Swindon wrap up their season with a home friendly fixture against Swindon Civil Service at the County Ground on Saturday, under the guidance of John Baden. The side includes a number of youngsters who have performed well this season, along with the experienced
CANCER sufferer Jade Topp may well be right in thinking her chances of surviving will be better if she returns to the United States, her homeland. It is a shame that she feels our National Health Service cannot compete with the care she expects to receive
CHIPPENHAM Town are still seeking two people to help run the club's second tea bar on match days. The club built the second hut at the Sheldon School end of Hardenhuish Park in the summer, but have been unable to use it due to a lack of staff. Working
West Wiltshire Primary Care Trust is in charge of five community hospitals: Bradford on Avon Community Hospital: the 7.2 acre site will be scaled down because the Grade II listed building does not meet the standards for 21st-century healthcare. A new
A NEW managing director has been appointed at Trowbridge-based Fleetlease Commercial Vehicle Services. Richard Egan, formerly managing director of Trident Vehicle Hire, part of the Northgate group, takes over the van and HGV contract hire division of
TROWBRIDGE-BASED mobile phone giant Virgin Mobile is set to take on 200 more staff before Christmas. The business, which has gone from strength to strength since opening in November 1999, has embarked on a high profile recruitment campaign this month.
BUSINESSES are being encouraged to support a project to create work for people with special needs. Marion Parker, chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses for north and west Wiltshire, is backing the £250,000 Hope Nature Centre at Southwick Country
YOUNG people between the ages of 15 and 19 are being recognised for their good work in Wiltshire communities through a national youth award scheme. Lions clubs in west Wiltshire have joined colleagues throughout Britain in the search for young people
TROWBRIDGE joined in the town's carnival fun by winning the Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Division Two title on Saturday 7th September. After suffering successive relegations in the past three summers, Trowbridge won their last match of the summer to
Out-patients: Health chiefs want to redesign the out-patient department clinics to make better use of resources at each of the five west Wiltshire hospitals. Specialist clinics could be designated in each hospital, or GP practice sites, with the aim of
IT IS billed as the biggest shake-up in west Wiltshire health services since the inception of the National Health Service almost 60 years ago. Two months late and laced with controversy, the West Wiltshire Primary Care Trust's strategic review was unveiled
A SOURCE of mystery, intrigue and intense debate for two decades, Wiltshire's crop circles are firmly established as an international phenomenon. But the recent US release of Hollywood blockbuster Signs, starring Mel Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix, is set
STONAR School will host its 15th Inter Schools One Day Event Championships this weekend. A record number of entries has been received from schools across the UK with teams of boys and girls taking part in the dressage, show jumping and cross county events
DETERMINED ME sufferer Kim Haste's bid to open Melksham's first youth caf this weekend is being hampered by the debilitating condition. The mother-of-two is in line to officially open the youth caf in Market Place on Saturday, September 14, at 2.30pm
A SOLDIER from Melksham was lucky to escape being discharged from the Army after being convicted of carrying out a bungled insurance scam. Barry Merryweather, 23, of Hurricane Road, set alight his Vauxhall Corsa on Salisbury Plain to claim £4,000 insurance
SOLDIERS serving abroad have inspired a Melksham woman to start a goodwill appeal. Cher Riley, of Littlejohn Avenue, is calling on people to donate gifts, cards and knitwear, which she plans to post to British soldiers serving abroad this Christmas. Inspired
CHILDREN at Stonar School in Melksham and St Mary's School in Steeple Ashton are getting used to new headteachers at the beginning of the new school year. At St Mary's Julie Lakey has taken over as head after two terms as acting head at Broad Hinton School
PLEASE may I, through your newspaper, thank the many supporters and Friends of Hilperton Gap who took the trouble to attend the Public Inquiry at the Civic Hall on September 4. We were truly amazed at the overwhelming turn out that evening; well over
WOULD SH French please let me know the secret of their success with the Royal United Hospital. I collapsed in the street in March and was admitted to A and E at the RUH where I agree the staff were working their socks off to the point where, like myself
THE Department of Transport is deciding whether to totally ban the use of mobiles for all car drivers whether the car is in motion or stationary. Current regulation tends to focus on prosecuting drivers who use mobiles while driving dangerously. Croner
YOUNG people between the ages of 15 and 19 are being recognised for their good work in Wiltshire communities through a national youth award scheme. Lions clubs in west Wiltshire have joined colleagues throughout Britain in the search for young people
MORE people are coming forward with accounts of black panther sightings in Wiltshire. Warminster town councillor John Syme saw a cat-like beast as he was driving along a road near the town. A black animal appeared in front of his car then leapt across
HOUSEHOLDERS have been warned not to lose their right to vote and ensure they return registration forms sent out this week. West Wiltshire District Council has sent forms to every household for the 2003 Register of Electors. This year new laws mean for
SALES of the Wiltshire Times & Chippenham News have risen yet again. Figures released by the Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC) for January-June 2002 show a 1.7 per cent increase compared with 2001. Average sales of the two titles now stand at 19,722
A YOUTH court hearing for an 11-year-old boy charged with assault has been adjourned until September 20. The boy was charged after an alleged attack in August which half-blinded a 10-year-old in west Wiltshire. Joshua Huggins, from Windsor Drive, Westbury
PEOPLE in Wiltshire are being urged not to respond to a chain letter promising readers they can make money by following its instructions. The letter, claiming to be from someone called David Rhodes, is an example of the simplest form of chain letter.
