Stories for 27 October 2005

News

Knife wielding robber faces prison sentence

GAZETTE & HERALD: Off-licence manager Tara Webb said she was pleased that an armed robber who held one of her workers at knifepoint might be sent to prison.   more...

Abuser admits assaulting girl

GAZETTE & HERALD: CHIPPENHAM man Graham Parks, who systematically abused a 15-year-old girl, has been remanded in custody by a crown court judge.   more...

Arm should stay in county

I am very concerned to see a very important artefact of Wiltshire's history be allowed to leave the county. The petrified arm of George Carpenter should remain in Wiltshire.   more...

Grimsby not in Yorkshire but in the `soft south'

I would like to come to the rescue of Sue Pycroft who confessed in a very interesting article in the October 20 issue of the Gazette & Herald that she didn't know the Yorkshire word for goat. Shame on her. What do they teach in the schools these days?   more...

Conmen trick way into OAP's home and steal £50

GAZETTE & HERALD: THIEVES have stolen £50 from an elderly woman's home in Westerleigh Close, Chippenham. The two men called at the house between 1pm and 1.30pm last Friday and claimed there was a water leak in the flat upstairs.   more...

Where will cars go?

It is clear to one and all, with apparently one exception, Kennet District Council, that the current official car parking areas in Devizes fail to meet the demands of the motorist.   more...

Support our traders

Devizes will continue to deteriorate as a retail centre unless a new development in the central car park goes ahead ­ what rubbish.   more...

Jail sentence for father who collected child porn

GAZETTE & HERALD: A Chippenham dad has been jailed for 18 months for downloading thousands of indecent images of children from the internet.   more...

Where will we park?

I see from today's Gazette that the car park behind Tesco is being turned into shops. Who thought up this idea? This will mean that about 200 car parking spaces will be lost. Where are we going to park?   more...

Historian reveals tale of mayhem

GAZETTE & HERALD: Military historian Richard Lambert-Stiles is celebrating the launch of his new book about the Cyprus emergency.   more...

No to chain stores

Why is it that Kennet councillors follow the maxim, `You get what you are given regardless of what you want'?   more...

Get behind DASH2

I read with interest your article on primary care trust chief executive Mrs C Clarke, on October 13. I don't doubt her sincerity or that she has had some sleepless nights, but I guess that goes with the job and the high salary.   more...

Employees slighted

As an ex-employee of Sandridge Tower Nursing Home, I was horrified to see your report last week. Having worked at this home for four years, I feel that the report gave quite the wrong impression of Mrs R Woodhouse and all employees, past and present.   more...

Home is superior

My mother is a resident at Sandridge Tower Nursing Home and I feel I must say something in defence of Mrs Woodhouse and her staff.   more...

Car careers into tables in a pub's front garden

GAZETTE & HERALD: POLICE are seeking the driver of a red Volkswagen Golf after it ploughed into the front garden of the Mallard Pub in Lyneham.   more...

Shoeboxes galore

I would like to express my gratitude to the staff of two shoe shops in Marlborough High Street, namely Clark's and Pavilion, who have been incredibly helpful in supplying empty shoeboxes for the 2005 Operation Christmas Child shoebox appeal.   more...

Promise been kept

You will recall that I was appalled by the behaviour of the majority group at Kennet District Council in using their majority to to vote for councillors' annual remuneration to be increased by over 50 per cent at a time when council tax was yet again increasing above the rate of inflation.   more...

Thanks to church

The 2nd Devizes Guides would like to thank Minister Chris Cory of St Andrew's Church, Devizes, for allowing the unit to put on an entertainment evening in aid of the Devizes and District Guiding building fund within the church.   more...

Is it the silly season?

Some time ago I suggested the blot on the landscape known as Marlborough Business Park should be used as a memorial to the councillors whose lack of understanding supported such a scheme.   more...

Well done NHS

For the last seven weeks, my husband Maurice has attended a PACE (Pulmonary Advice and Community Exercise) course at Chippenham Hospital, to help him cope with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.   more...

