Archive
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Sex harassment victim quits church
THE woman cleric sexually harassed by the Rev Geoffrey Hewitt has sensationally quit the Anglican Church after a two-year fight to change its procedures for handling complaints against the clergy. Mr Hewitt, who is priest-in-charge at All Saints Church
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Vicar in tree row
Vicar Geoffrey Hewitt, who was at the centre of a sex scandal in his former parish, has sparked more controversy with the destruction of trees at his rectory. Villagers from Christian Malford blame the vicar for keeping them in the dark about plans to
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Garages make way for houses
GARAGES will be pulled down to make way for affordable housing at Gascelyn Close, Chippenham. Westlea Housing Association has been given permission to demolish 20 garages and build five three-bedroom homes. The garages are used by residents for parking
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RAF crew in mercy mission for baby
A Hercules crew from RAF Lyneham flew to the rescue on Tuesday in a mercy mission to save the life of a critically-ill newborn baby. Doctors at Swansea's Singleton Hospital feared the four-day-old baby boy, who was suffering from a severe lack of oxygen
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New retail park may bring 230 extra jobs
A MAJOR new retail park could bring hundreds of new jobs to Chippenham now detailed plans for a new B&Q warehouse and Pizza Hut restaurant have been approved. DIY giant B&Q will be the dominant player in the £10 million development, on the site
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Readers take little Lydia to their hearts
DONATIONS have been flooding into the Gazette's Lydia Cross appeal this week, taking the cash total up to a whopping £630. And that looks certain to grow and grow after the fun-loving staff and regulars of Chippenham's Mill House pub announced plans to
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Check Us Out
ENGLAND'S Under 21 selectors should spend an afternoon at the County Ground to check out the progress of young defender Andy Nicholas. That is the view of Town boss Andy King as he prepares for Saturday's clash with fellow play-off hopefuls Colchester
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Banish travel worries
FAST, easy and not a chance of a parking ticket booking a taxi in north Wiltshire couldn't be easier and there are plenty of first-class firms to choose from. Car owners know that a simple trip to the shops can often turn into a nightmare, with queues
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Milestone for sporting pair
Stan and Marie Dymond, who have just celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary. DA85P1A WELL-KNOWN Salisbury couple, who have been part of the community and sporting life of the city for more than half-a-century, have just celebrated another milestone
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Roadworks fall behind schedule
The roadworks on Skew Bridge are set to remain a while longer. DA4701P2MOTORISTS can expect an extra three months of misery - because the roadworks at Skew Bridge, in Salisbury, have fallen behind schedule. The repairs, which started on June 2 last year
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Caring Jacquie is a Supermum
December Supermum Jacquie Wright, of Harnham, with her daughter Kelly. DA4711A MOTHER who gives up all her spare time to look after others and thinks nothing of putting herself last has been crowned the winner of the Southern Electric/Salisbury Journal's
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Dancers deliver anti-smoking message
Caroline Moss and Liza Marchant, of the Kipperfoot Dance Company, put Stonehenge School Year 8 pupils through their paces during a dance workshop at the school this week. Picture: DAVID SMITH DA4705DANCE is being used to deliver a strong anti-smoking
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Changes to rights of way sparks row
PROPOSALS to alter the rights of way across Salisbury Plain have sparked a row between the Ministry of Defence and neighbouring parish councils, who claim their access to the beauty spot is being further restricted. After negotiations with the military
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Revellers 'make life misery'
PEOPLE leaving pubs and clubs in Amesbury late at night are causing no end of heartache for one town centre couple, who told the Journal they had reached their "wits' end". The couple, who did not wish to be named for fear of reprisals, are woken at 1
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Saturday's opponents
CHIPPENHAM Town may be rooted to the bottom of the Dr Martens Premier Division but a win on Saturday could taker them to within a couple of victories of their mid-table hosts, Eastbourne Borough. The Sussex-side are well in with a chance of a chance of
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Charity appeal for a first team return
CHIPPENHAM'S Simon Charity has returned from a ten-week injury lay-off and is eyeing up a return to Steve White's first team. The 29-year-old, who was one of Tommy Saunders' first signings back in 1998, returned to the bench for the league cup clash with
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Needham's plaudits for patient fans
BLUEBIRDS assistant boss Ron Needham has paid tribute to the club's fans and hopes the team can soon repay them on the field. The 46-year-old was born and bred in Chippenham and played as a ball-winning midfielder for 18 years at the club. He was coaching
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Play goes on as park saved
CAMPAIGNERS trying to save Newnton Grove Play Park in Malmesbury breathed a sigh of relief this week as the district council resolved it should remain intact. The park had been earmarked for development into affordable housing with the open-air pool on
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Second post will be cut
TRADERS in Malmesbury have reacted with concern over a move to cut back the second post from January 26. The Royal Mail said it was making the move because the second post accounted for only 3 per cent of deliveries but took up 25 per cent of the costs
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Consultation delayed
KENNET and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust has delayed the start of public consultation on proposals to close Devizes and Malmesbury maternity units. The trust was due to start three months' public consultation on Monday but has postponed it after
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Groups given tight deadline for town hall plans
MALMESBURY has been given just three months to come up with plans to redevelop the town hall or it could be sold off. A £1.2 million redevelopment scheme, which had taken five years to create, was thrown out by North Wiltshire District Council last week
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Advice bureau wins fight to give service
THE Citizens' Advice Bureau will continue at the town hall after Malmesbury town councillors backed down on the decision not to staff the front door. The CAB, which gives advice on a wide range of issues including debt repayments and employment rights
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Challenges for new head
ALASTAIR Ponsford, the new headteacher at Luckington School, said he is looking forward to the challenges ahead. Mr Ponsford, 35, who replaced previous incumbent Haydn Reynolds after Christmas, said he had enjoyed his first week with the school's 40 children
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Abbey's verger resigns in a fury
