LOOKING back on some of the stories the Gazette has reported through the years..

October 1966
A SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD boy was the hero of a late-night river rescue, which followed the collision of two speedboats off Framilode Passage in Frampton on Severn.

Despite having a fractured arm, Robert Dawe was able to row one-handed to the rescue of 17-year-old non-swimmer Alan Dodson, driver of one of the speedboats.

An eye witness told the Gazette: “One was going up river and one down, heading straight for each other, and instead of peeling off in opposite directions, both turned the same way and collided.”

One of the speedboats, driven by Maxine Gardner, from Paganhill, headed for the side immediately with the craft badly holed. The other boat, which Alan was driving, was almost split in two.

Robert of Waterside, Framilode Passage, was in his garden at the time of the crash and on hearing the noise of the impact, got his boat afloat to rescue Alan.

October 1976

THREE ice cream sales girls in Thornbury were left with a chilly problem, as their gas heater had disappeared.

The three were feeling a little left out in the cold with winter about to set in.
The manager of Horton’s Frozen Products Ltd, Roger Carter, said: “The mobile gas heater was put into the warehouse during the summer and when we came to look for it recently, it had vanished.”

He added that it would be much appreciated by the three if it was returned, as they were having to warm themselves on an oil fired convection heater.

AVON County Council dismissed any suggestion that there had been “jiggery pokery” in selecting a new member on to the governing body of Olveston School.

Dr Gordon Hoad, of Denys Court, Olveston, had hoped to fill the vacancy on the school managing board, with support behind him so great that a petition was handed to the council from villagers.

However, on May 28, a Mr Beauchamp accepted to fill the vacancy.

“There seems to be a bit of jiggery pokery here,” said Dr Hoad, highlighting that he heard the letter was sent on May 20. “It would appear that in the time that the petition was received by Avon county education committee, the vacancy had not already been filled.”

A spokesman for Avon said that the committee did not meet until May 25, by which time the vacancy had been filled.

He added: “Dr Hoad could be borne in mind if the education committee were called upon to fill another position.”