Stories for 22 May 2003

Amesbury News

Rare lichens flourish at Stonehenge

INTERNATIONALLY renowned ecologists visited Stonehenge last week to conduct the first-ever comprehensive survey on the rare lichens that grow there.   more...

Mayor marks 27 years in local politics

ALLAN Peach was appointed mayor of Amesbury at the town council meeting last week, marking his 27th year in local politics.   more...

Celebrity Toyah gives thousands to local charity

A STAR from I'm a Celebrity . . . Get Me Out Of Here donated thousands of pounds to a Salisbury charity on TV last night.   more...

Wife Swap major in city shopping trip with Jade

A NEW television career is in the offing for Who Wants To Be A Millionaire cheats Major Charles Ingram and his wife Diana.   more...

One-stop shop plans are afoot

AMESBURY'S new one-stop shop will take a step closer to reality later this month.   more...

Vandals target building site

DAMAGE put at nearly £7,000 was done to vehicles on a building site at Tidworth last week.   more...

Age is no barrier for fearless fundraiser

OCTOGENARIAN Ron Crawford proved he had a head for heights on Saturday, when he abseiled 80ft from the roof of Salisbury College.   more...

"Great honour" to be chairman, says councillor

LAVERSTOCK councillor Frank Bissington is the new chairman of Salisbury district council.   more...

Business News

On target for a million tests

JUST to prove that you can have your cake and eat it too, the Swindon-based British Computer Society commissioned this PC look-a-like pastry to celebrate five years of providing its IT qualification to employers nationwide.   more...

Expertise 2003 should have answers for SMEs

A major, one-day business event which aims to help SMEs grow and overcome their operational problems is due to take place in Swindon on June 26. And better still, it's free.   more...

This time James gets it wrong - but it's all right

A GARDEN designed by Wiltshire businessman James Dyson has been accredited with a Silver Gilt Floral Award at this week's Chelsea Flower Show.   more...

200 jobs could be created if plan is passed

MORE than 200 jobs could be created if plans to transform the former EMI factory in Swindon are approved.   more...

Cricketer joins in charity fun event

England women's cricketer Charlotte Edwards will join Staff at Innogy in Swindon for ChildLine Day.   more...

Scheme for staff

THE owners of small businesses will be invited to a meeting in the next few weeks to find out how staff training can help their businesses to thrive.   more...

Connecting business

The Kennet branch of the Federation of Small Businesses is holding a networking dinner for traders at the golf club on June 4 at 7.30pm.   more...

Image looks good

The Corsham screen printing firm Image Factory will be creating 20 more jobs when it relocates to Bumpers Farm, Chippenham, to a building which is double the size of its present premises.   more...

Ham-mer blow

Food processing company Hygrade, based at Corsham and Chippenham, has lost its six-year battle to process Parma ham, following a challenge by an Italian Parma ham trade consortium.   more...

Calne News

Mum says truth cost girl a place at school

MOTHER-of-two Alison McFarlane claims her younger daughter was cheated of a place at Calne's Fynamore Primary School because she told the truth.   more...

New lease of life

EXTEND, the exercise class for the over 60s, has turned into such a success story that the group has moved to larger premises.   more...

Crash victim tells of continuing trauma

ROAD accident victim Lisa Straker, of Calne, has spoken of her fight to regain her health after a horrific crash caused by Swindon man Matthew Jones.   more...

`Amateur' forgery was easily spotted

Dennis Cook, who doctored an insurance certificate to make it look as if his wife was covered by it, has escaped punishment.   more...

Third recycling centre now open

A NEW household rubbish recycling centre has opened near Calne as part of Wiltshire County Council's strategy to increase recycling and reduce the use of landfill sites.   more...

Chippenham News

Playtime goes with a swing

CHILDREN have been swinging for joy after a new £22,000 play area was opened in Kington St Michael, near Chippenham,   more...

Punk rock band plays home town

MAY 24: CHIPPENHAM punk rock band Nobody's Heroes will play to a home town audience for the first time in more than a decade.   more...

Potter fans' wizard quest

DOZENS of young Harry Potter fans in Chippenham are brushing up their magical know-how before the Wizard Quest, which aims to find the brainiest junior wizard in Britain.   more...

Tony Blair gives pen for school auction

DONATIONS are continuing to pour in for an auction to benefit the children of St Nicholas Special Needs School in Chippenham including a giant fluffy pink pig.   more...

Timber lorry fire chaos on the M4

Traffic came to a standstill when a 20-tonne lorry carrying timber caught fire between junctions 17 and 16 of the M4 on Monday.   more...

Prince's flying visit

THE 621 Volunteer Gliding School, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, is flying high after a visit from former air cadet Prince Andrew.   more...

MP's son tells inquest pal `dived' from club balcony

The son of North Wiltshire MP James Gray watched helplessly as his friend `dived' to his death from a balcony at a London club, wearing only his boxer shorts, an inquest heard on Wednesday.   more...

