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Stories for 7 March 2003
Bath Leisure
More Shakespearian treats at Bath festival
UNTIL MARCH 15, BATH - Shakespeare Festival, Theatre Royal Bath (main house and the Ustinov Studio): The curtain rose on the Bath Shakespeare Festival this week but don't worry if you haven't been able to get along to it yet as there are plenty more performances taking place over the next week. more...
A case to die for
MARCH 15, BATH: Whose Life Is It Anyway, Rondo Theatre: A ROAD accident leaves sculptor Ken totally paralysed. more...
More dirty washing from the Catholics
THE Catholic Church has come in for its fair share of criticism in recent times, and The Magdalene Sisters (15, 119mins) will not do it any favours. more...
Bradford On Avon News
Police in hunt for raid gang
This is the face of a man police believe may have been involved in a raid at Lloyds TSB in Bradford on Avon last week. more...
Fun and background insight into Royals
YOUNGSTERS in Bradford on Avon were treated to a royal occasion with an afternoon of half-term fun at the library. more...
Youths face attack charge
FOUR teenagers accused of launching a gang attack on an air cadet leader in Bradford on Avon were due to reappear before magistrates yesterday for their case to be committed to Swindon Crown Court. more...
Patients' lesson in self-help
PATIENTS are to be trained how to deal with their medical conditions in a new programme being started in Bradford on Avon. more...
Flipping good day at races
A CHICKEN and chefs were among those who took to the streets and entered into the spirit of Wiltshire's annual pancake races on Tuesday. more...
Car club success growing
A CAR club is stepping up its drive to increase membership after a successful start. more...
Station wins big response
NEW radio station Moonraker FM is nearing the end of its first successful week on the airwaves. more...
Business News
The Cats that got the cream
A LONG-ESTABLISHED family firm has unveiled its new hi-tech premises and corporate name and revealed that it hopes to create an extra 40 jobs over the next six months. more...
Millionth Honda rolls off Swindon production line
HONDA'S millionth Swindon-built car a silver CR-V rolled off the South Marston production line amid celebrations yesterday. more...
Sausage website is the pork of the town
A BUTCHER in Warminster has become one of the first in the county to feature on a website dedicated to the great British sausage. more...
Finalists close in on night of drama
WITH less than a week to go until finals night, the six contenders in the Trowbridge Employee of the Year competition are studying hard for their head-to-head interview with top broadcaster Roger Cook, live on stage. more...
The night Clinton won the election
LAST year's winner of the Trowbridge Employee of the Year competition was Clinton Perry, who beat 40 entrants to the grand prize. more...
Clare's pancake joy
A SUPERMARKET chain is stocking its shelves with products from a west Wiltshire business after they proved popular with pancake-loving shoppers. more...
Student pals launch high-tech firm
A NEW engineering and technology consultancy has been launched in Corsham. more...
Class outfits are a school success
A WESTBURY clothing company is branching out into a new area of business, and has this week been showing off its new school uniform designs. more...
Guide set to tackle false alarm menace
BUSINESSES in Wiltshire can help reduce time wasted through false fire alarms with a new guide launched this week. more...
SciSYS lands radio contract
BATTLEFIELD training for Army radio operators has been made easier with the help of a Chippenham-based computer firm. more...
Calne News
Boy, 16, caught with 40 ecstasy tablets
WILTSHIRE TIMES EXCLUSIVE: A TEENAGER offered a bulk-buy deal on ecstasy pills told police the deal was too good to pass up. Police officers out patrolling in a north Wiltshire town busted a street drug-deal when they saw goods being passed between two men. more...
Chippenham News
Protest at new homes
RESIDENTS have raised a storm of protest against plans to build new homes that will pay for a £500,000 extension for a Chippenham primary school. more...
Knock back for new house
AN appeal has been lodged against a refusal by North Wiltshire District Council to grant planning permission for a new house on land next to 24 Danes Close. more...
Hosts required
HOSTS are needed to accommodate visitors from French twin town La Fleche from May 1 to 4. The Chippenham Twinning Association is keen to hear from people who could host single women, a single man, a couple and a woman with a teenage daughter. more...
Nursery application
NORTH Wiltshire District Council has received a planning application for a new plant nursery and buildings at Lanhill, Bristol Road, Allington. more...
Plans for flats
FOUR new flats could be created within 9 London Road, with the addition of two rear extensions. more...
Church concert
A CONCERT featuring North Wiltshire Orchestra will take place in St Andrew's Church tomorrow at 7.30pm. The programme includes Sibelius, Haydn and Berlioz. more...
Illicit booze sales revealed in raids
SHOPS selling alcohol in north Wiltshire have fared well in an undercover operation to trap careless traders. more...
