Archive

THE project to reintroduce the Great Bustard to Salisbury Plain is having to rely more on its own merchandising after its main source of grant aid dried up. The Great Bustard Group has been told by Sustain the Plain, a Government initiative to use European

MELKSHAM battled both Brislington and a waterlogged pitch to pick up a vital away point on Tuesday night. Player-manager Lee Burns said the game would have been called off if it had not been so late in the season. Simeon Allison scored after 18 minutes

CORSHAM Town leapfrogged local rivals Frome into second place on Tuesday night at a rain soaked Badgers Hill. Even a hotly disputed goal did not stop Corsham from overtaking the hosts thanks, to a cracking John Eldridge shot. Corsham manager Colin Bush

A STRONG Biddestone performance left boss Gary Skidmore departing Cornwall wondering how his side had not picked up their first away win of the season. Skidmore said his players had performed so well in the second half he thought they would win, despite

SCREWFIX PREMIER: REFRESHED Devizes Town head into the Bank Holiday weekend double header desperate for points after a break last weekend. Manager Mark Godley said his side are under no illusions as to what is required to guarantee their safety in the

DIDCOT were handed the initiative in the race for the Hellenic Premier title after Fairford stunned leaders Highworth. Terry Moore scored the only goal of the game at Cinder Lane, while Didcot's 3-1 win over Pegasus put them a point behind with a game

One enthusiast has invested heavily in equipment (15969/17) AN army of metal detector enthusiasts descended on a field in Wiltshire on Sunday to take part in a charity search for buried treasure. "It was like a cavalry charge. They had all lined up, all

CRICKLADE kept their slim Wiltshire Premier title hopes alive with a 6-2 victory over Melksham. Cricklade found themeselves a goal down midway through the first half but the goal stung them into action and they were soon on top to go in at the break with

PREMIER DIVISION: LEADERS West Lavington completed their season on Thursday with a 1-0 victory over Trowbridge Harriers, but with a total of 30 points it is unlikely that they will stay at the summit. The only goal of the game came in the first period

GREEN Baize completed the first leg of a potentially stunning treble with a resounding victory in the Wiltshire Sunday Cup. Tony Bedwell's side triumphed 4-0 against Sailsbury outfit Royal Oak in an eventful final at Wootton Bassett's Rylands Way. The

SURVIVAL specialists Swindon Supermarine have done it again. A convincing 2-0 win over Cinderford at Gloucester City last night due to the state of the home side's pitch ensured the men from Hunts Copse will be playing Southern League football again next

Headteacher Malcolm IronsBUILDING worker David Evans hanged himself after being told he was going to be prosecuted for assaulting boys from Devizes School, an inquest heard. David Evans, 52, who had been working for Devizes-based building firm Gaiger

KENNET District Council has adopted an emergency procedure for responding to complaints of unauthorised gypsy sites on land it has bought. The procedure applies to evenings and weekends and involves having an officer on call to visit such sites. The end

15971/2PAGANS have joined forces with the National Trust to set up the Avebury Guardians, in a bid to preserve and protect the stone circle and sacred sites. The National Trust has extended an arm of friendship to the people who believe the stone circle

UNTIL APRIL 30 2005, BATH: Lord Arthur Savile's Crime is a curious short story by the marvellous Oscar Wilde, about fate, predestination and the marvellously funny way the upper classes behave. Both light and dark, witty and profound, it is a strange,

EX England captain Tony Adams proved he's not a good sport when he refused to talk to the Adver or have his picture taken during a visit to Swindon. The 39-year-old, nicknamed the Donkey, showed the Adver the red card before giving an after dinner speech

Mayor Peter Stoddard Picture Ref: 77159-305HUNDREDS of Swindon residents have got in on the act of supporting London's Olympic bid. They have added their signatures to an Olympic flag that is being taken around south west region and this week visited

GAZETTE & HERALD: A COMBINATION of the contemporary and the baroque came to Calne Choral Society's annual spring concert on Saturday evening. The event took place at the Methodist Church in Silver Street, Calne, with two contrasting musical works.

GAZETTE & HERALD: A FASCINATING exhibition of information and old photographs celebrating the 350th anniversary of Calne Baptist Church has been officially opened. Mayor Carol O'Gorman cut the ribbon to the display at Calne Heritage Centre on Wednesday

Furious Calne residents and councillors have slammed plans to build a concrete plant near homes and schools. Wincanton-based Hopkins Developments wants to put up a concrete plant in the Porte Marsh Industrial Estate. But 50 angry residents attended a

15893/1GAZETTE & HERALD: NEXT summer will see changes at the top at Springfields School in Calne as deputy head, Trystan Williams, takes over from retiring headteacher Graham Templeman. Mr Williams, who is in his third year at the school, beat off

WILTSHIRE Fire Brigade said it is disappointed with the lack of co-operation from some fire alarm companies as they try to cut down the number of false alarms. The brigade has reiterated its plea to fire alarm companies in a renewed campaign to cut false

BRICKLAYER Ryan Linsley failed to provide a specimen after he was arrested by police for a suspected drink drive offence. Linsley's solicitor Roger Jones said his client had at one point in the police station agreed to provide a sample of blood but became

Teenager Adam Rose, who was convicted of assaulting a man in a late night attack, has had his sentencing put off after the probation service failed to compile a report. Adam Rose, 19, of Waylands, Devizes, has been warned he could face jail for the attack

THE proprietor of the Bear Hotel in Devizes, Andrew MacLachlan, is calling on all jazz fans in the town to support his jazz club or risk losing it. Attendances at Friday and Saturday night gigs at Jazz at the Bear, as the club in the cellar bar at the