Farmers dump dead animals in ditch

Farmers in North Wiltshire are dumping carcasses in ditches and leaving them to rot to avoid paying a disposal charge.   more...

Plan to cap allowances

Plans to cap North Wiltshire District councillors' allowances to £12,000 a year each will be given to an independent panel for consideration.   more...

Airfield plan angers locals

A PLAN to extend activities at Kemble Airfield has angered residents in nearby villages who are worried about increased noise.   more...

New help for people with health problems

THOSE suffering with long-term health conditions, such as asthma, diabetes, arthritis, HIV, multiple sclerosis and ME, are being invited to become tutors giving support to others with chronic conditions.   more...

Battling doctor is a man of many talents

Controversial Chippenham GP Barney Williams has been conducting a one-man war against health service bosses which has gone to Ministerial level. SARAH SINGLETON looks at the man behind the protest.   more...

Mum and baby in crash ordeal

BIDDESTONE: A 33-year-old mother was trapped in her car for two hours after she was in collision with a tractor on the A420 on Monday.   more...

Volunteers deliver books

LIBRARIES in north Wiltshire are looking for volunteers to help with a home delivery service for readers in Chippenham, Malmesbury and Corsham.   more...

Caravan family wins appeal to stay on at village camp

A HARD-FOUGHT battle between Kington St Michael Parish Council and the Stinchcombe family, who live in a caravan on the outskirts of the village, reached a climax last week, when an appeal hearing ruled in favour of the family.   more...

Nurses chatted as mum lay dead

Melony Elder was horrified when she found her mother dead in a hospital bed after nurses failed to notice she had passed away.   more...

Fire rescue twins hailed

Twins Michael and John Brown have been praised for their bravery after they helped rescue a neighbour from his smoke-filled flat when fire broke out in the kitchen.   more...

Plea over baby-face attacker

POLICE are hunting a baby-faced attacker who pounced on a 20-year-old woman in an alleyway.   more...

Vandal puts the blame on alcohol

TEENAGEER Daniel Wood blamed his acts of vandalism in Pewsham on his addiction to alcohol, a court heard.   more...

New lease of life

EXTEND, the exercise class for the over 60s, has turned into such a success story that the group has moved to larger premises.   more...

Assault on guard

CHIPPENHAM Police are appealing for witnesses after a security guard was punched in the face at Greenways Ambulance Training College.   more...

Quick on draw

A pick-pocket is suspected of stealing the wallet of a man who bought petrol at Chippenham's Safeway store at 7.40am on on Wednesday.   more...

Public debate urged over stadium plans

CHIPPENHAM Football Club has taken the next step in its quest to build a new 6,000-seater stadium on land at Forest Farm, near Pewsham.   more...

Arsonist was trying to blow himself up

Paul Benns, who blew up his hotel room in a failed suicide bid, has escaped a jail term after admitting arson.   more...

Man on assault charge

Damian Anstee, 27, of Palmer Street, Chippenham, has been remanded in custody for psychiatric reports after pleading guilty to affray and two assaults in the town.   more...

Ham-mer blow

Food processing company Hygrade, based at Corsham and Chippenham, has lost its six-year battle to process Parma ham, following a challenge by an Italian Parma ham trade consortium.   more...

Image looks good

The Corsham screen printing firm Image Factory will be creating 20 more jobs when it relocates to Bumpers Farm, Chippenham, to a building which is double the size of its present premises.   more...

Petition on rural homes

DAUNTSEY: A plan to build up to 23 new homes on land at Great Middle Green Farm has raised a storm of protest.   more...

No longer in the pink?

CHIPPENHAM'S Neeld Hall could be set for a facelift, with new paintwork on the side doors and windows of the 19th century Grade II listed building.   more...

It's sofa so good for new recycling charity

A new furniture recycling scheme is going from strength to strength. Reporter SARAH SINGLETON looks at how it is helping families on low incomes as well as easing the pressure on landfill sites.   more...

Declining bats get homes to call own

TWENTY new bat boxes are to be put up in secret locations in and around Chippenham in an effort to combat the decline of the flying mammals.   more...

New tenant to move in

SIX months after it underwent a £1.25million facelift, Bewley House, branded Chippenham's ugliest building, looks set to welcome its second tenant.   more...

Fury at plan to fell trees

RESIDENTS in Slaughterford, in Chippenham, have raised a storm of protest over plans to cut down and thin protected trees at Dowding Paper Mill.   more...

Corsham News

Newly weds enjoy an emotional reunion

ARMY couple Andy and Alex Dutton, who married just a week before he flew out to the Gulf, have been reunited at their home in Colerne, after three months apart.   more...

Bid to deal with anger of the school arsonists

Arson is becoming an increasing problem and schools in particular have been targeted, resulting in thousands of pounds of damage. Now there is a combined effort to tackle the problem. EMMA PEARSON investigates.   more...

Music treat in carnival style

THE sound of music echoed through the corridors of Corsham County Primary School recently when the Carnival Band arrived for its annual workshop.   more...