Website is the key to advice
North Wiltshire Citizen's Advice Bureau has re-launched its advice website, to put practical, reliable and up-to-date information at everyone's fingertips. more...
Leisure survey
USERS of leisure centres across north Wiltshire are to be asked their views as the organisation that runs them battles debts. more...
Couple's anguish at losing puppies in fire
The owners of the 17th century bed and breakfast, which burned down in Castle Combe last Wednesday night, have told of their heartbreak at losing their beloved pet dogs. more...
Spot checks give taxis clean bill of health
TAXIS in Chippenham passed a safety test when they were scrutinised in the town. Police, the vehicle inspectorate and licensing officers called in 20 of the town's taxis to the North Wilts District Council car park last Friday to carry out unscheduled tests. more...
Scott eyes Marathon
Shopkeeper Scott Terrell is hoping for a case of third time lucky this April, after his two earlier attempts to enter the London Marathon were scuppered by injury. more...
Teeing off to raise vital cash
VICTIM support in Wiltshire is hosting a golf challenge to raise funds for its work across the county, and a Chippenham player is hoping to make it to the final. more...
Your chance to design a stadium
A KEY sponsor of the Chippenham Town FC Design a Stadium competition is appealing to budding construction workers to get their designs in. more...
Corsham News
Drunken youths smashed up coach
TWO teenage boys went on a drunken wrecking spree, causing £5,000 damage to a coach, a court heard on Friday. more...
Interactive centre opens
HIGH-TECH interactive media centre created to boost Wiltshire College's status of excellence in digital and broadcast media has been officially opened in Corsham. more...
Car attacked
Bottle-throwing vandals caused £200 damage to a car outside Corsham's Flamingo nightclub in the early hours of Sunday morning. more...
Residents join acid campaign
HUNDREDS of residents in Corsham have signed a petition to stop diggers disturbing toxic land near their homes. more...
Romantic prose
AFFAIRS of the heart will be celebrated in a performance of song, prose and poetry at Corsham library. more...
Ctfc Sport
Draw gives Lambs last laugh
CHAMPIONS-elect Tamworth were the only real winners as title pretenders Chippenham and Worcester City cancelled each other out for the second time this season. more...
Your chance to design a stadium
A KEY sponsor of the Chippenham Town FC Design a Stadium competition is appealing to budding construction workers to get their designs in. more...
Chip Tn Ladies under 14s 3, Frome Ladies under 14s 2
YOUTH FOOTBALL: SARAH Walsh hit a late winner as Chippenham triumphed in their league cup semi-final on Sunday 2 March. more...
Devizes News
Ingram in the dock
THE army major accused of cheating on ITV1's Who Wants to be a Millionaire? has told a court in London that he wanted to win the £1m jackpot to buy his three daughters a pony. more...
Drive News
Sunroof or ski storage?
HYUNDAI'S new Getz supermini now has a full range of smart and stylish accessories, to help customers give their new purchase a personal touch. more...
Roam with a view
PORTALOOS and tow bars have never featured high on fashion's hit-list until now that is. more...
Women really are safer behind the wheel than men
A NEW survey confirms what the people who set your insurance premiums have long known. more...
`Nearly-new' prices may be about to fall
GLASS'S Information Services reckons buyers will become increasingly scarce in the used car market this year, with the bonus of knock-on price cuts. more...
Super-mini is really fab
HELPING Skoda's reputation surge ahead is the fabulous little Fabia. Its strengths lie not in being fancy and flash, but in being straightforward, solid and safe. more...
Would this make Del Boy App-ey?
RELIANT, the makers of Del Boy's favourite motor, the three-wheeler Robin, have come up with a real congestion-charge buster and you can drive it at the age of 16. Reliant's Ape (pronounced App-ey) is classified a moped, and exempt from London's new £5 daily charge. more...
How often will your vehicle need fixing?
OVER the next 12 months somewhere in the region of £55bn will exchange hands between Britain's car sellers and buyers. more...
Top value from Citroën
TO coincide with the news that BBC's Top Gear magazine has just named Citroën's Xsara Picasso the `Best Value Car 2003', the company has confirmed details of its latest special offers, ready for the new 03 registrations. more...
Three new models on Vauxhall stand
VAUXHALL has unveiled three world premieres at the Geneva Motor Show this week. more...
Chrysler concept takes Flite
THE Chrysler Airflite concept vehicle, unveiled this week at the Geneva Motor Show, has been touted as blending Chrysler design, the styling of a coupé and the practicality and function of a saloon car. more...
Diesel Primera gets an upgrade
NISSAN'S diesel Primera is now bigger and better it's out with the existing 126PS engine and in with the 138PS version, the dCi. more...
Does your car have a past?
WHEN it comes to buying a used car from a private seller, 90 per cent of us are `Mad as a March Hare', according to AA Car Data Check. more...