THE husband of a 74-year-old Seend woman has thanked all those involved in a search operation when she went missing on Salisbury Plain on Saturday night. The woman, who has not been named, suffers memory loss and is visually impaired. She and her husband

Mrs RendellVERA Rendell, the widow of the former proprietor of one of Devizes' major building firms, this week celebrated her 100th birthday surrounded by members of her family. Mrs Rendell, who has been a widow for 50 years, is still spry and active,

MARLBOROUGH man David Richards who damaged a parked car has been landed with a bill of £285. Devizes Magistrates Court heard on Tuesday that Richards, 24, of Salisbury Road, was in Marlborough High Street when he pushed a trolley into the side of a Skoda

A WOMEN'S soccer team in Marlborough is looking for more members so that it can take part in league games. Marlborough Town Ladies FC has been running for about 18 months and its ten current members train on Wednesday evenings from 6.30pm to 8pm at the

THE former manager of Johnson's the Jewellers in Maryport Street, Pip Utton, returns to Devizes this summer in a very different guise. As part of Devizes Festival, Mr Utton transforms himself into the German Nazi dictator, Adolf Hitler in Adolf, a play

A CHARITY fashion show promoted by three Marlborough businesses has been a huge success raising more than £3,500 for a Wiltshire-based charity. The show in the town hall on Wednesday last week was hosted by Waud ladieswear, David Dudley jewellery and

RETIRED dairy farmer Jerry Rider has received national recognition for his championship of low-cost, low-yield grazing that has saved some farmers from bankruptcy. Mr Rider, who used to farm at Horton House Farm, in Horton, near Devizes, received the

Firearms officers keep the gunman's body in their sights to allow medics to move in.IN a chilling scenario reminiscent of the Hungerford massacre 18 years ago, police medical teams showed how they would cope in a similar situation today. Things have changed

15996/5THERE was a carnival atmosphere among workers who gathered outside the Smallbone of Devizes furniture factory on Hopton Industrial Estate yesterday. But it masked a serious issue as the company faced its first industrial action in more than 20

Della MoranSEVEN years after her own fight against cancer, Marlborough mum Della Moran is taking part in the Cancer Research Race for Life on May 8. More than 800 women of all ages have enrolled to take part in the Marlborough 5k event in which they can

TOWN crier Alf Johnson has just completed a pub crawl around all the licensed premises in Marlborough in the name of duty. And while many men would relish the task of having a beer at ten different places on the same night, Mr Johnson says he would prefer

POLICE in Marlborough say they are disgusted that bogus callers have resorted to using children to help them con pensioners. On Monday at about 8.15pm, a 90-year-old who lives alone in the Salisbury Road area, answered a knock on the door to a woman and

15978/1CAMPAIGNERS in Aldbourne have lost their fight to prevent planning permission being granted that could allow the village's only butcher's shop to become a take away. However, they hope the premises will continue as a butcher's following the arrival

ELECTION chaos is being predicted in Marlborough next Thursday because many voters have not checked the location of their polling station. For the first time in living memory the town is being split into two for voting and it is feared that many people

A MAN killed himself because he was afraid of going back to prison, an inquest heard. Simon Matthews, of Fairford Crescent, Penhill, was found hanging in his ground floor flat on December 3 last year. The 41-year-old had been released from prison on licence

Billy White, 8, and Sam Lazenby, 10 A SWINDON school has a new outdoor classroom after a lot of hard work by parents and friends. Frogs and newts have already been attracted to three new natural spring ponds at Abbey Meads School, which have been created

POLICE are appealing for witnesses after a cash box, containing money and cheques, was stolen from the Venus Beauty Salon, in Newport Street, Old Town. Two people are believed to have taken the box at 4.30pm last Thursday. The first suspect is a man described

Whapweasel are set to take to the stage for the bowl concertsTHE Town Gardens will be alive with the sound of music throughout the summer. The Bowl in Old Town will host to six World Music concerts between June 4 and August 13. Coun Jemima Milton, Cabinet

PEOPLE living in north Swindon are being denied NHS dental treatment, new figures show. The British Dental Association warns the industry is in decay and says the situation is likely to get worse. Since 1997, nearly 2,500 extra south Swindon residents

I AM delighted that the £150 million upgrade to the town centre has fallen through. I enjoy going into Swindon shopping centre most Saturdays, and bumping into friends. The idea of a big American style mall with canned air and shops from national chains

I KNOW that I have said that the visual impact of the Coate development will be ghastly since we heard the news that multi-storey buildings were proposed around Coate Water. However, if you think that I am exaggerating then perhaps you will believe the

IN the Evening Advertiser, April 22, it is suggested that the results of placing of mobile cameras on the motorway bridges has resulted in a reduction in motorists speeding. Whoopee would we have expected the police and the partnership to have said anything

A RECRUITMENT company is doing its best to get people in the town working. Blue Arrow parked a giant bus in the town centre yesterday to encourage more people to think about their future. The Mobile Recruitment Centre is designed to make the company more

Concerning Sue Pycroft's column in last week's Gazette. The Catholic church is the only religious organisation that has accepted the errors of her past after all, she is made up of people and we are all sinners and this should be the reason why we go

I feel a need to add my comment to the discussion on the safety cameras now being deployed on the M4. Firstly, let's call them by their real name and that is speed camera, nothing more nothing less. None of us are so stupid as to believe that the use

Last weekend I failed my advanced driving test for motorcycles. My examiner was a police instructor. Why did I fail ? Apparently, for not using the power available to get myself out of the way of other road users travelling at the speed limit on the dual

