Stories for 21 March 2002
Amesbury News
New town school on expansion timetable
AMESBURY is due to have a new school up and running by September next year. more...
Cut in bus services is `appalling'
CUTS in evening and Sunday bus services planned by the Wilts & Dorset bus company have been slammed as appalling and devastating. The cuts will be implemented from next month. more...
Councillors resign to protest law
THREE councillors have resigned from Idmiston and Porton Parish Council in protest at new legislation requiring councillors to sign a declaration concerning their private finances. more...
Pioneering op sets Ian's heart a-flutter
A WILTON grandfather is enjoying a new lease of life after undergoing pioneering heart surgery. more...
Police launch huge rural crimes probe
A MAJOR police operation led by officers from Salisbury and Bristol has been launched to investigate a series of rural crimes. more...
'I'd trust her with my children'
A CLOSE friend of the Cannings family told Winchester Crown Court that he often left his own children in the care of Angela Cannings and would not hesitate to do so again. more...
Festival takes a southerly direction
EDWINA Currie, TV gardeners, Michael Nyman and starry classical music-makers are among the artists and performers who will make Salisbury Festival extra-special this year. more...
Hobbits to hit the big time
HOBBIT mania is set to hit the heights in a Salisbury sale room as well as at the Oscars next week. more...
Business News
More jobs go at music giant
Music group EMI is cutting 1,800 jobs 800 more than analysts had predicted as part of a restructuring of its troubled recorded music division. more...
GWC helps charities with £3,000 gift
THE Prospect Hospice and the Children's Society have each benefited by £1,500 through the fund raising activities of staff at a Swindon company. more...
Unpaid overtime is worth £28bn
The value of unpaid overtime has risen to £28 billion a year after a huge increase in the number of workers putting in extra hours for no pay, says the TUC. more...
Workers' talent being wasted
Workers believe their talents are not being used to the full because bosses often underestimate their abilities, according to a new report. more...
It's not a birthday party as we know it, Jim
ONCE an important trading and administrative centre, the historic town of Cricklade has probably received a few VIP visits over the centuries. more...
Calne News
Scotsman dies days after 100th birthday
SCOTSMAN Jim Smellie, one of Calne's oldest residents, has died aged 100, just a month after his celebrating his birthday. more...
Chamber to go to vote
CALNE Chamber of Commerce members will decide whether or not to join the Wessex Association of Chambers of Commerce next month. more...
Old time cars thrill children
YOUNG historians at Key Day Nursery in Calne went back in time last week when they got the chance to explore three vintage cars. more...
Nursery fights back after mobile crisis
A NURSERY in Calne threatened with closure has passed its Ofsted inspection just in time to safeguard its lifesaving lottery grant. more...
Pupils' feastfor poor eyes
SIXTH formers at John Bentley School, Calne, were given a practical demonstration of student cooking last week, to prepare them for leaving home and fending for themselves on a budget. more...
Mother is set on play centre
MOTHER of two Sharon Taylor is waiting to find out this week if her proposals to turn an empty industrial unit into an indoor soft play centre have been approved by planners. more...
MPs pay tribute to retiring chairman
MEMBERS of Parliament James Gray and Michael Ancram were at a presentation dinner on Saturday in honour of Ray Smith, who has retired after five years as chairman of the Calne Conservative Association. more...
New home for snake that found life a boa
A seven-foot boa constrictor was handed over to the RSPCA last week after it started to strike out at its Calne owners. more...
Chippenham News
Pupils help space agency
A PROJECT with NASA is giving pupils at Neston School a chance to shine in space. more...
Youth is given police caution
A TEENAGER has received a caution from police after he was found with a small quantity of cannabis in Aldbourne on Friday following an incident in which one of the village library windows was smashed. more...
They're off to see the wizard
THIRTEEN pupils from Corsham School are hoping to star in the next Harry Potter film after being chosen as extras for the movie. more...
Traders bitter about loss of town parking
COMPETITION for town centre parking space in Chippenham has intensified in the wake of the closure of Timber Street car-park. more...
Graveyard threat to town plan
PLANS to revitalise Corsham's town centre shopping precinct are set to be thrown out, because developers want to build a car park on a graveyard. more...
Station is on line to open next summer
CORSHAM is still in line to have a new railway station by summer 2003. more...
Web page is a top 20 smash
North Wiltshire District Council's website is a real hit, according to an independent survey. more...
Apathy to blame for demise of carnival
THE resignation of Chippenham's carnival committee on Monday night means that the historic event faces extinction. more...
Ex-club player dies in attack
FORMER Chippenham rugby player Evan Jones was kicked and punched to death in a vicious and sustained attack, say police. more...
Bosses say club could go topless
THE owners of a topless bar who have bought a club in Chippenham have not ruled out the possibility of lap dancing girls appearing there. more...