MALMESBURY Abbey verger Bill Blake has resigned after claiming he has been gagged because he spoke out over a sermon. Mr Blake, 60, was reacting to the Rev Peter Yacomeni's service in December, which urged parishioners to spend less on luxuries and contribute
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Madonna's land rights to be probed
A ROW between Madonna and ramblers trying to use footpaths across her £9m estate, near Salisbury, is to be settled by a public inquiry. Last summer, the Countryside Agency agreed walkers would be denied access to approximately 15 acres of the estate,
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Innovative designs gain recognition
Award winners gather for the presentations evening at Salisbury Museum. DA4686P01SALISBURY'S newest school has won recognition for its "refreshing" design, in an awards scheme for new buildings. Greentrees Primary School, built at the cost of £1.5m, to
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Future is uncertain for homeless giant
Cut down to size, the giant makes way for the arts centre's refurbishment. DA4677P4THE replica of Salisbury's famous giant, Christopher, has been saved from destruction and has been given a temporary home in Fordingbridge, thanks to funeral director Ian
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Winning start to the year for the Wheats
THE Wheatsheaf started the New Year off with an entertaining win against a strong Andover side. The Cabin Crew pack has been very solid this season and the Wheats used this to their advantage. Despite Andover having a strong experienced pack, the Wheats
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Avon roach record is shattered at Ibsley
THE long-standing Avon roach record has been broken with a massive 3lb 15oz specimen caught last week at Ibsley. The roach was one of three 3lb-plus specimens caught by an unnamed angler who is a regular customer at the Avon Angling Centre in Ringwood
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Clear signs of improvement
WITH an almost identical scoreline to their early season home defeat to Abbey, it might appear that Salis-bury have made no headway in the intervening period. But while the score in no way flattered the home side, it was evident that Salisbury's forwards
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Stuart's double puts Bemerton in the clear
BEMERTON Heath Harle-quins returned from Port-land with all three points despite fielding a much-changed side due to the absence of Jason Ahmet and Neil Cole (suspended), and Carl Jones and Gary Burden (injured). The game was shrouded in mist which got
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Caring Jacquie is a Supermum
December Supermum Jacquie Wright, of Harnham, with her daughter Kelly. DA4711A MOTHER who gives up all her spare time to look after others and thinks nothing of putting herself last has been crowned the winner of the Southern Electric/Salisbury Journal's
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A professional performance
CITY manager Nick Holmes was full of praise for his side after Satur-day's emphatic win. Leading 2-0 at the break after dominating the first half, he revealed he had urged his players to turn in a "professional performance" in the second half. "I thought
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Title contenders? Classy Whites drop a Real hint
SALISBURY City's young turks had the look of champions about them on Saturday - and it wasn't just because of the all-white Real Madrid-esque strip they wore - as they demolished Sittingbourne to climb ever closer to the summit of the Eastern Division
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Brilliant Whites move up to third
Staff picture by ROGER ELLIOTT. DA4697P01.SALISBURY City produced their best performance of the season so far en route to beating Sittingbourne 3-0 on Saturday. Whites turned on the style in front of another bumper crowd of more than 600 at Old Sarum
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The Mine sweeper
My advice to managers who want to understand employment law is to spend a day at an Employment Tribunal in Bristol. This is the place where individual employment law disputes are ultimately argued out and resolved. More than half of the work of the Lemon
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Not the catastrophe it may seem at first
THE chief executive of Swindon Chamber of Commerce says the 330 job losses at Swindon Pressings are not the catastrophe they at first seem. Although expressing sympathy with those affected, Dennis Grant pointed out that the 1,500 remaining staff had a
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Chippenham Town Ladies U16s 7 Devizes Town U16s 3
CHIPPENHAM got the new year off to a great start with a comprehensive win at Devizes. Although their first game for a number of weeks, Chippenham soon pulled their game together and produced some fine football. Sarah Walsh opened the scoring for the visitors
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Trowbridge League
BROMHAM Reserves must be wondering if their Spring Cup luck will ever change after suffering a 7-1 defeat at the hands of Semington Magpies in this season's AM Print and Copy-sponsored competition . Bromham made a second successive final appearance last
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Wiltshire League
AFC STRATTON are the new leaders of the Premier Division after a 3-2 win over a battling Purton Reserves side. Purton boss Ian Restell said: "The game was a credit to the Wiltshire League. It had everything. I thought our lads deserved a draw against
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Save energy and wildlife at same time
THE threat of climate change to wildlife and people in Wiltshire is real, urgent, and needs to be tackled now in order to avoid a catastrophe, according to Wiltshire Wildlife Trust's director, Dr Gary Mantle MBE. Speaking in response to recent press coverage
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Fairford Town 1 Pewsey Vale 0
PEWSEY'S hopes of building on their mid-week win over Wootton Bassett were dashed by a late freak goal at Fairford. Vale had 75 per cent of the game but their good team performance was by undermined missed chances. Despite the result manager Steve Wootton
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Have your say on future of the police
THE future of Wiltshire Constabulary as a self-governing body is in jeopardy unless local people support it during the current Government consultation period, it has been claimed. In the Government's Green Paper, Building Safer Communities Together, the
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Backwell United 4 Devizes Town 2
DEVIZES failed to build on last weekend's win over Torrington as they slumped to their eighth defeat in nine games. Dave Hopkins' side were level at the break and looked sharp in the second half but they failed to get in front and Backwell took the points
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Devizes Town 1 Trowbridge Town 2
A FREAK goal from Trowbridge keeper Adam Sheppard helped dump Devizes out of the Wiltshire Senior Cup on Tuesday night. Dave Hopkins' side found themselves two goals down against their Wiltshire League opponents inside the first eight minutes. Trowbridge
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Westbury United 1 Corsham Town 1
NEW boy Gareth Davies had more of an impact on his first game for Corsham than he bargained for after scoring at both ends in a top of the table clash that left both teams dissatisfied. Corsham had the lion's share of first half chances but failed to
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Tripp makes most of rest
MELKSHAM Town had a rare Saturday afternoon off last weekend because their trip to Bridgwater was rained off. Manager Nigel Tripp hopes the extra rest will benefit his players. "We've got two home games coming up in three days this week and it is important
