Archive

  • Swindon face a vital match

    Swindon entertain local rivals Wootton Bassett at the County Ground on Saturday in another crucial Division 1 fixture. While the visitors are already relegated, they will be eager to ensure Swindon join them in Glos/Wilts Division 2 next season, and a

  • Mean and Mooney!

    TOMMY MOONEY is determined to turn the County Ground into a fortress as he bids to become Town's match-winning hero for the third successive game. On the eve of Town's home clash with Notts County, the striker has also revealed that the words of a former

  • Searching for first victory of the season

    CHIPPENHAM face a tough test on Saturday when they entertain a new look Chelmsford City side at Hardenhuish Park. The Essex club, who share a ground with Billericay Town, appointed Steve Mosely as new manager following the resignation of former Manchester

  • United Milk in jeopardy

    UNITED MILK: THE MULTI-MILLION pound United Milk plant has gone into receivership, threatening the livelihoods of hundreds of dairy farmers and leaving the axe looming over 125 jobs. Bosses at the farmer-owned plant in Westbury called in receivers PricewaterhouseCoopers

  • Galas galore for Wiltshire bowls fans

    WILTSHIRE Bowlers Joint Council will be holding their annual mixed galas on Sunday. They will be staged at three venues around the county at Amesbury, Chippenham Town and Swindon Bowling Club. This highly successful annual event has in the past raised

  • Carnival is much more than just a procession

    Ref. 27184-21THOUSANDS of people lined the streets of Melksham as the 2003 carnival procession weaved through town. Floats ranging from the Melksham skate park campaign to majorette troupes and the Wiltshire Times vintage bus made up part of the annual

  • Prisoner of War and farmer reunited

    A GERMAN prisoner of war and the Wiltshire farmer who employed him have been reunited after more than 55 years. Ron Wiltshire, 84, who owns and runs Loiterton Farm, Seend, instantly recognised Hubert Gibhard when they met again on Saturday. He said: "

  • Family holds charity event

    A MOTORBIKE enthusiast killed in a horrific road crash in Melksham is remembered every year at a special fundraising event. Family and friends have raised thousands of pounds for Wiltshire Air Ambulance in memory of 36-year-old Paul Hanks. He died in

  • Congestion fear over 22-home plan

    CIVIC leaders in Melksham have criticised a developer's plans to build houses on an industrial site in the town centre because they do not feel there is enough room. Box-based developer Charles Tull wants to replace industrial units in Stratton's Walk

  • Store evacuated after fire starts in toilet

    Ref. 27191-3A SUPERMARKET manager has blamed bored schoolchildren for an arson attack at a Melksham supermarket. Shoppers and staff were evacuated from Somerfield when a fire broke out in a toilet around 3.30pm on Monday. Up to 100 people were forced

  • United Milk faces some sour times

    UNITED Milk, the largest processing plant in the UK, has gone into administrative receivership. The plant in Westbury, employs about 125 people and has a yearly turnover of over £100 million. Roger Marsh, joint administrative receiver, said: "We shall

  • Manufacturing not washed up

    WITH workers at Dyson's Malmesbury factory still reeling from the firm's shock announcement that washing machine production will now move to Malaysia, the Confederation of British Industry has announced that UK manufacturers are at last beginning to see

  • Police hunt for truth in Melanie case

    SEVEN years have passed since Bradford on Avon woman Melanie Hall disappeared from a Bath nightclub but police have drawn a blank in their latest high-profile inquiry. Detectives and Melanie's parents now fear they may never discover what happened to

  • Dates for kerbside recycling

    START dates for a kerbside re-cycling trial to be launched in west Wiltshire towns have been announced. The £1m Rubbish Raiders scheme is bringing the service to 57,500 Wiltshire homes over a two-month period. The scheme is being introduced by the Wiltshire

  • Future is bleak for sick girl

    THE family of Charlotte Wakeham, who has an inoperable brain tumour, believe they may have reached the end of the road in their search for a cure. The future looks bleak for the eight-year-old Westbury girl who was diagnosed with the rare brain tumour

  • How business turned sour

    Chief Executive Don MorrisUNITED MILK: MILK bosses hailed the multi-million pound United Milk factory as a 'milestone for farming' when it was launched last year. The state-of-the-art £45m factory in Northacre Industrial Park, Westbury was considered

  • MP says rail fight not over

    SAVE OUR TRAIN: WEST WILTS MP Andrew Murrison believes there is still time to save a west Wiltshire train service threatened with the axe. Dr Murrison believes the buck stops with Arriva Trains, the new service franchisee, and hopes bosses can be convinced

