SEAN O'HANLON faces a late fitness test ahead of Brentford's visit to the County Ground today although the injury epidemic Andy King had feared has thankfully not materialised. The skipper has a sore hamstring and although deadly serious about wanting
TWO men have been arrested on suspicion of trying to sell dangerous TVs, videos and DVD players that should have been destined for the scrap heap. Police believe the pair were attempting to sell the electrical items for £200 from the back of a silver
Health union members have called for new laws to protect health workers from assault. Unison, the UK's largest health union, has said staff are threatened with knives and guns and punched and spat on duty. Now the union has called for commitment at every
Ref. 74364-25HARDENED bargain hunters queued from the crack of dawn as Swindon's end of year sales kicked off. Many arrived as early as 4am to get a head start on other customers in the sales, which kicked off at stores across the town from Boxing Day
A WROUGHTON businessman needs your help to bring relief to survivors of the Asian earthquake and tidal wave. Around 20,000 people are now thought to have died in the Boxing Day quake, including 11 Britons. Scores more have been left homeless after a 30ft
Ref. 30179-45MONTHS of fun and fundraising have helped net thousands of pounds for the appeal. A percentage of the amount raised by runners in the Swindon Half Marathon was donated to the cause. In October about 2,000 people gathered outside the Nationwide
THE vast majority of yesterday's local non-League programme bit the dust due to frozen pitches. Chippenham's Southern League clash with Bath was called off, along with Cirencester's trip to Merthyr and Supermarine's trek to Bracknell. None of the region's
Ref. 74368-14TURKEY may be more traditional at this time of year, but a different bird was the flavour of the day at Ashton Keynes. Residents came out in force to support the annual duck race. Hundreds of yellow plastic ducks floated along the River Thames
A NEW exercise programme is on offer at nurseries across the town. The ten-week programme, for three to five-year-olds, has been developed by Tumble Tots and will be co-ordinated by Charlotte Boyes-Corfield. Leaps and Bounds has been created to tackle
STAFF and pupils in Swindon are making their school deaf-friendly. Shaw Ridge primary has taken steps to make sure that all children with hearing impairments at the school are included in everyday activities alongside other pupils. They have launched
Gala Bingo in Greenbridge is to hold a free afternoon of bingo to celebrate the New Year. The bingo bonanza will take place on Sunday. Steve McKenna, Gala Bingo managing director, said: "We can't think of a better way to start 2005 than with a free game
THE digital TV revolution has unleashed so many new channels that it is feared the explosion in choice will spark all-out family war this festive season. Worries that the fight for the remote will be more aggressive than ever were revealed in the findings
DO you recognise these photos? A concerned Walcot resident contacted the Evening Advertiser after finding the old photos on Buckhurst Field. Terry Jones was walking his dog when he spotted the photos in the grass. "I picked them up and because they are
RESIDENTS in Lawn are calling for their recycling bins to be replaced. The bins in the Lawn Community Centre car park in Guildford Avenue were removed after a public meeting. But local residents some of whom do not have recycling collections from their
Ref. 74298-10A COUNCILLOR who could lose his driving licence for speeding has called for more common sense in the punishments given to drivers. Coun Roderick Bluh (Con, Dorcan), who has been caught by speed cameras four times in three years, says the
Ref. 271204DEFIANT pro-hunters gathered at a local beauty spot for what could be the last Boxing Day hunt. A 1,500-strong crowd ignored the frosty weather to watch the Vale of White Horse Hunt gallop around Cirencester Park. On February 18 a countrywide
THE SWINDON Coalition of Disabled People is urging residents with disabilities to take advantage of a scheme which offers disabled people the chance to have their own personal assistant (PA). PAs are employed by private agencies or Swindon social services
RESIDENTS clearing up the festive aftermath are being encouraged to recycle their Christmas cards instead of throwing them in the bin. Swindon Council has joined forces with Recycle Now and the Woodland Trust to launch a seasonal recycling campaign. They
A SWINDON councillor leapt into action when he saw three young teenagers pushing what appeared to be a stolen motor scooter. Coun David Glaholm (Lab Penhill) apprehended the bike as the boys pushed it along an alleyway in Haydon Wick. The front light
TORY councillors have made £10 million cuts in services, the government has given them £5 million extra towards the council tax rise and they still intend to increase it next year by three per cent. We are told that £5,000,000 equals one per cent this
DOES anyone actually think the so called Chip and PIN is safer than just signing for your goods when paying by debit or credit card? The problem is having to tap your PIN onto a pad in full view of the checkout operator, other customers, security staff
If you've taken every opportunity to eat, drink and be merry over the festive season, and you've had your fill of Christmas indulgence, you are probably considering making some New Year's resolutions. Why not put going veggie top of the list? The average
