Review of the year: Summer heatwave then refugee crisis

Devizes man Nick Seager, 75, completed a gruelling charity challenge that took him from Land’s Ends to John O’Groats in July. He battled heavy rain and bad weather on his final stretch through Scotland, but didn’t let that dampen his spirits.

He said: “What an amazing 23 days where family, old friends and new friends joined with me for the experience of a lifetime. Thank you!”

A speeding driver, who reached speeds of 110mph, was snared by police after a dramatic chase. Jimmy Conely sped between lanes during the police pursuit in and around the Marlborough area.

Coneley, 25, of Marlborough Road, Royal Wootton Bassett, was arrested at the scene. He appeared at Swindon Crown Court for sentencing and was jailed for eight months.

An unruly mob who took over a Melksham pub garden left carnage in their wake. Bits of roofing could be seen crashing onto furniture below at the Water Meadow in Melksham as a crowd jumped up and down on tables, bashing the outdoor cover with their fists.

Tables were overturned and copious amounts of glass smashed during England’s Euro 2020 match against Ukraine.

A crackdown on anti-social behaviour at Devizes beauty spots began, after major concerns were raised by the community. Peaceful Hillworth Park has been subject to deliberate arson, fights and drug taking this year.

At Broadleas Woods, some older members of the community were too scared to leave their homes following reports of young people carrying knives. Police asked that the town council install CCTV to help monitor the problem.

READ MORE: Review of the year: Spring sees some lucky escapes

Temperatures in Wiltshire could reach 29C, forecasters predicted. Clear sunshine beamed over the county. The warmer weather followed yellow weather warnings and torrential rain earlier.

Great Western Hospital saw a significant rise in Covid patients as a third wave was underway. The hospital said that despite the numbers being lower than the first and second waves, they expected the numbers to increase.

There were 10 patients being treated at the hospital with either confirmed or suspected Covid. Two wards were converted into dedicated Covid-19 areas to help staff cope with the increasing amount of Covid patients.

Two Wiltshire kebab vans were finalists in the British Kebab Awards 2021. Sammy’s Kebab Van in Calne and Mo’s Best Kebab in Trowbridge were both nominated earlier in the year in the ‘Kebab Van of the Year’ category, both were finalists pitted against kebab shops in Oxford, Cheltenham and Cambridge.

A local company submitted an application to Wiltshire Council for a licence to operate a sex establishment in Westbury in September. Comus Leisure Ltd aimed to operate the facility at its premises in Quartermaster Road on the West Wilts Trading Estate.

Comus Leisure has run the Venom Nightclub and the Players Club in Westbury after buying them in 2011. It was not clear from the application whether Mr White plans to turn the premises into a lap dancing club or a swingers’ club.

A petition signed by more than 300 was launched to protect the environment as Wiltshire Council planned to build Silverwood School in an area “rich in wildlife”.
Tessa Woodward, who started the Change.org petition, said the plans to extend the

Rowde school for additional needs pupils is in the worst possible place. She claimed that the extension is “smack bang” in the middle of where badgers commute and will take away from where rare Bechstein’s bats roost.

PCC Philip Wilkinson

Wiltshire’s Police & Crime Commissioner stood behind his Surrey counterpart in attacking the LGBTQ+ charity, Stonewall.

Lisa Townsend, the PCC for Surrey said that Stonewall had become “a well-funded lobby group for a dangerous ideology that threatens the safety of our women and girls.”

Three other Conservative PCCs went on record to agree with Ms Townsend’s opinions on the organisation – including the newly-elected PCC for Wiltshire, Philip Wilkinson.

He said: “I will not support any organisation that promotes a narrow ideology that is exclusive, divisive and potentially dangerous. I therefore agree entirely with the sentiments expressed by Lisa Townsend. 

“Like her, I do not believe that the vast majority of women in this country wish to allow biological men into their private enclosed spaces such as women’s prisons and female toilets.”

Stress-related absences by Wiltshire Council staff increased by nearly a third in a few months. Between April and June stress-related absences among staff at the council rose by 31 per cent compared with the previous quarter. 

Stress has also contributed to 43 per cent of total absence days during the same period.

The council’s quarterly workforce report, stated the rise is from children’s and adult social care, joint commission and IT.

Robbie Williams announced he was selling his period house at the edge of Compton Bassett for £6.75m - £1.35m less than he bought it for. 

Compton Bassett House was where he and his actress wife Ayda ‘truly fell in love’, the Angels singer reflected. The couple added the estate to their portfolio of properties in 2008.

They still have their Holland Park house in London, their Beverley Hills home and their Switzerland lodge.

A new play area for children with special needs opened in Chippenham. Springboard Chippenham’s new outdoor play area had its ribbon-cutting ceremony with charity patron Marchioness of Lansdowne.

The refurbished play area includes a climbing tower, slide, trampoline and two outdoor classrooms.

More to follow.