Archive
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SeeAbility pots £8,000 from Round Tablers
WELLINGT0N-based charity SeeAbility has snookered its way to £8,000. The cash was raised during Taunton Round Table's annual speaker evening, which featured Rev David Ireland of SeeAbility and snooker legend Willie Thorne. SeeAbility's South-West fund-raiser
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Hotel reopening on hold
THE Heatherton Grange hotel between Wellington and Taunton remains closed this week. Owners Ashby Licensing hope to be up and running again within the next fortnight, once builders have carried out essential repairs to the kitchen walls. Notices went
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Police seeking assault culprits
POLICE expect to make arrests soon following an assault on a woman in Ilminster. The incident happened in Abbots Close, along with a report of criminal damage and a dwelling house burglary. High visibility police patrols have been implemented in the area
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Bishop Fox's out to defend girls' cricket title
THERE is a growing interest in schools cricket within Somerset which is borne out by the number of entries received for two competitions due to take place in the near future. The first event is the Girls Under 15 competition the finals taking place in
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Permission sought for Guildhall changes
A TOWN council will have to get listed building consent before it can stop vandals climbing onto the roof of a brand new structure, it emerged this week. Chard Town Council is making a second application for listed building consent to add anti-vandalism
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Steffan sorry he has to go
THE popular figure of Steffan Jones will be missing from the Somerset line up when the new cricket season gets under way 11 weeks tomorrow, because he will be playing for Northamptonshire (writes Richard Walsh). "I didn't want to go because I really love
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Minehead call up Bennett to face Westbury
MINEHEAD striker Gary Bennett, at a wedding last weekend, steps back into the reckoning for the Screwfix League's first division game at Westbury United tomorrow. Minehead's joint player-manager Charlie Lewis believes this will be one of the toughest
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Capaldi banned but Argyle confident
The Pilgrims will be without left-sided midfielder Tony Capaldi for their visit to Stockport County this Saturday. Paul Sturrock is likely to give another start to Ian Stonebridge, who the Scottish manager has now converted from a striker to a left winger
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Security being stepped up
PRIVATE security guards could be patrolling Watchet Marina this summer following the collapse of a campaign to get closed circuit television cameras in the town. Marina manager William Bowden told the County Gazette: "We are actively considering bringing
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Please make little Bradley smile...
WATCHET mum Natalie Howells is on tenterhooks today (Friday) as she waits to see if her toddler Bradley (pictured) can have an operation to make him to smile. She hasn't seen her 18-month old's grin since he was born, and this morning she sees her GP
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Road sign blunder put right
A MISTAKE on a new cast iron road sign on the Quantock Hills has been corrected thanks to eagle-eyed Somerset County Gazette readers. As we reported two weeks ago, rangers on the hills are installing new versions of the area's characteristic white road
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Pub plan gets go-ahead
QUEEN'S Hall in Minehead has been given the green light to be transformed into a family pub. Members of the Planning Committee at West Somerset District Council granted permission for the historic building on Warren Road to be restored and converted,
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Please make little Bradley smile...
WATCHET mum Natalie Howells is on tenterhooks today (Friday) as she waits to see if her toddler Bradley (pictured) can have an operation to make him to smile. She hasn't seen her 18-month old's grin since he was born, and this morning she sees her GP
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Football club's future on the line
THE future of Minehead Football Club is hanging on the outcome of a behind closed doors meeting next week. Prominent local businessman Barry Richards has offered Minehead Town Council a £10,000 'sweetener' in a bid to enable the council to take back the
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Lottery boost for outdoor activities
A COMMUNITY project promoting physical activities in rural Exmoor has just been handed £120,000 of National Lottery funds. And first on its wish list are sailing instructors. Active Exmoor has been given the money to spend during the next three years.
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Police travel to Greece over addict death
Police investigating the death of Devon-based heroin addict Rachel Whitear have interviewed a witness in Greece. The witness, one of the last people to see Rachel alive, gave two Wiltshire Police officers information about events prior to the 21-year-old's
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Your views on council budget
DEVON County Council have launched a major public consultation to help shape the new budget for vital services to over 700,000 people in the county. The biggest budget consultation undertaken by the council involves a survey of residents and an internet
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Pupil's generosity flying high
Warm-hearted pupils at an Exeter high school are raising money to allow students at their twin college in war-torn Bosnia to visit the city. And they have enlisted some powerful allies in their campaign including city MP Ben Bradshaw and the airline Air
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Shopkeepers abused by under 16s
A new survey has found that 98 per cent of shopkeepers in the South West have been approached by people wanting to buy cigarettes who were under the legal age of 16. Furthermore 83 per cent of local shopkeepers received abuse when they refused the purchase
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More clubs for the Screwfix Direct League?
