Stories for 11 February 2005

Bath Leisure

Film review - The Magic Roundabout (U)

"Time for bed," said Zebedee. But the makers of The Magic Roundabout film have taken the moustachioed, springy wizard's words to heart.   more...

Bradford On Avon News

Leaflets centre on Mill plans

LEAFLETS aimed at keeping the public updated about a multi- million pound redevelopment project for Kingston Mill have been circulated to residents in Bradford on Avon.   more...

Inspector's pledge to towns

16538/2NEW police inspector for Melksham and Bradford on Avon, Gary Porter has said he plans to be actively involved with both communities.   more...

Modern apartments are branded `a monstrosity'

A new block of flats built near a historic tourist site in Bradford on Avon has been branded a monstrosity.   more...

MP speaks out on plight of bankers

A SOUTH Wraxall man facing extradition to the US on fraud charges had his plight raised by an MP in the House of Commons this week.   more...

Helicopter search finds missing man

POLICE said they feared for the safety of a 91-year-old man after he went missing from his home for more than four hours.   more...

Innocence is key to musical

AN amateur dramatics group from Bradford on Avon is aiming to thrill audiences when the curtain rises next week.   more...

Business News

Firms set for tech oscars Oscars invite

SWINDON'S British Computer Society has invited more firms from the town to enter its annual awards.   more...

Girl Friday

NAME: July Le Brocq. Age: in my thirties (that's as close as you'll get)   more...

Phil is guest star

Cricketer and I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here winner Phil Tufnell presented Nationwide's annual employee community awards.   more...

Cruising to victory

SWINDON'S Going Places in Regent Street has been named as the top shop in the area to book a cruise.   more...

Cabbies lead the way in picking up passes

TAXI drivers in Warminster are leading the country by gaining BTEC qualifications in their trade.   more...

Help and advice on human resources issues

A south west business was set up by Sean Whittle to provide human resources solutions, giving help with employment contracts, policies and procedures, job descriptions, appraisal systems and general HR advice.   more...

Declaring all to the Revenue

Employers have been receiving over the last few days the Form P35 (Employers Annual Declaration Form) for the year ended April 5 .   more...

Charityball News

Charities' delight at cash promise

76010-08NINE local charities have been picked to receive a cash boost, courtesy of this year's Charity Ball.   more...

Chippenham News

Camilla gets her Prince

CAMILLA Parker Bowles will marry the Prince of Wales at a ceremony in Windsor Castle, the Royal Family announced yesterday.   more...

End of road for subway tunnels

CHIPPENHAM NEWS: MURKY subways used by pedestrians to avoid the Ivy Lane loop in Chippenham have closed to the public. Wiltshire County Council is now filling the subways beneath the Western Arches with concrete.   more...

Corsham News

Underground hideout `puts town at risk'

CHIPPENHAM NEWS EXCLUSIVE: CLAIMS that Ministry of Defence bunkers under Corsham could be home to a secret hideout for the Prime Minister in the wake of a terrorist attack are being investigated by an MP.   more...

Health News

Try out this Valentine's workout for two people

>DARREN'S DRILL: Darren Grace ­ the Advertiser's very own Mr Motivator. Darren, leisure operations manager at the Swindon Marriott hotel, in Old Town, wants to help all our readers Get Fit For 05. So follow his weekly column and get active.   more...

Pupils' lunchboxes stuffed full of fat and sugar

GET FIT WITH 05' FOOD WITH FIONA Fiona Dickens, community dietician for the Swindon and Marlborough NHS Trust and Swindon Primary Care Trust, will be giving weekly advice about how to eat healthy   more...

Children catch the fitness bug

Ref.76006-230GET FIR FOR 05': CHILDREN are skipping, jumping and hopping their way to fitness with the help of Swindon Council.   more...

Melksham News

Benches are unveiled in memory of couple

30184/2THE family of a couple found dead at their Melksham home joined a ceremony to unveil two benches in their memory at the weekend.   more...

