ROBINS top two Peter Kildemand and Troy Batchelor will head to Gorican for the next round of GP qualifying on June 21. The duo will compete against series regulars Martin Smolinski and Matej Zagar in Croatia, as well as former Swindon skipper Hans
JOSH Loughrey saw his progress halted in Spain today after rain ruined the opening round at the Peugeot Open. The Wrag Barn youngster was two-over at the time of the stoppage in Madrid, carding two bogeys in his first three holes before shooting
LOSNG three stone in three months is turning out to be the best near-impossible challenge I have ever done. I am eating eggs, ham sandwiches and juicy hunks of steak and pork chops on pretty much a daily basis. I’m not as hungry as I was when I
ALTHOUGH most children live within walking or cycling distance of school, less than half walk and very few cycle. Yet every child should be able to walk, scoot or bike to school safely. The problem is that some of our streets are not safe enough
Matt Whittaker, manager of Pets At Home Swindon, writes about taking your pet on holiday... DON'T want to leave your pet this summer? We know the feeling! Don’t worry, there are plenty of options for owners during the holidays which mean you
JOSEPHINE LOGAN takes her step daughter Isabelle to Cotswold Wildlife Park... ON A beautiful spring day it seemed like we weren’t the only ones making the most of the weather – the animals at Cotswold Wildlife Park were all out to play and we couldn
Counsellor Fiona Caine tackles your dilemmas... I live in a flat and a new family have just moved in upstairs. They seem friendly enough but I often hear the mother yelling, especially when a man (who I think must be a boyfriend) comes to visit
IT'S a scene played out in many family homes – after a long day caring for the kids and laying down the law, mum stands by as ‘fun’ dad becomes the centre of attention on his arrival home from work. And while there aren’t as many mums staying at
Q. I have just joined my new employer’s pension scheme and the illustration I have been provided shows what the value of the pension could be when I retire, based on three different growth rates. One of them is actually a negative growth rate, and
Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a common complaint – we look at what part stress plays in triggering the symptoms... BEING diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) should, in theory, be a source of relief. After all, it means those worrying symptoms
LONG-established salon Talk of the Town will close its doors for the final time today after allegedly going into liquidation. The Devizes Road business, which has been running since 1968, offered hair and beauty treatments. The store’s management
Still only in his early teens, Lewis Stocker has already had three major operations on his heart. Yet the youngster somehow retains a sunny outlook on life, as EMMA DUNN reports... WHEN doctors noticed Richard and Tracy Stocker’s newborn son had
SWINDON: A murder mystery evening takes place at Swindon and Cricklade Railway on June 20, with the Highworth Amateur Dramatic Society. Call 01793 771615.
OLD TOWN: MPs Robert Buckland and Justin Tomlinson will be taking part in a question and answer event during Swindon Chamber of Commerce’s networking breakfast at the Marriott Hotel, in Pipers Way, at 7.30pm on Friday.
SWINDON: The School of Art and Design at Swindon College is to run a free summer school in collaboration with Oxford Brookes University from July 14 and Thursday July 17 from 10am to 4pm. It will allow students aged 18 and over to explore life
TOWN CENTRE: A talk on how Swindon was affected by the First World War will take place at the Central Library tomorrow. Local historian Mark Sutton will present War: Swindon In The Great War, in the Second Floor Reading Room from 7.15pm. Using
BUSINESSES across Swindon have been encouraging their staff to embrace a new way of working by exercising at their work desks or in their lunch-hour as part of Workout @ Work Day. Friday, saw physiotherapists from BMI The Ridgeway Hospital help
COMMUNITY Speed Watch hosted a quarterly event for team leaders at Wiltshire Police headquarters. This was the final event in a week-long focus on volunteers. Community Speed Watch is a scheme that relies on volunteers to help deliver the purpose
ROYAL WOOTTON BASSETT: Old Court Community Pre-School is celebrating its 40th anniversary this weekend, on Saturday from 10am to 12 noon. They are inviting families old and new who have had a connection with the pre-school to join them and take
SWINDON: The next meeting for people in Swindon with osteoporosis takes place at the Health Hydro on June 13 at 1.30pm, when Loreley Rice will give a demonstration of Egyptian belly dancing. For more information email swindonosteoporosis@ googlemail.com
SWINDON: A concert in aid of Willows counselling service will take place at Bath Road Methodist Church on June 21 at 7.30pm. Tickets are £6. The event will feature Rachel Gilliam and Heather Main, Richard Worthing Davies and Frances Couldridge.