Neat, nippy and stylish
IT might be a little early to start talking about the Car of the Year for 2003, but my money's on Nissan's Micra. more...
Highworth News
Razzell: date set for husband's trial
THE husband of a missing Highworth mother-of-four faces trial for her alleged murder on June 4. more...
Surf the net free at the library
Library members in Highworth can now enjoy free Internet access. more...
Malmesbury News
Pupils at risk from reckless motorists
RECKLESS motoring on country lanes around Chippenham and Malmesbury is putting the lives of schoolchildren at risk, according to school bus drivers. more...
Melksham News
Dorothy Hodsoll
MARCH 7: AN EMOTIONAL reunion in a Melksham town centre pub led to a drink-driving conviction for a grieving Melksham mother. more...
Trio are fined for brawling
TWO gangs of late-night drinkers clashed in Melksham during a boozy night-out. Three people involved in the brawl appeared before magistrates in Trowbridge. more...
Police anti-drugs unit is scrapped
WILTSHIRE police have scrapped the drugs squad which covered the north and west of the county amid fears of escalating substance abuse and drug-related crime. more...
Memorial fund hits £20,000 mark
A FUNDRAISING appeal set up by the family of young Melksham meningitis victim Kieran Smith has topped £20,000. more...
£25m to help solve traffic problems
NEARLY £25 million of council money is to be spent on transport schemes in Wiltshire in 2003-4, with the vast bulk of the money going to improve the county's road network. more...
Car thieves torch Astra
CAR thieves doused a stolen car in petrol and set it alight in a quiet Melksham street. more...
Gas pipes will be replaced
ROADWORKS will return to Melksham later this month as a £6,000 two-week project to replace gas pipes in Bank Street gets under way. more...
Inspector to go
MELKSHAM police inspector Neil Bagnall will be leaving the post after 18 months. more...
Youth meeting
YOUNG Melksham people met Thursday night to celebrate initiatives which have made a difference to their lives. more...
Inspector moves on
MELKSHAM police inspector Neil Bagnall is leaving the post after 18 months. more...
Praise for pavement politician
COUNCILLORS in Melksham have backed a hairdresser's call for action over a dangerous high pavement in the town. more...
Phone threats
A TEENAGER whose mobile phone was stolen in Melksham was left terrified when the thief began making threatening calls to her friends and family. more...
Ball for charity
HOSPITAL fundraisers in Melksham are holding a Spring Ball in the town tomorrow to raise money to help heart patients. more...
Flipping good day at races
A CHICKEN and chefs were among those who took to the streets and entered into the spirit of Wiltshire's annual pancake races on Tuesday. more...
Sport Angling
Bullock finds right tactics to claim match victory
THE Avon at Chippenham was in good form on Sunday for the Chippenham match. more...
Sport Bowls
Westlecot setback
BOWLS: Westlecot's duo of Wendy Anderson and Gill Webb, replacing Jean Bird, were knocked out in the first round (last 16) of the English Women's Indoor Pairs Championship in Basingstoke. They lost 23-20 to Yeovil who eventually lost in the semi-finals. Today, Westlecot, who lost in the semi-finals last year, compete in the last four of the Women's Over 60s Double Rinks. more...
Sport Cricket
Bowled over
BOX cricketers have been bowled over by the support from their village. more...
Springing into action
THE Wiltshire Groundsmen's Association is holding a `spring preparation and summer maintenance' level one course at Westbury on March 16. more...
Sport Football
Cup Sizzler
Highlight of the Wiltshire league programme this weekend is the clash between Premier Division leaders Shrewton United and Aldbourne in the semi-final of the Corsham Print Senior Cup. more...
All the local football fixtures this weekend
Dr Martens League more...
Marine aiming for treble win
TWO in-form sides clash at the Valley Stadium tomorrow when Supermarine visit Redditch United. more...
Hughes bolsters Ciren squad
CIRENCESTER return to action after a two-week break with at least one new name on the teamsheet. more...
Bluebirds' season on a knife edge
CHIPPENHAM TOWN'S whole season could hinge on the next four days. more...
Purton boss targets upset
Purton will be looking for plenty of vocal support from the Red House faithful this weekend when they entertain Southall Town in the first leg of the Supplementary Cup semi-final, writes Ray Burroughs. more...
Reality check for lowly Town
DEVIZES TOWN come back to earth with an unglamourous bump when they face Bath City Reserves tomorrow. more...
Westbury United 2, Exmouth Town 2
EXMOUTH overcame the first half sending off of captain Terry Price to snatch a point in Saturday 1 March clash between the second and third placed teams in the First Division. more...
Welton Rovers 3, Melksham Town 3
KEVIN Banks headed a late leveller as Melksham Town did struggling local rivals Devizes a favour at bottom club Welton Rovers. more...
