IT WAS two points dropped for Romsey, who finished Saturday's match at Whitchurch with ten men after a real battle, writes Greg Boughton. Whitchurch, with new manager Jason Nash in charge for only his second match, had plenty to prove and Romsey boss
TOBY Redwood may have left Winchester City under a bit of a cloud, but his new club, AFC Totton, can't speak highly enough about him. The central defender was branded a "liability" by Winchester director of football David Malone for his poor disciplinary
BASHLEY player-boss Steve Riley wonders if Pete Smith's move to Winchester City will enhance his prospects of a professional break with AFC Bournemouth. Riley spoke to the 20-year-old left wing-back earlier this week after hearing he wanted away from
TWO days of "hair-brained" fun are being planned for Basingstoke by hospice fundraisers. People of all ages are being invited to sport zany and outrageous hairstyles as part of the Bad Hair Day event in aid of St Michael's Hospice. Back-combed barnets
CITIZENS' Advice Bureau is warning people to beware of the unscrupulous sales tactics used by gyms to get people to sign up for club membership. Many people join gyms as one of their New Year resolutions, but when they decide to cancel their membership
HAVANT have set themselves a 50 point safety target to remain in National Three South - and hope to take a step closer to that magic number when they travel to Ding Crusaders tomorrow. The Blue and Whites sit seventh in the division on 35 points and were
Hampshire's Paul Hogan produced a fantastic fightback on the Lakeside stage last night but did not quite have enough in the tank to halt Holland's new kid on the block. Hogan battled from 4-1 down in sets to level at 4-4 before losing his touch, and the
ROMSEY'S MP is remaining tight-lipped about who she's supporting in the Lib Dem party leadership battle. Sandra Gidley was one of 11 Liberal Democrats who signed a letter questioning Charles Kennedy's ability to continue at the top. Mr Kennedy publicly
A NEW year has begun, and The Romsey Advertiser is gearing up to bring you even more news and features in the coming 12 months. This week sees the introduction of a new-look leisure and lifestyle guide. 7 days replaces Section 3, but will contain many
AN up-market home furnishings shop is set to close its doors on Romsey's town centre at the end of the month with a blunt message to the local authorities that the town has become too expensive. Age of Elegance operated successfully in the Market Place
MEMBERS of Southampton University Players are putting on their most ambitious project ever at the city's Nuffield theatre next week. Lark Rise to Candleford sees chairman Margaret Sargeant return to the venue exactly 30 years and 15 plays after her directing
THIS is the gunman who brought terror to a Hampshire fast food restaurant when he brandished a handgun and ordered staff to open the safe. Detectives have released images of the raider who stormed into the McDonald's restaurant in Tollbar Way, Hedge End
TWO newly-trained Polish radio presenters are to join Southampton's first community station. Szymon Gradek and Alina Sawina, pictured, will host Dobry Wieczo'r Southampton, which means Good Evening Southampton, on Sunday from 6pm-8pm and every third Sunday
IT IS the end of an era for Power FM listeners. One half of the station's popular breakfast show team is leaving Hampshire next month after five years. Saints and Hampshire cricket fan Rachel Brookes has been dragging herself out of bed at 4.30am each
A HAMPSHIRE coroner is demanding state-of-the-art road signs to warn drivers of the dangers at one of the county's worst bottlenecks. Keith Wiseman made the call after hearing how a teenager died when the car he was travelling in was hit from behind in
HEALTH chiefs have unveiled plans to ease the desperate shortage of NHS dentists in the New Forest area - but where they are is being kept secret. New Forest Primary Care Trust is refusing to reveal the location of the surgeries in case they are besieged
COMMUNITY safety bosses on the Isle of Wight Council have handed out grants totalling £1,000 to residents' groups starting up Neighbourhood Watch schemes. The cash will pay for up to 40 of the £25 signs which indicate that an area is part of the Neighbour-hood
PLANS to achieve Fairtrade status for Andover will be taken forward by Test Valley Borough Council working with interested groups. A council meeting in Romsey decided to carry out further investigations into the likely costs associated with pursuing Fairtrade
HOT tips Bedouin Soundclash play the Wedgewood Rooms in Southsea on Sunday night. Their sound is best described as blurring the lines of reggae and rock. The three-piece group was conceived three years ago at university in the US and went on to record
SONGSTRESS Eddi Reader and her band are at the Anvil in Basingstoke tomorrow night. This powerful show from the Scottish singer-songwriter includes a string orchestra. Best known for her short-lived but warmly remembered part in Fairground Attraction,
YOUNG Ludgershall people are being offered the chance to take part in a new theatre project on their doorstep which will ultimately result in a piece of work showcased in Salisbury Arts Centre. During the 12 sessions youngsters, aged 13 to 21, will devise
STUDENTS at a Hampshire college are soaring to new heights in training with a special course launched in their very own airline cabin. Youngsters from Fareham College wanting to become cabin crew are able to experience just what it's like to serve customers
FAREHAM residents can now access online advice about steps to take in the event of severe winter weather. A detailed fact sheet, gathering information from government and utility services, is now available at Fareham Borough Council's new customer service