Donations welcome

May I thank the people of Chippenham who contributed £872 to the South Asian Earthquake Appeal when Chippenham Rotary Club made a collection in the town to send two fully equipped tents to the stricken area.   more...

It's becoming a ghost town

SO it looks as if there will be another shortfall in the finances of Swindon Borough this year. I have been here for eight years and each year we pay more for less services.   more...

Scheme divorced from urban area

I HAVE been reading about the new Swindon company at its website with keen interest.   more...

Council's vans are straying

I WAS interested to read the letter from Clive Daniels, October 22, suggesting that we can pass time on the slow congested roads of Swindon by seeing how many council vans we can spot.   more...

Place needs a clean-up

THERE have been many letters in the Swindon Advertiser of late regarding Swindon being a dump ­ to all of those I say I agree.   more...

Children's opera

I AM delighted that there has been so much local and national interest in `Swindon, the Opera.' It is a very exciting project and if we are successful in securing a grant for the opera to happen, it will, I hope, be something of which Swindon can be proud.   more...

Cycling gripes

WHEN do the new so say laws come into force? No cycling on pavements? Ha ha.   more...

Wood you be-leaf it?

Picture Ref: 99848-13A FORMER top police officer has raided his old workplace to try and rescue a rare prehistoric species of tree.   more...

`Sex pest in court overdose drama'

SEX pest Robert Fulton had to be rushed to hospital after turning up at court and announcing he had taken a drugs overdose.   more...

Protection will be highlighted

THE way vulnerable children are looked after in Swindon will be revealed next week.   more...

Is hospital art good for our wealth?

The striking painting in the GWH atriumSWINDON'S Great Western Hospital splashed out at least £97,500 on art during the last two years, the Adver can reveal.   more...

`Their work is a miracle'

THE POWER of the work done by staff at the Prospect Hospice in Wroughton was outlined at the organisation's annual general meeting when people heard a moving testimony from one of the patients.   more...

Living dead living it up

Picture Ref: 99940-14IF you are walking through Swindon this weekend and come across a bloodied zombie ­ don't be alarmed.   more...

A dream day for Samantha

The search for our Bride of the Year 2006 is due to start on MondayEVERY bride dreams of a fairytale wedding and the Advertiser is giving away just that.   more...

Les to take a marathon bite from Big Apple

Les Slinn, who will be running next month for Swindon Cancer AppealA PERSONAL trainer is preparing to sink his teeth into 26 miles of the Big Apple for the Advertiser-backed Swindon Cancer Appeal.   more...

Boys and girls come out to play......and learn some useful skills at the same time

Megan Bryan, nine, with decorated lanterns Picture Ref: 99950-16WITH gusts of wind whipping around their ears, a group of children enjoyed a day playing outside in the fresh air.   more...

More singles home alone

THE NUMBER of single person households is on the increase.   more...

Stabbings `may have been an accident'

JURORS in the trial of an alleged knifeman accused of attempting to murder a young woman at Swindon train station and wounding a man have been told to consider whether the stabbings were accidental.   more...

Disabled man was a child porn user

A FRESHBROOK man who admitted possessing child pornography which was described as the most disgusting child porn available on the internet will be sentenced next month.   more...

A taste of world culture at the college

SWINDON College will be transformed into a cultural wonderland on Wednesday, November 23.   more...

Halloween call for more blood

As Halloween approaches the National Blood Service is calling on people to give blood.   more...

New equipment is a breath of fresh air

Picture Ref: 99894-60FUNDRAISING activities will help to save lives after paying for new hospital equipment.   more...

Blair's Euro leadership is lacking ­ MEP

ONE of Swindon's Euro MPs has hit out at Tony Blair's presidency of the European Union.   more...

Working closely for conservation

NATURE for All will be exhibiting the role of their Ranger Team at the West Swindon Library next month.   more...

Jump helps school keep feet on ground

Picture Ref: 99888-56FUN days, discos, parachute jumps ­ it's all go for a group trying to make a difference.   more...