WELLINGTON will be among the clubs discussing a proposed expansion of the Screwfix Direct Western League Premier Division at a special general meeting on Monday. The meeting, at Bridgwater Sports & Social Club, has been called to sound out feelings
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Can United extend winning run?
Torquay United will hope to extend their winning run to three games this Saturday when Macclesfield visit Plainmoor. Head coach Leroy Rosenior has little to worry about injury-wise, though goalkeeper Arjan van Heusden is still doubtful after missing the
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Devine a question mark?
Striker Sean Devine will have a late fitness test on a knee injury before City's away match against Dagenham and Redbridge this Saturday. Devine is massively influential for Eamonn Dolan's Grecians and will be missed if ruled out, especially as Steve
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Tax rise for second home owners
FIFTY per cent council tax discounts for second home owners in Taunton Deane are to be axed. Taunton Deane Council has decided those who own second homes will only be awarded a ten per cent discount from April. Until now second homes have attracted an
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New chairman of cancer care
GRAHAM Story is the new chairman of Somerset Cancer Care, which gives information and support to cancer patients, carers and relatives. "I'd like to raise awareness in the community of the help our highly trained and supportive volunteers provide, and
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Sport Minister to visit Wincanton school
Sport Minister, Richard Caborn MP, will be visiting King Arthur's School at Wincanton on Tuesday (Jan 27). Mr Caborn will be helping to officially open the new performance enhancement centre at the school which is a designated sports college.
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Teaming up for the big run
TWO Taunton Deane charities are teaming up and pulling on their running shoes for a major fundraising event. Taunton's Albemarle Centre, which is supported by the Somerset County Gazette, and Wellington-based charity SeeAbility are hosting the Great Wood
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Assemblies 'turn us off'
AN opinion poll shows residents in Somerset and the rest of the South-West are turned off by the idea of a regional assembly, Taunton MP Adrian Flook claimed this week. Mr Flook said: "I'm not surprised by this poll, which is a major blow to John Prescott
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No time to sit and cry. I had to beat killer disease
A MONKTON Heathfield pensioner told he was dying of cancer in 2000 has defied his doctors' opinion and found a cure with help from the internet. Eric Saffin, 75, prepared himself and his family for the worst after a specialist at Taunton's Musgrove Park
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County Hall makes £130m investment
SOMERSET County Council has agreed to £130million of capital investment over the next three years. Council deputy leader and finance boss Cllr Jill Shortland said: "Our plan is to invest at least £50million a year in the next two years and probably at
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Fewer people killed on roads
THE death toll on Somerset's roads fell last year to the lowest figure in five years. Eighty people lost their lives in 76 fatal accidents, Avon and Somerset police reported this week. Last year's fall reverses a trend which had seen a steady increase
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Hospital multi-storey on the way
TAUNTON'S Musgrove Park Hospital is set to have as many car parking slots as beds by the end of next year. A long-awaited multi-storey car park will provide space for 778 vehicles when it opens before Christmas 2005 -- and it won't cost the NHS a penny
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Pub landlord speaks outs
THE landlord of the Ring of Bells pub in Taunton has thanked family and friends for their support after a devastating fire tore through the building on Saturday night. Speaking exclusively to the County Gazette Darren Ferguson, aged 33, said he, his partner
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Carolyn's winning line in Nashville
CAROLYN Rickards has just returned from Nashville in America a world champion in line dancing. Carolyn, 56, from Broomfield, won first place in her Classic Linedance Silver Advanced Division, earning her the championship title. She had to complete five
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Shed find sparks live grenade alert
TAUNTON schoolboy Alexander Parmar sparked a major bomb alert when he discovered a live hand grenade while playing in his uncle's garden. The ten-year-old from Barr, near Bishop's Hull, discovered the live Second World War hand grenade hidden among some
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Germans in bid for Taunton firm
A COMPANY that employs about 250 people in the Taunton and Bridgwater area is in takeover talks with a German firm. Langdon Industries, at Walford Cross, is a leading temperature-controlled logistics provider with a fleet of 150 lorries. The firm has
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Hospital multi-storey on the way
TAUNTON'S Musgrove Park Hospital is set to have as many car parking slots as beds by the end of next year. A long-awaited multi-storey car park will provide space for 778 vehicles when it opens before Christmas 2005 -- and it won't cost the NHS a penny
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Shopkeepers abused by under 16s