Trowbridge Town 1, Shrewton United 1
SKURRAYS WILTSHIRE LEAGUE: TROWBRIDGE held on to their unbeaten home record as they became the first side to take points off the Premier Division leaders since the middle of November. more...
County star joins Town on loan to season's end
DR MARTENS LEAGUE: WING-BACK Scott Walker is hoping to help Chippenham to a top two Premier Division finish this term after signing for the rest of the season for Newport County. more...
It's a knockout as Rudloe rue Frome defeat
TROWBRIDGE LEAGUE: RUDLOE went out of the Knockout Cup when they were beaten 2-1 by cup favourites Frome Town Sports in Saturday's quarter-final. more...
Seend the top team
DIVISION One Seend United, who have reached two cup semi-finals this season, have won the Phoenix Screenprint and Print Workshop-sponsored Trowbridge League team of the month award for February. more...
Yalland hits a hat-trick
WEST Wilts gained a 6-0 away win over Chippenham in Sunday's Total Lettings Wiltshire under 14s league match. The match was played between mixed teams. more...
Padget pounces to crown Bar OC's comeback
MID-WILTSHIRE SUNDAY LEAGUE: BAR OC/The Crown climbed to second spot with a 2-1 away win at JB Lions. more...
John's Baize of glory
CORSHAM player-manager John Freegard scored the winning goal as Green Baize continued their quest to win the Umbro Veterans' Cup with a 4-3 win over Corinthian Casuals on Sunday 2 March. more...
Sport Rugby
Hansen on offensive
Wales coach Steve Hansen threw a protective arm around his players as they arrived in Edinburgh for tomorrow's RBS Six Nations Championship clash against Scotland at Murrayfield. more...
Olly's Out
Bath's Olly Barkley, who had been named on the bench for the A team match against Italy at Northampton tomorrow night, has pulled out with ankle trouble. more...
Carole chases England place
PROMISING centre Carole Elms is gunning for international honours after being selected for the South West Counties under 16s squad. more...
Trowbridge 41, Sherborne 0
Trowbridge made sure of promotion to Southern Counties with a comprehensive victory. more...
Westbury 14, Ivel Barbarians 0
SATURDAY'S game was dedicated to the memory of Robbie Bowden, who died on Friday. more...
Bradford on Avon 15, CAT Melksham 10
THIS was a do-or-die relegation dog-fight. The loser would almost certainly be relegated and possibly the winner too. more...
Six appeal hits Marine
SUPERMARINE skipper Jamie Barrett has admitted that the Six Nations Championship is having an effect on selection at the South Martson club. more...
It's a must-win for Cricklade
JUST one league game is scheduled for tomorrow but Cricklade's Dorset & Wilts Two North visit to Marlborough is still an important one. more...
Weekend Rugby Teams and fixtures
Cirencester Phoenix v Painswick/Cup (home, meet 1pm, ko 2.30): M Crawford, A Thompson, R Evans, D Bint, T Barefoot, J Seager, P Brennon, R Williams, D Shrimpton, R Baldwin, T Stubley, M Carter, N Owen, A Cooper, R Herbert. Subs: D Evans, J McGregor, D Wallace, A Corne/A Vince, R Farnan/N Bassett. more...
Swindon News
i am disgusted by the counciL
I AGREE wholeheartedly with J Hare's letter (EA, March 3). more...
We will provide medals
All the gymnasts at the Swindon School of Gymnastics want a new gym. more...
Just trying to have fun
If you look over the back fence of my garden, you will see the land where, if all goes ahead, a skateboard park will be built. I think it's a great idea. more...
Cells are only option
WITH reference to your story `Keep police cells for criminals' (March 3). more...
Gorse Hill is no Ghost TowN
I OBJECT to the headline `Ghost town' it is enough to put off any prospective traders who might be looking to come to Gorse Hill. more...
Give these lights a chance
I WAS very surprised to see the news about Gorse Hill losing its shopping centre. more...
Why do they judge what they do not know?
I AM writing to defend the residents of Penhill. I am sick and tired of people putting the area down. more...
Time to bite the bullet on recycling rubbish
RECYCLING is the only way to save the green fields for our childrens' children. more...
Protests at 25m masts at hospital
Although there is no proof that radiation emitted from phone masts is a real risk to health, the arrival of mobile telephone masts at the now derelict Princess Margaret Hospital sparked protest among residents. more...
Celebrating a fine railway heritage
THE acclaimed architecture of Swindon's Railway Village features in a pioneering collection of online photographs celebrating English working life. more...
Parish seeks gatekeeper to replace loyal Eric
A NEW gatekeeper is being sought for the cemetery at Stratton St Margaret in Swindon. more...