Headline acts for popular festival

CORSHAM Festival 2003 promises a very diverse range of musical performances, from first class artists.   more...

New lease of life

EXTEND, the exercise class for the over 60s, has turned into such a success story that the group has moved to larger premises.   more...

Ham-mer blow

Food processing company Hygrade, based at Corsham and Chippenham, has lost its six-year battle to process Parma ham, following a challenge by an Italian Parma ham trade consortium.   more...

Funeral pall found in attic

THREE needlework students have carefully conserved a 300-year-old funeral pall used to cover the coffins of women living in the Corsham Almshouses.   more...

Holiday show in Wild West

REVELLERS are already swinging into town to take part in the high noon antics at the Box Revels Wild West celebration this week.   more...

Image looks good

The Corsham screen printing firm Image Factory will be creating 20 more jobs when it relocates to Bumpers Farm, Chippenham, to a building which is double the size of its present premises.   more...

Protest over pavilion

CORSHAM bowls club has applied for planning permission to build a new pavilion in Station Road.   more...

Pooping a scoop to be best village

The best kept village competition will be judged this month and the parish council wants the village to look its best.   more...

Just room for one more

The parish council wants to co-opt one member after only 12 people were nominated for 13 seats in the local elections. Those interested should write to the council giving brief reasons why they are applying. The deadline is noon on June 26.   more...

Corsham news in brief

A CFR Expert Giant racing bike, worth £800, was stolen from the back of a house in Silver Street, Gastard, between Monday and Tuesday.   more...

Ctfc Sport

Public debate urged over stadium plans

CHIPPENHAM Football Club has taken the next step in its quest to build a new 6,000-seater stadium on land at Forest Farm, near Pewsham.   more...

Devizes News

HOSPITALS UNDER THREAT: 24-hour casualty cover to be axed

HOSPITAL campaigners were dealt a double blow this week with the news that the minor injuries unit at Devizes Hospital will no longer be open for 24 hours a day and 20 hospital beds will be axed in October.   more...

Jade and major in wife swap show

The village of Easterton, near Devizes, has become used to being in the media spotlight thanks to quiz show cheat Charles Ingram, but now a new twist has been added with the arrival of Big Brother's Jade Goody for a celebrity version of the TV programme Wife Swap. LEWIS COWEN went to find out how the unlikely couple of D listers are getting along.   more...

Courageous officers receive police awards

THE outstanding service of police officers was recognised by the deputy Lieutenant of Wiltshire, Major General Patrick Brooking, when he presented awards at a ceremony at police headquarters in Devizes last week.   more...

Ugandan bishop visits

Bishop Jackson Tembo, the newly appointed Bishop of Kasese in Uganda, is visiting Devizes with his wife, Dorothy.   more...

Dog attack lands £81 bill

DEVIZES grandmother Jenny Otridge has appealed to a dog owner's better nature after her dog was attacked and injured by his Alsatian cross, which left her with a stiff vet's bill.   more...

New hope for recycling unit

DEVIZES' long-awaited recycling centre could finally be in sight if Wiltshire County Council's ruling cabinet gives the green light today to the purchase of land on Hopton Industrial Estate.   more...

Prince of Wales in town for first visit

THE Prince of Wales pays his first official visit to Devizes and Crofton, near Burbage, on Friday May 23 to help celebrate the completion of more than 40 years of restoration work on the Kennet and Avon Canal.   more...

Phab shines despite gloom

DEVIZES PHAB Club's normally fabulous luck with the weather broke down on Saturday as rain hit its annual fundraising wheelchair push and walk.   more...

Devizes news in brief

Members of the Twinning Association, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary, will have a stall in the Brittox on Saturday morning (May 24) to help raise its profile in the community.   more...

Show picks out gems from royal heritage

JUNE: AN exhibition chronicling three centuries of royal occasions in Wiltshire is visiting Devizes Library in June.   more...

Plea for help with cubs after cull plans

A wildlife conservation group has called for help to look after badger cubs whose parents could perish in a cull due to start in Devizes in the next few days.   more...

New help for people with health problems

THOSE suffering with long-term health conditions, such as asthma, diabetes, arthritis, HIV, multiple sclerosis and ME, are being invited to become tutors giving support to others with chronic conditions.   more...

Scouts deny danger claim

SCOUTS who were trying to do a good deed by clearing rubbish from the River Kennet in Marlborough upset nesting birds, claims naturalist Linda Harris.   more...

Crash victim tells of continuing trauma

ROAD accident victim Lisa Straker, of Calne, has spoken of her fight to regain her health after a horrific crash caused by Swindon man Matthew Jones.   more...

Rethink on unit hours

HEALTH chief have done a U-turn on plans to extend the opening hours of the minor injuries unit at Savernake Hospital to 24-hour coverage.   more...

Farmers warned to cut down pollution

The Environment Agency is appealing to farmers to take extra care to minimise the risk of pollution when making silage this year.   more...

