Archive
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Draw bounty is shared out
The results of the Christmas draw at Chippenham's Emery Gate shopping centre have been announced: Luxury hamper Mrs Ovens, Chippenham, £10 Peacocks voucher Mrs Page, Chippenham, a print Mrs Ramsay, Chippenham, a £10 F Hinds voucher Mr R Pierce, Chippenham
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Churches mark jubilee
Sixty years of Christian unity will be celebrated in a new exhibition at Chippenham Museum and Heritage Centre, exploring the history of the town's churches and chapels. The 15 churches of Chippenham Churches Together first joined forces to set up the
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Taste of life on the skids
The Castle Combe skid pad resembled a scene from the Dukes of Hazard when reporter ANDY DAVEY booked in for a course. Here he describes his exhilaration and what he learned at the end of the day AS I began my journey home last year to celebrate Christmas
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New roof design will delay changing rooms
A PLAN for new-look changing rooms at Stanley Park playing fields in Chippenham should be handed in for planning approval soon. Chippenham Town Council was forced to rethink its plans for a curved roof on the building because costs proved too high. A
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Tots' shopping event tops £360
LODGE Farm Nursery School at Kington Langley presented a special Christmas gift to the Rainbow Trust, which provides support for families with terminally ill children. The youngsters' parents and families were invited to a Christmas shopping evening at
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Little Lydia's bravery helps family to cope
THE parents of Lydia Cross, the two-year-old who lost her legs after her septicaemia went undiagnosed for three days, have blasted health chiefs for not caring. Jody and Tony Cross said they have yet to receive a telephone call or letter from the trust
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Ten to watch in 2004
STUART CALDER looks at ten young sportsmen and women for whom 2004 could be a huge year. Shelley Rudman (Bobsleigh) RUDMAN is hoping for a successful 2004 on the ice after successfully winning herself financial backing earlier this year. In September
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Hunting fans join the chase
THIS time last year it was thought that fox hunting could soon be a thing of the past and the 2002 Boxing Day meet would be the last of its type. But come this Boxing Day the men in red were still there for the traditional tipple before setting off down
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Appeal as CAB faces crisis in staffing
NORTH Wiltshire's Citizens' Advice Bureau is urging local people to join as volunteers to help ease staff shortages which have drastically reduced opening hours. The bureau has been forced to close its main branch at Monkton Hill in Chippenham in the
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Students fundraise for farmers in crisis
STUDENTS from the Royal Agricultural College at Cirencester raised £4,000 for the charity Farm Crisis Network as part of their recent Rag week. The cheque was presented by Felicity Walker, chairman of the 2003 Rag week committee, to Anthony Matthew, Wiltshire
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Yob who frightened neighbours banned
UNREPENTANT yob David Clements, who was given north Wiltshire's first anti-social behaviour order last month, has failed to learn his lesson and has been banished from Corsham. Clements made the lives of residents in a quiet neighbourhood in Cross Keys
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'We will be here again'
About 85 hunt protestors turned out for the annual Boxing Day meets at Lacock and Tedworth, a reminder to supporters that 2004 will be a crucial year in determining the future of the sport. But the hunters, and thousands of their supporters, were not
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Little Lydia's bravery helps family to cope
THE parents of Lydia Cross, the two-year-old who lost her legs after her septicaemia went undiagnosed for three days, have blasted health chiefs for not caring. Jody and Tony Cross said they have yet to receive a telephone call or letter from the trust
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Making a splash at new pool
ENTHUSIASTIC young swimmer Michael Tansley of Malmesbury, made sure he made a splash at the town's new swimming pool when he won a competition to be the first to take a swim. Michael's name was drawn from hundreds of entries in the competition organised
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Bobby van team are TV stars
THE pioneering Wiltshire Bobby Van featured recently on national television. Alan Weston, one of the Bobby Van drivers and Sergeant Roger Bull took part in the BBC's Kilroy discussion programme on December 10. They were there to talk about elderly people
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Nobby's call
CORSHAM boss Nobby Bush is calling for his players to show him an immediate response to the defeat at Calne. Bush's side travel to Shrewton United on Saturday. Injuries to skipper Nigel Curtis and in-form forward Dave Kilmurray blunted Corsham's threat
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Festive gloom for Bassett
WOOTTON Bassett suffered a miserable 3-1 home defeat to bottom club Gloucester United. Stuart Bellinger netted his first goal for the Rylands Way club but it was not enough to prevent United from collecting only their second win of the season. Steve Jenkins
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Calne Town 2, Corsham Town 0
