing their creative skills to raise cash for a new pool roof. Trustees at the Recreation Centre need to come up with £800,000 for a state-of-the-art, sliding roof and major refurbishment work. To help them on
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Lights are a help
WHAT a welcome sight to see work started on the long overdue repairs to Kingsbury Street. Congratulations to the council for using a process which recycles the Tarmac, but how many people noticed the safer speed of traffic near the town hall thanks to
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Big top fun is helping our appeal
SWINDON CANCER APPEAL: Circus fans will be rolling up to the big top this summer and helping the Swindon Cancer Appeal at the same time. The Evening Advertiser's appeal has 200 reduced priced tickets for the magical delights of Billy Smart's Circus. The
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Traffic solution
IN early 1998 Sainsburys opened its doors in the centre of Calne the area of heaviest traffic There is also Iceland, Kiwksave and Somerfields and the stores' food juggernauts now need to be dealt with. There is no reason why these ponderous vehicles should
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City MP reopens band hall
SALISBURY MP and former tuba player Robert Key got to grips with a trumpet on Saturday, to mark the official opening of the refurbished band hall in Downton. The hall has been redecorated and upgraded, so that it now conforms to the standards required
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Man critically ill after crash with police car
A MAN is critically ill in hospital after his car and a police car were involved in a head-on collision on the road between Sixpenny Handley and Cranborne last week. The man, who is in his early 60s and from the Bournemouth area, was airlifted to hospital
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Festival success
This year's Devizes Festival has had more full houses than any other year. As an example, we had ten evening events in the town hall and every single one was sold out. May I thank, on behalf of the festival committee, the vital contribution made by so
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Team's challenge
SPECTACULAR attractions welcomed hundreds of visitors to this year's new-look Fordingbridge Show. Held over two days for the first time, the show welcomed scores of spectators through the gates of Godshill showground - with advanced tickets a complete
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Back in the red
SWINDON'S Great Western Hospital finances have slipped back into the red, just months after the trust freed itself from debt. In April, the trust was celebrating the end of a five-year debt recovery plan which transformed a £3.7m debt into a positive
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Slow is also risky
Again we see some drivers ignoring the speed limits on the A3102 between Lyneham and Calne. There have been too many serious accidents and fatalities on this stretch for the police to ignore the dangers any more. When are they going to prosecute offenders
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Colourful procession
GLYNIS Lockhart married her son at Salisbury register office on Saturday when she conducted the marriage ceremony between Alistair Lockhart and his fiancee, Emma-Jane Baggs. Mrs Lockhart is deputy superintendent registrar for Salisbury and has been in
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GPs make list decision
I THINK Lewis Cowen's article (Gazette July 17) gave the impression that the PCT is responsible for closing doctors' lists. It's actually the doctors themselves who decide. If the lists were allowed to grow without being monitored the level of care to
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Chronicle of base missed out top era
The chronicle of important dates at RAF Lyneham (Gazette July 10) omitted the most prestigious period during the base's long and distinguished career. In 1956 the runway was extended to be able to handle the long-range Comet T and C2 of No. 216 Squadron
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Ex-Porton scientist at centre of political row
PORTON Down has paid tribute to a former head of microbiology at the establishment, biological weapons expert Dr David Kelly, who was found dead on Friday. Dr Kelly (59), the source behind the BBC allegation that the government "sexed up" its first intelligence
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Trust wants to save the hospital as well
Two letters were recently published in the Gazette commenting on the Save Our Hospital petition handed to me on behalf of the Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust. The letters give different reasons for the petition. One states the petition was
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Free green bags
I WRITE with regard to the above and in response to Miss Packer's letter. The issue of free garden waste sacks is a concession to people who qualify for the D Card service. These are people who are physically unable to carry out their black sack to the
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A public inquiry is demanded
THE damning indictment contained in your reports concerning "crumbling schools" in Swindon; presumably built under the aegis of Wiltshire County Council building inspectors demands nothing less than a public inquiry. (EA, June 19). This latest scandal
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Bars have brought area back to life
I wanted to write in reply to the latest criticism of the pubs down Fleet Street and Bridge Street that was featured in the paper about the regeneration plans for our town. How quick people are to forget how run down that part of town was. One third of
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Rugby players appeal
RICKLADE Rugby Club are in the second week of their pre-season training. The Dorset & Wilts Division 2 club, who have acquired a scrummachine, welcome players on Tuesdays and Thursdays (7pm start). Further details from Jason on (01793) 752974.
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Employee wins trip of dreams
HSBC employee Sara Davidson, who lives in Chippenham, will soon be swapping her desk in Newmarket to join Earthwatch scientists in studying birds of the Tanzanian forest. Miss Davidson will help monitor rainforest bird populations to determine the impact