Nature talk on how to get balance right
A talk exploring the conflicts between conservation and development in Cotswold Water Park is to be held on Thursday. more...
Charity branch meeting date
THE North Wiltshire branch of the Motor Neurone Disease Association is to hold its annual meeting in Swindon next week. more...
Fire call outs are hit by school run
FIREFIGHTERS fear they could be delayed getting to an emergency because of parents parking their cars to pick up children from a nearby school. more...
Wiltshire claims top 10 slot in survey of English counties
Wiltshire has been voted one of the top 10 counties in England. more...
David is on the mend
A BOY knocked from his bicycle and seriously hurt in a collision with a motorcycle is home from hospital after three months. more...
Still nowhere to go after three months
A SWINDON woman says her elderly mother has been waiting in a Great Western Hos-pital ward for a nursing home place since before Christmas. more...
Village mourns its famous resident
THE village of Langford, near Lechlade, was today mourning the death of the designer who for more than 40 years had made clothes for the Queen. more...
Cotswold Water Park users get chance to have their say
COTSWOLD Water Park users will be able to have a say in the future of the park on Wednesday, March 19. more...
Why I'm no boffin
SWINDON scientist Nikki Woolmore has been selected to inspire more youngsters to take up a career in the field. more...
Award for charity helping disabled
A SWINDON charity that aims to get disabled people into work has received a national standard of excellence award. more...
Kelly now works for the group herself
Kelly Woodwards-Palmer, 22, is a beneficiary of the charity's work. more...
Reunion at old school
AN APPEAL has gone out to former pupils and teachers of Kingsdown Secondary School who were there from the years leading up to and including 1960 to get in touch and help organise a reunion. more...
Playing word games is a knockout and all in a good cause
TOP-CLASS Scrabble players will converge on Swindon on Sunday as part of the lead-up to October's World Championships in Kuala Lumpur. more...
Debating a role in wartime
THE ROLE the anti-globalisation movement could play if war breaks out with Iraq was discussed at a meeting in the Swindon Arts centre last night. more...
Clinical trial needs Swindon volunteers
DOCTORS in Swindon are taking part in a major national study of a common but little-known bone disease. more...
Book bonanza for primary school
YOUNGSTERS at a Swindon primary school have been given free books to encourage them to develop a love of literature. more...
Meet Nita,a champion knitter at 96
NITA Taylor is living proof that you are never too old to knit for charity even at 96. more...
Ambulance teams ready for terrorists
WILTSHIRE ambulance bosses have ordered 100 chemical protection suits amid ongoing fears of a terrorist attack. more...
127 armfuls between them!
CHRISTINE Jefferies and her father Percy Smart have donated a total of 127 pints of blood together and they reckon that puts them amongst the most prolific of donors in Swindon. more...
Scout group hit again
THIEVES have targeted the 1st Stratton St Margaret Scout group for the second time in as many weeks. more...
Royal Navy team talk of operations across the world
ROYAL Navy officers are to deliver a multimedia presentation to explain the service's operations across the globe. more...
Pupils get chance to go bananas at Fairtrade
CHILDREN at Wroughton's Ridgeway School will get the chance to meet a banana grower from the Caribbean tomorrow. more...
Book your train seat for a day at the races
Rail users from Swindon are among those being advised to plan ahead to avoid disruption during next week's National Hunt Festival in Cheltenham. more...
Cross-dressing to boost coffers on Red Nose Day
STAFF at a Co-op store plan to celebrate Red Nose Day with some comedy cross-dressing. more...
The secret is humour, patience and give and take
JOYCE Downs says the secret to 50 years of wedded bliss is a sense of humour. more...
Chance to see behind the scenes
A Swindon theatre company has given people a peek behind the scenes of its operations during an open day. more...
Farmers sign up to ecology
FARMERS in one the country's most archaeologically and environmentally rich areas have signed an agreement saving hundreds of acres from the threat of intensive agriculture. more...
800 more houses?
Traders on the Okus Estate face having to close or move their business as developers plan more homes next to the PMH site more...
Tories claim right-to-buy may be ended in Swindon
SWINDON is on a Government hit-list of areas where curbs on the right to buy a council house will be introduced, it is claimed. more...
Murderer on a mission
ONE of Britain's most wanted criminals will be seeking sanctuary in a Swindon nightclub next week. more...
Razzell: date set for husband's trial
THE husband of a missing Highworth mother-of-four faces trial for her alleged murder on June 4. more...
Thieves make off with golf club haul
GOLF clubs worth up to £30,000 were stolen in a raid. more...
Mystery buyer snaps up 1918 Iraq poster for £1,400
A POSTER claiming Britain freed the people of Iraq has sold at Dominic Winter Book Auctions in Swindon for £1,400. more...
