Archive

  • Devizes Town 1, Brislington 1

    FOOTBALL - Toolstation Premier Division: DEVIZES stretched their unbeaten run to six games on Tuesday night but manager Paul Thompson felt it was two points dropped. They are unbeaten since losing to Corsham on the opening day of the season, winning

  • Steptoe heads home points against rivals

    FOOTBALL - Wiltshire League: The match of the day in the Premier Division resulted in a 2-1 win for Wroughton at second-in-the-table Devizes. A delighted Wroughton boss Mark Love said: "It was a real battle, Devizes are a good side and it was a very

  • Recovery road leads to Nottingham

    SWINDON TOWN: SWINDON Town have now lost two out of their most recent three matches which has brought a new sense of realism to the season, and on Saturday Dennis Wise takes his team to Nottingham to face County at Meadow Lane. Led by Steve Thompson

  • Patience was crucial says Griffin

    CHIPPENHAM TOWN: ALAN Griffin says patience was the key to Chippenham Town's win over Corsham Town. The former Corsham player found it frustrating against the Toolstation League outfit but refused to panic. He said: "There were not a lot of chances

  • Chippenham Town 2, Corsham Town 0

    CHIPPENHAM TOWN: DARREN Perrin admitted Chippenham Town's 2-0 win over Corsham Town was unlikely to stick in the mind. Two second half goals from the prolific Dave Gilroy were enough to end Corsham's FA Cup dream but Perrin said the derby was not pretty

  • Broken leg investigated

    CHIPPENHAM TOWN: SATURDAY'S hosts Corby are currently embroiled in a row with King's Lynn after defender Robbie Maddox broke Lynn midfielder Shaun Carey's leg in their 2-1 defeat earlier this month. Lynn have obtained video evidence and are considering

  • Towler accepts Perrin’s compliment

    CHIPPENHAM TOWN: FOR former Chippenham Town favourite Colin Towler there was no old pals act when the two sides met on Saturday. Towler skippered the Corsham Town team in their 2-0 FA Cup first qualifying round defeat at Hardenhusih Park. He said

  • Returning Woods disappointed with result

    CHIPPENHAM TOWN: JOHN Woods felt there was not much difference between Corsham Town and Chippenham Town despite his side going down 2-0 at Hardenhuish Park. Corsham's assistant manager, who played 170 games for the Bluebirds between 1998 and 2002,

  • Expect major repercussions

    I DIDN'T watch the BBC Panorama programme which accused managers and agents of taking bungs on Tuesday. If it is proved true then there will be big repercussions, some agents in football have their own agenda and are in it for their own gain. Even

  • Dad backs Howell to handle pressure

    GOLF: RAY Howell has no worries about his son David handling the colossal' pressure f the Ryder Cup. The proud father, son Ian and Howell's mother Sally Pearce are all in Co. Kildare, Ireland for tomorrow's main event. Fourball matches start at 8am

  • Rooftop burglars raid antique shop

    THE owner of the antiques market in Devizes Market Place says she is to stop selling jewellery after a burglary at her premises last week. Judy Coom, who has run Upstairs Downstairs for many years, was distraught when she discovered the break-in last

  • Diamond celebration

    CHIRTON couple Harold and Evelyn Miller have celebrated their diamond wedding. Mr and Mrs Miller moved to the village in 1955 to run Plummers Farm, a dairy farm. They also took over Manor Farm, a beef and arable concern. The couple both grew up

  • A note of dismay on new library

    GLORIA Chapman, the leader of Devizes Singers, has expressed disappointment at the closure of the music and drama studio in Devizes Library. The studio, based upstairs, no longer stocks items on general display although there has been no reduction

  • Pub couple leave after six months

    PUB landlords Chris and Laura Chatwin are reluctantly leaving Bromham. The couple took over running The Greyhound Inn in February this year but are moving to be nearer to Salisbury where their 12-year-old son, Thomas, is attending grammar school.

