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FIREFIGHTERS will use their hoses to clean cars rather than put out fires at charity event on Saturday. A charity car wash is being held in aid of the Brighter Futures Appeal and the Fire Fighters Charity. Drivers can go along to Stratton fire

SWINDON Women’s Aid has marked four decades of helping families through domestic violence with a special Survivors’ Day event. Members of Highworth Lions donated and unveiled a plaque in honour of the group’s founder, Jenni Manners, at an event

VETERAN Ken Scott lived and died a fighter before he was laid to rest – adorned with his array of medals, army cap, and draped in the colours of the Union Jack yesterday. The Royal British Legion stood tall for the 99-year-old, lining the path

RUTH and Peter Doyle enjoyed the perfect wedding anniversary yesterday as they celebrated winning £1 million in the EuroMillions draw.Peter, 60, and his wife Ruth, 51, celebrated by returning to the scene of their wedding, the Marlborough Suite at the

AN incident with the police while wearing a Kermit the frog onesie and an altercation with a mannequin in Swindon’s M&S are just some of the real-life experiences immortalised on the pages of indie author CJ Morrow’s latest book. And readers

A TREE thought to be more than 150 years old split in half and came down in Cranmore Avenue, Park South. Neighbours described the walls of their house shaking when the tree came down on the corner of Hanbury Road and Cranmore Avenue shortly after

ALL emergency calls to the fire service in Wiltshire and Dorset will now be answered in one place as a merger between the two services moved a step closer. Yesterday saw the opening of a joint control centre in Potterne, near Devizes, and is the

THE jury has retired to consider their verdict into the alleged attempted kidnap of a 19-year-old girl in Victoria Road last March, when a man is accused of trying to drag her into his car. Ibrahim Gediklioglu, of Grange Park, has denied one count

SWINDON Gilbert and Sullivan Society actors are about to undertake the ghostly tale of Ruddigore, and are hoping for members old and new to join them. The first rehearsal is on Tuesday, September 1, at 7.30pm, in the Wroughton Workingmen’s Club

Canadian born singer/songwriter Lionel Lodge has had to cancel his gig in Swindon tomorrow. Through a series of catastrophies Lionel, who was due to travel from Germany to play a number of dates in the UK, including the gig at the Beehive, Prospect

A FORMER Swindon schoolboy known to classmates as ‘Flying Officer Kite’ was originally named as the original pilot of the Hawker Hunter jet which crashed at the Shoreham air show. Chris Heames, a Swindonian who attended Headlands School in the

TAKING each day as it comes is the key to long life, according to one Moredon resident who celebrates his 103rd birthday this week. Eric Pope, who lives at the Maple Court sheltered housing complex, in The Street, had a celebration ahead of his

HANDBAGS are being recycled and turned into charity cash as part of a new initiative. Leather company Osprey London has announced the launch of its Handbag Amnesty at McArthurGlen Swindon Designer Outlet, raising money for Cancer Research UK.

NETWORK Rail will be on hand to explain the electrification of the Great Western Main Line at an event next month, it has been announced. The Emergency Services Show, which will take place at Hullavington Airfield, near junction 17 of the M4 on

MUSIC fans heading to the Reading Festival this weekend could be facing travel problems after rail workers confirmed strike action would go ahead. Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union who work for train operator First Great Western

WE all sometimes receive unexpected deliveries – but not many of them come in the form of a baby rhino. But that’s exactly what happened at the Cotswold Wildlife Park this week when white rhino, Nancy, gave birth to her second calf. Although keepers

POLDARK star Aiden Turner would have been envious of the light work a team of scythers made of preparing Penhill Haven ahead of a community fun day. Members of Wiltshire Wildlife Trust and community rehabilitation scheme Swindon And Wiltshire Integrated

FIRST Great Western is hopeful that the 72-hour bank holiday strike may still be called off despite earlier reports that talks had broken down. The RMT wrote to members this afternoon advising them that a 72-hour walk-out will take place from 00.01

BREATHTAKING acrobatic displays to ward off the back to school blues will soon roll into town when Circus Wonderland returns to Swindon after a two-year break.Organisers say the magical circus is bringing an action packed show that promises to blend side-splitting