A new survey has found that 98 per cent of shopkeepers in the South West have been approached by people wanting to buy cigarettes who were under the legal age of 16. Furthermore 83 per cent of local shopkeepers received abuse when they refused the purchase
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Support for wind power
WIND not waste seems to be the message from parents in the Burnham area who are in favour of proposed turbines at Hinkley Point. The Parents Concerned About Hinkley are keen to see the use of wind power rather than nuclear energy to produce electricity
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Shopkeepers abused by under 16s
A new survey has found that 98 per cent of shopkeepers in the South West have been approached by people wanting to buy cigarettes who were under the legal age of 16. Furthermore 83 per cent of local shopkeepers received abuse when they refused the purchase
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Crucial tie for the Blues
THIS weekend's home tie with leaders Cheddar is a potential championship decider for Ilminster Town Football Club. Player manager Darren Manley said: "It's a big game and the most important thing is that we don't lose. "They've dropped a few points lately
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Invite to Number 10
Martin Spragg of Exeter, manager of Devon's Youth Offending Services at Devon County Council, has been invited to Downing Street on 28 January to celebrate five years of the reformed Youth Justice System. Martin's team works with the police, health and
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Shopkeepers abused by under 16s
A new survey has found that 98 per cent of shopkeepers in the South West have been approached by people wanting to buy cigarettes who were under the legal age of 16. Furthermore 83 per cent of local shopkeepers received abuse when they refused the purchase
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Carnival's future looks bright
WELLINGTON Carnival's future is secure - thanks to the County Gazette. The paper is continuing the successful sponsorship of carnival events in Wellington for another four years. The deal includes support for the Street Fair, set for June 6, this year
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Soon be seeing you
WELLINGTON'S final eye in the sky is still due by the end of January. The CCTV globe on the corner of South Street has been empty for more than a year since the rest of the town's camera system went live. Lengthy negotiations between Taunton Deane Council
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Quieter motorway
RESURFACING work on the motorway south of Wellington begins on Monday. Replacing the M5's original concrete road surface between junctions 26 and 27 with bitumen is expected to take nine weeks and cost £3.2 million. As well as providing a smoother road
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Rugby club hopes for cash boost
WELLINGTON Rugby Club is hoping to score extra cash through changes to the way it is run. Club bosses and members are bidding for 'Community Amateur Sports Club' status. And the move will allow the club to take advantage of generous tax breaks and reduced
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Police hunt serial thief
POLICE in Wellington are appealing for help catching a thief following a five-day crime spree. They believe a series of six thefts from parked cars may have been committed by the same man, because of matching descriptions following two of the crimes.
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Doctor saddled up to retire
WIVELISCOMBE GP Dr John Rees formally retired on Friday. Dr Rees, 65, was presented with a bicycle by friends and colleagues at the town's Community Centre. Born and bred in Cardiff, he trained at Cambridge and St Thomas's Hospital, London, practising
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May Day to remember
PLANS for the Wellington Children's Festival are gathering pace. The Bank Holiday event on May 3 is being organised by Friends of Wellington Park and Wellington Toy Library. And special guests for the family fun day will be Mayor and Mayoress of Taunton
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Murder charges
WELLINGTON man David Robson is set for another court appearance on murder charges next Friday. Mr Robson is accused of killing Steve Bowden with a single gunshot to the head at the Sanford Arms pub in South Street, on the night of October 29, last year
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Parties split on parking charges
WELLINGTON Town Council is set to split over increases in car parking charges. LibDem council chairman Cllr Ross Henley is calling on his colleagues to back a motion objecting to rises of up to 60 per cent proposed by Conservative-controlled Taunton Deane
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SeeAbility pots £8,000 from Round Tablers
WELLINGT0N-based charity SeeAbility has snookered its way to £8,000. The cash was raised during Taunton Round Table's annual speaker evening, which featured Rev David Ireland of SeeAbility and snooker legend Willie Thorne. SeeAbility's South-West fund-raiser
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Torquay, Exeter and Plymouth previews
Torquay United will hope to extend their winning run to three games this Saturday when Macclesfield visit Plainmoor. Head coach Leroy Rosenior has little to worry about injury-wise, though goalkeeper Arjan van Heusden is still doubtful after missing the
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Set to sign
YEOVIL Town are expected to complete the £15,000 signing of Boston United's midfielder/striker Simon Weatherstone today (Friday).
