Archive

  • Day of reckoning for GCSE students

    THOUSANDS of teenagers are waking up this morning to open the results of the GCSE exams they took earlier this summer. Students across the town will be ripping open their envelopes to find out whether or not they have made the grades to take the

  • Meet your MP

    CRICKLADE: North Wiltshire MP James Gray will be holding his next surgery at Hobbes Parlour in the town hall on September 6 from noon to 1pm.

  • Skating on offer

    WEST SWINDON: An open day at the Link Centre on August 30 from 10am to 5pm will give people a chance to try some of the free activities including fitness taster classes, ice skating, climbing, swimming, junior bounce, badminton, table tennis and more

  • Endless curry

    PEATMOOR: An all you can eat charity curry night in aid of Wiltshire Air Ambulance is at the Bombay Lounge, Peatmoor tonight from 5.30pm. Entry is £15 per person. Call 01793 887799.

  • Two hurt by ambulance

    CRICKLADE: Two pedestrians were seriously injured when they were hit by an ambulance car responding to an emergency in Cheltenham at the weekend. The incident happened at 12.20am on the A40. A 30-year-old man from Cricklade and a 32-year-old man

  • The fantastic life

    The rail worker who was ‘better than Hemingway’ A SWINDON railway worker described by Time magazine as a better writer than Hemingway finally has a biography. Ralph Bates was born in a terraced house in Morse Street on November 3, 1899 and

  • PREDICTIONS LEAGUE : Luton and Crawley Results and Updates

    Luton Town Results What a great comeback. After dominating the whole of the first half and most of the second, it was former Town striker Luke Rooney who put the home side ahead after 53 minutes. Town Captain Nathan Thompson handled the ball inside

  • FAMILY FASHION: Long live the mini

    Shan Williams says you are never too old for a mini skirt... as long as you have the legs It’s iconic and dates back to the swinging 60s and sexual revolution. It was the dramatically shortened hemline that marked the liberation of women –

  • LOSING IT: with Liz Mackley

    Week 12 Weight: 12 stone and 10lbs (81kg) Total weight loss: 2 stone 7lbs I HAVE a confession. I’ve been eating cake. Delicious, chocolatey, rich cake. And I didn’t feel guilty for one second. That’s because it was all made from natural and

  • FAMILY FITNESS: Kitting out your commute

    With Amy Martin of Sustrans Last week we told you how cycling to work doesn’t have to be all about Lycra and sweaty clothes. This week we’ll tell you how to make your cycle journeys even better with the use of accessories to carry all your

  • FAMILY PETS: Beat the blues

    Matt Whittaker, manager of Pets At Home Swindon, writes about the fight against fleas September is just around the corner and with it the back to school blues. However, it won’t just be the children who won’t be happy summer is over. It may sound

  • FAMILY DAYS OUT: Jungle Parc at Lydiard

    Michelle Tompkins pays a visit to Jungle Parc at Lydiard WORRIED about your kids hanging about on the streets this summer? Then get them down to Jungle Parc at Lydiard and let them... ermm... hang about in trees instead. The high ropes course

  • FAMILY FINANCE: Lump sums from pensions

    Warren Shute is a chartered financial planner with Lexington Wealth Management. Contact him on 01793 771093 or warren@lexingtonwealth.co.uk Q I am in the process of retiring and I seem to recall that when I originally started one of my pensions

  • I thought I was invincible... but cancer got me at 20

    As a sports-mad student, Neil Rutter thought nothing could touch him. But, as EMMA DUNN discovered, lessons from a school assembly saved his life EACH year in the UK, around 2,300 men are diagnosed with testicular cancer. Ten years ago, at

  • Can you help coroner find Liden man's next of kin?

    THE Coroner's Office for Wiltshire and Swindon are appealing for the public's help in locating the next of kin of a man who died last week. Dennis John Hewitt, 76, of Matley Moor, Liden, died at his home address on August 13. His cause of

  • Yes to Mac signs

    BRIDGEMEAD: Swindon Council has given permission for McDonald’s to erect outdoor signs at their base at Bridgemead Industrial Estate.

  • Come for lunch

    TOOTHILL: Toothill Lunch Club is open every Wednesday from 12pm at Toothill Community Centre. The cafe serves two-course meals followed by tea or coffee for £3.20. To book a meal call 07944 134915. If you are unable to travel to the community centre

  • Former rugby star to speak at charity dinner

    THE Rotary Club of Swindon Phoenix will hold a Charity Sporting Dinner on October 11 at the Marriott Hotel in Pipers Way. The evening, which will open at 7pm, will feature a black tie or lounge suit meal followed by a cheese board and coffee.