FIREfighters across Wiltshire are preparing to go on strike for the first time in more than 20 years. The National Fire Brigade Union's conference was due to take a decision yesterday on whether to ballot for strike action because they say many cannot
Members of the public are welcome to attend any of a series of public meetings about the health service changes: September 28, 7pm: St Margaret's Hall, Bradford on Avon; October 8, 10am: United Reformed Church, Westbury; October 29, 7pm: Assembly Rooms
Out-patients: Health chiefs want to redesign the out-patient department clinics to make better use of resources at each of the five west Wiltshire hospitals. Specialist clinics could be designated in each hospital, or GP practice sites, with the aim of
IT IS billed as the biggest shake-up in west Wiltshire health services since the inception of the National Health Service almost 60 years ago. Two months late and laced with controversy, the West Wiltshire Primary Care Trust's strategic review was unveiled
SKURRAY'S WILTSHIRE LEAGUE: WARMINSTER Town may be looking for a quick return to the Screwfix League but they could not match the enthusiasm shown by a young Trowbridge Town side defending their unbeaten Premier Division home record. Trowbridge took the
Sunday was a real busman's holiday for dozens of drivers who converged on Warminster for the ninth annual Warminster and West Wiltshire Vintage Bus Running Day. Now based at the town's central car park, the event has turned into a major attraction. It
TWO Warminster based soldiers, killed when their 70-ton Challenger tank overturned on Salisbury Plain, died accidentally, an inquest heard. Second Lieutenant Paul Syred, 25, and operator-loader Corporal Michael Paterson, 28, married and living at Pepper
RESIDENTS of Westleigh, in Warminster, are considering taking legal action to get a noisy neighbour evicted. They have already pleaded with authorities to put a stop to what they describe as resident Tina Slade's antisocial behaviour. Mrs Slade has denied
THE sudden death of a Wiltshire woman is baffling police and her family. The body of fitness fanatic Michelle Shergold, 34, was found by colleagues on the floor of her home at Paxcroft Way, Trowbridge, at 10am on Friday after she failed to turn up for
Members of the public are welcome to attend any of a series of public meetings about the health service changes: September 28, 7pm: St Margaret's Hall, Bradford on Avon; October 8, 10am: United Reformed Church, Westbury; October 29, 7pm: Assembly Rooms
CITROEN will be unveiling not one but three sensational new models to the world at the 2002 Paris Motor Show later this month the breath-taking C-Air-dream concept car, the mould-+breaking C3 Pluriel and a new look for the popular Berlingo Multispace.
Bill Calthrop talks to Jonathan Loader, founder and managing director of Railston the Shopfitters of Wootton Bassett, about his 1933 Austin 10. How long have you owned it? Since 1985 Why did you buy it? I actually went to a vintage tractor auction near
A COUPLE who had the rare honour of tying the knot in Bradford on Avon's Saxon Church have celebrated 50 years of marriage. Mary and Bert Purnell, of Maple Grove, Trowbridge, were unable to marry in Holy Trinity Church because of repairs. Mrs Purnell
TRAFFIC through Bradford on Avon has been under close scrutiny this week after fears the closure of the A36 at Limpley Stoke could have dire consequences for the town. Five Liberal Democrat councillors joined the party's new prospective parliamentary
WASH-DAY habits and traditions of people in Bradford on Avon appear in words and pictures at an unusual exhibition in the town. Friends Catherine Bryant and Gail Mason have spent the last year visiting people's washing lines and have produced an exhibition
GRIEVING relatives of Natalie Williams sat motionless in a Bristol courtroom on Friday, September 6, as they listened to her husband Randle deny a charge of murder. Williams, 43, walked into the dock to face a charge of murdering his wife between April
This week, The Milford Mercury published a letter from Theresa Thom who alleges she witnessed a great act of cruelty to fish near their offices. Being a newcomer to the area, but formerly a Trowbridge resident, I keep up with the news from Wiltshire on
I DO hope you will allow me a few lines to thank the very generous people who made our Trowbridge carnival float a huge success. Due to being a very late entry we had less than 10 hours to build a float to advertise the Soapbox Derby for next year's carnival
I would be grateful if I can take this opportunity to extend my thanks to all those who participated in last weekend's carnival. It was a wonderful event and I would especially like to thank those who lined the route and gave so enthusiastically to benefit
How will Trowbridge ever get a cinema with like-minded people like Trowbridge mayor Andrew Bryant? (Letters, September 6). I am absolutely disgusted that no councillor has seriously talked and reasoned with any prospected cinema contractor or developer
O (15, 94 mins) Mekhi Phifer, Josh Hartnett, Julia Stiles, Martin Sheen, Rain Phoenix. Now showing at Cineworld, Swindon "Perdition catch my soul, But I do love thee! and when I love thee not, Chaos is come again . . ." So laments Shakespeare's much abused
POLICE today urged motorists to drive with caution on the M4 following yet another day of accidents and delays. Two more crashes near Swindon's junctions 16 and 17 have brought the total to six motorway accidents in little more than a week around the
UK: THE National Health Service was set up just over 50 years ago to provide healthcare for all citizens, based on need, not the ability to pay. Now the largest organisation in Europe, it is made up of a wide range of health professionals, support workers
DIY giant B&Q plans to build a 100,000sq ft superstore on Swindon's Barnfield Road depot. The building would be among the biggest of its kind in the country and would create 250 jobs. Barnfield Road is the heartbeat of Swindon's civic amenities operation