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Fisher not so sniffy after cup victory
HIGHWORTH boss John Fisher might have dubbed the Supplementary Cup a 'waste of time' before his side's first round trip to Harrow Hill on Saturday, but his players were motivated enough to secure a 4-0 victory. Yet his troops rose to the occasion with
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Never on a Sunday, Highmore tells team
CALNE Town boss Kelvin Highmore is set to ban his players from turning out for their Sunday league teams to keep them fresh for two vital games in three days. Calne play Street at home in the league on Saturday before travelling to Melksham Town in the
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Rose signs up as Vics assistant manager
MALMESBURY Victoria have strengthened their backroom staff by appointing Paul Rose as assistant manager. The Hellenic League club's Graham Learmouth has previously been working solo but now has the vast experience of Rose to lean on. The 41-year-old,
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Council gets top marks for secret paperwork
KENNET District Council has been congratulated for handling paperwork on covert investigations, even though it never carries out any undercover surveillance. But under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, all local authorities are obliged
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Games people played
AN EXHIBITION charting the development of the computer and video games from more than 30 years ago to the present day has opened. Called High Score, it is at the University of Bath in Swindon's Oakfield campus and will run until mid-May. And there will
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School shut by gas leak hopes to open tomorrow
THE gas supply at Kingsdown School today remained switched off for the fourth day in a row after a leak. The leak was discovered after gas could be smelled in a cupboard near the school entrance on Monday, and all 1,200 pupils were sent home after engineers
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Inna wins her battle to stay
Ref. 28632-38INNA Haville has finally won her fight to stay in this country with the family who rescued her from a Ukrainian orphanage. The 20-year-old was speechless when her adopted mother Melanie rang her today with the news that the Home Office had
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Probe into kate's death
A HARD-HITTING investigation into the death of teenager Kate Walsh is to be launched next week. The 16-year-old from Highworth was found dead in a squat in Manchester Road, Swindon, earlier this month after it is believed she took a drugs overdose. The
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County is unable to fund work on paving
Calne Town Council is losing its battle to get a stretch of paving repaired because the county council won't pay up. Town councillors have been concerned for years about the dangerous state of the pavement along London Road opposite the White Hart pub
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Councillor has resigned
CALNE town councillor Mark Tong has resigned leaving a vacancy in the Abberd ward. Mr Tong, who has held the seat for just eight months, is moving to Lincoln. Deputy town clerk Linda Wakefield said the council would not be co-opting a new member. "We
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House must shrink or go
PERSIMMON Homes will have to take one floor off a newly built house after it failed to gain retrospective planning permission. The three-storey house, in Beversbrook Lane, Calne, was built without the roof being included in the overall dimensions. This
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Ideas sought on new homes
THE parish council in Urchfont has called on villagers to come forward with ideas on what development they would like to see at Manor Farmyard in the centre of the village. A plan to build 22 homes on the site was thrown out by Kennet District Council
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Anti-war campaigner says the fight goes on
PEACE campaigner Robin Brookes says he is now prepared to pay the £500 of his taxes he withheld in protest against the Iraq war but only to a Government body that seeks to prevent conflict around the world. Toy designer Mr Brookes, of Market Lavington
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Car drove off after bump
A DEVIZES driver hit a bus and drove off without stopping because he was attending to an urgent call of nature, Kennet magistrates heard on Tuesday. Wayne Johnson, 36, of Massey Road, Devizes, pleaded guilty to failing to stop after an accident and failing
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Coach firm rebuked by traffic inquiry
WORTON-based company, Bodmans Coaches, got a smack on the wrist when representatives appeared before Traffic Commissioner Philip Brown in Bristol yesterday. Bodmans, which operates 30 bus contracts for Wiltshire County Council, both school runs and scheduled
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Popular priest to say farewell
FATHER Bernard Caszo, 70, who has been credited with strengthening the Roman Catholic congregation in the Devizes area, is leaving after nearly 15 years. He was born and grew up in India, and worked on the Indian Railways as a driver of steam engines.
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Blot on landscape stays after tied vote
A SECOND plan for a new house on the site of an empty garage repair business in Easterton, near Devizes, has again been rejected by Kennet District Council despite overwhelming village support. There were no objections to the planning application by Ann
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Town asks for help to spruce up for royalty
THERE is nothing like an impending royal visit to make councillors aware of problem areas in their town. Marlborough is no exception and, with a visit by Prince Charles on the cards for June, councillors are making last minute plans for a huge spring
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Teenager killed in crash tragedy
POLICE have appealed for witnesses following a car accident on the Devizes to Beckhampton road on Monday that claimed the life of teenager Annabel Maurice. The 18-year-old former award-winning pupil of Dauntsey's School, West Lavington, died after her
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Plea for fence turned down
TOWN councillors in Marlborough have turned down a suggestion that they should pay for a new fence at the St John's Close allotments. There are seven allotments in the centre of St John's Close, five of which are owned by the town council. Some tenants
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Travel agent is burgled
THIEVES who broke into a Marlborough travel agents at the weekend and ransacked the premises escaped empty handed. The break in at Robins Travel in the High Street occurred between closing time at about 4.30pm on Saturday and Sunday lunchtime. The thieves
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Young love turns to gold
TEENAGE love can and does survive as the 50-year marriage of Grace and Graham Parsons from Ogbourne St Andrew proves. The pair were teenage sweethearts, married at 19 and tomorrow (Friday) they celebrate their golden wedding. They will be having a family
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Art school approved despite objections
MARLBOROUGH College has been granted planning permission to build a new art school despite objections that the design will be too modern. The brick building will be predominantly glass-fronted with a curved facade and with a lead coloured metal roof.