Poetry and pictures

Peterborough-based publishers Poetry Now are looking for poets in Wiltshire for their 14th series of regional anthologies.   more...

Housing service praise

Devizes-based Sarsen Housing Association has been complimented on the service it provides in a new report published by the Audit Commission.   more...

Scheme for staff

THE owners of small businesses will be invited to a meeting in the next few weeks to find out how staff training can help their businesses to thrive.   more...

It's sofa so good for new recycling charity

A new furniture recycling scheme is going from strength to strength. Reporter SARAH SINGLETON looks at how it is helping families on low incomes as well as easing the pressure on landfill sites.   more...

Hospital set to open a special new unit

The new emergency department at Bath's Royal United Hospital will open its doors on June 4 at 7am.   more...

Third recycling centre now open

A NEW household rubbish recycling centre has opened near Calne as part of Wiltshire County Council's strategy to increase recycling and reduce the use of landfill sites.   more...

Devizes,Calne,Chippenham,Marlborough,Highworth,Corsham,Malmesbury,Wootton Bassett News

Not quite time to celebrate

DETAILS of services to be provided at cottage hospitals in Kennet and North Wiltshire in the future have finally been published.   more...

Devizes,Calne,Marlborough,Highworth,Chippenham,Corsham,Malmesbury,Wootton Bassett News

Tourists are not shown all town's rich heritage

FIRED by a single comment I overheard while waiting for attention from an assistant, I felt compelled to write and put matters straight.   more...

Government's true view on devolution

WITH regard to Richard Pierce's letter (May 15) I do wish people would get hold of the real facts before they write such nonsense.   more...

Last greenfield site could now disappear

I would like to expand on my letter of a couple of weeks ago regarding the huge development planned for the greenfield site behind Focus and the Fleet Support building on the A4 in Chippenham.   more...

Share worries

Readers may be aware of worries about the Government's changes to the way benefits are paid.   more...

Honest answer

IT seems that local elections have degenerated into nothing more than an opinion poll of the popularity of the Westminster incumbents.   more...

Flowers ruined

ON Sunday we went to a favourite local wood in search of the wild orchids that flower there during May.   more...

Unfair to English

I AGREE with Sir Leslie Loader (letters, May 15) that it is unfair to the English that Welsh and Scottish MPs can vote on English matters, while such matters for Wales and Scotland are dealt with by devolved assemblies.   more...

Thanks for cash

May I please thank everyone who has sponsored me for the eradication of polio. I raised £225 growing a beard.   more...

Police needed

For a while now the people of Calne been asking for a fully manned police station as the town is growing all the time and it is in need of one.   more...

History is lost

I WAS very pleased to see that an up-market coffee shop has opened in Chippenham in the premises previously occupied by Mountstevens. I wish the Parkers all success in their business enterprise.   more...

Why the silence?

I ENTIRELY agree your opinion column on Kennet chief executive's pay rise.   more...

Get a babysitter

I WOULD like to thank the family who decided to bring their very young daughter to Mask's performance of The Mikado on May 9.   more...

Thanks for help

ONCE again I wish to thank everyone who made the Wildlife Trust's Gardeners Fair such a successful day.   more...

New health schemes are driven by cost, not care

Anyone reading the executive summary of the strategy direction document published by the Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust might be forgiven for believing the rosy picture of the proposals for the Green Lane site in Devizes,   more...

Skateboard plan worth a thought

The question of skate boarding facilities for the youth of Devizes lumbers on unresolved.   more...

Services must stay accessible to us all

THREATS to the Devizes Hospital, forcing patients to travel to Chippenham, is part of a larger pattern emerging within the last ten years, the systematic asset stripping of Wiltshire in favour of greater Swindon, which includes Chippenham.   more...

Scandal exposed

THANKS to the Gazette and Herald for exposing such a scandal.   more...

Questions asked

I FIND it extraordinary that we readily accept the increase of approximately 15 per cent in the council tax for this year, on top of 8.2 per cent last year, well above the cost of living index, and no questions are asked,   more...

Duty neglected

A number of issues arise from the recent revelation of a substantial increase in the salary of Mark Boden.   more...

Land of dreams

HAVING recently moved into this beautiful part of the world, I am very impressed at the frequency of street cleansing, having come from a cash- strapped area where street cleaning was on a very tight budget.   more...

We do the work

SO Mark Boden is to receive an annual wage increase of £15,000, justified by Chris Humphries by "if you pay peanuts you only get monkeys".   more...

Iraq News

Newly weds enjoy an emotional reunion

MAY 22: ARMY couple Andy and Alex Dutton, who married just a week before he flew out to the Gulf, have been reunited at their home in Colerne, after three months apart.   more...

Returning Gulf hero says thanks for mail

MAY 22: WAR hero Damien Slater visited Malmesbury Primary School on Monday to thank children who wrote to him while he fought in Iraq.   more...

Malmesbury News

HOSPITALS UNDER THREAT: Health trust in hospital U-turn

CAMPAIGNERS believe they have won the battle to keep Malmesbury Hospital open.   more...