SWINDON College Old Boys take on Sherborne at Nationwide, Pipers Way, tomorrow. Flankers Luke Wills and Steve Offord earn their places in the line-up based on excellent performances last week. The return of Brett George and Greig Evenett sees the strongest
Wootton Bassett's firsts and seconds both visit Redingensians this weekend, with the senior team looking to get on the winning track in their South Counties South League opener. Bassett see Redingensians, relegated from South West Division 2 East last
A SOURCE of mystery, intrigue and intense debate for two decades, Wiltshire's crop circles are firmly established as an international phenomenon. But the recent US release of Hollywood blockbuster Signs, starring Mel Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix, is set
MINCED beef and dumplings, followed by tapioca pudding, helped staff and residents at Trowbridge Oaks nursing home revisit their school days. The home marked the start of the brand new academic year with a day of themed activities and fancy dress. Activities
Kate Shipton, of Trowbridge, has started the new term at John of Gaunt school with a certificate already to her credit. The 15-year-old was one of only 100 students from around the country to be awarded a certificate on completion of a summer school course
A recycling scheme has been launched to encourage staff at Wiltshire County Council to be more environmentally friendly. Dozens of bins have been placed around County Hall in Trowbridge to collect aluminium cans, clear glass and plastic. The council already
WEST Wiltshire Liberal Democrats have picked a new candidate for the next parliamentary elections. Duncan Hames, of Trowbridge, is the new prospective parliamentary candidate for the Westbury constituency. Mr Hames, a strategy consultant with the public
A WOMAN from Trowbridge this week launched a ground-breaking court battle that will decide whether or not she will ever have a child of her own. Natallie Evans, 30, along with another woman, has lodged papers with the High Court, the first step to challenging
A SCHOOLGIRL from Trowbridge will see her artwork up in lights after designing a Christmas decoration for the town's festive display. Maria Lopez, from Parochial School, entered the Trowbridge Town Development Partnership design a light for Christmas
LOYAL mother Linda Self has spoken of her intense relief after her son escaped a prison sentence for threatening to murder his stepfather. Mrs Self, of Charles Street, Trowbridge, spoke of her family's close bond after the verdict at Bristol Crown Court
A MAN trying to form a new political party in Trowbridge got off to a rocky start on Wednesday. A public meeting called by the non-political party to discuss a proposed Moroccan community centre at Innox Road, descended into debate about parking. The
PUPILS at a Trowbridge School hit by a potentially deadly bug were back at their desks this week. Legionella bacteria, which causes legionnaires disease, was found in the hot-water system at the John of Gaunt School and the affected area has been closed
MOURNERS are expected to pack St Nicholas Church in North Bradley for popular Trowbridge man Fred Gardner who died suddenly on Saturday, September 7, aged 50. Mr Gardner owned Gardner's Skip Hire in Trowbridge and was a scrap metal dealer. His daughter
Wiltshire's two remaining Screwfix League representatives face particularly tough FA Cup ties. Ray Baverstock's Devizes entertain the most decorated side in Western League history when Taunton venture back to Nursteed Road for the first time since their
Highworth Town, already £1,500 to the good after their FA Cup exploits, are looking for a £7,500 payout if they manage to beat Cinderford Town at home in this weekend's first qualifying round. Club spokesman Clive Webb said: "It's another very big game
Cirencester Town probably won't get a better chance to lay an old demon to rest tomorrow as they take on bogey side Mangotsfield at the Corinium Stadium. The Centurians were on the receiving end of two league drubbings against the Mangos last season,
HONDA'S features and design criteria for its all-new Accord saloon should firmly position it as a leading contender in the quality sports saloon market. Two lively DOHC i-VTEC engines and a tauter, more finely tuned chassis are designed to increase driving
A DINGY cellar below a Cricklade hotel could be transformed into an exclusive hang-out for the Chardonnay set. Landlord Mark Ingle has applied for planning permission to turn the cellar of the 16th century Vale Hotel into an exclusive wine bar. Mark,
SWINDON'S Cellular Opera-tions building is guaranteed to turn heads, and is also in demand from television directors. This year, a number of TV companies from across the UK have visited the Peat-moor call centre to film. Tiger Aspect, the producers of
THE Toyota Lexus has once again topped the charts for quality, reliability and customer care in the BBC Top Gear Magazine survey. Lexus has not only been voted as top manufacturer but also as top model with the IS200 saloon. BBC Top Gear quoted the IS
FISHING gear worth about £4,000 has been stolen in two thefts, one of them at a local school. First, gear worth about £1,500 was stolen a van left in the car park of Warneford School in Highworth. Then equipment worth about £2,500 was taken in a garage
A RECENT survey into braking and condition of vehicle brakes found that over half of drivers questioned were oblivious to vehicle braking distances and were not even sure when their vehicle's brakes were last checked. Brake specialist Ferodo has recently
DRIVER safety and risk management specialist Peak Performance Management (PPM) has compiled a league table of the top 10 driving faults in the UK and how to avoid them. 1) Low speed collisions while parking and manoeuvring. Do everything slowly, look
THE government's latest driver anti-tiredness campaign has been welcomed by the Institute of Advanced Motorists. In its magazine, Advanced Driver, the Institute said the initiative was a 'wake-up call' to all motorists who might be tempted to continue
HELP is at hand for anyone interested in turning their home or office into a stress free zone. A short course is being held tomorrow for people wishing to learn about creating their own tranquillity zones. Tranquillity zone sessions are held every two
