Stories for 7 March 2002
Amesbury News
Amesbury close to breaking point
A CONCERTED effort by Amesbury councillors and a group of Boscombe Down residents has saved a 50-year-old public open space from being developed with eco-friendly homes. more...
Upper Avon `chuffed to bits'
THERE were smiles all round this week when Upper Avon School, Durrington, had special measures lifted months earlier than expected. more...
Jessica's solo show
TEENAGER Jessica Holme was on a high after winning the solo vocal class on the opening day of the Salisbury Young People's Festival on Monday. more...
Baby was left at home alone, says neighbour
ANGELA Cannings repeatedly left her last baby unattended while she visited a neighbour in Waterloo Road, Salisbury. more...
Youths attack charity runner
CHARITY runner Alison Pitcairn was left nursing a painful welt after being attacked by four youths while out on Sunday on a practice run for next month's London Marathon. more...
Heroic rescuer is Child of Courage
HARNHAM heroine Sophie Knight has received a Child of Courage Award for saving her three-year-old sister from drowning. more...
Spire beckons for man of music
SALISBURY Cathedral has appointed Tim Hone, from Newcastle, head of liturgy and music. more...
Vandals wreck saplings
WRECKERS are thwarting attempts by the parks department of Salisbury district council to encourage new tree growth on Harnham Slope. more...
Bath Leisure
Call goes out for more country crafts to display
THE organisers of the Royal Bath and West Show have sent out an SOS after they received only one entry in the competition for country crafts and home produce. more...
Film will sail into obscurity
ACCLAIMED director Lasse Hallstrom tries to do it every year. Create an Oscar-winning flick I mean. And why should this year be any different? more...
Business News
Firm plans to take on staff
Direct media specialist, Equi-Media is celebrating its second year of trading with plans to increase the number of staff it employs in Swindon and open a new office in London. more...
Two new men at retail park
Two new store managers have arrived at the Greenbridge Retail and Leisure Park. more...
Big food plans
The Big Food Group the new name for Iceland has unveiled plans to spend £375 million on a strategy designed to halt a sharp fall in sales. more...
Gloomy news from Friends Provident for homeowners
Life insurer Friends Provident has heaped bad news on homeowners with endowment mortgages, warning that investment returns were likely to be lower in future. more...
Is Tipsy Toad the best pad?
MARY Dolman and Tim Faulkener, licensees of the Tipsy Toad pub in Bulkington near Devizes, are on tenterhooks after being told they had made it to the final three for a prestigious national award. more...
Shop manager makes a stand
HEALTH food shop manager Christopher Markham has told Devizes MP Michael Ancram and Euro MP Caroline Jackson he is delighted that they are opposing proposed new EC regulations that would hit his Marlborough business significantly. more...
Firm is up-sizing
A CHIPPENHAM clothing and shoe firm is set to take on new staff after moving to a new 15,000 sq ft warehouse. more...
Wheels in motion to help Dyson workers
DYSON employees have started in a lengthy consultation programme after last month's announcement of 845 redundancies at the Malmesbury factory. more...
Blind people no better off
EMPLOYMENT opportunities for blind and partially sighted people are poor, with the chances of them getting work no better than they were ten years ago, says the Devizes-based Wiltshire Blind Association. more...
Artist's magic scene
A BABY in Sherston will have a unique view on its bedroom walls thanks to the work of a Bristol-based artist. more...
Sew many memories of 100 years
TIMES were tough when Dolly Doyle, who celebrated her 100th birthday on Monday, March 4, started her working career as a seamstress with Pewsey company GB Nicol more than 80 years ago. more...
Pizza the action for Italian diner
FANS of Italian food will welcome the news that Mario's Trattoria, of Wood Street, Swindon, is leasing the former Marlborough Steak House from Jack and Lisa Chin and will be opening soon. more...
Factory's shutdown will axe up 90 jobs
NEARLY 90 jobs are to go when Kverneland, the Norwegian manufacturers of agricultural machinery, closes its factory in Folly Road, Devizes, some time this summer. more...
Scientist on cloud nine as satellite soars into orbit
STAFF at Science Systems Ltd in Chippenham were wide awake at 1am on Friday to watch the satellite they had helped to build soar into orbit 500 miles above the Earth. more...
Four decades on
INTERIOR designer and building consultant Adrian Barrett is celebrating 40 years in the construction industry. more...
Calne News
Sculpture continues to spark debate
AN administrative hiccup has meant the sculptor of the controversial head statue outside Calne library is waiting for the remaining £2,500 of the £40,000 he thought he was to receive after winning the competition to design the work of art. more...
Singers get a rare chance
ASPIRING singers who are serious about a career in professional opera can take advantage of a special course running in Calne next month. more...
Runner to put race on marks
CALNE'S veteran long distance and marathon runner Ken Shaw will officially start the Rotary Club's annual fun run around the Bowood Estate next week. more...
Army's help leaves nursery with big bill
AN attempt by local soldiers to give a helping hand to Angeline's Nursery in Calne has resulted in a catalogue of errors, which may mean it has to close down. more...
Pupils' club gets windfall
KEY Day Nursery has received an £8,000 grant from the Government's New Opportunities Fund to enable it to double the number of children it can take in its increasingly popular after school club. more...