Police in alert over solvent abusers

POLICE say teenagers as young as 13 are risking their lives with the potentially deadly craze of sniffing gas lighter fluid.   more...

Drugs seized in raid on flat

CANNABIS and hundreds of suspected ecstasy tablets, worth £1,200 were seized in a drugs raid on a home in Malmesbury High Street on Friday night.   more...

Airfield plan angers locals

A PLAN to extend activities at Kemble Airfield has angered residents in nearby villages who are worried about increased noise.   more...

Children help save planet

CHILDREN at all Malmesbury's Schools did their bit to save the planet for future generations last week.   more...

MP's son watched friend die, inquest told

The son of North Wiltshire MP James Gray watched helplessly as his friend dived to his death from a balcony at a London club, wearing only his boxer shorts, an inquest heard yesterday.   more...

Lions club is forced to close

MALMESBURY Lions have had to close down after almost 30 years because of a lack of members.   more...

Bridge is damaged

Serious damage was caused to St John's Bridge in Malmesbury at 10.30am on Sunday when a woman lost control of her car and the back end hit the bridge.   more...

Ready for the fair

MALMESBURY'S Market Cross will be closed to traffic between 9am and 3pm on Saturday for the St Aldhelm's Fair.   more...

How to curb boy racers

TRAFFIC lights, humps or do nothing were the options available to curb the dangers to pedestrians on Bristol Street, Malmesbury.   more...

Returning Gulf hero says thanks for mail

WAR hero Damien Slater visited Malmesbury Primary School on Monday to thank children who wrote to him while he fought in Iraq.   more...

Challenge to young people

NEW Malmesbury Mayor Charles Vernon has challenged youth of the town to stand up and be counted.   more...

Paperback appeal

The Oxfam shop is appealing for books in a good saleable condition, particularly paperbacks, but all books are welcome.   more...

War and peace talk

The Wiltshire Family History Society will meet on Wednesday May 28 at 7.30 pm in Malmesbury library for a talk entitled Guernsey in War and Peace by Peter Taylor.   more...

Scouts take over hall

MALMESBURY Scout group has taken over ownership of St Mary's Hall in a special handover ceremony held last week.   more...

Marlborough News

Family is saved from blaze by neighbours

A family were completely unaware their home in Marlborough was on fire until a neighbour vaulted their fence to tell them.   more...

Market to be invited to return

THE French Market which was held recently in Marlborough for the first time, could be invited back.   more...

Insight on Africa

STUDENT Fiona Beach-MacGeagh has spent three months of her gap year teaching at a church school in Uganda.   more...

Scouts deny danger claim

SCOUTS who were trying to do a good deed by clearing rubbish from the River Kennet in Marlborough upset nesting birds, claims naturalist Linda Harris.   more...

Police salute lynch-pin

RECEPTIONIST Liz Willis, who helps man the inquiry office at Marlborough Police Station, has become the force's first winner of a new award for civilian staff.   more...

Store tops up charity cash

STAFF at the Woolworth store in Marlborough have presented £400 to Charlotte's Chance of Life Fund.   more...

Community feel in name

THE League of Friends of Savernake Hospital has undergone a name change.   more...

Trust intervenes on homes bid

MEMBERS of Marlborough Development Trust are opposing plans to convert a business training centre into homes.   more...

Councillors keep up opposition to homes bid, despite redesign

REVISED plans for homes on a controversial main road site in Marlborough are still being opposed by town councillors.   more...

Rethink on unit hours

HEALTH chief have done a U-turn on plans to extend the opening hours of the minor injuries unit at Savernake Hospital to 24-hour coverage.   more...

Veteran bows out

Ray Harley has stood down after 46 years on Marlborough's youth committee, the last 25 years as its chairman.   more...

Major surprise

Bell ringers rang a Doberian Surprise Major peal of 5,120 changes at St Mary's Church, Marlborough, on Saturday to celebrate the golden wedding of their tower ringing colleague Donald Lee and his wife Bernice who live in Poulton Crescent.   more...

Awards hat-trick

St John's School, Marlborough, has won a School Achievement Award from the Department for Education and Skills for the third year in succession under the category "achieving better results in 2002 than most schools in similar categories."   more...

Thieves' trick to steal the bubbly

While a woman distracted staff in Marlborough's Wine Rack off licence at about 7.45 pm on May 13, her two accomplices took five bottles of champagne valued at £140 from a fridge.   more...

High note for school as choir returns

SWINDON'S renowned Kentwood Choir is returning to Marlborough to give another fundraising concert in aid of a village school.   more...

Pewsey News

Mystery as blast rocks pillar box

Bomb squad officers have been consulted by police after an explosion blasted open the doors of the post box outside Pewsey Post Office late on Friday.   more...

Head says well done

Headteacher Judith Plante Cleall has congratulated staff and students after Pewsey Vale School received a School Achievement Award from the Minister for School Standards.   more...