MORE than £15,000 has been raised for charity in memory of a popular rugby fan who died just weeks after being diagnosed with terminal cancer. Park South man Danny Wellsteed, who worked in the warehouse of the Cirencester headquarters of Mitsubishi

AS A regular reader of this newspaper I have come to note that the very same people who so proudly profess to be devout Christians are the ones most likely to express the most hateful, intolerant views, particularly in relation to the immigration issue

I JUST read that an asylum seeker with children is able to claim up to £147.80 per week in support benefits. A friend of mine will shortly be receiving the state pension of £116, for which he has worked and paid taxes and NI contributions for over

THE complete farce regarding the Chilcot Inquiry into the British invasion of Iraq under the falsehood of having weapons of mass destruction drags on and on at the expense of the public purse to the tune of ten million pounds. It has now lasted six

SO, it’s official. It must be so if the former Governor of the Bank of England and the Head of the IMF say so. The financial crisis that engulfed the world from 2008 was just that. Unfortunately, the Conservative Party in this country saw this as an

I READ Brian Mattock’s Thursday column with interest as I am looking for something noisy to listen to on Sunday afternoon, and the Wroughton Silver Band should be just the ticket. A pleasant cycle to the Old Town Gardens, possibly dropping into

AFTER some due consideration on whether to respond to yet another Adver letter from David Collins on more or less the same anti-trade union subject, I have decided to, as he still does not seem to have grasped the point that I was endeavouring to make

CAMPAIGNING and promoting the work of Amnesty International like I have done at a number of Swindon and Wiltshire Pride Events, it always has memorable highlights. This year’s event had many, three of which I would like to share with the Adver.

GAUGING demand for something is a fairly innocuous matter in the general run of things. However, when the thing for which demand is being gauged is a public facility and the organisation doing the gauging is a public body, alarm bells begin to ring

WE have mixed feelings about the fact that vandals have smashed down the fencing around what remains of the Locarno. On one hand, it allows Swindon people to see for themselves the utter dereliction of this once proud part of Swindon’s architectural

IT IS often said that only the best is good enough for the Queen and this is no doubt why Her Majesty will be hauled by a steam locomotive as she opens the Borders Railway. What is regrettable is that the same courtesy and sound engineering principles

I HAVE recently seen a rise in the number of patients suffering from confusion, hallucinations, dizziness and falls. This in part has been due to dehydration. So could I please encourage you all to drink plenty throughout the day. The aim is

THERE is still time to brave the prestigious Bristol Half Marathon to help people living with cancer. Penny Brohn Cancer Care is the official national charity for the race on Sunday, September 13. We want to recruit our biggest team ever, so invite

ON AUGUST 4, following a couple of TV media broadcasts with Coun Perkins, I went to the Adver website and looked at their Swindon news slot. Among the news items was an article about the Fleming Way development. At the time there were at least

IN ANSWER to my letter, Des Morgan focuses on the wrong question (Adver, August 3). He limits his answer to one small section of the crisis timeline, not the full episode, not the history. He completely ignores a million more people using food

ON MY normal commute heading towards Westfield Way on August 10, I noticed information signs saying it would be closed from August 13-21. I thought, when I get home tonight I'll take a look at a diversion route. Merrily driving home the same

I WAS initially surprised to read the comments from Chris Humphreys (Adver, August 8), concerning the Regent Circus shared crossing. Having given the letter further consideration, I came to the conclusion it must be a tongue-in-cheek observation

AS USUAL, I approached the Bruce Street roundabout with fear and trepidation, but today took the biscuit. I was at the crossing and on my left was the funniest sight I have seen in years. Not one, not two, but eight blokes kitted out in high-viz

OLD does not mean bored! You may like to see our website, bmpetanque.org.uk, and an account of our impromptu boules event held on July 31 at the National Trust HQ/Outlet Village. Several people have suggested we repeat it – it’s a real French experience

ROLL up, roll up to the burglars' secret casino convention. Not in Las Vegas or even Las Palma. In any area in Great Britain. Swag bags to the side, jemmies beside them. Take your chips and roll them. Odd numbers... continue with your active service

I CANNOT express how glad my family and I are of the excellent praise and gaining a "Good" by the Care Quality Commission given to the team at Fessey House. Oh, how those words ring true. When my mother entered Fessey House suffering from dementia

THE news that mesothelioma sufferers contracting the killer disease as a result of negligent employers will not now have to pay thousands of pounds in legal fees to bring a claim is brilliant news for those living with asbestos-related cancers.

