Archive
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Developer wins no fans with green plan
WIND enthusiast Dale Vince has issued a defiant message to opponents of his plans for a turbine farm at Nympsfield, insisting he will be back. It comes as Stroud District Council and Cotswold Protection Group celebrate winning almost £15,000 in costs
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Rescue from canal
A HORSE and rider had a lucky escape after plunging into the Gloucester-Sharpness Canal. Fire crews were called to the scene in Frampton-on-Severn near Splatt Bridge House around 12.25pm last Thursday after reports that a horse and rider had become trapped
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Olympic joy for heroes
HOCKEY stars Simon Mason and Mark Pearn were among the heroes this week as Great Britain booked their place at this summer's Olympics in Athens. Veteran goalkeeper Mason, from Berkeley, and the dynamic Pearn, from Charfield, were both in the thick of
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Pupils' public speaking prize
TOP public speakers from Wotton-under-edge and Dursley fought off top regional competition to take the prizes in a regional competition. Teams from Katharine Lady Berkeley's School, Wotton, and Rednock School, Dursley, made a major impact during the district
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Teachers unhappy over drug-screening plans
GOVERNMENT proposals for the random drug testing of secondary school pupils have been given a lukewarm reception by three headteachers. Rednock's John Pritchard, Vale of Berkeley College's Michael Hardwick and Andrew Harris. from Katharine Lady Berkeley's
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Dumped vehicles burnt out
SIR - Two weeks ago I came across two more cars dumped in Hermitage Woods, Dursley, but they were clearly marked 'Police Aware'. At that stage they looked in reasonable condition, although some repair work would have been required to make them roadworthy
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Get in touch with sporting history
SIR - On June 23 Dursley and District Primary Schools Sports Association will hold its 50th annual athletics meeting - the district sports). We are very proud of the sporting opportunities offered to our pupils in all local schools both small and large
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Pakistan pair ready to pounce
GLOUCESTERSHIRE CCC have completed the signing of Pakistan international pace bowler Shabbir Ahmed as the club's mission of filling two vacant overseas spots finally concluded. Ahmed, 27, will join his international compatriot Shoaib Malik at the County
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Let's not forget our past
SIR - Re the name Delkin Village being used by St Modwen Developments for the Lister Petter site - how inappropriate! The name 'Delkin' seems to be an old name for a small brook and appears in at least three places locally. The Delkein rises near Chestal
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Treble Tony lifts Cam to second
Cam Bulldogs 5 Bourton Rovers 2 A HAT-TRICK from Tony Goodwin helped the Bulldogs overcome their high flying rivals in style on a heavy pitch at Cam. The eagerly awaited clash had been in danger of being spoilt by a torrential downpour just prior to kick
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Comment
QUESTION: What is the difference between a rickety shed on a patch of overgrown grass and the favourite saying of many of the people of Berkeley? Answer: The first is in my back yard, while the second is "Not in my back yard!" This week has seen yet another
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Fair Trade plan welcome
SIR - I was very pleased to hear that Stroud district councillors are reconsidering a proposal to keep using Fairtrade beverages etc. In this area volunteers have given their time lately holding Fair Trade stalls in Oxfam, church halls and supermarkets
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Village backs family in bid to set up home
VILLAGERS in Elberton are backing a family's fight to set up home in the community where they belong. Shaun and Lisa Meachin and their five children have been without settled accommodation since losing their tied cottage through redundancy and cannot
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Weekend Picture
A swan at twilight . . . As the sun sets one of the beautiful water birds glides gently across the lake at Kingsgate Park nature reserve in Yate Picture by Steve Richards GSR190H04
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Charity funds brain tumour study
ALVESTON_BASED brain tumour charity Hammer Out is funding a study into treatment methods which could significantly extend survival rates amongst sufferers. The charity, founded by brain tumour victim the late Paul Mitchell and his wife Tina, has raised
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With the Reds
CITY got back to winning ways last Friday night after defeating Rushden and Diamonds 1-0 at Ashton Gate. Leroy Lita's first start in the red shirt of City resulted in his fifth goal of the season, and was enough to get City's promotion charge back on
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Thornbury and Severnside diary