GAZETTE & HERALD: The pavements in the Causeway, Chippenham, could soon be improved to make them safer and more convenient for pedestrians. Wiltshire County Council has asked consultants Mouchel Parkman to develop and improvement scheme along the

FROME snatched a playoff place with this win and Wootton Bassett's loss at Tadley, their superior points difference pitting them against Southern Counties North outfit Henley on Saturday for a place in South West Two next season. Minety worked hard but

MAY I appeal to the gentleman who left a message on my answerphone regarding "how he could help the Kennet Credit Union" to telephone again? I inadvertently deleted the message with the telephone number on it so I am unable to respond. My telephone number

THIS emphatic return to form enabled everyone at Chippenham to breathe a sigh of relief after the shock Bath Combination Cup final loss to Walcot the previous Wednesday. The Wiltshire club can now go into Saturday's playoff on the back of a resounding

CHIPPENHAM enthused the home crowd at Allington Field on Sunday by winning their final and being crowned champions of Dorset and Wilts. The only side from Chippenham to make it to this year's deciders, which were all held at Allington Field, the tension

RUGBY'S U21 World Cup will be played at altitude in Argentina, and Simon Whatling hopes to reach lofty heights for England which will yield a career in the Zurich Premiership. The former Devizes School student was contacted by officials at his club Worcester

I HAVE recently had a hip replacement and feel I would like to publicly acknowledge my appreciation of the care given. I did my nurse training in the 1960s when there was certainly a lot of attention given to in patient care but little thought to rehabilitation

THANK you is the theme for Red Cross Week which this year runs from May 18. During this week staff and volunteers will be raising money through events, house to house, street and private premises collections, to enable us to continue to support people

Andi and Rebecca Wright with their board game Cirondo GAZETTE & HERALD: HUSBAND and wife team Andi and Rebecca Wright are onto a winning streak with a board game. The game, Cirondo, which has been on sale across the country since September, is designed

On April 21 a meeting of the Area Five committee was held in Calne Town Hall. Item 6 on the agenda concerned a proposal for residential development of the paddock at Quemerford House, Calne and this item of the agenda was intended to be open for members

GAZETTE & HERALD: PEOPLE in Park Lane, Chippenham, are calling for motorists to slow down and take care, because they fear a pedestrian could be injured following a spate of near misses on the pedestrian crossings. Syrah Arnold, who has lived in Park

15963GAZETTE & HERALD: Local brewers proved a hot favourite at Chippenham's 14th annual Beer Festival over the weekend. The Box Steam Brewery's beer Tunnel Vision was the first to sell out and locally brewed Ramsbury Gold and Westbury Midnight Mash

Valerie Curtis, pictured with her husband Richard and sons Simon and JamieGAZETTE & HERALD: THE family of cyclist Valerie Curtis have been keeping a vigil at her bedside since she was knocked down in a horrific accident last week. Her husband Richard

15994/03GAZETTE & HERALD: CHIPPENHAM Town fans are set to travel in force to Histon on Saturday to watch the Bluebirds play in the championship decider. Hundreds are expected to travel the 153 miles to Cambridgeshire to cheer on Steve White's side

MARLBOROUGH hope overseas ace Simon Williams can push them towards Glos/Wilts Two honours this term. Aussie Williams, from the Penrith club in Sydney is a quality batsman who also bowls off spin. And new skipper Richard Turnell is hoping he can be the

CIRENCESTER have been sprucing themselves up off the pitch in the close season and aim to be in tip-top shape for the start of their Gloucestershire County League Division One campaign at Ruardean Hill in the Forest of Dean on Saturday. A successful CricketForce

DEVIZES will unveil a new bowling line-up when they start life in Glos/Wilts One on May 7 at Hatherley & Reddings. James Ashford-Brown has left the club for Corsham while Paul Vooght has retired, meaning there will be a new-look opening attack for

SWINDON have targetted back-to-back promotions after a glorious end to the 2004 summer. The County Ground club were crowned as champions of Glos/Wilts Two last September ending their slide down the league pyramid. And having retained most of their playing

FOR Wootton Bassett the task is simple this season to return to the Stroud & Swindon West of England leagues they so disappointingly slumped out of last summer. In fact, 2004 was a season to forget all-round for the Rylands Way club, who saw all three

GAZETTE & HERALD: THE Hare and Hounds is launching the Spring Fling for its fourth beer festival today. The pub at 48 Pickwick will welcome real ale fans over the whole bank holiday weekend and host hours of fun entertainment. Joint owner, Mark Foster

GAZETTE & HERALD: One of England's smallest churches will be open this summer. The historic pilgrim's chapel at Chapel Plaister, near Box, will open its doors to visitors every Wednesday from 2pm to 4pm from May 4 to September 28. This architectural

GAZETTE & HERALD: A VERDICT of suicide was recorded by a coroner into the death of a Corsham man who killed himself after an argument with his wife. On November 15 last year, 32-year-old Jerome Charles Price of Silman Close, tied a rope to a telegraph

GAZETTE & HERALD: CORSHAM police are tackling anti-social behaviour by youths, saying they are responsible for an increasing proportion of crime in the town. Inspector Dave Cullop told people at Corsham's annual town meeting last Thursday that while

15956/3GAZETTE & HERALD: BEST friends Naomi Howard-Kyam and Christina Ferreira, have raised almost £3,000 between them for a school expedition to trek the High Atlas mountains in Morocco. The two 14-year-olds, both in year nine at The Corsham School

