Archive
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Worcestershire in control against Gloucestershire
LEADERS Worcestershire took control of their match against Gloucestershire at Cheltenham. They advanced from an overnight score of 48-1, in response to Gloucestershire's 271, to 392-7, with steady batting performances right down the order. Ben Smith fell
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Swindon look for a fourth
Despite three wins in a row Swindon are still in the bottom half of their division. However they are now brimming with confidence and ready to continue their charge up the table when they entertain Bredon at the County Ground tomorrow. Paul Baden and
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A peaceful place to lunch
AFTER a thoroughly irritating morning we decided lunch was in order, to restore both body and spirit: if ever we'd earned a treat, now was the time. So we stopped off on the way back to west Wiltshire at The Crown, which is the long low whitewashed pub
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This will not reform them
HOME Secretary David Blunkett is living in cloud cuckoo land if he thinks that giving criminals chance to apologise to their victims will redeem them and cut crime figures. We would like to be able to share the touching faith of those prison reformers
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Slipping The Net
TOWN'S clash with Portsmouth tonight will nudge Andy King a step closer to deciding on his number one keeper for the season but Craig Farr's future is shrouded in uncertainty. The youngster has slipped down the pecking order after the signing of England
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Town council's Friday surgery
ACCESS to your local representatives just got easier in Corsham, where town councillors are setting up a weekly surgery. Every Friday from 10.30am to 11.30am at the Town Hall, members of the public will be able to meet councillors face to face, and discuss
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'Vigilantes could cure crime' claim
WILTSHIRE TIMES EXCLUSIVE: TOWN and district councillor Roy Jackson said vigilantism could be the only way to stop wild teenagers from wrecking a street in Corsham. Police are due to come under fire at a town council meeting on Monday night because Cllr
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New era for village pub
LANDLORD Richard Lacey is hoping residents will return to his country pub now strict drinking rules have been relaxed. Mr Lacey, of Winsley pub The Seven Stars, hopes villagers will come flooding back in the knowledge they can once again drop in and enjoy
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Man presented with war medals
A SOLDIER who served with the Wiltshire Yeomanry has this week been presented with his World War II service medals, 57 years after his last campaign. At a surprise presentation, Viv Reed, 86, was presented with five medals to commemorate active service
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Funeral directors keep up with the times
A FAMILY-RUN funeral business has moved into new premises in Melksham. Funeral directors DJ Bewley, run by Patrik Bewley and his wife Cheryl, has moved into Bank Street from the corner of Church Street car park. The business was started by Mr Bewley's
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Charity jump
A local support worker is making a big jump in aid of people with disabilities. Hazel Kerwin, who works at Fairfield Opportunity Farm in High Street, Dilton Marsh, is planning a parachute jump in September. She hopes the skydive will raise £2,500 for
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Mayor looks at police work
THE mayor of Westbury swapped his chain of office for handcuffs and a police car on Friday evening. Cllr Horace Prickett shadowed Westbury police officers throughout the night to learn more about the town. Although it was a quiet night Cllr Prickett walked
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Golfer bitten by poisonous snake
A POISONOUS snake left a Westbury golfer bunkered just days before the most important round of his life. Gary Sawyer, golf pro at Lafarge golf club, reached the final qualifier for the British Open held last weekend. But his dream was nearly over before
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Bolland's the star
A FINE all-round performance from Dave Bolland took Corsham 2nds to a two wicket win over Taunton St Andrews 2nds. He took two for 28 as Taunton made 182 for seven and then made 37 not out in Corsham's reply of 184 for eight.
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Timsbury v Westbury
WESTBURY'S disappointing season continued as they crashed to another heavy defeat in Saturday's Bristol and North Somerset Division game. Westbury made two changes from last week's defeat to Winterbourne, with Neil Dolman and Christian Knott coming in
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Photographer films the death of Saddam's sons
FORMER Wiltshire Times photographer John Templeton was among the first cameramen to film live from the house where Saddam Hussein's sons were gunned down. During a fierce battle on Tuesday, Uday and Qusay Hussein were killed by American troops. Spending
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Traders object to railings
TRADERS have complained about a Melksham hairdresser's call for action over a dangerous high pavement in the town. Michael Clarke wants railings to be installed in Bank Street to stop people falling into the road and injuring themselves. About 800 people
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Delay on bypass work
SOFT soil is threatening to delay building work on the Semington and Melksham bypass. Contractors working on the £11.3 million bypass have discovered the soil is softer than first predicted. Now the land will have to be dug up and replaced with deeper
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Hard work impresses inspectors
HARDWORKING staff and caring pupils have helped pull a school out of the doldrums. Ian Janman, headteacher of Aloeric County Primary School in Melksham, praised the teamwork which has seen Ofsted inspectors lift the 'serious weaknesses' measures they
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How quickly do you cough up?
