SWINDON and Wiltshire Pride will be ‘comin atcha’ this year with an impressive headline act. Cleo Higgins, formerly of 90s pop group Cleopatra, recently wowed audiences as a solo singer on BBC’s The Voice. She will be the main attraction at this
A CAMPAIGN to save ‘vital’ children’s centres in Swindon has been launched by Labour’s parliamentary candidate for South Swindon Anne Snelgrove. Dozens of concerned parents joined Mrs Snelgrove at Drove Children’s Centre yesterday to make a stand
WILTSHIRE Police are warning dog owners about the dangers of leaving pets in hot cars after several incidents in the county. Since the beginning of the month, the police have received numerous calls from members of the public worried about the
Whenever I see this cow sculpture it makes me smile and think of one of my favourite Ogden Nash poems: 'Two cows, mildly mooing: No bull; nothing doing' Which, if you think about it, is a masterclass in understatement. As is: 'The
Hello again dear reader, Welcome to part 3 in a series (I'm not sure how many the series will consist of cos I'm making it up as I go along) about the West Swindon sculpture walk - which you could be forgiven for having no knowledge of. This morning
HEADTEACHER Melanie Sancto, who is leaving Brook Field Primary School in Shaw after 23 years, says it is like leaving part of her family behind. Melanie leaves today to take up a new role at a school in Lisvane, Cardiff. She said: “It has been
BABY beauty queen Isabel Nshimiye is one step closer to realising her dreams after making the finals in an international beauty pageant. Eight-year-old Isabel, of Walcot, wowed judges at the South West finals for the Face of The Globe beauty pageant
Elizabeth Mackley soaks up the atmosphere – and the sounds of the Geoff Mason Quartet – at Baker Street Baker Street Wood Street, Old Town, Swindon SN1 4AB. 9.30pm and Friday to Sunday, 12pm till 6pm. Tel: 01793 978011. www.ilovebakerstreet.com
TV’s Channel 5 created a children’s TV show that proved hugely popular with its young audience back in 1997 and today Milkshake counts fans all across the globe. Premier Stage Productions has teamed up with Channel 5 to create a Milkshake Live
This week it’s the turn of Kevin Cole, proprietor of Silks On The Downs, Ogbourne St Andrew. Call 01672 841229 When did you first take an interest in cooking, and when did you decide you wanted to become a chef? My Gran was a very good home
A CANCER charity fundraising group is holding a silent auction for two meet-and-greet tickets to see Peter Andre at the Big Summer Session this weekend. The Melksham fundraising group for Cancer Research UK have been donated the two VIP tickets
SWINDON Town have confirmed the signing of Ryan Mason on a year-long loan deal. The Tottenham youngster has been on the Robins' radar for a long time - the Advertiser first reported Swindon's interest in the 22-year-old in late May - and now Town
WILTSHIRE Police is issuing an urgent warning about the dangers of illegal drugs after a 23-year-old man has been left fighting for his life. The man, from Swindon, is in a critical condition in the Great Western Hospital after it is believed he
FAIRFORD Town host Swindon Town's development XI at Cinder Lane tonight. Fairford boss Paul Braithwaite is looking forward to a competitive evening as the Robins' young side head for Gloucestershire. He said: "We will be using a different group
ELDERLY patients in Wiltshire are having to wait up to a year for a dementia diagnosis, new figures show. The shocking statistics put Wiltshire as one of the worst performing areas in the country. There is a wide disparity across the country of
OBJECTIONS have been raised to the licence application put forward by the owners of a new Swindon nightclub. The Brunel Rooms, in Havelock Square, is looking to open on August 1 but there have been objections from the police, residents and the
BRITAIN’S Got Talent finalists The Luminites are looking forward to performing in front of the Swindon crowds at the County Ground during this weekend’s Big Summer Session. The London four-piece busking band, who wowed audiences on Britain’s Got
THE developers behind a plan to build 160,000 solar panels just outside Wroughton say it will benefit the whole community. Swindon Commercial Services , along with the Science Museum, have submitted an application to build the solar farm on an
SWINDON’S 16,000 tax credits claimants are being reminded that they have about one week to renew their claims by the July 31 deadline – or payments might stop. Nick Lodge, director general of benefits and credits, said: “We are asking claimants
A FUNDRAISING bid to help a football-mad boy has reached the half-way point, much to the delight of his parents. Lewis Munday, 10, has diplegia cerebral palsy, which means he struggles with stiffness in his legs. His parents have been fundraising
A POPULAR Penhill pub is preparing to re-open weeks after it closed suddenly last month, thanks to the generosity of a local man. The Deers Leap on Penhill Drive is undergoing speedy renovations following the signing with Enterprise Inns of a mysterious
A-LEVEL students from across Swindon have been taking part in a special summer school at Great Western Hospital to give them an insight into the realities of a career in medicine. The Dare to Doctor programme ran from July 18 to 20, and allows
POLICE were called to Toothill at the weekend following reports that a car had crashed into a school pond. Officers received a call to Hazelwood Academy, formerly Toothill Primary School, at 5am on Saturday morning. The car, a Chrysler Grand
‘MINDLESS’ vandals, who caused around £5,000 worth of damage at a leisure centre, were caught out on social media after they took to Twitter to boast about their crimes. Staff arriving at Cricklade Leisure Centre on Saturday morning found the swimming