FORM went out of the window in this Boxing Day derby as Corsham suffered their first defeat in almost two months. Calne had been misfiring in recent matches while Corsham had been the division's high-fliers with six wins and two draws in their previous
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Tuffley Rovers 1, Pewsey Vale 1
PEWSEY Vale picked up their first league point since late September with a hard earned draw in an eventful game on Saturday. Ninth-placed Tuffley proved tricky opposition for Steve Wootton's side but they finished with a share of the spoils following
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Melksham Town 3, Devizes Town 2
IT may not have been seventh time lucky for Devizes Town on Friday but manager Dave Hopkins is praying for any slice of good fortune that will end his team's barren run. Defeat on Boxing Day at the hands of local rivals Melksham Town meant the Nursteed
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Striker with a point to prove
WESTBURY United striker Toby Colbourne signed for Dr Martens League side Clevedon Town on a non-contract basis this week and admitted he has a point prove. The move will give the striker another chance to prove that he has the ability to play at a higher
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Children of discovery
A study of thousands of children born in the early 1990s has given scientists an invaluable insight into the way we live. SARAH SINGLETON spoke to one of the families involved and heard of their pride in its success. A ground-breaking research project
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Health concerns raised as rubbish goes uncollected
KENNET householders who normally have their rubbish collected on Thursday or Friday are furious that the district council is not picking it up until after New Year. Despite efforts by the district council to publicise the Christmas refuse collection arrangements
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Special service in Imber
VISITORS to Wiltshire's ghost village will mark 60 years since its evacuation on Saturday with a special commemorative service. The candle-lit event in Imber, on the Salisbury Plain, will see Christmas carols sung at St Giles' Church for the first time
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Family receive surprise gifts
A FAMILY of seven who are facing a bleak New Year after redundancies at H&H Electronics in Porte Marsh Road, Calne, have received gifts from kind-hearted Gazette reader Geraldine Aust. Lynn and Neil Elliot, of The Knapp, Calne, were one of 38 families
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New dad pops the question
ROMANTIC Kevin Hannam proposed to his girlfriend Teresa Connelly hours after she gave birth to their first child, Thomas. Mr Hannam, 40, had secretly bought a diamond solitaire ring and planned to propose sometime over Christmas but decided to pop the
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Switching off to help save planet
IT is rare that the switching off of a town's Christmas lights at the end of the festive season is made much of, but Devizes Mayor, Coun Paula Winchcombe, will use the occasion to point the way to energy efficiency next week. Mrs Winchcombe will throw
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Search on for purse thieves
POLICE have released CCTV pictures of a couple they wish to speak to in connection with a series of purse thefts from shoppers in supermarkets in Devizes. The offenders always remove purses from handbags sitting in people's shopping trolleys. Bank cards
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Letters will be read, claims health trust
KENNET and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust has given a reassurance to the public that letters they send in about maternity units will be made available to all board members. It follows an omission by the trust to pass on or mention to the board a letter
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Soldier took underwear
A SOLDIER who committed seven burglaries, stealing women's underwear, honeymoon videos and wedding photographs, told a court in Devizes he did not know why he had done it. Marc Richard Huband, 25, of Denison Barracks, Hermitage, near Newbury, pleaded
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Travel agents to move on
DEVIZES travel agent Louis Rutter has retired after nearly 40 years in business in the town. Mr Rutter and his wife Brenda plan to pursue their travelling dream after selling their Travelwise business to employee June Allan and Philip Normington, who
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Victim tells of assault ordeal
POLICE in Devizes are to link up with businesses and councils in a bid to curb growing violence at weekends after a 23-year-old man was beaten beyond recognition in the latest assault. The victim, who was set upon by three men outside the Kebab House
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College says Scrooge accusation is humbug
Marlborough College has denied it took a leaf out of Scrooge's book and cancelled Christmas celebrations for grounds staff this year. The Gazette received an e-mail from a college worker, who asked not to be named, saying: "Christmas in the estate department
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Town's air cadets celebrate at the double
AIR training cadets from Wiltshire will head to Marlborough on February 8 for their annual parade. The annual Wing Parade commemorates the anniversary of the foundation of the Air Training Corps. The 2293 Marlborough Squadron ATC has made a special request
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School needs piano coach
A NEW teacher is needed to take over the Yamaha Music School at St John's School, Marlborough, where budding musicians are taught keyboard skills. The present teacher, Victoria McCardle, will be leaving at Easter and any applicant would need to be an