THE Better Payment Practice Group claims that nine out of 10 businesses think large companies should be made to report their payment times. All PLCs, together with their large subsidiaries, are required by the Companies Act (1985) to disclose the time
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West is the best for technology
FAST-growth technology companies in Wiltshire and the South West have given the region an overwhelming thumbs-up. In a new survey of last year's Technology Fast 50 companies (ranking is based on percentage growth in turnover over a three-year-period),
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New leader for council
THE first woman to be appointed leader of Wiltshire County Council said she is looking forward to the "wonderful opportunity". Jane Scott, who lives with her husband and children in Lanhill, Chippenham, takes over the coveted role from Peter Chalke, after
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Photographer films the death of Saddam's sons
FORMER Wiltshire Times photographer John Templeton was among the first cameramen to film live from the house where Saddam Hussein's sons were gunned down. During a fierce battle on Tuesday, Uday and Qusay Hussein were killed by American troops. Spending
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Japanese film-makers visit Times for crop circles show
JAPANESE film-makers used the Wiltshire Times' offices as a backdrop for a documentary about mysterious crop circles. We were the first British newspaper to publish a picture of the phenomenon, when three round shapes appeared in a field of oats under
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Church and viaduct on list of buildings at risk
A CHURCH in an empty village and a viaduct built for the Great Western Railway are among nine of the most run down buildings in the region, according to English Heritage. Its Buildings at Risk register lists monuments and buildings that have fallen into
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CAMPAIGN - Survivor supports campaign
DRIVE DOWN THE DEALTH TOLL: A COURIER who survived a horror smash on the A36 near Codford is backing the Wiltshire Times Drive Down the Death Toll campaign. Simon Woodsford, 30, of Drynham Road, Trowbridge, says he is lucky to be alive after his car collided
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Free advice for youths
A NEW helpline has been launched which could prove a lifeline for young people in west Wiltshire. A free information and advice line has been launched by Wiltshire County Council's youth development service which will put young people in touch with a
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Homes market looks healthy
A HEALTHY housing market in north and west Wiltshire is welcoming back buyers and sellers, say local estate agents. A survey by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors revealed house prices fell again in the south west in June. Estate agents throughout
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Bid to save plants
Rare flowers and plants could be disappearing from Wiltshire's fields and hedgerows and a wildlife group is trying to save them. Cornflowers and marigolds used to be common in the county, but the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG) are now appealing
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Wiltshire's best is a star in the East
WILTSHIRE'S top bowler Graham Shadwell has returned from the first ever Europe versus Asia Test series with two gold medals and hopes his success will be a springboard for future success on the world arena. Shadwell, 28, who won the national under 25s
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Celebrating at the grass roots
WINSLEY Bowls Club has come a long way since its foundation in 1903 and to celebrate the 100th birthday members played host to a representative side from the English Bowling Association yesterday afternoon. The match against the EBA, formed 100 years
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Councillors to get more allowances
COUNTY councillors have voted themselves a 12.5 per cent increase in 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 year was £6,000
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Celebration of culture
A celebration of culture in the south west begins on Sunday, July 27. Culture South West, the South West Regional Development Agency, HTV, and Carton ITV have all helped to produce a snapshot of what is happening around us right now in the South West.
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The Daleks descend on Longleat
Hordes of Daleks, the pepper pot shaped arch-enemies of Doctor Who, famed for their tinny battle cry of "Exterminate", will gather at Longleat next month. The Daleks will join the TV cult hero for the 10th annual Doctor Who Day on August 3. Organisers
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New chief is Taylor-made for task at Warminster
NEW Warminster Town manager Chris Taylor will have to put his faith in youth this season as he plans to turn the club's fortunes around but he says his previous coaching experience will make him the ideal man for the job. Taylor helped coach the Bristol
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School bids to add new hall
PUPILS in Warminster are hoping for a bit of extra room when they break for lunch or take gymnastics. Currently students at Minster Church of England School share a small hall for lunch, lessons, assembly and physical education. But there are plans to
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Baby marmoset hand reared
A baby tufted ear marmoset a member of the monkey family is being hand reared by keepers at Longleat Safari Park, Warminster with the help of a cuddly toy monkey. The three week old baby which weighed less than 40g at birth and was six centimetres long
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Simply the best
The Land Rover, originally built in 1948 and known since 1990 as the Land Rover Defender, has been named 'the greatest car of all time' by BBC TV's Top Gear. Top Gear viewers were asked to vote by telephone for nine vehicles short-listed by the show's
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SEAT putting the boot in...
FOR all the versatility of a hatchback, plenty of drivers still like the tried and tested layout of the four-door saloon. That penchant for putting the boot into modern motors led SEAT to develop the Cordoba, a compact booted version of the Ibiza, the
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Policeman praised by judge
A CROWN court judge hailed an off-duty policeman a hero for catching two burglars despite being slashed with a knife. Judge Rupert Bursell praised Sgt Robert Anning for catching burglars Andrew Harrison, 24, and Daniel Lafayette, 20 following a burglary
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Fun on town's streets
ROMAN revellers poured into Church Street in Bradford on Avon on Saturday for the annual street party. The theme marked the recent discovery of a Roman mosaic on the St Laurence School playing fields. Everyone joined in the spirit, with fundraisers dragging
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Stress of officer on Williams case
MOST police officers face times of stress during their career. But supporting, informing and advising a heartbroken family through a torturous 15-month murder inquiry and a draining five-week Crown Court trial would be stressful for even the most composed
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Community event
A community event is planned for Bradford on Avon on September 14, and organisers are hoping for more stall holders to come forward to take part. More than 50 community groups and organisations are already booked for the Bradford on Avon Community Area
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Protest at homes proposal
RESIDENTS of Elms Cross Drive in Bradford on Avon attended a planning meeting this week to protest about plans to build five houses on land behind their homes. The application, by Oakfield Farm Products Ltd, proposes five detached houses with garages
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School gets new pond
CHILDREN at Monkton Farleigh and South Wraxall School will start next year with a new pond and wildlife area, which was opened this week by one of the original pioneers of the idea. Marion Womack re-turned to the school where she used to teach on Monday
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'It's a great community school with real potential'
A NEW headteacher appointed to take over troubled St Laurence School in Bradford on Avon has promised parents and pupils he will try and make a good school better. James Colquhoun, 53, who has 10 years' experience as a headteacher, was appointed after
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Simon agrees a new contract
Bath's prolific try-scorer Simon Danielli has signed a two year extension to his current contract. Danielli, currently away training in Poland with part of the Scotland Preliminary World Cup squad, said: "I have thoroughly enjoyed my two seasons here
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Could you be a Poppy Person this year?