Man seeking family clues
GENEOLOGY student Craig Robinson is trying to find information about his ancestors from Calne. more...
By election offers contrast of views
ONE of the candidates standing in today's by-election to replace the late Evelyn Noble on North Wiltshire District Council is her daughter, Philippa Penny. more...
Offers flood in for painter
PETER Fletcher, who offered his painting and decorating skills as well as the use of his canal narrowboat to raise money for the cerebral palsy charity Scope, has been swamped with offers of sponsorship. more...
Drugs project on show
A SHOWCASE event to celebrate the innovation and progress in the fight against drugs in the community will feature a Calne project. more...
Ocean challenge awaits
RACING 32,000 miles around the world against prevailing winds and currents is trainee doctor Emma-Kate Lacey's idea of fun. more...
Chippenham News
Careers event will be back next year
FOLLOWING the success last week of the first careers fair to be held at Chippenham College, organisers are already planning to make it an annual event. more...
Wheels in motion to help Dyson workers
DYSON employees have started in a lengthy consultation programme after last month's announcement of 845 redundancies at the Malmesbury factory. more...
Tributes to Lydia
FAMILY and friends of Lydia Harding gathered at Sheldon School on Sunday, March 3, to pay tribute to the life and courage of the Chippenham teenager. more...
Team effort spruces up school
PARENT and artist Sally-Ann Long has been spending her spare time helping brighten up the surroundings at Kings Lodge School in Chippenham. more...
Campus welcomes all
THOUSANDS of visitors are set to visit Wiltshire College's Lackham campus over the weekend as this year's Lambing Weekend takes place, coinciding with Mothering Sunday on the 10th. more...
Middle Earth fantasy trip
CHIPPENHAM library welcomed Lord of the Rings fans on Saturday March 2 and took them into the fantasy world of Tolkein with a special games workshop. more...
Blood spot led to arrest
MARK Donaldson was finally convicted of the burglary he helped commit more than six months ago, after police scenes of crime officers got a DNA profile from a drop of his blood. more...
Sporty Cubs battle on
CHIPPENHAM'S Sexton Cub pack clinched victory at the North West Wiltshire UniHoc event in Colerne at the weekend. more...
Primary chews over its meals contract
COLERNE Primary School is the first in the county to consider breaking its contract with a school meal provider. more...
Farm homes plan rejected
A PLAN for two new homes at Manor Farm in Stanton St Quintin has been thrown out by members of North Wiltshire District Council's area development control committee, despite being supported by the parish council. more...
By election offers contrast of views
ONE of the candidates standing in today's by-election to replace the late Evelyn Noble on North Wiltshire District Council is her daughter, Philippa Penny. more...
Sporty Cubs battle on
CHIPPENHAM'S Sexton Cub pack clinched victory at the North West Wiltshire UniHoc event in Colerne at the weekend. more...
Parishes up in arms over insulting secret gradings
PARISH councils have hit out at a Government scheme that grades their efforts without even consulting them. more...
Family's anguish as boy dies of meningitis
CHIPPENHAM grandparents Alan and Rosemary Higgs are heartbroken after their ten-year-old grandson died only hours after being taken ill with meningitis B. more...
Collector has a good time
TICKET collecting fanatic Susan Piesse was waiting in the dark and cold at Iceland car park in Chippenham early on Monday March 4. more...
Goal is to sell soccer items
A FOOTBALL fan from Chippenham is selling a collection of football memorabilia he had almost forgotten he had. more...
Family flee as fire guts home
A WOMAN who was forced to flee with her daughter and young granddaughters as flames swept through her Chippenham home on Sunday, March 3, lost everything in the blaze. more...
Scientist on cloud nine as satellite soars into orbit
STAFF at Science Systems Ltd in Chippenham were wide awake at 1am on Friday to watch the satellite they had helped to build soar into orbit 500 miles above the Earth. more...
Gurkhas set to lay on feast
MEMBERS of The Gurkhas will lay on a supper made up of dishes from their native land, Nepal, for a charity ball organised by Chippenham Mayor Barbie Dawson. more...
It's good to sea society arrival
LANDLOCKED Chippenham welcomed the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society to its midst last week. more...
Man freed after rape conviction is quashed
A 25-YEAR-OLD Marshfield man walked free from the dock at London's Court of Appeal last week after a conviction of a bizarre "wrong woman" rape against him was quashed. more...
It's party time on the street
PPREPARATIONS are hotting up for a gala golden jubilee celebration in Chippenham's Downing Street. more...
Fight looms over homes
RESIDENTS of Chippenham's Rowden Lane are readying themselves for a battle to protect a conservation area from a 108-home development. more...
£300 habit drove drug addict to court theft
HEROIN addict Lee Mansfield stole a magistrate's handbag from a court retiring room to fuel his £300-a-week habit. more...
Cubs' farewell to loved leader
CUB leader Stella Terry has stepped down from her role as Mother Wolf. more...
Corsham News
Retirement village agreed
A PLAN for the first phase of a retirement village near Corsham has been approved, despite concerns the project might never be finished. more...
School kicks out pupil over alleged drug deal
A TEENAGER has been expelled from school after allegedly dealing drugs to another pupil. more...