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College arts school gets the go-ahead
AMENDED plans for a new art school at Marlborough College have been met with approval by the town council planning committee. It raised no objection to the school's original plans submitted in August to demolish the Victorian music school in Bridewell
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Integrity a rare commodity
Alan Dalton, ex-Environment Agency board member, appointed by Michael Meacher as the consumers' representative at the highest levels of agency policy decision making, died recently after a fight with lymph cancer. This man was the only person in that
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Turning away custom not good for the town
Several times recently I have been let down by local traders shutting their shops early, without explanation, warning or apology. My children don't return from school until 5pm, and by the time we have walked to the town centre, it is 5.15pm. Imagine
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Allegations refuted in council dressing-down
Having lived in Marlborough all my life, I have always shown an interest in the town's affairs but never previously from the perspective of the council chamber. Earlier this year it was suggested that I stand for election to the West ward so my views
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Lottery a way to provide new hall
May I thank the Gazette and Herald for the coverage given to the provision of a community hall in Market Lavington. Much of the excellent correspondence misses some important points. I do not propose to spend time on the argument for that has been adequately
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Threatened base has new man at the helm
AFTER a two-year stint in which he has successfully piloted RAF Lyneham through the demanding Iraqi conflict, Station Commander, Group Captain Ray Lock has handed over the reins for controlling the station. Gp Capt Lock performed the official hand-over
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Beagle mission team keep an ear on Mars
Chippenham computer experts working on the Beagle mission to Mars have not lost hope they may yet hear from the planet lander. CodaSciSys, based at Methuen Park in Chippenham, played a key role in the British space mission, creating the software for the
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Children of discovery
A study of thousands of children born in the early 1990s has given scientists an invaluable insight into the way we live. SARAH SINGLETON spoke to one of the families involved and heard of their pride in its success. A ground-breaking research project
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Yob who frightened neighbours banned
UNREPENTANT yob David Clements, who was given north Wiltshire's first anti-social behaviour order last month, has failed to learn his lesson and has been banished from Corsham. Clements made the lives of residents in a quiet neighbourhood in Cross Keys
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Three-storey homes furore
A PLAN to build 11 new homes on land at Moor Green, Neston, has raised a storm of protest from residents who fear the rural character of the area will be eroded. Developers Meadgate Homes want to build seven detached and four semi-detached houses on a
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'We will be here again'
About 85 hunt protestors turned out for the annual Boxing Day meets at Lacock and Tedworth, a reminder to supporters that 2004 will be a crucial year in determining the future of the sport. But the hunters, and thousands of their supporters, were not
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Bid to marshal first aid group
GRADUATE and former air cadet Rob Strickland is looking for another eight or ten like-minded Pewsey people who would like to become ambulance first responders. That's how many is needed for St John Ambulance to set up and train a First Responder group
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A Bitt embarrassing
GOALKEEPER James Bittner had a game to forget on Boxing Day and unfortunately for him it was in front of a live television audience. The 21-year-old former Swindon Town trainee and Chippenham Town keeper was playing in goal for Conference side Exeter
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Get out in front, players are told
CHIPPENHAM Town boss Steve White is giving is side a New Year's resolution - to score first in games. White is concerned at the number of games in which his relegation-threatened side has had to come from a goal down and wants them to get their noses
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Don't bin the tree or cards recycle
AS Twelfth Night approaches, trees, decorations and cards are taken down for another year, creating another mass of rubbish which is likely to end up in landfill sites. The Government has predicted that extra packaging, presents, parties, festive food
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New fire chief takes brigade into future
WILTSHIRE'S new fire chief Andy Goves takes up his post at a time when the Government is urging fire brigades across the country to modernise or die. But Mr Goves, who comes to Wiltshire after 29 years' service in the Buckinghamshire brigade, is confident
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Kings Arms (Trowbridge) 3, North Star 3
KINGS Arms dropped their first point since early October when North Star B rallied from a 3-1 deficit to claim a 3-3 draw in Division Four. The Arms were quick out of the blocks and took the lead through Scott Askew who smashed the ball home from six
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Bargain hunters with class