Women's group hunts for caring teenager of the year
A CLUB for professional and business women is running a competition to find a the Swindon teenager who has given outstanding help to a group or person in the local community. more...
Upwardly mobile
They are springing up all over town and often prove unpopular, usually because of their appearance and concerns over health implications. But are mobile phone masts really a danger? VICTORIA TAGG reports more...
`The phone operators are getting away with murder'
Councillor Mike Bawden, leader of the Conservatives on Swindon Council, is demanding tighter planning regulations on mobile phone masts. more...
Okus traders deserve a better fate
THE council should look very carefully at the proposal to build yet more high density housing on what until now has been the Okus Trading Estate. more...
Don't boo at the Mission!
CORRIE killer Richard Hillman is due to meet his end next Friday. more...
Trowbridge News
The great coin robbery
ARMED robbers tied up a Yarnbrook man in his own home before making off with a collection of £6,000 in pound coins on Saturday 1 March. more...
Developer announces new plans for Usher's
THE latest plans for the former Usher's brewery site in Trowbridge have been submitted to West Wiltshire District Council. more...
Anger over £5m record office bid
A BID is to go to the Lottery for funding to move the county record office to Chippenham despite users voting overwhelmingly for it to remain in Trowbridge. more...
Elizabeth Shah
MARCH 7: A MOTHER who drove home from a pub at more than twice the legal alcohol limit has been banned from driving for two years. more...
Inquiry launched into tragic death
AN INTERNAL inquiry has been launched at a top London hospital into the death of a 30-year-old former Trowbridge football player. more...
Roy Sloper
MARCH 7: DEBT-RIDDEN builder Roy Sloper is the latest Wiltshire driver to be banned from the roads for a drink-drive offence. more...
Crests to go on display
TWO regimental crests saved from the former Territorial Army centre in Trowbridge are soon to be displayed in the town. more...
Road rage at roundabout
POLICE are hunting for a road rage attacker who threatened a 21-year-old driver at a Trowbridge roundabout. more...
Accused fail to appear in court
A warrant has been issued for the arrest of two men charged with offences in connection with illegal CDs on sale in Lacock. more...
Primary talent makes for a Star-y night
CHILDREN at Longmeadow Primary School in Trowbridge put on such a good performance at a Stars In Their Eyes night that their parents now want their own show. more...
Engineer fell 20ft as lorry hit pole
A WOMAN engineer died after BT failed to act on warnings about the safety of the telephone pole she had climbed, an inquest heard on Wednesday. more...
Memorial for town martyr
THIS month sees the 200th anniversary of the death of one of Trowbridge's most famous industrial figures. more...
Nightclub brawl
ONE man was left with a broken jaw and another with a gash to the head in gang fights outside a Trowbridge nightclub. more...
Station wins big response
NEW radio station Moonraker FM is nearing the end of its first successful week on the airwaves. more...
Accident triggers safety bid
ROAD improvements have been promised after a lollipop lady was knocked down outside a school. more...
Coat snatched
A THIEF stole a 50-year-old woman's coat as she walked through Trowbridge Park in the early hours of Sunday morning. more...
Flipping good day at races
A CHICKEN and chefs were among those who took to the streets and entered into the spirit of Wiltshire's annual pancake races on Tuesday. more...
She's a reel champ
A YOUNG Irish dancer from Trowbridge brought home two trophies and nine medals from the first ever international competition held in Dublin at the weekend. more...
Charity appeals for volunteers
THE Research Institute for the Care of the Elderly, a Bath-based charity, is looking for volunteers to take part in a street collection in Trowbridge on April 5. more...
Lions pool funds
TROWBRIDGE Lions Club will be hoping to beat last year's total of £3,000 at a swimathon to be held at the Trowbridge pool from 4pm tomorrow. more...
The Masons' alms
TROWBRIDGE freemasons have presented cheques totalling £600 to Stepping Stones pre-school and Dorothy House in Winsley. more...
Finalists close in on night of drama
WITH less than a week to go until finals night, the six contenders in the Trowbridge Employee of the Year competition are studying hard for their head-to-head interview with top broadcaster Roger Cook, live on stage. more...
Illicit booze sales revealed in raids
THREE stores in west Wiltshire have broken strict laws banning the sale of booze to underage teenagers despite the risk of tough penalties. more...
Police anti-drugs unit is scrapped
WILTSHIRE police have scrapped the drugs squad which covered the north and west of the county amid fears of escalating substance abuse and drug-related crime. more...
£25m to help solve traffic problems
NEARLY £25 million of council money is to be spent on transport schemes in Wiltshire in 2003-4, with the vast bulk of the money going to improve the county's road network. more...
Calling all candidates
PEOPLE in west Wiltshire are being encouraged to stand in town and district council elections in May. more...