  • Captain's day and anniversary celebrations go hand in hand

    Chippenham Park Bowls Club annual captain's day on Saturday was doubly significant as it was the latest in a long of line of events used to celebrate their 80th anniversary. The club has been an important part of the community since its formation in June

  • Farmer plans organic shop

    AN organic farmer from Warminster is planning to turn an old barn into a shop to increase meat sales. Mark Houghton-Brown plans to convert a barn into a butcher's shop at his premises in Lower Pertwood Farm, Brixton Deverill. The farm produces lamb, beef

  • Mencap donation

    Warminster's Help the Aged shop has given £500 to the the town's Mencap Gateway Club to help them buy disability equipment. The Mencap club is one of a number of UK groups to receive a Help the Aged Community Grant Award. So far the scheme has seen over

  • Novelist guest of honour at Corsley

    BEST-SELLING novelist Joanna Trollope will be presenting the prizes when the Corsley Show marks its 85th anniversary on Bank Holiday Monday. The famous author, who lives in Gloucestershire, will be guest of honour at the show on Corsley Heath, which is

  • 'Hands off my men' says Town manager

    Neil Kirkpatrick has expressed his disappointment over the way some Western League managers have attempted to prise his players away. The Trowbridge manager has watched his side get off to a successful start to the season but admits he is concerned about

  • Justice for Zoe may be served this year

    THE family of murdered schoolgirl Zoe Evans could know by Christmas how long the nine year old's killer will remain behind bars. In a letter to west Wiltshire MP Andrew Murrison, Home Office officials confirmed murderer Miles Evans' tariff would be one

  • Goal-hungry pair keep up strike rate

    WILTSHIRE FOOTBALL LEAGUE: Warminster Town continued their impressive start to the season on Saturday after goals from their two front men gave them a 2-1 victory against Aldbourne. Craig Lewis and Dave Watkins have started the season in prolific mood

  • Melksham boss still confident

    Nigel Tripp insists he is not panicking despite seeing his side get off to a poor start to the season. Melksham have now lost their opening two games but the Town manager believes he has seen enough positive signs to be confident about the season ahead

  • Teenager Tom stakes a claim

    SCREWFIX DIRECT LEAGUE: Tom Welch, 17, is pushing for a place in Westbury's starting line up against Weston St John this Saturday after impressing as a substitute in the weekend's 3-2 defeat. The teenager, who signed for Westbury from Warminster this

  • Waylen's leg break horror

    Melksham Town's match at Paulton on Monday night was delayed by almost 45 minutes after Tim Waylen suffered a badly broken leg. The second half was only minutes old when Waylen was left in agony on the ground after a 50-50 challenge with Paulton's Steve

  • A stark warning to bodybuilders

    GYM manager Rob Karn has warned bodybuilders in Swindon that they are putting their lives at risk by taking performance enhancing drugs like insulin. The warning comes after an inquest into the death of former British go-karting champion Jon Daltrey,

  • Youngsters are right on song at workshop

    Ref. 27190-3POP hopefuls from Bradford on Avon were put through their paces this week during a two-day workshop at the Wiltshire Music Centre. Up to 32 seven to 14 year olds honed their dance steps, practiced their scales and learnt many of the technical

  • Anger as Battle for Waterloo hits buffers

    Wiltshire Times - Save our Train Which of these inconsistent statements concerning the Waterloo service are the people of west Wiltshire to believe? "If the new operator of the Wales & Borders franchise believed that there was a commercial case for

  • Swamped by piles of useless paperwork

    I am the treasurer of a day care centre in Trowbridge and my life is being made an absolute misery by the amount of paperwork I'm now getting. This is also making it difficult to recruit volunteers especially treasurers, secretaries and organisers. Who

  • No easy answers

    ANY paper that trumpets across its front page that a paedophile has been 'caged' is more interested in rabble-rousing (and selling papers) than in news as such. This is confirmed in your Opinion column when you state "people have the right to know when

  • GCSE Exam Results: Ridgeway School

    Ridgeway headteacher Elizabeth Cooper said the school's results reflected the commitment of pupils and teachers. "Today is the day to acknowledge their achievements," she said. Robert Buckby, from Wanborough, wants to become an engineer or an architect

  • GCSE Exam Results: Didn't they do well!

    IT was a day of smiles and surprises as Swindon's teenagers received their GCSE results. Nationally more pupils failed their GCSEs than last year, leading one headteacher to suggest pupils take more work-related courses instead. The gap between boys and

  • GCSE Exam Results: Headlands School

    A DIFFICULT year for Headlands School ended on a bright note when the school's GCSE result shot up by 25 per cent. The Cricklade Road secondary school has now smashed through the target of 20 per cent of pupils studying at the school picking up five GCSEs

  • What a hoot! Do you think we're bird brains?

