AN influx of immigration in the town centre and new development in Old Town have lead to the proposed multi-million pound extension of two schools. Drove, Mountford Manor, Oaktree and Robert Le Kyng primaries will take on an extra 82 pupils between
A SCHEME for drug abusing teenagers was set up by Swindon Council as a direct result of a tragic schoolgirl heroin overdose victim. Kate Walsh, 16, was found dead in a sleeping bag near syringes and other drug paraphernalia in a squalid squat in Manchester
Carole Paulley was delighted to see the Advertiser’s Remember When article on Swindon Ballet Club on October 9, as she was once a member of the club herself. Mrs Paulley – nee Allen – of Queen’s Drive, Old Walcot, Swindon, has sent another
PRINCESS Anne has met families of servicemen at RAF Lyneham. The Honorary Air Commodore of RAF Lyneham, HRH The Princess Royal, met service personnel and their spouses or partners who deploy regularly from the station. The Princess Royal was given an
TWO big wins in the Denny Cup and Egham Trophy saw Westlecot open their bid for glory in two of the main national inter-club team events at the weekend in fine style. The men produced a superb display to beat Clevedon 91-57 in the first round of the
IT is good news that the Government has deigned to give the people of Swindon a grant of £50,000 and we must of course show due deference to our political masters and thank them for their largesse. However, I am amazed that yet once again the beneficiaries
IT’S not the done thing for a local journalist to shamelessly plug places that charge an entrance fee. It’s unethical, shady-looking and leaves reporters open to accusations of bias. However, in the case of the Museum of Computing, I don’t
IT must be a thankless task to serve as a democratic representative of local people when a senior member of the government has openly espoused the end of representative democracy, as Peter Mandelson has done. The appearance of accountable democracy remains
PARKING cuts in Old Town could be extended if the move boosts trade in the run up to Christmas. Swindon Council’s cabinet agreed on Wednesday to impose a temporary two-hour charge of £1 until January 10 in the Britannia Place, Dammas Lane and Prospect
£363,000 is a huge fine for anyone, but what was UKIP’s crime to be punished with this enormous fine. This fine was for a tiny technical slip in the paperwork. The only purpose served by this fine is to try to weaken opposition to the Lisbon Treaty.
I THINK the members of UKIP nationally and the public in general will be shocked at the news that the High Court has ordered Westminster Magistrates Court to impose a fine of £350,000 with costs expected to be a similar amount on the party. This came
BILL Williams (letter Oct 15) made a good attack on our former Prime Minister Tony Blair and I support his comments. At one point, however, Mr Williams made reference to Mr Blair’s religious belief and said “we must believe that” (that he is a devout
A NINE-YEAR-OLD girl is ploughing her way through a stack of paperbacks to raise money for a charity. Kayley Whitfield, of Northern Road, Rodbourne, is doing a sponsored read for the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign. The Ferndale Primary School pupil is
Total Madness The Classic Singles Collection by Madness Out on Union Square Records Get the party started with this album which is jam packed full of hit after hit from a band that always live up to their name. One Step Beyond is the natural starter
SWIMMING, cycling, walking, sailing ... sometimes chilling out is quite tiring! I was on a weekend trip with two 14-year-old boys and luckily (although not for him) one of them was slowed down by frostbite on his foot, or I’d never have stood
I have noticed an interesting musical trend of late. The “in” thing seems to be for clubs and venues to invite people from known bands along to perform DJ sets in an effort to attract the fashion driven punters in. Isn’t that a bit like getting Gordon
A BURLY dad who launched a violent alcohol-fuelled attack on his partner, leaving her with a perforated eardrum, has walked free from court. Swindon Crown Court heard Craig Moore, who has a history of violence, punched his victim up to 20 times and continued
AN extension to the Government’s scrappage scheme has been backed by a Swindon car dealer. Changes have been made to the scheme, which now includes cars aged nine years old. Van owners looking to trade in their vehicles will also now be able to scrap
WAITROSE is eyeing up locations in Swindon for its next store. The upmarket supermarket said it is looking at opportunities in the area and is keen to open more stores in Wiltshire. The firm has remained tight-lipped about a possible location for the
I AM sure that thousands of citizens of this island would agree with me when I say that two of the most sad things today are celebs and to win a sick argument the response is ‘well it is the 21st century!’ (yuk) So! These people firmly believe that the
A SCHOOL in Highworth came closer to possible closure after Swindon Council cabinet members voted for a statutory consultation on it shutting. The council has proposed closing Northview Primary School because of dwindling pupil numbers. On Wednesday
REF Chris Gleed’s letter, I agree with all he says, we OAPs a small group of us do not attend the gathering at the Town Hall we prefer to stand outside our police station, quietly, pay homage when the cortege passes, we are noticed, the police
DAVID Cameron in his speech to the Tory Party Conference spoke of the steep climb the country faced under a Tory government to overcome the present financial situation, but (like the water rat said to the mole in Kenneth Graham’s novel The Wind in the
IN today’s Adver (SA, Sept 30) I stated that I was a lover of beautiful things, including old churches, buildings and young women. The next letter by Steve Halden said, that a young lady from Pinehurst thought that Swindon had the highest rate of teenage
FOR Sally Bickford, her dog Freddie was much more than a pet – he meant everything to her. And the 35-year-old, of Akers Way, Moredon, who is severely disabled, has been crying and calling for him ever since he vanished on Wednesday.