AS THE CEO of national charity The British Polio Fellowship, I am delighted to announce that one of the biggest days in the charity’s year, PPS Day is to be hosted by the prestigious National Assembly For Wales. This year’s event will be held on

HE IS just an ordinary man, married and with two young children. An ordinary man similar to most of the others in the village where he lives. But his life has been shattered. His village has been destroyed; he has no job and therefore no means

POLICE are appealing for information after thieves targeted a pub, stealing cash from a till. The Brewers Arms, in Wanborough, was broken into between 4pm and 5.15pm on August 24, while it was shut before the evening opening. Now, police are

ONCE again I am afraid I have to take issue with the comments by Justin Tomlinson in your paper regarding the town’s University Technical College. He says “Swindon should be exceptionally proud of this fantastic establishment which is a flagship

MULTISETS Limited, in Stephenson Road, is a proud part of Swindon’s business history, so it is very sad to hear that it has gone into administration. Without knowing every detail of the circumstances, it is difficult to say what led the firm into

IT is time for our annual message to A-Level students who have just had their results. Our message is the same every year, but most of the intended recipients are not, so we shall carry on. To all of you who have achieved the grades you needed

I WOULD like to correct a misunderstanding held by Allan Woodham about the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system of voting (Adver letters, August 8). Although STV allows the voter to place all the candidates ‘in order of preference’, one does not

THE Common Agricultural Policy of the EU has created a crisis for British milk farmers. The problems for the milk farmers have been growing since the abolition of the Milk Marketing Board by Margaret Thatcher. Farmers are selling their milk

DES MORGAN focuses on the bit which suits him, ie ‘115 years ago’ (Adver letters, August 10). Look at history Des, unions were not allowed by the ruling elite. Workers were looking for their freedom well before 1900! What about the Tolpuddle Martyrs

THIS Labour leadership campaign has brought into sharp focus the broad church that is our movement. It is a leadership contest that will define our future but also give us the opportunity to redefine our journey and commit to core values that we hold

I’VE got an idea for the Council while they drag their feet over if and when they finally start to build the snow dome near the Oasis. Why don’t they clear the old Clare’s site where it’s going to be built and use it for an open air market on a Wednesday

WHEN I read reports in sections of the media that Labour Party leader candidate Jeremy Corbyn’s views are old fashioned and out of touch with the public, I ask what kind of society do we live in? Jeremy Corbyn is a rare politician, one that is

IN REPLY to the letter from Martin Webb, the picture of the child being passed over the fence at Calais was shocking and the baby’s parents should think good and hard if this is how they think this child should be brought up. The family are from

THE London Olympics in 2012 were a waste of taxpayers’ money. The final cost was about £9 billion and that was a massive amount of money to waste for a poor country like Britain. It was all done on borrowed money. Although the Olympic debts have

I DO applaud people around the world who remember the 6th and 9th August 1945. Many younger people will not know these as historic days; August 6th 1945 was the first day of the atomic age. Older folk will remember 70,000 people lost their lives

THE strong local public support for the milk producers of Farmers for Action will come as a surprise to hardly anybody. Nor is it especially startling to learn that so many of our readers would be willing to pay more for milk in order to ensure

WITH the council having received more than 27,000 roadworks notices in the 12 months to June alone, disruption over the coming years is inevitable. However, the magnitude of that disruption is not inevitable, so long as rather a lot of people make

WHILST walking around Coate on a wonderful Sunday morning I thought I should take a picture of Swindon’s most famous tree and share it with your readers. It’s called The Council Oak, no nothing to do with politics, it’s where Bevis and Mark planned

DOCTORS have confirmed that Swindon Robins number one Darcy Ward will be moved to a clinic in the UK within the next 24 hours. The announcement was made by club doctor Robert Zapotoczny at a press conference held by Ward’s Polish club Falubaz Zielona

SUNAO Tsuboi is a surviving gentleman of the horror of Hiroshima’s atomic bomb in 1945. He says it was like “living hell on earth”. This week marks the 70th anniversary of that horror day in Japan where 140,000 civilians lost their lives instantly!