Firm says `thanks a million'
CUSTOMER loyalty has been rewarded by First Great Western to celebrate the train company reaching the milestone of more than 20 million passenger journeys in the last year. more...
MiMi third in contest race
SCHOOLGIRL singer MiMi came third in the race for Eurovision on Sunday and thoroughly enjoyed her day of fame. more...
Chefs get ready for cook-off
CHEFS in Wiltshire are being invited to take part in the county's version of the BBC programme, Ready, Steady, Cook. more...
Racism in rural areas
CHURCHES in west Wiltshire are being urged to tackle the problem of racism in their communities through the launch of a new course called `In God's Image'. more...
Officers arrest 50 suspects
DETECTIVES working on an anti-paedophile internet sting have arrested 50 people countywide on suspicion of downloading child porn from a US website. more...
Interactive centre opens
HIGH-TECH interactive media centre created to boost Wiltshire College's status of excellence in digital and broadcast media has been officially opened in Corsham. more...
Two `tried to disrupt hunt'
TWO men accused of disrupting a fox hunt in west Wiltshire have appeared before magistrates in Trowbridge. more...
Cash for transport schemes
MILLIONS of pounds have been allocated to pay for transport schemes in Wiltshire over the next year. more...
Ingram appears in dock
THE army major accused of cheating on ITV1's Who Wants to be a Millionaire? has told a court in London that he wanted to win the £1m jackpot to buy his three daughters a pony. more...
Students set for debate
FORTY students will debate the mental and emotional health of young people in Wiltshire when they take over county hall next week. more...
Garage is fleeced in triple raid
THIEVES have raided a motorway petrol garage three times in a fortnight one of them wearing a jacket he had stolen on an earlier visit. more...
County's pools are hotting up
WATER temperatures could rise in west Wiltshire's five swimming pools if a request is granted. more...
Paper plan saves trees
A PAPER-RECYCLING scheme launched by staff at Wiltshire County Council has been hailed a huge success. more...
Prayers for Julia before transplant
THE family of leukaemia sufferer Julia hember were on tenterhooks this week, hoping her life-saving bone marrow transplant would finally take place yesterday. more...
Look out for rare lapwings
BIRDWATCHERS are being urged to take part in a countywide lapwing survey. more...
Canal champion
A CAMPAIGN to breathe life back into the Wilts and Berks Canal has gained a new voice. more...
Bands rocked by new licence plan
LIVE music in west Wiltshire could be under threat from a new law going through Parliament. more...
Website reaches new high
THE WILTSHIRE TIMES website This is Wiltshire and sister site Fish4 are proving more popular than ever with January visitors at an all-time high. more...
Trowbridge,Bradford On Avon,Melksham,Warminster,Westbury News
Drug threat is getting worse
ILLEGAL drugs remain the scourge of our society. The clichéd image of drug dealers lurking on every street corner may be an unrealistic one, but recent operations by Wiltshire police prove illicit drugs such as heroin, ecstasy and cocaine are out there and available to buy. more...
Keep our soil pure
We heard this week how a Corsham couple have been collecting signatures to stop diggers moving in to churn up toxic land near their homes. more...
Come on ladies, you are needed
WE, the ladies of the Trowbridge Women's Branch of the British Legion, are trying to save our branch from closing down. more...
Who is tackling litter?
OVER the past few months it has been my pleasure to spend many happy hours walking around some of our local towns. more...
Town has golden opportunity
PEGGY THOMAS' letter last week would have been more helpful if she had indicated precisely what she thought would be an appropriate redevelopment of the former Ushers site rather than direct everyone to an obscure and not particularly relevant website. more...
Well g'day, Hazel
A short time ago I went into a photo-kiosk in Warwick, Western Australia and had a big surprise when the person serving me asked if I came from Wiltshire. more...
A few pointers about parsonage
I REGRET that once more I must correct you on the details given about Conigre Parsonage in Then and Now (Wiltshire Times February 28). more...
Time to make things easier for burglars?
I must agree with the article by Captain Richard L Nicholson MBE and his concerns regarding protecting the home and personal property, and the numerous occasions he has been burgled (Letters, February 28). more...
We give freedom to misbehave
I AGREE with Captain Nicholson that Tony Martin has been wronged, but it is unlikely that any government would allow ordinary people to use guns for home defence, as they do in some US states where there is less crime in consequence. more...
Put politics second
I WOULD like to correct the statements made by Cllr March in a local paper last week. more...
Several issues, just for the record
FOUR speakers from the campaign to keep the record office in Trowbridge were allowed to present their cases in public participation at the cabinet meeting of the county council. more...
The real cost is hidden
I READ in last week's issue that Wiltshire County Council has applied for heritage lottery funding for the proposed new records office at Chippenham. more...