    They may look like birds of a feather but one is completely plume-free. This plastic owl, fixed to the bridge near Debenhams and the Thistle Hotel, in Swindon, was designed to scare off roosting pigeons. But judging by the pigeon taking a breather on

  • It's Mark to the rescue!

    The Evening Advertiser stepped in to help a pensioner after a major electrical company revealed that it had gone into receivership. Powerhouse, the UK's third biggest electrical retailer, which has three stores in Swindon, announced that 813 jobs nationwide

  • A stark warning to bodybuilders

    GYM manager Rob Karn has warned bodybuilders in Swindon that they are putting their lives at risk by taking performance enhancing drugs like insulin. The warning comes after an inquest into the death of former British go-karting champion Jon Daltrey,

  • The Brains of Britain!

    TWO girls from the same Swindon school have finished among the top five pupils in the country in their GCSE exams. Joanna Segesser and Claudia Woszczyk, both 16, are pupils at St Joseph's RC School in Nythe Road and finished among the elite in the subjects

  • Office in bomb scare drama

    Ref. 13958-4SCOTLAND Yard detectives are taking over the investigation into a bomb hoax at the Trowbridge offices of a national child welfare service. The bomb threat was one of 90 similar hoaxes at offices of the Child and Family Court Advisory Service

  • Cattery loses one of its boarders

    A COUPLE from North Bradley returned from a holiday in America to find their pet cat had been missing from a cattery for nearly a fortnight. Julie Richards, 28, and her fianc Chris Jones, 29, returned from their family holiday in California to find a

  • Green fingered teens work on project

    Ref. 13969TEENAGERS equipped with spades and shovels have started work on the centrepiece of the Sensory Garden in Trowbridge. There are plans to put a water feature at the heart of the garden behind the old Town Hall and youngsters from the town started

  • Police look for witness

    POLICE are hoping to contact a man who witnessed a serious night-time assault in Trowbridge. The man, who was wearing a red T-shirt with the number 10 in white letters on the front, was in Fore Street at midnight on Thursday when the attack took place

  • Safety call as blow-out blamed for accident

    Ref. 13962-2A WOMAN escaped serious injury after her car nose-dived into a hedge near Trowbridge. The accident happened during the Monday morning rush hour as the woman was driving her Chrysler Voyager along the A350 near Stoney Gutter. A burst rear-tyre

  • Strip-fest wrestlers

    FEMALE wrestlers are getting to grips with each other in a Trowbridge strip-fest this month. Two grappling girls will fight down to their underwear at the Civic Hall next Friday but promoters have billed the evening as a family night. The all-female bout

  • Pest control experts say 'rats are on rise'

    PEST control experts have warned Trowbridge residents that rat numbers are on the up with more rodents venturing out in daylight hours. Although West Wiltshire District Council statistics suggest the rodent population remains at a steady level, more people

  • All the weekend's local football fixtures

    FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round Selected ties:Brackley Tn v Hullbridge Sports; Carterton Tn v Hungerford Tn; Didcot Tn v Ramsgate; Frome Tn v Tuffley Rov; Great Yarmouth Tn v Southall Tn; Highworth Tn v Shortwood Utd; St Margaretsbury v Henley Tn; Devizes

  • Judge issues warrant

    A judge has issued a warrant for the arrest of a Trowbridge woman who is accused of theft and deception. Jayne Knight failed to turn up at Swindon crown court to answer charges relating to the alleged theft and use of a benefit book. The 38-year-old is

  • Blues looking for first win

    AFTER two tough opening games Chippenham Town remain unbeaten, but manager Tommy Saunders now hopes to turn battling draws into victories. After 1-1 stalemates with Premier Division favourites Nuneaton and title hopefuls Tiverton, the visit of Chelmsford

  • A bright future for Vics

    MALMESBURY Vics have been handed a massive boost ahead of their Hellenic League clash with Adderbury Park tomorrow after receiving a grant to install floodlights at the Flying Monk ground. The Football Foundation have given the club £45,000 to pay for

  • Castrol rev up for Vale visit

    Chiseldon Castrol received a boost in midweek with a 2-0 away win over Malmesbury Vics and manager Graham Clements is looking forward to entertaining Pewsey Vale this weekend, writes RAY BURROUGHS. "It will be good to get back to back wins, something