Primary chews over its meals contract
COLERNE Primary School is the first in the county to consider breaking its contract with a school meal provider. more...
Still time to bid for fanciable farmers
THE eligible bachelors of Chippenham Young Farmers are hoping to say goodbye to the single life after being inundated with letters after the Gazette published details of their plight. more...
By election offers contrast of views
ONE of the candidates standing in today's by-election to replace the late Evelyn Noble on North Wiltshire District Council is her daughter, Philippa Penny. more...
It's mud, mud, glorious mud
MEMBERS of the Armed Forces have always had a reputation for being tough, and six officer cadets from Colerne proved it when they completed the Tough Guy Challenge. more...
Sporty Cubs battle on
CHIPPENHAM'S Sexton Cub pack clinched victory at the North West Wiltshire UniHoc event in Colerne at the weekend. more...
Devizes News
Outrage at postponed footpath proposal
HIT and run victim Stephen Stiles has condemned Wiltshire County Council after it decided not to build a footpath in Horton Road, in Bishops Cannings this year. more...
Red tape halts Post Office
BUSINESSMAN Paul Bailey has decided not to take over Cannings Hill Post Office, blaming Post Office bureaucracy. more...
Man badly beaten in brutal attack
A DEVIZES father-of-two was knocked unconscious and kicked in the face in a brutal attack by a gang of eight men last week, because he spoke with a northern accent. more...
What a waste
DEVIZES people have expressed their anger and frustration at the delay in renovating the town's Assize Court building in Northgate Street, that has been derelict for 15 years. more...
Foreigners take mobiles
DEVIZES police are appealing for information after two men, believed to be foreigners, made off with three mobile phones from Jag Communications in the Market Place last Tuesday. more...
Cinders takes on a new turn
THE young actors of Devizes Youth Theatre will put a whole new complexion on the fairy tale of Cinderella when they perform Ashton and the Ugly Brothers at the Wharf Theatre on March 8. more...
Village split on plan to build new school
A PROPOSAL to build a new primary school in Rowde has split the community in two. more...
Show stopper is a sell-out
DEVIZES Guides, Brownies and Rainbows had a full house for their concert, A Century of Song, at Southbroom Junior School on Saturday, and some parents were disappointed as tickets sold out. more...
Offers flood in for painter
PETER Fletcher, who offered his painting and decorating skills as well as the use of his canal narrowboat to raise money for the cerebral palsy charity Scope, has been swamped with offers of sponsorship. more...
Cooking up kitchen at disabled centre
THE Nursteed Centre, run by the Devizes Association for the Disabled, has launched a fundraising campaign to replace its ageing kitchen. more...
New on This is Wiltshire
Go to Scoop a Bargain on This is Wiltshire. Here you can search for bargains or place an ad for your unwanted items absolutely free of charge. more...
Factory's shutdown will axe up 90 jobs
NEARLY 90 jobs are to go when Kverneland, the Norwegian manufacturers of agricultural machinery, closes its factory in Folly Road, Devizes, some time this summer. more...
Resident offers cash to help ban off-roaders
DEVIZES resident Sarah Padwick has offered the town council cash to take urgent action to prevent drivers of off-road vehicles and scrambling bikes causing damage to footpaths on Roundway Down. more...
Still afraid of your mouse?
BEGINNER courses in computing are being offered at St John's School and Community College in Marlborough, with taster sessions for adults who want learn how to use computers. more...
Time's up for noisy parkers
THE days of motorists challenging parking fines with arguments about attendants' watches being wrong and their car's wheels being `on the line' are a thing of past after Kennet District Council supplied their parking attendants with state-of-the-art computers. more...
Royal banger marks jubilee
CHAMPION sausage maker Allan Gardner, who has just picked up another clutch of awards, is planning a special variety to commemorate the Queen's golden jubilee in June. more...
Train suicide victim was plagued by debt
FORMER Army major Stewart McFadden, who killed himself when he stepped in front of a train last June, had huge financial worries, an inquest heard. more...
Is Tipsy Toad the best pad?
MARY Dolman and Tim Faulkener, licensees of the Tipsy Toad pub in Bulkington near Devizes, are on tenterhooks after being told they had made it to the final three for a prestigious national award. more...
Forces' band in a key role
A CHARITY that aids former servicemen and women will be bringing a musical touch to other events being held in Marlborough to celebrate the Queen's golden jubilee in June. more...
Court is lenient on careless driver
A BUS driver who caused a head-on crash while driving to work in his own car, pleaded guilty to careless driving when he appeared before Kennet magistrates in Devizes last week. more...
Top dogs have their day
PROUD dog owners across Wiltshire will be grooming their pooches to perfection this week in readiness for Crufts. more...
Blind people no better off
EMPLOYMENT opportunities for blind and partially sighted people are poor, with the chances of them getting work no better than they were ten years ago, says the Devizes-based Wiltshire Blind Association. more...
Call goes out for more country crafts to display
THE organisers of the Royal Bath and West Show have sent out an SOS after they received only one entry in the competition for country crafts and home produce. more...
Blow whistle on abuse
THE NSPCC is urging people to help its Full Stop campaign by blowing the whistle on child abuse in their neighbourhoods. more...
Drugs project on show
A SHOWCASE event to celebrate the innovation and progress in the fight against drugs in the community will feature a Calne project. more...
