Far from being a simple case of thwacking a ball through a hoop with the equivalent of a big hammer, the game of croquet requires skill and strategy. Lesley Bates finds out more. UNTIL recently, my knowledge of croquet was, I confess, rudimentary - restricted
Pupils at Langley Fitzurse Primary School sent a message to world leaders at the G8 summit to give children all over the world the same kind of education as they are getting. The youngsters have been making buddies out of paper to send to the summit in
HIGH Street bank HSBC has unveiled its results for the south west. For the company as a whole, its pre-tax profits are up by five per cent to £5,682 million this year. "HSBC has seen a terrific start to 2005 in the south west," said Tony Mahoney, manager
A PROPERTY management firm has sold the freehold tenure of a warehouse in Dorcan. F&C Property Asset Management sold Woolworths Distribution Centre at the Dorcan Industrial Estate, Swindon for £27m. It was acquired by UBS Global Asset Management (
CARS built by Japanese car firm Honda have come top in a reliability league table. The manufacturer was one of several Far East manufacturers which dominated a table revealing just how many times cars have had to be repaired in the last two years. So
A MALMESBURY firm is celebrating its 10th anniversary. CPC the Complete Product Company was the brainchild of managing director Kevin Assinder and was first set up to duplicate and package computer disks during the PC software boom of the mid 1990s. Hi-tech
A NEW project to get minds bubbling with ideas has been launched in Swindon. The Great Western Enterprises scheme aims to show how networking plays a key part in the innovation process. Called Netmap, the project saw the interviewing of more than 150
THERE were tears and cheers last Thursday, as senior citizens said farewell to the person who has run their day centre, with entertainment, social gatherings, parties and outings, for the past two years. Barbara Brockie took on a big job when she took
ENGLISH Heritage is to resubmit plans for a £67.5m Stonehenge visitor centre, after Salisbury district council controversially threw out the application. Despite the scheme being approved by the northern area committee on July 19, last Tuesday's planning
HIGHLY-trained firefighters will be sent now to more medical emergencies in Wiltshire than ever before. If a fire engine can get to the scene of an emergency sooner than an ambulance, the county's firefighters will give emergency first aid until paramedics
A DISGRUNTLED leisure centre user says Salisbury district council is putting short-term profits before long-term health. With the Olympic Games coming to Britain in 2012, Victoria Marr says the council should be doing everything it can to offer cheap
Coun Bill Roberts outside the toilets which have been daubed with grafitti Picture Ref: 78697-80BORED youths have been blamed for a spate of school holiday vandalism. The beginning of the holidays in Wootton Bassett has heralded an unprecedented wave
John Warwick with the dog left abandoned at the gate of his animal sanctuary Picture Ref: 78690-56WHEN Deana Warwick drove to the animal sanctuary she runs with her husband in Wootton Bassett, she had a big surprise. For there, tied to the main gate,
IT seems to me the children and young people of Swindon have far more sense than the council and the developers. I wholeheartedly agree with the students who say the university should be on the college site in Regent Circus. We should take note of the
SEPTEMBER 30 - OCTOBER 1 2005, BATH: Mind the Gap, the UK's leading theatre company working with learning disabled artists, comes to the Ustinov from September 30 to October 1 with a new adaptation of John Steinbeck's classic story, Of Mice and Men. It
NOT one chub was caught in the Haydon Street AS match on the River Thames at Hannington, but the sport was even more interesting with plenty of roach and dace being caught. Roger Giles fished a whip to take 12lb 10oz of small fish but had the misfortune
SWINDON is one of the best-paid towns in the country. It has the highest average hourly wage £14.09 in the south west, higher than anywhere outside affluent London, the south east and East Anglia. On average Swindon workers are taking home about £27,500
Colin LewinCleared murder suspect Colin Lewin tells the Adver of his relief to be back in the bosom of his family. Mr Lewin stood trial for stabbing father-of-two Mick Love to death in the early hours of a September morning in Swindon last year. "My heart