  • Tom bolsters Dyton dream

    Shrivenham boss Alan Dyton has boosted the club's title hopes by swooping to sign former Swindon Town star Tom Jones. The veteran midfielder has been tempted to join Dyton's revolution as the club continue to press for a place in the Hellenic Premier

  • Future is bright

    Finally, cynics will not be able to claim GCSE exams are getting easier because, this year, national results showed no improvement. We have all grown tired of people whingeing, year after year, that standards are dropping. Hopefully, critics will be silenced

  • Investments go down the drain

    The dream has turned sour for dairy farmers across west and north Wiltshire now United Milk has called in the receivers. Last May the doomed £45m factory was heralded as the future of dairy production with hundreds of farmers investing hard-earned cash

  • New for November

    FOR 2004 the 911 GT2 has been revised, creating the most powerful road-going version of the 911 yet, with a maximum output of 483 bhp (355 kW 21 bhp (15 kW) more than the previous model. Increased performance has been achieved by development of the electronic

  • Is there a better diesel?

    Nissan has thrown all its toys at the dCi upping the range to create a new top spec T-spec version. It's the most comprehensively equipped car Nissan has ever sold in the UK since the launch of the 2.0-litre petrol T-spec, that is. The T of T-spec stands

  • Spark has lasted for 50 years

    A Swindon couple who returned to the town after living all over the world are celebrating 50 years of marriage today. Roy King, 72, met Grace Bryant, 69, while working at Plessey's, Kembrey Street, Swindon, in the late summer of 1952. Grace was a clerk

  • College chief masters multi-tasking

    A SWINDON College chief is proving that you never stop learning. Despite never having gone to university, the college's associate director of estates, Nigel Wichall, 36, from Haydon Wick, has been awarded a Master of Business Administration in Educational

  • Map to cycle by

    A NEW map of Swindon will help cyclists navigate their way around town. The free map contains the latest cycle tracks and details of parking racks in the town. The Swindon Cycle Map and Guide also includes information on bicycle maintenance and details

  • Sponsored walk to aid orthopaedic department

    A sponsored walk is planned around Coate Water to raise funds for equipment in the Great Western Hospital's orthopaedic department. Staff at the hospital will be joining former orthopaedic patients on a one-mile walk on Sunday, September 7. The department

  • Helping people at their lowest ebb in life

    Graham Lymn manages the Oxford, Swindon and Gloucester Co-op Funeral Group and started working in the funeral business aged 17. Based in Highworth, he is also president of the Funeral Standards Council, a national organisation which oversees how funeral

  • Bowls club plans memorial day for stalwart

    A BOWLING club is to mark the passing of one of its longest-playing members with a special bowls memorial day. Retired rail passenger guard Sydney Powell, 79, joined Rodbourne Cheney Bowling Club in 1967 and was involved in all aspects of the club's activities

  • Swindon social pioneer of the 70s has died

    A CHURCH of England clergyman who quit full-time preaching and became one of Swindon's first social development officers, has died in Oxford after a long illness. He was 78. The Rev Andrew Hake came to the town in 1970 after more than ten years in Nairobi

  • Council worried by possibility of job losses in the county

    A SENIOR North Wiltshire District Councillor is disappointed that Dyson is proposing to move the final assembly of its washing machines to Malaysia, as reported in yesterday's Evening Advertiser. Coun Christine Reid, lead member for regeneration, said

  • Why Christmas can be sheer murder!

    HERCULE Poirot has been found aboard the Caerphilly Castle at the Steam Museum as he attempts to solve a murder mystery. The fictional Belgian detective made famous by actor David Suchet in the television series of the same name is set to return to Swindon

  • Round-up of Swindon's other schools

    David Williams, headteacher of Kingsdown School, said: "Our results are better than ever in the school's history, the students have done exceptionally well. "We had a record turnout of students coming to collect their results, out of 227 students 220

  • Big hugs and happy smiles:Churchfields School

    IT was another year of success at Churchfields School, with results continuing to rise. Headteacher Steve Flavin declared himself delighted with the school's results. Hetal Patel gained eight A grades with four at A*, and Sophie Knott hopes to study medicine

  • Big hugs and happy smiles: St Joseph's RC School

    St Joseph's RC School is celebrating after two of its star pupils were ranked in the country's top five. Joanna Segesser and Claudia Woszczyk, both 16, gained two of the highest possible marks in Religious Education and English, respectively. Claudia

  • GCSE Exam Results: Emily and Philippa

    Emily Peat, of Freshbrook, is well on the way to achieving her goal of becoming a vet, having scored five A*s and six As. "I'm very, very happy," said the 16-year-old. "I did loads of revision." Emily is to study chemistry, biology, maths and psychology

