Wiltshire news stories from the Wiltshire Times & Chippenham News - Updated news from Wiltshire

Twice as many homes burgled

1:00pm Sunday 21st April 2013

BURGLARIES in Melksham have risen drastically in the past 12 months, according to police figures presented to the town council.

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Specialist burglars in high-spec bikes haul

1:00pm Saturday 20th April 2013

Motorbike enthusiast Garry Sam is blaming a professional gang after two top-end bikes were stolen only months after his previous bike was taken.

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Last farewell to Melksham Town’s Conigre ground gatesman

11:00am Saturday 20th April 2013

TRIBUTES have been paid at Melksham Town’s Conigre ground for the club’s long serving gateman Derek Ledbury, whose funeral was held on Wednesday.

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Melksham police to tackle teen gangs after assault on officer at McDonald’s

5:00pm Friday 19th April 2013

Melksham Police are clamping down on anti-social behaviour at the town’s McDonalds, after an officer was assaulted trying to break up a group of unruly youths.

Seend children learn the value of saving

1:00pm Thursday 18th April 2013

All the Key Stage 2 children at Seend CofE Primary School had some outside help, this week, learning about the importance of saving from the manager, the savings advisor and a cashier of The Coventry Building Society. “As we'd been learning a unit about personal finance it was a perfect way to finish off our economic education,” said Phillippa Hunt, Year 5/6 class teacher.

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Melksham widow welcomes new initiative in 'right to die' campaign

10:18am Thursday 18th April 2013

A paralysed man is taking up a legal challenge for the right to die with the help of a doctor, saying he would like to be able to choose when to "call it a day".

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Bromham ploughing competition

8:00pm Wednesday 17th April 2013

Farmers had to contend with challenging conditions at the annual match of the White Horse Ploughing Society.

Melksham software firm wins innovation award

7:00pm Wednesday 17th April 2013

A hi-tech Melksham company has been recognised in the first Enterprising Wiltshire Awards.

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Melksham firm rolls out train contract

4:30pm Wednesday 17th April 2013

Railway systems engineer Knoor-Bremse, based in Melksham, has been awarded a new contract to roll out its services across the country.

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Day of Dance in Melksham

11:44am Monday 15th April 2013

Schoolchildren across west Wiltshire will be putting their best foot forward on Wednesday, at the town’s annual children’s day of dance.

Lib Dem treasury minister backs Post Office fight in visit to Melksham

5:30pm Saturday 13th April 2013

Liberal Democrat government minister Danny Alexander praised the independent character of Melksham today, as he visited the town on the local election campaign trail.

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Widower’s plea to Melksham workers

4:00pm Saturday 13th April 2013

A widower whose wife died from an asbestos-related cancer has appealed for her former colleagues to help as he fights for compensation.

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Spinal injury rider happy to feel agony of challenge

6:00pm Friday 12th April 2013

Stephanie Jones will be happy to run through the pain of a London Marathon, five years after a fall left her facing paralysis.

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Senior politicians on the campaign trail

5:07pm Friday 12th April 2013

Ed Miliband and Danny Alexander are both due in Wiltshire tomorrow.

Melksham woman cycling in bid to beat cancer

2:00pm Thursday 11th April 2013

Diana Malling, the store trainer for Sainsbury’s in Melksham, is getting on her bike and taking positive action in the fight against breast, ovarian and cervical cancer. Diana is part of an amazing group of women tackling the third Women V Cancer challenge, riding around 4,000km in Cuba in October, the second ride she has tried: she is pictured riding in Kenya last year. She hopes to raise at least £3,000 to help three charities and is fundraising locally, including at boots fairs, craft fairs and bag packs, starting with a bag pack at Sainsbury’s Melksham on April 20.

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Thousands expected at Melksham model railway exhibition

1:38pm Monday 8th April 2013

Model railway enthusiasts from all over Britain will converge on the Christie Miller Centre in Melksham this weekend for the annual Trainwest Model Railway Exhibition.

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Melksham dance in aid of Wiltshire Air Ambulance

11:49am Monday 8th April 2013

A charity dance and supper, raising funds for Wiltshire Air Ambulance, will be held at the Melksham Assembly Hall on Saturday.   The event, running between 8pm and midnight, will feature a performance by the Mike Smith Big Band & Singers.