Cloning device found at store's cashpoint

16548/1USERS of a cashpoint at a Melksham supermarket are being advised to check their bank balances after a sophisticated cloning device was discovered.   more...

Inspector's pledge to towns

16538/2NEW police inspector for Melksham and Bradford on Avon, Gary Porter has said he plans to be actively involved with both communities.   more...

Hundreds join cadets' parade

THE annual parade of air cadets from across Wiltshire was held in Melksham on Sunday with nearly 300 people taking part.   more...

Grant will help restore historic on unique medieval 15th chapel

A 15TH CENTURY chapel near Melksham has received £78,000 for urgent repair work to its roof.   more...

Woman admits assault on man

A 38-year-old woman has admitted assaulting a man after causing criminal damage to a camper van.   more...

Sport Angling

Sport's big names are signed up for show

ANGLING'S biggest show of the year, Go Fishing 2005, will be staged at the NEC Birmingham between April 1-3 and already a number of big names in the angling world have signed up for the show.   more...

Sport Bowls

Westlecot target win

WESTLECOT men will be looking to maintain this season's unbeaten record on Sunday when they face basement club Rivermead (Reading) in their latest Wessex League game.   more...

It's Welsh defeat for brave Neil

NEIL HOPE is out of the Welsh International Masters but only after a brave battle.   more...

Double act are going for glory

JEAN BIRD and Dave Snell open Westlecot's bid for glory on the national front today.   more...

Sport Football

Fisher fearing Cricklade

GIANTKILLING Cricklade are targeting their biggest scalp yet when they tackle Hellenic Premier title-chasers Highworth in the quarter-final of the Wilts Senior Cup.   more...

Big test for Bassett

WOOTTON Bassett chief Chris Jones is adamant his team's newly-acquired confidence won't be shattered ahead of a frightening trio of upcoming fixtures.   more...

College crunch time

It's crunch time for New College if they are to keep an interest in the Wiltshire League Premier Division title, writes RAY BURROUGHS.   more...

Marine to face top target?

SUPERMARINE boss Mark Collier was hoping to include striker Martin Paul in his line-up tomorrow.   more...

Fixtures and teams

Southern League   more...

Burns in the hot seat

MELKSHAM Town have appointed Lee Burns as manager to replace Nigel Tripp, who resigned following Saturday's 10-0 home humiliation to Bideford.   more...

Almondsbury Tn 3, Trowbridge Tn 1 (3-1 on aggregate)

CUP luck ran out for Trowbridge Town on Wednesday night when they were outmuscled by a direct if not always fluent Almondsbury Town.   more...

Slater's hat-trick boosts Bromham

A HAT-TRICK from 16-year-old Tom Slater gave Bromham a 3-0 away win over AFC Stratton in the Premier Division.   more...

Trowbridge Town 3, Adderbury Park 2

STEVE Bryant spared Trowbridge's blushes on Saturday when his powerful header completed a second half comeback.   more...

Wanderers grab late cup winner

TROWBRIDGE Wanderers will face Seend United, the side they conquered in the first round of the Knockout Cup, in the semi-final of this season's Pied Piper Promotions-sponsored A and B Cup.   more...

Yan plans to shine in sunny Spain

CHIPPENHAM schoolboy Yan Klukowski is refusing to let a change in tour venue dampen his spirits when he joins up with the England Schoolboys' squad.   more...

Toby eyes a cup cracker

TOBY Colbourne is forecasting a cracking cup tie tomorrow when he faces Westbury United for the first time since his move to Corsham.   more...

Highmore faces selection poser

STRONG showings from several fringe players have given Calne Town boss Kelvin Highmore some tough selection posers ahead of his side's next two fixtures.   more...

Skipper back as Town bid for cup upset

SKIPPER Ricky Trott will return to the Trowbridge side to face Devizes Town tomorrow after missing Wednesday's cup clash due to international commitments.   more...