  • Designer appeal at new clothing shops

    DESIGNER clothing shops are making their mark in Devizes. Last Thursday a new women's clothes shop, Woolf and Bean, opened in High Street. And former Lottery winner Andrea Holmes and her brother, John Holmes, are relocating their men's designer clothes

  • £2m school opens doors

    THE new Rowde primary school has received universal approval from pupils, parents, staff and villagers. The school began lessons last week. The £2 million building was paid for by Persimmon. Headteacher David Ball said: "I asked the children what

  • Superloo is put on hold

    THE new superloo promised for George Lane car park in Marlborough is unlikely to be built until the planned theatre/cinema complex is under way. While work on a new attended public convenience in Devizes is likely to start within months, there is not

  • Car crash shock for pub clients

    CUSTOMERS enjoying a drink in a Chippenham pub on Friday night had a nasty shock when a car ploughed through a fence and onto the pavement, coming to rest inches from the pub window. The accident happened at around 11.10pm near The Pheasant pub on

  • Freed from pain by the power of prayer

    YOUNG mum Emma Webb believes she has been freed from years of painful back problems following a miracle performed by healer Rev Melvin Banks. Miss Webb, who lives close to Devizes town centre, arrived for Saturday's special healing service in

  • One is not amused

    I care not a flying fig for your film critic's review of The Queen (September 14) and I will venture to suggest that he misses the point. To suggest How Blair saved the Queen from infamy' is complete balderdash. The majority of the country's film

  • Two better than one

    I would like to inform your readers of a way to keep costs down when travelling on the train from Chippenham to Reading and London as I too have been affected by the large fare increases for walk-on' tickets over the past few years. The answer is

  • Keep chopper flying

    Could you thank everyone who helped and attended the jumble sale and raffle held at Rushall and Charlton village hall on September 2 for the Wiltshire Air Ambulance. This year we raised £700 for the Air Ambulance and £25 for the Little Flyers a pre-school

  • DIY event success

    I would like to thank all the volunteers who assisted on Saturday and Sunday, September 9 and 10, at our DIY SOS weekend. This event was a huge success. Also a huge thank you to Mr Steve Twine at Buildbase, Calne and Hills Recycling at Devizes/

  • Relocation thanks

    On September 9 Cherhill Pre-school celebrated relocating to the Cherhill School site. On behalf of the pre-school, we would like to thank all those who helped us with money, equipment and labour. It is much appreciated by the staff, committee, parents

  • Warm thank you

    I write to thank Westlea Housing Association for being so helpful and co-operative in installing radiators in all Redland bungalows. The tenants are delighted as the previous heating was somewhat ancient. Thanks too need to go to Ultrawarm. I am

  • Cloning a real threat

    I have just become the latest victim of bank card cloning. I have a lot of praise for Nationwide as they managed to identify something amiss within two days and two transactions and then contact me. I am curious about what the council is doing to combat

  • Praise for parking

    On Saturday I travelled down Station Hill in Chippenham at 8.20am, and I could not believe it, as there were no cars parked on the left hand side and only five on the right. The new parking scheme in Chippenham actually seems to work! I also notice

  • Think before you restrict a good idea

    I am so glad that North Wiltshire District Council has started its Think before you park' scheme to clear the roads of badly and inconsiderately parked cars. I can only hope that it will be matched by a Think before you restrict' campaign to set sensible

  • Our wishes ignored

    In last week's front page story your reporter claimed that the new primary school in Rowde had received "universal approval from pupils, parents, staff and villagers". This is probably true in the case of the first three groups, but most certainly

  • Dodgy PCT tactics?