LANDLADY Pat Hard and a band of crack bargain hunters have just returned from an overnight mission to liberate cut-price luxury goods from London's Harrods. The team arrived outside Harrods under cover of darkness at midnight on Sunday and were first
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Chippenham Sunday League
VIRGIN Mobile maintained their unbeaten home record with a 4-0 win over Rowde in Division Four of the Vanitec-Computers sponsored Chippenham Sunday League. All the goals came in the second half after Rowde were only stopped by some excellent goalkeeping
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No cheer for pets left on the streets
The RSPCA is hoping that call-outs to its emergency service will have dropped during this year's festive season. Last year the society received more than 39,000 calls during the Christmas fortnight, 761 of them concerning abandoned animals and 173 relating
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Newman bid is ditched
MELKSHAM Town will look to follow up their erby win by getting a result at home to Keynsham Town this weekend. Nigel Tripp's men lost 3-1 when they travelled to the Somerset club midway through December. Mickey Adams's opener for Keynsham was cancelled
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Revellers warned over drink spiking
NIGHTCLUB and pub customers have been warned by police to take extra care that their drinks aren't spiked with 'date rape' drugs like Rohypnol or GHB. Wiltshire police are working with pub and club staff to raise awareness of the dangers of leaving a
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She's an angel
PROUD mum Alison Owens has her very own angel in daughter Lily Rose who was runner up in AOL UK's Cutest Baby of the Year competition. Mrs Owens, of Honeysuckle Close, Calne, said her one-year-old daughter's shock of dark hair, big blue eyes and chubby
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Christmas bundles of joy
FIVE babies were the best Christmas presents their parents could ever have hoped for. First to arrive was Thomas, a first child for Teresa Connelly and Kevin Hannam of Jubilee Road, Devizes, who was born at the Royal United Hospital in Bath at 4.06am.
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Tense man attacks neighbour with ladder
A DEVIZES man attacked a father of seven because his psychological condition made him unable to handle situations of tension, a court heard last week. David Cook, 21, from Matilda Way, Devizes, changed his plea and admitted causing grievous bodily harm
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Councillor takes colleagues to task
TOWN councillors at Marlborough have come in for criticism from one of their colleagues over the way council business is run. The drubbing came from one of the eight new members elected in May, health service worker Richard Allen. The straight talking
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Christmas thieves wreck festivities
THIEVES who broke into a home while the family was away for Christmas stole presents and irreplaceable heirlooms. The family, which does not want to be named, has been left with a feeling that their home in East Kennett, near Marlborough, has been violated
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Barry chalks up victory
AFTER replacing his fishing tackle with new, after his kit was stolen from his garage, Coleview ACs Barry Chalk won his second match on the trot with his new gear when he weighed in 21-7-0 a nine chub catch taken from the Rushy part of the River Thames
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Hear, hear
Steve Hulbert is quite right (letters, December 24). The disaffected youth of Chippenham need somewhere to congregate indoors, in a place that is theirs. This might keep them out of the cinema where their boisterous behaviour has put people off going
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A real threat
Despite the collapse of the recent European Union summit to agree a new constitution, the threat to our remaining democratic freedoms is real enough. Indeed, many of the facets of a federal superstate have already been established or soon will be. Consider
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Traffic farce
The attempts of the parish council and Wiltshire County Council to find a solution to the traffic problems of Wilcot Road (Gazette & Herald, December 18) are becoming nothing short of a farce. It doesn't need green road surfaces as few people pay
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Many thanks
I would like to thank the following Malmesbury shops for donating items for our raffle at Malmesbury C of E Primary School's Christmas family fun night. They are Abbey News, WH Smith, Lloyds Chemist, Sport and Leisure, The Work Box, Knees and Aladdin's
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Ego building
How sad for those four poor souls at North Wiltshire District Council to be made redundant at this time of the year (Gazette, December 11). How will they struggle through the coming months with only three quarters of a million to share between them, and
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Consultants here to assist
Everyone who is responsible for a building is asking "what do we do", "will there be inspectors coming round?", "my place is a listed building, so that is all right" but the most commonly heard is "what do they mean by reasonable adaptation?" They, of
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Setting the record straight
A recent edition of the Wiltshire Gazette & Herald ran an article on Peter Hurcomb's pilgrimages to the cemeteries in France. In this article it stated that the Commonwealth War Graves Commission maintain only the larger sites in France while the