Still time to bid for fanciable farmers
THE eligible bachelors of Chippenham Young Farmers are hoping to say goodbye to the single life after being inundated with letters after the Gazette published details of their plight. more...
Ocean challenge awaits
RACING 32,000 miles around the world against prevailing winds and currents is trainee doctor Emma-Kate Lacey's idea of fun. more...
Go on, get in that tank top
ENTRIES have been rolling in for the Dorothy House Hospice Care "girls on top" driving challenge. more...
Alcohol message was driven home
ONLY three out of 458 drivers failed roadside breath tests held in the Salisbury Police division last month. more...
Careers event will be back next year
FOLLOWING the success last week of the first careers fair to be held at Chippenham College, organisers are already planning to make it an annual event. more...
Devizes,Calne,Chippenham,Marlborough,Highworth,Corsham,Malmesbury,Wootton Bassett News
No more delay can be allowed
DEVIZES Assize Courts once stood proudly at the entrance to the town. It was an impressive example of Grecian-style architecture and its elegant portico and railings were a worthy introduction to the market town. more...
Bad taste left by decision to change
SODEXHO took over providing school meals across Wiltshire last year amid assurances from the county council that its meals had been tried and tested and its service had come out top. more...
Devizes,Calne,Marlborough,Highworth,Chippenham,Corsham,Malmesbury,Wootton Bassett News
Police pay must stay open to negotiation
I WRITE in my capacity as chair of the Joint Branch Board of the Wiltshire Police Federation. more...
Skateboard park is desperately needed
FURTHER to the skateboard park court case won by Bill Richardson, how can one man have so much influence in the closure of a very important recreational facility which the children of Devizes and neighbouring villages badly need? more...
Mental care now the sickest part of suffering NHS
WE are two informal carers support groups, one in Trowbridge and the other in Marlborough, Wiltshire. The Trowbridge group is a member of the National Schizophrenia Fellowship. more...
People choose
DEVIZES Town Council has an odd way of putting the record straight. We address the various points of its letter. more...
No to merger
I HAVE recently been asked by the Mayor of Devizes for my support of the idea of bringing the parish of Roundway into the town of Devizes. more...
Plantation pledge
I was delighted to see the lunchtime BBC News West programme give coverage to the terrible damage being done to the Leipzig Plantation and Roundway Down as a whole. more...
GPs' system fails
NEARLY every day we are reading or seeing on television something about the NHS. more...
Time has come for a brand new school
I was interested to read in Dean Valler's article last week that the sale of Manor Close field is now expected to bring in more than £2million. more...
Council always faces hard choice
I DO not wish to bore Gazette readers with a serial exchange of letters with Mr Berry but I know that the prospect of continuing increases in the rate of council tax is a major concern to many residents in the county and only a public debate will help them to understand the difficult choices which have to be made every time a council tax rate is set. more...
We support EU
FURTHER to the letter from Basil Davie (Gazette February 21) may I throw a little light on the matter of council tax and its increase? more...
Bowls club facts
Please note some factual inaccuracies in the Gazette's report on Ramsbury Bowls Club's planning application. more...
Carnival call
FOR the Queen's golden jubilee Marlborough's new carnival queen will be officially crowned as part of the town's celebrations on June 3. more...
Malmesbury News
Woman perishes in farm inferno
PETER Greenslade, a 79-year-old pensioner who was rescued from his blazing Hankerton farmhouse on Friday, is still struggling to come to terms with the death of his 85-year-old sister, Betty. more...
Girl stalked down street
POLICE are appealing for information after a 12-year-old girl was followed by a man in Malmesbury. more...
Cash for 40mph zone
A NEW speed limit at Filands, Malmesbury, has been given the green light. more...
Extension's a `monstrosity'
THE people of Oaksey have branded a proposed extension to the village school a slab-sided monstrosity. more...
A knotty problem scuppers flood plan
A FLOOD defence scheme in Malmesbury could be in jeopardy because of the presence of both an aggressive weed and endangered water voles. more...
Reviving an ancient fair
CHARITIES and organisations are being invited to apply for stalls at this year's St Aldhelm's Day Fair in Malmesbury. more...
Pros and cons of Tudor life
TUDOR day at Crudwell School was an education for pupils and teachers alike. more...
Skateboarders say they are victimised
MALMESBURY'S skateboarders, who are being blamed for vandalism at the Gloucester Road Industrial Estate over the weekend, say they are being victimised and need a skatepark. more...
Artist's magic scene
A BABY in Sherston will have a unique view on its bedroom walls thanks to the work of a Bristol-based artist. more...
New alert on caravan thief
MALMESBURY Police have warned caravan owners to be on their guard following a spate of thefts in Brinkworth. more...
Pensioner making a speedy recovery
THE daughter of 82-year-old Peggy Simpson, who was left fighting for her life following a car crash, has told of her amazement at her mother's speedy recovery. more...
Course is just the job
MALMESBURY College's first student has found a job. Angela Taylor was the first student to enrol when Wiltshire College Malmesbury opened its doors last October. more...
Wheels in motion to help Dyson workers
DYSON employees have started in a lengthy consultation programme after last month's announcement of 845 redundancies at the Malmesbury factory. more...