Good luck in keeping the records office
Good luck to the people of Trowbridge in their endeavour to retain the records office in their town. more...
Stop the tide of takeaways
In response to your article last week, perhaps this letter will explain the reason for Melksham's anger at the vote to allow yet another fast food takeaway in the town. more...
Plea to admit what is being recycled
I SHOULD like to say that I think that the Household Waste Recycling Centre located on Canal Road is a great step in the right direction towards zero waste. more...
Bad train of thought
People in Wiltshire have good reason to be concerned about the future of our railways. The Strategic Rail Authority has announced the withdrawal of the Bristol to Oxford service. more...
We must be whiter than white
A FORMER Labour West Wiltshire District Councillor has recently criticised myself and fellow District Councillor Angie Barker for declaring an interest and playing no part in a local planning application. more...
Residents face taxing times
There's a sad fascination in observing that the annual council tax hikes have now become so certain that letters appear in advance of the event. more...
Increases yet again
Yet another year of Council Tax record increases. As an elected Councillor I must question local residents' ability to pay these increases. more...
Why the rise after all the new houses?
WITH reference to the latest news regarding the rise in council taxes, could the powers that be explain why so much, with all the new houses being built in the county? more...
What is happening to our money?
SERVICES are very poor from the District to the County Council to the police, due to in-house mismanagement and bad work practices from all three. more...
What do we get for our hard-earned cash?
WITH the anticipated rise, yet again, in council tax this year I feel it may be time to question what value for money we get for which for most people is a considerable amount. more...
Warminster News
Sausage website is the pork of the town
A BUTCHER in Warminster has become one of the first in the county to feature on a website dedicated to the great British sausage. more...
Teen driver runs down pedestrian
TEENAGE driver Gareth Larmour mowed down a pedestrian just 20 minutes after buying his first car. Pine furniture assembler Larmour ploughed into pedestrian Brett Murphy in Fairfield Road, Warminster, leaving him sprawling on the bonnet of his Ford Escort. more...
Late night for iIory rRoms
A YOUNG entrepreneur will not repeat the mistakes of a shamed nightclub if he gets permission to offer late night entertainment in Warminster town centre. more...
School celebrates after getting business award
A PRIMARY school is celebrating its achievements after being named as one of the most successful businesses in the county. more...
Police in anti-yob summit
RESIDENTS in Codford have invited the police to attend a meeting to help stop spiralling vandalism. more...
Lighting up time in town
THOUSANDS of pounds could be spent on lighting up buildings around Warminster. more...
School safety call for rat-run `blackspot'
A SCHOOL is calling for urgent safety work to be carried out along a road in Warminster to prevent serious accidents. more...
Roadworks hell begins
A 10-WEEK programme of roadworks in Warminster could cause heavy congestion and create dangerous rat-runs through housing estates. more...
Appeal for action on town's future
PLANS are being drawn up to give Warminster a vision for the future, including measures to ease congestion and promote commercial growth. more...
Prayers for Julia before transplant
THE family of leukaemia sufferer Julia hember were on tenterhooks this week, hoping her life-saving bone marrow transplant would finally take place yesterday. more...
Flipping good day at races
A CHICKEN and chefs were among those who took to the streets and entered into the spirit of Wiltshire's annual pancake races on Tuesday. more...
Westbury News
MiMi third in contest race
SCHOOLGIRL singer MiMi came third in the race for Eurovision on Sunday and thoroughly enjoyed her day of fame. more...
Flipping good day at races
A CHICKEN and chefs were among those who took to the streets and entered into the spirit of Wiltshire's annual pancake races on Tuesday. more...
Officers arrest 50 suspects
DETECTIVES working on an anti-paedophile internet sting have arrested 50 people countywide on suspicion of downloading child porn from a US website. more...
Racism in rural areas
CHURCHES in west Wiltshire are being urged to tackle the problem of racism in their communities through the launch of a new course called `In God's Image'. more...
Passengers face delays
WESSEX trains is warning of changes to its scheduled timetable through Westbury while it carries out essential track work. more...
Group needs performers
A new drama group in Westbury is on the lookout for budding dancers and actors to come along to auditions this weekend. more...
Police in anti-yob summit
RESIDENTS in Codford have invited the police to attend a meeting to help stop spiralling vandalism. more...
Wiltshire News
Boy, 16, caught with 40 ecstasy tablets
WILTSHIRE TIMES EXCLUSIVE: A TEENAGER offered a bulk-buy deal on ecstasy pills told police the deal was too good to pass up. Police officers out patrolling in a north Wiltshire town busted a street drug-deal when they saw goods being passed between two men. more...
Wiltshire Sport
A changed man
SAM PARKIN returns to Sixfields tomorrow on a mission to shoot down the club that made him feel `unwanted'. more...
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