  • Good, honest family fun

    Last held in 1939, the return of the GWR Children's Fete in Faringdon Road Park on August 9, was something to be welcomed, not just because it drew attention to the Mechanics Institute building. Rock concerts are great for teenagers, but to my mind the

  • Skateboard park is not a risky business

    Who would have thought Swindon needed an ice rink? This may seem a strange question, but some 18 years ago Swindon Council decided that's exactly what the town wanted. Councillors should be congratulated on their foresight. The huge financial risks associated

  • Wiltshire Cricket League fixtures tomorrow

    Division One: Westinghouse v Calne; Beanacre v Biddestone; Burbage & ER v Purton; Potterne v Nationwide House; Collingbourne v Bath Civil Service. Division Two: Buscot Park v Great Bedwyn; Cooper-Avon Tyres v Cherhill; Highworth v Urchfont; Sutton

  • Cool Powell leaves hosts on the rack

    Michael Powell made a patient 90 for Glamorgan on an intriguing third day of the Frizzell County Championship Division Two match with fellow promotion hopefuls Gloucestershire at Bristol. Adrian Dale, Matthew Maynard and David Hemp all shared in partnerships

  • Andrews returns to Bluebirds

    CHIPPENHAM Town manager Tommy Saunders has brought former Bluebirds favourite Shane Andrews back to the club to add defensive cover. Andrews said an emotional farewell to the Chippenham faithful after the final game of last season at Halesowen and joined

  • Story session

    Children had the chance to get interactive at a storytelling session held at Westbury library on Tuesday. Nearly 30 children and 10 parents joined in a tale of Minotaurs and Mazes by Westbury storyteller Sue Hall. Tina Ellis, library assistant, said:

  • Pollutants increase as tyre-burning continues

    AIR pollutants have increased in Westbury since tyre-burning was first launched at Lafarge but environmental officers believe the rise in toxins could be down to a series of coincidences. Recent statistics reveal dangerous toxins in the air such as sulphur

  • Future is bleak for sick girl

    THE family of Charlotte Wakeham, who has an inoperable brain tumour, believe they may have reached the end of the road in their search for a cure. The future looks bleak for the eight-year-old Westbury girl who was diagnosed with the rare brain tumour

  • How business turned sour

    Chief Executive Don MorrisUNITED MILK: MILK bosses hailed the multi-million pound United Milk factory as a 'milestone for farming' when it was launched last year. The state-of-the-art £45m factory in Northacre Industrial Park, Westbury was considered

  • Jobs to go as company moves

    TYCO Thermal Controls (UK) Ltd, of Faraday Road, Dorcan, is relocating to Washington, Tyne and Weir with the loss of eight jobs. The company, which supplies trace-heating systems to the petro-chem, power generation and utilities markets, employs a 30-

  • £3.2m facelift for Marriott

    WHITBREAD Hotel Company is investing £3.2 million in Swindon's Marriott Hotel. The refurbishment, which has already started, will see all 156 bedrooms revamped New to the bedrooms are in-room safes and air-conditioning. In addition, all bedrooms, the

  • Study to decide route for canal

    CAMPAIGNERS fighting to bring a stretch of canal through the centre of Melksham are anxiously awaiting the outcome of a study to determine the project's future. The £6,000 study, which will look into the possible environmental effects of bringing the

  • Skaters roll on

    TEENAGERS in Melksham are helping to keep funds rolling in for a long-awaited skatepark in the town. Around 40 youngsters took part in a sponsored skate-athon at the Canberra building in Spa Road to raise some of the £7,000 needed before work can start

  • Jobs to go at call centre

    A CALL centre in Melksham will close next year because bosses cannot afford to keep it open. Managers have told 15 workers at the Kingsbury Square based Sarsen Call Centre to find new jobs before next spring. The call centre, an emergency alarm service

  • Ladies shake their bellies at dance club

    Ref. 27177-2A BELLY-DANCING enthusiast has set up a club for like-minded 40 to 60 year olds in a village near Melksham. Angela Cranton is encouraging women to shake their bodies during weekly sessions at Whitley Reading Rooms. Eight people have taken

  • Cash crisis could force pre-school to shut down

    Ref. 13830A pre-school in Melksham could be forced to close because its landlord is refusing to pay a crippling bill for vital repairs. Staff from Canberra pre-school held crisis talks with Wiltshire County Council on Tuesday because they cannot afford