SWINDON have been drawn away to Hereford in the first round of the English Schools Football Association under 15 trophy. Vale of White Horse also face an away trip to North Somerset. The ties are to be played on or before Saturday, October 8. Mid Wiltshire
FORMER Swindon Town international Alan McDonald admits he is on a youth football 'good behaviour' drive after launching his first soccer school in Cricklade yesterday. The 52-times capped Northern Ireland defender, who made more than 30 appearances for
ORGANISERS of an innovative inner city golf initiative are looking for people in Swindon to volunteer for the project. Golf Roots has already introduced over 45,000 children to the game since its launch two years ago, and this year the project is expanding
Abbie Strong with children from Asquith Nursery SchoolA GROUP of excited four-year-olds were treated to a special face painting session, due to one of the children leaving for primary school. Molly Strong is leaving Asquith Nursery School in Wroughton
CRICKLADE Twinning Association is holding its annual quiz night on September 30. The town is twinned with Suc-sur-Edre in France and a number of events take place throughout the year to support the link. John Petrie, a committee member, said: "The quiz
Pasky Vitale with the wristbands which are making their way to his Swindon-madbrother Nick in Arizona Picture Ref: 78691-39AUGUST 3, 2005: A SWINDON man living in America will soon be receiving a special delivery from his hometown. Nick Vitale, 40, moved
A FORMER Warrant Officer in the army is undertaking a gruelling challenge this week running a marathon a day for five days. Superfit Andy Bailey, 44, will cover a total of 149 miles during his multi-marathon effort which sees him pass through Newbury,
Robin in his new home with Aaren Smith Picture Ref: 78703-159Vets in Purton were desperate to find Robin the three-legged ginger cat a new home after he was hit by a car. And they have found the purr-fect match with another three-legged cat. As reported
HELP the Aged has issued a warning to elderly people to be on their guard against burglaries this summer. Eleanor Bradstreet, from Help the Aged, said: "Most people expect to take extra security precautions during the winter, when the nights draw in.
MELINDA Messenger is among the scores of celebrities who have thrown their weight behind the appeal to help millions of starving people in Niger. The Swindon mum helped man the phones to take donations from the public after a high-profile advertising
A 30-year-old shoplifter who lied about her identity when she was caught stealing clothes worth £350 has been jailed for four months. Lisa Couldrake had 82 previous convictions when she was arrested after taking tracksuit tops from the Tommy Hilfiger
I UNDERSTAND that on March 13, 2001, Bath University were happy to discuss a site on the North Star campus and said that the integrated transport strategy would be the key to the success of the project, a strategy that cannot be a part of the Coate site
PLEASE add our names to those opposing this development. We have resided in Swindon since 1958 and consider the Coate area to be of great benefit to the town and to the community. We have signed the petition against this development, we have written to
RE: Swindon Council unrestricting the number of Hackney Carriages in Swindon. Perhaps the council should be reminded that a short while ago the local Hackney carriage trade was forced to supply a survey, which the trade funded itself, the result being
Swindon's second string completed a rain-interrupted Dorset & Wilts League game but lost by four wickets to Bredon 2nd at the County Ground. Swindon could only muster 146, thanks to another half-century from Paul Baden, but in reply Bredon coasted
Fairford beat the weather and Frampton as they notched up a victory in Readers Gloucestershire Division One. The weather was threatening and the visitors looked to be far from enthusiastic as they spiralled to 18-3. Ed Bird continued to reap rewards and
BARRY Lowe wrapped up a hat-trick with his last three deliveries as Anchor made easy work of defeating Nationwide 3rd in Division 4. Nationwide crashed from 92-2 to 119-9, Lowe finishing with 4-28 after his late treble. Will Rawle hit 45 for Nationwide