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Easy does it as war stables go to USA
A WOODEN block of stables in Aldbourne that once housed American Second World War heroes is to be dismantled piece by piece and transported across the Atlantic to the USA. Like a giant jigsaw, the stable block will then be rebuilt at a military museum
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Trust plays a major role in boosting area
IN just four years the Marlborough Area Development Trust has started to play a major part in securing a better deal for all sections of the town and neighbouring villages. The trust, chaired by retired deputy head teacher Melvyn Lillywhite, has members
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Police seek witnesses to fatal accident
Police have appealed for help in trying to establish how Monday's fatal accident occurred. Annabel, driving a Citroen Saxo, was following a van which overtook a JCB digger. It's believed she was in the act of overtaking when her car collided with an on-coming
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Daughter of GP dies in car crash
THE death of the teenage daughter of Marlborough GP David Maurice has shattered the town. Annabel, 18, of Kingsbury Street, Marlborough, died after her Citroen Saxo car collided with a Ford Transit van on the Beckhampton to Devizes road on Monday. The
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Community raises £1,800 for skateboard project
SWINDON Community SK8 Project raised £1,800 during its activity week and skate contest at the former railway museum last month. The event attracted nearly 100 local skaters plus spectators. Project chairwoman Alison Spalding said: "It wouldn't have been
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Raving loony is hopping mad about parking woes
Ref. 28572-54SHOPOWNER and self-confessed loony Roly Gillard has resorted to handing out funny money to boost trade. Roly Gillard, owner of The Little Print Shop in Swindon's Market Hall, has started handing out discount tokens in the form of spoof notes
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Policewoman was bitten by refugee
A SWINDON asylum seeker bit a woman police officer and threatened to jump from a moving ambulance. Swindon Magistrates Court heard how Kuda Kujeke, 24, who arrived in the country in December 2001 from Zimbabwe had attacked the officer on July 20. At an
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Cost of receiving day care help faces big rise
CHARGES for day care help in Swindon will soon be rising in some cases by more than 10 times the current rate. Coun Jemima Milton (Con, Chiseldon and Wroughton), lead member for social services, told the council cabinet last night that the 60p fee (including
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Social services in bid to get back into the black
SOCIAL services in Swindon has to reverse a £800,000 overspend in the next two years. The council will have to agree a stringent, uncompromising financial recovery plan if social services is to escape from its zero-rating, the cabinet was told last night
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Wiltshire force may disappear
WILTSHIRE could be merged with other South West constabularies to form a regional police force. The county could become lumped in with Dorset, Avon and Somerset, Devon and Cornwall and Gloucester to form one of several regional forces with one chief constable
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You're never too old to learn computing
Residents of sheltered housing schemes and care homes are being offered the chance to learn more about computers. Age Concern Swindon is running in partnership with Swindon College to run taster sessions. Groups have been trying out the Internet, e-mailing
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Making a stand
At last a councillor that is prepared to stand up against the council officers best of luck to you Councillor David Renard. A ten per cent rate of extra council tax is still very high, taking into account the increase of the last few years. Could we make
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Volunteers wanted
Cancer Research UK is launching a major new breast cancer prevention trial and is looking for post-menopausal women, who are at an increased risk of the disease, to take part. The trial is already open at over 20 centres across the UK. More details on
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Appeal welcome
With reference to the Christmas Appeal, a big thank you to all those who helped to organise and promote the appeal and those who purchased and delivered the 90 selection boxes to the Welcome Centre. We used some of them as presents from Santa at our children's
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Form for confusion
THE recent publicity concerning the new Coate Water plan prompted me to make known my objections to the plan to the borough council. I now find that I am expected to complete a 4/5 page form of objection in a great deal of detail. Going through the form
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I want to see the Deputy Prime Minister stop this development
Front Garden: After reading your article "Mr Prescott, will you decide for us?" in the Tuesday, January 6 edition of the Evening Advertiser, I would like to make it clear that Coun Bawden was acting as a ward councillor (Old Town and Lawn), as were the
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Get together
Since 1974 Marlborough Town Council's legal duties have been very limited. I think it is true to say that their basic duties are to manage the properties and land that they own, to call an annual meeting of local electors and respond to their concerns
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Join alliance
Savernake and Community Stakeholders Alliance are excited that the Savernake Care Project has now started the building of our new hospital at Savernake. The Alliance was set up to ensure that our community has a voice in the decisions that are being made
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War hostels
MAY I appeal if any senior citizen has any memories of Second World War hostels in the area Trowbridge, Bradford-on-Avon and the Lavingtons, West or Market, one termed Conigre House, the other Dial House. I have an accomplice now living in Australia who
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Is the next Jonny among this crowd?
CALNE Rugby Football Club were focusing on the future on Saturday when they launched their new junior section at John Bentley School. Bath rugby players Gareth Knox and Rob Hawkins, and Jimmy Dean, Bath's rugby community development manager, More than
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CCTV views
The Malmesbury Area Safety Partnership Committee decided to put the subject of closed circuit television cameras on its agenda for the next quarterly meeting on April 19 to see if this matter can be advanced. It would welcome residents' views and CCTV
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Weston Hornets 2nd 18 Chippenham 2nd 10
STARTING the match in difficult weather conditions, Chippenham 2nds were immediately put under intense pressure from the home pack who strung several phases of play together to almost cross the line in the opening minutes. Some desperate defence by Chippenham
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Tetbury 16 Wotton-under-Edge 6
TETBURY completed the double over Wotton-under-Edge with a hard-fought victory in their latest Gloucestershire Division Three South encounter. A tight game was dominated by both sides' defensive work and it was Tetbury's discipline and control which eventually
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Pewsey 32 Colerne 0
PEWSEY kept up their winning run with another comfortable victory. Colerne were caught off-guard when within minutes when fly-half Nick Yoxall scored. Pewsey's fast-flowing game proved too much for Colerne's young side and their defences were overcome
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Sherborne 30 Minety 10
A GUTSY performance and some superb tackling from Minety in this Dorset & Wilts Division One game were not enough to hold back leaders Sherborne. Having scored four tries at Minety earlier in the season, Sherborne number eight Richard Nias was a marked
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Beware 4x4s
I write to appeal to drivers, especially 4x4s. I was driving along Nurstead Road in Devizes towards town when a 4X4 pulled out from Southbroom Junior School's entrance in front of me. I would like to add that there were no vehicles behind me so he could
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If a council ain't broke ...