CITROEN brings a radical new alternative to the small car market with the world debut of the C3 Pluriel at the 2002 Paris Motor Show. Sharing the funky design and innovation of the C3, and the concept car upon which it is based, the C3 Pluriel introduces
POLITICIANS and pressure groups should use the internet if they want to win over young people that is the conclusion of a Swindon-based research project. Organised at a cost of £86,000 by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), whose headquarters
A PARADE in Swindon on Sunday will commemorate the 62nd anniversary of the Battle of Britain. Commemorations will begin at 2.30pm with personnel from RAF Lyneham and members of the Swindon Branch of the Royal Air Forces Association (RAFA) and the Air
SWINDON drama coach John Williams is appearing in Anatomy of A Crime, a TV series based on factual court cases. John 59, of Highworth, plays the part of the defence lawyer, Mr Parrish. He beat off three other actors for the part. "It was something I thought
THE Stroke Association's eighth annual All Car Day will be held at Castle Combe Circuit, near Chippenham, on Saturday, October 26. Car enthusiasts from around the country have the opportunity to be driven at full throttle around one of the most established
VACUUM cleaner maker Dyson has confirmed that 590 staff at its Malmesbury site will lose their jobs by the end of the month. The redundancies mark the end of the upright vacuum's manufacture in the town as production moves to Malaysia. In February James
RESIDENTS in Liden are concerned the opening of the Great Western Hospital in November will further exacerbate parking problems. Those living in the Moors, Sedgebrook and Tyron Close are worried that with thousands of vehicles expected each day at the
SWINDON people have a rare chance to visit a host of architectural treasures in the town this weekend, from the 13th century Holy Rood Church to the ultra modern Cellular Operations building. The annual Heritage Open Days 2002, which sees more than 2,000
EXPERTS on credit card fraud were in town to crack down on the con artists who scam millions of pounds from businesses each year. About 50 representatives from Swindon companies attended a seminar at Swindon Central police station to hear about the latest
The Swindon Link Centre ice rink has been chosen to host a major national and international conference for the Federation of Artistic Roller-skating. Judges, coaches and performers from around the world will descend on the leisure centre for a weekend
TOP drummer Mark Mondesir is appearing in Swindon. Mark has played with saxophonist Courtney Pine and singer Bryan Ferry and is set to add the launch of a drum school to his accolades. Guests will be able to chat with the musician when Holmes Music Shop
SWINDON Council is bracing itself for another failure after a damning internal report on its youth service. The report, set to go before councillors on Monday's scrutiny commission best value board, says the service, "lacks overall vision and purpose,
THESE watches were valued at £20 but one Swindon woman paid six times that amount when she bid for a blind lot at a one-day sale held in Swindon. Customers arriving at the sale had been handed leaflets by Trading Standards officers about offers that may
Recent reports in the Evening Advertiser demonstrate that Swindon Borough Council is still failing miserably to prioritise service provision and as a consequence it is the vulnerable of society who are suffering. On September 2 there was a report entitled
I HAVE just returned home from respite care for seven days, where I read the Adver my husband saved from a neighbour. We attended meetings concerning euthanasia at the Pilgrim Centre, and since July 1961, when I watched my mother's long departure from
In Brian Sedgley's letter (Evening Advertiser, September 10) about the Countryside Alliance march on Sunday, September 22, he somehow forgot to mention that the march is purely in support of hunting with hounds nothing more and nothing less. There are
A dream has come true for disabled youngster Amy Steelyard now she has a brand new bike all of her own. It was given to the exuberant and spirited five-year-old, who has cerebral palsy, by the Chippenham Lions and Round Table groups. "She was delighted
THE announcement that B&Q plans a 100,000sq ft superstore on the site of the Barnfield Road depot is good news provided it allows for greatly improved access. The 250 jobs that will be created are particularly welcome. But most people are likely to
JOHNNIE JACKSON is eager to seize the Town spotlight with a glittering display on the London stage tomorrow. The 20-year-old Tottenham Hotspur midfielder is poised to make his debut at Queens Park Rangers in a real 'home and away' drama. Although he will
FORMER health care manager Charles Ingram appeared at Bath Magistrates court last Thursday charged with false representation. Mr Ingram, of Leylands Road, who lives in Rudloe, Corsham admitted altering a job reference by falsely stating he had been a
Anne Orme, the headteacher of Colerne Primary School, is helping to put Fitzmaurice Primary School in Bradford on Avon back on track. Mrs Orme is acting head teacher of Fitzmaurice until December. Fitzmaurice was found to have 'serious weaknesses' in
EXPLORER David Hempleman-Adams proved he was not full of hot air when he came up with the idea for his latest conquest. The intrepid adventurer will fly to America this week to prepare for an attempt to break a solo world distance record by balloon. But
A NEW 16-classroom block at Corsham School has been built ready for the new term. The new classroom block, which includes rooms for maths and English, cost £1.3 million. An expansion of the school hall, which serves as a dining area and assembly hall,
A teenager was taken to hospital after running into 11,000-volt power cables which had fallen in a storm. The girl, from Clapcote Cottages, Grittleton, suffered cuts and bruises but the accident could have been fatal if the wires had still been live.