Marlborough News
Two more pensioners fall victim to thieves
A TEAM of crooks who have been preying on elderly people in the Marlborough area, are believed to have struck again, following burglaries at the homes of two women in their 90s. more...
Town gets set to party for the Queen's jubilee
MARLBOROUGH is to celebrate the Queen's golden jubilee in June with a traditional street tea party for children and a family knees-up in the evening. more...
Road project could delay 999 crews, says objector
A ONE-way system in Angel Yard, Marlborough, would snarl up traffic in The Parade and could delay fire engines responding to emergencies, a public inquiry has been told. more...
End of the line for horse race
THE Marlborough Cup, which was becoming established on the calendar as a day out for all the family, has been scrapped. more...
Driver hit car in escape bid
A DRIVER reversed into the car behind him and then drove off while trying to escape a confrontation with another man in Marlborough High Street, Kennet magistrates heard on Thursday. more...
Villagers angry over bowls club go-ahead
Ramsbury villagers say they are disgusted Kennet planning committee members ignored objections to plans for a bowls club outside the village limits. more...
Shop manager makes a stand
HEALTH food shop manager Christopher Markham has told Devizes MP Michael Ancram and Euro MP Caroline Jackson he is delighted that they are opposing proposed new EC regulations that would hit his Marlborough business significantly. more...
Kids find out work is fun
THE opportunity to spend a day at work with parents last week resulted in two Marlborough students flying to New York. more...
Hospital clear to seek build partner
THE plan for a new building costing almost £9 million to replace Savernake Hospital has taken a major step forward. more...
Pizza the action for Italian diner
FANS of Italian food will welcome the news that Mario's Trattoria, of Wood Street, Swindon, is leasing the former Marlborough Steak House from Jack and Lisa Chin and will be opening soon. more...
Still afraid of your mouse?
BEGINNER courses in computing are being offered at St John's School and Community College in Marlborough, with taster sessions for adults who want learn how to use computers. more...
Lost driver pleads guilty
A MOTORIST claimed that his lack of knowledge of Marlborough led him to drive carelessly, Kennet magistrates in Devizes heard last Thursday. more...
Forces' band in a key role
A CHARITY that aids former servicemen and women will be bringing a musical touch to other events being held in Marlborough to celebrate the Queen's golden jubilee in June. more...
Fare fortnight set fair
FLAGS are flying at the Marlborough Library for Fairtrade fortnight, which runs until March 17. more...
Pewsey News
Sew many memories of 100 years
TIMES were tough when Dolly Doyle, who celebrated her 100th birthday on Monday, March 4, started her working career as a seamstress with Pewsey company GB Nicol more than 80 years ago. more...
Lost driver pleads guilty
A MOTORIST claimed that his lack of knowledge of Marlborough led him to drive carelessly, Kennet magistrates in Devizes heard last Thursday. more...
New on This is Wiltshire
Go to Scoop a Bargain on This is Wiltshire. Here you can search for bargains or place an ad for your unwanted items absolutely free of charge. more...
Salisbury News
Now Asda enters the battle for business
A MASSIVE new supermarket could be opening in Salisbury next year. more...
Baby was left at home alone, says neighbour
ANGELA Cannings repeatedly left her last baby unattended while she visited a neighbour in Waterloo Road, Salisbury. more...
Youths attack charity runner
CHARITY runner Alison Pitcairn was left nursing a painful welt after being attacked by four youths while out on Sunday on a practice run for next month's London Marathon. more...
Heroic rescuer is Child of Courage
HARNHAM heroine Sophie Knight has received a Child of Courage Award for saving her three-year-old sister from drowning. more...
Spire beckons for man of music
SALISBURY Cathedral has appointed Tim Hone, from Newcastle, head of liturgy and music. more...
Vandals wreck saplings
WRECKERS are thwarting attempts by the parks department of Salisbury district council to encourage new tree growth on Harnham Slope. more...
Raid attempt
POLICE are hunting a masked, knife-wielding raider who tried to rob East Knoyle post office on Tuesday afternoon. more...
New deal for `no-go' street
COUNCIL bosses have earned a pat on the back from Fisherton Street traders in Salisbury after meetings this week aimed at reducing the impact of more than six months of road works along the street. more...
Jessica's solo show
TEENAGER Jessica Holme was on a high after winning the solo vocal class on the opening day of the Salisbury Young People's Festival on Monday. more...
Upper Avon `chuffed to bits'
THERE were smiles all round this week when Upper Avon School, Durrington, had special measures lifted months earlier than expected. more...
Salisbury Sport
Chisholm lands dream England job
FORMER Salisbury City player Pete Chisholm has been appointed assistant manager of the English Schools FA's under 18s team. more...
Premiership trophy returns to the city
THE FA Barclaycard Premiership trophy will be on display at Barclays' High Street branch in Salisbury on Monday from 9.30am to 4.30pm. more...
Super City pick up three more points
SALISBURY City proved their recent demolition job on Havant & Waterlooville was no fluke by hammering five without reply past a shell-shocked Moor Green. more...
Taffy's young guns have Cambridge in their sights
SALISBURY City will be looking to make it three wins in a row on Saturday when fellow strugglers Cambridge City visit the Raymond McEnhill Stadium. more...