    Today I attended the public meeting of the Kennet and North Wilts PCT at Devizes Town Hall, having only heard about it from a relative the previous evening. This information only became apparent when I was asked if I was going to attend the PCT

  • Heads will roll

    I read with interest the many letters about the chip and bin fiasco. Once again Kennet has got it all wrong. The residents should have been consulted before any of this cloak and dagger business took place. Kennet badly under-estimated public opinion

  • Rubbish reveals all

    Correspondents on the topic of the chips in wheelie bins are being a little disingenuous in their criticism. In acknowledging the apparent lack of transparency in advising the community of the existence of the chips, the fact of the matter is that

  • Chilly waste solution

    With reference to the letter from Toni Lawson-Hall (September 14), we have a simple way to deal with fish and meat bones in our bin. While they are still fresh we pop them into a plastic bag in the freezer. On bin day the frozen bag goes out with the

  • Protest will render the bullies impotent

    I read with a sinking heart the latest antics of our district council as expressed in recent letters. The many letters commenting on the farcical rubbish collection system dreamed up by Kennet officers express the despair of those on whom it is imposed

  • Family ripped apart

    Since your newspaper publicised the adulterous affair conducted between James Gray MP and my wife, I have been invited to comment to numerous national newspapers and other media. I have refused to do so. However, some of the comments made by the MP

  • Festivities end with carnival

    WOOTTON Bassett will be turned into a sea of colour on Saturday, as the town's annual carnival parade makes its way through the streets. The procession marks the highlight of two weeks of festivities. About 25 groups have entered the parade, which

  • Starring role for falconry

    VISITORS to Wootton Bassett's first ever country fair, which took place on Saturday, were treated to a breathtaking falconry display. Hundreds of people turned up throughout the day to enjoy one of the town's main carnival events. Organisers were

  • Outgoing PCTs call for a swift decision

    THE outgoing boards of Kennet and North Wiltshire and West Wiltshire Primary Care Trusts have said their successor organisation should take a swift decision on the Pathways for Change consultation. The boards agreed at a meeting last Thursday to let

  • Can’t have it all, says GP

    RETIRING Devizes GP Brian Jones says residents ought to accept that a future health facility will not have inpatient beds. Dr Jones, who was a partner at Lansdowne Surgery in Devizes, said: "The PCT can't provide all the facilities in all areas.

  • Mental care beds to go

    THE mental health trust in Wiltshire has agreed to close beds to enable more patients to be treated in the community. The decision follows three months of consultation which ran alongside the Primary Care Trust's Pathways for Change consultation.

  • X-ray use could be extended at centre

    PCT director Alison Knowles would be keen to extend the use of the X-ray facilities at the new treatment centre to be built next year at Green Lane, Devizes. The centre, to be be run by private company UK Specialist Hospitals, will carry out routine

  • Troubled theatre axes shows

    Swindon's Wyvern Theatre has had to cancel six more events as asbestos is cleared from the roof above the auditorium. The cancelled shows are next week's The Railway Children, Shakespeare for Kidz (October 2-3), Confetti (October 3), Barry Cryer (October

  • Mum dismayed by loss of respite care

    WIDOW Joan Cooper is devastated at the impending closure of the Middlefield Adult Training Centre in Chippenham. Mrs Cooper, 77, of Cloatley Road, Hankerton, relies on the centre to help take care of her disabled daughter Carolyn, 52. Carolyn has

  • I know my David can do it

    RYDER Cup mum Sally Pearce will get her first look at Dublin's K Club today. Yesterday the weather was wet and windy and while her son David Howell was having to brave the elements to practice his swing Mrs Pearce, like most of the other women in the

  • Who’s got the Power?

    SWINDON TOWN: SWINDON Town director Bob Holt says the club are still suffering a financial hangover' from their days in the Championship. The majority shareholders held a meeting last night, called by Bill Power's business partner Phil Emmel, to discuss

  • Stonehenge replica plan is rejected

    A PLAN to build a mighty new Stonehenge in north Wiltshire has been abandoned because of traffic problems and environmental impact. North Wiltshire's loss could end up as Salisbury's gain, however. A site in the south of the county has been put forward

  • Mystery metals find

    Police officers have recovered a number of mystery metal objects and are appealing for someone to come forward in a bid to identify them. Acting Sergeant Richard Tottle, of Chippenham Police station said: "We cannot tell what they are, or who they