Record office may be sited at livestock market
CHIPPENHAM'S Livestock Market could be the home of the new county record office. more...
Bard work for young actors
PUPILS at a Chippenham school were given the chance to take starring roles in two of Shakespeare's greatest plays this week. more...
We're so lucky to be alive, say fire family
A FAMILY who lost everything when their home was gutted by fire two weeks ago are trying to rebuild their lives. more...
Great strides to help babies
CHIPPENHAM student Matthew Pentecost is running the London Marathon to raise money for cot death research, in memory of his sister Dawn, who died from the syndrome before he was born. more...
Free parking under threat
FREE parking in Corsham's town centre car parks could be scrapped. more...
Inquest on baby's death
THE heartbroken parents of a baby girl who died just hours after birth, claim she could have survived had hospital staff acted more quickly during the birth. more...
Cash draw will boost club's fund for repairs
SUPPORTERS of Chippenham Town Football Club are holding a weekly competition based on the National Lottery that organiser Vic Swanborough predicts could net £1,000 a month towards the £52,000 cost of ground repairs. more...
Firefighters help tackle car blaze
CHIPPENHAM firefighters were called out to tackle a blaze in an abandoned car near Ford at 11.45pm on Tuesday March 18. more...
Mystery power cut brings town to a halt
NEARLY 600 homes and businesses in the centre of Chippenham lost power on Monday for two and a half hours from 1.30pm to 4pm because of a mystery electrical fault. more...
Scaling tough challenge
A TEAM of Chippenham firefighters and Westinghouse Brakes employees are aiming to beat the station's best time of 19hrs 33mins when they attempt the gruelling 24-hour Three Peaks Challenge. more...
Cat loses front leg after being caught in gin trap
A CAT caught in an illegal gin trap on Tuesday is recovering in Chippenham after a vet was left with no option but to amputate her leg. more...
Theatre group has Lottery cash
TEENAGE drama enthusiasts are celebrating after getting thousands of pounds in Lottery funding. more...
Flowers cost driver dear
UNINSURED driver Paul Smith crashed his car while over the drink-drive limit on a trip to buy his wife some flowers, magistrates have heard. more...
Ctfc Sport
Chippenham Town 1, Weston-super-Mare 1
THE Dr Martens League Western Division promotion race remains very much in the melting pot after local rivals Chippenham Town and Weston-super-Mare shared the spoils in a pulsating clash at Hardenhuish Park on Saturday 16 March. more...
Get ready for a close finish warns Tommy
CHIPPENHAM Town manager Tommy Saunders believes the race for promotion to the Dr Martens Premier Division will go down to the wire after Weston-super-Mare fought back to snatch a point at Hardenhuish Park on Saturday 16 March. more...
Frome United 2, Chippenham Ladies 5
GOALKEEPER Becky Powell saved two penalties and Seb Everson bagged a hat-trick as Chippenham Ladies avenged last month's league cup defeat. more...
Draw boosts Town hopes
CHIPPENHAM'S promotion bid received a boost when rivals Halesowen Town and Weston-super-Mare shared the spoils in a dramatic clash on Tuesday night. more...
Heading practice pays off for Steve
CHIPPENHAM Town striker Steve Tweddle was delighted to be back on the goal trail after opening the scoring in Saturday's 1-1 draw at home to fellow promotion-chasers Weston-super-Mare. more...
Devizes News
Police to step up hunt for attackers
POLICE are to step up patrols in Devizes town centre after officers volunteered to work on into the early hours to combat late night attacks. more...
More parking restrictions
NEW parking restrictions in Devizes are to be extended to take in the part of Commercial Road around the hospital and by the cemetery. more...
Council to wield axe on final tree
THE last original London plane tree in Devizes Market Place is doomed after Kennet councillors voted to have it chopped down at the earliest opportunity. more...
Historic path may be gateway to estate
RESIDENTS fighting to stop houses being built on a green field site at Quakers Walk took their protests to a public inquiry in Devizes on Tuesday. more...
Chief whip denies anycruelty onpig farm
LORD Carter, the Government's chief whip in the House of Lords and agricultural advisor to Tony Blair, has denied that pigs on an Everleigh farm owned by a company in which he was a director until 1997, were cruelly treated and kept in illegal conditions. more...
Small change but big hassle
DEVIZES Cubs who gave up their Saturday to make money for their troop by packing bags at Safeway supermarket were disappointed when the Portman Building Society refused to bank all of their small change. more...
Praise for primary's improved standards
CHIRTON Primary School has improved beyond recognition according to the latest Ofsted inspection report. more...
Pupils could hack pressure
PUPILS at Devizes School found out last week what it is like to chase a copy deadline when they entered the International Newsday Challenge 2002, sponsored by the Times Educational Supplement. more...
Music studio plan at school
A GROUP of musical parents have applied for planning permission to build a recording studio in a disused farm building at Lavington School. more...