Man is injured tackling blazing garage outside his Seend home

11:00am Sunday 7th April 2013

A man, aged 65, has been treated for burns and smoke inhalation after trying to put out a fire that destroyed his garage in Seend.

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Melksham mayor turns out to support strikers trying to save main post office

5:00pm Saturday 6th April 2013

Campaigners have vowed to continue their fight to keep Melksham’s Post Office, following calls for further strike action by workers.

Melksham Rotary Club hands out £10,000 to good causes

11:30am Thursday 4th April 2013

More than £10,000 was handed out to worthy causes in Melksham when the town’s Rotary Club held its first presentation evening. The money was divided among 13 charities, including the Wiltshire Air Ambulance, Bath RUH Forever Friends Appeal, and the Melksham Sixty Plus Club. The president of the Rotary Club of Melksham, Warwick Allen, said: “It was a great evening and was good to get all of these worthy charities together.”

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Man injured in Seend fire taken to hospital

5:21pm Tuesday 2nd April 2013

A man injured in a Seend house fire has been taken to Royal United Hospital, Bath for treatment.

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Man injured in Seend house fire

4:08pm Tuesday 2nd April 2013

Emergency services have been called to a house fire in Seend.

£2 million pylon refurbishment

3:38pm Tuesday 2nd April 2013

The electricity supply in Melksham has been strengthened, following a £2m refurbishment project.

Cleaning up in Melksham, despite the cold

3:00pm Sunday 31st March 2013

Plucky volunteers braved the cold in Melksham on Sunday to tidy up the town centre.

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It's bye bye babies for Melksham midwife

10:00am Sunday 31st March 2013

Midwife Sally Carr has delivered her last baby after 24 years of bringing new life into the world.

Melksham workers go on strike over plans to shut office

8:30am Friday 29th March 2013

Staff at Melksham’s Post Office will go on strike on Saturday over plans to close it down. The Post Office has announced plans to close the Crown Office on Church Street and move the PO inside another shop in the town. The news has angered people in the town who say it will mean a poorer service. Terri Welch, town councillor and manager of the Tourist Information Centre, said: “We have a wonderful Post Office. It works well together with the TIC, and I support the strike if they are drawing attention to the matter. “I know the staff there and have spoken to them, and I am concerned if the service was franchised out we wouldn’t enjoy the standard of service we have come to expect.” Chris Roche, of the Communications Workers Unions said: “We hope this will bring the Post Office to the negotiating table, but if not there will be further action. Melksham is struggling in the current climate and if this post office was to close it would be a major blow to the local economy and to the services which many people rely on.” Seven CWU members at the Post Office in Church Street will be out on strike and joining in a protest outside from 10.30am to midday. Mr Roche said the strike will cause disruption but he believes people in the town will support the staff. “I think people in Melk-sham will recognise the benefit that a Crown Office brings to the town,” he said. Town crier Peter Dauncy said: “In all honesty it does disrupt everyone, but they are striking for a reason.” Mrs Welch added: “Being the end of the month I know the queues will be there for the car tax. It’s going to strike a lot of people quite strongly. “I would certainly support the workers, they are superb. They know their jobs, they have ongoing training, and a franchise wouldn’t offer that. “Every Saturday you see the stream of people rushing there and it is one of their busiest days.” The sorting office in the same building was moved to Chippenham last year. The strike is part of a series of walkouts across the country. Corsham Post Office is also affected. Kevin Gilliland, network and sales director at the Post Office said: “We are committed to keeping a Post Office branch on high streets such as Melksham. “The best way for us to do this is to partner with a retailer. This is not a closure plan, our aim is to find a suitable retailer from which the branch can operate.”

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Shaw school blessing

6:00pm Thursday 28th March 2013

CHILDREN at Shaw Primary School met the Bishop of Ramsbury, above, last Thursday, as he came to bless the new classroom block. Head teacher Dave Borrie said: “After unveiling the plaque he was shown around the school by the chair and vice chair of the school council and visited every class answering questions that the children had prepared. ”

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