The White Horse Bookshop became a stage for Gifford Circus performers on Friday at the launch of a new loyalty card scheme for Great Bedwyn Playgroup. Circus owner Nell Gifford made a special appearance at the revamped bookshop in High Street to
A major study that will involve the input of residents, retailers and business people is now underway in Malmesbury to help boost and preserve the prosperity of its town centre. A company called The Retail Group is carrying out surveys in a bid
A descendant of the Stumpe family who built Malmesbury’s Abbey House in 1542 has vowed to purchase the historic property and world famous gardens – despite the odds being stacked against him. Gordon Lewis wants to buy the property, currently owned
North Wiltshire MP James Gray has made a stand in Parliament against plans for solar farms on greenfield sites. During today’s questions to Matthew Hancock, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Mr Gray said that his constituents
The Calne Food and Drink festival will return next September despite the postponement of this year’s event, according to the festival’s chairman. This year’s celebration, which was due to take place this weekend, was cancelled back in June due
Organisers of the Chippenham Half Marathon have warned that there will be delays and road closures in operation on Sunday while the race is taking place. The 13-mile route sets off from the sports club at 9.30am and passes through the villages
A Calne cyclist hopes to inspire others as he tackles the short route of the Wiltshire Big Wheel Bike Ride for Age UK Wiltshire on September 7. Steve Funnell, 60, wants his experience to encourage others to set themselves personal challenges and
Wiltshire Team Bath athletes starred in Bedford at the England Athletics Championships. The best result of the day came from Melksham AK School student Will Stockley, who ran a personal best of 4mins 36.73secs to finish fifth in the U17 men’s 1500m
Westbury were left to rue their bad luck at the weekend when a four-wicket success over Warminster was not enough to keep them in the Glos/Wilts Division. The Wellhead Lane side went into Saturday’s match needing a victory as well as a win from
Malmesbury chairman Stephen Jepson says the club’s promotion back into the West of England Premier League is a vindication of the club’s decision to commit to producing their own players. Jepson and the committee at the Worthys decided to stop
Golden bicycles will provide a colourful backdrop to the Tour. Wiltshire Council is decorating the route with 30 gold-painted recycled bicycles featuring messages of support at key points along the route. With thousands expected to line the route
Defending champion Sir Bradley Wiggins will lead Team Sky’s squad on the Tour of Britain. He returns to the tour after winning the race in 2013 and this year he will line up alongside fellow British riders Ian Stannard and Ben Swift as part of
A one-day referendum could be held in Malmesbury later this year to determine the town’s future development for decades to come. The public will be able to vote on whether a Malmesbury Neighbourhood Plan – the first of its kind in Wiltshire – should
Shakespeare Live chose to take the audience on a journey through the seasons, with extracts from plays, sonnets and songs, encompassing every aspect of the English weather, for their summer show at the Dell, the Royal Shakespeare Company’s outdoor
Veterans from Wiltshire who braved sub-zero temperatures during the Second World War were honoured by Russia at a presentation ceremony in Trowbridge on Friday to recognise their bravery during the conflict. The Russian Embassy invited veterans
Cyclists will get the chance to ride part of the route of the Friends Life Tour of Britain, just days before the stars of world cycling race into the county. Wiltshire Council, in partnership with Bike Events, is organising a cycling celebration
Friday, September 12 will be a momentous day for Wiltshire when the Tour of Britain races through the county. More than 100 of the finest cyclists in the world, including Sir Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish, will give the people of the county
A rolling programme of road closures as the Friends Life Tour of Britain races into Wiltshire will keep disruption to a minimum. Wiltshire Council has been working with Tour organisers SweetSpot and the police to minimise the impact on residents
The final list of teams for the 2014 Friends Life Tour of Britain has been confirmed, revealing the 20 squads who will be racing for the Friends Life Yellow Jersey. Not only is there a very strong line-up of teams, half of whom raced in the Tour
A consultation is being launched following government changes to education which has increased the number of young people requiring college and school transport in Wiltshire. All young people up to 18 are now required to be in some form of education
Today will be one of the biggest in the life of young Charlie Hemmings as he starts life at big school. It is a day mum Donna Britten believes would not have happened if it had not been for the help she received from Devizes Opportunity Centre.