Talks to look at African history

FIVE seminars aim to help people of all cultures explore black history.   more...

Support grows for new youth centre

The former Tourist Information Centre in Marlborough could become a youth drop in centre thanks to the efforts of volunteers and PC Emma BrownYOUNG people in Marlborough could soon be getting their own drop-in centre at the redundant tourist information centre in the George Lane car park.   more...

Sentence delay

A MAN who admitted stealing from a shop will be sentenced next month.   more...

Parish celebrates 1100 birthday

Majorettes strut their stuff as the carnival procession wends its way along the village street to commemorate the church's antiquityVILLAGERS in Great Bedwyn celebrated the 1100th anniversary of their parish church by staging a carnival. Crowds lined the route as the parade made its way from the school to the village hall.   more...

Drunken driver is back in court

A CONVICTED drink driver who got behind the wheel while he was banned from driving has been disqualified again for 20 months.   more...

They will remember

REMEMBRANCE Sunday will be marked by a parade and service in Cricklade.   more...

Art gives confidence to school's pupils

COMMONWEAL School pupils say they feel more confident after participating in projects that relate to their specialist school status as a performing arts college.   more...

Lecture on preserving Cold War buildings

SHOULD we preserve the architectural legacies of the Cold War?   more...

Morale at new low as firefighters suspended

THREE Marlborough firefighters remained suspended this week while separate allegations of racism, theft and bullying are investigated by senior officers.   more...

Conference looks at beating stress

SWINDON residents are reminded that mental health professionals will be giving a series of lectures at the Marriott Hotel in Old Town as part of International Stress Awareness Day 2005.   more...

Girl to spend her 14th birthday in the Arctic

Laura Lovelace, 13, who will be joining her father's new company on its first Arctic expedition with, from left, expedition leader Richard Bull and her father Mark 17640/5MARLBOROUGH College student Laura Lovelace will be celebrating her 14th birthday on April 6 thousands of miles away from home on an Arctic ice floe.   more...

Bank foils plot to con cash from pensioner

STAFF at a Marlborough bank have been praised by police for foiling an attempt to fleece an elderly dementia sufferer out of £4,500 savings.   more...

Drug raid bungle

Police use a battering ram to smash down pensioner Hazel Bryant's front door, believing it to be the home of a drug dealerPENSIONER Hazel Bryant, 69, was left shaking with fear after police on a drugs swoop smashed down her front door ­ 200 yards from the house they should have been raiding.   more...

Mum, 43, has firstborn in threatened unit

First time mum Mimi Hughes felt confident she was in safe hands from the moment she arrived at Devizes Maternity Unit, where daughter Georgia was born (17610/1)DUE to her age, 43-year-old Mimi Hughes was urged to give birth at a large hospital with consultants on hand in case of any problems.   more...

Wildlife brought to life in artists' paintings

Elizabeth Bush sets up the show at the Corn Exchange 17629/9THIS year's annual exhibition of Devizes' Lawrence Society of Art featured the wildlife kingdom in all its glory.   more...

Rotary to deck town hall

THE tradition of having a Christmas tree in front of Marlborough Town Hall is being revived this year. It was discontinued some years ago because of vandalism and the risk to children from empty light sockets after bulbs were stolen.   more...

Big band sound for very young musicians

Karen Carter of Devizes Samba Band shows her drumming skills to Lavington Pre-School children and the assistant, Tori Burt 17661/1TODDLERS at Lavington Pre-School made plenty of noise when they played instruments used by Devizes Samba Band.   more...

Six month baby boy loses fight for life

DEVIZES parents Martin and Ellen Wright have paid tribute to staff at Devizes Hospital, Bristol Children's Hospital and the Royal United Hospital in Bath after their six-month-old son lost his brave fight for life.   more...

Fire detector does the job

A SMOKE detector and a speedy response by Marlborough firefighters on Monday resulted in a cooker fire being contained.   more...

School bid to get dance studio for therapy

Mike Bowden (17671/05)MIKE Bowden, chairman of Rowdeford Charity Trust has appealed for more volunteers as the special school in Rowde, near Devizes, embarks on a £500,000 scheme to renovate a dilapidated coach house.   more...