Carnival bid to get better
THE organisers of Devizes Carnival have approached local businesses in an effort to raise enough sponsorship to maintain its reputation as one of the fastest growing carnivals in the South West. more...
Theft shocks haulage firm
STAFF at Devizes haulage firm Hams Transport have been left reeling after a burglary. more...
Andes walk beckons mum
A MOTHER who knows the heartache of losing a child to cot death is to undertake a 120-kilometre trek in South America to raise money for cot death research. more...
Builders argue case for leewayon houses
DEVELOPERS have pressed for more houses to be built in Kennet than those already planned. more...
Guardian up for election
THE Devizes Guardians, the residents group set up in the wake of the felling of three trees in the Market Place, has decided to field a candidate in the town council by-election caused by the recent death of Jean Owen. more...
Homes plan for jam factory site rejected
A SCHEME to bring the derelict jam factory in Easterton, near Devizes, back into use as affordable housing has been thrown out by Kennet Council because of fears children could be hurt at the dangerous access to the site. more...
Behind the scene with police
FAMILIES experienced the long arm of the law as police descended on the Wiltshire Heritage Museum in Devizes. more...
Canoeists line up for great race challenge
CANOEISTS are bracing themselves for the challenge of the Devizes to Westminster race, due to leave from Devizes Wharf on Good Friday on the 125-mile course along the Kennet and Avon Canal and River Thames to London. more...
Canal pub hit by firm's collapse
WORK to transform the Kennet and Avon Canal at Horton near Devizes into a boaters' paradise has turned into a nightmare after a series of disasters culminated in the financial collapse of the firm of contractors undertaking the work. more...
Pals heed call of the wild
A FLIGHTLESS parrot that climbs to the top of the nearest hill to call in a sonorous bass voice to its lady love sounds like the creation of the Monty Python team. more...
Top council boss made false claims on expenses
A SENIOR council officer fiddled his expenses after taking his wife and granddaughter with him on a business trip to Edinburgh, a court heard on Tuesday. more...
Nominate county's unsung heroes
THE Gazette is working with the county council and commercial sponsors to find the unsung heroes of the county who do quietly and have their own remarkable stories to tell. more...
Bid for record office comes under attack
WILTSHIRE county council is to decide tomorrow whether to renege on its decision to choose Devizes as the home for the new county record office. more...
Avebury campers must go
THE National Trust has taken ownership of a grass verge in Avebury in order to evict a group of travellers who have been camping there on and off for the last four years. more...
Footage unearths hill's secrets
TV viewers got the chance to see archive footage of Silbury Hill as some of the mound's secrets were revealed on BBC2 last Thursday night. more...
County has World Book Day covered
CHILDREN all over Wiltshire have been developing a love of reading after a week of events themed around World Book Day. more...
Mystery over car crash
SOLDIER Dean Penfold's dangerous driving caused a head-on crash near Tidworth in which his wife was seriously injured, magistrates in Devizes heard on Monday. more...
Mum's bid to raise awareness of a killer
A MOTHER has joined a determined effort to raise awareness of meningitis and the vital research into the disease. more...
Question mark over rail strike
DOUBT is hanging over the national boycott of rail services organised by the Better Rail Action Group which is scheduled for Friday March 22. more...
Drugs found in car
A KINGTON Langley man whose girlfriend is pregnant has promised to stay off drugs after being convicted of possession of a Class A drug for the second time. more...
Woman gets a year's ban
A Corsham woman told magistrates she was unaware she was over the drink-drive limit when she drove home after discussing repairs to her car with a friend. more...
The beat is a treat for police recruits
SIX months ago, new recruits Rob Kilgour, Andy Henson and Emma Cooper took their first tentative steps out on to the streets of Chippenham as police officers. more...
New push forour crop idols
THE Wiltshire young farmers who are looking for girlfriends are to become poster pin-ups representing their club in the next phase of their campaign. more...
Phoenix makes final flight
A SQUADRON whose emblem is a Phoenix rising from the ashes has been disbanded at a solemn ceremony at RAF Lyneham. more...
Scheme to fight drug scourge is extended
A DRUG scheme originally piloted in the south west is to be expanded to the rest of England. more...
Libraries play the game
COUNTY councillors have approved plans for PlayStation games to be hired out at Devizes, Chippenham, Salisbury, Trowbridge, Warminster and Wootton Bassett libraries from April. more...
Cash prize ensured
CORSHAM dad Christopher Fry will have no problems sending daughters Jessica and Imogen to university after he won £7,500 in a competition. more...
Specials leaving to join the police
SO many special constables are leaving to join the ranks of the full time regular force of Wiltshire police that they have announced another recruitment drive. more...
Devizes,Calne,Chippenham,Marlborough,Highworth,Corsham,Malmesbury,Wootton Bassett News
It's time to get on and decide
THE ongoing lack of direction on the issue of a site for the new Wiltshire Records Office is a good example of why politicians should sometimes not be allowed near decision making. more...