Angry Brinkworth residents will appeal against a North Wiltshire District Council decision stopping them from extending their gardens. The residents made their decision after a meeting on Saturday. Six householders at Callow Hill in the village bought

15954/4WANTING to make sure their unborn child had the best possible start in life, Paul and Tracy Simms paid £120 for a special scan to make sure everything was running smoothly. The 12-week scan, which shows if a baby is likely to have Downs syndrome

15977/3CARNIVAL fundraisers in Pewsey have acquired a monster machine a bicycle made for 11. Supporters are planning to pedal it 50 miles from Pewsey to the coast at Christchurch to raise money towards replacing the carnival illuminations. No-one is sure

Hollywood actors James D'Arcy and Jason Isaacs are the starring voices in a new Tractor Ted film, produced by Chippenham mum Alexandra Heard. Tractorland Ltd, based at Spye Park, is the brainchild of Mrs Heard and farmer David Horler. They have built

LORD Lansdowne's plans for a prestigious 120-room hotel at Bowood have been resubmitted this week, after building work failed to start within the permitted timescale. Despite fierce opposition, permission for the luxury hotel and conference centre on

Andi and Rebecca Wright with their board game Cirondo HUSBAND and wife team Andi and Rebecca Wright are onto a winning streak with a board game. The game, Cirondo, which has been on sale across the country since September, is designed to entertain anyone

War veteran Dennis Mason, 87, has been enjoying celebrity status after tackling a burglar. The pensioner, whose regiment lead the British invasion of Normandy in the Second World War, tackled the burglar in the dark on April 8 around 9.15pm. Shocked by

SHERSTON villagers aim to make VE day a special occasion by celebrating the 60th anniversary of the German surrender in style. On May 8 1945 jubilant communities across Britain celebrated the end of war in Europe. Now parish councillors want to mark the

15894/02German students and teachers have been enjoying the hospitality of Malmesbury people during a twinning visit to the town. Ten students, aged between 13 and 14, and two staff from a secondary school in Niebull spent over a week staying with the

Teachers and children at Sherston School, which only opened in February, have been left reeling after a burglar stole £4,800 of computer equipment. The raider gained entry by breaking a window but he was disturbed by two teachers who went to investigate

Self-styled battle-axe Christine Hamilton enjoyed the dishy good looks of French chef Jean-Christophe Novelli when she dined in the Hell's Kitchen restaurant. She said: "He has all the allure and charisma of a Frenchman." Hell's Kitchen features two competing

Bug busters at Dyson's Malmesbury factory are trying to beat the dust mites that cause allergic reaction but the breakthrough comes at a price as RONAN McCAUGHEY discovered. "Nasty little buggers," was a German journalist's reaction to being told by a

Wiltshire College will axe 350 part time courses from its new prospectus because of cuts in Government funding. The reduction amounts to about ten per cent of the total part time courses and Wiltshire College principal George Bright admitted it was a

THE inaugural games of the new Wiltshire Youth Cricket League were washed out last weekend with only one game hearing any sound of leather on willow. But a handful of matches took place at the weekend, with newcomers South Wilts getting off to a flyer

KENT are set to bring a full first team squad to Salisbury to play Wiltshire in the first round of the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy on Tuesday. Kent chief executive, Paul Millman, said his side were keen to make the trip and glad to be renewing acquaintances

CHIPPENHAM all-rounder Liam Dawson has his sights set on a England cap after returning with a clutch of wickets from a successful tour to the West Indies. Dawson, 15, of Hazel Grove in Calne, spent two weeks of the Easter holidays touring the islands

THIS weekend sees battle commence in the Crusader Sport Wiltshire Cricket League. Celebrating its silver jubilee the Wiltshire League will be hoping to provide some exciting cricket from its eight divisions before it finishes on the last weekend of August

Moonrakers Judo Club students Chris Webb, Mat Mitchell and James Richardson were all medal winners at the Hampshire County Closed Judo competition.MOONRAKERS Judo players have shone in their two most recent competitions, picking up a glittering medal

15961/6Traders in Wootton Bassett are being told to be on their guard after a series of charity box snatches by heartless thieves. The desperate low-life yobs have been sweeping in and out of shops and swiping charity collection pots leaving staff and

15965/8SHOPPERS in Wootton Bassett were startled after a cooker burst into flames in the High Street. But local fire crews were already there and in fact had started the fire. On Saturday the fire crews held an awareness and recruitment morning by the

15960/3POLICE in Wootton Bassett have thanked residents for information that led to two drug raids. Two simultaneous raids were carried out by officers at 7.30am last Wednesday at addresses on Noremarsh Road and Sorrell Close after residents informed

DEVZES were forced to work hard for the victory which clinched the U13 Red Division at Nursteed Road on a super Sunday. Tom Beer gave Warminster United Youth the lead in their championship decider, but Devizes battled back and were level at half time

WILTSHIRE has reinforced its position as the safest county in England and Wales after new figures show a seven per cent drop in crime since last year. The police authority received the new figures, covering the period from April 2004 to March 2005, at

CHIPPENHAM enthused the home crowd at Allington Field on Sunday by winning their final and being crowned champions of Dorset and Wilts. The only side from Chippenham to make it to this year's deciders, which were all held at Allington Field, the tension

GAZETTE & HERALD: Hollywood actors James D'Arcy and Jason Isaacs are the starring voices in a new Tractor Ted film, produced by Chippenham mum Alexandra Heard. Tractorland Ltd, based at Spye Park, is the brainchild of Mrs Heard and farmer David Horler