OLD TOWN: Lethbridge School will hold its annual fete and 10k fun run on June 21. The run starts at 11am, with the fete from 11am to 2.30pm. The run is now fully subscribed
CHENEY MANOR: Swindon TWIGS will hold a community garden summer open day on June 22 from 11am to 4pm. There will be plants and crafts for sale, live music, refreshments and children’s activities. Entry is £2, or £1.50 for OAPs and concessions.
SWINDON: A charity music marathon will be held at the Legends Lounge at the County Ground on July 12 from 11am. The event will raise money for Prospect Hospice and Ruby’s Fat Cow Fund. Tickets are £5. For more information visit www.musicmarathon.co.uk
LYDIARD: Enjoy a display of classic and vintage cars in front of Lydiard House with cars from 1900 onwards. The event is for people of all ages and is free entry. It takes place on June 21 from 11am to 4pm.
SWINDON: A soul and Motown night in aid of Prospect Hospice will be held at the County Ground on June 21 from 7pm. Tickets are £15 in advance only. Call Natalie on 07796137770.
LYDIARD: A Birds of Prey flying display takes place at Lydiard Park on June 29 from 11am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm. Enjoy flying displays and the opportunity to get up close to the birds. Tickets are £8 for adults and £6 for students and children.
SWINDON: The Swindon Adver is encouraging residents to have their heads shaved on July 1 at JJ’s hair salon in aid of the 160 Appeal for Prospect Hospice. To sign up contact Rachael Youd on 01793 501962 or at rachael.youd@ wiltshire.newsquest.co.uk
SWINDON: The members of Swindon Live At Home Scheme is looking for volunteers to join its weekly telephone service to check on isolated elderly people. The calls are made from Epworth Court. Volunteers will be supervised by a manager. To find out
LARGER than life country pub landlord Gerry Stonhill has taken on the historic Railway Inn at Fairford. The pub, which has been trading in the village for more than 250 years, went on the market in May last year as the owners moved on to concentrate
THE resignation of Isambard Community School headteacher Rachael Mattey has been desribed as a huge blow for local children by Mark Dempsey, Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for North Swindon. Mrs Mattey, who took over at the Redhouse school eight
MANNINGTON: Police were called to the Mannington Rec shortly before 7.30pm on Monday night following reports that a group of youths had broken into the park and were climbing on construction. They were given words of advice and dispersed from the
EAST SWINDON: Four bikes have been stolen from a garden in Oakley Park over the weekend. Offenders reached over and unbolted the garden gates to gain access. Anyone with information should call the East NPT on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on
PARENTS across Swindon are being urged to pop in to Prospect Hospice’s first children’s shop and unearth bargains for the summer holidays. The Kids Store, in Havelock Street, opened in July last year and offers clothing, toys, games and furniture
RODBOURNE: A Family Music Night will be staged on Saturday, June 14 at the Morris Street Club by charity fundraiser Rachel Kimber. She is organising the fun evening to raise funds towards her five-day Sahara trek for Prospect Hospice which she
THE Advertiser reporting comments made by the Isambard Community School head teacher caused a storm. Rachael Mattey spoke out against Michael Gove’s backward facing education reforms when she announced her resignation. She said Gove is harking
I HAVE not always thought, spoken or written about the BBC in a fond manner, but I thought its Radio 5 coverage of the commemoration of D Day was exceptional. Very dignified and moving. C J Meek, Cloche Way, Swindon
I WOULD imagine that amongst your more senior readers, the phrase ‘swinging the lamp’ has rung a bell with some of them and if I continue with ‘sippers’, ‘Hey diddle diddle who’s got the Middle?’ and ‘Crusher’, whilst I have lost some readers, I have
MAKING my normal journey back from work in Gloucester at about 1645 on a Friday travelling along the A419 heading to Swindon, I came across an 8 mile tailback, missed a junction, so could not turn off, so thought to myself there must be an accident
ON behalf of Swindon Bats we would like to thank the generous people who donated to our bucket collection at the West Swindon Centre on the 24 May. We raised an excellent £216.14 . This money will go towards paying for the activities of the Visually
HERE we go again. The Prime Minister of Great Britain employs a nanny not born on this island. I have no qualms about that but I am not the Prime Minister. Come to that, as a father of five it took the wife and I all our time to feed, house and