Over the Christmas period, Kennet District Council requested members' opinions about a proposed restructuring of the council. The current structure, developed by the Liberal Democrats for small (under 85,000 population) local councils, was adopted after
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Times change
I would like to respond to the reader who claims that they would anticipate the number of charges brought as a result of drunkeness in Marlborough over Christmas would be 75 per cent less than in 1903 (Gazette & Herald letters, January 8). Presumably
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Missing plan?
NICK Maurice in his letter of January 8 raises some very interesting questions, to which we have a right to have some answers. It would be interesting to know just what our councillors do to qualify for the name of councillor, after all attending meetings
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Sponsors do make all the difference
I WAS lucky enough to be able to personally distribute the gifts raised from the night of the Spirit of Christmas in Marlborough to the NSPCC in Swindon. A very appreciative letter of thanks has been received and many disadvantaged children have benefited
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Shattered star hits back at criticisms
Shattered contestant Craig North has hit back at comments accusing the show of exploitation. The sleep-deprivation show is being investigated by media watchdog Ofcom after sparking a number of complaints from viewers who said the TV show was endangering
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Families join in learning
Families will be learning together at a special event created to help parents and carers take part in the education of their children. The family learning event, called We Can Do It, will take place on Saturday at St Paul's primary school in Chippenham
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Driving the family history
Brothers James and Richard Atwell were delighted to be reunited with their father's car after a 20-year search for a long-lost memory. It has been their lifelong ambition to be reacquainted with the vehicle they grew up with. Their father Joseph Atwell
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Petition fails to save shop
A saLAD and sandwich bar whose regulars petitioned to save it will serve up its last lunch on Saturday. Victor Mandryko, boss of Salad Select in Emery Gate, has failed to find alternative premises. Mr Mandryko said: "We are very disappointed. We had hoped
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Lager lorry hit by fire
Chippenham firefighters headed for the M4 in the early hours of Monday to tackle a blaze on a tanker carrying 4,500 gallons of Stella Artois lager. The driver of the articulated lorry spotted smoke coming from the vehicle and pulled over in the slip road
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Patients in dark over GP sacking
Thousands of patients have been left in the dark about the future of their GP surgery now the Department of Health has ruled Dr Barney Williams should be sacked at midnight on January 30. The Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust has refused to
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Inna's victory to stay in the country
THE decision to allow Inna Haville to remain in the country is a victory for well-argued common sense. It seemed a long shot at best that the Government would reverse its decision and allow her to stay, but it shows you should never give up hope. Judging
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Make sure the lessons are learned
A PROBE into the death of 16-year-old Kate Walsh who died in a squat after it is believed she overdosed on drugs is to be launched after her parents called for an inquiry. The review will investigate what a whole range of agencies knew about Kate's drug
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It doesn't pay to hide facts
SURPRISE, surprise. The deadline set for the signing of the deal of the long-awaited Northgate development has come and gone and nothing seems to have happened. Devizes people can be forgiven for thinking the land at the back of the cinema will never
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Vote yes for minister
DEREK Fowlds, star of eighties comedy Yes Minister, is asking the public to vote for the show in the BBC2 competition Britain's Best Sitcom. Mr Fowlds, who lives in Colerne, was star of the political satire alongside Nigel Hawthorne and Paul Eddington
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School is back on track
OFSTED inspectors have praised improvements at Corsham Regis School, following a three-day visit in November. The visit followed a turbulent period in the school's history, in which the previous head, Stephanie Pitman, retired and a number of staff members
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Bungalow bid is rejected
Controversial plans to pull down a bungalow at Moor Green in Neston and replace it with 11 new homes have been refused after residents raised a storm of protest. Developer Meadgate Homes wanted to build seven detached and four semi detached homes with
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Village wins battle to extend pub
THE future of a popular local pub has been safeguarded now the publicans have been given permission to extend and modernise the building. The Rising Sun in Christian Malford has a chequered history and was closed for two years in the 1990s, but lately
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Burma escape part of adventure
Mabel Lucas celebrates her 100th birthday. DA4709P1A WAR evacuee, who later became housekeeper for the family of Labour spin doctor Alistair Campbell, has celebrated her 100th birthday. Mabel Lucas began her long and varied life in Burma, where her father
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Rotary's emergency boxes on way to Iran
BOXES filled with emergency goods are winging their way to victims of the Iranian earthquake, thanks to the kind-heartedness of Amesbury Rotary Club members. They have been collecting items to send to the people of Bam, following last month's earthquake
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A303 to close for weekend
THE A303 at Folly Bottom, Amesbury, will be closed in both directions from 10pm on Friday, January 23, to 6am on Monday, January 26. Eastbound traffic will be diverted off the A303 at Countess Road and along the A345 to the Beehive Park and Ride. From
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U-turn as college reinstates principal
DISMISSED Salisbury College principal Howard O'Keeffe has been reinstated but has agreed to stay away from work until a special committee of governors has concluded an investigation into the affair. The U-turn is thought to have been prompted by exchanges
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Paul is not dwelling on Bath approach
STRIKER Martin Paul may be warmingthe bench while Charlie Griffin and James Constable are banging in the goals but he is not dwelling on an apporach for his services from his former team Bath. The 29-year-old former Bath City and Newport County star was
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Windfall over Rudge's sale
CHIPPENHAM Town could be set to receive a surprise cash windfall if former defender Nathan Rudge moves up to the Conference. The 24-year-old centre back is currently with Dr Martens Premier club Tiverton Town but has been linked with a £25,000 switch
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Saunders is called in for Marine rescue act
FORMER Chippenham Town boss Tommy Saunders hopes he can one day emulate his success at Hardenhuish with his new club Swindon Supermarine. Saunders was unveiled as Ray Baverstock's replacement at Hunts Copse after Marine's 1-1 draw with Sutton Coldfield
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Mum clings to hope of appeal for jailed son
IRIS Baker, whose son was sentenced to 14 years in a Japanese jail for drug smuggling, now faces a tense month-long wait, to find out whether he will be granted an appeal. Lawyers representing the father-of-one, who is being held at the notorious Shiba
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Last chance to share history
COWBRIDGE House in Malmesbury, where radar was developed during the Second World War, will be on view for the last time later this month. The house, incorporated into the former Lucent Technologies site on the Swindon Road, was bought by property leasing
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Calls for crackdown after brawl in street
A FIGHT involving 40 people in Malmesbury High Street after pubs closed on Christmas Eve, has sparked calls for the Pubwatch scheme to be given a kick-start. Police were called when the punch- up started near the Kings Arms pub at around 12.20am on Christmas