THE Royal British Legion headquarters has announced a national campaign to recruit more Poppy People to help with all aspects of this year's collection in November. Last year the Trowbridge branch raised an amazing £14,750 which came from door-to-door
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Patients praise for care given at RUH
HAVING read so many bad things about the RUH at Bath, I feel a lot of it is very unfair. I have been having treatment at the RUH, all right some days I've had to wait, but the staff and treatment is first class, and I can find no fault with the hospital
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Let our signs stay
LIVING in a rural community there is always some form of fundraising taking place, either by the church groups, school or local nursing home. Whenever there is an event the organisers place signs along the B3105 in order to increase attendance and hopefully
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Musical a delight
IT was a real pleasure to see the musical Oliver at the Matravers School, Westbury last weekend. The singing, dancing and acting was first class bearing in mind the ages of the pupils; they put everything into it. Congratulations once again, it was a
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Help us all keep cool
JUST a few lines to ask the council if they could put a couple of drinking fountains in the park, especially in this weather, like we had in the 50s and 60s. Not everybody can afford to buy drinks from cafs and shops, like people on low income, women
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Festival set to sizzle without any gas
Ref. 25856-52A GAS pipeline company has agreed to suspend its roadworks so a summer festival can go ahead without a hitch. Residents in Nore Marsh Road, Wootton Bassett feared that traffic in their street would grind to a halt when the Wootton Bassett
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Just the ticket
Ref. 23354-46There's good news on the buses where increased reliability has spurred more people to use public transport. GILES SHELDRICK reports on why there has been this change in attitude. MORE people are using buses in congested Swindon, new figures
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Entertainer kept on singing to the very end
A POPULAR singer who entertained Wiltshire crowds despite having cancer has lost her battle against the disease. Alison Muir, who was in her early 50s, was a performer with group Hen Party, which regularly played in the Swindon area. She died on July
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Gray lashes at Lyneham 'ducking and diving'
DEFENCE ministers have again been accused of failing to answer vital questions about the closure of RAF Lyneham. James Gray, Tory MP for North Wiltshire, said he was frustrated at spin and avoidance in official responses to inquiries he has made over
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Praise for pre-school
STAFF at a Trowbridge pre-school are celebrating after government inspectors gave them the thumbs-up. Nicola Bieda, supervisor of Noah's Ark Pre-school, said she was delighted with the "high quality" award, which is the highest level possible from OFSTED
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Whizzkidtwins on TV show
TROWBRIDGE twins who began a videogames empire from their bedroom are being honoured in a TV show. Former Clarendon School pupils, Philip and Andrew Oliver became teenage millionaires in the 1980s after making a number of hit computer games. Now a TV
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Clampdown on illegal parking
WAR has been declared on motorists in Trowbridge who flout parking restrictions and block up town centre routes. The completion of a £200,000 revamp of Silver Street will help police clamp down on motorists parking illegally. Town councillor Steve Squires
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Mum is to teach in Caribbean
A teacher from Staverton is to take up a new teaching post in the Dominican Republic. Jeanne Bergin, 51, has taught at Staverton Primary School for 11 years, but is lending her teaching experience to a small, poverty-stricken community in the Caribbean
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Donation to fire brigade
FIREFIGHTERS in Trowbridge are getting their hands on state of the art life saving equipment thanks to the wife of one of their late colleagues. Julie Flint has donated an electric saw used to rescue survivors from accidents to Trowbridge fire brigade
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WRVS appeal
A drive is under way to find volunteers to help with the district's Meals On Wheels service. The Trowbridge division of the Women's Royal Voluntary Service held a get-together on Tuesday to give potential helpers the chance to meet existing volunteers
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Farmer faces new charges
DAIRY farmer Gordon Guley has appeared in court to face four more charges of sexually assaulting young boys. Guley, 43, went before magistrates in Trowbridge on Thursday to face an extra four charges of indecent assault. They are three on a 14-year-old
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A trip down memory lane
Trowbridge businessman Freddie Giles and his wife Jan took a trip down memory lane at the weekend when they organised a Frazer Nash rally. The couple had last organised the event back in the 1970s, when Freddie was captain of the Frazer Nash car club.
