2016: A year in pictures - May and June

Friday, May 6

The splendidly-named Rob Panther, who runs R Panther Cleaning Services, became so sick of seeing filthy road signs that he decided to do something about it.

One day the 39-year-old from Peatmoor simply stopped his van near an especially grubby example and set about it with his extendable brush and detergent. Rob cleaned about 35 signs in the space of a few months.

He said: “I’d see the same ones every day and I just couldn’t look at them any longer. They make everything look so grotty.”

There was no word on why the signs hadn’t been cleaned by the people officially paid to do so, however.

Monday, May 16

Former Swindon Borough Council worker found himself in court after cheating long-suffering local taxpayers out of more than £66,000.

Lee Hallliday

The light-fingered minor official took £25,000 and transferred it to his partner’s bank account as well as selling more than £40,000-worth of parking permits to friends at knock-down prices.

The criminal was jailed for two years after admitting fraud and theft, but how he was able to get away with taking so much before his offending came to light was not explained.

Wednesday, May 18

In 2000 an Eldene homeowner called Gordon Harris became weary of the state of the verge near his house. It had become so churned up by parked cars that he replaced the grass and mud with gravel.

For 16 years everybody living nearby was perfectly content with the arrangement, but one day Gordon found a council official taking photographs. He told Gordon that gravel broke the rules.

An order to restore the verge to its previous condition within a month duly arrived at his house.

A bewildered Gordon said: “I don’t know where I’m going to find a load of dog mess and tyre marks, because that’s what was there before.”

To be fair to the council, it had been obliged to act only after a complaint by an unnamed resident.

Friday, May 20

Brandon Blades from Old Town received letters from the courts and the threat of visits by bailiffs because of an unpaid parking fine.

The fact that he was six years old and had never driven in his short life cut no ice with court officials when they were contacted by his mum, Stacey.

The car was registered in Brandon’s name because it was provided to him as part of the disability allowance for his autism, and displayed a blue badge.

One of the incompetents Stacey spoke to - during an odyssey of being passed from pillar to post by the courts and council - asked whether she was trying to be funny. Contacted by the Swindon Advertiser, court officials pledged to iron out the problem.

Thursday, May 12

HEAVY rain meant Swindon did one of its occasional uncanny impersonations of Venice. Dorcan Way was closed to drivers after being swamped, and parts of Eldene were also under water.

Several people we spoke to blamed flooding at Coate, where water gushed from manhole covers, on disruption to drainage caused by the new Badbury Park housing estate.

Saturday, June 4

As PC Steve Hutton chased a man who had just bailed from a car after a high speed chase, he realised he needed to send in a dog. Unfortunately, he didn’t have a dog and so was forced to improvise.

He told us: “I shouted out I was a police dog handler and to stay still. I then let out a couple of barks. I must have had a convincing bark because he stopped.”

By the time the fugitive realised there was no dog, it was too late to escape. Sadly we were beaten by the police Twitter feed in the race to make a pun about ruff justice.

Monday, June 6

JOHN Challis and Sue Holderness – Boycie and Marlene from Only Fools and Horses - were among the guests at Swindon Comic Con.

The gathering at Steam was the largest of its kind ever held in Swindon, and drew fans of an array of TV shows, films and classic comics.

Many were in costume. Co-organiser Luke Skywalker, of Skywalkers fancy dress shop in Faringdon Road, said: “It is great to see so many people enjoying themselves.”

• See our story from the day with 20-picture gallery here

Monday, June 14

WHEN we’re about to take a nice bath, certain things can enhance the experience. The list includes playing some relaxing music, lighting candles and having some favourite books and magazines to hand.

It does not generally include having a four-foot serpent unexpectedly slither across the bathroom floor – especially if the serpent isn’t even yours. Pauline Breame, 71, of Charfield Close, discovered this to her extreme alarm.

The RSPCA was summoned to take the stray snake to a sanctuary, but it had to be extracted from a cavity beneath the bath. The origin of the corn snake – a non-venomous species which can nevertheless give an enthusiastic bite – remained a mystery.

Saturday, June 25

BREXITEERS celebrated victory after Britain’s EU membership referendum.

That victory was narrow nationally, but more pronounced in Swindon. There were 61,745 votes to leave and 51,315 to remain, or 54.7 percent to 45.3 percent.

In Wiltshire the margin was more in line with the national trend at 52.4 percent for leaving and 47.6 percent to remain.

North Swindon MP Justin Tomlinson had written in his Adver column that his instinct had always been to leave, while his South Swindon colleague, Robert Buckland, was a committed remainer, but both pledged to put Swindon’s interests first.

Tuesday, June 28

THE Swiss Chalet in Gorse Hill was one of the Swindon area pubs to which Swindon Advertiser reporters were sent to soak up the atmosphere of England’s Euro 2016 clash against Iceland.

The odds beforehand were firmly on England’s side, but the national squad nevertheless managed to disappoint with a 2-1 defeat and an early ticket home.

As one local, musician Tim Stevens, put it: “Overpaid under-achievers, once again.”