Westbury United 1, Saltash United 4

POOR finishing cost Westbury dear on Saturday as they failed to live up to the standards they have set in recent games.   more...

Ladies to move in with men

LADIES' football in west Wiltshire has taken another step forward with Bradford Town securing the Trowbridge Road ground for home fixtures.   more...

Sport Rugby

Shona's Irish test

Shona Watt will win her 10th international cap as she tries to help Scotland's women register their first victory of the 2005 Women's Six Nations Championship at Murrayfield tomorrow.   more...

Swindon News

Schools' plan is best for kids

I WAS amazed at the letter in the Advertiser on February 9 from Sarah Gunter, of Freshbrook, about the proposed changes to schooling in West Swindon.   more...

Why must care cost so much?

I CANNOT believe I have just read in the Advertiser that Swindon Council intends to raise the cost of day care charges to £26 a day.   more...

This site should be all homes

ISABEL Field reported in the Evening Advertiser on February 8 that the development of the old post office site in the centre of Swindon would be at least 40 per cent housing, with a number of shops probably dominating the front of the site.   more...

I won't vote for any liar

I ALWAYS thought our Prime Minister was called Mr Tony Blair but now I have come to the conclusion that his real name is Mr Tony B Liar.   more...

Enough homes

I HEARTILY endorse all the comments made by Georgina Mason (Letters, February 7).   more...

Council waste

IT never fails to amaze me how wasteful this council can be.   more...

Planners wrong

IT has been known for the planning departments to be wrong with schools either too big or too small, and land allocated for industrial use not used.   more...

Tough choices for the police

WILTSHIRE Police Authority says tough decisions will have to be made after its 2005/6 revenue budget was agreed.   more...

Taken at a crackhouse near you

Ref. 289976THERE were discarded needles, crack pipes, tin foil and a fridge magnetic that said `Never think heroin is nice, it's just a bad pain and it's false.'   more...

Charities offered help

CHARITIES supporting ethnic minorities should be able to run their groups more effectively after an information event being held in Swindon next month.   more...

Teachers on African trip

THREE teachers from Greendown School, in West Swindon, will fly to South Africa today as part of a Global Schools Partnership.   more...

Has the Prime had his time? TV

Barrie Hudson on Richard and Judy V Blair   more...

Wheelie bins trial welcome

RESIDENTS in West Swindon would welcome wheelie bins but they say they would want them collected every week.   more...

County's top talent

WILTSHIRE has been named one of the top birthplaces of rugby talent.   more...

University challenge

Prince's StreetSWINDON Council must take the lead in bringing the University of Bath to the town centre, a new report will claim.   more...

Love comes from the supermarket

Ref. 70617 Claire McKerron and Stuart WigginsMY CAREERS advisor at school never told me there was a job where you could chat people up and get paid for it.   more...

Charities advised not to rely on lottery funding

SWINDON Samaritans has warned charities may have to cast their net further for funding in the future after a branch failed in a £300,000 lottery bid.   more...

Nightclub prepares for 24-hour drinking

THE manager of the Brunel Rooms says he is all for the Government's new 24-hour drink licence.   more...

Operator bid to buy Nationwide cash points

NATIONWIDE has revealed that a cash machine operator which charges for withdrawals wanted to buy all the building society's "remote" machines ­ those not attached to branches.   more...

Meetings start soon

CONSULTATION on the future of West Swindon's schools has started.   more...

Tails of the unexpected

Ref. 75982-65IS it a rat, is it a mouse, is it a gerbil? No, it's a Degu.   more...

More names booked for literary fest

William HagueFORMER Tory leader William Hague and Glastonbury Festival founder Michael Eavis are the latest names confirmed for the Swindon Festival of Literature.   more...

Fleeing suspect dropped blade

A MAN accused of threatening a policewoman with a large kitchen knife claimed the weapon simply fell from his trousers.   more...

Yoga students stretch themselves for appeal

Ref. 76000A SWINDON yoga school will hold a marathon exercise event to raise money for the Asian tsunami appeal.   more...