Sport Angling
Avon boost for Hayden club
Haydon Street AC members will be able to fish a prime stretch of the upper Bristol Avon between Dauntsey and Seagry Mill from June 16. more...
Sport Cricket
Calling all Swindon maidens...
CALLING all young girls, Swindon needs you now. more...
Sport Football
Chippenham squeeze into Shield final
Chippenham Town are through to the Wiltshire Premier Shield final, but Westbury United didn't prove quite the easy pickings many had anticipated. more...
Screwfix add another year
The Western League have received a boost with the news that Screwfix Direct are to continue their sponsorship for a further season. more...
Game over as five sent off
CHIPPENHAM and District Sunday League outfit Old Lane United could face a rap from the Wiltshire Football Association after collecting five red cards in their Second Division clash with Sutton Benger at the weekend. more...
Calne Town 1, Hallen 2
CALNE Town are staring Wiltshire League football firmly in the face after seeing their winless run extended to 11 matches by visitors Hallen on Tuesday night. more...
Corsham tumble to big defeat
YOUTH FOOTBALL: TROWBRIDGE Town Youth Red hurried to a 9-1 away win over Corsham Boys in the under nines Division One of the Wiltshire Times and News Mid-Wilts Youth and Minor League. more...
Youngsters face big test
COUNTY FOOTBALL: WILTSHIRE under 18s face the biggest game of their South West Counties championship campaign when they take on leaders Somerset at Paulton Rovers on Tuesday night, kick off 7.45pm. more...
Racing Club Warwick 0, Chippenham Town 4
DR MARTENS LEAGUE: JAMES Bent marked his return to the Chippenham Town starting line-up with two goals as the Bluebirds moved a step closer to the Dr Martens League Premier Division with a comfortable win at struggling Warwick on Saturday. more...
Calne Town 2, Ilfracombe 2
SCREWFIX DIRECT LEAGUE: A SECOND half equaliser from Elliott Williams salvaged a point for Calne Town as they twice came from behind to draw with fellow strugglers Ilfracombe at Bremhill View on Saturday 2 March. more...
Corsham Town 0, Willand Rovers 1
SCREWFIX DIRECT LEAGUE: CORSHAM Town's miserable recent run continued on Saturday as they crashed to their fourth successive First Division defeat at home to Screwfix Direct League newcomers Willand Rovers. more...
Devizes Town 1, Barnstaple Town 0
SCREWFIX DIRECT LEAGUE: DEVIZES Town hit the heady heights of fifth place in the Screwfix Direct Premier League after a Barry Flippance goal gave them victory over Barnstaple Town at Nursteed Road on Saturday 2 March. more...
Melksham go crashing out
MELKSHAM Town's hopes of keeping the Les Phillips Cup in Wiltshire for the third season running were dashed on Saturday as they slumped to a surprise 2-0 quarter final defeat at mid-table First Division outfit Bitton. more...
School team close in on Villa Park date
SCHOOL'S FOOTBALL: THE Mid-Wilts under 15s representative side are just one step away from a trip to Villa Park after a 5-1 success in their English Schools Wizard Trophy quarter final against Maidstone on Monday night. more...
Pewsey Vale 0, Winterbourne United 0
CHERRY RECORDS HELLENIC LEAGUE: PEWSEY Vale kept their place at the summit of the Hellenic League Division One West table despite being held to a goal-less draw by second placed Winterbourne United on Saturday 2 March. more...
Quick thinking Tucker fires home Purton winner
STEVE Tucker scored a bizarre winner in Purton's 2-1 victory over Division One East leaders Aston Clinton, in their Supplementary Cup tie. more...
From the dugour by Brian Newlands, Devizes Town manager
SATURDAY was quarter-final day for the Screwfix Direct League in the shape of the Les Phillips Cup. more...
Dolphin go top after five goal victory
MID-WILTSHIRE SUNDAY LEAGUE: THE Dolphin replaced Selectabook at the top of the table with a 5-1 win over Devizes Snooker Club. more...
United on top as Bray conjures up magic
SKURRAY'S WILTSHIRE LEAGUE: WOOTTON Bassett United maintained their unbeaten record in the Junior Division when they defeated leaders Wroughton Reserves 3-0 at Ballard's Ash. more...
Chippenham Sunday League Round up
THE race for the Premier Division title in the Vanitec Computers sponsored Chippenham Sunday League has been narrowed down to a four-horse race. more...
Chisholm lands dream England job
FORMER Salisbury City player Pete Chisholm has been appointed assistant manager of the English Schools FA's under 18s team. more...
Premiership trophy returns to the city
THE FA Barclaycard Premiership trophy will be on display at Barclays' High Street branch in Salisbury on Monday from 9.30am to 4.30pm. more...
Super City pick up three more points
SALISBURY City proved their recent demolition job on Havant & Waterlooville was no fluke by hammering five without reply past a shell-shocked Moor Green. more...
Taffy's young guns have Cambridge in their sights
SALISBURY City will be looking to make it three wins in a row on Saturday when fellow strugglers Cambridge City visit the Raymond McEnhill Stadium. more...
Town threat is so real
SWINDON TOWN Football Club is strapped into the electric chair desperately hoping for a telephone call from the state governor granting a stay of execution. more...