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Happy Holmes
WHITES boss Nick Holmes says Saturday's top of the table clash away at Histon has all the makings of being "a cracker," writes Mike Turner. After witnessing his side's emphatic victory over Sittingbourne, which extended their unbeaten league run to 16
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Still no away joy for 'Stock
LAVERSTOCK & Ford again failed to pick up anything on their travels, going down 1-0 at plucky strugglers Tadley Town. The first half was evenly balanced with both sides cancelling out the other. The second period started in similar vein and at the
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MP backs turbine protesters
Dr Andrew MurrisonVILLAGERS in south Wiltshire who are protesting at plans to put up two wind turbines in neighbouring Somerset, have enlisted the support of their MP. They say the giant structures will be visible from the Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire
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Elim centre gets grant
A GRANT of £100,000 is on its way to Salisbury's Elim Christian Centre to help complete a three-year project to convert a derelict factory into a £600,000 youth and community centre. The latest funding from the south-west regional development agency will
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Milestone for sporting pair
Stan and Marie Dymond, who have just celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary. DA85P1A WELL-KNOWN Salisbury couple, who have been part of the community and sporting life of the city for more than half-a-century, have just celebrated another milestone
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Burma escape part of adventure
Mabel Lucas celebrates her 100th birthday. DA4709P1A WAR evacuee, who later became housekeeper for the family of Labour spin doctor Alistair Campbell, has celebrated her 100th birthday. Mabel Lucas began her long and varied life in Burma, where her father
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Blake's Robins hit for seven
DOWNTON remain stuck to the bottom of the Wessex League after a late collapse at Andover on Saturday, writes Ryan Lovejoy. Brian White's goal ensured the Robins were level at the break, but the tide was turned when right back Mark Gulliver broke an ankle
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Roadworks fall behind schedule
The roadworks on Skew Bridge are set to remain a while longer. DA4701P2MOTORISTS can expect an extra three months of misery - because the roadworks at Skew Bridge, in Salisbury, have fallen behind schedule. The repairs, which started on June 2 last year
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Pub's closure is only temporary, says owner
Tony Weston (centre right), sacked manager of the Pembroke Arms at Fovant, with pub chef Steve Long (centre left) and villagers outside the pub which is currently closed. THE Pembroke Arms, in Fovant, has closed suddenly, leaving its manager and staff
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U-turn as college reinstates principal
DISMISSED Salisbury College principal Howard O'Keeffe has been reinstated but has agreed to stay away from work until a special committee of governors has concluded an investigation into the affair. The U-turn is thought to have been prompted by exchanges
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Happy Holmes
WHITES boss Nick Holmes says Saturday's top of the table clash away at Histon has all the makings of being "a cracker," writes Mike Turner. After witnessing his side's emphatic victory over Sittingbourne, which extended their unbeaten league run to 16
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Wiltshire profits looking healthy, says new report
The profitability of Wiltshire-based companies has improved for the third quarter in a row, according to the latest Corporate Health Check by business support group Experian. The average return on capital among companies in the South West rose from 10.21
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Directors don't trust doctors
Almost two thirds of UK finance directors do not trust the sicknotes presented by their employees, according to new research by Reed Accountancy. Ian Rae, finance director of Penlon, warned the system itself was limited: "A doctor's sick note only certifies
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Mid-Wilts Youth and Minor League
TOM Walsh scored a hat-trick as Worton and Cheverell grabbed all three points at home to Trowbridge Wanderers in the under 14s Green Division of the Wiltshire Times and Chippenham News Mid-Wilts Youth and Minor League. The home side scored soon after
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North Wilts Youth League
STRATTON Juniors are the first crowned champions in the inaugural season of the North Wilts and District Youth and Minors League after claiming the under 15s title with two games to spare. They made sure of the championship on Sunday with a comfortable
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Swindon and District League
MIDFIELDER Dave Amey was the star as Zurich maintained their unbeaten run in the Premier Division. Amey fired in a hat-trick as the leaders overcame a battling Queenstown 3-1. County Ground beat Wheatsheaf 4-1 with goals from Simon Lowe, Danny Bourne
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Swindon Sunday League
WINDMILL were the giantkillers in the latest round of the Knockout Cup. Chris Henly got both goals for the Division Four side as they overcame Division One Wroughton WMC 2-1. Glenn Armstrong replied for Wroughton. The top two sides in Division Onne met
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Schools improve in GCSE performance
WILTSHIRE tables showing how schools performed in GCSEs in 2003 show many schools have made major improvements in their exam performance. This year for the first time a Value Added score creates an extra dimension to the tables, showing not just how well
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Chippenham Sunday League
HOLDERS All Cannings were sent crashing out of the PPL Presto Print sponsored Eric Hughes Memorial Cup, beaten 5-1 by Second Division North Star A in Sunday's quarter-finals. Premier Division All Cannings could have been hit for double figures had it
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Children will learn ways of the Maori
Vulnerable children travelling to New Zealand for a holiday of a lifetime will experience ancient Maori traditions first hand when they stay with the Ngati-Toa tribe. The children from Wiltshire will not only visit the tribe, they will be staying with
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Malmesbury Victoria 1 Bicester 0
MALMESBURY caused an upset in the Hellenic League Subsidiary Cup preliminary round on Saturday when an Andy Mitchell goal gave them victory over their Premier Division opponents. Malmesbury were first to threaten when good work by Bevis gave Mitchell
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Shock tax rise in store
AS we race toward the setting of the new budget in April, Wiltshire County Council is still estimating a seven per cent rise in council tax but the figures point to it being much higher. This week, the council published its budget document for members
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Jazz talent in running to be top Brit artist
Young Jazz supremo Jamie Cullum's rise to stardom could be topped with a prestigious Brit award. Speaking from Los Angeles, where he performed on Monday night, the 24-year-old said: "I am enormously pleased to be nominated especially because I never thought
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Previous standards achieved once more
LAVINGTON School near Devizes maintained its achievements in last year's GCSE results. A total of 70 per cent of pupils passed five or more GCSEs at grades A* to C, compared to 71 per cent the previous year. The school's added value score is 101.4. Lavington
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Daughter of GP dies in car crash
THE death of the teenage daughter of Marlborough GP David Maurice has shattered the town. Annabel, 18, of Kingsbury Street, Marlborough, died after her Citroen Saxo car collided with a Ford Transit van on the Beckhampton to Devizes road on Monday. The
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Consultation delayed
KENNET and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust has delayed the start of public consultation on proposals to close Devizes and Malmesbury maternity units. The trust was due to start three months' public consultation on Monday but has postponed it after
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SHOP A PUSHER: Why did legal system let down our Kate?
