ELLIOTT Watling is taking the stage by storm after landing his first lead role in a show. When the now 14-year-old was born he was 10 weeks premature and weighed just four pounds. For the first few weeks his life hung in the balance several times.
I was really worried, as after last weeks gain I was very close to the lower limit that I will let my weight loss go to. And being that I am off to the Costa Brava for 5 days all inclusive I was concerned. But I came back fighting and lost 3lbs this week
PAINTING and decorating student Catherine Blundell has scooped a silver medal for excellence in her work. The 17-year-old was presented with the award at the South West Skillbuild Regional competition, which was held at the Somerset College of Arts and
ACADEMIC talents of about 50 Swindon youngsters dazzled at a special event. Dozens of Year 10 pupils showed off their skills and knowledge during the event at the Ridgeway School in Wroughton. The day saw pupils from a number of different schools compete
A SWINDON band will warm up for a national competition with a concert this weekend. The Brunel Brass Band won through to the national brass band finals, which will held in Harrogate in September. But,before that, the band needs to raise £4,000 to cover
Hello and welcome to Your Neighbourhood, the beginning of an exciting new era on our website. We already three dedicated sections on our website - for Stratton, Walcot and Highworth - and by the end of this year, we hope to have one such section for
METAL thieves left a village in darkness. Residents in Broad Town, near Wootton Bassett, were plunged into darkness last Tuesday after vandals damaged a generator supplying power to 60 homes. Villagers were left with no power overnight while police
PLANS to demolish one of the town centre's landmarks have been rejected by a planning committee. London-based company Clarebrook submitted proposals to flatten the tented market, otherwise known as the Market Hall, and build a pavilion, complete with
MANY of our citizens are becoming understandably paranoid at the escalating level of knife crime, for which this government is entirely to blame. The number of local school age youngsters admitted to hospital with knife wounds has almost doubled in five
I TAKE note of Barry E Woodham's highly offensive poem - Footsteps through the daffodils - (SA, July 5). This poem is clearly aimed at Christians and I am surprised that the Adver let such garbage be published. Would this person now like to compose
I HAVE just received the Swindon Advertiser and would like to comment about mementos on graves. I travel regularly to Swindon as both parents are buried in Whitworth Road cemetery and have always thought how lucky Swindon is to have such a quiet, beautiful
THE 2008 Wimbledon men's final between Roger Federer and Raphael Nadal surpassed their epic encounter of 2007 (SA, tennis reports, July 7). Federer could not supersede Bjorn Borg and Nadal took the glory in the most pulsating, evenly-contested final since
I SUSPECT many like myself are sick of hearing of Zimbabwe and the clown who rules it, Robert Mugabe. He has obviously forgotten that it was a British government that was responsible for the overthrow of Ian Smith's white rule of that country nearly
I AM so glad that Wayne and Rebecca spoke up about putting things on graves (SA, letters, July 8). And why not? These two people have much to bear and if putting something on their son's grave brings them comfort, why shouldn't they have that option.