I AM glad Mr Woodward replied to my recent letter. However, whatever he says, the unions did indeed promise to save Swindon Rail Works. And I am sure there are many other people who remember this. He also mentions negotiations in his letter. Where

I SEE Mr Martin Webb is on his high horse once again, this time about the use of “derogatory language” in relation to the migrant situation in Calais. Swarm – a lot of people go there quickly. Sounds pretty accurate to me. Pipe down and

I AM, as many will attest, an avid reader of the Swindon Advertiser, especially the weekly columns allocated to our two MPs and the leader of the council; I also enjoy my friend Graham Carter’s Monday column as he attempts to inject some much needed

QUAINT graffiti such as the antique 60-year-old No Nazi Army is testament to our brave forebears, who stopped the German Hun from slaughtering thee and me (Adver letters, July 13). It’s as appurtenant today as in the 1950s. Quaint footage of

FORWARD William Harding has signed up for a fifth year with Swindon Wildcats’ NIHL side. The 19-year-old, who has come up through the Lynx, Leopard and Cougars age group teams, has agreed to return for another term at the Link Centre. Having

SWINDON Town's Liverpool loanee Jordan Williams has been selected for Wales' upcoming European Championship qualifiers. The utility man, who been employed in midfield and defence by Town this season, has been called up by Wales boss Chris Coleman

IN RESPONSE to the article Tips to Stay Young, (Adver, July 23), I fully support the well established theory that to stimulate the mind is the key factor to a fulfilling life in our later years. The frailty of the body may limit our physical activities

One weekend, I thought I would pitch my trailer tent, with all my grandchildren, on the rugby pitches at Greenbridge. I too would leave no mess several days later! What wimps are we to allow these people to just do what they want! No wonder

I FULLY understand how Cilla Black was admired; she was a natural entertainer, good at her job. However, I cannot agree with the huge outburst of media coverage given to stars who pass on. It has become the norm to wear our hearts on our sleeve

JUSTIN Tomlinson (Adver letters, August 7) says that changes to Britain’s benefit system will put a stop to the problems at Calais. But he fails to mention that it was the intervention by Britain that created a power vacuum that allowed ISIS to

OH HOW I agree with Steve Halden in Tuesday’s Adver (letters, August 4). Jeremy Corbyn is in many ways the same as other Labour leaders. They seem to think there is a bottomless pit from which money can be dug out to suit whatever the Labour

HAVE we become so horrible as a nation, so lacking in humanity as a people that we care not for our brother humans? As a supposedly Christian nation, should we pass by on the other side and leave men, women and children to become increasingly desperate

FIRST Great Western has said it was hopeful discussions with the RMT union will result in an agreement and avert a 72-hour walkout from staff over the bank holiday weekend. But it has warned that services will be very busy if the strike does go

TONIGHT's scheduled meeting at King's Lynn has been postponed. The Robins will be back in action tomorrow at the Abbey, when they play host to Leicester Lions.  Chris Harris will again guest in place of Darcy Ward for Swindon in tomorrow night's

A DISTRESSED baby deer mauled in a vicious dog attack was nursed back to life by an animal sanctuary near Cricklade.The five-month-old fawn was found crying and with severe puncture wounds to the chest and legs in Quedgeley, near Gloucester, last week.She

Broadcaster BT Sport says it has secured the live rights to the 2017-18 Ashes cricket series as part of a five-year deal with Cricket Australia.The deal means it will show all Australia's Test matches, one-day internationals and Twenty20 games.Delia Bushell

EVERYBODY who has given time to Stratton Advice Point down the years should feel very proud. The amount of good they have done is incalculable, as is the number of people’s lives they have changed for the better. Often helping one person means

SWINDON and Wiltshire Pride 2015 was as much of a triumph as we have come to expect. The music, the other entertainment, the atmosphere and the sheer energy were excellent. For anybody else planning such an event, our Pride is a blueprint for inclusivity

THANK you for printing my letter recently, but there were two things wrong in it, probably because of typing errors. The first was that the promotion game against Scunthorpe was at home. The worst mistake was that Mr Power had the interest of the supporters

I WAS disgusted to read car parking for nurses and all medical staff is to rise from £1 to £1.50 a day at the hospital. These dedicated, hard-working lifesavers should not have to pay at all. The extra 50 per cent rise apparently is for a car

