Archive
-
Date
Swindon's Stead breezes through British semi
SIMON Stead eased into the British final after qualifying comfortably in his semi at King’s Lynn tonight. The Sheffield-born rider grabbed four wins out of five to join Robins teammate Jordan Frampton in the line-up for the Wolverhampton showpiece
-
Date
A soldier’s story
THE STORY behind the soldier who became a symbol of the sacrifice of war for school pupils has been told. Year 9 pupils from Highworth Warneford School visited the gravesite of Private Charles Hill, from their home town of HIghworth, as part of their
-
Date
‘We will all miss Stewart so much’
THE HEARTBROKEN family of a cyclist who died when his mountain bike was involved in a collision with a van have paid tribute to him. James ‘Stewart’ Hamilton, 59, of Jennings Street, Pinehurst, died late on Sunday night. A 63-year-old
-
Date
Army centre is back
The Army is opening a new recruitment centre in Swindon. Next month it will be moving back to Commercial Road after being in a number of homes in the town over the years. The centre was also in Faringdon Road and Milton Road. Despite heavy casualties
-
Date
Quo set to rock the Oasis
ROCK legends Status Quo will stop off in Swindon as part of their forthcoming nationwide tour. Quo will play their famous boogie rock at the Oasis on November 19 as part of the band’s 28-date winter tour. The Quid Pro Quo tour kicks off in Southend
-
Date
Soldier’s cycling charity mission
A SOLDIER due to be sent on his first tour of Aghanistan hopes to raise enough money for a friend’s powerchair before he leaves. S/Sgt Lee Brown, Manor Crescent, Moredon, is part of a group cycling from Lands End to John O’Groats from July
-
Date
Get knitting and make a difference
A SWINDON charity is calling on knitters to help make a difference to parents who have lost a baby. The Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society – Swindon Sands – is already supporting the grieving parents of stillborn infants by creating special memory
-
Date
SPEEDWAY RESULT: British semi-final
BRITISH SEMI-FINAL, NORFOLK ARENA Lee Richardson (R-FX)0, Chris Harris (3-3-3-3-2)14, SIMON STEAD (1-3-3-3-3)13, Lewis Bridger (2-2-3-3-3)13, Chris Mills (R-2-R-X-1)3, Paul Clews (3-1-2-0-2)8, Leigh Lanham (2-1-2-2-0)7, Adam Roynon (1-0-
-
Date
Crash victim's Gary won't be forgotten
A FAMILY still grieving for the loss of a son and brother hope to create a centre for Swindon’s disengaged young people in his honour. Father-of-two Gary Lane, of Hyde Road, Stratton, died aged 23 in a motorcycle accident near his home in 2008 and the
-
Date
A well known phrase or saying
On the bus this morning I watched the dustmen at work along Paddington Drive and suddenly wondered if I’m alone in calling our refuse collectors by this Victorian name. Originally employed by the parish vestry in large conurbations, the dustman
-
Date
Loyal punter gets charity bet at bookies' relaunch
A BETTING shop in Swindon was officially relaunched by its oldest and most loyal punter on Saturday following a £100,000 refurbishment. The new-look Ladbrokes in West Swindon District Centre was opened by Henry Barkus, 94, a retired Royal Navy commander
-
Date
TV chef is game for food tasting
TV chef Mike Robinson will be cooking up some wild game and hosting a tasting at a Victorian food fair. The event takes place on Saturday, May 15, at the Wilton Windmill, off the A338 between Burbage and Hungerford from noon to 4.30pm. There will be
-
Date
Daring tales from the deep have children enthralled
SUBMARINES and sea creatures were the main attraction at a children’s activity day. The Jam in Deep Water event was run by St John’s Church in Haydon Wick and is an annual event for children from the area. Each year the church holds
-
Date
All ages get to grips with the internet
A 93-YEAR-OLD can count herself as the newest member of Swindon’s ‘web-generation’. IT trainers at Swindon’s newest and only free computer and internet training centre said the pensioner walked into the town centre location to sign up to Facebook and
-
Date
Floral artist and teacher celebrates scooping gold award
Green-fingered Lizzie Matheson has scooped a gold medal for her floral art display. Lizzie is a member of Highworth and District Floral Art Society and a well-known floral art teacher and demonstrator in Swindon and throughout the South of England.