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Policeman praised by judge
A CROWN court judge hailed an off-duty policeman a hero for catching two burglars despite being slashed with a knife. Judge Rupert Bursell praised Sgt Robert Anning for catching burglars Andrew Harrison, 24, and Daniel Lafayette, 20 following a burglary
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School decision shelved
PARENTS on a Trowbridge estate campaigning for a new secondary school will have to wait until September to discover whether their hard-fought bid has struck gold. The ongoing issue of a fourth secondary school, to be positioned near Paxcroft Mead, was
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Big top entertainment at school fete
THE sun broke through the clouds for a spectacular afternoon of big top entertainment at Hilperton School fete on Friday afternoon. Headteacher, Sue Haldane said: "We were so miserable at lunchtime as we thought it would pour all afternoon, then it suddenly
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Virgin staff help to track down missing schoolgirl
Workers at a Trowbridge mobile phone company played their part in an international police operation to track down a runaway 12-year-old girl. Staff at Virgin Mobile, on the White Horse Business Park, were tasked with helping police track down the mobile
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Bowyers to fly in 50 Portuguese workers
BOSSES at Pork Farm Bowyers are flying in 50 Portuguese workers to fill empty production posts despite announcing seven engineers will lose their jobs. Workers at the Trowbridge factory are fuming at news of the redundancies, which come at a time when
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Girl,14, abducted by schoolteacher
WILTSHIRE TIMES EXCLUSIVE: SCANDAL has erupted at a Trowbridge secondary school after a teacher abducted a 14-year-old girl. Clarendon School history teacher and Baptist minister's son Matthew Birch, 26, is facing jail after admitting running off to London
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Vigilantes are not the answer
Taking the law into your own hands is a foolish thing to do. But some people feel so let down by the system that they think of their own ways of solving problems. Corsham town and district councillor Roy Jackson said vigilantism could be the only way
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Parents have a right to know
Parents put a lot of trust in teachers. Their beloved children spend the majority of the average week in class or under the care of school staff. It is vital a bond of trust exists between the two parties. So when parents discover they have not been informed
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Catch a big prize
The National Federation of Anglers is to re-launch the team knockout competition following a new sponsorship deal with building materials giant Builder Centre with more than £11,000 in prizes. The event will be for teams of five who could end up fishing
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Johnson smashes lake record with 43lb catch
SEMINGTON matchman Dave Johnson took the top honours in the final match of the evening series at Crookwood Lake and smashed the three hour match record for the venue. Dave took a mixed bag of carp, tench and goldfish weighing 43lb 5oz taken on short pole
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No-nonsense Willie to clean up the town
Ref. 25863-31BURGLARY and graffiti in Cricklade could soon be a thing of the past if the town's new sergeant has his way. Willie Glasgow may have joined Cricklade Police only three weeks ago but he says he is quickly getting to grips with the new role
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Being good sports to help needy
SWINDON CANCER APPEAL: PASSING the bucket around at dinnertime may conjure an unsavoury image, but for a group of sports fans it helped raised hundreds of pounds for the Swindon Cancer Appeal. Cricklade Sportsmen's Asso-ciation has boosted the Evening
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'We didn't see the streaker'
Ref. 25732-31A Swindon charity worker was at the Buckingham Palace garden party where a man streaked in front of the Queen. But John Holmes, of Windsor Road, who was rewarded with the trip because of his charity work, said he missed the incident. "It
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Venues set for blood donor sessions
THE National Blood Service has announced its programme of donation sessions in the Swindon area for next week. On Tuesday, the service will be at the County Ground in County Road, with sessions held from 9.30am to 11.30am and 1.30pm to 3.30pm. On Thursday
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Site will provide a haven for nature lovers
Ref. 25857-06The first Local Nature Reserve in the Cotswold Water Park has officially been declared open - and already work is being planned to open it up to the public. Cokes Pit is a 10.3 hectare site which has its own lake surrounded by a narrow strip
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Report full of praise for college
THE LARGEST college in Swindon has been given the thumbs up in its first report by Government inspectors Ofsted. More than 40 inspectors from Ofsted and the Adult Learning Inspectorate visited Swindon College from March 24 to April 4. With 24,000 full
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Council to consider gay wedding register
HOMOSEXUAL cohabiting couples living in Swindon could have their relationships formally recognised after a campaigning councillor urged the authority to create a civic register acknowledging the fact. Swindon Council has in effect agreed to look at the
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Date is set for next year's carnival
NEXT year's Wroughton Carnival will go ahead on Saturday, July 10 dispelling fears the event would end after a series of fundraising and other difficulties. The carnival committee has confirmed that next year's event will definitely take place after many
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Driver who was over limit banned
CIVIL engineer Jarlath Finegan was almost twice over the drink drive limit after he stopped for three pints of lager on the way home from work. The 35-year-old was stopped behind the wheel of his Ford Escort in Old Town. Keith Ballinger, prosecuting,
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£1,000 raised for eczema charity by clocking up the miles
Swindonians helped an eczema charity raise £1,000 by clocking up miles on a giant bike. The Itch Scratch Cycle Challenge toured the country from North to South last month to raise cash for the National Eczema Society. Named after the vicious itching and
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Thanks for a great night
FOR the second time in two years, I've driven home to Oxford humming tunes and tapping my toes after Janice Thompson's Summer Gala. From the moment the curtain rises on the massed choir, I'm leaning forward picking out the future stars. How does Janice
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No more artist impressions
RECENTLY, there were more artist impressions of what Swindon may look like in 15 years time. I have been looking at artist impressions for 50 years now of what Swindon will look like. I don't suppose anybody remembers the boulevard that was going to be
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Give musicians a home