STEVE Thompson wrote in his letter titled, “Think twice please” that people should practice self censorship, suggesting their views on East European immigration provoked hooligans into an arson attack on a Polish shop. Then he says he would never ask
I WOULD like to express my thanks to all Liden, Eldene and Park South residents who voted for me as local councillor. I am gratified by your support and look forward to serving your community for a further four years. Over the past two years I
WILTSHIRE Police are supporting the national relaunch of a new single standardised PASS 18 plus card design. Proof of Age Standards Scheme (PASS) previously endorsed a wide number of card providers, causing some confusion with door staff and retailers
ON 9 June I read Justin Tomlinson's assessment of the 38 per cent rise in the use of foodbanks, where he celebrated the “collective good of the community working together to help others” and the “removal of stigma of using food banks” and said the
THIS week’s events to mark the 70th anniversary of D-Day have been humbling to watch. But, as so often with these national occasions, it’s the personal stories of individuals which really stand out. One such is that of Harry Prescott, and it’s
THE news from Gable Close in Abbey Meads, where several cats have died after apparently ingesting anti-freeze, is worrying and disturbing. There is no proof that the poisoning is deliberate, but unless there has been some remarkable coincidence
TOWN CENTRE: Historian Mark Sutton will be giving a talk about the First World War at Swindon Central Library at 7.15pm tomorrow. Call 01793 463238 or email localstudies@swindon.gov.uk.
COATE: Runners of all abilities are welcome to take part in a course at Coate Water Country Park at 6.15pm tonight. For more information about the Shin Splints event call 01793 490150.
TOWN CENTRE: Former X Factor winner Joe McElderry is performing at the Wyvern Theatre at 7.30pm tomorrow. For ticket details call 01793 524481 or visit www.swindontheatres.co.uk.
RODBOURNE CHENEY: Rodbourne Cheney Bowls Club are hosting an Open Day on Saturday from 10am to 5pm. Everyone is welcome to come along and have a try at playing bowls. The Rodbourne Cheney Club is situated between Allison Court and the Church
STANTON: Join the county dragonyfly recorder Steve Covey on June 22 at Stanton Park from 1.30pm to 3pm for a look at dragonflies and damselflies. Wear stout footwear and clothes to suit the weather. Meet leaders at the Great Barn. Book in advance
NORTH SWINDON: The North Swindon Free Shop takes place on June 14 at North Swindon Library from 10am to noon. If you would like to donate items, you can bring them on the day. The shop does not accept electrical goods, sleepwear, underwear, or
TOWN CENTRE: Charity Swindon and District Samaritans, based in Curtis Street, is seeking fundraisers. Anyone interested in offering their support to the group can call 01793 537373.
LYDIARD GREEN: Omar Hamdi will be headlining a comedy night taking place at Riffs Bar, in Greatfield, at 7.30pm tomorrow. For more information call 01793 778304.
OLD TOWN: Conservation work to trees at Christ church Cemetery, in Cricklade Street, has been approved by Swindon Council.
SWINDON: An information event on how to cope with Parkinson’s will take place at the County Ground today from 10am until 2pm. The event organised by the Swindon branch of Parkinson’s UK is open to sufferers, their families and carers, health and
THE Wyvern Theatre has received a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence award. The accolade, which honours hospitality excellence, is given only to establishments that consistently achieve outstanding traveller reviews on TripAdvisor. Establishments
IF YOU go down to the Outlet Village at 3pm on Saturday you may be in for a big surprise. You will be serenaded for about 90 minutes, as you shop, by a bunch of internationally acclaimed male singers who make up the Wessex Male Choir, based in
TOWN CENTRE: Swindon Epilepsy Support Group will meet at the Savoy in Regent Street on Saturday between 11am and 12.30pm.
NORTH STAR: Swindon College will hold a Big Bake Off in aid of Cancer Research on June 21. Amateur bakers will enter ten categories including Victoria sponge, pastry and junior baker.
WILTSHIRE Police have called witnesses to come forward following an attempted robbery in Swindon. The incident took place on Cricklade Road between 7.30pm and 7.45pm on Tuesday May, 27. Two youths approached the victim, a 16-year-old male,
TOWN CENTRE: The next Swindon Mobility Club coffee morning will be held tomorrow, 10.30am-noon, at the Civic Offices.