Friday, March 19 7.30pm, Thornbury, Old Bakery Annexe, Chapel Street, Thornbury Stamp Club, Competition and Quiz Night. 7.45pm, Tockington Parish Hall, Quiz. £16 per team of four. Refreshments available. Tel Mrs Pitts on 01454 613234 or 01454 612850 for
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Championship race may go to wire
THIS season's County League championship race is one of the tightest in memory and is currently being fought out between top three protagonists Tytherington Rocks, Almondsbury FC and Patchway. Following Saturday's results Rocks maintained their top spot
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Yate, Sodbury and district diary
Friday, March 19 9.45am, Chipping Sodbury, Old Grammar School, Singing in the Morning, for more information call Liz Martin 01453 845193. 10am, Chipping Sodbury, Church Centre. Tubbie Tots. 10.30-11.30am, Marshfield Church Hall. WI market. 7.30, Chipping
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Buried treasure
Send to top Jeff Weaver NZGT4043 (H) COINS2. A fistful of Roman coins THE DISCOVERY of a massive hoard of Roman treasure by a Thornbury man digging a fish pond has put the town on the world archaeological map. But out of the estimated 15,000-20,000 bronze
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Chaotic transport not helped by another exploited study
SIR - Readers will doubtless be fascinated to learn of yet another transport study being undertaken to swell the reams of reports already enlightening the subject. The partners, who are jointly funding the greater Bristol Strategic Transport Study are
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Pressure for park and ride
BRISTOL city councillors pressure for an M32 park and ride scheme showed no signs of abating during a raucous meeting with their South Gloucestershire counterparts. City transport supremo Cllr Anne White (Lib Dem) refused to back down despite frantic
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Buried treasure
THE DISCOVERY of a massive hoard of Roman treasure by a Thornbury man digging a fish pond has put the town on the world archaeological map. But out of the estimated 15,000-20,000 bronze coins unearthed by Ken Allen, little Thornbury museum may never get
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'Green Belt will suffer if quarry proposals go ahead'
ANXIOUS Itchington residents are fighting plans for an "over-the-top" housing development at a former quarry site in the village. They say the plan calls for far too many homes on the Green Belt site and that the scheme is totally out of keeping with
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With the Pirates
TOMORROW it is a trip to furthest Lincolnshire and another crucial game for Rovers who have slipped again to 21st and their lowest yet in Division Three this season. It is not positions but points gap that matters with the gulf between Phil Bater's side
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System ignores victims
VICTIMS of crime are still not getting the support they need, according to a Yate-based charity. Victim Support Avon Vale South Gloucestershire branch says a report carried out by the National Association of Victim Support schemes shows that, despite
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Great bunch celebrate 40 years in bloom
FLOWER-ARRANGERS in Winterbourne are celebrating 40 years of floral creations. And to mark the milestone members of Winterbourne and District Flower Arranging Society were treated to a special extravaganza of blooming bouquets at Chipping Sodbury Town
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Housing plans are backed by residents
RESIDENTS in Catbrain Lane in Cribbs Causeway are backing revised plans for new housing near their homes. A recent meeting of Catbrain Lane Residents' Association agreed to support the latest proposals by developers Redrow Homes for 71 new homes on a
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School cook takes early retirement
COOK Miriam Ealey will miss her job at Charfield Primary School. She has had to take early retirement due to ill health, after working in the kitchens for 30 years. "I was due to retire soon anyway, but now I'm having enforced rest", Mrs Ealey said. Charfield
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Reunited after horror in Madrid
A 40-STRONG party of pupils from Wotton-under-Edge were joyously reunited with parents on Monday after being in Madrid when bombs blasted four railway stations. The pupils, aged 14 and 15, from Katharine Lady Berkeley's School, were in the Spanish capital
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Variety is spice of life at hotel
THE NEW owners of an hotel, which was once "famous for being closed", are hoping that it will soon be famous for a very different reason. Newport Towers Hotel, at Newport, near Berkeley - bought by Omshanti Inns and Hotels 18 months ago - is throwing
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Green adds a touch of colour to stylish win
Slimbridge 2 Highworth Town 0 SLIMBRIDGE took the points with a 2-0 win at Wisloe Road against a fading Highworth Town side that, until recently, were right up in the main pack with games in hand following their FA Vase exploits. Two early strikes from
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New police radio system aired