-
Date
Susie savours her time in limelight after saving kitten
SUSIE the saviour has been lapping up the attention after rescuing a missing kitten which could have frozen to death. Susie is a lurcher saluki cross greyhound belonging to Lynn and Peter Johnson of Haydon End, Swindon. Just before Christmas last year
-
Date
On life, trains and other things
On an evening when the New Labour government passed into history, Michael Portillo spoke to an audience at the Swindon Festival of Literature about being someone ‘with a great political future behind them’. Starting off his talk at the STEAM
-
Date
Letter from Ken Millin
WELL as we now all know Swindon became almost 100 per cent Tory on Thursday as both North and South constituencies became Tory and only two Labour candidates managed to get into the local council. But I can’t understand for the life of me why so many
-
Date
Warning on rogue traders
TWO Swindon men have been arrested following a spate of rogue trading in Wiltshire. The men, aged 29 and 37, both from the Swindon area, have been arrested in connection with incidents of cold calling residents and asking if they need their driveways
-
Date
Drinker died after falling
A NARRATIVE verdict was recorded at the inquest of a man who died from serious head injuries following a fall at home. James Beardsworth, 51, died at his parents’ house at Callas Rise in Wanborough on January 17 last year. He was known to have been
-
Date
Fugative set for launch
SINGER and songwriter Fugative is heading for Swindon next week to launch his latest single called Crush. The 16-year-old rapper is dropping in to HMV Swindon tomorrow at 4pm when he will be meeting his fans and signing copies of the new record
-
Date
Letter from Mary Anne Melot
ALTHOUGH I am not personally affected by it I share the concern expressed by Mick Bray and other letter writers about the withdrawal by Stagecoach of their 54 Service. As Mr Bray says: “This is the old story again of public transport companies applying
-
Date
Letter from Corinna Allen
I WOULD like to thank all the people in Covingham, Nythe and Coleview who voted for me on May 6. As a strong UKIP supporter I feel we have to get our country back from the EU and your support was greatly appreciated. Your vote was not wasted and you
-
Date
Police name accident cyclist
THE man who died after a collision between his mountain bike and a van on Sunday night has been named by police. James Stewart Hamilton, 59, of Jennings Street, Swindon, died shortly before 11pm on Sunday at the junction between Whitworth Road and Pinehurst
-
Date
Police hunt knifeman
POLICE in Swindon are appealing for information after a man armed with a knife robbed a newsagents shop in Covingham Square yesterday morning. The man entered the Martin McColl store at around 7.30am and after picking up an item, approached the counter
-
Date
Letter from Steve Thompson
WITH the coalition government in place a worry arises over BBC balance between the parties. If the old format is carried on, in programmes such as Question Time, there would be a Conservative, a Labour and a Lib-Dem panellist. This would give the government
-
Date
Show off talents as part of festival
Swindon’s Old Town Festival is welcoming entries for its heat in this year’s Swindon Talent ‘10 contest. This is the third year of the contest and the festival has been on board for all three. The festival heat is on Sunday, June 27 at 11.30am. Patsy
-
Date
Letter from A Burn
LES Fox’s pathetic attempt at humour justifying smoking (SA, May 5) was at the very least in bad taste. He may think it was funny, but to those who have lost loved ones to smoking-related diseases and heart attacks it could be very distressing. My wife
-
Date
Letter from Wendy Tucker
MY family and I thoroughly enjoyed our Saturday morning trip to the Arts Centre to support our daughter and her friends, who were a team called Shadow of Girls, in a poetry competition. The standard of poetry was outstanding, funny thought-provoking and
-
Date
Letter from Andy Vater
ON behalf of my wife and I can we both say thank you to all the emergency services (fire service, police and ambulance crew) who attended a road traffic collision we were both involved in on Wednesday, April 28 on Marlborough Road, Swindon. Special thanks