I WENT to do my shopping at my local Tesco today and found that I was expected to use a computer to price my shopping. So Tesco owns the world and makes billions in profit and I am expected to do the job of the checkout girl for free so that they can
JOHN Hunter (SA, July 7) is correct when he states wind power will not cover our energy needs. Wind power is not cheap, contrary to popular thought. A study by the Royal Academy for Engineering in 2004 concluded the cost of a kilowatt hour of electric
THE rain has been lashing down on Swindon all day - and so far the town seems to be coping. Residents and businesses across the town had been worried that would see a repeat of last July's floods. The Met Office warned Swindon and the surrounding areas
HEALTHCARE in the community is filling the gap between the hospital and the home. The work of the community matron, a role only started in January 2006, lets people decide how they want to be nursed. Helen Rollings, a nurse for over 10 years and now
A PENSIONER from Stratton believes he has the largest plant in Swindon. Derrick Morris, 85, has an eight-foot yucca plant in his front garden and believes it is the largest in the area. "I think it's the largest one around," said Derrick. "It's getting
MUSCULAR Swindon firefighter Nick Jones has been named Mr Wales. Nick, 26, took part in the British Natural Bodybuilding Foundation Welsh Championships in Newport and won the novice competition. But, despite his new title, he has no plans to put down
HALF a century of learning was celebrated by a Swindon primary school. Lainesmead treated pupils to picnics, a summer fete and a range of games to celebrate the school's 50th birthday. And headteacher Jeannette Turner said the festivities would live
ANGLING THE 25 anglers at the Walters Lake Open would have been forgiven for thinking that it was winter again at the South Cerney match venue. Cold winds and rain were on the cards for the latter half of the match. Due to the numbers there were four
We made it back to a great welcome in Liverpool, and finished overall in 4th place - which is truely a great achievment considering that we were in 9th overall back in Santa Cruz. I'm not sure how I am going to re-adapt to the normal world. The leggers
TODAY'S Swindon Cares Golf Day has been postponed due to bad weather. The event was due to be held at the Wrag Barn Golf and Country club, but the recent bad weather has left the course is waterlogged. It is hoped that it will be rescheduled in
TODAY'S Swindon Cares Golf Day has been postponed due to bad weather. The event was due to be held at the Wrag Barn Golf and Country club, but the recent bad weather has left the course is waterlogged. It is hoped that it will be rescheduled in
A 23-year-old has appeared in court in connection with the crash that killed a Swindon teenager on Christmas Day. Nicholas Love is accused of knocking down 18-year-old Chris Garrod in Great Western Way in the early hours of Christmas morning. Chris
BOTH rivers in the Swindon and surrounding area are on flood watch according to the environment agency. The River Ray and River Cole catchments are therefore being warned to expect flooding of low lying land and roads. The met office said there
CYCLING TEENAGER Sam Redding, from the GWR Team, rounded off the most successful week in the team's history since its formation two years ago, when he claimed a stunning first win in GWR colours, their fifth victory in just seven days. Redding's fantastic
TRAFFIC chaos is looming in central Swindon, after it was revealed a town centre road is to close for five months. Stretches of Ferndale Road are to be dug up by Wales and West Utilities from August 11. And the company has admitted it plans to close
ARE you shopping around for the cheapest fuel? Share your tips as to the best bargains with other Adver readers. Simply leave a comment below saying where you found cheap fuel and how much it cost. Let's all save a bit of dough!
WILTSHIRE LEAGUE THE weekend weather sunk most of the Wiltshire League programme, but there were some fine performances in the games that were played. Urchfont batsman Cosmos Cupid led the way, blasting an unbeaten 218 in his side's total of 362-5.
THE Marlborough players trudged off the field cold, wet and miserable on Saturday as opponents Gloucester City Winget were left singing in the rain, writes GARETH MOORHOUSE. In the only match in the Glos/Wilts Division to survive the torrid weather,
CHARITY shops are on their guard after being two stores were targeted in distraction thefts. The Prospect Hospice and Salvation Army shops in Cricklade Road, Gorse Hill, had cash stolen on Monday afternoon. The scam saw them targeted within 40 minutes
Sometimes I see what I should not see, or would not ever be shown.Sometimes I hear what I should not hear, or would not ever be told.Sometimes I feel like I should not feel, or ever should feel again.Sometimes I touch when I should not touch, or ever
Flying reaching way up highSouring down towards the groundWalking gating all around.Looking here looking thereLooking for food someone might shareTaking off into the skyGliding souring way up high.The seagull is such a majestic birdWith their quick alertness
GWR chief engineer Charles Collett would be proud to know that a favourite of loco men is to be reborn. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, a new Grange steam locomotive is being built. The entire class of Granges - all 80 of them - were scrapped.
TWO racing cars made a pit stop in Swindon to the delight of awestruck youngsters. The only disappointment for the school pupils was that driver Jenson Button was unable to make the event despite being invited. But children from Shaw Ridge Primary School