AFTER several months of exhaustive trials, coverage testing and training, Sunday saw the final launch of the new Airwave radio system into Cotswold and Stroud division. Police officers have started using the system, which boasts greatly increased coverage
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New owners in pledge over Lister jobs
AFTER weeks of speculation and uncertainty the deal to sell Dursley's largest employer has been finally completed. Lister Petter employees were informed of the sale of the business - in two parts - on Friday and were also assured of the commitment by
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Sharks take a bite out of title charge
Sharpness 2 Shortwood United Reserves 0 SHARPNESS rocked Northern Senior League Division One leaders Shortwood with an awesome showing that avenged their 5-1 drubbing in the reverse fixture earlier in the season. It was a hearty performance, with Sharks
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Personal trauma leads man back on to drugs
A MAN absconded from Leyhill Open Prison after a report a relative had been raped, a judge heard on Monday. Wayne Stevens, 36, was serving a five-year sentence for burglary and theft. Said Anjali Gohil, defending at Gloucester Crown Court: "As result
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Memory of Delkin
SIR - I was rather surprised to see that Cam Parish Council found the name Delkin to be "absolutely appalling". To me it conjures up happy childhood memories. The Delkin , which runs from Ashmead Green to Teetotal Valley, was our exploratory jungle and
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Blaze causes severe damage to Dutch barn
FIRE ripped through a barn in Sharpness causing severe damage and destroying tonnes of straw. Fire crews were scrambled to the five-bay Dutch barn in Saniger Lane around 1.50pm on Wednesday last week. The two Dursley crews found the barn, measuring around
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Lady not happy with the 'wobbling' song
HOME and Country, the 'national voice of the women's institutes', celebrates its 85th birthday this month. The anniversary edition of the magazine included some 'gems from the archives', among which was a letter written in 1928 from a Wotton resident.
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Missing man may be in town
POLICE responsible for a five-year hunt for a missing man are broadening the search to include the possibility he may be somewhere in the Dursley area. Bruce Roger Gapper, 43, was reported missing from his home in Dewsbury, five years ago and no trace
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'Give us more facilities'
YOUTHS and their parents turned out in force on Tuesday to express desperation at the dire lack of recreation facilities in Wotton-under-Edge. This lack headed the agenda at the annual parish meeting and more than 35 people, including around 20 young
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Think you are in Peak condition?
PEOPLE are being invited to take an exhilarating walk next month - and help save lives at sea. The Five Peaks Challenge on Sunday, April 18 is a new sponsored event in aid of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, arranged by the Dursley branch. The
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Events around the region
Berkeley, Cam, Dursley and Wotton-under-Edge 2004 Friday, March 19 8.45-10.30am, Wotton, The Chipping Club Room. Friday market. 10-11.30am, Slimbridge, Village Hall. Slimbridge Toddler Club. 12noon-2pm, Frampton-on-Severn, Congregational Church. Today
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Mark enjoys a career change
A FORMER Royal Navy mechanic who served in Iraq during the recent war is back on dry land and training in Wotton-under-Edge for a new career thanks to the Modern Apprenticeships programme. Mark Gwinnell was an operator mechanic on the mine hunter HMS
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Hugs and kisses as pupils arrive back home
SCENES of relief and joy greeted the 44-strong group when their coach drove safely into Katharine Lady Berkeley's School car park on Monday evening. Parents were relieved to hear the plane had touched down safely at Heathrow airport earlier in the day
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Pakistan pair ready to pounce
GLOUCESTERSHIRE CCC have completed the signing of Pakistan international pace bowler Shabbir Ahmed as the club's mission of filling two vacant overseas spots finally concluded. Ahmed, 27, will join his international compatriot Shoaib Malik at the County
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Shopping centre leads the way
THE MALL at Cribbs Causeway has become the first shopping centre in the South West - and one of only four in the country - to gain an internationally recognised standard for environmental management. "ISO14001 is the gold standard in environmental management
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Focus on Paul's Place
YATE Voluntary Link is highlighting the work of Coalpit Heath-based Paul's Place by making it Charity of the Month for March. Paul's Place, a charity for physically disabled adults, started almost nine years ago with a handful of people who had similar
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'Where is tax fund going?'