Devizes,Calne,Marlborough,Highworth,Chippenham,Corsham,Malmesbury,Wootton Bassett News
Why must we all pay for councils' follies?
YET again have Wiltshire County Council, Kennet District Council, our town or parish councils and the Wiltshire Police Authority between them contrived to serve the property owners of Wiltshire with council tax increases way above the rate of inflation. more...
Records Office is to blame for rise
I WONDER how many Wiltshire residents are happy with the 9.9 per cent hike in county council tax bills this year? more...
Is this charge really legal?
I HAVE today received my Kennet Council tax bill 2002/2003 and was surprised and very concerned to see that the Bishops Cannings parish tax bill, band D has been set at £32.78, an increase of 307.7 per cent. more...
Castle's past
IN LAST week's Gazette and Herald Mr and Mrs Hill wrote to say the Assize Courts should not be lost to private interest, the way Devizes Castle was. Much as I might agree with them, I feel the true facts should be reiterated. more...
What a loss
I REFER to the Gazette's front page report (March 14) on the fining and resignation of science teacher Colin Pitman last Thursday. more...
I wish him well
I WAS appalled to read of the prosecution of Colin Pitman for the `assault' on a pupil. more...
Take real care
I FEEL compelled to comment on the tragic death of the young student killed in a Kenya lake (Gazette, March 14). more...
Blow to morale
I READ with much sadness and a great deal of frustration your front page news `Teacher admits assault on boy'. more...
How naive. . .
DOES J Utteridge (Gazette, March 14) really believe his own words when he says that if we bring damage to the attention of local 4x4 clubs, they will repair it? more...
Hill disaster
COMING to Wiltshire in 1950 and knowing nothing of its history or archaeology I soon discovered the wonders of Stonehenge, Avebury and Silbury Hill, the latter to be climbed just because it was there. more...
Malmesbury News
Head looks to restful future
HEADTEACHER Barbara Harvey has no set plan for her retirement from Crudwell School. more...
Fed up Internet user goes it alone
AN Internet user from Dauntsey is so fed up with slow web connections that he has taken matters into his own hands to bring high-speed broadband to the area. more...
Stories come to life for kids
HARRY Potter, Bob the Builder and a ghostly clutch of witches descended upon Hullavington School when pupils and teachers dressed up in celebration of World Book Day. more...
£60,000 bid for new school hall
LUCKINGTON School has launched a campaign to raise £60,000 towards the cost of a new school hall. more...
Parents return to work for building fundraiser
PARENTS at Lea and Garsdon School are giving their time to raise money to pay for new classrooms. more...
Newts get in the way of quarry waste plans
ENGLISH Nature has told French company SITA that it must find a new home for endangered newts if it wants to fill Knockdown Quarry, near Sherston with waste. more...
New donkey? Let us bray...
THE retirement of Brambles the donkey has left parishioners in Lea without a donkey to join them on Palm Sunday. more...
Secondary school set to open at Filands
THE main buildings of Malmesbury's new secondary school are ready for the pupils' first day on April 8. more...
Bidder eyes up post office
CONSIGNIA is in negotiation with a serious bidder interested in reopening Westport Post Office and Triangle News in Malmesbury. more...
Blaze remains in DNA identity test
REMAINS recovered from a fire in Hankerton might not be formally identified for another five or six weeks, a police spokesman has said. more...
Couple fall for cascade
WHEN tree surgery brought light into the darkest corner of Abbey House Gardens, it provided the inspiration for their latest feature. more...
Charity shop plea for staff
MANAGER Liz Lockstone is looking for some new faces to go with her charity shop's new name and sign. more...
Party to help kids
A GOLDEN jubilee party at Malmesbury Vics Football Club will be raising money for the children's charity Sparks, a cause particularly close to the heart of manager John Norris. more...
Youth go into future
YOUTH leaders in Malmesbury have been the first to use state-of-the-art musical and computer equipment worth £8,700, which is now available to youth centres across north Wiltshire. more...
Marlborough News
Town hails its first freeman
HISTORY was made in Marlborough on Tuesday when the town council met in St Peter's Church to bestow the honour of the Freedom of the Town upon former mayor Jake Seamer. more...
Chief whip denies any cruelty at pig farm
LORD Carter, the Government's chief whip in the House of Lords and agricultural advisor to Tony Blair, has denied that pigs on an Everleigh farm owned by a company in which he was a director until 1997, were cruelly treated and kept in illegal conditions. more...
New school may have grass roof
THE proposed new St John's School at Marlborough could have a grass roof to help it blend in with its surroundings, headteacher Patrick Hazlewood revealed this week. more...
Injured worker rescued
THE jinxed reputation of the former Portman Building Society HQ site in Marlborough High Street grew this week after a scaffolder was injured and had to be rescued by firefighters and paramedics. more...