Chinese stocks have plunged for a second day after worries over China's slowing growth triggered a global sell-off. The Shanghai Composite, China's main stock exchange, fell 7.6% on Tuesday - after losing 8.5% on what state media have called China's

“MANKIND must go green or die,” declared Prince Charles a few years ago. Last weekend, however, he instructed his royal helicopter pilot, without any trace of irony, to fly 60 miles to Highgrove in Gloucester, and then another 68 miles to Windsor

THE bride and the groom wore jeans and the officiant, clearly revelling in the role, was neatly attired in his birthday suit. Actually, that’s a lie. The ‘Very Reverend’ Sid Rawle wasn’t entirely in the buff when he presided over the nuptials of a

YOU recently carried a letter about the Tory Government-inspired attack on the BBC. I believe the writer has pulled his punches as he missed, to me, a very important sneaky activity. In this emergency budget the Chancellor saddled the BBC with

MIKE Spry (Adver letters, August 6) carefully avoids having to acknowledge the fact that Gordon Brown indulged the financial sector by encouraging them to take ‘even more risk’ or by putting in place a ‘light touch’ form of regulation, which ultimately

A BROAD Hinton farm is fast becoming one of the keenest fundraisers in the Brighter Futures armoury, with a new 10km race to add to its current crop circle attraction. Weir Farm, which is at the Yew Tree Lane and A4361 crossroads, hit the headlines

SWINDON Robins number one Darcy Ward could be back in the country as soon as today after undergoing further surgery today. The 23-year-old underwent two-and-a-half hours of surgery on a spinal injury on Sunday following a horror crash when riding

COMMUTERS are this morning battling a major storm to reach their destination - but forecasters say the downpours should stop soon. The Met Office says there will be a break in the storm this morning, leaving a fresh day, with temperatures reaching

DANNY Bharj believes that he has now got a harder test than his original fight when he makes his second appearance in the professional ranks next month. The former England and Walcot amateur will face Ibrar Riyaz on Keith Mayo’s show at the GL1

LAWRENCE Bennett says that he will do whatever it takes to beat Matty Askin and become the English cruiserweight champion. The self-styled ‘Bad Boy’ collides with the Assassin, who stopped Tamas Bajzath in his last outing, at the York Hall on Saturday

SWINDON Robins team boss Alun Rossiter has admitted that it is going to be difficult to get his side in the right frame of mind for tonight’s trip to King’s Lynn Stars. With four Australian riders in the team travelling to Norfolk, it is understandable

AARON Nell says the Swindon Wildcats roster are playing for their places as they prepare to kick-off their pre-season programme this weekend. The Cats face Manchester Phoenix in a challenge match at the Link Centre on Saturday before the return

RYAN Martin says that he has no concerns over his old injuries as he looks to step back into the ring next month. The 21-year-old turned professional in March 2014, however, hand problems and a shoulder injury has restricted the talented youngster

THE battle for the Wiltshire League crown and promotion to the West of England Premier League is going right down to the wire. With only one game remaining Urchfont lead Royal Wootton Bassett by two points after both sides claimed a maximum 25

CHRIS Harris has admitted that he would prefer to be guesting for Swindon under better circumstances as he steps in to the breach for tonight’s meeting with King’s Lynn. With the Robins’ number one Darcy Ward still in hospital following his horror

ROYAL Wootton Bassett Town manager Paul Braithwaite is hoping that an influx of returning players will help his side banish the spectre of their hammering at the hands of Flackwell Heath last weekend. Bassett make the trip to Lydney Town tonight

IBRAHIM Gediklioglu lied to police to try to escape custody because he was so sure of his innocence of an attempted kidnapping in Old Town, a court heard. The 24-year-old was arrested on March 21 after a woman returning home from work at a Wood

MORE than 18,000 people in Swindon are at risk of Type 2 diabetes, according to a new report. In the south west it is estimated that 527,087 people over the age of 16 have high levels of blood sugar, which could lead to developing Type 2 diabetes

SOMETIMES life is stranger than fiction. Laura Henderson and her Windmill manager Vivian Van Damm’s risqué move to boost the failing theatre’s box office by introducing nude girls posing as statues in tableaux vivants seems entirely made-up.