SIR - All residents in South Gloucestershire will have by now received their council tax demands together with the Council Spending and Performance 2004. All political parties on the council have had their say about an apparent underfunding from national
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Cash ensures research on chemo can continue
RESEARCHERS at Frenchay Hospital are studying new ways to provide effective chemotherapy treatment to the patients most likely to benefit. North Bristol NHS Trust has just secured a £12,000 donation from brain tumour charity Hammer Out meaning the project
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Cash helps hotel join the club
BOSSES at Bristol Golf Club in Almondsbury are taking a swing in a new direction by going into the hotel business. The 1,200-member club now has a new 19th hole - this time with bedrooms - after purchasing The Gables Hotel at Falfield. The hotel on the
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To bin or not to bin
SIR - The SITA scheme with the two bins, one green and one black, has been working well here, until this week. The men did not empty my green bin. They stuck a notice on it saying "No vegetables, fruit or peelings yet thanks". (The word 'yet' is underlined
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Hunt is on for sex toy man
POLICE are hunting for a man who has been showing sex toys to children in Yate. Three residents contacted police after seeing a man trying to gain the interest of children using the Witches Hat play area, off Yate Common. The first caller thought the
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Yate, Sodbury and district diary
Friday, March 19 9.45am, Chipping Sodbury, Old Grammar School, Singing in the Morning, for more information call Liz Martin 01453 845193. 10am, Chipping Sodbury, Church Centre. Tubbie Tots. 10.30-11.30am, Marshfield Church Hall. WI market. 7.30, Chipping
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Ladies reach bowls final
THE proud ladies of Thornbury Indoor Bowls Club were celebrating this week after reaching the final of the National Bowls Championship. They qualified for the zone finals in the Yetton Trophy and then moved on to the national semi-final at Basingstoke
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School cook takes early retirement
COOK Miriam Ealey will miss her job at Charfield Primary School. She has had to take early retirement due to ill health, after working in the kitchens for 30 years. "I was due to retire soon anyway, but now I'm having enforced rest", Mrs Ealey said. Charfield
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Park and ride is bad for residents
SIR - Thank you to the Gazette for their supportive coverage of our campaign against Bristol's attempts to impose an M32 park and ride by appearing at the public inquiry last Thursday in Thornbury. The city's decision to do so risks an enormously damaging
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Victory for common sense
CAMPAIGNERS trying to stop vegetation being stripped from the railway embankment at Coalpit Heath are claiming a victory for commonsense. Work on the embankment between Park Lane and Winterbourne viaduct has been suspended by Network Rail for six months
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It is about time council tax queries are answered
SIR - A Gazette (February 27) headline was Council Tax to Soar by £47. In the text it states that "The rise will result in residents living in tax band "D" paying £978.11." Wrong because South Gloucestershire Liberal Democrats say that, as there are more
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Ladies reach bowls final
THE proud ladies of Thornbury Indoor Bowls Club were celebrating this week after reaching the final of the National Bowls Championship. They qualified for the zone finals in the Yetton Trophy and then moved on to the national semi-final at Basingstoke
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Stop the home fires burning!
ANY walk along the urban streets or the county lanes of South Gloucestershire in winter, when the temperature is sub-zero, would start you thinking. You can see the pollution hanging in the air across Sodbury Vale. You would not be advised to breath in
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Beds axed despite shortfall
THE NHS is under attack for planning to cut hospital beds at Frenchay or Southmead even though two years ago it stated more were needed. Following a public consultation exercise in March, 2002, North Bristol NHS Trust projected more beds would have to
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We've bin wasting our food
SIR - I am tired of hearing about the green versus the black wheelie bin. If a household is recycling properly, a fortnightly collection for domestic waste should be adequate. Our council is endeavouring to reach a recycling target which all of us should
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Personal trauma leads man back on to drugs
A MAN absconded from Leyhill Open Prison after a report a relative had been raped, a judge heard on Monday. Wayne Stevens, 36, was serving a five-year sentence for burglary and theft. Said Anjali Gohil, defending at Gloucester Crown Court: "As result
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Internet helps close web on criminals
INFORMATION received through the Avon and Somerset Police website is regularly helping to solve crimes. Members of the public are able to provide information, anonymously if they wish, through a number of secure electronic forms on the force website and
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Students were up for the challenge
FIVE Marlwood School sixth formers have been applauded for their high-quality work on an engineering challenge set by aero engine giant Rolls-Royce. The year 13 students - Mat Horsfall and Graham Smith, both 18, and 17-year-olds Hannah Dadds, Christine