Nigel Quashie has indicated Saints MUST match his ambition for the club in the transfer window if he is to stay in the long term. The skipper has refused to hide, despite media speculation over his future. Indeed, only this week it was revealed he and
A MAN goes to war. Afterwards he comes home and he sees that whatever he does with his life, he will always remain a Jarhead... We are still in a desert." Based on Anthony Swofford's memoirs as a Marine on active service during the Gulf War, Jarhead is
Breakfast On Pluto is a colourful adaptation of Patrick McCabe's hallucinogenic novel. Cillian Murphy is a revelation as Patrick 'Kitten' Braden, a cheery and quick-witted young man growing up in 70s Ireland, who discovers a penchant for dressing as a
Set during 20 years of Japan's turbulent history, Memoirs Of A Geisha is a luxuriously dressed and choreographed romantic epic. Disappointingly, the central love story never smoulders let alone catches fire. Zhang Ziyi, who first caught our attention
ROMSEY put up a great fight before going down to the league leaders at the Sports Centre last Saturday. Despite the loss, this was probably their best performance of the season to date. Many would have been forgiven for thinking this would be a stroll
Stockbridge 2 Petersfield Town 0 DRAWS for leading pair Locks Heath and Liss saw Stocks close the gap at the top of the table to six points after this creditable win over hard-working Petersfield. The visitors matched their hosts for much of the first
CHRIS Collinge reckons the remainder of January will be make-or-break time for Brockenhurst. With a home match against fellow strugglers Alton Town coming up tomorrow and a date with rock-bottom Portland looming in a fortnight's time, Brock's assistant
Salisbury City will be taking no risks with top scorer Matt Tubbs for tomorrow's big FA Trophy second round tie at Canvey Island. The 21-goal hotshot is champing at the bit to start playing again after fracturing a bone in his foot but, with the Southern
WOULD-BE residents are set to get a boost after Basingstoke housing association Kingfisher formed a new partnership with Winchester-based HVHS Housing Group. The new organisation will be known as Wessex Housing Partnership Ltd and bosses claim that savings
BASINGSTOKE has a growing reputation for being a centre of excellence for the arts in Hampshire. Our family school holiday treat was a visit to one of the places that has been an important part of building that reputation over the years, the Haymarket
BASINGSTOKE'S Gang Show is back for 2006 with a largely-new cast and six new members of the production team. The cast of about 80 eight to 25-year-olds, drawn from the borough's thriving Scout and Guide groups, including Cubs and Explorers, promise to
A LOCAL ambulance service has produced evidence that the late night opening of pubs over the New Year led to a dramatic increase in call outs - largely the result of intoxicated callers. Wiltshire Ambulance Service's control centre handled four times
DEFENCE firm QinetiQ, which employs hundreds of people in Hampshire, is to be controversially sold off by the government next month. Defence Secretary John Reid confirmed that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) was selling its controlling stake in the biggest
SCORES of full-time staff at one of the top holiday centres in the south have been given an annual bumper bonus of £300 each for a record year. The employees, ranging from receptionists and directors to housekeepers and gardeners, share an equal slice
Boxing champion Colin Kenna needs a sponsor in his bid to become British heavyweight champion. Southampton's adopted Irish son defends his Southern Area title for the first time in March against London's up-and-coming dangerman Micky Steeds. And Kenna's
A ROMSEY mum is spending as much of January as she can doing people's ironing to raise money for the top London hospital which helped her daughter. Jane Kaill's daughter Emily was suddenly struck by serious liver problems and was taken to the specialist
PEOPLE waiting for ambulances to arrive in Awbridge could soon have additional help and guidance while the emergency vehicle is on its way. Moves are well under way to set up a First Responders' group for the village and a meeting will be held at the
CAMPAIGNERS fighting to save a threatened rail service must have one united voice based on sensible arguments, not emotion. That was the message given to a packed public meeting last Wednesday night (January 4) designed to let the people of Chandler's
ROMSEY'S White Horse Hotel has been banned from selling alcoholic drinks while borough licensing bosses' review the hostelry's suitability to dispense liquor. It follows an incident on New Year's Eve when Romsey's police chief closed the public bar because
Aldi has decided that the public can have unlimited use of its car park in Romsey during the evenings. Since the store opened last year there has been a two-hour maximum stay at all times. "As part of an ongoing review of its car park management systems
MORE than £100,000 worth of lottery money has been made available to the organisations which help good causes in the Test Valley. Test Valley community services has been awarded a grant of £102,270 over three years from The Big Lottery. That will enable
A FRESH battle is erupting over plans for a new car park on the edge of Winchester. The county council has applied to convert a disused highways depot into a car park for 254 cars to be used by its own staff for up to five years. The new parking is needed
RESIDENTS in a village near Winchester are celebrating after proposals for six homes were thrown out by planners. Two years ago Winchester City Council approved plans to build three new homes on land adjacent to Chillandham Cross, a detached property