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Andrew undergoes shoulder surgery
SOMERSET paceman Gareth Andrew, who finished second in the Somerset 2003 bowling averages, has undergone an operation on his shoulder. Coach Kevin Shine said this week: "This is a repetitive strain injury from bowling and throwing but it is nothing too
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Bryant moves to join Derbyshire
SOUTH African Jamie Bryant has quit Somerset to join Derbyshire on a two-year contract. Somerset freed Bryant to talk to other counties at the end of a season in which he scored only 483 runs in the Championship at an average of only 24.15. He began his
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Security guard plan to stop marina louts
PRIVATE security guards could be patrolling Watchet Marina this summer following the collapse of a campaign to get closed circuit television cameras in the town. Marina manager William Bowden told the Somerset County Gazette: "We are actively considering
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New hosts at historic inn
WELL-KNOWN historic watering hole -- the Ship Inn at Porlock Weir -- has new hosts. Harvey Allen and Lynette Davies have taken over the 16th century Ship, along with the Anchor hotel next door two days before Christmas -- and their feet have not touched
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Cold drinks go down well on hot trips
THANKS to a sweltering summer and a busy tourist season, West Somerset Railway caterers were left with a smile on their faces. On-train buffet services served up an amazing 38,889 cans, cartons and bottles of cold drinks, compared to 27,500 the previous
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MP slims down for good cause
WEST SOMERSET MP Ian Liddell-Grainger is aiming to become a shadow of his former self -- and raise much needed funds for local branches of the British Heart Foundation. He is avoiding sugar-loaded drinks and doughnuts in favour of mineral water and celery
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Shopkeepers abused by under 16s
A new survey has found that 98 per cent of shopkeepers in the South West have been approached by people wanting to buy cigarettes who were under the legal age of 16. Furthermore 83 per cent of local shopkeepers received abuse when they refused the purchase
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Early birds
ANNE Silverton, from Turley Down Farm, Ash Thomas, was amazed to see four newly-hatched chicks in her farmyard. It is thought that the birth of the chicks may have been bought on by the unusually mild winter. Anne said: "It's unheard of for hens to go
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Civil servants plan to strike
THE biggest civil service industrial action for 17 years could see thousands of workers from across the South-West go on strike causing massive disruption. Workers from Mid Devon, including Job Centre staff in Tiverton, are among tens of thousands of
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Work to make M5 less noisy
RESURFACING work on the motorway north of Tiverton begins on Monday (January 26). Replacing the M5's original concrete road surface between junctions 27 and 26 with a smooth bitumen surface is expected to take nine weeks and cost £3.2 million. As well
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Jenkins ruled out for next three weeks
WELLINGTON, who have failed in a bid to sign Chard Town striker Chris Luke, play at home to Calne Town in the Screwfix League's first division tomorrow. Wellington will be without centre-back Richard Jenkins, who is on holiday for the next three weeks
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Can United extend winning run?