Prison in-mates slip net

Erlestoke Prison wants to bar its two voluntary inmates and their offspringA PAIR of amorous badgers who courted in the security of Erlestoke Prison face eviction this week after prison authorities took a dim view of their horticultural activities.   more...

Campaigner supports pews

VILLAGERS in Burbage are being urged to protest at plans to move remaining pews out of All Saints Church and replace them with upholstered chairs.   more...

Disco staff `not to go on patrol'

DEVIZES police have denied ever intending to ask door staff at the Corn Exchange to help patrol the Market Place after weekend discos.   more...

College bid for six new homes is thrown out

SIX new homes proposed by Marlborough College at Barton Dene would be outside the town's development limits, Kennet District Council's regulatory committee was told.   more...

Rescue was no swan song

DEVIZES firefighters were called to rescue a cygnet which had got stuck on a roof last Friday. The bird was spotted on top of the ten metre high roof of Cebal UK's premises in Folly Road by a concerned member of staff.   more...

Council puts out red carpet

TOWN councillors in Marlborough are to lay out a red carpet for visitors to the town hall. On Monday councillors agreed to splash out on a new carpet for the main staircase leading to the upstairs Assembly Room.   more...

Driver wrecks £8,000 caravan

AN £8,000 caravan and a Ford Fiesta valued at £1,000 were written off after an alleged drunken driver careered through Great Cheverell on Friday night.   more...

MP signs up at The Wharf

DEVIZES MP Michael Ancram and his wife Jane were so impressed when they visited the Wharf Theatre recently, they decided to sign up as members there and then.   more...

Thug snatches youth's phone

POLICE are appealing for witnesses after a 17-year-old local youth was robbed of his mobile phone in Devizes town centre.   more...

Classroom fund off to good start

A FUNDraising campaign to buy a new mobile classroom for Bishops Cannings Pre-school has got off to a good start.   more...

Pupils put finishing touches to giant poppy

Reece, Elijah, Chelsea, Anabel, Romy and Lydia, pupils at Holy Trinity School, Calne making poppies for the giant one to be displayed on the town hall 17614/2GAZETTE & HERALD: PUPILS at schools all across Calne are putting the finishing touches to the 4,000 or so poppies which will be made into one giant poppy to be displayed on the town hall next month.   more...

Angry drivers in protest against parking charges

GAZETTE & HERALD: FURIOUS drivers turned up at Calne Town Hall to vent their anger at North Wiltshire District Council's introduction of car parking charges.   more...

Fears over Wigglybus service are refuted

GAZETTE & HERALD: WILTSHIRE County Council has denied that the innovative Wigglybus service in the Pewsey Vale and Calne will no longer wiggle to pick up elderly and disabled people close to their homes.   more...

Drunken assault followed proposal

GAZETTE & HERALD: DRUNKEN Carl Murray attempted to strangle his girlfriend on her birthday ­ hours after proposing to her.   more...

Pupils join the Marines for day

GAZETTE & HERALD: PUPILS at John Bentley School in Calne have spent a day with the Royal Marines to give them an insight into what being an elite member of the Armed Forces would be like.   more...

Demolition plan for old hall gets thumbs up

GAZETTE & HERALD: PLANS to demolish Hilmarton's derelict WI hall and replace it with a three-bedroom cottage have been given the green light by North Wiltshire District Council.   more...

Police warn of mini bike risk

GAZETTE & HERALD: POLICE in Calne are highlighting the dangers posed by people illegally using mini motorcycles in public places.   more...

Friends plan tribute concert for pal

GAZETTE & HERALD: FRIENDS of student Dan Succony, who died last year of kidney disease, are planning an emotional memorial concert in his honour.   more...

Reduced to rubble

Tents have replaced homes in the ruins of Azim Khan's village of BattalAzim Khan was devastated to lose 20 members of his family in the terrible earthquake in Pakistan earlier this month. We accompanied the Rodbourne shopkeeper on a heart-rending visit to his home town   more...