THREE garden design students from Wiltshire College Lackham have returned from the National Amatuer Gardening show with top awards. Part-time mature students Brett Hardy, Stephen Gower and Sue Rowe are currently studying for an HNC in Garden Planning
CLASSIC cuisine in elegant surroundings, Popjoys in Bath offers an experience in refined dining. Housed in a Grade I listed Georgian building, the restaurant is named after the mistress of Beau Nash, the 18th century gambler and socialite who was responsible
Members of the public are welcome to attend any of a series of public meetings about the health service changes: September 28, 7pm: St Margaret's Hall, Bradford on Avon; October 8, 10am: United Reformed Church, Westbury; October 29, 7pm: Assembly Rooms
Out-patients: Health chiefs want to redesign the out-patient department clinics to make better use of resources at each of the five west Wiltshire hospitals. Specialist clinics could be designated in each hospital, or GP practice sites, with the aim of
IT IS billed as the biggest shake-up in west Wiltshire health services since the inception of the National Health Service almost 60 years ago. Two months late and laced with controversy, the West Wiltshire Primary Care Trust's strategic review was unveiled
Staff from AA Marketing and Phones R Us, based in Melksham, undertook the gruelling 24-hour Three Peaks challenge for charity. Chairman and local district councillor Andy Milton, managing director Steve Davis and Andy's nephew James Milton, along with
THE regional director of an employment agency has reached the final of a prestigious competition to find the nation's best franchisee. Steve Oborne started the Trowbridge branch of the Travail Employment Group in 1994 and the business has gone from strength
UNEMPLOYMENT figures for Wiltshire rose to 4,948 last month, an increase of 3.8 per cent on July. Figures for Warminster and Trowbridge are 826 up from 797 in July, and Chippenham 568 from 539. Nationally, unemployment fell to its lowest levels for nearly
A YOUTH court hearing for an 11-year-old boy charged with assault has been adjourned until September 20. The boy was charged after an alleged attack in August which half-blinded a 10-year-old in west Wiltshire. Joshua Huggins, from Windsor Drive, Westbury
SALES of the Wiltshire Times & Chippenham News have risen yet again. Figures released by the Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC) for January-June 2002 show a 1.7 per cent increase compared with 2001. Average sales of the two titles now stand at 19,722
A FORMER Westbury resident was in America on Wednesday paying tribute to the thousands that died on September 11. Ros Woodcock, lived in Westbury and Trowbridge from 1983 to 1997 and was a French teacher at Matravers School, Westbury. Now living in Brookfield
BUSINESSES and people looking for work had the chance to meet under one roof at the Wiltshire Times and Chippenham News Job Fair in Trowbridge yesterday. The event attracts interest from hundreds of people who hope to find work of all kinds. Representatives
LONG-AWAITED plans to revitalise Westbury town centre are still in the pipeline years after it started to decline. Mayor Bill Braid said it is time for less talk and more action to bring shoppers and traders back. Numerous studies have been completed
WEST Wilts 2nds opened their 2002/03 campaign with a resounding 5-0 victory over Wiltshire neighbours Salisbury 2nds on Saturday 7 September. Wilts began slowly and it took them some time to get their ball pace and passing right. With a rock solid defence
CHIPPENHAM gained a two wicket win in their traditional end of season match against a team put together by club scorer Bob Gwilt. Batting first, Gwilt's XI made 224 for seven, with Richard Hurgood making 62 and Wiltshire county cricket club chairman John
Members of the public are welcome to attend any of a series of public meetings about the health service changes: September 28, 7pm: St Margaret's Hall, Bradford on Avon; October 8, 10am: United Reformed Church, Westbury; October 29, 7pm: Assembly Rooms
West Wiltshire Primary Care Trust is in charge of five community hospitals: Bradford on Avon Community Hospital: the 7.2 acre site will be scaled down because the Grade II listed building does not meet the standards for 21st-century healthcare. A new
Staff from AA Marketing and Phones R Us, based in Melksham, undertook the gruelling 24-hour Three Peaks challenge for charity. Chairman and local district councillor Andy Milton, managing director Steve Davis and Andy's nephew James Milton, along with
EXCLUSIVE: LITTLE Tommy Lee Redford is lucky to be alive. The 19-month-old toddler needed four painful skin-graft operations and a team of highly-skilled plastic surgeons to repair his damaged fingers, burned to the bone in a terrifying electrical accident
THE newly refurbished Co-op store at Cricklade Road, Old Town, has reopened with a brand spanking new extension. Manager Claire Reynolds said: "We are delighted to launch this attractive store which is the very latest concept known as Swift Shops. "We
NEXT, the UK's third largest clothing retailer, reported a 24 per cent rise in profits over the last half year after sales benefited from better products in bigger stores. The group, which has two outlets in Swindon, said pre-tax profits for the six months
BEING a resident of Trowbridge for nearly 60 years I feel that I must put pen to paper and comment on Mr Polledri's letter on this page (August 16) where he states, and I quote: "The specifications of the proposed large retail units on the Ushers site
A SWINDON organisation is taking part in a conference at the National Exhibition Centre, the first to deal with the issues of sustainable construction. And setting out its stall is the Engineering and Physi-cal Science Research Coun-cil, which has its
HUNDREDS of people in rural areas of Wiltshire are being helped by volunteer-run community transport schemes and, on Tuesday, September 17, this achievement will be celebrated. The day has been designated Wiltshire's community transport day as a part
A WEST Wiltshire mother who refused a council house because officials ruled she made herself intentionally homeless has won the latest battle to reverse the decision. A judge at Swindon County Court ordered officials at West Wiltshire District Council
THE ghost village of Imber, taken over by the Army in the Second World War, was opened again to visitors on Saturday. Visitor Sylke Woods said: "It was a beautiful day. The church had been transformed by the Tisbury floral group I had never seen it looking
ADULTS keen to learn and gain more qualifications have taken full advantage of the new mobile learning units launched in Wiltshire. In the first three months, the units launched by the Lifelong Learning Partnership and the Learning and Skills Council,
Sunday was a real busman's holiday for dozens of drivers who converged on Warminster for the ninth annual Warminster and West Wiltshire Vintage Bus Running Day. Now based at the town's central car park, the event has turned into a major attraction. It