I THINK the Mechanics' Institute should be reinstated to its former use to fit in with the conserved Railway Village houses. But failing that the Swindon Young Musicians need an Academy, as numbers are growing very fast. It covers children from nursery
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Death is a deterrent
THE do-gooders who love the do-badders are at it again telling us that the death penalty is not a deterrent. Do they have any statistics to support this claim? How many murders per head of population were there in the year before hanging was abolished
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Leave barbury castle as it is
As regular users of Barbury Castle, we were disappointed to read of the proposed eviction of Lynne and Brian Simpson from Ridgeway Farm. Along with the vast majority of those who visit Barbury Castle, we hoped the council would come to its senses and
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Local derby showdown
In the Dorset and Wilts 1st XV Vase second round draw the winner of Warminster v Bradford will play Westbury, while Trowbridge await the winners of Marlborough v Supermarine. Other matches include the winner of Lytchett Minster v Weymouth away to North
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Berkshire cling on for a draw
WILTSHIRE under 15s had the better of their game against Berkshire at the County Ground, but the visitors clung on for a draw. Batting first, Wiltshire were all out for 172, with Chippenham's Adam Croutear (38) and Luke Morris (41) top-scoring. In reply
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You can help remove the drug dealers
FORTUNATELY Swindon magistrates do not appear to have been overly influenced by the claim that 31-year-old Anthony Gallagher's crime was at the bottom of the scale of drug offences. The fact is that Gallagher was driving a car to enable a dealer to sell
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Golfer bitten by poisonous snake
A POISONOUS snake left a Corsham golfer bunkered just days before the most important round of his life. Gary Sawyer, golf pro at Lafarge golf club, Westbury, reached the final qualifier for the British Open held last weekend. But his dream was nearly
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Presentation for leavers
SCHOOLchildren who are hungry to learn got their teeth into brand new encyclopaedias on Wednesday. All year six pupils at St Patrick's RC School, Corsham, were presented with the books at the schools final assembly before the summer holidays. The 28 pupils
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Hospice charity cash boost
ANTIQUE dealers in the Bradford on Avon area raised £1,843 for the Dorothy House Hospice, Winsley. Bath and Bradford on Avon Antique Dealers Association raised the money through a combination of donat- ions from exhibitors, organisers and collections
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Neighbours in law
TWO new members staff at a west Wiltshire law firm were surprised to learn they are near neighbours. Emma Flick and Hilary Bowles, started work at Goughs' Chippenham office on the same day but up to then had never met, even though they live only ten minutes
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Airsprung workers start bed company
A GROUP of former Airsprung bosses have set up a new mattresses company. Moonraker Beds have opened a new factory in Westbury and aim to manufacture 1,000 mattresses a week. All three directors left Airsprung earlier this year after spending their whole
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£14m deal in seafood takeover
A MULTI-MILLION pound takeover of a Warminster-based seafood company will help it go from strength to strength, says its new owners. The SIF Group finalised a £14m deal to buy Lyons Seafoods on Friday. This will give them a strong position in the market
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College gets town online
INTERNET fans will be able to log on as they do their shopping when a new IT centre opens in Westbury. Work began this week to transform an empty business on the High Street into a Wiltshire College information technology learning centre. When the college
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Getting children on stage
A NEW theatre group aimed at getting children onto the stage is opening in Westbury for the summer holidays. Kris Kros Productions are holding auditions for parts in a comedy play and will be running youth workshops in August. Organisers will be looking
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Search for Bertie
WESTBURY'S resident pet detective is on the look out for a run-away dog. Tony Hall set up Pet Search and Reunite last month in response to the large number of pets going missing in the area. Now he is searching for a terrier called Bertie who has been
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Travel firm's help sends band flying high to final
A VILLAGE band is hoping help from local firms will lead to success in the national brass band championships. Bratton Silver Band members aim to be fresh as daisies when they arrive at the annual championships in Scotland, for they hope to fly up from
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Church and viaduct on list of buildings at risk
Phipps mausoleum, Westbury CemeteryA CHURCH in an empty village and a viaduct built for the Great Western Railway are among nine of the most run down buildings in the region, according to English Heritage. Its Buildings at Risk register lists monuments
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Airsprung workers start bed company
A GROUP of former Airsprung bosses have set up a new mattresses company. Moonraker Beds have opened a new factory in Westbury and aim to manufacture 1,000 mattresses a week. All three directors left Airsprung earlier this year after spending their whole
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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. Parsons put the Corsham batsmen to the sword as he finished
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Winget v Trowbridge
TROWBRIDGE'S batsmen appeared shell-shocked from the previous week's events against Devizes as they crashed to a 113 run defeat to league leaders Winget. The home side's recovery from 80 for six was due to the partnerships between Tetley, Newton and Carter
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Nishe win Battle of the Bands
MELKSHAM-based band Nishe have been crowned Wiltshire's Band of the Year 2003 after winning the Wiltshire Battle of the Bands contest. Nishe were one of six acts battling it out in a final they only reached by default. After the original voting phase
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Funeral directors keep up with the times
A FAMILY-RUN funeral business has moved into new premises in Melksham. Funeral directors DJ Bewley, run by Patrik Bewley and his wife Cheryl, has moved into Bank Street from the corner of Church Street car park. The business was started by Mr Bewley's
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Farmer faces new charges
DAIRY farmer Gordon Guley has appeared in court to face four more charges of sexually assaulting young boys. Guley, 43, went before magistrates in Trowbridge on Thursday to face an extra four charges of indecent assault. They are three on a 14-year-old
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Two hurt in youth violence
TWO people were injured as gang violence exploded outside pubs in Melksham town centre. About 20 people were involved in fights which started outside the Navy Tavern pub in the early hours of Saturday morning and continued round to the bus stop, eventually