CAMPAIGNERS have won their battle for a pedestrian crossing on a notoriously busy road where a Hampshire pensioner was killed a year ago today. Council highways chiefs have unveiled plans to improve safety for pedestrians on the A326 at Dibden Purlieu
A HAMPSHIRE church is hoping to regain the top of its spire after securing a £173,000 grant to restore the historic building. The 150-year-old St John the Apostle Church, in Main Road, Marchwood, needs repairs to its stonework which is riddled with decay
OSCAR nominee Susannah York treads the stage at the Haymarket Theatre in Basingtoke on Thursday in the stage adaptation of Rosamunde Pilcher's engrossing best-seller, Shell Seekers. Susannah, the most sought after actress of her generation, starred in
TWO of Britain's best known pint pullers are back behind the bar - in Southampton. Anita Dobson and Roy Barraclough are currently starring in Santa Claus the Musical at the city's Mayflower theatre. But they are better known for running soap pubs as Angie
A ROMSEY-based gardener is preparing for a blooming marvellous 2006. Sarah Eberle has secured a place at the Chelsea Flower Show with her design for an environmentally sensitive garden. Sarah, 49, faced stiff competition from top designers around the
CHARITY workers are urging people to double up their good intentions by taking more exercise and raising money for a worthy cause. The AAIR charity, which supports pioneering research at the University of Southampton, is holding a 60-mile sponsored trek
VITAL services which help alcoholics and their families deal with the problem are set to end in Andover in a matter of weeks - at a time when the nation's alcohol problems have been spiralling out of control. The Dale Trust, which counsels and supports
A TRULY uplifting event shook Overton residents out of a post New Year's Eve slumber whilst securing £450 for a village hall refurbishment. The fundraising venture got 2006 off to a heady start with the release of 390 yellow balloons from Overton Recreation
METAL fans are in for a treat this week as the Kerrang! XXV Tour hits Southampton. The magazine that brought the world Guns 'n' Roses, Metallica and Marilyn Manson to name but a few, is going out on the road to celebrate its 25th birthday. The organiers
MORE than 60 people watched MP Sir George Young perform the official opening of Willow Court Nursing Home in Andover. Willow Court is one of 10 state-of-the-art nursing homes to be built by Hampshire County Council in partnership with the NHS. The two-storey
PSY Trance band Mindzai are the highlight of a week of gigs at the Railway in Winchester. The group describe themselves as an organisation which aims to spread its positive vibration as far as possible. Tickets from the box office on 01962 867795.
RACERS of all ages raised more than £1,500 for charity in the 19th Stockbridge Cross Country Fun Run. Despite poor weather and damp conditions 245 people turned up to compete in the event on Sunday. They ran, walked, or cycled on one of two different
ROMSEY MP San-dra Gidley has said she may not back any of the candidates vying to become the new Liberal Democrat leader. As the leadership contest gets into gear, Mrs Gidley said she is reserving her judgement until she has spoken to all the contenders
A WHITCHURCH man has played a key role in persuading the Govern-ment to grant official recognition to a group of sailors who risked life and limb sailing on the Russian convoys during the Second World War. For 60 years HM Government refused to provide
TOP jazz man Alan Beechley brings his Bright Stars of Jazz to the Concorde Club in Eastleigh on Wednesday. Members tickets £10, non-members £13. Box office: 023 8061 3989.
A FRAUD-fighting Stockbridge man has a trip to Buckingham Palace pencilled in for 2006 after being awarded the Companion of the Bath in the Queen's New Year Honours. Mike Eland was given the honour for leading Britain's battle against smuggling and revenue
Ladysmith Black Mambazo perform a rare one-off concert at the Lighthouse in Poole on May 7 as part of a rare UK tour. Headed by founder and composer, Joseph Shabalala, Ladysmith Black Mambazo are Africa's biggest selling recording group, having won two
PARENTS have been urged to stop their children using mini-motorbikes in public places after the driver of a 26 ton lorry said that he nearly 'creamed' riders on two separate occasions. Steve Miles, who is also a district councillor, told Ludgershall parish
AN Andover flasher exposed himself to a 12-year-old girl in a Cricketers Way alleyway on Friday. The girl, said to be shaken by the incident, was walking between Larwood Square and Lock Square when the 5ft 7ins tall man approached her between 3.30pm and
A PATIENT at the New Street practice has launched a campaign to save the surgery and plans to hold a public meeting in a bid to keep it open. Mrs Debbie Cattell, of Colenze Drive, Andover, has been registered at the practice - with her husband and daughter
George Burley has denied he made a move for Hearts midfielder Paul Hartley but confirmed he is looking to strengthen his Saints squad in the transfer window. Burley was linked with an £800,000 raid for his former charge Hartley but Saints' head coach
THERE has already been a great response to The Gazette Sports Awards bid for nominations, but to make sure no one misses out, the deadline has now been extended to the end of January. So make sure your heroes of sport are not overlooked, and don't delay
1.KING KONG (12a): Peter Jackson's remake of the 1933 classic is overlong but is still a hugely entertaining, big budget spectacular with truly extraordinary special effects. 2. MARCH OF THE PENGUINS (U): March Of The Penguins is an enchanting documentary