GAZETTE & HERALD: FORMER lorry driver Anthony Purkis, who sexually abused a babysitter, has been warned to expect a prison term. The 56-year-old of High Street, Marshfield, admitted a series of indecent assaults against three different children over

15954/4GAZETTE & HERALD: WANTING to make sure their unborn child had the best possible start in life, Paul and Tracy Simms paid £120 for a special scan to make sure everything was running smoothly. The 12-week scan, which shows if a baby is likely

GAZETTE & HERALD: THE widow of Lyneham hero Flight Sergeant Mark Gibson has sent her heartfelt thanks to all her friends, family and neighbours for the tremendous support she and her seven-year-old daughter Poppy have received since his tragic death

Sgt Allan George with a BB gun confiscated off children in Chippenham (15989/4)GAZETTE & HERALD: ARMED police went into action in Chippenham town centre on Saturday night after a youth was spotted with a gun in New Road. The firearms team and other

MALMESBURY skipper Ed Shellard is getting tough in a bid to achieve the ambitious targets he has set for his Glos/Wilts Two outfit this season. After a campaign that saw them just avoid relegation last term, he has set his team a series of targets. Shellard

FAIRFORD are likely to add a Caribbean flavour to Division One of the Gloucestershire County League this summer. The club have been trying out a quick bowler, who works at the local air base, as they push for promotion from the top flight. Their league

2005 is a special year for Goatacre stalwart Graham Iles, who celebrates his 50th season playing for the club. Iles' grandfather Ewart Vernon Iles founded the club in 1928 and Graham has followed his father Keith and played for the club every year since

GLOUCESTERSHIRE batsman Tim Hancock has signed for Chippenham in his benefit year. County ace Hancock (pictured) will link up with the Hardenhuish Park side whenever possible, depending on his county commitments, but has also been instrumental in adding

GAZETTE & HERALD: A DAY of fun-filled activities has been planned for Corsham's young people in a bid to tackle antisocial behaviour. In two weeks time teenagers will have the opportunity to see what their town has to offer them at a youth festival

PETER Ramage's elevation to Newcastle United's first team looks likely to prevent Andy King from transforming admiration into a County Ground loan deal over the summer. The Town boss admits he is a fan of the 21-year-old defender (pictured), who made

GAZETTE & HERALD: LADBROKES betting shop will be moving from its current site into the Martin Gate Centre after Chippenham magistrates granted it a licence last Thursday, despite protests from residents. Ladbrokes has been trading in Corsham for 20

Fears about road safety and traffic congestion have blighted plans for a new nursery school a Hazeland House in Kington St Michael. Members of North Wiltshire District Council agreed on Wednesday last week to refuse planning permission for the change

MOTORCYCLIST John Roff has been found guilty of careless driving after he undertook a car at 90mph on the M4. The 41-year-old self employed software engineer weaved through a queue of cars between the Leigh Delamere services and junction 17 as he made

15997/6The wife of politician James Gray has spoken of her gratitude to friends and well-wishers who have sent messages of support after she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Sarah Gray, whose husband is fighting to retain his North Wiltshire seat for

VANDALISM and anti social behaviour in Pewsey goes up whenever there is a drop in the number of police officers based in the village, it has been claimed. Parish council chairman Alex Carder said the facts speak for themselves because during a recent

KEBABS are still on the menu for fast-food diners in Malmesbury despite claims from a councillor that the takeaway at 41 Triangle attracts rowdy drunks and rats. North Wiltshire District Council's development control committee agreed on Wednesday last

MALMESBURY cyclist Peter Lambert has neared the halfway stage of a 1,700-mile charity adventure from Calais to Rome. Together with two Chippenham cyclists, Richard Brunning and David Bourne, the men are cycling the route for the British Heart Foundation

MINETY residents campaigning for the removal of an unauthorised gypsy site say they have not got their hopes up following a decision by a planning inspector to dismiss an appeal by gypsies living on land at Startley. A Government planning inspector upheld

UNEMPLOYED 28-year-old James Dickinson sent a text message saying goodbye to his friend Emma Hodge before hanging himself, an inquest has heard. Girlfriend Sarah Roberts had earlier called him but she had got no reply. But when she returned to the house

Angry Brinkworth residents will appeal against a North Wiltshire District Council decision stopping them from extending their gardens. The residents made their decision after a meeting on Saturday. Six householders at Callow Hill in the village bought

15976/9Teenagers in Malmesbury who are wielding airguns and threatening residents have been condemned by councillors and the police. Officers have seized three potentially lethal weapons from teenagers aged around 15 or 16 within the last week and say

David EvansBUILDING worker David Evans hanged himself after being told he was going to be prosecuted for assaulting boys from Devizes School, an inquest heard. David Evans, 52, who had been working for Devizes-based building firm Gaiger Brothers for more

THE former North Wilts Youth Cricket League has expanded to become the Wiltshire Youth Cricket League following the admission of Devizes and South Wilts for the 2005 season. The U11 and U13 Leagues have been split into Red and Blue Divisions with the

CALNE Cricket Club has been rocked by the departure of two of their young stars to Wiltshire rivals. South African cricketer Liaan Botes, 21, has turned his back on Calne to play for Westbury while aspiring starlet, Courtney Earl, 14, will make the short

As Salisbury's campaign closes, Holmes urges the Whites to bow out victorious NICK Holmes is urging Salis-bury City to close the campaign on a high with the visit of Wealdstone on Saturday, writes Mike Turner. The City boss, whose side stretched their

Wootton Bassett Mayor Susan Cooksley is urging as many residents as possible to come and take part in tonight's annual town meeting. The meeting is totally open and gives residents the opportunity to raise any questions or concerns they might have within