Shops to bump up age checks

SUPERMARKETS have pledged to crack down on underage alcohol sales after talks with the Government. But Swindon's major stores say they already have tough procedures in place to make sure they do not sell alcohol to under-18s.   more...

Fears grow over woman missing with her baby

Shazier mamCONCERNS are growing for the safety of a mother and her baby boy who disappeared five days ago.   more...

Miracle as little Luca's legs are saved

Luca Railton who has been given hope of saving his legs by a German doctor Picture Ref: 99945-24SWINDON AND PROUD OF IT: Toddler Luca Railton was born with a rare condition and faced the prospect of becoming an amputee. His mum talked to Catherine Turnbull about her fight to save her son's legs   more...

Desert adventure went like a dream

Phil Spooner during his Moroccan expeditionWHEN Phil Spooner drove round Morocco to raise money for Children In Need, he wasn't expecting to have to dodge children in need.   more...

Addict cracked girlfriend's jaw

Shaley Winter with her son Matthew Hornsby-WinterA MAN who left his girlfriend with a broken jaw after attacking her in a drug-fuelled rage has been jailed for two and a half years.   more...

`Pity it wasn't done sooner'

The scene at Whitehouse bridge following the work Picture Ref: 99938-85WORK to repair traffic lights at a spot where a motorcyclist died has been completed ­ but it is too late for his loved ones.   more...

Stooge sent to carry out card frauds

A MALAYSIAN man who came to England to earn money for his sick daughter fell in with a gang of triads who sent him to Swindon to steal for them.   more...

`Bypass could be a life saver'

The busy A419 at BlunsdonTHE Blunsdon bypass could save lives.   more...

Network fined £30,000 for unauthorised masts

MOBILE phone network O2 has been fined £30,000 for putting up two transmitter masts without planning consent in areas of outstanding natural beauty.   more...

Technicality brings halt to battle of the flowers

THERE were red faces among Kennet District Council's legal team on Tuesday when they were forced to drop the prosecution of a couple for hosting flower arranging courses at their home without permission.   more...

No charges for street parking are proposed

CHANGES to the way on street car parking will be enforced will not result in charges being introduced or more double yellow lines being painted on roads.   more...

Early call for dealers

Police smash their way into a Chippenham house (17674/19)POLICE are denying a county-wide drugs operation was a public relations exercise and said they had netted suspected drug dealers and recovered Class A drugs with an estimated street value of between £1,500 and £2,000.   more...

Gripped by the full Nelson

Jasmin dressed as Nelson at Easterton's celebrations (17668/34)The bicentenary of the Battle of Trafalgar, one of Britain's most famous naval victories, was celebrated throughout the county at the weekend, along with salutes to the man who engineered the victory, Admiral Horatio Nelson.   more...

Chance to apply for grants

FINDING somewhere comfortable for young musicians to sit was a big problem for Liz Richards and her fellow music teachers at the Super Strings Club in Market Lavington, near Devizes.   more...

First complaint lodged against Beaufort Hunt

THE first complaint against a hunt in Wiltshire under new laws has been made to police. Hunt protester David Thompson followed Beaufort hunt supporters at a meet at Hinnegar near Didmarton on Saturday and claimed the hunt pursued a fox they drove from a wood near Badminton Down.   more...

Drug raid bungle

Police use a battering ram to smash down pensioner Hazel Bryant's front door, believing it to be the home of a drug dealerPENSIONER Hazel Bryant, 69, was left shaking with fear after police on a drugs swoop smashed down her front door ­ 200 yards from the house they should have been raiding.   more...

Wrong to lose mummified arm

LOCAL historian John Girvan has condemned the donation of the mummified arm of an executed convict to a London museum as an historic loss to the county.   more...

Appeal leads to four arrests

FOUR of the six bail bandits featured in the Gazette two weeks ago have been arrested following phone calls from members of the public.   more...