NEW - Read announcements online

YOU can now view announcements for all our paid for newspapers on This is Wiltshire.   more...

NEW - Weird Forums

WE'VE added a great new forum to our popular Weird Wiltshire website. Now fans of the mysterious and unexplained can debate hot topics such as ghosts, crop circles and big cats.   more...

Salisbury Features

Pots full of talent

WHEN I met Josephine Blackwell, the woman who single-handedly transformed a neglected Fordingbridge farm into a thriving enterprise, I was taken aback by her gentleness and calm.   more...

Follow the artistic trail westwards

VISUAL arts and crafts, open studios, exhibitions, workshops and events, form a nine-day celebration starting on Saturday and based along the Wylye Valley.   more...

Salisbury News

Celebrity Toyah gives thousands to local charity

A STAR from I'm a Celebrity . . . Get Me Out Of Here donated thousands of pounds to a Salisbury charity on TV last night.   more...

Wife Swap major in city shopping trip with Jade

A NEW television career is in the offing for Who Wants To Be A Millionaire cheats Major Charles Ingram and his wife Diana.   more...

Police honour citizen

A VICTIM of a distraction burglary who went on to warn others about the crime and its devastating affects has been presented with an award by Wiltshire Chief Constable Dame Elizabeth Neville.   more...

Age is no barrier for fearless fundraiser

OCTOGENARIAN Ron Crawford proved he had a head for heights on Saturday, when he abseiled 80ft from the roof of Salisbury College.   more...

Walk-in thieves grab concert tickets worth £11,000

CONCERT tickets worth nearly £11,000 were stolen in a daring theft from a music shop in Salisbury on Monday.   more...

Loyalty is rewarded by seat in cabinet

LOYALTY was rewarded by triumphant Tories when they reappointed Independent group leader Ted Draper to their Salisbury district council cabinet this week.   more...

"Great honour" to be chairman, says councillor

LAVERSTOCK councillor Frank Bissington is the new chairman of Salisbury district council.   more...

Rare lichens flourish at Stonehenge

INTERNATIONALLY renowned ecologists visited Stonehenge last week to conduct the first-ever comprehensive survey on the rare lichens that grow there.   more...

Town mayor takes office

NEW mayor of Wilton Marjorie Whitworth fired a warning shot across the bows of Salisbury district council and Wiltshire county council within seconds of taking office at the annual mayor-making ceremony last week.   more...

Wildlife park hopes dashed

A MASSIVE blow has been dealt to hopes of turning part of the old RAF munitions depot at Chilmark into a wildlife and nature conservation area.   more...

Salisbury Sport

It's another wash-out

SOUTH Wilts cricket teams all saw their fixtures sabotaged for a variety of reasons on Saturday.   more...

Tennis - Plum draw after cup success

SALISBURY'S Over 40 ladies have landed a plum tie in the third round of the National Inter Club Veterans Championship after a battling victory over West Hants at Harnham.   more...

Football - Anthony's quartet helps South Newton lift the cup

ANTHONY Rochester was a four-goal hero for South Newton & Wishford in their South Wilts Charity A Cup Final victory against Harnham.   more...

Winning debut for duo

SALISBURY'S Gale Pettifer emerged triumphant in her debut at the Weyhill Miniature Horse Show on Sunday.   more...

Orienteers triumph

SARUM Orienteers enjoyed a successful trip to Sheffield at the weekend for the two-day British Championships.   more...

Sam lands title

YOUNG golfer Sam Elkins has added his name to the illustrious list of star golfers who have lifted the prestigious Wiltshire County Colts Matchplay title.   more...

George steps down as Heath chairman

BEMERTON Heath Harle-quins this week named Salisbury businessman Eddie Boswell as its new chairman after club stalwart George Parker stepped down from the position he had held for more than 18 years.   more...

Events inside a tent

SALISBURY City stage three events this weekend in a specially erected marquee on the pitch at their Raymond Mc-Enhill Stad-ium.   more...

Special memories galore, but no cup joy for Saints

FA CUP fever gripped Salisbury on Saturday as hundreds of football fans packed the city's pubs to watch Southampton's televised cup final showdown with Arsenal on large screens.   more...

A slice of luck at last for hockey club

SALISBURY Hockey Club's men's first team's battle with relegation is finally over.   more...

Master Robbie wins for Mick

FORTY-eight hours before heading to Cardiff to see his beloved Southampton FC in the FA Cup Final, former Saint Mick Channon was proving he is still a winner when Master Robbie - the 16/1 shot trained by the footballer-turned-race horse supremo at his West Ilsley stables - romped home in the closing race of the day at Salisbury.   more...

All revved up for a weekend of top class motorsport

MINIS are the big attraction at Castle Combe circuit on bank holiday Monday as part of a bumper weekend of motor sport.   more...

County call-up for Amesbury pair

AMESBURY duo Mike Tyler and Terry Spreadbury have been named in the Wiltshire Bowls Association's team which faces Hampshire in the final Middleton Cup trial at Wootton Bassett on Sunday.   more...