TOWN CENTRE: Author James Aitcheson will give a talk and signing at the Central Library on June 19 from 7.15pm. He will be reading from his new, just published novel, Knights Of The Hawk, as well as discussing his personal creative process to writing
SWINDON... 1947: As the result of generosity of the people of Wootton Bassett and the fact the target figure of £600 was reached in a year, the town’s Welcome Home Committee was able to give the service personnel a reception in the Memorial Institute
CHISELDON: A break in took place at Bush House, an industrial unit, in Chiseldon, at some point between 3pm on June 8 and 6am yesterday morning. A quantity of lead and copper was stolen. Anyone with information should call police on 101.
ROYAL WOOTTON BASSETT: Police have had a number of reports this week about people selling items door to door in the area. Police are warning residents who have concerns about people coming to their address to terlephone Wiltshire Police on 101.
SWINDON: Budding athletes will aim to show a clean pair of heels to shoppers when they take part in the latest Street Athletics event in the town centre on Saturday. The free youth engagement programme is run by Linford Christie, and the Olympic
OLD TOWN: Police were called to the Town Gardens at 7pm on Monday following reports of an indecent exposure. The man, who was wearing a green or blue top, was on a bike. Any witnesses should call police on 101.
SWINDON: About 20 sheds at the Rushey Platt allotments off Wootton Bassett Road were broken in to overnight between June 8 and 9. The Neighbourhood Policing Team has increased patrols in the area. Anyone who has any information, or anyone whose
A MAN who was accused of repeatedly assaulting a woman has been cleared after the charges against him were dropped. William Hall pleaded not guilty to six counts of actual bodily harm and one of common assault when he appeared at Swindon Crown
A DRUG dealer who was selling heroin and crack cocaine to fund his skunk addiction has walked free from court. Liam Harvey was told he was being spared a jail term because he had stayed out of trouble for a year and now had a stable job and accommodation
THE annual Children’s Fete is on course to fill the GWR Park on Faringdon Road. Returning after a two-year hiatus, the Mechanics’ Trust will once again host Swindon’s historic showcase on July 19. The fete last ran in 2012, when a larger Olympic-themed
A TEENAGE girl has been arrested after calling 999 in excess of 30 times and abusing call handlers. The 15 year old from Wiltshire was arrested on suspicion of misuse of the emergency communications network. On Monday, emergency call handlers
WROUGHTON residents have won the first battle against a major new housing development on the outskirts of their village. At the planning committee last night, members voted to reject the plans for 103 homes to be built by developers Hannick Homes
5:43pm That's your lot from LIVE NEWS today. Normal service resumes in the morning. The site will continue to be updated with major breaking news throughout the evening. Click here to see how today unfolded.
CONCERNS are being raised after a formal application was made for a new Aldi store and 70 new homes on the former Westlea campus. If approved the new store would be the fourth from the German retailers in Swindon. The store has been well received
POLICE alerts will soon be flashed directly into people’s computers and mobile phones as a new community messaging scheme is due to be piloted in West Swindon. Wiltshire and Swindon Community Messaging is an intitiative from the Police and Crime
JUDY and Basil Jones were shocked when an elderly driver crashed into their garage in Grosvenor Road yesterday afternoon. The driver of the blue Citroen Berlingo hit the closed garage door and smashed into many of the Jones’ belongings at 4.15pm
THIS weekend will mark the 25th year that the Swindon Philatelic Society will host its Swinpex 2014 Stamp and Postcard Fair. The society of collectors – who collect anything from stamps to coins to postcards – expect more than 500 people from across
JULIE-ANNE Morrissey is heartbroken after being duped out of £600 buying a golden retriever as a 50th birthday gift for herself. She agreed to buy the puppy from an independent trader, known to her as Andrew Truswell, based in Glasgow, through
SWINDON United Churches captain Dan Hunt joined the 350 club after passing the runs milestone between the start of the season and the end of May. Churches’ secretary David Martin recently handed Hunt a special club cap commemorating the achievement
SWINDON St George were left frustrated by their line speed against Bristol Sonics as they went down 50-20 at Greenbridge Road on Saturday. The defeat, St George’s third from three games, was again a case of a their try-scoring rally coming too
SWINDON Museum and Art Gallery’s latest exhibition offers a fresh perspective on portraits by bringing together traditional and modern portraits, self-portraits, studies and sketches. About Face is on display until September 27, free to look around