NATIONWIDE after seven years in the top flight of the Swindon Midweek League have been relegated from Division 1. Curtis (31) and Griggs (29) were the major contributors in Southwest Fasteners' total of 134-5. Marty Harmoosh took 2-32 and then in reply
Purton continue to set the pace in the Under 11 Blue Division of the Wiltshire Youth League aftera 51-run victory at Shrivenham. Callum Wright (64 not out) and Craig Miles (28) helped Purton to 115-3 in their 20 overs, Daniel Newton with 2-19 for Shrivenham
WOOTTON Bassett went to the top of Division One of the Wiltshire Cricket League after a narrow last-over victory against Bath Civil Service, and their nearest rivals, Great Bedwyn, lost at Westinghouse. Bassett moved above Bedwyn following their two-wicket
STEVE Jenkins will have no hesitation in answering his manager's midfield SOS call should it come ahead of the big kick-off on Saturday. With Stefani Miglioranzi still struggling with an ankle injury, the former Welsh international has emerged as the
CONFERENCE agency Venues Unlimited has been given accreditation from quality auditors. The firm, which is based at Lotmead Business Village in Wanborough, has been awarded ISO9001 status, the nationally recognised quality assurance system. Julie Evans
TROWEL queen Shirley Pitman is out in her garden in all weathers, loving her lilies, talking to tomatoes and fondling her fuchsias - which all paid off when she was declared overall winner at Shrewton flower show on Saturday. Mrs Pitman, whose achievement
TRIALLISTS hoping to land a contract with Salisbury City for the coming season are running out of time in which to impress their claims on manager Nick Holmes. The City boss admits he has been encouraged by the performances of Simon Browne, Ian Richardson
COUNCILLORS are to review controversial plans for the Harnham relief road and Brunel link to the city's Churchfields industrial estate, it was announced this week. The review is to be conducted by Salisbury district council's environment and transport
A DAREDEVIL cyclist did not let freezing conditions and a few mishaps get in the way of a 6,000-mile charity ride to the Arctic Circle and back. Andy Tallis (19), of Castle Keep, Stratford-sub-castle, set off in April this year and took about 85 days
AT less than two weeks old, Sidney Crummack is dressed in clothes made for a baby of three months. When he was born, Sidney could barely fit into his maternity ward cot and his birth weight gave everyone, including his mum Becky, a shock. Sidney tipped
AS figures revealed the horror of binge drinking across the nation this week, Wiltshire Police launched a crackdown on alcohol abuse. Shocking new statistics uncovering the true extent of the problem nationally show that 13 children a day are being admitted
Geoff Fisher, the victim of a hit-and-run incidentWAR veteran Geoff Fisher has urged decent-thinking people to shop a hit-and-run driver who left him for dead in the road. The 79-year-old from Wootton Bassett is recovering at home after he was mown down
There is no need to have a university in Swindon there are several in an hour or so driving distance. If Coate is the only place in Swindon that the university authorities will consider then they should be told that we can manage very well without them
Trevor GibbsLOVED ones of the father-of-two killed in a motorbike accident say he was a popular man who lived his life to the full. Speaking to the Adver they described the former doorman Trevor Gibbs, 51, as the life and soul of the party who could always
Major David Coates outside Davis House Picture Ref: 78688-63STAFF at a homeless hostel fear they could be made homeless themselves unless they can quickly find a new site. Davis House, which is run by the Salvation Army, needs a complete overhaul to bring
Stuart BernauTHE terrorist attacks in London have failed to dampen consumer confidence according to a survey by Swindon-based Nationwide. The Nationwide Consumer Confidence Index found optimism at its highest level since April despite the bombings in
Picture Ref: 73037-43THE GREAT DEBATE: ONE of Swindon's top Tories has questioned whether a university would benefit Swindon. Coun Justin Tomlinson, who is a member of Swindon Council's cabinet, stresses that his views are his own, and not the cabinet's
IT'S getting harder to spend a penny in Swindon because public toilets across the town are closing. New figures revealed that the town's public toilets are shutting at a rate of more than one a year. Six conveniences were closed between 2000 and 2004.