A CHARITY Christmas card shop which normally raises up to £30,000 for good causes has appealed for help to ensure it can reopen again this year. Volunteers were dealt a blow in 2001 after they could not find premises and were unable to open. Organiser
A WEBSITE for new parents in west Wiltshire has proved a hit with more than 100 mothers signing up in the first two months. Sam Enness, 35, of Bratton, set up the site after moving to Wiltshire and finding there was no single source of information for
TENNIS star Tim Henman made a surprise appearance at The Old Ham Tree pub in Holt on Saturday. The British number one was a guest at a wedding in the village and shocked staff and customers when he walked into the pub during the afternoon. Tim was besieged
COACHLOADS of countryside enthusiasts from Wiltshire will travel to London next Sunday to campaign for rural rights. More than 143,000 people nationally have registered for the Countryside Alliance's Liberty and Livelihood March on September 22. Ken Frewer
A FORMER Westbury resident was in America on Wednesday paying tribute to the thousands that died on September 11. Ros Woodcock, lived in Westbury and Trowbridge from 1983 to 1997 and was a French teacher at Matravers School, Westbury. Now living in Brookfield
PEOPLE in Wiltshire paused to remember the 3,000 people who lost their lives in the September 11 terrorist attacks. At public places around the county a minute's silence was held at 1.46pm the time the first plane hit the World Trade Center in New York
A SOURCE of mystery, intrigue and intense debate for two decades, Wiltshire's crop circles are firmly established as an international phenomenon. But the recent US release of Hollywood blockbuster Signs, starring Mel Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix, is set
SWINDON drama coach John Williams is appearing in Anatomy of A Crime, a TV series based on factual court cases. John 59, of Highworth, plays the part of the defence lawyer, Mr Parrish. He beat off three other actors for the part. "It was something I thought
West Wiltshire Primary Care Trust is in charge of five community hospitals: Bradford on Avon Community Hospital: the 7.2 acre site will be scaled down because the Grade II listed building does not meet the standards for 21st-century healthcare. A new
BRADFORD Town have been drawn at home to Highworth Town in the first round of the Wilts Senior Cup. Other first round ties, to be played on November 16, are: Bemerton HH v Westbury United; Calne Town v Chiseldon Castrol; Downton v Purton; Malmesbury Vics
TROWBRIDGE LEAGUE: PAUL Bendell delivered the first hat-trick of the new Premier Global Ltd-sponsored Trowbridge League season which produced an unbeaten start for newly promoted sides and all five new teams. The Broughton Gifford marksman scored twice
YOUNG people between the ages of 15 and 19 are being recognised for their good work in Wiltshire communities through a national youth award scheme. Lions clubs in west Wiltshire have joined colleagues throughout Britain in the search for young people
DOORS to hidden attractions in Warminster will open up this weekend (September 14-15). Last year, Heritage Open Days, which is a national event co-ordinated by the Civic Trust and funded by English Heritage, attracted more than 800,000 people to sites
MORE people are coming forward with accounts of black panther sightings in Wiltshire. Warminster town councillor John Syme saw a cat-like beast as he was driving along a road near the town. A black animal appeared in front of his car then leapt across
COACHLOADS of countryside enthusiasts from Wiltshire will travel to London next Sunday to campaign for rural rights. More than 143,000 people nationally have registered for the Countryside Alliance's Liberty and Livelihood March on September 22. Ken Frewer
EYEWITNESSES helped lift a car off a motorcyclist after an accident in Warminster. The 22-year-old cyclist was airlifted to hospital after his Yamaha bike collided with a taxi last Thursday evening. The man suffered a dislocated hip and severe bruising
VITAL funds were raised for Warminster Hospital at its annual fete on Sunday. People looked for bargains on craft stalls or watched displays from judo clubs and dance groups. There was a Punch and Judy show for children and Warminster Community Radio
HOODED vandals are terrorising villagers with ball-bearing guns. The youths, dressed in black, have taken to the streets of Codford, near Warminster, firing ball-bearings and throwing stones and fruit at the church, the village hall and homes in High
A SOURCE of mystery, intrigue and intense debate for two decades, Wiltshire's crop circles are firmly established as an international phenomenon. But the recent US release of Hollywood blockbuster Signs, starring Mel Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix, is set
West Wiltshire Primary Care Trust is in charge of five community hospitals: Bradford on Avon Community Hospital: the 7.2 acre site will be scaled down because the Grade II listed building does not meet the standards for 21st-century healthcare. A new
Out-patients: Health chiefs want to redesign the out-patient department clinics to make better use of resources at each of the five west Wiltshire hospitals. Specialist clinics could be designated in each hospital, or GP practice sites, with the aim of
IT IS billed as the biggest shake-up in west Wiltshire health services since the inception of the National Health Service almost 60 years ago. Two months late and laced with controversy, the West Wiltshire Primary Care Trust's strategic review was unveiled
JAGUAR'S very first 2003 model Jaguar 4.2-litre supercharged XKR supercar has been delivered to its owner by Sudburys Jaguar in Swindon. And very aptly the customer is former Jaguar chairman and unashamed Jaguar enthusiast Hamish Orr-Ewing, who lives
I AM a fisherman. Should there be a ban on hunting with dogs, will the League Against Cruel Sports stop their operations or turn their attentions to fishing? I feel that all fishermen should join the Liberty and Livelihood March on September 22 because
THE person who wrote the letter about fishing (Wiltshire Times, September 6) is so badly misinformed about angling that I have my doubts that it comes from an individual but one of the anti sports groups. They gave no information as to where or when this
THE letter from Dr Stuart-Hill regarding drug addiction (Wiltshire Times, August 23) was an excellent example of how political parties, once in power, maintain the status quo. Our health service is more about a market for the pharmaceutical industry than
AS a follow up to your article in last week's Wiltshire Times, I coincidentally, gathered over 60 signatures from just the Innox Road, Innox Mill Close and Linden Place area in little over an hour regarding the appalling sewage smell pervading this end