Rod & Line - by Roland Batten

Three days of fishing   more...

Sport Cricket

Bowler is signed up by county outfit

YOUNG bowler Tom Stayt has achieved the first part of his cricketing dream after being handed a professional contract by Gloucestershire.   more...

Tasker puts pressure on struggling Purton

WILTSHIRE CRICKET LEAGUE: ANOTHER cold, wet, miserable Saturday took its toll on the Wiltshire League, with more than half the matches either cancelled or abandoned at tea.   more...

Youngsters make good start to new season

YOUTH CRICKET: THE North Wilts Junior Cricket has been expanded this year and now consists of eight sides at U11, ten teams at U13 and eight teams at U15.   more...

Wiltshire bowlers are put to the sword

WILTSHIRE completed their programme of warm-up matches for the season with games against Hampshire 2nd XI at the Rose Bowl on Wednesday and against Dorset at Dean Park, Bournemouth on Sunday.   more...

Skipper leads victory bid

YOUTH CRICKET: CHIPPENHAM'S U13 and U15 teams have both made promising starts to the Bath and District League, each winning their opening two fixtures.   more...

Devizes 2nd v Wootton Bassett 2nd

DEVIZES 2nd dodged the showers and made light work of disposing of Wootton Bassett 2nd on Saturday.   more...

Swindon worthy winners

After winning the toss Swindon Under 13 captain Paul Laggett elected to bat against West Wilts on a good pitch.   more...

Sport Football

Hopkins hired

DAVID Hopkins has been appointed Devizes Town manager on a permanent basis following his stint as caretaker at the end of last season.   more...

Local football coaches have been going Dutch

COACHES from Cirencester-based company Dutch UK Football School have returned from a trip to the Netherlands.   more...

Wiltshire School's England honour

MELKSHAM'S Wiltshire School of Gymnastics will host the English Championships on June 7/8 .   more...

New boss aims to restore the pride

DAVE Hopkins is looking to bring some local pride back to Devizes Town after securing the manager's position at Nursteed Road on a permanent basis.   more...

Kennedy leads Devizes spree

YOUTH FOOTBALL: DEVIZES Town Youth went goal crazy in their home match against Amesbury Juniors in under 16s Red Division of the Wiltshire Times and Chippenham News Mid-Wilts Youth and Minor League.   more...

Youngsters shine in tournament

YOUTH FOOTBALL: SATURDAY showers could not dampen the enthusiasm of hundreds of young footballers as FC Chippenham Youth staged their annual six-a-side tournament at Westmead Playing Fields.   more...

Bar OC/The Crown 1, Selectabook 5

JOHN STRICKLAND MEMORIAL CUP: NICK Taylor scored twice as league champions Selectabook claimed the John Strickland Memorial Cup for the fifth time in seven seasons.   more...

Contest back with a bang

CALNE Town plan to stage their adult six-a-side event on an annual basis after successfully reviving the tournament on Sunday afternoon.   more...

Sport Rugby

Call me captain

SWINDON'S Jaine Lock faces her proudest moment next week when she captains England's women on a rugby tour of South Africa.   more...

Swindon News

Traffic calming is going to extremes

I NOTE the ongoing debate and concern about the growing number of traffic calming measures around Swindon and I hesitate to add to the issue. However the letter from Mrs Bowles on Thursday May 15 prompts me to add my bit.   more...

Roman site is a draw for tourists

I read with anger the article regarding the historic Roman site in Swindon and the council's refusal to do anything about it because it's "not of public interest."   more...

End of the wall was death of socialism

MR THIPTHORPE's letter recalling the well recorded role of the RAF in the last war claims to be an answer to my previous letter.   more...

Twinning exercise is just waste of taxpayers' money

Swindon Borough Council are at it again with a twinning visit to the city of Torun in Poland costing the rate payers thousands of pounds.   more...

This is crazy

I now read that a burglar can, when injured while carrying out his trade, go on to Legal Aid to pursue his chosen client for compensation due to injuries received and consequent loss of wages caused by the injuries received while working on one of his nocturnal jobs in an inefficient manner!   more...

Leave well alone

WITH regards to Mr A Thipthorpe's less than objective critique of the Second World War, (Letters, Wednesday, May 14) may I congenially refer him and other would be military historians to Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington (1759-1852) who plaintively stated; "I recommend you to leave the battle of Waterloo as it is."   more...

Bags mixed up

THE head of Swindon Services, John Short, is quick to jump to the defence of his employees, when they are criticised by disgruntled council tax payers... and rightly so since I believe that, in general, they give good value for money.   more...

A place to skate

Councillor Smith has kept his promise to remove the speed humps in Covingham ­ Councillor Bawden will make certain of that.   more...

Council takes action after loud music complaint

A resident in Park North faces eviction after accusations of being a noisy neighbour.   more...

Families urged to keep plots uniform

RELATIVES of people buried in Wootton Bassett cemetery are being told to make sure their plots don't look out of place.   more...