Chamber wants more businesses involved
THE man who donated the time capsule that was buried beneath the town hall as part of the Millennium celebrations has become the new president of the Marlborough Chamber of Commerce. more...
Rugby captain passes on skills
ENGLAND rugby captain Martin Johnson was in Marlborough on Thursday to pass on some of his knowledge of the sport to pupils at Preshute Primary School. more...
Policeman's son died in tragic car accident
MARLBOROUGH police officer Alan Spencer was sent to conduct traffic around a fatal accident, only to find that his 20-year-old son Matthew was the victim, an inquest has heard. more...
School denies claims of admissions dodge
HEADTEACHER Patrick Hazlewood has denied that his highly-rated Marlborough school has turned a blind eye to some out-of-catchment parents using addresses of relatives in the town to get their children admitted. more...
Pewsey News
Blueprint for village's future
RESIDENTS of Pewsey are being given the chance to help shape the future of the village and its surrounds. more...
Drink driver admits error
A DRIVER from Pewsey admitted he was trying to insert a tape into his cassette player when he lost control of his car and crashed in the village. more...
Pewsey warms up its welcome
NEW Welcome to Pewsey signs have been officially unveiled at the four main approaches to the town. more...
Planning blow hits carnival
PEWSEY'S Carnival Committee is having to dig into its reserves to maintain its charity donations because plans to raise cash for a storage building by selling part of the assembly field were thwarted by planners. more...
Salisbury Features
New M&S perchance?
TODAY is something of a red-letter day for Marks & Spencer's Salisbury store. more...
Stately home has star turn
THE visitors' car park at Wilton House turned into film city last week, as shooting took place in the stately home on a British film. more...
Salisbury News
Pioneering op sets Ian's heart a-flutter
A WILTON grandfather is enjoying a new lease of life after undergoing pioneering heart surgery. more...
Police launch huge rural crimes probe
A MAJOR police operation led by officers from Salisbury and Bristol has been launched to investigate a series of rural crimes. more...
'I'd trust her with my children'
A CLOSE friend of the Cannings family told Winchester Crown Court that he often left his own children in the care of Angela Cannings and would not hesitate to do so again. more...
Jobs in doubt after takeover
WRYNAMS, the Rover and Skoda dealers in Southampton Road, Salisbury, have been taken over. more...
Hold-up bid at station
A MAN wielding a gun tried to rob an office at Salisbury railway station on Monday. more...
A giant leap from eyesore to beauty spot
SALISBURY'S most notorious eyesore, Dunn's House, has been given a new lease of life and is to be taken over by James Hay Pension Trustees. more...
Festival takes a southerly direction
EDWINA Currie, TV gardeners, Michael Nyman and starry classical music-makers are among the artists and performers who will make Salisbury Festival extra-special this year. more...
Cut in bus services is `appalling'
CUTS in evening and Sunday bus services planned by the Wilts & Dorset bus company have been slammed as appalling and devastating. The cuts will be implemented from next month. more...
Hobbits to hit the big time
HOBBIT mania is set to hit the heights in a Salisbury sale room as well as at the Oscars next week. more...
Councillors resign to protest law
THREE councillors have resigned from Idmiston and Porton Parish Council in protest at new legislation requiring councillors to sign a declaration concerning their private finances. more...
Sport Cricket
More juniors at the crease
CALNE Cricket Club will launch an under 11s team this season following the success of their under 13 and under 15 teams last season. more...
Sport Football
Bluebirds swoop to vital win
Chippenham Town have one foot firmly planted in the Dr Martens Premier Division after a pulsating 3-1 victory over fellow promotion chasers Solihull Borough. more...
Fairford lift Floodlit Cup
FAIRFORD Town lifted the Cherry Red Records Floodlit Cup last night, defeating Hellenic Premier Division leaders Gloucester United 3-1 at Cinder Lane, to win 6-3 on aggregate. more...
Lifeline for strugglers
CALNE'S Screwfix Direct League survival hopes have received a fresh boost with the news Premier Division outfit Yeovil Town Reserves will resign from the league at the end of the season. more...
Newlands is rapped over payments claim
DEVIZES Town manager Brian Newlands has received a fine and a slapped wrist from the Wiltshire Football Association after being found guilty of bringing the game into disrepute. more...
From the dugout by Brian Newlands, Devizes Town manager
I'VE had a lot of reaction to my cases with the FA. more...
Blake leads county field
UPAVON professional Richard Blake has finished top of the Wiltshire PGA Order of Merit after the final match of the Winter Series at Kingdown Golf Club on Thursday. more...
Melksham are back on form
MELKSHAM Town returned to winning ways in the Premier Division with an impressive 3-0 home win over sixth-placed Dawlish Town at The Conigre on Saturday 16 March. more...