Carnival fever is mounting in Wootton Bassett as the final touches are put to this year's celebrations. With just over two weeks to go before the festivities begin, organisers are praying for the sunny weather that graced the town last year and resulted

WOOTTON Bassett school pupils were going about their business as usual this week blissfully unaware that one of them will soon be responsible for a massive change in the town. Plans for the redevelopment of the former St Ivel site once the biggest employer

One enthusiast has invested heavily in equipment (15969/17) AN army of metal detector enthusiasts descended on a field in Wiltshire on Sunday to take part in a charity search for buried treasure. "It was like a cavalry charge. They had all lined up, all

THE John Woods charity football match to raise cash for Dorothy House Hospice is now to be played at Corsham Town' s ground on Sunday, July 17. Corsham player and assistant manager Woods, who is suffering from cancer, has inspired the game with his bravery

An outbreak of Spring cleaning is boosting recycling rates at household recycling centres across Wiltshire. Staff at the centres have noticed an increase in the numbers of people using the sites, as people turn their thoughts to clearing out the things

MELKSHAM Town's youthful side gave their fans plenty to cheer as they struck home five goals in the last home game of the season. Melksham manager Lee Burns said he was happy with his team's performance in the first game of the Brislington double header

Mid Wilts Youth League: Devizes Town U13s clinched the Red Division title in front of 300 supporters on Sunday in a hard-fought victory over championship rivals Warminster Town. Players rejoiced at the final whistle and offered their commiserations to

A fascinating catalogue of Wiltshire's historic archives is available to explore at the click of a mouse. The internet-based Access to Archives (A2A) project is helping researchers from all over the UK and abroad to track down documents held in Wiltshire's

Wiltshire College will axe 350 part time courses from its new prospectus because of cuts in Government funding. The reduction amounts to about ten per cent of the total part time courses and Wiltshire College principal George Bright admitted it was a

PEWSEY Vale's bottom of the table derby clash with Wootton Bassett ended all-square on Tuesday night. In Vale's last game of the season, Barry Flippance put the home side in the lead when a long ball out of the Vale's defence by Luke Sharp found him in

THOUSANDS of vehicles are expected to join Saturday's slow drive along the Wiltshire stretch of M4 to protest against the new speed cameras. The organiser of the event, Robin Summerhill, has warned other motorists that it could cause serious congestion

CALNE made it five victories in a row on Saturday with a demolition job at Weston St Johns. Four unanswered goals gave boss Kelvin Highmore reason to be pleased with his team. The deadlock was broken on 33 minutes as Steve Casey poked home from eight

SCENES of jubilation greeted the final whistle as Calne won promotion to the Screwfix Western League's Premier Division after a nail-biting night at Bremhill View. Champagne was sprayed, Klinsmann dives copied across the pitch and a mini ground invasion

A fascinating catalogue of Wiltshire's historic archives is available to explore at the click of a mouse. The internet-based Access to Archives (A2A) project is helping researchers from all over the UK and abroad to track down documents held in Wiltshire's

Marlborough Town Football Club are celebrating their centenary on Saturday at their Elcot Road ground, kicking off at 12.30pm. Former players and anyone who used to be connected with the club will be made most welcome at the clubhouse where old photographs

KENNET District Council's solicitor has been asked to investigate whether the council should seek a judicial review on a plan for new homes on the former Spitalcroft allotment site in Devizes. The council was stunned that Government inspector Ray Hiscox

A GUILTY conscience may have prompted a number of benefit claimants from cancelling their applications. Kennet District Council said that following the article in the Gazette about Charlotte Taylor who was prosecuted for housing benefit fraud, a number

Chris Scott helped save the Fleming medals Picture Ref: 77198-3A GROUP of Swindon Town fans have saved medals belonging to one of the club's greatest ever footballers. The Advertiser revealed earlier this month the Harold Fleming memorabilia was due to

The Rev Michael Johnson with the Vicars Guide Picture Ref: 77181-94A BOOK advising clergy on how to resist some of the oldest temptations has been welcomed by a leading Swindon churchman. The Vicar's Guide gives survival tips on how to cope with the pressures

Some of the damage at Nylands School Picture Ref: 77117-50LOCAL firms have rallied round to help a Swindon special school get back on its feet after a vandal attack. After running riot inside Nylands School, louts stole the keys to a minibus and reversed

A COMPANY has been fined thousands of pounds after a worker had his hand crushed in an antique machine. Frank Smythson Limited, which has a factory employing 20 people on the Blackworth Industrial Estate in Highworth, was yesterday fined £3,000 by Swindon

Bath prop Matt Stevens' hopes of featuring in this summer's British and Irish Lions tour are in jeopardy after suffering a knee injury yesterday. The England international took a heavy blow to his right knee during Bath's 21-19 Zurich Premiership victory

Hilary Morse and Bob Philpott issue postal votes Picture Ref: 77169-18WITH just one week to go until polling day it's a busy time for Alan Winchcombe. Swindon's acting deputy returning officer is responsible for making sure everything goes right on May

Abdi Mohammed Muse Picture Ref: 77190-9A MAN who assaulted a police woman blames it on psychiatric problems he suffered after being attacked himself. Abdi Mohammed Muse, 38, pictured, spent two weeks in intensive care after he was beaten unconscious in

Les Peach Picture Ref: 77195-264WAR veteran Les Peach is close to breaking point after months of harassment from teenage louts. The 83-year-old survived the horrors of the Burmese jungle in World War Two and was badly injured later in Korea. But now he

