CALLUM Parsons turned in a five-star solo performance to fire Highworth Town into the semi-finals of the Wiltshire Senior Cup this evening, grabbing all of his side’s goals in a thrilling 5-2 success away at near neighbours Royal Wootton Bassett Town
A FRIED chicken takeaway bid ruffled parish councillors’ feathers.Efforts to open takeaway restaurant Chicken Cottage were slammed at South Swindon Parish Council’s planning committee on Tuesday evening. The takeaway franchise wants to take on a former
DEVELOPERS have got the borough “over a barrel”, parish councillors have warned. Their comments came as developer Persimmon made a bid to get out of a requirement to pay for improvements to the A419 and Junction 15 of the M4. The requirements were conditions
Goddard Avenue will be closed later this month for resurfacing roadworks.The works which have been delayed by wintry weather, will begin on Wednesday, December 20, and are expected to last two days. Council officers say the works will improve the surface
SERIOUS concerns have been raised about plans to build a care village on a piece of land off Kingsdown Road.Members of the Stratton St Margaret Parish Council’s planning committee met on Tuesday night to discuss the proposal in more detail.Developers
A GROUNDBREAKING winter homelessness scheme needs extra volunteers. The project will see up to 18 rough sleepers given a bed, a place on training schemes and – at the end of the 12-week scheme – council accommodation. The borough’s housing chief said
ABBEY Park School has been praised by Ofsted following an inspection last month. On November 22 and 23, Ofsted carried out a special measures monitoring inspection at the North Swindon school, the first such inspection since it was put in special
EDUCATION Minister Nick Gibb has praised the Grammar Stream initiative at Swindon Academy for enabling students to fulfil their potential.The Grammar Stream, a partnership between Swindon Academy and Marlborough College, provides a rigorous education
HOSPITAL chiefs have welcomed news that trouble-hit Carillion will quit GWH. The company, which has in the past been accused of failing to meet hygiene standards and “bullying” staff, managed GWH's facilities - including cleaning and catering contracts
A 36-year-old man is wanted by police after a serious assault and a criminal damage incident. Dean Lowe, also known as Dean Hanman, is suspected of punching a victim in the face and smashing their mobile phone. Dean is of slim build, 6 foot tall
THOUSANDS of dementia patients face spending Christmas Day in a hospital bed, a charity has said.Alzheimer’s Society estimates that 1,400 people across England will be stuck in hospital over the Christmas period – unable to be sent home because of a lack
Swindon’s Wasdell Group has announced it will build a new pharmaceutical packaging, testing and distribution facility in Dundalk, Ireland in order to support further expansion throughout Ireland and Europe, and to maintain a foothold in Europe in light
Swindon 1951: Mick Mulligan’s Magnolia Jazz Band, fronted by an up-and-coming singer called George Melly, was to play at Swindon Jazz Club’s first annual ball the following week. His day job, we said, was dealing art. The band had been among those
Many pregnant women are avoiding flu jabs due of fear it may harm their baby - but experts reassure that it's safe and sensible to get to the vaccine.I'm pregnant and haven't had a flu vaccination because I'm worried it might harm my baby
The early symptoms of dementia can creep up slowly on families - and the festive season can bring them to the fore.Christmas is a time when we get to take a rare break from work and spend some much-needed quality time with our families, squabbling over
Is mini pill effective? I WAS divorced at the age of 33 and I took the combined contraceptive pill throughout my eight-year marriage. I came off the pill shortly after this and stayed off for the next five years. I have now met someone
POLICE responded to reports of a streaker in Pioneer Road, Oakhurst, early today.They found a man suffering with mental health issues who was taken to the Great Western Hospital.A Wilshire Police spokesman said: "He has since been taken to a place
Over the past few months, as well as my work for fellow residents, I have been busy as a Minister dealing with the EU Withdrawal Bill as it is debated in the House of Commons. I am working to ensure that we have a fully functioning legal system
PLEASE keep your letters to 250 words maximum giving your name, address and daytime telephone number - even on emails. Email: letters@swindonadvertiser.co.uk. Write: Swindon Advertiser, 100 Victoria Road, Swindon, SN1 3BE. Phone: 01793 501806.
A UNIVERSITY student intent on sticking to the rules was fined £80 for driving without insurance by magistrates in Swindon on Tuesday. Burak Ozgul, 23, of Uxbridge Road, Freshbrook, pleaded guilty to driving his father’s Ford Focus car in Bridge
MAGISTRATES in Swindon took the unusual step of not disqualifying a motorist from driving despite the fact that he had been driving at 113mph on a dual carriageway and accumulated 12 points on his licence. After pleading guilty to speeding on the
EXTRA funding is set to be injected into the Oakfield Project in hope of securing its long-term future in the town. Prominent figures in education came together at the Schools Forum meeting last week where they presided over options to fill a deficit
A MAN who admits to having a very poor driving record this week blamed the fact that he suffers from Asperger’s Syndrome for the number of times he has been banned from driving.Keith John Mileham, 35, of Chowle Farm, Great Coxwell, Faringdon, appeared
A SECOND World War aircraft hangar is set to become a testing facility for Dyson. The grass-roofed building on the former RAF Hullavington airfield, which has most recently been used by the military for testing vehicles and machinery, has been
A FARMER from Devizes has told magistrates the European Union is to blame for the fact that farmers are continually going out of business.Richard Terry Lewis, 51, of Dundas Close, pleaded guilty at Swindon Magistrates Court on Tuesday to using a mobile
A TEENAGER who slashed his former girlfriend's back with a craft knife as they had sex has been spared jail. James Mildenhall was high on drink and drugs when he pulled the blade on the 17-year-old and also tried to throttle her with his hands.