Devizes Town 6, Bridport 3
SCREWFIX DIRECT LEAGUE: HOT-SHOT striker Barry Flippance grabbed a first half hat-trick as Devizes Town recorded their sixth straight league success with an emphatic victory over Bridport at Nursteed Road on Saturday. more...
Calne Town 5 Wellington 2
CALNE Town's hopes of avoiding the drop into Wiltshire League football look brighter than ever after a five-star display gave them maximum points from their home clash with Wellington on Saturday 16 March. more...
Torrington 2 Corsham Town 1
CORSHAM Town slipped to their fifth league defeat in six matches as promotion-chasing Torrington scored twice in the final ten minutes to clinch victory at Vicarage Field on Saturday 16 March. more...
Minehead 2 Corsham Town 2
THE Wiltshire side's frustrating weekend continued on Sunday as they were held to a draw at Irnham Road by lowly Minehead, the team they had defeated 4-0 at The Southbank just a week previously. more...
Calne Town 5 Wellington 2
CALNE Town's hopes of avoiding the drop into Wiltshire League football look brighter than ever after a five-star display gave them maximum points from their home clash with Wellington on Saturday. more...
Wroughton are hit for six despite fightback
SWINDON MINOR LEAGUE: WESTLEA beat Wroughton 6-3 in an entertaining mid-table match up. more...
Away win turns Vics ladies season around
MALMESBURY Vics' ladies football team completed a remarkable turnaround in fortunes at the weekend as they lifted themselves off the bottom of the Wiltshire FA Womens League table for the first time. more...
Bottom side upset the favourites in cup shock
BROMHAM Reserves, bottom of Division Three, beat favourites Deverills Reserves to reach the final of the Spring Cup (sponsored by Milleprint of Westbury). more...
Highworth stay unbeaten
HGHWORTH Town stretched their unbeaten run to seven games but were made to work hard for a 2-1 win by bottom but one side Harrow Hill. more...
Pewsey Vale 8, Headington Amateurs 1
HELLENIC LEAGUE: PEWSEY Vale manager Don Rogers saw his side register their biggest win of the season to storm back to the top of the Hellenic League Division One West table, then complained they should have scored more goals. more...
Goal glut as 21-gun salvo hits strugglers
MID-WILTS SUNDAY LEAGUE: NETHERAVON went goal crazy on Sunday as they hammered bottom club Linpac 21-0 to move into fourth spot in the Mid Wilts Sunday Football League table. more...
Youngsters bid for title
WILTSHIRE under 18s will be looking to round off their season with the South West Counties Championship trophy this weekend as they play host to title rivals Gloucestershire at Corsham Town, kick off 2.30pm. more...
Chippenham Sunday League round up
COLERNE A and Hullavington Village set up an all First Division final of the WG Parr Trophy after beating respective opponents Semington Rovers and West End Wanderers. more...
Tension in the semis as the cup final places are decided
MID-WILTSHIRE SUNDAY LEAGUE: CORSHAM Boys reached the final of the under 15 league cup after beating Westbury Youth 6-3. more...
Cricklade finally remember how to win
SKURRAYS WILTSHIRE LEAGUE: BOTTOM of the table Cricklade Town battled well for their first Premier Division victory since December when defeating visitors Biddestone 3-2. more...
Trust in the future
FULL marks to everyone who turned out for the Swindon Town Supporters Trust meeting. more...
Town trials are no error
MORE than a thousand professional footballers are expected to be discarded this summer and the prospects of them all finding new clubs are pretty bleak. more...
Nobody's a winner in Bramall Lane anarchy
JUST what on earth was going on at Bramall Lane? more...
King's flower power
ANDY KING employed a dastardly pre-match plan to try and secure three points from Wigan Athletic. more...
Sport Rugby
Ovens can cook up an England prop debut
CHIPPENHAM prop Laurence Ovens will travel to Italy at the end of the month after becoming the latest in a long line of youth players from the Wiltshire club to be capped by England Schools. more...
School's XV take on an Italian job
HARDENHUSH School, Chippenham, embark on their first ever rugby tour of Italy on Saturday 23 March, with 34 pupils making the trip to take part in two matches against teams from the north of the country. more...
Tadley 22, Chippenham 26
GRANT Trewartha scored a stoppage time try as Chippenham kept their South West Division Two play-off hopes alive thanks to a stunning second half fightback at Tadley on Saturday 16 March. more...
Chippenham 3rd 22, 16th Army Tank Regiment 17
CHIPPENHAM 3rd came from behind to defeat a strong Army team at Allington Field on Saturday 16 March. more...
Wootton Bassett under 14 10, Melksham/Devizes under 14 27
THE combined Melksham and Devizes under 14's team secured victory in their final Wiltshire Cup game of the season at Wootton Bassett at the weekend. more...