Willis debut goal veils months of hard work
CONGRATULATIONS to Adam Willis on scoring his first league goal at the weekend. more...
Benchmark for Eric...
I GATHER Eric Sabin was on summarising duty for our friends at Wiltshire Sound on Saturday. more...
Players get some `stick'
IT seems that club chairmen are finding new and bizarre ways of trying to coax better performances out of players. more...
For Cruyff's sake, lads!
ANDY King is doing his bit to remind the younger generation about some of football's `greats'. more...
Rockin' Robin's chirpy again
A BIG shout again this week to Rockin' Robin. more...
Sport Rugby
Devizes 2nds 29, Clifton 3rds 5
DEVIZES 2nds produced a vintage display to sweep aside the challenge of Clifton at the Sports Club on Saturday 2 March. more...
Berkshire under 20s 6, Dorset and Wiltshire under 20s 3
DORSET and Wilts suffered their first defeat of the Tetley's County Championships with a narrow reverse at Berkshire Shire Hall on Sunday. more...
Swindon 3rds 10, Marlborough 5
MARLBOROUGH suffered late disappointment in a low-scoring affair at their local rivals on Saturday 2 March. more...
Abbey 26, Chippenham 17
CHIPPENHAM saw their South West East Division Two title hopes take a near-fatal blow on Saturday 2 March with defeat at third placed Abbey. more...
Chippenham 2nds 10, Minety 27
MINETY cantered to victory in their friendly on Saturday 2 March. more...
Chippenham 3rds 12, Minety 2nds 17
MINETY 2nds made it a weekend double for the club over Chippenham with victory at Allington Field. more...
Foley - I wish JC had stayed
NEW Bath chief Michael Foley has insisted that he was disappointed at the resignation of head coach Jon Callard a departure that has thrust him into the Recreation Ground hotseat. more...
Bath begin the search for new rugby director
BATH have set a summer deadline to appoint a new director of rugby to help team director Michael Foley. more...
Emily injured as England dealt a Six Nations blow
EMILY Feltham's England women's rugby union team suffered the same fate as their male counterparts on Friday when their grand-slam dream was shattered by the French. more...
Stfc Sport
Crisis point
SWINDON TOWN will travel to Huddersfield on Saturday but it seems the players may have to `volunteer' their services for the third match running. more...
Sun-kissed stars feel the County Ground chill
BARBADOS may be most Swindonians' idea of paradise but reserve team football in chilly Wiltshire hits the spot for two of the sun-kissed island's international stars. more...
Swindon News
Give the young some backing
SO Mr Spry has put pen to paper yet again regarding the skate park saga. more...
It's a good hobby and a lot of fun too
I WAS very unhappy to read that Swindon Council has turned down the proposal to build a skatepark off Greenbridge Road (Evening Advertiser, January 31 and February 11). more...
Invest in the future of our youngsters
MUCH has been written of late, regarding the lack of facilities for children to pursue the current craze of skateboarding. more...
People must fight for this site
AS AN ex-resident of Pinehurst, I was very concerned to hear that there is a possibility that the site and buildings of the former secondary school, now used by the People's Centre, might be sold off for a housing development. more...
False impression
I HAVE heard about an incident that allegedly occurred at a recent Swindon Town Football Club board meeting. more...
Missing bags
HAVING read the long on-going saga of the council tax increase, which they say is required to maintain the arts, I think they should worry about their normal services first, such as refuse collection. more...
Big thank you
COMPASSION in World Farming would like to thank the people of Devizes for raising £36.25 in a street collection on January 26, 2002, in spite of the atrocious weather conditions. more...
You have girls!
WELL, Mr G Scott, I hope that "the girls" of the Manchester Road area read your letter with enthusiasm. more...
I don't want to vote for the main parties
IN SPITE of the council's eagerness for a higher local election response, I find, for the first time in my life, I will abstain. Let us examine the three major parties. more...
Remains DNA tested
WILTSHIRE: DNA tests will be carried out to confirm the identity of human remains found at a burnt-out farmhouse in Hankerton, between Cricklade and Malmesbury. more...
Road not a danger
SWINDON: The campaign to improve safety on a road where a teenager died last year may fail tonight because the road is not considered dangerous enough. more...
Help disabled log on
SWINDON: Home Computer Training for Disabled People holds its AGM in Room 1b at the Pinehurst Peoples Centre, Beech Avenue on Tuesday from 2pm. more...
Selling knives is a costly business
Company denies mask charges
A Belfast based company pleaded not guilty to four offences relating to the sale of flammable Halloween masks in Swindon. more...
Duvet cover may provide clue to killer of young wife
A mark on a duvet cover used to conceal the body of a pregnant woman may have provided a vital clue to her killer, an Old Bailey jury heard. more...
School looks for the class of '52
A SCHOOL reunion is being organised to celebrate Headlands School's 50th birthday. more...
Come in no 3822, your time is up
A FREIGHT-HAULING steam locomotive built at the former railway works in Swindon is about to return to its old duties, having been restored by enthusiasts who saved the engine from rotting in a scrapyard. more...
There's a spring in the step of this team
HUNDREDS of Swindon scouts and guides are proving that the show really must go on despite the saddest of setbacks. more...