Great Bustard spreads wings for Dorset

BIRD watchers at Portland Bill in Dorset were amazed on Saturday to see, among the more usual migrating birds, a Great Bustard on the wing.   more...

Campaign to restore canal gains momentum

VOLUNTEERS are celebrating an increasingly successful campaign for the restoration of the former Wiltshire and Berkshire canal.   more...

Ambulance super trust is approved

A RADICAL change to ambulance services in Wiltshire has been agreed by health chiefs. The decision to recommend a merger of Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire into a single ambulance trust was made at a meeting of the regional Strategic Health Authority board in Chippenham last Thursday.   more...

Budding young football stars hone their skills

The young footballers are enjoying Soccer Fun Days at the Gerard Buxton Sports Ground 17669/08SCORES of soccer mad youngsters have been honing their skills in Wootton Bassett this week as they dream of becoming the next Wayne Rooney.   more...

Residents fear homes will increase flood risk

RESIDENTS in Wootton Bassett fear their homes could be at risk of serious flooding if planning permission for new homes at Westbury Park is granted.   more...

Roadworks to delay carnival

MAJOR roadworks in Wootton Bassett High Street will mean a change of date for next year's carnival. Carnival chairman Diana Williams said the carnival will have to be delayed to allow Wessex Water to complete major works.   more...

Concert is saved after conductorsteps in

A TEMPORARY conductor has come to the rescue of Wootton Bassett Orchestra following the sudden resignation of its former conductor .   more...

Witness appeal for car damage

AN estimated £1,000 worth of damage has been caused to a car parked on Wootton Bassett High Street.   more...

Professional fuel thieves target local haulage firm

THIEVES have stolen over £1,500 worth of diesel fuel from Wootton Bassett haulage firm SL Transport.   more...

How to make a transfer stick

BUSINESS owners need to know what their company is worth when it comes to transferring a company.   more...

Honda to supply government's green team

JAPANESE car firm Honda has received its first fleet order for the new Civic.   more...

More hot property

PROPERTY consultants, Alder King are continuing their expansion with three new appointments.   more...

Tributes to well known builder

Barry ThomasTHE family of builder Barry Thomas have thanked friends and neighbours for their support after the 59-year-old father was found hanged in his garage.   more...

Volunteers plant bulbs to beautify gardens

Eleanor Thomas and Will Segerman, two of the volunteers who have been planting 1,000 daffodil bulbs in the grounds of the Cloister Gardens (17647/5)Flower power is due to take over Malmesbury in the Spring after 30 people planted 3,000 daffodil bulbs on Saturday.   more...

Ducks' toddle waddle

Mums and toddlers from Brinkworth practise the waddle 17683/1BRINKWORTH Parent and Toddler Group is hoping to take a step forward in the fight against meningitis by holding a sponsored toddle waddle.   more...

Parking protesters must prove hardship

RESIDENTS who oppose the new parking charges at the Station Road car park in Malmesbury will be able to quiz district council bosses at a meeting.   more...

Combined village hall gets majority approval

Families in Seagry and Startley are to get a new £360,000 village hall despite opposition from some local people.   more...

Car crashes into front garden

The car that crashed into a gardenBROKENBOROUGH villagers claim a bend on the Malmesbury to Tetbury road where a woman crashed her car last week is a potential death trap.   more...

Developer criticised over change to windows

A Malmesbury property developer, who was fined nearly £8,000 for ignoring planners earlier this year, has flouted planning laws again.   more...

Cash for crier

MALMESBURY is considering paying its town crier £100 a year in a bid to persuade people to take on the job. The town council is thinking about giving a cash sum as part of the job's benefits package.   more...

Five home plan is too cramped

Planning permission has been refused for five new houses in Lea because of their size and density.   more...

GP critical of centre hygiene

Retired GP Christopher Gornall claims there is a litter and hygiene problem at Malmesbury Leisure Centre.   more...

TV `battleaxe' is WI choice

TELEVISION celebrity Christine Hamilton will be speaking about her rollercoaster life to Women's Institute members.   more...