AS AN ex-serviceman I was appalled at the announcement made by the Defence Secretary regarding proposed cuts to our Armed Forces. Although Mr Hoon made the announcement it is Gordon Brown who holds the purse strings. People of my generation can well remember
Sale gained revenge for defeat at Bath in November but will be kicking themselves for missing out on a Zurich Premiership bonus point. Three of their tries were scored before the interval but they could not add to their score in the second half. Instead
Ref. 74282-11CHILDREN affected by the Chernobyl nuclear plant disaster are celebrating Christmas twice once in Swindon and then back home in Belarus. They joined families here for the festive period and set off home today in time for the New Year celebrations
Ref. 74285-52RAFFLES, an enormous cuddly dog, is set to make a big hit in the New Year. The 4ft tall fluffy toy, worth around £300, is being donated by current owner Linda Allan, who works at Marks and Spencer in Regent Street, Swindon. She won the dog
Ref. 74296-3THE future is bright for Swindon bohemians. A popular clothing shop with two decades of trading behind it looked consigned to history after its owner sold up. But the shop has been saved by customer Sally Jones, who had been going to the Rockin
Ref. 29448-20The Evening Advertiser's Swindon Cancer Appeal is now just £100,000 short of its target. ANTHONY OSBORNE looks back on less than two years of outstanding generosity THE total for the Swindon Cancer Appeal has reached the staggering half-million
Kate WalshJANUARY: THERE was a quiet start to 2004. But by the end of the first week of January two shocking sets of figures featured in the Advertiser's headlines. The festive blitz on drink drivers had netted 25, twice the previous year's arrest total
David Hempleman-AdamsIT seems that nothing in this world is able to quell David Hempleman-Adams' thirst for adventure and this year has been no exception. The Swindon-born explorer, who is now 48, was most recently honoured by being named the new Deputy
STAR Wars fans can meet Darth Vader at a Swindon store. Dave Prowse, who played the arch villain in the Star Wars films, is coming to the Infinitely Better store in the Brunel Centre on Saturday February 19. He will be there from 1pm until 5pm. Photographs
TWO groups for parents with young children are opening in Swindon in January. From January 11, a parent and toddler activity group is opening at Toothill primary school. It will run from 9am to 11.30am daily. A group for Asian women with young families
A PUBLIC meeting in Cricklade will decide whether residents would benefit from a transport-to-local-services scheme for the elderly. The Link has been set up in 40 Wiltshire towns and villages, with volunteers providing transport to medical appointments
A NETBALL team for women is hoping to attract new members. The Abbeymeads Community School Adult Netball Club has launched a new Saturday morning session. The sessions will run from 9.30am on the school grounds. Anybody who is interested in taking part
UK businesses are backing a campaign for an additional New Year bank holiday, according to a survey by business advice and support firm Croner Consulting. Of businesses polled on www.croner.co.uk 72 per cent said that adding an extra bank holiday to the
THREE comedians will perform at the Swindon Arts Centre in Devizes Road. Ed Byrne will do his show, Me Again, on February 10 at 8pm. Ed will recount tales from his recent travels in Australia, Dubai, Ireland and the USA. As well as performing sell-out
THE singles chart is to celebrate its 1,000th number one in the New Year and Elvis Presley could land the top spot. Record company SonyBMG is re-releasing all of Elvis's 18 number ones to mark the 70th anniversary of his birth. And it means Jailhouse
THE Queen will announce her New Year's Honours list on Saturday. People who have played an important role in their community will be named alongside celebrities. Last year milkman Nigel Crocker, 62, was given an MBE for services to the community of Broad
PUPILS at a Cricklade school will get an extra four days Christmas holiday to give staff time to clean up after a fire ripped through a computer room. Hundreds of children were due back at St Sampson's Junior School in Bath Road on Thursday, January 6
Police in Wiltshire have been given new powers to carry out roadside tests on drivers they suspect have been taking drugs. Previously there was no legal requirement for drivers to take part in impairment tests. Now a refusal is an offence, the same as
I NOTICE with regret advertisements of puppies for sale with contact numbers outside of the Swindon area. One this week stated that they were from a farm and could be delivered. This would normally mean being handed over in a lay-by somewhere. These farm
I am writing to express my thanks to all those who have supported the Meningitis Trust and helped to raise awareness of meningitis in 2004. The Meningitis Trust relies heavily on all its supporters, their friends and families to continue to provide support
IF you have chronic back pain, the best thing you can do is to rest and take it easy, right? Wrong. The myth that resting will help long-term back pain is something that the Arthritis Research Campaign is keen to dispel. Although current medical advice