Man attacks friend after home theft
A 25-year-old attacked a friend who had stayed the night at his house after he woke in the morning and found his Sony Playstation missing. more...
Spruce up your village to win award
WILTSHIRE villages are being challenged to spruce up their streets for the Village of the Year competition 2002. more...
Spending will not be hit by council deficit
A WARNING to senior Swindon Council officers about the state of the borough's budget may have ruffled a few feathers, but those at the top are convinced it will not affect the new spending plan from April. more...
Paying tribute to a brave young woman
FAMILY and friends of Lydia Harding gathered to pay tribute to the life and courage of the teenager. more...
Drug charge man faces £300 fine
A 40-year-old Grange Park man has been fined £300 after he was caught in possession of heroin. more...
Delight as thieves return wheelchair
THE `moronic' thieves who stole a disabled woman's wheelchair as she tended a grave at Swin-don's Christ Church appear to have had an attack of conscience and taken the wheelchair back. more...
Elderly are targeted
Burglars have targeted lone elderly women with hearing and sight problems in Wiltshire twice in the last week. more...
Age Concern push to stop benefit cuts
ELDERLY people's champions Age Concern is campaigning to expose the hardship older people suffer due to social security rules. more...
£2m bar hopes to become top spot
OVER £2 million is being spent on the construction of a new bar in Swindon's nightclub district. more...
Proprietors decide it's high time for a facelift
THE ongoing facelift of one of Old Town's best-known hotels has reached a crucial stage. more...
Grants of £5,000 are up for grabs
TODAY we are giving organisations in Swindon and Wiltshire the chance to receive grants of up to £5,000 from the Evening Advertiser's parent company. more...
Railway couple celebrate their golden wedding
A COUPLE whose lives have been bound up with Swindon's railways have celebrated 50 years as a married couple. more...
A big breakfast can help keep germs at bay
EATING a big breakfast could be enough to keep colds and the flu at bay, according to researchers funded by a Swindon-based organisation. more...
Hoping to stop troublemakers
CLOSED circuit television cameras are to be installed at a Swindon shopping centre in a bid to catch vandals and troublemakers. more...
Wine-lovers race through France for charity
A WINE-LOVING duo from Castrol UK, Swindon, raised £3,000 for the Prospect Hospice by taking part in a dash back from France with the newly-bottled Beaujolais Nouveau. more...
I'm taking cannabis
A SWINDON grandmother has been given permission to take cannabis as part of a government study into the effects of the illegal drug on multiple sclerosis. more...
Police want witnesses to motorway death crash
POLICE are seeking witnesses to the car accident on the M4 that resulted in the death of a 30-year-old local man. more...
Don't mess with the ninja warrior
MICHELLE Corcoran, a 37-year-old mother of two, does not seem like your average deadly warrior. more...
Windfarm plans go on show
PLANS to build a windfarm at an old airfield near Swindon are to come under public scrutiny. more...
Girl hit by car
A 12-year-old girl has suffered minor injuries after being struck by a car near Hreod Parkway School. more...
Police want witnesses to motorway death crash
POLICE are seeking witnesses to the car accident on the M4 that resulted in the death of a 30-year-old local man. more...
Town is basking in the golden triangle
BUSINESS surveys which say Swindon is booming, help keep Government funds away from the town, council leader Mike Bawden claimed today. more...
Refresh, relate, respect
FOR DECADES it was a chemists' shop, but now it is a place that prescribes good advice about life to an entire community. more...
Let's have fun with cyclists
I WOULD like to add my voice to the great cycling debate. My view is, that all cyclists of whatever age, 9 months to 90 years, should be on the road. more...
Charlie says get your walking boots on
Mothers' Day is coming soon and I would like to encourage you to don your walking boots and take part in a sponsored walk for Breakthrough Breast Cancer on Sunday, for the charity's annual Mothers' Day Crocus Walks. more...
Awful shame
WHAT a terrible state of affairs the story of Pat Cumins, Evening Advertiser, March 1. more...
Get it right
WITH reference to the letter by Peter Jackson regarding the rise in council tax by 15.5 per cent (Evening Advertiser, March 1). more...
Don't do it!
I HAVE been a supporter of Swindon Town FC for over thirty years and we are making the same mistake over and over again. more...
Biting comment
AS WE are all entitled to our opinion on blood sports, how about the sick morons who delight in watching dogs rip a hare to pieces, change places with the poor animal. more...
It's century 21
I SEE from your letters column of Monday March 4, that W Newson has written another misguided letter. more...
It may pay to listen to MS sufferers
VALERIE Allison is to be commended for taking part in a trial of the cannabis drug. more...
Lessons not being learned
HOW many more times will Swindon shops have to be prosecuted for selling blades to under 16s? more...
Wiltshire News
End of the line for horse race
THE Marlborough Cup, which was becoming established on the calendar as a day out for all the family, has been scrapped. more...
Wiltshire Sport
Crisis point
SWINDON TOWN will travel to Huddersfield on Saturday but it seems the players may have to `volunteer' their services for the third match running. more...
Wootton Bassett News
New on This is Wiltshire
Go to Scoop a Bargain on This is Wiltshire. Here you can search for bargains or place an ad for your unwanted items absolutely free of charge. more...
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