  • Heat proves good business

    SOARING temperatures have resulted in record demand for a tool-hire company's climate control products. Due to increased demand, Hire Station, which has three branches in Wiltshire including one in Hobley Drive, Swindon, has invested £250,000 in 1,000

  • Canal at heart of tourism

    THE Kennet and Avon Canal brings £26m a year into the local economy and provides jobs for 1,000 people, new research published today reveals. The Economic Impact of the Restoration of the Kennet and Avon Canal shows the Reading to Bath route to be at

  • United Milk in jeopardy

    UNITED MILK: THE MULTI-MILLION pound United Milk plant has gone into receivership, threatening the livelihoods of hundreds of dairy farmers and leaving the axe looming over 125 jobs. Bosses at the farmer-owned plant in Westbury called in receivers PricewaterhouseCoopers

  • Longleat welcomes new arrivals

    LONGLEAT Safari Park is celebrating a baby boom with five new arrivals born in the space of a week. Among the new babies at the park is a rare Brazilian tapir, only the third to have been born at the park since it opened in 1966. After a pregnancy lasting

  • Sunshine is not good news for everyone

    CHILDREN and the elderly were the victims of record temperatures as surgeries and hospitals were inundated with patients. Health officials reported a rise in the number of heat related illnesses and respiratory problems as temperatures soared in west

  • Pupils celebrate top GCSE results

    Ref. 13982_1SUCCESSFUL west Wiltshire students were in celebratory mood as the anxious wait for GCSE results came to an end yesterday. Despite the national pass rate falling students in west Wiltshire celebrated the fall of GCSE records at schools across

  • From admiral to glass artist

    A FORMER admiral in the Royal Navy has turned his hand to glass engraving to create a war memorial to mark the 60th anniversary of the Normandy landings. Former Rear Admiral Frank Grenier, 68, from Upton Scudamore is enjoying a second career as a glass

  • Longleat welcomes new arrivals

    LONGLEAT Safari Park is celebrating a baby boom with five new arrivals born in the space of a week. Among the new babies at the park is a rare Brazilian tapir, only the third to have been born at the park since it opened in 1966. After a pregnancy lasting

  • Hillier backs his players to the hilt

    Calne Town could be without a number of key players this weekend as they travel to Willand Rovers looking to continue their good start. Martin Wheeler (calf) and Matt Prattley (knee) are struggling after picking up knocks in Saturday's 2-0 win at home

  • Bush back raring to go

    SCREWFIX DIRECT LEAGUE: Colin Bush will be hoping for calm ahead of this Saturday's game at home to Wellington after last week's chaotic preparations. The build-up to their opening day fixture was thrown into turmoil after Bush was taken into hospital

  • Police hunt for truth in Melanie case

    SEVEN years have passed since Bradford on Avon woman Melanie Hall disappeared from a Bath nightclub but police have drawn a blank in their latest high-profile inquiry. Detectives and Melanie's parents now fear they may never discover what happened to

  • Policeman has ride back in time

    MODERN and historical policing methods were compared this week as a present day police constable met up with his 1950's counterpart. A story in the Wiltshire Times last month reveal-ed how Bradford on Avon PC Gary Jones has been given a bicycle to patrol

  • Flashers active in Bradford

    POLICE in Bradford on Avon are investigating the second flashing incident in the town in less than a month. In the latest incident a 23-year-old woman was flashed at by a man in broad daylight as she walked along a quiet country lane between Farleigh

  • Work to preserve bridge begins

    Ref. 26035-4A COSTLY maintenance project is under way to preserve a picturesque Bradford on Avon bridge. Skilled stonemasons and blacksmiths have started a £160,000 refurbishment programme on 14th century Barton Bridge to repair stonework and railings

  • Heaven on earth not hell of war

    When the peace vigil was taking place, we found that many people such as H Marson (letters August 8) compared our present situation to the situation we faced in the Second World War, which ended over half a century ago. The world has changed vastly since

  • Thanks to everyone

    OUR seven-year-old son, Jonathan took part in the West Wilts Special Needs Activity Scheme at Clarendon School, Trowbridge. He had a wonderful three days and adored two of the teenagers, Faye and Alice, who had given up part of their own holiday to help

  • Is town 'Vision' actually viable?

    IN response to your article regarding the Vision for Trowbridge, I checked the dictionary definition of the word 'vision'. Besides the obvious meaning 'the power of sight', it went on to list 'something supposedly seen in a dream, trance, etc; a mental

  • GCSE Exam Results: Bradon Forest School

    Bradon Forest headteacher Len Spiers was delighted at the school's performance. A stunning 98.7 per cent of pupils passed five or more of their GCSEs, and the overall performance of students was higher than last year. "The high standards of the last few

  • Don't be fooled!