Charities' delight at cash promise

Ref. 76010-8 Garry HolmesNINE local charities have been picked to receive a cash boost, courtesy of this year's Charity Ball.   more...

What turned my little boy into a thug?

Ref. 75999 Lester Barnes INSET: Daniel as a toddler and adultTHE LAST time Lester Barnes laid eyes on his son he was an adorable 18-month-old toddler with golden hair and a smile that melted his heart.   more...

Military college to officially open its new church

A NEW church for families serving at the Defence Academy in Shrivenham will hold its official opening later this month.   more...

Vulnerable and weak attacked

A THREE-YEAR-OLD boy was knocked to the ground after his mother fought to stop a robber stealing her handbag.   more...

Jim brings his unique humour to town

ARMY favourite Jim Davidson brought his unique brand of blue humour to Swindon.   more...

He should renounce the throne

ROYAL WEDDING: LOYAL royalist Mary Ratcliffe has called for Prince Charles to renounce his right to the throne following the announcement that he will wed Camilla Parker-Bowles.   more...

Charles delighted

ROYAL WEDDING: PRINCE Charles has spoken of his delight that he and Camilla Parker Bowles will wed.   more...

Highland retreat

ROYAL WEDDING: Birkhall, the grand hunting lodge in the grounds of Balmoral where the Prince of Wales and Camilla Parker Bowles will honeymoon is much more than a holiday home.   more...

What they should wear for the great occasion

ROYAL WEDDING: LESLIE Hatcher of Leslie Hatcher Bridal and Men's Formal Wear, in Temple Street, had some advice for Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles on their big day.   more...

Oxbridge ready for this year

FIVE SWINDON teenagers are among the seven Ciren-cester College students who are being offered places at Oxford and Cambridge universities this year.   more...

Trowbridge News

Pervert preyed on schoolgirls

Kevin DopsonWILTSHIRE TIMES EXCLUSIVE: A PARANOID schizophrenic with a history of preying on teenage girls has been found guilty of sexually assaulting two young women within the space of a few minutes in Trowbridge.   more...

Hopes may be dashed for nature centre plan

14602/1CAMPAIGNERS behind a £200,000 nature centre in Trowbridge fear the worst after a potential hammerblow was delivered by district councillors this week.   more...

Estate's fears as flames rise

16551/3VICTIMS of a serial arsonist on a Trowbridge estate fear the next attack could be fatal. Three fires in two hours on the town's Seymour estate caused £2,000 of damage and left residents fearing for their lives.   more...

Flipping good fun

30197/1THE Wiltshire Times battered the competition on Shrove Tuesday as the Trowbridge pancake race got under way.   more...

Families rise to new challenge

GENERATIONS of families were taught the value of working together at a scrapheap challenge held in a Trowbridge primary school.   more...

Media students meet small screen heroes

A FORMER Trowbridge schoolgirl who shot to fame in children's television gave three budding presenters a taste of life on the small screen.   more...

Sparkling result for Little Stars

A PRE-SCHOOL in Trowbridge celebrated after receiving an excellent Ofsted report by holding a jungle adventure day on Tuesday.   more...

`I was itching to help'

DR Joel Almeida, Trowbridge medical doctor and musician, spent two weeks in India following the tsunami disaster in Asia. This is the second part of his experiences.   more...

Fossils are the focus

A FEROCIOUS deep-sea predator from 150 million years ago is on display in Trowbridge Museum as part of a new exhibition.   more...

Pupils have a pan-tastic day

YOUNG speed demons in Trowbridge dug out their frying pans to take part in a Shrove Tuesday race.   more...

Woman found

A missing Trowbridge woman who disappeared from her home last month has turned up safe and well.   more...

Strike threat over pensions

THE threat of strike action by local government workers has sparked fears it could have a "devastating effect" on services in west Wiltshire.   more...

No rush from pubs to serve booze all night

LANDLORDS and managers of clubs, pubs and hotels in west Wiltshire are tempted to apply for 24-hour licences, following the introduction of new laws on Monday, but few actually plan to stay open later than 2am.   more...