  • Shy hero fights blaze

    A RELUCTANT hero who tried to fight a fire at Sainsbury's in Calne last week has remained modest about his effort to extinguish the fire that caused thousands of pounds of damage and shut the store for three days. The store worker grabbed an extinguisher

  • Onlookers watch police

    POLICE response to a reported burglary at Threshers wine merchants in Devizes Market Place on Monday night attracted onlookers. About 50 watched as officers examined a damaged skylight while a helicopter hovered overhead. Police were called to the

  • Remember your school friends

    FORMER pupils of Devizes School are being sought for two different reunions. The first reunion is for those who left the school's fifth year in 1983 or the sixth form in 1985. This has been organised by Amanda Mouland, Jenny Smith, Mary Edwards and

  • Help for special playgroup

    SPRINGBOARD pre-school in Chippenham was presented with a cheque for over £600 on Monday by West Kington Nurseries. The plant wholesalers raised the money for the special needs playgroup through the sale of catalogues and other activities. Springboard

  • MP joins pupils for healthy school meal

    While Jamie Oliver renews his crusade for better food in Britain's schools, North Wiltshire MP James Gray and Wiltshire Chief Constable Martin Richards have been tucking into healthy school dinners. On Tuesday Mr Gray dropped into Redland School while

  • Horse dentist over limit

    Eminent horse dentist Bertram Abel-Smith has been banned from driving for 12 months after failing a breath test following a crash in Upavon. Abel-Smith, 68, admitted drink driving when he appeared before magistrates in Devizes on Tuesday. The court

  • Red card for wardens

    STATIONERY shop owner Anthony Smith has banned traffic wardens from his store in Calne after getting a parking ticket. Mr Smith of SPS Stationery was issued a ticket while he loaded his car with cardboard to take to the nearby recycling centre. He

  • Man fights for life

    A MAN who suffered serious head injuries after being hit by a skip lorry just yards from his home in Calne yesterday remains in a serious condition in hospital. The accident happened in London Road at about 11.35am yesterday. This morning he was still

  • Crash road investigated

    WILTSHIRE police are investigating how traffic on the A338 south of Burbage can be slowed down. This follows three accidents within yards of each other last Wednesday and Thursday. An articulated lorry crashed on to its side as it travelled north towards

  • Cyclist raises cash for Gateway Club

    DEDICATED fundraiser Robert Thatcher, 34, has raised £1,700 for the Chippenham Gateway Club. Mr Thatcher of Ashfield Road, Chippenham, cycled from Bath to Bitton and back - a round trip of around ten miles. He cycled with friends Margaret and Doug

  • Parents confused on child seat law

    PARENTS had some help learning about the new child car seat laws when an expert from Halfords dropped in at the Key Day Nursery in Chippenham to give some advice. From this Monday all children under 12 who are less then 135cm tall have to use a child

  • Neighbour in punch-up

    DEVIZES lorry driver John Kyle assaulted his neighbour after problems came to a head earlier this month, magistrates heard on Tuesday. Kyle, 39, who lives in a flat above The Brittox, kicked in the neighbour's door and hit him in the mouth. But

  • Appeal on road rage blockade

    POLICE arrested a man after a road rage incident in Upavon on Sunday. They have not identified the man, who lives near Andover. He was later released while police inquiries continue. Police said the man had been arrested on suspicion of making a threat

  • World climate expert to give talk

    ONE of Britain's leading experts on climate change is giving a talk at Marlborough Town Hall on Tuesday at 7.30pm. Professor Brian Hoskins' latest predictions on major problems the world is facing due to climate change have made headline news this

  • Now we’ll charge to collect plastic

    KENNET District Council is facing another PR disaster in the wake of the chip in the bin fiasco by looking to charge for the recycling of cardboard and plastic. That was the message delivered at a meeting of Kennet's community development executive

  • Tories field calls over affair

    ROGER Miller, the chairman of the North Wiltshire Conservative Association, says he has been fielding phone calls about Mr Gray's future as North Wiltshire MP since last week. Mr Miller, is responsible for gathering the views of members. The 64-