Torquay United will hope to extend their winning run to three games this Saturday when Macclesfield visit Plainmoor. Head coach Leroy Rosenior has little to worry about injury-wise, though goalkeeper Arjan van Heusden is still doubtful after missing the
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Caroline murder: Trial date
A DATE has been set for the trial of a Spanish man accused of the rape and murder of Launceston schoolgirl Caroline Dickinson. Francisco Arce Montes, who was arrested in Florida, will appear in court in the French town of Rennes on June 2, the AFP news
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No time to sit and cry. I had to beat killer disease
A MONKTON Heathfield pensioner told he was dying of cancer in 2000 has defied his doctors' opinion and found a cure with help from the internet. Eric Saffin, 75, prepared himself and his family for the worst after a specialist at Taunton's Musgrove Park
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Pay strike threat in civil service
THE biggest civil service industrial action in 17 years threatens to see thousands of staff in the South-West go on strike and cause massive disruption next week. Workers in Taunton Deane, Wellington, West Somerset and Devon are among tens of thousands
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Penny pinching boosts Stop It campaign
THE Somerset County Gazette's 'Stop It Before It Starts' campaign has been given a boost thanks to generous fundraisers. The drug and health education campaign, which took to the road earlier this month, has received welcome cash from customers and staff
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Swimming coach jailed for indecent assault
A swimming coach from Wiltshire has been jailed for three-and-a-half-years after admitting striking up a sexual relationship with a teenage girl more than 30 years his junior. Married father-of-three Stephen Hartley, 48, spotted the talent of the girl
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Wrongly jailed mother attacks professor
A Wiltshire mother cleared of killing her babies has launched a scathing attack on the professor whose controversial expert medical witness helped jail her for murder. Angela Cannings, from Salisbury, says in a television interview that she has been '
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Doorman facing jail for night club attack
A nightclub bouncer from Gloucestershire is facing jail being found guilty of pushing his walkie-talkie into a student's face so hard it caused his eyeball to explode. Martin White, 26, of Thornbury, drove the walkie-talkie into the eye of a law student
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Carolyn's winning line in Nashville
CAROLYN Rickards has just returned from Nashville in America a world champion in line dancing. Carolyn, 56, from Broomfield, won first place in her Classic Linedance Silver Advanced Division, earning her the championship title. She had to complete five
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Take the plunge call
THE 17th Taunton Soroptimists' Swimathon is almost upon us and organisers are urging people to book lanes now before it's too late. The 2004 Swimathon has all the markings of a bumper charity fundraiser with a record number of teams having already booked
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Storm over parking fees
A ROW is brewing over huge rises in parking charges in the centre of Taunton. People who need to drive into the town centre to reach their place of work each day are set to have to fork out an extra £130 a year in car park tickets if the increases go
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No time to sit and cry. I had to beat killer disease
A MONKTON Heathfield pensioner told he was dying of cancer in 2000 has defied his doctors' opinion and found a cure with help from the internet. Eric Saffin, 75, prepared himself and his family for the worst after a specialist at Taunton's Musgrove Park
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Fresh start for families
A FREQUENTLY vandalised Taunton toilet block that attracted anti-social behaviour is to be bulldozed and replaced with a family centre. Leaders at Sure Start Taunton are set to move into the purpose-built facility in Lyngford Park, behind Priorswood Library
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No time to sit and cry. I had to beat killer disease
A MONKTON Heathfield pensioner told he was dying of cancer in 2000 has defied his doctors' opinion and found a cure with help from the internet. Eric Saffin, 75, prepared himself and his family for the worst after a specialist at Taunton's Musgrove Park
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Warmer homes for Plymouth
Plymouth City Council launched its Affordable Warmth Strategy at the Guildhall today. Linda Gilroy, MP for Plymouth Sutton, will help launch the strategy, which aims to improve energy efficiency in the home and ensure that everyone can afford to keep
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Freedom of speech in mortal danger
I HAVE for many years enjoyed the freedom to write and express my views. Sometimes they are accepted for publication, but even when they are not I cannot help feeling some relief at having removed a weight from my mind. I have always been aware that there
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Let's make hunts havoc history
IT is a scandal that yet more I have to read in the national, regional and local press that those who hunt with dogs have ridden roughshod over the rights of the majority who want to see an end to hunting with dogs. Among the latest shocking cases drawn
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Walker wants place to stay
THROUGH the Somerset County Gazette, may I ask if there are any kind souls who may be able to offer me accommodation for a night or two as I attempt to walk from Land's End to John O' Groats commencing April this year? My route is not fully defined and
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Want a real adventure?
FANCY being paid to take a month out of your normal daily routine for an exciting voyage on the high seas? A major peak time ITV reality documentary series is looking for outgoing and curious 18-35 year olds from all over the country to take part in an
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Peckham set for comeback at Redditch
CENTRE BACK Dale Peckham looks like playing his first full match for Taunton Town since breaking his leg at the end of last season. The former Brislington defender played in a friendly against Frome Town on Tuesday night and impressed manager Russell