The company behind plans to develop the former Stage Post pub in West Lavington has received approval to build four houses on the site. FPC (West Lavington) has gained planning permission from Wiltshire Council for four semi-detached four-bedroom
From mini majorettes to sultry samba dances, Devizes had the carnival spirit on Saturday night. Hundreds of people lined the route as the floats and walking entries left The Green at 6pm. Many primary schools entered after holding after-school
Bath Spa University said it would expand its base in Corsham if the rail station was reopened. The town's vice chancellor, Professor Christina Slade, met the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport Claire Perry on Friday to underline
Town councillors have refused to commit to funding the CCTV system in Devizes for more than one year until they get more information. Devizes Development Partnership had hoped the council would agree a three-year deal when the community and civic
The proof of the pudding will be in the eating for primary schools in north Wiltshire as they embrace the free school meals initiative. The scheme has allocated £2.30 a child per meal and funding will be given as a set amount for the autumn and
The Government’s new scheme to introduce free infant school meals has been rolled out across the Devizes area this week and most schools were ready for the new term. Many are working with caterers Lataca, which supplies meals and run kitchens in
Former pub landlady Sharon Elliott is holding a charity event on Saturday in memory of a close friend who died just five weeks after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Erlestoke Cricket Club stalwart Sean Gilbert, 49, from Devizes was taken
Police in Malmesbury are warning people to be on their guard after two men were found in a shed near the Corston area of Malmesbury yesterday. The householder came home at about 9.15pm to find the pair in his shed. One is described as wearing
Chippenham's Tyrone Mings was reportedly the subject of a multi-million pound bid from Premier League Crystal Palace on transfer deadline day. The 21-year-old full-back made a sensational switch from Southern League Chippenham Town to Championship
Wiltshire captain Mike Coles says the county side won’t be playing with the weight of expectation on their shoulders when they bid to become the kings of minor counties cricket. A season to savour has already seen Wiltshire dramatically clinch
A historic village pub that was devastated by fire almost six months ago will officially re-open on Saturday. The Rattlebone Inn, in Sherston, was shut for five weeks after a blaze spread through the first floor on March 18. Although Sherston
As promised in my column last week, I took the Ice Bucket Challenge in Parliament on Tuesday, to raise money and awareness for the Motor Neurone Disease Association. Having been nominated by Chippenham’s member of the UK Youth Parliament, Kieran
A 31-year-old man and a 42-year-old man have been arrested on suspicion of poaching after an incident at an Axford farm on Friday, August 29. Police were called to the scene at around 7pm, where dead partridges were found. A car thought to
Parliament’s back - but only for two weeks before we all break up again for the party conferences and Scottish Referendum. It’s all a little unsatisfactory, as there is a huge amount to be discussed. The world is in a fair degree of chaos. Islamic
I get many opportunities to talk to passengers as I travel up and down the line to London, or off on ministerial visits, and when we get on at Pewsey or Bedwyn we can usually manage to get a seat. I am very aware that many other passengers, by
Villagers in Market Lavington, near Devizes, were shocked by the fire which spread quickly through a 17th century listed home in the High Street on Tuesday. The owners of the house, Frank and Sarah Jones, and the two next door neighbours in the
The result of a public inquiry into the refusal of planning permission for 125 homes to be built in Calne is expected today. Robert Hitchens Ltd had its planning application for homes on the 6.7-hectare site south of Abberd Lane refused by Wiltshire
Schoolgirl Olivia Fleming is to put nearly three years of cancer treatment behind her as she travels to Disney World on Saturday to make a dream come true. Olivia, ten, of White Horse Way, Devizes, is to go on a holiday of a lifetime with her family
A boy aged seven is thought to be responsible for shining a laser pen into the cockpit of an Airbus jet while playing in his garden. The aircraft was flying at 11,000 feet, heading into land at Bristol Airport, when the incident happened as it
Firefighters battled for hours on Tuesday to save a 17th century home in Market Lavington as flames tore through it. The house in the High Street, owned by parish councillor Frank Jones and his wife Sarah, was badly damaged as the fire spread through
Members of Calne Area Transport are looking for respondents to their first transport survey to help identify achievable solutions to years of traffic and access problems. Part of the Community Area Partnership, the transport group will present
Parents and their children who use the Pottery Painting Company in Devizes have spoken of their sadness that the shop has been forced to close because of high running costs. Leanne Murphy, who opened the business in November 2012 with friend Caroline
Armed police were sent to a pensioner’s house near Devizes when it was discovered the 73-year-old man had ordered an illegal 200,000 volt stun gun over the internet. But firearms officers were not needed as the grandad was devastated to be told