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Pre-school may be forced to close
A MELKSHAM pre-school could be forced to close because their building is too unsafe for children. Unless emergency work is carried out to fix problems with mice, exposed wiring and inadequate toilet facilities, six members of staff and more than 30 children
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Victim's relief as thug is jailed for 12 months
Lansford JohnsonATTACK victim Nathan Tugwell said life is only just beginning to return to normal after his skull was fractured in an unprovoked assault. Mr Tugwell, 20, of Burnet Close, Melksham, has only just been passed fit enough to return to work
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Assets of £2 billion
THE Stroud and Swindon Building Society, the UK's 15th largest, has announced it now has assets in excess of £2 billion. John Parker, chief executive of the Society and deputy chairman of the Building Societies Association, said: "In recent years we have
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Health alert: Don't cross the boss
Ref. 25874-82KELLY Services in Swindon are offering essential advice for getting on with your managers, through a new fact sheet entitled: Don't cross the boss! The guide outlines some simple steps you can take to help build bridges between employees
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Group aims to get all involved
LEAFLETS aimed at increasing awareness of minority groups in west Wiltshire are being unveiled this week. The West Wiltshire Diversity Task Group has produced a new batch of leaflets with the dual purpose of increasing the group's public profile and helping
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Man presented with war medals
A SOLDIER who served with the Wiltshire Yeomanry has this week been presented with his World War II service medals, 57 years after his last campaign. At a surprise presentation, Viv Reed, 86, was presented with five medals to commemorate active service
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Delay on bypass work
SOFT soil is threatening to delay building work on the Semington and Melksham bypass. Contractors working on the £11.3 million bypass have discovered the soil is softer than first predicted. Now the land will have to be dug up and replaced with deeper
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Box duo chasing double triumph
BOX duo Sue Cook and Alex Jacobs will be bidding to win two Wiltshire Women's championship finals at Spencer Melksham on Monday. They take on Supermarine's Pat Jones and Iris Gardiner in the pairs and have also qualified for the fours final in the afternoon
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Fire chief to retire
WILTSHIRE fire chief Neil Wright is to retire in December, ending 35 years in the fire service, more than half of them in Wiltshire. Mr Wright, 55, said the time was ripe for him to go, with the national pay dispute over and the more concerns over the
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Landlords partnership
A NEW partnership has been set up between six major landlords in west Wiltshire to secure development of more affordable housing. West Wiltshire District Council has sign the agreement with the six registered social landlords to make sure they have common
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Lovely jubbly launch
THREE days of family fun and entertainment kicked off on Thursday with a little bit of horsing around. This year's c, in Trowbridge Park, is sponsored by the Wiltshire Times, and is expected to attract over 100,000 visitors. Lookalikes of Only Fools And
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Letters flood in for train campaign
THE Strategic Rail Authority has admitted it would be poor 'public relations' if a west Wiltshire train service to London Waterloo was axed. The Wiltshire Times has received more than 100 letters supporting our campaign to protect the Bradford on Avon
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£14m deal in seafood takeover
A MULTI-MILLION pound takeover of a Warminster-based seafood company will help it go from strength to strength, says its new owners. The SIF Group finalised a £14m deal to buy Lyons Seafoods on Friday. This will give them a strong position in the market
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Wife used shotgun to end life
GRIEVING Warminster husband Robert Chetwynd told an inquest how he returned from work to find his wife dead in the garden of their home. He had discovered a shotgun was missing from his gun cabinet and then he saw his wife with a gun beside her. "I could
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Keeper on his travels
Trowbridge and District League Division One club Freshford United are looking for a new goalkeeper following the departure of Chris Birleson who is taking two years out to travel the world. The 22-year-old, who picked up two cup final medals last season
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CAMPAIGN - Survivor supports campaign
DRIVE DOWN THE DEALTH TOLL: A COURIER who survived a horror smash on the A36 near Codford is backing the Wiltshire Times Drive Down the Death Toll campaign. Simon Woodsford, 30, of Drynham Road, Trowbridge, says he is lucky to be alive after his car collided
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£1,000 is stolen from pensioner
AN 82-year-old Warminster woman had £1,000 stolen from her bedroom on Monday. A burglar climbed through an open bathroom window and stole the cash between 4.30pm and 5pm. Police are appealing for witnesses who might have seen a man in his 20s, white,
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Letters flood in for train campaign
THE Strategic Rail Authority has admitted it would be poor 'public relations' if a west Wiltshire train service to London Waterloo was axed. The Wiltshire Times has received more than 100 letters supporting our campaign to protect the Bradford on Avon
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Teacher quits to be with sick husband
DEDICATED teacher Liz Eley retired at the end of term to spend more time with her husband who is battling against leukaemia. For the last 26 years Mrs Eley has been helping pupils with special needs and teaching English at Kingdown School, Warminster,
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Girl,14, abducted by schoolteacher
WILTSHIRE TIMES EXCLUSIVE: SCANDAL has erupted at a Trowbridge secondary school after a teacher abducted a 14-year-old girl. Clarendon School history teacher and Baptist minister's son Matthew Birch, 26, is facing jail after admitting running off to London
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A new concept from Mitsubishi
Less than two years after the start of its turnaround in Europe, Mitsubishi Motors will continue to proceed with its product renewal offensive, during the forthcoming 2003 Frankfurt Auto Show. Building upon its new and edgy positioning, the Three-Diamond
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Stay safe this summer
Thundering towards a hair-pin bend at more than 200mph may not be everyone's idea of a relaxing summer's drive, but for RAC-backed racing driver Darren Manning it's his career. Yorkshire-born Darren is currently lying 10th in the Champ Car World Series
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Britain to get the new TT before the Germans