WITH just one week to go until polling day it's a busy time for Alan Winchcombe. Swindon's acting deputy returning officer is responsible for making sure everything goes right on May 5 which involves a lot of planning. And that planning started long before

GAZETTE & HERALD: Calne is set to be the UK headquarters of a new trading company following the merger of two businesses. The news follows the announcement that Group Deceuninck, a worldwide manufacturer of PVC window systems and profiles, will be

GAZETTE & HERALD: CALNE Pet Club held its first meeting on Saturday after being set up by a woman with a passion for animals. Teresa Harding said she heard so many horror stories about animal welfare that she decided to set up the club to educate

GAZETTE & HERALD: PEOPLE living near Quemerford House are fuming after being denied the chance to have their say on plans for the Grade II listed site. Millionaire owner Bryce McDonnell wants to build 12 luxury homes in the paddock, but neighbours

SOUTHGATE House in Devizes will not be sold off aas health officials plan to base all staff there from the two local Primary Care Trusts. The building, formerly the headquarters of the defunct Wiltshire Health Authority, has been the headquarters of the

DAVID Wilson Homes, which is currently completing the conversion of the northern part of the former Roundway Hospital site for housing, has applied for planning permission to build 132 homes at the former Le Marchant Barracks. Kennet District Council

DEVIZES' newest gym is set to open this weekend despite a burglary just before the alarm system was installed. The burglars caused about £1,000 damage when they smashed the front doors of the Route 2 Fitness gym overnight between April 19 and 20. They

WILTSHIRE Fire Brigade says the cause of last week's fire which damaged two homes in Wick Lane is still unknown, despite an investigation carried out by fire officers. The investigators have established that the fire started at the front of the roof space

15953/3DEVIZES Town Council has recognised the unsung heroes of the community. Each year the council presents awards to residents nominated by parishioners for either their service to people or work for the environment. Mayor Margaret Taylor said no-one

A DECISION on whether to introduce parking charges in Devizes Market Place has been deferred. Kennet District Council met on Tuesday to consider the feedback to the public notice to introduce a charge of 30p for 30 minutes in the 57 spaces where parking

15946/6MEMBERS of Devizes Chamber of Commerce will get into Edwardian gear for their forthcoming centenary celebrations. The chamber, which represents traders and other businesses in the town, will celebrate its 100th birthday with a ball on June 24.

A DEVIZES couple who failed in their attempt to buy their dream home in France are moving to a new property in Wiltshire. Sophie Jackson and Walid Abdel Azim were featured on the Channel 4 programme Relocation Relocation last Wednesday. The couple, who

PETER Lay, the chairman of Devizes Development Partnership, is demanding a meeting with the chiefs of the district and town councils to decide who town centre manager Janet Duffield should take orders from. Mr Lay had threatened to sack Mrs Duffield and

STAFF at Savernake Hospital fighting for more parking spaces have drawn up a 118-name petition. They say that they need their cars to get to the hospital which is in a rural location at the top of a steep hill and that cycling is an option only for the

NINE pensioners and their driver were taken to hospital on Thursday after the minibus they were travelling in crashed head-on into a wall on Rowden Hill. The victims, who were on their way to a weekly lunch club, had to be carried out of the wreckage

TOWN clerk Graham Gittins stormed out of a council meeting in Marlborough on Monday saying: "I am sick of all these tantrums so I am leaving." His action was the latest in a series of rifts that have developed in the town council over recent months. The

ROYAL British Legion chairman Alec Light believes Marlborough really does live up to the reputation of being the most generous town in the country after announcing a record Poppy Day collection. For the first time since the appeal was launched it is believed

15981/3MARKET Lavington dog passport holder Nicki Jacques has warned fellow pet owners to beware where they take animals abroad after her own dog nearly died. Ms Jacques and her partner, Paul Mills, took their flat coat retriever, Harry, when they visited

Headteacher Malcolm IronsBUILDING worker David Evans hanged himself after being told he was going to be prosecuted for assaulting boys from Devizes School, an inquest heard. David Evans, 52, who had been working for Devizes-based building firm Gaiger

15979/2FOUR Marlborough GCSE students who style themselves on the Pop Idol runners-up G4, have launched their own charity CD calling themselves B4-G4. Their CD entitled Songs 4 Hope produced in a fellow St John's student's home studio went on sale on

DEVIZES angler Danny Williamson picked up four awards at Poole Dolphins Sea Angling Club in Dorset. Williamson, 46, who is a business partner at Devizes Textiles, picked up trophies for Boat Champion 2004, Wrecking Champion 2004 and Fish Points Champion

CHILDREN will be able to try on a fireman's helmet and ride a fire engine at the McArthur Glen Designer Outlet this weekend. The crew will appear at the outlet centre between 10am and 2pm on Saturday and will be giving out fire safety advice to children

Samantha Moaby and Paul Webb meet Steve Goulding Picture Ref: 76871-27AN Old Town hotel is hoping to give our Bride Of The Year winners a reception to remember. The Goddard Arms Hotel, the biggest sponsor in our competition, will be providing the reception

Sue Pye and Ken Rees present a petition to Coun Michael Barnes Picture Ref: 77177-25RESIDENTS campaigning for a pedestrian crossing on a Rodbourne road are worried Swindon Council will put it in the wrong place. The council is considering a crossing north

Pat Willis beside the dangerous all Picture Ref: 77154-263WHEN part of an old wall was sealed off in Highworth, residents assumed it was being repaired. But that was six weeks ago and it hasn't been touched since. The two metre-high stone wall is in Home