    A WARNING has been issued about conmen calling at people's homes posing as officials. In the last week there have been two incidents, one involving bogus council workers, and the other a fake ambulance with a man claiming to be from the ambulance service

  • International charity event

    Ref. 27172A FUNDRAISING evening at a Trowbridge wine bar in aid of the Royal United Hospital's cancer unit had an international flavour. More than 120 people helped raise £350 for the Bath-based cancer unit during an international evening at Red Or White

  • Get on your soapboxes

    ORGANISERS of the annual Trowbridge Soapbox Derby are appealing for more contestants to help make this year's event the best ever. The go-kart race has been held in the town every year since the mid 1980s. Teams can enter a go-kart made out of anything

  • Still young at heart at 104

    Ref. 27188-1A 104-YEAR-OLD Trowbridge woman is still young at heart despite witnessing three centuries. Norah Hassell was born in India in 1899 but moved to Trow-bridge soon after marrying a naval officer in 1924. She spent her 104th birthday on Saturday

  • Pavilion is saved from fire

    QUICK-THINKING cricket supporters saved their Trowbridge clubhouse from being burnt to the ground after spotting a smouldering cigarette on the roof. Club members fetched buckets of water and doused the space in the eaves where a fire had begun at around

  • Fun runner, 58, dies on Australian beach

    A former Trowbridge man has collapsed and died from a heart attack on an Australian beach during a training session for a charity fun run. Michael Davis, 58, died while preparing for a 10-kilometre fun run in Sydney. The former Blue Circle and Avon Rubber

  • Maternity unit under threat

    YOUNG men are being urged to "do it" for Trowbridge in a bid to save the doomed maternity unit. Former mayor Jeff Osborn believes one solution to keep the threatened Trowbridge maternity unit is for residents to simply have more babies. At present the

  • Decision on Ushers site expected soon

    THE future of the former Ushers bottling plant hangs in the balance as government officers decide whether to call the application in for a public inquiry. Insiders at the Government Office for the South West (GoSW) have told civic leaders a decision will

  • A sticky charity strip for marathon man

    A GYM instructor from Trowbridge has waxed his legs in the name of charity. Gary McLaughlin, 20, is planning to run the New York Marathon in November as part of the Bristol Cancer Help Centre team. But to join the team, he is tasked with raising a total

  • School hit by summer gang

    VANDALS have struck at a Trowbridge primary school splashing gallons of paint on walls, smashing windows and kicking in a shed door. The damage was done during a five-day spree at Paxcroft Primary School. Caretaker Herbie Hornby, 54, discovered the trail

  • Bounce back at Borough

    SWINDON Supermarine tasted a rare league defeat on Wednesday night and boss Ray Baverstock is determined not to make a habit of it. A 4-1 loss at Taunton was a shock to the system and the first reverse they have experienced in the Dr Martens Western Division

  • One-woman traffic battle

    Ref. 13885/1DELIVERY drivers who ignore traffic restrictions on one of Trowbridge's main shopping streets face being named and shamed to their bosses. Daryl Saville-Brown decided to start a one-woman campaign when she clocked lorry and car drivers mounting

  • Bush takes a belated bow

    NOBBY Bush aims to take his belated place in the Corsham Town dugout when Wellington visit Southbank. Bush was taken to hospital with appendicitis prior to the opener against Shrewton last Saturday, but the manager will be calling the shots again tomorrow

  • Highworth chase cup run cash boost

    The new season is just a week old, but already thoughts are turning to the FA Cup, writes CRAIG LYUS. For local sides like Highworth and Devizes, even qualification for the First Round Proper is a mammoth task, but the competition remains a vital source

  • Darren celebrates with his first ever barbel

    Bathampton member Darren Pinkett had a memorable day fishing the Club waters on the Bristol Avon at Claverton, taking his first barbel which tipped the scales at 12 lb 0oz Competitors enjoyed good sport in the Wednesday Open match at Ivy House fishery

  • Is Jaguar's estate a show stealer?

    Jaguar has issued the first pictures of the stylish new X-TYPE Estate, which will make its public debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show on September 9, 2003. Agile driving dynamics and a sporting yet comfortable ride and handling balance ensure this new addition

  • How to make it to 100!