-
Date
Letter from Greg Heathcliffe
DESPITE not being in the eurozone, despite Labour losing the election and despite this country being bankrupt, Mr Darling has promised an additional £13 billion to the EU as our part in helping bail out Greece. Mr Cameron has neither done or said (at
-
Date
Letter from Victor Agarwal
FOLLOWING Thursday’s General Election I would like to take this opportunity to write to thank all the people of North Swindon who supported me. I enjoyed meeting local residents on the streets and at the hustings. I was proud to represent the Labour
-
Date
Village closed as thatched cottage catches fire
FIRE crews were called out to a blaze at a thatched cottage in South Marston yesterday afternoon. Eight crews from Swindon, Stratton, Westlea, Cricklade, Malmesbury, Chippenham Faringdon went to Thornhill Road at 4pm. At this stage it is not known how
-
Date
Party leaders hang on to their roles at the top
DESPITE rumoured attempts to oust them, the leaders of Swindon’s Conservatives and Labour groups have remained in power. At separate party meetings held on Monday night, the Tories’ Rod Bluh and Labour leader Derique Montaut managed to hold on to their
-
Date
Elements work against Nationwide
THE elements contrived to work against Nationwide for the second week in succession as Joe Perkins’ side were defeated by Lechlade by 98 runs in Wilts One on Saturday. In a wet haze, which affected the outfield and grip of the ball throughout, visiting
-
Date
Goatacre slump to nine-wicket defeat
DEFENDING just 101 in 45 overs against a traditionally strong Winsley side in the pouring rain, Goatacre left themselves too steep a mountain to climb as they slipped to a nine-wicket loss in Wilts One on Saturday. Only three Goatacre batsmen made it
-
Date
SNOOKER: Whirlwind blown away by 147 Club star Troy
JIMMY White got a shock when he visited Swindon on Friday night as 147 Club member Troy Paul beat the six-time World Finalist. The Whirlwind was in town for a series of exhibition matches against local snooker stars and fellow professional Stephen Lee
-
Date
Feel like you’re being watched?
FURIOUS dad Wayne Carpenter said complaints that newly erected CCTV cameras are pointing into his daughter’s bedroom are being ignored by Swindon Council. Mr Carpenter, from Poplar Avenue, Pinehurst, said he was in favour of the cameras, believing they
-
Date
WILTSHIRE LEAGUE: Dearing's Minety wrap up double
MINETY set the champagne corks popping after wrapping up a league and cup double at the weekend. Albert Dearing’s men overwhelmed Byrons Wanderers 6-1 in the Wiltshire League Division One, to pip Blyskawica to top spot by a single point.
-
Date
Conservatives form coalition with Lib Dems
David Cameron will begin work today on putting together his historic new coalition government with the Liberal Democrats. Following his triumphant arrival last night at No 10, the new Conservative Prime Minister declared that it would be a "full and
-
Date
Store has drinks' licence revoked
A STORE in Swindon has had its licence to sell alcohol revoked by the council after allowing children as young as 15 years old to purchase booze. Handyman’s general stores in Ferndale Road also failed to comply with licence conditions imposed to help
-
Date
Steady ready for British semi
SIMON Stead believes the Premier League’s finest will present him with a stiff test tonight as he begins his bid to become British champion. The 28-year-old will take a step towards the national title if he finishes in the top eight of the
-
Date
Wembley is our motivation, says Greer
CAPTAIN Gordon Greer insists Town’s squad need no motivating for their play-off campaign, as they relish the pressure of trying to reach Wembley. Swindon face Charlton in the semi-finals, with the winner taking on either Millwall or Huddersfield at the
-
Date
£500 reward for finding dog killer
TWO local businessmen have put forward a £500 reward for information after shocking images were released by the RSPCA of a four-month-old puppy that was found dead in Liden lagoon. Dog lovers Ben Blackmore, 27, and Peter Sands, 49, said they