Contest drinkers prepare for race to beat time at the bar

WANBOROUGH residents will be taking part in the traditional beer race this bank holiday weekend.   more...

Advertiser journalists gear up for awards night

TRADITIONAL rivalries will be temporarily put to one side as journalists from throughout the region gather at the Goddard Arms Hotel in Old Town tonight for the inaugural Wiltshire Media Awards.   more...

Have your say over new play equipment

PENHILL residents will be asked what play equipment they want on the estate at an open day.   more...

Skateboarders will be brought up short

A PLAN to stop skateboarders disrupting town centre shopping has been launched in New Bridge Square.   more...

Nazi memorabilia fetches thousands at Swindon auction

NAZI memorabilia sold for thousands of pounds when it went under the hammer at a Swindon auction.   more...

Role play to beat bogus callers

POLICE have developed a role-play exercise to raise awareness about bogus callers.   more...

Just the job for pupils to experience work

BRICKLAYING, website design and building a Formula 1 car were just three of the jobs young people got to try out at a two day exhibition.   more...

Prison for man who hit a WPC

A MAN whose unprovoked attack on a policewoman left her with whiplash has been jailed for three months.   more...

A stylish boost for charity

A GIRLS' night out at Wootton Bassett Memorial Hall raised more than £1,124 for Break-through Breast Cancer in Wiltshire.   more...

Naturally, it's feeding time

Breastfeeding has been made simple for new mothers in Pinehurst.   more...

200 jobs could be created if plan is passed

MORE than 200 jobs could be created if plans to transform the former EMI factory in Swindon are approved.   more...

Dreaming of film stardom

RISING star Ben Huggins, 16 has won a place on a National Youth Theatre training course.   more...

Celebrating a `wonderful life'

DON and Betty Sheppard, who were both born and raised in Wootton Bassett, are celebrating their golden wedding this week, at their home in Milton's Way.   more...

Busy year for arty friends

AN association set up to support the Arts Centre has raised more than £21,000 in its first year.   more...

Early days for new pay deal

FIREFIGHTERS in Swindon are poring over the details of the Government's latest pay offer, which union leaders are recommending they accept.   more...

Trio steals the glory in safety drive

KNOWING how to stay safe on the roads has earned pupils at an Upper Stratton primary a new school computer.   more...

Learning lessons from ancient times

A SPECIAL school went back in time as pupils learnt the art of stone age pottery.   more...

Banned

This is Liam Walsh. He may only be 13 but it is claimed he turned parts of Penhill into no-go zones. The courts have ruled he must stay away from areas of the community. If you see him where he shouldn't be, ring police on 528111.   more...

Why wasn't more done?

RESIDENTS have asked why more wasn't done to prevent the Locarno fire.   more...

On patrol looking for school truants

COMPUTER technology is taking the lead in helping Swindon keep its truancy figures among the lowest in the country.   more...

Pentagon involved in Porton Down inquest

THE Pentagon may refuse to release documents vital in determining whether an RAF airman was poisoned during an experiment at Porton Down.   more...

The boys are back in town

WALCOT BOYS CLUB REUNION: FORMER members of the Walcot Boys Club were transported back to their youth at a reunion attended by founder members.   more...

`For many children it was like a second home'

WALCOT BOYS CLUB REUNION: FORMER members of the Walcot Boys Club were transported back to their youth at a reunion attended by founder mem-bers.   more...

Scientists will see red

EUROPE'S first mission to another planet will blast off on June 2 - with the specialist help of a Swindon organisation.   more...

Cricketer joins in charity fun event

England women's cricketer Charlotte Edwards will join Staff at Innogy in Swindon for ChildLine Day.   more...

Nightmare neighbours face tough sanctions

"NEIGHBOURS from hell" will be stripped of their housing benefit under proposals that could become law by the end of the year.   more...

Public has the right to be informed

WHEN an interim Anti-Social Behaviour Order was imposed by Swindon Magistrates against 13-year-old Liam Walsh from Penhill, his representative in court argued that his name should be kept secret.   more...

Let's find the real culprits

ALTHOUGH some people are asking why more was not done to prevent the Locarno fire, we should all make sure we have our facts straight first.   more...

Wiltshire News

Nurses chatted as mum lay dead

Melony Elder was horrified when she found her mother dead in a hospital bed after nurses failed to notice she had passed away.   more...

Wiltshire Sport

Call me captain

SWINDON'S Jaine Lock faces her proudest moment next week when she captains England's women on a rugby tour of South Africa.   more...

Wootton Bassett News

Families urged to keep plots uniform

RELATIVES of people buried in Wootton Bassett cemetery are being told to make sure their plots don't look out of place.   more...

Role play to beat bogus callers

POLICE have developed a role-play exercise to raise awareness about bogus callers.   more...

A stylish boost for charity

A GIRLS' night out at Wootton Bassett Memorial Hall raised more than £1,124 for Break-through Breast Cancer in Wiltshire.   more...

  
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