The sports car is about to make an evolutionary leap in Britain with the introduction of the new Audi TT Coup 3.2 quattro which, in the best tradition of Vorsprung durch Technik, will post a new milestone in sporting transmission technology with its ground
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Charismatic Italian cars
Restyled versions of Alfa Romeo's charismatic sportscars, the GTV and Spider convertible, go on sale in the UK this month, featuring substantially more power from two new engines. The GTV and Spider are the result of an ongoing design partnership between
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Hospice charity cash boost
ANTIQUE dealers in the Bradford on Avon area raised £1,843 for the Dorothy House Hospice, Winsley. Bath and Bradford on Avon Antique Dealers Association raised the money through a combination of donat- ions from exhibitors, organisers and collections
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New era for village pub
LANDLORD Richard Lacey is hoping residents will return to his country pub now strict drinking rules have been relaxed. Mr Lacey, of Winsley pub The Seven Stars, hopes villagers will come flooding back in the knowledge they can once again drop in and enjoy
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Reading matter
A new book club in Bradford on Avon is preparing for its second meeting and wants bookworms to get reading ahead of the group get together on September 15. The next book on the list is Life of Pie, by Yann Martel. Wayne Opie has set up the book group
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Bull Pit renovations
On Tuesday Bradford on Avon Town Council gave the go ahead for £38,000 of renovations and improvements to get underway at The Bull Pit in the centre of the town. The project aims to enhance the paths and pavements in the Bull Pit and replace railings
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Swiss trip for scout troop
BRADFORD ON AVON Scout group is heading for the mountains of Switzerland for an action-packed adventure. The group have been planning the trip for a year, and the scouts have raised the money for the trip through fundraising activities including shining
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Letters flood in for train campaign
THE Strategic Rail Authority has admitted it would be poor 'public relations' if a west Wiltshire train service to London Waterloo was axed. The Wiltshire Times has received more than 100 letters supporting our campaign to protect the Bradford on Avon
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Trust requires cherry picker
BRADFORD ON AVON'S Preservation Trust is on the look out for a cherry picker to help archaeologists uncover a mosaic in the town. As part of the archaeological dig at St Laurence School, the cherry picker is needed so they can take accurate overhead pictures
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Common sense lost as cameras are banned
ACOMMON image of the paedophile generated by the media is of a middle-aged male skulking in the hedgerows with a camera, taking illicit photographs of young children. Last week, a thoroughly-misguided board of governors at a primary school in this area
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Support for Waterloo train service grows apace
MY wife and I read with horror and disbelief the report that the train service from Bradford on Avon to London Waterloo may be discontinued next May. It is surely one of the great public transport success stories, so, rather than allowing it to disappear
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Work experience is vital skill
AS I sit down and contemplate the last two weeks of what has been a very busy year, culminating in nearly 200 pupils going out on work experience, I cannot get over the generosity and assistance I have received in placing these students both in the local
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Base closure will end flying misery
IN reply to your article last week concerning residents in some parts of Trowbridge and districts being bothered by military transport aircraft on training routines late at night, here on the outskirts of Frome we have had the problem of military aircraft
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'Saying sorry is just not enough'
Ref. 20992-11AN ELDERLY widow who chased burglars from her home has poured scorn over Government plans to encourage criminals to apologise to their victims in return for a reduced sentence. Jenny Partridge, 89, was confronted by two men who pretended
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Holiday in the park
Ref. 20087-23A TEMPORARY skate park will be opened next week and give youngsters the chance to prove the town needs a permanent facility. Based in the car park of the Link Centre it will be the only site of its kind in Swindon. And admission will be free
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Jurors told to ignore their feelings and focus on evidence
Jurors preparing to decide the fate of plumber Paul Bowell, accused of paralysing girlfriend Tracey Hurley, have been told to ignore their feelings and focus on the evidence. Judge Thomas Longbotham, summing up evidence at Swindon Crown Court yesterday
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TV bid to help find parachute killer
PREVIOUSLY unseen video footage of skydiver Stephen Hilder hours before he plunged 13,000ft to his death has prompted people to contact detectives with information. Last night BBC One's Crimewatch UK showed a video of Mr Hilder hours before his fatal
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Caught in the act
Ref. 25861-37A DRUG dealer's driver - caught as a result of information reported to the Adver-backed Swindon Drugs Hotline - has been sentenced. Unemployed Anthony Gallagher, 31, of Keyneston Road, Nythe, pleaded guilty to supplying the class A drug heroin
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Anguish for mum as disease strikes
A MOTHER with a rare liver disorder which makes her itch during pregnancy has now been told by doctors her baby will have to be induced for its own safety. Carolynne Archer, from Trowbridge, contracted obstetric cholestasis in her last two pregnancies
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Letters flood in for train campaign
THE Strategic Rail Authority has admitted it would be poor 'public relations' if a west Wiltshire train service to London Waterloo was axed. The Wiltshire Times has received more than 100 letters supporting our campaign to protect the Bradford on Avon
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New home may hit right note
A LONG-RUNNING battle over noise levels could force a Wiltshire music school to move premises after nearly 40 years. Despite spending £11,000 on soundproofing and £5,000 on legal costs the Trowbridge-based Wiltshire Rural Music School is now contemplating
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Police barred from going on school grounds
POLICE officers have been barred from walking onto the grounds of a Trowbridge secondary school unless they sign in at reception first. Staff at John of Gaunt School have instructed officers to alert staff to their actions before walking onto school grounds
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Gum firms should pay
CIVIC leaders in Trowbridge are backing a bid by Aberdeen City Council to force chewing gum manufacturers into helping pay for cleaning up Great Britain's streets. Town councillors are fuming at the cost of clearing gum off the county town's streets and