  • Husband’s attack on MP

    THE husband whose wife had an affair with MP James Gray has written to the Gazette attacking him. Last week Mr Gray, 52, admitted to the Gazette he has had a relationship with 44-year-old countryside campaigner Philippa Mayo for the past 19 months

  • Appeal for stallholders

    CHERHILL Toddler Group is on the lookout for stall holders for its Christmas shopping evening. The event, at the village hall, will go towards funding new play equipment for the group which recently moved from the village hall to a new site at the

  • Confused driver rams window

    A woman driver was a little too keen to get her groceries on Sunday when she accidentally rammed a shop window. The smash happened at 10.30am on Sunday as the woman, who has not been named, visited One Stop in Amberly Close, Calne. Her car, a Kia

  • Throat op singer is back on track

    SINGER Gabby Young is back on track to record her second album after taking time out at her Hilmarton home when she was diagnosed with cancer. The 22-year-old was diagnosed with thyroid cancer last month after finding a lump on her throat. After

  • Such a lovely, friendly girl

    STAFF at the Harrow Inn, Wanborough, have been devastated by the tragic death of 17-year-old waitress Lorna Gibbison. The body of Miss Gibbison, whose family live in Bishopstone, was discovered by workmen in the courtyard at the side of Alexander House

  • Distraction burglary warning

    POLICE are urging homeowners to be vigilant after £200 was stolen from a house in Hullavington during a distraction burglary. A man knocked at the door at the home of a 62-year-old woman in Newtown at about 1.15pm on Thursday, September 14. The

  • Walkers in good heart

    THE British Heart Foundation is set to receive a boost of hundreds of pounds after people in Malmesbury put on their walking boots in aid of the charity. About 15 people, as well as two dogs, took part in Sunday's Hearts First Walk around the town

  • Caught in the middle

    HOMEOWNER Geoff Oades says he is having to paint his windows because of a vendetta being waged by the council against the developer who built his home. Mr Oades and his wife fell in love with the four bedroom house in Jarvis Street, Upavon, that had

  • Help at hand to cut ribbon

    MICHAEL Ancram, MP and former Conservative Party chairman, went back to school on Friday. He was invited to the official opening of a new extension that has doubled the size of Easton Royal village school. Mr Ancram was one of a number of guests who

  • Brave shop worker beats off attacker

    COURAGEOUS Shelley Jones from Chippenham spoke of her horror after fighting off an attacker on her way home from work last Thursday evening. The gutsy 20 year old was grabbed from behind by a man as she walked home from her job in Sainsbury's at 10pm

  • Wardens drive Ed festival out of town

    The organisers of the Eddie Cochran Festival say they are backing out of Chippenham because of its poor facilities and over-officious new parking wardens. Gwen Hale and Ken Hersey say the Olympiad doesn't match up in terms of parking and catering.

  • Tree group objects to Tory logo

    THE political party formed in the wake of the destruction of five plane trees in Devizes Market Place is objecting to the new Tory logo. The Guardians, formed after the trees were felled amid vigorous opposition in 2001, says the new Tory logo is too

  • Good start to festival

    Mayor Don Jones announced the winners of the photography and art competition at the start of the second Devizes Food and Drink Festival on Monday. Jenny Cox and Karen Goodman won the adult classes and George Combe, Marcus Crosskey and Kayleigh Davies

  • Cross destroyed

    Parish council chairman Peter Paget has hit out at vandals who destroyed Bromham's Millennium Cross some time on Saturday night. Villagers found the concrete cross, created by Heddington sculptor Chris Fixsen for the Millennium in 2000, had been either

  • Parents’ agony

    THE parents of 17-year-old Lorna Gibbison have issued an emotional appeal for information on her unexplained death. The popular teenager was found on Monday morning in a courtyard at the side of Alexander House, Fleming Way. Police still do not know

  • Carnival racers put best feet forward

    GOING by the support for Pewsey Carnival events so far, the turn-out for Saturday's procession is going to be better than ever. This year new events have been introduced to add extra variety to one of the West's oldest and biggest carnivals. Saturday's