I AM a pupil at the Ridgeway School, and I was extremely angry when I got home and saw six pages focusing on the incident with Henry Webster. I think everybody will agree that what happened to Henry Webster was awful, and it was a big deal,
A FRESH wave of extended postal strikes are being planned for next week should ongoing negotiations fail to produce an agreement. The announcement of next week’s three days of action strike came from the Communication Workers Union hours after
Ridgeway School’s barrister hotly disputed claims that a small group of Asian pupils “terrorised” the school and were viewed as a “significant threat to security”. Ronald Walker QC defended the school while cross-examining a classmate of Henry Webster
Swindon’s Ridgeway School was “ruled” by its pupils, a parent and school employee told London’s High Court yesterday. Debbie MacDivitt, a school cleaner whose daughter also attended Ridgeway, said she was “disgusted” when she heard about the
SWINDON boxer Marlon Reid holds no fear ahead of his fifth professional bout with Reading-based Patrick Mendys. The local fighter has been paired with the Gambian middleweight by promoter Keith Mayo, who returns to his home town of Torquay
CHIPPENHAM Town have yet to re-sign striker Alan Griffin ahead of their big FA Cup clash with Paulton Rovers tomorrow. Swindon Supermarine secretary Judi Moore told the Advertiser that the transfer has not been completed despite media reports
MATT Foord says the Wildcats have the tools to beat any side in the English Premier League - but they will not do it unless they maintain belief in themselves. The wing, who signed for the Link Centre outfit from Bracknell Bees in the summer, was mortified
HIGHWORTH Town boss Dave Webb has urged his players to ‘forget’ about Bicester Town’s struggles ahead of the teams’ Hellenic League Premier Division clash tomorrow. Bicester have yet to win a game this season and face eviction from their
SWINDON College Old Boys are treating tomorrow’s encounter with Alchester in the Southern Counties Senior Vase as a chance for scouting in two different senses. Old Boys withdrew their second team from their scheduled fixture at Weymouth this weekend
SUPERMARINE have no game this weekend after their opponents in the Dorset & Wilts Plate first round, Blandford, pulled out on Tuesday. Chairman Hwyel Rees revealed that the situation was a blessing in disguise for Marine, with several players given the
THE mother of a teenage girl who died from a suspected heroin overdose wept after hearing the body was discovered up to a week later. Debbie Walsh cried into her hands when a Home Office pathologist told the inquest that Kate, 16, died during
WOOTTON Bassett take on Salisbury in South West 1 East tomorrow still searching for an elusive first win of the campaign. Despite the frustrating defeat to Bletchley last time out, a game which Bassett dominated without finding the points to seal victory
MAKE sure you tune in to Soccer AM on Saturday morning where two of the youth team go head-to-head in the Skill Skool feature. Billy Bodin and Matt Clarke will be showcasing their talents and there are some funny, funny goings on. I
A SEX pest who harassed hairdressers across town with a series of threatening and perverted phone calls has been jailed for two years and nine months. Kardw Rustam, 36, carried out the two-year reign of terror on more than a dozen salon workers before
LOCKING horns with arguably League One’s deadliest marksman would be enough to strike fear into most defenders, but Town skipper Gordon Greer is relishing tomorrow’s battle with Grant Holt. The Norwich front man has already fired 10 goals to help the
TEENS were coached by spin doctor Alastair Campbell as part of a mission to cut their school’s food miles. Ten Commonweal School students met Tony Blair’s former spokesman and former Blue Peter presenter Konnie Huq after winning a competition. The 11
CHARLIE Austin is “knocking loudly” on the first team door ahead of tomorrow’s trip to Norwich, according to Swindon boss Danny Wilson. Just a month ago the striker was plying his trade in the Wessex League for Poole Town, but a £50,000 switch
MORE than 100 youngsters from across the area took part in a County Special Schools Football Festival hosted by STFC Football in the Community Trust last week. The event, at Devizes Leisure Centre, was the culmination of seven weeks of coaching sessions
DANNY Wilson insists Town will go on the offensive tomorrow at Carrow Road, as the boss has set his sights on all three points. After fielding an attacking line-up - with little success - last weekend in their 2-0 home defeat against Hartlepool, Swindon
PUPILS had a smashing time at a re-scheduled conker championships. Ruskin Junior School, Wordsworth Drive, Upper Stratton, held the event on Wednesday after last week’s was washed out by heavy rain. Scores of youngsters lined up in a