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Charges put back two weeks
Plans to introduce car parking charges at The Shires shopping centre in Trowbridge have been put back two weeks. Delays in completing the upgrade of the 1,000 space car park have meant the charges, set at 20p for one hour, 40p for two hours, 50p for three
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Delay over plans for Ushers site
DELAYS in a government decision over the development of the Ushers bottling plant have left plans in a state of limbo. Officers working for the Government Office of the South West admit they are unable to process the long-awaited application within the
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Former Carnival Princess becomes this year's Queen
A woman who was crowned Carnival Princess twelve years ago, got an early birthday present on Friday, when she was picked to be this year's Carnival Queen. Kathleen Cullen, 20, nipped out of her own birthday party on Friday evening to take part in the
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Campaigners believe court can be saved
SUPPORTERS of a £50,000 fighting fund to save Trowbridge Magistrates' Court believe the battle can be won despite the fund total still running at zero. Trowbridge town council has received several letters of support from parish councils backing the fund
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Man cleared of sex attacks
A pensioner accused of a series of sex attacks on a young girl has been cleared after the Crown Prosecution Service offered no evidence on the case. Arthur White, of Park Street, Trowbridge, had been charged with three counts of indecent assault on a
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Charlotte is losing her fight
DOCTORS have broken the news to Charlotte Wakeham's family that she may have just two or three months to live. Eight-year-old Charlotte was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour last year, but her family refused to give up hope and after searching
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Our son's killer is living life of Riley
THE PARENTS of a train driver killed in the Selby rail crash believe the motorist jailed for causing the disaster is 'living the life of Riley'. Jailed Gary Hart, 38, was walking free in his Lincolnshire home village just 18 months into a five-year prison
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Supermarine all ready for third division Orient test
SWINDON Supermarine entertain Nationwide League Leyton Orient in their first official friendly of the campaign on Sunday. Marine enjoyed a warm-up at Purton last night, but the real business begins when Ray Baverstock's men host the Division Three outfit
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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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Snake in the grass
We have all heard of birdies and an albatross in a game of golf but never a snake. A poisonous adder left Corsham golfer Gary Sawyer bunkered just days before the most important round of his life. He was hoping to qualify for the British Open last weekend
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Fearing the future
Bosses at Pork Farm Bowyers are bringing in Portuguese workers to boost their production workforce, at the same time as announcing redundancies in the engineering department. Unskilled workers are completely different to skilled engineers but the company's
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Back to school for summer fun
Parents looking for activities for their children can drop them off at school next week. St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Purton, is hosting an activity week from Monday to Friday. The free activity sessions, which are for seven to 11 year
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£1,000 prize up for grabs for town's top students
Two Swindon students each stand to win £1,000 in a competition to find the town's best young person. The Reckitt Benckiser Young Citizens Award is open to 16 to 18-year-old students from New College, Swindon College, and the two schools with sixth forms
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Post offices braced for payment changes
Ref. 25860-03POSTMASTERS in Swindon are against the government's plans to scrap the payment of benefits over the counter at post offices. They say direct payment into bank accounts threatens to send sub-post offices to the wall, because they will lose
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Mayoral robes seen in chamber once more
SWINDON mayor Derek Benfield (Lab, Covingham and Nythe) restored a tradition not seen in the council chamber for more than a year when he took charge of his first Full Council meeting sporting the borough's official mayoral robes. The tradition, which
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Rumourmongers left disappointed
JOHN Taylor (Lab, Central) admitted to disappointing a few people at last night's Full Council meeting when he failed to cross the floor to join the Conservative group as was roundly predicted. The worst kept rumour at the Civic Offices had Coun Taylor
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Mum makes plea for new footpath
Ref. 25855-44A WOMAN living in a new estate is calling on Swindon Council to build a new path after a construction road linking two streets was demolished. Claire Dixon of Waggoner Close in Abbey Meads says that her journey to work has been doubled from
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Not the full pot
A SET of signed first editions of the first four Harry Potter books has sold for £17,000 in Swindon. The sum, which comes to £20,100 including commission, is less than the £25,000 estimated by Dominic Winter Book Auctions in its catalogue. However, auctioneer
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Put a bit of steam into Christmas
CHRISTMAS might be a long way off but one of the town's premier tourist attractions has unveiled details of how to book your party in a unique venue. Steam Museum is giving yuletide revellers the chance to enjoy dinner in the shadow of the Caerphilly
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Town legend opens new all-weather sports field
SWINDON Town legend Fraser Digby has officially opened a new all-weather sports ground. The former STFC goalkeeper carried out the ceremony at Earl Danby's School Association's annual barbecue and was helped out by six-year-old pupil Charlotte Stevens
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Who'll look after site when Simpsons are gone?
I trust that Swindon council is going to offer Mrs Simpson, of the farm at Barbury Castle, adequate compensation for the loss of her cafe business. She has built it up over many years and the council is now planning to take it away. Also, who on earth
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Chippenham at home
In the second round draw of the Dorset and Wilts 2nd XV cup Chippenham will entertain Salisbury and the winner of Bradford v Calne will play Wimborne at home. Other matches include the winner of Weymouth v Bournemouth away to Swanage and Wareham, the
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Church and viaduct on list of buildings at risk
A CHURCH in an empty village and a viaduct built for the Great Western Railway are among nine of the most run down buildings in the region, according to English Heritage. Its Buildings at Risk register lists monuments and buildings that have fallen into