WHENEVER Swindon pub landlord Richard Bullen downed a swift half of Hulbert’s finest ale, brewed just a few miles away in hilltop Highworth, he almost certainly did so from his personalised pewter beer mug. Bearing the neatly inscribed words “R
PENHILL needs its carnival back and former committee member Glynis Hales has welcomed signs that the event is ready to spring back into life. Social media has been awash with signs of activity for the event, as a tight band of die-hard carnies
SWINDON Town Ladies have targeted a place in the Premier League within the next three years as they look to make Wiltshire a hotbed for women’s football. While clubs such as Bristol Academy, Oxford and Reading have revelled in the growing appeal
WRAG Barn’s Josh Loughrey is set to return to action today. Loughrey is scheduled to tee off at the Peugeot Open in Madrid at 1.30pm local time (12.30pm BST) alongside Juan Parron of the host nation and Italy’s Giorgio Di Fillipi. Meanwhile
NEW British cruiserweight champion Ovill McKenzie has set his heart on fighting for a world title rather than facing Lawrence Bennett. Swindon’s Bad Boy won his eliminator contest with Chris Keane to move him in line for a shot at the Lonsdale
FORMER England star and local lad Jon Lewis is bringing a handful of his first-class friends to Swindon next month for a charity game at the County Ground. Lewis, a product of the Swindon youth system who went on to win one Test cap and make 13
MORE than 250 women entered the eighth Cotswold Women-Only Triathlon at the weekend, with Rachel Bown, Helen Jubb and Diana Dee taking victory in the three categories. The event, held at Cotswold Country Park and run by Tri Ferris promotions, included
HILLSBOROUGH Day Nursery has turned around its fortunes in just three months after Ofsted judged them unsafe in February. Following a subsequent inspection the watchdog changed the grading of the Bishopstone nursery from inadequate to good in every
A MAN from Swindon has been charged with murdering his wife following a crash on the M1 motorway. Tracy Maria Walters, 48, was the passenger in a black Mitsubishi L200 Animal 4x4 which was travelling on the southbound carriageway of the M1 near
THE Great Western Hospital is celebrating three years since the launch of a service which has seen patients examined more swiftly and efficiently away from the busy emergency department. The ambulatory care unit was created in summer 2011 in a
VIBRANT artwork made by Swindon College students went on display at a care home’s dementia unit yesterday. The project involving first year HND fashion and textiles students aim to promote nutrition to the residents of Kings Court Home, in Kent
OVERWHELMING customer feedback has led to a TripAdvisor award for The Barbury Inn, much to the delight of Roger and Emie Hawkshaw who run the Broad Hinton pub. The couple, who have been tenants at The Barbury Inn for a year, received a Certificate
HATE crime has been exposed in a new series of mask and mime performances by a company of disabled actors, after they received a £10,000 lottery grant to put the show together. Partners Theatre Company, which has operated out of the Wyvern Theatre
FEARS are growing for household pets after five cats on a small street have died from anti-freeze poisoning in recent weeks. The animals of various ages, who lived in a small cul-de-sac in Abbey Meads, have all died of renal failure since May 18
DJ Tom Humber will finally be laid to rest with the dignity he deserves after his friends and big names of Swindon’s music scene came together to raise £800 towards a headstone, a year after his sudden passing. The former Swindon 105.5 radio presenter
Staff at The Co-operative Child-care in the Great Western Hospital slept rough on Friday night to raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust. Ten members of staff from the nursery slept under the stars between 8pm and 7.30am to raise more than £300
A NEEDLE exchange does not operate at the controversial pharmacy in May Close, as Dr Simon Dowdeswell broke the silence long-held by Eightlands and Hawthorn Medical Centre yesterday . Ever since the pharmacy opened on the ground floor of the medical
“DIABETES has not stopped me from living my life and it shouldn’t stop you.” These words encapsulate Type 1 sufferer Elaine Wood’s philosophy as she attempts to raise awareness of her condition during Diabetes Awareness Week. The journey to
BUDDING Photographer Stephen Thomas has snapped top prize in a competition run by the Down’s Syndrome Association. Former Isambard School pupil Stephen, 17, was crowned the winner of My Perspective at an awards event which took place at Kew Gardens
SUN worshippers will be whipping on the suncream over the next two weeks as temperatures climb into the 20s in the first heatwave of the year. Yesterday families flocked to Coate Water to make the most of the sunshine and enjoy the summer weather