  • Tracking down rail treasure

    THE Swindon and Cricklade Railway’s annual children’s treasure hunt takes place on Bank Holiday weekend. On Sunday and Monday from 10.30am to 4.30pm, there will be 30 individually named engine cut-outs, which are placed all round the railway, both

  • Fitness linked in

    WEST SWINDON: An open day at the Link Centre on August 30 from 10am to 5pm will give people a chance to try some of the free activities, including fitness taster classes, ice-skating, climbing, swimming, junior bounce, badminton, table tennis and more

  • Get a tree pack

    COUNTY: The Woodland Trust has more than 4,000 tree packs to give to schools, community and youth groups in autumn. It is asking people to take part in a tribute to all who gave their lives by creating a growing legacy. Visit www.woodlandtrust.org.uk

  • Did you see this assault?

    TOWN CENTRE: At 2.50am yesterday morning, Wiltshire Police and South West Ambulance Service attended an assault victim in Bridge Street. A 24-year-old man was taken to Great Western Hospital with head injuries and a suspected broken nose. Police

  • Cash for autism

    COUNTY: The Government has made £1.2 million of funding available to improve local autism services and increase awareness. The funding is available as part of Think Autism, the update to the 2010 Adult Autism Strategy For England. Local authorities

  • Views sought on bus passes

    COUNTY: A consultation has been launched about possible changes to the Wiltshire Bus Pass scheme. The options are to consider changing the scheme so that bus passes may only be used after 9am Monday to Friday and after 9.30am from Monday to Friday.

  • Free booklet offers advice on child health

    A free booklet aimed at helping new parents decide on the best treatment for their children when they become unwell or have an accident has been launched by NHS Swindon Clinical Commissioning Group and Swindon Council. “Managing your child’s health

  • Cut back hedges

    SOUTH MARSTON: South Marston Parish Council is urging residents to keep their hedges trimmed back from road signs after a number of incidents have been causing safety problems for pedestrians and motorists.

  • Area loses power

    EASTCOTT: About 100 homes were without electricity on Eastcott Hill yesterday after the power went shortly after 8am. It took engineers a couple of hours to locate the source of the problem to be a faulty underground cable. Southern Electric later

  • On lookout for beggar

    ROYAL WOOTTON BASSETT: Royal Wootton Bassett and Cricklade Neighbourhood Policing Team have received a number of complaints through partner agencies and during patrols about a man begging. He has been spotted on the town’s CCTV system approaching

  • Three men sought in connection with assault

    WILTSHIRE Police are appealing for witnesses following an assault in Swindon. It took place at 1.20am on August 16 outside the Mailcoach pub in Fleet Street. A man was approached by three men outside the pub and an argument ensued. The victim

  • Cast and crew of Bugsy 2014

    Bugsy Malone 2014 Swindon Wyvern Theatre's 20th Summer Youth Project Cast and chorus: Ryan AUST Sol CAVILLA Marcellus HILL Alfie James JONES Thomas KEEN Kieran NELSON Issac ROSE Max SMITH Brandon STYLES Joel TROJAN Katie BREEDS Maulie CHEW

  • Treading the boards in 20th Summer Youth Project

    With Splurge guns at the ready, 250 aspiring young actors, are currently dodging flour bombs and hurling custard pies in the Wyvern Theatre this week. The Swindon Summer Youth Project notches up 20 years of giving youngsters a taste of professional

  • Making a song and dance of it

    Samuel Parker is at heart a storyteller, whether on stage as an actor, directing his own theatre company, making music or choreographing a full scale musical. He is no stranger to Swindon, having played the title role in Jack and the Beanstalk,

  • LIVE NEWS: 20/08/14

    4:48pm That's it from LIVE NEWS today. We'll have a special live GCSE results day blog tomorrow so see you then.  3:01pm Regent Circus in Swindon has been bought

  • Carlin eases into European final

    JAZZ Carlin qualified fastest for tomorrow's women's 800m freestyle final at the European Championships in Berlin this morning. Carlin, who turns 24 next month and won the Commonwealth title at the distance at the recent Games in Glasgow, clocked

  • Police exhausted by shift patterns

    CUTBACKS at Wiltshire Police are pushing officers to the limit of their capabilities, with complaints of exhaustion and fatigue on the job triggering a new force-wide survey this week. Wiltshire Police Federation, the staff association which represents