THOSE interested in Trowbridge's prosperity should push for more small shops, run by people who live here. Small shops hire more people relative to their size than large ones while local shops generate profit, which enriches their own locality. Trowbridge
A WALK TO REMEMBER (PG, 102 mins) Shane West, Mandy Moore, Peter Coyote, Daryl Hannah. Now showing at Cineworld, Swindon Rosy-cheeked teen pop starlet Mandy Moore makes her bid for big-screen immortality in A Walk To Remember. Like singing rival Britney
THE woman who had been tasked with making Swindon a safer place over the past three years is leaving Swindon Council for pastures new. Miriam Minty has actually worked for the council for a total of 12 years, the last three of which she acted as the crime
CANCER sufferers in the UK have the worst survival record in the developed world according to a survey published in July this year. The study by market analysts Datamonitor found that British cancer patients were more likely to die than those in Europe
The National Health Service has always been portrayed as one of the best care systems in the world. But statistically, Britain is not the best place to be if you are suffering from cancer. DEBBIE WAITE reports. CANCER sufferer Jade Topp says she is so
SWINDON will lose a community pool where Olympic swimmer Jaime King first started training. New College has sold off part of its Richard Jeffries site in Parks and Walcot for housing to finance an £11 million college building and £1.5 million sports hall
SWINDON kick off their Southern Counties South campaign with a home encounter against old rivals Bicester at their Greenbridge Road ground tomorrow. The Oxfordshire side are newcomers to the division, having been promoted from Bucks & Oxon Division
A YEAR ago, five-year-old Panny Frost was a painfully shy child who spent most of her time hiding behind her mum Nee. Now she's making her stage debut at the Bristol Hippodrome, singing and dancing in front of packed audiences in the blockbuster The King
Chippenham open their Powergen South West Division Two East campaign a week late tomorrow, when Amersham & Chiltern are the visitors to Allington Field. Matt Sheppard's side were due to take on Swanage & Wareham last week, but their opponents'
Supermarine travel to local rivals Hungerford, with several minor injury worries and some key players out longer term. Open-side flanker Jamie Titcombe will be keen to impress on his first league game for nearly a season, as he comes back from an injury
Members of the public are welcome to attend any of a series of public meetings about the health service changes: September 28, 7pm: St Margaret's Hall, Bradford on Avon; October 8, 10am: United Reformed Church, Westbury; October 29, 7pm: Assembly Rooms
West Wiltshire Primary Care Trust is in charge of five community hospitals: Bradford on Avon Community Hospital: the 7.2 acre site will be scaled down because the Grade II listed building does not meet the standards for 21st-century healthcare. A new
Out-patients: Health chiefs want to redesign the out-patient department clinics to make better use of resources at each of the five west Wiltshire hospitals. Specialist clinics could be designated in each hospital, or GP practice sites, with the aim of
IT IS billed as the biggest shake-up in west Wiltshire health services since the inception of the National Health Service almost 60 years ago. Two months late and laced with controversy, the West Wiltshire Primary Care Trust's strategic review was unveiled
A COUPLE who had the rare honour of tying the knot in Bradford on Avon's Saxon Church have celebrated 50 years of marriage. Mary and Bert Purnell, of Maple Grove, Trowbridge, were unable to marry in Holy Trinity Church because of repairs. Mrs Purnell
CHILDREN at Stonar School in Melksham and St Mary's School in Steeple Ashton are getting used to new headteachers at the beginning of the new school year. At St Mary's Julie Lakey has taken over as head after two terms as acting head at Broad Hinton School
PEOPLE thinking of furthering their education will be able to find out more about the Open University at an event to be held on Wednesday at the Civic Hall, Trowbridge, from 4-8pm. There will be a wide range of information on the courses on offer as well
FINAL preparations are underway to welcome top music stars to Trowbridge for the World Peace Day concert. Former Brookside actress Claire Sweeney will be joining singers Jessica Garlick and Limahl for the event in Trowbridge Park on September 21. The
A FORMER Trowbridge schoolboy has married an actress from the hit TV series London's Burning. Musician Matthew Giles Hardwidge married Liza Walker at Little Missenden, Bucks, on Saturday. Matthew went to Roundstone School, Trowbridge, and West Laverton
THOUSANDS of spectators lined the streets to watch one of the biggest carnival processions Trowbridge has ever seen on Saturday. There were 70 entrants altogether, with about 15 big floats carrying adults and children in bright, flamboyant costumes. Nearly
CAR crime in Trowbridge has increased by 25 per cent compared to last year, despite a high profile police campaign. Trowbridge police launched an anti-car crime initiative at the end of July, but the number of reported incidents has continued to rise,
WROUGHTON celebrated a new sponsorship deal by beating Melksham Town Reserves 3-0 at the Weir Field last Saturday. The victory took Chris Pethick's side into third spot in the Wiltshire League Premier Division. Scorers were Jamie Richards, Tom Dingle
CHARLOTTE Wakeham has said a big thank you to all the Wiltshire Times readers who helped send her on a dream holiday to Disney World. The seven-year-old, from Trowbridge, has a terminal brain tumour and has been given just months to live. She said: "Thank
Dr Martens League Premier Division: Cambridge City v Halesowen Town, Chelmsford City v Newport County, Chippenham Town v Ilkeston Town, Crawley Town v Worcester City, Dover Athletic v Stafford Rangers, Hednesford Town v Havant & Waterlooville, Hinckley
THE sudden death of a Trowbridge woman is baffling police and her family. The body of fitness fanatic Michelle Shergold, 34, was found by colleagues on the floor of her home at Paxcroft Way at 10am on Friday after she failed to turn up for work. DC Paul
Wootton Bassett have a chance to register their third Hellenic League victory of the season when they visit Hook Norton on Saturday. The home side, promoted from Division One West last season, have found things far from easy and have yet to win their
STRATTON Crosslink, the unbeaten leaders of the Wilts Premier League, entertain Pewsey Vale Reserves at the Crosslink Centre, Kingsdown, this weekend in a bid to stretch their unbeaten run to nine games. Manager Albert Dearing will have plenty of respect
Former Scotland striker John McGinlay brings his Ilkeston Town side to Chippen-ham tomorrow and there are two Bluebirds waiting to settle personal scores with him. Chippenham boss Tommy Saunders and veteran defender Mark Robinson both 'owe McGinlay one