WITH her winning smile and bright blue eyes, Kate Walsh was a young girl with everything going for her. She was a talented flautist who harboured an ambition to follow in her father's footsteps and become a professional folk musician. But the youngster's
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Devoted dogs seek home
KENNET District Council's animal control officer Jenna Lovelock is appealing for a good home for a devoted couple of Springer Spaniels found straying before Christmas. Ms Lovelock is keen to home the male and female together as they are so deeply attached
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Readers take little Lydia to their hearts
DONATIONS have been flooding into the Gazette's Lydia Cross appeal this week, taking the cash total up to a whopping £630. And that looks certain to grow and grow after the fun-loving staff and regulars of Chippenham's Mill House pub announced plans to
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Money is the key to better set of figures
MORE money is needed if education is to be improved in Swindon, say unions. Dick Mattick, secretary of the NASUWT teaching union, wants to see the borough meet the national average next year. He said: "It would be a considerable achievement, but a lot
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New College's high-fliers are ahead of game
Ref. 28628-17STUDENTS at New College have a new £13m building, and state-of-the-art facilities and the average score of their top 100 students is 412. This is 153 point above the national average, but overall the college's results do not compare so well
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Heads pleased at this year's results
EDUCATION officials at Swindon Council have vowed to drive up results. Hilary Pitts director of education, said: "We are proud of our young people and the successes they have achieved through their hard work and with the help of the teachers, support
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On the up, but still a fair bit to do
Ref. 28619-11SCHOOLS in Swindon are improving nearly twice as fast as the rest of the country, according to the latest GCSE league tables. But although the results are getting better, more work is needed if the borough is to reach the national average
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Police hunting two men after burglaries
THESE are the two men police want to speak to about two burglaries in Wroughton. Both distraction burglaries took place about 11.30am on January 7 in Cowleaze Crescent. The pair called at the home of an 87-year-old woman claiming to be from a water company
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Trouble in store
FAMILIES in Calne are furious that an Edwardian Bath stone house could be destroyed to allow Sainsbury's to expand its store. The food giant is planning to demolish the house next to its store in The Pippin so it can extend on to the land in order to
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Wildlife threat from tree work
COUNCILLORS are battling against plans to carry out tree surgery in a Quemerford wood because they believe it could be detrimental to wildlife. A planning application for the work at Lower Quemerford Mill was considered by Calne Town Council's development
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Old composting areas used for allotments
Two large allotments are to be created at Beversbrook to alleviate the shortage of gardening space in Calne. The plots will be made from two unused composting areas, following a suggestion by Calne Allotment Society. The society approached Calne Town
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Luck of the Irish as pub rises from ashes
PUBLICAN Donal O'Dwyer, who suffered more than a year of disasters after buying a 16th century coaching inn in Calne in November 2002, is finally able to enjoy the newly refurbished business. Mr O'Dwyer bought the White Hart Hotel in London Road for £500,000
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Disaster training
THE nightmare of every parent, police officer and health professional was played out for all it was worth in a realistic exercise at Wiltshire police headquarters in Devizes last week. The gymnasium at the London Road site was transformed into a large
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Sorry, Football's not coming home!