Lessons African-style

Pewsey Vale students with computers they are taking to The Gambia 17637/1A GROUP of students and teachers from Pewsey Vale School have forsaken the autumn weather in Britain to spend their half term break in West Africa.   more...

Dole cheat escapes jail despite stealing £26,000

Dole cheat Michelle Castle has walked free from court after stealing more than £26,000 in benefits by claiming her husband had left her.   more...

Fears over Wigglybus service are refuted

WILTSHIRE County Council has denied that the innovative Wigglybus service in the Pewsey Vale and Calne will no longer wiggle to pick up elderly and disabled people close to their homes.   more...

Who gives a hoody?

FIFTY teenagers put local politicians in the hot spot at a special youth conference called Who Gives A Hoody? The event was organised by North Wiltshire District Council.   more...

Musician friends land key roles in Wings tribute band

Pewsey-based drummer and drums teacher Russell Wilson and guitar and keyboards player Simon Lythe, from Collingbourne Kingston, have joined the tribute band Wingspan.   more...

Cash for homeless project

NORTH Wiltshire Homelessness Project has received a much-needed £3,000 cash boost from Chippenham-based Westlea Housing Association.   more...

Takeover bid for town toilets

IT won't be so convenient to spend a penny in north Wiltshire if the district council decides to close every public toilet in the area.   more...

Road plan moves forward

THE long-awaited one way scheme for Wilcot Road in Pewsey has taken a step nearer to becoming a reality.   more...

No charges for street parking are proposed

CHANGES to the way on street car parking will be enforced will not result in charges being introduced or more double yellow lines being painted on roads.   more...

Stores take tough action to curb Halloween yobs

SUPERMARKETS are banning teenagers from buying anything that could be used as a missile in a bid to foil anti social behaviour over Halloween.   more...

Families enjoy getting healthy

A HEALTHY living weekend at Pewsey Sports Centre was a great success, attracting interest from about 600 adults and children.   more...

Chief executive says farewell

THIS week marks the end of an era for north Wiltshire when district council chief executive Bob Marshall steps down after ten years.   more...

Retirement village fails to win the go-ahead

PLANS for a multi million pound private retirement village in Box have been refused by North Wiltshire District Council officers.   more...

Council loses £348,000

NORTH Wiltshire District Council has lost out on £340,000 Government funding because its old benefits system software wasn't up to the job.   more...

Have say on planning

PEOPLE in north Wiltshire can have their say about the future of planning and how they will be able to contribute to planning debates in years to come.   more...

Homes agreed on petrol station site

NORTH Wiltshire district councillors have granted planning permission for new homes next to the petrol station at Stanton St Quintin.   more...

Youngsters cheer as skate park gets boost

Young skateboarders cheer as they receive a cheque for more than £48,500 from district council chairman Coun Carol O'Gorman for the new skatepark 17625/02GAZETTE & HERALD: YOUNG skateboarders in Corsham are hoping to see work begin on their skate park in March next year.   more...

Drunk driver shunted a parked car 40ft forward

GAZETTE & HERALD: A WOMAN recovering from a brain haemorrhage has reluctantly accepted the apology of a drunken man who destroyed the car on which she depended.   more...

Kiss seals gem of a day

Maud and Arthur Swann celebrate 60 years of bliss (17644/3)GAZETTE & HERALD: DIAMOND couple Arthur and Maud Swann are celebrating 60 perfect years of marriage today.   more...

Secret village up for sale

GAZETTE & HERALD: A SECRET underground village built in the wake of the Second World War has been put up for sale for the first time.   more...

Teenage risk-taker hailed for courage

GAZETTE & HERALD: TEEN adventurer Alicia Hempleman-Adams has been honoured by a national magazine and named Risk Taker of the Year.   more...

Retirement village fails to win the go-ahead

GAZETTE & HERALD: PLANS for a multi million pound private retirement village in Box have been refused by North Wiltshire District Council officers.   more...

Images of town go on calendar

GAZETTE & HERALD: CORSHAM Civic Society is launching a calendar showing images of the town and its people through the ages.   more...