PARENTS are bound to be worried by the latest figures that show how many paedophiles are living in Wiltshire. Even more worrying than the nearly 200 people on the sex offenders register is the five who have gone missing. But perhaps the most shocking
THE court ruling that Melksham pub owners, David and Janet Ponsford, are not responsible for the injuries to a child on their premises is ridiculous, but it is not the court that is to blame. Little Tommy Redford was left with his fingers burnt down to
THERE were reasonable weights in the Wilts Angling open at Fishponds House, with carp making up the weights. Steve Gardiner, of Chippenham, won with an all-carp catch weighing 36lb 10oz taken on pole-fished pellets on a 14 hook. Nicky Johns, of Trowbridge
A RESEARCH report from independent automotive analyst MFBI reveals that used car superstores accounted for seven per cent of all used car sales in 2001 and that superstores are gaining market share from franchised dealers. Back in 1992 there were no used
MERCEDES-Benz has launched a limited edition model in its M-Class the Inspiration. Just 900 Inspiration Editions will be made, adding to the popular M-Class range, which since its launch has sold 22,500 vehicles in the UK alone. The Inspiration range
SEAT will reveal the new generation Cordoba on September 26, at the Paris Motor Show. The Cordoba is the latest model to adopt the new SEAT family look, first seen on the new Ibiza, and due on UK sale in spring 2003. Roomier than its predecessor, the
STREETKA, the Ghia-built star of the Turin Motor Show in 2000, has evolved from concept car to production reality. Unveiled this month at the Paris Motor Show, Streetka will go on sale in spring next year. A modern interpretation of the traditional two-seater
BRITAIN'S 'Big Three' car manufacturers helped push transaction prices down by 0.69 per cent in August during the build up to the new '52' number plate, according to data released by independent price monitor, www.CarPriceCheck.com The average price cut
TWENTY five years ago a small group of people interested in reopening derelict canals met for the first time at Swindon. The meeting resulted in the formation of the Wilts and Berks Canal Amenity Group and signalled the start of restoration work on the
A PARK and ride scheme would be the best way to avoid future traffic chaos at the Royal International Air Tattoo, according to Fairford's civic leaders. The plan would see free buses ferrying spectators from car parks around the site of the base. The
GREENBRIDGE Retail Park has been presented with the AA secured car park award. The title was awarded in recognition of the security measures made at the site by its owner, Prudential Property Investors. Security on the site includes 17 cameras, new lighting
CITY of London Police have just taken delivery of the UK's first emergency response Smart police car. The car, at just 2.5 metres long, is in full police livery complete with blue lights and a special siren system, designed for maximum effectiveness without
LANDOWNER Stuart Crook has appealed against a decision to refuse planning permission for 34 new houses in Minety. In March, North Wiltshire District Council rejected a scheme to build homes, a new pre-school building and car parking close to Minety's
THE 2002 Bride of the Year may have only just exchanged vows and kisses with her groom but the search is now on for next year's winner. Like Katrina, 25, and David McCarron, 27, your wedding day will be one of the happiest of your life but it can also
FARINGDON Park will be a blossoming retreat restored to its former glory within three years, councillors have promised. At a behind closed doors meeting of the Park Working Group yesterday, residents, councillors and Swindon Services officials met representatives
KNOWN for their love of the craic, which usually translates as dancing and downing pints of Guinness, Irish people are famed throughout the world as great drinkers. But the Government is now so con-cerned about the early deaths of Irish people living
HUNDREDS of fundraisers are stepping out for young cancer sufferer Charlie Jarvis on Sunday. The walk will start outside the Victoria Hill offices of First City Nursing Services, whose staff have organised the event. At 10am those taking part will process
Thieves made off with goods worth up to £20,000 after raiding a hair salon in Swindon town centre. The owners of Knock 'Em Dead in Morley Street had just finished a re-fit when the burglars struck. They said stock worth £2,500 was stolen and a computer
BUDDING male models came to Swindon from all over the country to audition for the English finals to find the ultimate male supermodel. The hopefuls had to pose wearing jeans and little else for a professional photographer at the Designer Outlet Centre
OLD TOWN: A man whose bid to abduct an 11-year-old girl on Sunday at 1.30pm near Cross Street was foiled when she bit him is still being hunted. He is described as a thin white man, in his early 20s and about 5ft 8ins tall. The man has short hair, making
ABBEY MEADS: A man aged up to 60 exposed himself to a group of teenage boys who were walking along a footpath in Falconer Way at 8.40pm on Monday. Police spokeswoman Alvina Kumar said: "This was a very unpleasant and shocking experience for the young
IT is worth remembering that, regarding a proposed war against Iraq that the Americans may be right and British popular opinion may be wrong. The British have been disastrously wrong before. In Bosnia we insisted that all sides were equally responsible
THE many residents and supporters of Cricklade and beyond who followed their intuition to fight and win the 2000/2001 Battle of the Biomass power station will doubtless be interested by the following update on the current status of the Eggborough Biomass
I AGREE with T Reynolds' comments regarding the additional roundabout on Dorcan Way, no more than 50 yards from the other roundabout which leads to Liden and Eldene. Why build another office block? Right opposite are offices to let, around the corner
SURELY Les Horn, chairman of Broad Street Community Council, and the residents did not really expect a police spokesperson to turn up to their meeting. Let's be honest, would the police have been able to give them any answers? As one resident said: "The
AFTER reading Graham Price's letter (September 5) I felt compelled to write. That morning my husband and I received a begging letter from the Evolution Appeal, asking for donations from the public in order to finance the cost of new equipment for the
TEAM director Mike Foley believes Bath are finally beginning to emerge from the shadows of months of injury hell. Foley has already welcomed Mike Catt, Mike Tindall and scrum-half Gareth Cooper back into his three-quarter from injuries that flared up
BATH scrum-half Gareth Cooper is fighting fit and ready to show he is the rightful international successor to Welsh legend Rob Howley his rugby hero. And there would be no better time for Cooper to prove his worth than when he goes head-to-head with the