THE cause of the fire that tore through the roof of the Cross Keys pub in Royal Wootton Bassett on Sunday is being treated as an accident – but concerns have been raised about the stability of the old building. Fire services were called out to
PROSPECT Hospice has remodelled its Havelock Street charity shop to deal exclusively in things for children. Other items will still be available at its shops in Commercial Road, Regent Street, Victoria Road and elsewhere. Check out www.prospect
A YOUNG woman from Wroughton is appealing to the public to help find her much-loved cat, named Treacle. Rose Howells, 21, the owner of the black and white cat, which has been missing for over a week, is calling for members of the public to contact
THE door is always open at a charity that has been taken in by the community of Gorse Hill. The Open Door Centre is based at St Barnabas’ Church Hall and has been supporting adults with learning difficulties since its launch in 1985. It has
HUNDREDS of eager fans queued for hours yesterday to grab a meeting with X Factor star Jahmene Douglas when he visited the Asda Walmart he used to work in to sign copies of his new album. The talent show finalist, from Swindon, returned to his
A HONDA worker who was caught peddling cocaine on two occasions last year profited from crime by more than £35,000. But James Bradley, who is two months into a four-year jail term, will only have to pay back £845 of his ill gotten gains. And
THE Ridgeway Hospital in Wroughton says it has seen an increase in sports injuries since the Olympics. According to a new survey by BMI Healthcare, one in five orthopaedic surgeons and physiotherapists say they have seen an increase in sports injuries
SWINDON Town are looking into the possibility of bringing Danny Hollands back to the County Ground on a full-time basis. The Advertiser understands Town have enquired about to the availability of the Charlton midfielder, who played 10 times for
LEIGH Bedwell thinks Swindon Town’s training camp in Portugal is already showing signs of helping the Robins’ young squad come together ahead of the new League One campaign. Swindon are staying at Hotel Tivoli in the Algarve town of Carvoeiro for
TOM Bowler posted his second “daddy” hundred in as many weeks as Purton pulled further clear at the top of Wiltshire League Division One with a 189-run victory over Malmesbury. The Wiltshire all-rounder smashed 167 not out just seven days after
SWINDON Flames Juniors experienced mixed fortunes in their most recent visit to Farnborough Leisure Centre. The youngsters were sunk 4-2 by Oxford Hurricanes but bounced back to thrash Banbury Bulldogs 9-4. Play was scrappy in the first period
DAVID Thomas and Theresa Healy were the two winners at Broome Manor’s annual captains’ day. Both secured victory thanks to countback with Thomas carding a nett 66 and Healy shooting a nett 71. Daniel Vizor was runner-up to Thomas in the men
JACK Haines made sure that Goatacre suffered no hangover following the departure of Ed Kilbee, spanking 51 in just 18 balls to obliterate Warminster in WEPL Premier Two. The Goats were playing their first match following the departure of opener
SWINDON boss Alun Rossiter admitted two missed opportunities cost his side a memorable win at high-flying Wolverhampton last night. The Robins would have gone top of the league had they triumphed at Monmore Green, but two 5-1s in heats 11 and 12
SWINDON missed out on a superb victory at Wolverhampton after the league leaders pulled off a dramatic last-heat win at Monmore Green. The Robins led following heat 11 through to the start of heat 15, but a 5-1 maximum from guest Peter Karlsson
PURTON boss Chris Pethick says the club has only organised four friendlies this season as a deliberate ploy to avoid injuries. The Red House side had to cope with prolonged absences for key players in the last campaign, a problem that reared its
SWINDON NALGO secured their eighth victory of the season as they saw off Swindon Civil Service in a local derby. NALGO posted 230 as Latif Hussein scored 69 and Imran Dastagir 43 and then bowled out Service for 162 as Sanjay Chauhan took 4-27.
SHAZ Khan put a month of injury problems behind him with a tidy half-century on his return to the Wootton Bassett top order on Saturday. The Rylands Way player-coach has been struggling with a variety of ailments over the past five weeks, but he
SWINDON Storm head coach Steve Bennett was forced to leave behind the two things he loves most earlier this week when he flew out for a four-month tour of Afghanistan. The RAF weapons technician is embarking on what is his seventh tour with the
LOUISE Hunt declared herself proud of reaching the mixed doubles final despite ultimately falling short of the title with partner David Phillipson at the British Wheelchair Tennis Open. Hunt and Phillipson’s historic match against fellow Brits
FORMER Walcot amateur boxer Mark Reynolds will return to the ring in September at the ripe old age of 33. Reynolds enjoyed a glittering career as an amateur but his next fight will be as a professional, having hung up his vest to team up with Swindon
MARC Williamson’s “once in a liftetime” catch made sure Swindon kept their noses in front at the top of the WEPL Wiltshire Division with victory over Winsley. Williamson’s tumbling, one-handed grab at mid-on to dismiss Winsley’s freescoring wicketkeeper-batsman
NATIONWIDE House came back down to earth with a bump following their victory over table-topping Swindon a week previously, as they were thrashed by 156 runs in their WEPL Wiltshire Division clash with Calne on Saturday. Having won the toss at Beversbrook
LECHLADE closed the gap between themselves and current WEPL Glos/Wilts Division leaders Biddestone to just one point with an emphatic eight-wicket win over Painswick at the Manor Ground on Saturday. The visitors won the toss and decided to bat