Search is on for the Best Kept Village

VILLAGES in north and west Wiltshire are being encouraged to show they are the cleanest, tidiest and have the best community spirit in the county.   more...

Where 2005's tax will be spent

COUNCIL tax contributions to fund Wiltshire County Council will go up by 60p a week after councillors approved a £409.6m budget for the next financial year.   more...

Patients to have their say

PATIENTS in north and west Wiltshire are being asked to have their say in what they think of health services.   more...

Truancy rates on rise again

TRUANCY rates in west Wiltshire have risen despite the Government spending more money on tackling the problem.   more...

Discussing anti-social behaviour

FORUMS giving public and voluntary organisations the chance to discuss anti-social behaviour have been organised across Wiltshire.   more...

Half-term fun on offer at libraries

BUILDING space rockets, stories by torchlight and music are among the events on offer in west and north Wiltshire libraries during the half-term break.   more...

Trowbridge,Bradford On Avon,Melksham,Warminster,Westbury News

Hostel closure will not put more homeless people back on street

THE article `Homeless hit by sale of council-run hostel' had a statement from Marco Van Tintelen, project manager at the Trowbridge Action on Homelessness, which creates a very bad picture for families who are homeless or threatened with homelessness within the district.   more...

Pigeons have a right to enjoy a decent life too

WE don't ask to be born, it just happens. Some are fortunate to be born in a rich environment, others are not so lucky.   more...

Magnificent efforts must continue

THE people of this area have responded with huge generosity to the Asian tsunami appeal.   more...

Where will cement works fears end?

LOTS of questions are raised by the recent events. I find it extraordinary that cement works' staff acted on their own initiative in misrepresenting the relative quality of the cement.   more...

Delaying a decision on the Gap only adds to an already overlong process

I SHALL be most grateful if you would allow me to present a balanced and rational view on the planning committee meeting held on January 28.   more...

Thanks for donations

FOLLOWING the death of my beloved wife Elaine, a service of thanksgiving for her life was held in December. The collection and all cheques sent afterwards in lieu of flowers were to go to the Dorothy House Hospice, Winsley.   more...

Warminster News

Moving date for the Black Watch

Black WatchSOLDIERS from the 1st Bttn Black Watch will leave Warminster in December, slightly earlier than planned.   more...

TV chef joins the fundraising effort

TOP prizes and a celebrity chef helped raise £12,000 for the tsunami aid appeal on Monday.   more...

Portuguese feel to school celebration

CARNIVAL fever was alive in Sutton Veny this week with schoolchildren enjoying a mix of music, costumes and dancing.   more...

Honour for historic buildings

CIVIC pride is set to sweep through Warminster as the town's historic buildings are to be commemorated.   more...

Driver facing drink charge after accident

A MOTORIST has been charged with four driving offences and a breach of bail following a car crash near Heytesbury.   more...

Retirement flats get the go-ahead

PLANS for 40 new retirement flats in Warminster won the approval of town councillors on Monday.   more...

Westbury News

MPs renew call for public inquiry

MP Dr Andrew MurrisonREVELATIONS over false test results at Lafarge's cement works in Westbury have prompted two MPs to reissue calls for a public inquiry into the firm.   more...

Westbury honours its heroes

UNSUNG heroes in Westbury were given their moment in the spotlight at the town's annual civic awards ceremony on Saturday.   more...

Wiltshire News

Pervert preyed on schoolgirls

Kevin DopsonWILTSHIRE TIMES EXCLUSIVE: A PARANOID schizophrenic with a history of preying on teenage girls has been found guilty of sexually assaulting two young women within the space of a few minutes in Trowbridge.   more...

Wiltshire Sport

Go and Get One for Me!

`SCORE one for me Lee' is Andy King's message to his prolific England youngster ahead of Barnsley's visit to the County Ground tomorrow.   more...

  
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