  • ‘We were sold down the river’

    FIREfighters whose careers have been brought to a premature end by allegations of racism and theft say some of their colleagues betrayed them. A 12-month investigation into allegations of racism and theft has ended the careers of eight long serving

  • Firemen drafted in to plug the gap

    WILTSHIRE fire chiefs are having to bring in cover from the other side of the county and pay for overnight hotel bills in a bid to keep Marlborough's fire station up to strength. Only 12 firefighters are currently available to provide 24 hour cover

  • TV cuts out nudist pair

    OWNERS of Abbey House Gardens Ian and Barbara Pollard were left disappointed when an upcoming television appearance was cancelled at the last minute. Mr and Mrs Pollard, dubbed the Naked Gardeners, had gone to London on Tuesday to film for ITV's Sharon

  • In the Army now

    SIXTH formers at Malmesbury School were put through their paces at an Army leadership day yesterday. Members of the Glos, Wilts and Berks regiment spent a morning at the school, running team-building exercises. The pupils had to undertake physical

  • CCTV is too costly, says town council

    PLANS for CCTV in Malmesbury are expected to be shelved at a meeting tonight, despite police saying a camera system would be of huge benefit. Town councillors, the police and other community groups have been working for nearly two years to put a scheme

  • Lord of Rings letter bonus

    A LETTER written by Lord of the Rings author J R R Tolkien to two fans fetched £1,600 at Aldridge's auction sale in Devizes on Saturday. A sale of Titanic memorabilia is due to take place on Saturday, September 30, and bids from across the world are

  • Sex attack on girl in play area

    VILLAGERS at Bromham near Devizes are reeling at the news that police are investigating the sexual assault of a young girl last Friday evening. The first residents knew of the incident was when scenes-of-crime officers sealed off part of the Pound

  • Police coax down man a second time

    THE man who staged a rooftop vigil for two days in Semington was talked down from a similar situation in Devizes three years ago. Ross Lee Grant, 32, appeared in court on Tuesday when he pleaded guilty to criminal damage to a roof, theft of a CD player

  • Serviceman killed at blackspot

    A THIRD RAF man has died on a notorious stretch of road at Dauntsey Lock. Harry Edwards, 20, from RAF Lyneham died when his Black Honda Accord crashed at Swalletts Gate Corner on the B4069 at around 6pm on Monday. His car then hit a telegraph pole

  • Man crushed in skip lorry crash

    A MAN who suffered serious head injuries after being hit by a skip lorry just yards from his home in Calne was today still in a critical condition. The accident happened in London Road at about 11.35am on Wednesday. The man, who was left unconscious

  • Recipe - Black Forest Brownies

    Bored of store-bought biscuits? Here's two new books to help. Linda Collister's new book Brownies has everything from classic takes on the chocolatey square to more exotic renditions like Cranberry and Dark Chocolate. Another new book, Cookies , is

  • Film review - Clerks II (15)

    THE sequel to the 1994 low budget feature which made Kevin Smith's name has quite a sweet story beneath the gross out humour. Amid the geeky film references and in-jokes, fast food worker Brian O'Halloran flirts with new boss Rosario Dawson. But will

  • Film review - Dirty Sanchez: The Movie (18)

    WHATEVER you do, don't eat before seeing this. The big screen version of the MTV show, in which four Welshmen try to outdo each other in a series of sick practical jokes and unpalatable dares, is full of scenes guranteed to make you ill. I can't think

  • Film review - Children of Men (15)

    ALFONSO Cuaron's last film was Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. This one is still set in the realms of fantasy - but only just. It takes place in a near future where women are unable to conceive and the world is at war with itself. Clive

  • Sarah and I just want to sort our lives in peace

    James Gray has spoken of his sadness at his affair in his weekly Gazette column, and has added his determination to continue his duties his his constituency. I hope that my constituents will in the fullness of time come to realise my very great sadness