Corsham 21, Wootton Bassett 16
WOOTTON Bassett slipped to defeat at Corsham after a spirited fightback from the home side in Saturday 16 March Southern Counties South encounter. more...
Bridport 3 Minety 24
MINETY continued their fine league run by completing the double over Bridport. more...
Pool in hunt for Callard
FORMER Bath head coach Jon Callard is being lined up to form a coaching dream team with another club legend Richard Hill at Welsh side Pontypool. more...
Final anguish
DEVIZES under nines produced a spirited display to reach the final of the Warminster Rugby Festival on Sunday 17 March. more...
Wimbourne 8, Devizes 3
DEVIZES suffered their first defeat in seven league outings as Wimbourne sealed the Southern Counties South title with a narrow victory over the Wiltshire side on Saturday 16 March. more...
Wimbourne 2nd 29, Devizes 2nd 5
DEVIZES 2nd included a host of new players as they took a break from the Bath Combination Merit Table with a friendly against old rivals Wimbourne. more...
Stfc Sport
Battling back
PAUL EDWARDS is desperate not to be discarded as a one-season wonder by manager Andy King. more...
Razor eyes comeback
NEIL RUDDOCK has his heart set on a first team return before the end of the current campaign. more...
Double strike sinks bassett
ANDY KING will come face to face with Tommy Saunders after Town's 2-0 win over Wootton Bassett booked a Wiltshire Shield final date with high-flying Chippen-ham. more...
Swindon News
I have never met Parkinson
I AM delighted that you publicised the evening of clairvoyance (Friday, March 15) to raise money for the special care baby unit, at Princess Margaret Hospital Social Club. But I must take issue with a number of points, upon which I can only assume, you have been misinformed. more...
On your bikes
The Stroke Association is looking for people to get on their bikes and take part in the Great Ridgeway Ride on Sunday 2nd June 2002. more...
A small world
YOUR March 4 article identified the Philippines as a potential resource in filling nursing shortages at PMH. Your readers might be interested to know that, at Manila airport, British Airways has a check-in desk devoted entirely to processing Filipino nurses commuting to UK posts? more...
City bid has more do with council's vanity
Being a non-Swindonian who has lived here for several years due to my job, but who has also lived in cities elsewhere in the UK and regularly travels overseas, I think I have a realistic view of Swindon's chances of becoming a city. more...
It is better to just run this town competently
So, Swindon has failed again in its bid to become a city. I am neither surprised nor disappointed by this verdict. more...
Let's make this place somewhere we can be proud of
I cannot say I am surprised that Swindon was not granted city status yet again! When you consider the amount of shops that are closed not only in the town centre but also the Old Town area. Also the lack of entertainment facilities within these two areas unless you call the numerous pubs entertainment. more...
Trolleys are blight on neighbourhood
SO shopping trolleys have made the front page (Evening Advertiser, March 12). The Rev Brian Sweetman has collected many dumped shopping trolleys for collection; he has also returned many to the Safeway store and to Asda-Walmart. more...
The evidence is there
MR STACEY (letters, March 8) questions the facts I give on various animal cruelty issues. He is particularly annoyed that I speak out against his pastime of greyhound racing. However, all the facts are easily checked and photographic and video evidence is available, should he want it. more...
Musicians of tomorrow
MAY I through the pages of your newspaper say a very big thank you to everyone who was involved in Swindon Young Musicians Senior Gala concert at the Wyvern Theatre. more...
Book now if you are planning to travel by train over Easter
PEOPLE planning to travel by train with First Great Western over the Easter break are being urged to book their seats early and to beware of engineering works. more...
He raped nine years ago and did it again
A DOUBLE rapist, given two life sentences after attacking two women at his flat, first struck in Swindon nine years ago. more...
Children can help rid us of the litter
CHILDREN could hold the key to a litter free future in Swindon, according to the company set up to safeguard the future of the town. more...
Funds secured
SWINDON: Funding to the tune of £400,000 has been secured for the Wiltshire and Swindon Summer Challenge programme. more...
Pupils and parish dig for jubilee
A LIVING commemoration of the Queen's Golden Jubilee has been planted in Wroughton. more...
Cyclist robbed
SWINDON: Muggers attacked a cyclist in Church Place on Sunday morning. more...
Man jailed for drink and drive
DRIVER David Charles has been jailed for three months after admitting driving while nearly three times over the limit. more...
Aircraft chosen as memorial to fallen falle
A DAKOTA aircraft that flew in the Berlin Airlift has been chosen as a permanent memorial tribute to Army air despatchers who have lost their lives while serving their country. more...
Honour for council department
A COUNCIL department has been awarded the prestigious Charter Mark by the Government. more...
Shoplifter's last chance
A SHOPLIFTER who was found to have a syringe loaded with heroin in her handbag has again walked free from court. more...
Richard is hot stuff in the kitchen
A CHEF has scooped two silver medals at a national culinary competition held in London. more...