WROUGHTON Football Club boss Chris Pethick has nicknamed his side 'The Wanderers' because they have yet to play a game at home this season. The club, who feature in the Wiltshire League Premier Division, have been unable to use their Weir Field ground
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New store finally sets date for opening
THE no frills supermarket chain Lidl will open its new store in London Road, Devizes, on January 29. The 1,400 square metre store is nearing completion next to the Focus DIY store off Hambleton Avenue in London Road. This week, contractors were laying
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Store signs win approval
SAINSBURY'S has received planning permission for new signs at its store in Monday Market Street. The company was told to replace the sign over the front entrance door by a Government planning inspector who said it was obtrusive. The inspector also turned
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Crisis on North Gate site
A SCHEME to redevelop the North Gate area of Devizes is in crisis this week after Kennet District Council's preferred developers failed to sign the contract to buy the land. Although it was back in July that Kennet selected Phoenicia Barr to undertake
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Safety chiefs probe work on new store
THE Health and Safety Executive has confirmed it is investigating alleged breaches of health and safety regulations after workers were seen working unsecured on the roof of the new Lidl supermarket in Devizes. A local building contractor was horrified
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Rose celebrates 100th birthday
AT the age of 100 years former nurse Rose Rawlings can still name all the family shops that lined both sides of Marlborough's vast High Street in her childhood. Mrs Rawlings celebrated her centenary on Friday with a family party at The Priory in the High
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Canal does the trick again for semi-finals
THE Kennet and Avon canal turned up the goods again on Sunday when the first of the North Wessex Winter League semi-finals was held on Marlborough's AC waters, four sections at Wolfhall and two sections along the roadside at Little Bedwyn. It was Wolfhall
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Mixing cultures for Max
Ref. 28583-26A COUPLE who married across the cultures are looking for Turkish people in Swindon to form a community group. Emma and Ahmet Sucuoglu want their newborn son Max to learn about Turkey, his father's home country. The couple met when they were
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Supper to say thanks for help
CHRISTMAS Care is holding a special supper to thank the volunteers who helped them provide food and shelter for the homeless over the festive season. Around 30 people were given a bed at the temporary hostel set up at Queens Drive Methodist Church, and
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Shop backs bid to end violence in the home
THE Swindon branch of The Body Shop has been singled out for praise after throwing its weight behind a campaign to end domestic violence. Since the national beauty chain launched its Help Stop Violence in the Home campaign in September scores of mobile
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Council set to be a lean machine
SENIOR officers of Swindon Council have been given a tight deadline to draw up a blueprint for saving taxpayers millions of pounds. And council leader Mike Bawden (Con, Old Town and Lawns) warned at last night's cabinet meeting that he would not accept
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Someone may love the gifts that you hate!
A LIFELINE has been launched for all those who have ever wanted to get rid of an awful Christmas present but don't have the courage to do it. The Gift Amnesty at Asda in Haydon Wick allows people to dispose of anything from strange socks and unusual jumpers
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10p on a pint
Ref. 27971-58BEER drinkers in Swindon could be dealt a bitter blow as the cost of a pint looks likely to rise by about 10p. The rise could happen within weeks in response to national increases in production costs. It is thought rising cereal costs as
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Car lot in garden set to shut down
Ref. 28590-08A car lot running in a back garden without planning permission for at least three years may soon be wound up. One family say they were driven out of the area because the car lot, behind 263 Crick-lade Road, Gorse Hill, was ruining their lives
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Appeal to keep up all water savings
THAMES Water says last year was the third driest on record. The firm, which supplies Swindon, is urging customers to use supplies wisely, in spite of the current rain. Last year saw the south west receive only 552mm of rain 74 per cent of the yearly average
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Marathon effort means just do it
Ref. 28611-72Freight train driver Martin Davis found breaking his thumb was a life-changing moment. Faced with the thought of sitting at home eating biscuits until he could return to work, he put on a pair of trainers and started pounding the streets
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Big-hearted James tucks in for charity
Ref. 28532-12JAMES Barnett is the envy of his gym. While those around him toil away to lose the festive pounds, James is busy planning his next mammoth meal. The 25-year-old from Woodsman Road in Abbey Meads is preparing for a sponsored bodybuilding competition
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Warning to rail travellers
TRAIN operator First Great Western is warning of interruptions and alterations to weekend services in a programme of track improvement by Network Rail. Some passengers will face making sections of their journeys by bus over coming weekends. The alterations
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Sell Steam and Lydiard to help the public purse
TWO recent letters from John Short, director of Swindon Services, attempted to persuade tax payers that change of policy is not possible at Swindon Borough Council. However, his reasoning is flawed. In the first letter Mr Short told us that it is not
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Chippenham 22 Windsor 10
CHIPPPENHAM opened their 2004 account with a gritty win against a powerful Windsor side. Robbie Spiers' side had won the reverse clash in Windsor by a single point so the visitors were gunning for revenge. The game was nip and tuck to start with as the
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Double injury doubt for Bath ahead of French clash
BATH could be forced to make two changes to their all-conquering pack of forwards as they try to wrap up a Parker Pen Challenge Cup quarter-final spot on Saturday. Second row Steve Borthwick is definitely out, after sustaining a nose injury during last
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Corsham 2nd 12 Chippenham 3rd 7 (match abandoned)
A WORRYING back injury for Chippenham's Sean Atkin seven minutes from time halted this hard-fought encounter and eventually lead to it being abandoned. Atkin went down after a challenge and was taken to hospital. He was later released. This was always
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Corsham 22 Swindon Supermarine 7
RESOLUTE Corsham overcame a spirited Supermarine side to kick off their new year programmed in Dorset & Wilts Division One. Corsham, after a mixed start to their campaign in 2003, were soon on the front foot against a Swindon side forced to shuffle
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Calne 7 Bradford on Avon 13
WHAT was supposed to be a training game for Bradford against lowly Calne turned out to be a bone crunching and thrilling encounter. Calne simply did not follow the script and field a near full strength team for the first time in nearly two seasons. Bradfordstarted
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Devizes 12 Wootton Bassett 17
WOOTTON Bassett bounced back from a 47-0 defeat by Tadley last week to beat a Devizes XV that was off the pace and tactically outplayed, perhaps suffering from a long Christmas layoff. Throughout the game Devizes struggled to get control and position.
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More guilty
I WOULD like to refer to M. Davidson's letter (Gazette & Herald, January 8) regarding animal suffering. The Hillside Animal Sanctuary carry out undercover investigations not only at pig farms but also turkey, chicken and duck farms. I have written
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Belated thanks for cat food
ON behalf of Devizes Kats & Kits In Care, I would like to say a belated thank you to everyone who responded to our October plea for cash help, some of which were anonymous. My thanks to the generosity of local people with monetary gifts given this
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Not standing in next round of elections
Now we are well into 2004 I would like to confirm publicly that I shall not be seeking re-election to any local council at the next round of elections. Although this seems a long way off (May 2005 for county council) this will give all political parties
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Voice your concerns on direction of town
A FEW years ago Barry Manilow had a hit entitled One Voice. When I wrote a letter to you a few weeks ago I thought that would be me, One Voice, but no, for the next two weeks there were letters agreeing with me. We must not leave it at that, we must keep