  • Petition started after death of new mother

    EMMA Cadywould’s tragic death could yet generate a petition signed by tens of thousands of people which might transform care and treatment for postnatal depression across the country. Emma, of Saxon Orchard, Watchfield, was struck by a train travelling

  • Big stars swing in to back ‘Mr Jazz’

    A BENEFIT concert tonight for Swindon’s ‘Mr Jazz’ will be one of the biggest the town has seen. The roster includes sidemen to Frank Sinatra and Courtney Pine, and the acclaimed musician son of British stars Sir John Dankworth and Dame Cleo Laine

  • Man denies knifing in fight outside pub

    A former bouncer who says he was stabbed by Swindon man Lee Turner told a jury how he saw him reach for his back pocket as they fought in the street. But Anthony Walker said he never saw the 26-year-old produce a knife and denied the weapon found

  • Cooper frustrated by 'sloppy' goals

    MARK Cooper was left frustrated that his Town side conceded two sloppy goals at Gillingham in a match that he felt should have been over by half-time. Swindon conceded in the ninth minute when Danny Kedwell pounced after Wes Foderingham’s clearance

  • Brian made the nudes big-time

    “ON this day in 1957,” the Advertiser dutifully reported a couple of Saturdays ago, “Brian F Hamley of Southampton Street, Swindon caught an 8lb 4oz bronze bream in Queen’s Park. “Using a roach rod with a line of 5lb breaking strain,” our tiny

  • A sad farewell to much-loved Anne

    THE Arkell family has paid tribute to Anne Arkell, the mother of chairman James and the wife of former chairman Peter, after she died earlier this month. Anne died at the age of 89 at her home in Whelford near Fairford on Sunday, August 10, just

  • Young citizens have hard work endorsed

    YOUNGSTERS were given the opportunity to impress a leading politician yesterday with their community work for the National Citizen Service. For the last couple of weeks, students from across Swindon have been carrying out a variety of activities

  • Town cruiserweights Watkins and Bennett keen on showdown

    LAWRENCE Bennett and Luke Watkins are on course for an almighty collision in a battle of the Swindon cruiserweights. Although any potential fight would be unlikely to happen for at least eight months, the pair, along with trainer Paddy Fitzpatrick

  • Appeal to help kids in Gaza

    THE trustees of a local charity are appealing for funds to give specialised trauma counselling to the peers of two schoolchildren killed in Gaza. Paul and Christine Warren, who are trustees of the Hope Christian Charity which supports many projects

  • Rail price rises are branded unfair

    NEW Year train fares are due to jump yet again – with a 3.5 per cent price hike announced yesterday with the most recent inflation figures. According to the Office for National Statistics, the retail price index (RPI), the monthly measure for inflation

  • Surprised burglar runs off with cash

    A HOME intruder was scared away from the scene of a burglary in the early hours of Saturday in Chiseldon – but not before making off with cash that had been left in the home. Shortly after 2am, while neighbours slept, the home on Turnball Close

  • Woman's plea after Regent Circus accident

    CHANGES need to be made to the pedestrian crossings in Regent Circus before someone is seriously injured, according to a woman who was knocked down by a car there yesterday. Claire, 47, of Old Town, who did not wish to give her surname, was struck

  • Racehorse trainer succeeds in appeal against council

    RACEHORSE breeder and trainer Colin Rogers has won an appeal against Wiltshire Council to build dedicated stables at Braydon Fields Farm. In July last year the 77-year-old, who has bred and trained racing horses in both Australia and the UK since

  • Illegal tobacco for pocket money prices

    PEOPLE who buy illegal tobacco are helping to fund dangerous criminal gangs, according to the acting director of public health for Swindon. Recent figures show that more than 15 per cent of smokers in the town use illegal tobacco, and Cherry Jones

  • Park plan is approved after history of delays

    RIVERMEAD will soon have its long-awaited skate park after Swindon Council officially signed off £65,000 for its construction this week. After months of haggling over the best location for the new skate park, originally destined for Saltway Fields

  • Bugsy Malone 2014 meets Bugsy Malone 1994

    TWENTY years after the Wyvern Theatre launched its first Summer Youth Project hundreds of youngsters will tomorrow grace the boards in Bugsy Malone. To celebrate the special anniversary Bugsy is returning to the Wyvern for this year’s project,

  • Jackie Chan: I'm more cautious with stunts

    The Chinese star, who turned 60 in April, admitted he carries out rigorous checks before doing any tricky moves. Jackie, who starred in The Karate Kid remake and the Rush Hour films, admitted the big action sequences don't faze him. The filmmaker,