Group grants are tightened up
RULES governing grants awarded by Swindon Council have been tightened up after it was revealed that some voluntary groups, such as the town's Citizen's Advice Bureau, had been claiming council cash but not providing an adequate service to justify the money. more...
Open verdict on man found dead in canal
WILTSHIRE deputy coroner Nigel Brookes has recorded an open verdict on the death of Robert Wood, 63, whose body was found in the Kennet and Avon Canal near Devizes a few days before Christmas. more...
Mystery of the Boer War pipe
WROUGHTON pensioner Henry Dallaway is hoping history buffs will be able to tell him more about a pipe carved by a British soldier while being held as a prisoner during the Boer War. more...
A fascination with history
IF knowledge, as Reg Holdsworth of Coronation Street used to put it, is power, there's enough at the National Monuments Records Centre to make the National Grid look like a penny candle. more...
Bid to cut deaths on our roads
FALLING asleep at the wheel could kill you that is the frank message of a road safety drive being backed by Swindon Council. more...
Safety first Lainesmead
CHILDREN from Lainesmead Primary know all about crossing the road safely. more...
Nightclub doormen set for rowing venture
TWO nightclub doormen are testing their pulling power by rowing a record-breaking 4,500 miles across the Indian Ocean. more...
Finding their way around
THOUSANDS of free maps are to be handed out to school children across Swindon. more...
Mother of four missing
MOTHER-of-four Linda Razzell disappeared after failing to arrive at work in Swindon. more...
Swindon's oldest resident dies
SWINDON'S oldest resident Elizabeth Gould has died, taking with her 107 years of memories. more...
Crossing plan is put on ice
PLANNED safety improvements to a notorious crossing, where a teenage boy lost his life, were put on ice last night after it was revealed negotiations were underway with supermarket giant Asda to fund the work. more...
Around 750 young singers raise the roof at music festival
MORE than 750 children made their parents glow with pride as they raised the rafters at the fourth annual Junior Music Festival last night. more...
Enough to drive you round the bend
IT is supposed to be the answer to Swindon's congestion. more...
Did you witness this bus station assault?
DETECTIVES today appealed for vital witnesses to come forward to help them with a rape inquiry. more...
Oops . . .they faked it again!
BRITNEY Spears has been taken into custody after a raid on a Swindon car boot sale. more...
Responders who make a difference
A SPECIAL team of military volunteers is helping Wiltshire's ambulance service meet Government call-out targets. more...
Council cracks down on prostitution trade
MEASURES to tackle town centre prostitution were backed by Swindon Council at last night's cabinet meeting. more...
Council failed to maintain square
I REFER to the reports March 12, `Council is planning to redevelop square' and March 13, `Residents hoping for a square deal' that explained how Swindon Borough Council are putting forward proposals to local residents on ways of improving Cavendish Square. more...
Children take risks in traffic
I READ in your paper on Thursday, March 7, that another child had been injured along Akers Way. more...
Add his name
I JUST wanted to voice my disappointment at the recent Swindon memorial story and the town's poor excuse of not being able to afford the adding of names. more...
I'm not a doctor
WITH reference to your article on page five of Wednesday's (March 13) Evening Advertiser, I would just like to correct one statement in the article, which referred to me as an anaesthetist. I am actually an anaesthetic assistant, there is a big difference, as you have to be a doctor to be an anaesthetist! more...
They're just not talking this through
IT would seem that Swindon Council has shot itself in the foot again. more...
Let's get this sorted quickly
IT looks like Asda may step in to fund work on a notorious crossing where 13-year-old Shaun Shirley lost his life. more...
Wiltshire News
New school may have grass roof
THE proposed new St John's School at Marlborough could have a grass roof to help it blend in with its surroundings, headteacher Patrick Hazlewood revealed this week. more...
Wiltshire Sport
Battling back
PAUL EDWARDS is desperate not to be discarded as a one-season wonder by manager Andy King. more...
Wootton Bassett News
Man turns himself in for village robbery
SHOP worker Jaspal Singh who was allegedly hit over the head and locked in a storeroom by a knife-wielding robber, has spoken of his ordeal. more...
A far cry from other careers
LARGER-THAN-LIFE Fred `Boots' Deacon, the town crier of Wootton Bassett, is looking for a deputy, but he said you have to be raving mad and quick-witted to take up the position. more...
Developer continues fight for new homes
A HOUSING developer which saw its building plans for fields in Highworth thrown out will be back with a bigger and more imposing proposal. more...
Library plan wins support
HIGHWORTH town councillors have unanimously supported plans for a Co-op food store and public library. more...
Parents incensed by scramble for places
PARENTS are furious after Braden Forest School in Purton was forced to refuse admission to more than 100 pupils. more...
New stations arrive on air
SEVEN new radio stations are to go on air in Swindon from next year. more...
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