Letter writers object to plans

GAZETTE & HERALD: THREE letters of objection were sent to Corsham Town Council about an application for residential development at the Pickwick Motor Services site.   more...

Angry pair stage sit in over benefit payments

GAZETTE & HERALD: A couple whose application for housing benefit got caught up in a backlog of work have finally got some money after staging a sit in at North Wiltshire District Council.   more...

Health visitor wins award

GAZETTE & HERALD: Corsham's Mike Menzies has been named Health Visitor of the Year in Practical Parenting magazine's inaugural awards.   more...

Holiday couples in hurricane hell

GAZETTE & HERALD: ROWDEN Arms landlords Les and Sue Cannon and their pals Bruce and Lyn Cole had to huddle terrified in a Mexican hotel room for two days while deadly Hurricane Wilma battered the resort they were staying in.   more...

Driving home the message

The wreckage of a Ford Mondeo that killed another driver and injured a girl of 14, above (17642/3) GAZETTE & HERALD: CLOSE friends of sweethearts Nicky Gough and Colette Holbrook, who were killed in a car accident, were among those who gathered at a police organised event designed to educate young drivers about safety.   more...

Family is stunned after death of young mother

Rachel HawkesGAZETTE & HERALD: DEVASTATED Michael Hawkes, whose wife Rachel died suddenly of a heart attack aged 33, has paid tribute to her.   more...

TV companies battle to tell conwoman's story

GAZETTE & HERALD: MORE of cancer cheat Caroline Morgan's lies have been unearthed this week as television companies battle it out for the rights to make a documentary about her.   more...

Award of courage for pupil battling cancer

Howard and Sue Harding with Toby BodmanGAZETTE & HERALD: THE parents of 16-year-old Lydia Harding, who died of cancer four years ago, have presented a bravery award to another teenager battling the disease.   more...

Breast cancer survivor in Women Together call

Breast cancer survivor Sue Newton with her daughter Imogen (17637/07)GAZETTE & HERALD: SUE Newton's bright eyes and giant smile are a world away from the tear-stained cheeks she struggled to hide just three years ago.   more...

Springboard ball sellout

Staff from Motorola give Springboard a fresh new look by painting and repair work 17670/3GAZETTE & HERALD: JUST two weeks after the Gazette launched the Christmas ball in aid of our Springboard Appeal every single ticket has sold out.   more...

Spring comes six months too soon

Yvonne Rowe with the unseasonal blossom on her apple tree in Chippenham (17643/5)GAZETTE & HERALD: GARDENER Yvonne Rowe couldn't believe her eyes when she noticed her prized apple tree blossoming ­ six months early.   more...

Neighbour terrifies boy

GAZETTE & HERALD: MOTHER-of-three Caroline Watts fears her five-year-old son could be left traumatised after he opened the front door to a drunken neighbour wielding two kitchen knives.   more...

£4m college extension part-funded by housing

GAZETTE & HERALD: Wiltshire College Chippenham is looking forward to the dawning of a new era with plans for a multi-million pound expansion.   more...

Man admits sex assault on teen

GAZETTE & HERALD: A COURT heard how pervert Nicholas Capp followed a 14-year-old boy into a public toilet and molested him.   more...

Marooned bird buster is left in a high old flap

GAZETTE & HERALD: MAINTENANCE boss Andy Sawyer was left 50ft in the air for four hours when the cherry picker he was using to try to stop pigeons roosting became jammed.   more...

Tips from the top for job hunters

GAZETTE & HERALD: Young people from Chippenham were due to meet local employers face to face yesterday to pick up tips on job seeking.   more...

Residents to fight on against homes

GAZETTE & HERALD: Residents in Rowden Lane are celebrating a decision by developer Laing Homes to withdraw a planning application, which would enable them to start building homes on land off the rural lane.   more...

Sport

Smith & loans

ADVER EXCLUSIVE: IFFY Onuora is clinging to the hope that a chance chat with an old pal could yet see him net midfield enforcer Paul Smith.   more...

  
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