A MAN who is due to stand trial accused of raping two underage boys has been released on bail. Craig Shaw, 38, has been freed to live with his mother and step father in Bradford before standing trial at Swindon Crown Court on Monday January 8.
MORE than 25 local families living below the poverty line will receive special Christmas hampers made by Highworth Churches Together.Members of all the churches in Highworth, who run the the town's Christians Against Poverty debt centre in partnership
RELATIONSHIP tensions reach boiling point during the Christmas period leading to increased cries for help in the New Year – but there are ways to tackle problems before they spiral out of control, a charity has reported. Relate Gloucestershire
AN interactive photography exhibition that highlights the most precious thing homeless people have in their possession has been launched in the town centre.New College student Harry Goddard decided to use his creative talents in partnership with Threshold
A TWO foot-high “meditation helmet” will help divine the secrets to Swindon’s dreams. Called the “Rainbow Metal Meditation Helmet”, it will make an appearance at a month-long exhibition at the Richard Jefferies Museum next month. Organisers Alexandra
The UK’s leading rural insurer, NFU Mutual, has warned that a fast thaw could lead to burst pipes for homes recovering from the UK’s big freeze. Households could find a sudden rise in temperature bringing frozen pipes to bursting point, causing untold
YOUNGSTERS enjoyed Nationwide's annual pantomime at the building society's headquarters on Pipers Way. Around 250 Nationwide staff and their loved ones watched the production of Goldilocks and the Three Bears on Monday with eight specially-invited
A SHORT FILM starring a youngster from Upper Stratton is in with a shout of being Oscar-nominated. The Silent Child and its six-year-old star Maisie Sly has won acclaim and awards at film festivals all over the world. Now it’s been given a
KNITTING cast off its fuddy-duddy image long ago. In a time when ‘artisan’ has become a buzzword, knitting is recognised as a way to create something unique, and a medium for self-expression for young and old alike. The rise of guerrilla knitting
COMPANY director Tom Lonergan says the expertise of Wiltshire Air Ambulance’s paramedics and the speed of its helicopter saved his life.Tom, 56, suffered a major cardiac arrest at home in Marlborough on 5 September 2016. His wife Mary called 999 and,
A WOMAN with her sights set on becoming a taxi driver was banned from driving for six months by magistrates in Swindon. Chelsea Marie Sabin, 23, of St George’s, Weston-super-Mare, pleaded guilty to driving without insurance at Avebury on June 21
UP and coming grime artist Paul Dowman – who performs under the name Grim Sickers – says his new tracks focus on the importance of following your dreams. Paul, 28, from Swindon, is speaking from experience. He left a secure job at Honda to pursue
ROYAL WOOTTON Bassett Academy is one of the best schools in the south west according to a prestigious league table.Each year The Sunday Times newspaper publishes a list of the top 20 schools in each region with the worlds of state and independent education
THE director of a company that has just opened an amusement arcade in Swindon has this week been banned from driving by Swindon magistrates after driving at more than 100mph on the A419.Michael Shipley, 52, of Drayton Bassett, near Tamworth, admitted
A TEENAGE motorist who is expecting to become a father in the near future has been banned from driving for 42 days by magistrates in Swindon.Jack Avery, 18, of Bessemer Road East in Swindon pleaded guilty on Tuesday to driving his Ford Fiesta without
CHRIS Patterson’s hat-trick helped Royal Wootton Bassett return to winning ways in South West One East with a hard-fought victory at home against a surprisingly durable Marlow side who belied their position at the foot of the table. Bassett were
SWINDON trainer Paddy Fitzpatrick believes a title unification meeting between his Commonwealth cruiserweight champion Luke Watkins and British title holder Matty Askin “makes sense”, revealing the wheels are in motion to make the match-up a reality
CATIE O’Donoghue’s emergence as one of the most exciting new runners in the county was further underlined with a terrific victory in the Tri-Counties Cross Country Championships. The 26-year-old, from Lakeside near Swindon, has only been running
MANAGER Dave Webb believes Brad Gray’s return to Swindon Supermarine is a welcome boost for the club ahead of a busy festive schedule. Gray, who can play in a number of attacking positions, is back for a third stint at the Webbswood Stadium, having
YEOVIL Town’s owners have dismissed reports claiming they are in talks to sell the club. In October, the Glovers appointed consultancy firm Insight 63 to advise on their long-term future and reports have since emerged over the weekend stating that
SWINDON Robins owner Terry Russell has not given up hope of seeing world champion Jason Doyle back in the club’s colours in the future. Last month, the Swindon hierarchy took the painstaking decision not retain the services of the man who captained