    A POLISH woman who sought refuge from the Nazis in Britain has celebrated her 100th birthday in Swindon. Maria Kolecki, of Goddard Avenue, in Old Town, puts her youthful looks and longevity down to healthy living. Mrs Kolecki, who settled in Swindon 53

  • Japanese: but made in Europe

    This is the first time European built Toyota vehicles have been exported to Japan. THE Japanese have a treat in store when they get their hands on this first shipment of Toyota Avensis cars due to reach them from Southampton this month. They just love

  • No thank you for caring residents

    A NEIGHBOURHOOD residents' group says it is still waiting for a thank you, four months after giving 18 pictures to brighten the bare walls of a unit at the Great Western Hospital. The 12 paintings and five prints were hung when Swindon Intermediate Care

  • Children to descend on Lydiard Park

    One hundred children are descending on Lydiard Park today in an event dedicated to a celebration of play. The activities are a culmination of the work done by the Swindon play scheme groups over the school holidays so far. A huge range of activities has

  • Sent off in style

    Always bound to be sombre occasions, funerals can now be given a personal touch with anything from a Harley hearse to being buried with a betting slip. PLANNING a funeral may sound like a morbid affair but a Swindon funeral director is trying to make

  • Eddie just didn't stop

    Eddie Adams may have liked a gin and tonic but helping people was his biggest passion. Next Friday family and friends will pay him tribute at Kingsdown Crematorium. The father of two and grandfather of three died on Monday, aged 62, after a long battle

  • Time to declare their good intent

    COUNCILLORS may be forced to reveal which of Swindon's pubs are their favourite under new rules to give local authorities more power over drinking. The politicians could be asked to name their top watering holes in an effort to prevent accusations of

  • Bobby's book is up for grabs

    A Swindon policeman's notebook from 1892 to 1913 listing nearly 350 crimes committed in Old Town is being auctioned next Wednesday. The notebook lists various arrests and details the names, ages, addresses, places, dates, charges and sentences of all

  • Litter just drives motorists crazy

    A survey by Keep Britain Tidy asked motorists to rank the most irritating habits of other drivers. Top of the irritability chart were people who threw litter out of their car window 92 per cent of respondents said this made their blood boil. The second

  • On the verge of a clean sweep

    A PANTO horse's head, a paddling pool, half a million pounds stashed in a suitcase and even an 8ft blow up spaceman were among items flung out of cars onto the motorway in recent months. Now motorists who dump litter at the side of the road have been

  • Success in battle against burglars

    STOLEN property worth £3,000 has been seized in the biggest raid so far by Swindon's new burglary squad. The haul was discovered at a house in Penhill by officers on Operation Delta. The goods are mainly power tools taken from sheds and garages and items

  • Big hugs and happy smiles:Greendown School

    OUTSTANDING achievement was the order of the day at Greendown School. And with a new block set to open in September, it is an exciting time for the West Swindon school. Chris Lawrence, 16, from Westlea picked up five A*s, three As, two Bs and one C. He

  • Big hugs and happy smiles:Dorcan Technology College.

    The moment of truth came at 11am for pupils at Dorcan Technology College. And judging by the many happy faces, it was good news for many. Kim Packenham, head of year 11, said: "There are a lot of smiling faces here today, which is great to see. "Many

  • Using drugs is not worth the risk

    TENS of thousands of diabetics who have to inject themselves with insulin in order to stay alive must find it hard to believe that a few people who do not need it risk their lives by taking it. Nobody can know whether Jon Daltrey knew the dangers of what

  • GCSE Exam Results: Trusha Patel and Fiona Russell

    Trusha Patel, of Covingham, was really nervous about getting her results. "I started to panic when I got to the front of the queue," she said. But the 16-year-old need not have worried she got eight A*s, two As and one C. Trusha now wants to study further

  • Council must accept blame for overgrown site

    Wiltshire Wildlife Trust has raised concerns that the ancient hill fort at Barbury is not being grazed satisfactorily. It is observed that half-metre high grasses and weed are in abundance on this site. Since the Simpsons were forced to have their sheep

  • Promises, promises

    REGARDING the sudden interest of Coun Mike Bawden in a resurgence of the facilities available for those of my generation (swimming, boating etc) at Coate Water, I am undecided whether to laugh or cry (EA Aug 14). If by a miracle these facilities could

  • Party politics are giving me the hump

    I ATTENDED the transport meeting at the Civic Offices on Monday to offer my support for traffic calming. Being a close friend of a child hit by a car, I welcome all measures to slow speeding residents down. What a shambles. The meeting was dominated by

  • Bath aiming to get better by half

    BATH head coach John Connolly will keep the same format for his squad for their second pre-season friendly at Henley tomorrow (4pm). Connolly played two teams in two halves during the 29-22 win over the Celtic Warriors last Sunday and will repeat the