Mike Hawker serves desserts Picture Ref: 77192-11ELDERLY folk enjoyed a hot meal and a chat with friends at the new Penhill Luncheon Club. Pensioners were upset when the club was forced to fold last month. After 40 years loyal service, organiser Margaret

Jamie-Paul Withers tried to hide weapons Picture Ref: 76207-167A MAN carrying two samurai swords down his trousers tried to get back into a nightclub after being thrown out. Jamie-Paul Withers, 23, of May Close, Gorse Hill, was yesterday given a six month

SWINDON manager Andy King, stated that the town should follow Hull City in the way that they have come out of administration. Mr King, where have you been? Two years ago I compared Swindon to Hull and said the council should look into what it had done

I find it incredible how short some people's memories are. Re: K Kane's comments (Letters, Sat April 23) about duplicity with regard to preventing development at Shaw and Coate. The reason that Shaw was fought over was because it is a community forest

NEW driving legislation introduced this month could lead to many haulage firms ending up with stiff fines. That's the fear of the Institute of Transport Administration, which says that the Working Time Legislation has not been publicised enough and that

I was quite frightened last week to discover from the letters page and the article on page two how many people, who no doubt regard themselves to be reasonable citizens, appear to consider that it is a God given right for us to be able to race down motorways

Vince Treen's triumphant hat trick of tries, on his return from injury, was eclipsed by a massive eight try haul from 18-year-old Guthrie Holliday. A mix of Calne's first and second team sides stepped in to play Wiltshire's Fire Brigade after the latter

GAZETTE & HERALD: RESEARCHER John Belcher has discovered that the father of Victor Fox who was shot at dawn for desertion during the First World War signed up himself when he learned his son had been killed at the front. Mr Belcher, of Queens Crescent

CORSHAM'S second string are closing in on the runners-up spot in the Bath Combination 2nd XV Merit Table. Following a recent 5-3 defeat of leaders Wootton Bassett, the side took another step closer to second spot with Saturday's victory over their spirited

A REDINGENSIANS side desperate to avoid relegation ultimately triumphed over mid table Devizes in the final league fixture of the season. A makeshift Devizes side, included prop Simon Hall occupying a position in the centres, third team captain and flanker

GAZETTE & HERALD: Chippenham tool hire company The Hire Station was fined a total of £12,000 and ordered to pay £2,062 for breaching fire safety precautions. The company, part of a national tool hire business, was prosecuted last Tuesday at Chippenham

At the Rec last Wednesday night, a hungrier, stronger and more determined Walcot scuppered Chippenham's attempt at a record fourth successive Bath Combination Cup victory. Chippenham were red hot favourites given their high flying position in South West

GAZETTE & HERALD: The opening of a new housing scheme for young people at Bleys House on Rowden Hill, Chippenham has been delayed by the Somer Housing Group at the request of residents in a bid to allay their fears about the project. The delay was

BOTH Chippenham's U8 and U9 squads came away from Bath's Junior Festival on Sunday as champions. In the U7s, Chippenham's first game was against the hosts, Bath, and they lost a tight contest with the final score of 30-20. The Chippenham tries came from

Devizes U9s travelled to the Isle of Wight to experience their first rugby tour over the weekend. A squad of 16 accompanied by parents were hosted by Sandown and Shanklin RFC in the Vectis festival which attracted 13 teams in the age group from as far

The 1st Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment (The Slashers) regained the Wyn Rees Memorial Sevens at Wootton Bassett Rugby Club on Sunday. The regiment, just back from peacekeeping duties in Kosovo, defeated WMD Bristol 26-12 in the

Thank you for mentioning me in the report on this year's London Marathon. I would just like to make a correction to the article in last week's edition of the Gazette & Herald. I ran the marathon raising funds for the Guides' and Brownies' new HQ project

GAZETTE & HERALD: Developer George Wimpey has been given the go-ahead to build 44 homes on land at Englands, off Pewsham Way, Chippenham. Residents living close to the site complained the developers had pulled out bramble hedges behind their homes

SOUTH WEST PLAYOFF: SATURDAY looms as the biggest day in the history of Chippenham Rugby Club. Gloucester outfit Coney Hill will arrive at Allington Field to take on the Wiltshire's high flyers in an 80 minute battle for promotion to South West One uncharted

The Devizes RNLI fundraising committee would like to thank all the volunteers in Devizes and the surrounding villages who worked so hard to collect £4,842.81 during the 2005 Flag Week and Flag Day. This is a magnificent sum for a small, inland town and

On behalf of Barnardo's South West, I would like to thank the people of Devizes for supporting us. The Gazette & Herald was kind enough to publicise our appeal for extra pairs of helping hands at our High Street shop, which raises funds for some of

GAZETTE & HERALD: A SHAKEN post office couple who were robbed of thousands of pounds last week have expressed thanks for all the support from customers. Last Wednesday two men raided Prospect Post Office, on Lypiatt Road in Corsham, callously tying

WHY should Marlborough suffer through the greed of Crest Nicholson and the megalomania St John's School headteacher of Patrick Hazelwood? The only development this congested town needs is affordable housing. Half of the houses on the Chopping Knife site

Kennet and North Wiltshire PCT's newly revealed 'economies with the truth' about the proposed 'savings' to be achieved by closure of Devizes' award-winning maternity unit, come as no surprise to DASH2. We have always maintained that their figures didn't

As a result of the enquiry into the new homes on the Spitalcroft site in Devizes it is time to remind the planners of the letter I wrote at the beginning of the campaign to save this last remaining green 'lung' in our midst. Having lived opposite the