A chick which was rescued from the Techno Trading Estate Picture Ref: 78690-22SEAGULLS are likely to become a serious problem in Swindon unless action is taken now. That's the view of a wildlife consultant who has been helping deal with the problem in
FOUR of the five new directors at Swindon Council have been announced. They were chosen after more than 100 people applied for the top jobs. But despite an advertising campaign costing £30,000 to attract people from around the country three of the jobs
Trevor GibbsLOVED ones of the father-of-two killed in a motorbike accident say he was a popular man who lived his life to the full. Speaking to the Adver they described the former doorman Trevor Gibbs, 51, as the life and soul of the party who could always
SOUTHERN hemisphere rugby descended on Wootton Bassett last week as some of the best coaches from below the equator held a summer camp at Stoneover Lane. More than 100 youngsters, aged between seven and 16, attended the five-day camp, organised by rugby
CIRENCESTER hope to seal the signing of former Swindon goalkeeper Steve Book by close of play today. Book played for Ciren in their 3-1 friendly win over Hungerford on Saturday, but manager Brian Hughes faces competition for his services from Conference
The first of three soccer fun weeks was held at Gerrard Buxton Sports ground in Wootton Bassett. Fifty six boys and girls, aged five to 13, took part in the FA Soccer Stars Programme which involved tests in shooting, dribbling, turns, speed, heading,
The Village Inn, who play in Swindon Sunday League Division 5, urgently require two experienced players for the new season in the positions of right-back and centre forward. The team train on Tuesday nights and if anyone is interested in playing they
THE old Penhill Athletic Under 14 team reformed on the pitch on Sunday to help raise more than £200 for the Cancer Research charity. Their 3-3 draw with Highworth Town Reserves at The Elms reunited 20-year-old Mark Edmonds with his former teammates. Edmonds
NEWSREADER Amanda Parr will unveil a board that uncovers the past at Leigh Delamere service station on Saturday at 12.30pm. The board tells the story of this area of Wiltshire as it would have looked 165 million years ago and the project has been co-ordinated
At the Bradon Forest summer school are, Freya Skerten and Seran Somal Picture Ref: 78692-191PUPILS at Bradon Forest School have been making their own clothes, foraging for food and building campfires. Gifted and talented youngsters in years 6 and 7 have
SWINDON libraries are planning to expand their Home Library Service with the introduction of new routes. To do this they need Home Library volunteers who can offer a minimum of at least one morning or afternoon of their time every three weeks. The service
AN ACTION-PACKED week of athletic activities has been planned by Swindon Council and Norwich Union. They have clubbed together to organise the week of activities in which coaches from UK Athletics will coach participants. The event takes place from August
SWINDON residents are still being told to keep on the lookout for leaflets claiming to be collecting clothes to send to third world countries. The Cycle Aid leaflets had been distributed to homes around the town. They claim to be collecting clothes for
THIEVES who stole ornaments from the grave of a campaigner have not returned them. On July 23 the Advertiser reported that ornaments had gone missing from around Matt McCue's headstone. Mr McCue, pictured, who died last year aged 52 after going into hospital
Gavin Hoffen, a mortgage negotiator at Andrews estate agents in Old Town Picture Ref: 78696-18PEOPLE who exaggerate incomes to land their dream home are playing a dangerous game, an estate agent has warned. New figures show 179 people in Swindon are on
IN February the Advertiser revealed Ikea was looking at opening a store in the middle Swindon, in the area containing the Carfax Street walk-in health centre, the car park and Davis House. The furniture giant said it had been looking at a site in the
IN these times of war, terrorism and suicide bombers it is my personal view that the Royals all the Royal Family the whole of them should be evacuated to say Balmoral, Bahamas or Sandringham away from London town. Maybe not just evacuated but de-throned
WHAT a spineless coward Graham Sankey is. He not only let someone else take the blame for his violent assault, he waited till he was back in England before half-heartedly admitting to it. We all know why he waited, don't we? He knows that he won't be
MAY I through your newspaper, publicly thank Mr Rafiq Buhir for returning my mobile phone to me. I lost it on Saturday afternoon while enjoying the Mela Celebrations in the Town Gardens. How very refreshing in these dark days of doom and gloom to hear
ABSOLUTELY fantastic, are the two words that sum up the Mela at the Old Town Gardens on Saturday. It was a shame that the weather wasn't a little better, but that did not dampen the spirit or atmosphere at all during the day. The music and entertainment
I SHOULD like to apologise to John Roe (Dis-service, SA July 29) for the curt reply he says he received when presented with information about fastFare and the revised bus services. While not a defence, the person was not a Thamesdown Transport staff member
WHILE I am glad the IRA has signalled an end to armed conflict I do not share the general euphoria surrounding the statement issued by their spokesman. A statement signalling an end to violence has been made before and yet violence continued albeit under
