Test Valley Short Mat Bowls Association held its final day competition last Friday at Wellow Village Hall. Forty-four members from Broughton, Landford, Wellow and Winterslow competed for the Waitrose Trophy in the Pot Luck Pairs Competition. In this unusual
The Romsey School Year 7 Netball team hosted the third U12 Netball Tournament at The Romsey School this week and nearly took home the Cup. Sixteen teams from fourteen different schools across the area played in a series of pool matches before entering
A SCHEME to encourage community spirit and security is being extended across the borough. Community wardens already patrol some areas of Basingstoke and Deane, but six new wardens are now being recruited so the scheme can cover more of north Hampshire
A NEW £1.4million respite care centre for children has finally been completed in Basingstoke. The new centre, called Firvale, has been built near Basingstoke hospital and replaces the old children's respite care homes at Erdesley House and The Long House
WHEN I was elected as Member of Parliament for Basingstoke, Reading University invited me to become a member of their governing body and last week was my first meeting in that role. Reading is one of the UK's leading research-led universities. Only a
AS campaigners apply for a judicial review to keep Andover's New Street Medical Centre open, Mid Hampshire PCT is pressing ahead with the closure plans on 31 March. Letters have been sent to all patients explaining why the practice is closing and what
THREE males were arrested on suspicion of torching a £15,000 powerboat mould on the Romsey Industrial Estate. Last Friday afternoon's arson attack also damaged the exterior of Hunton Powerboats premises. Police say the three male suspects were released
HOSPITAL bosses have delivered the best present they could give to Romsey's expectant mums - the reopening of the town's birth centre. Southampton University Hospitals Trust's director of midwifery, Karen Baker, reopened the Romsey Hospital-based birth
HAMPSHIRE police force will remain independent. Home Secretary Charles Clarke has decided not to merge Hampshire with other south-eastern police forces in a major shake-up of constabularies in England and Wales. The county's police chief, Paul Kernaghan
HAMPSHIRE road chiefs are slamming the brakes on motorists who speed through an accident blackspot on the A3057 near King's Somborne. Monday sees the introduction of 40mph speed limits at Lower Brook and Brook between King's Somborne and the Mottisfont
COUNCIL services in the Test Valley and in the rest of the country could be set for severe disruption on Tuesday when Local Government workers take part in a nationwide strike. The public service union UNISON has called the strike in protest at a Government
THE former Royal Navy ammunition depot at Dean Hill is set to be reopened for office, light industrial and warehousing purposes. It is in the process of being sold for an undisclosed sum, with contracts exchanged and completion due next month. As a result
TEMPERS flared during a debate to select Romsey's deputy mayor-elect. Former Romsey mayor Roger Shaw was furious when Liberal Democrat Mark Cooper's name was put forward at Tuesday's meeting of the town council. Livid Conservative member Mr Shaw claimed
NE OF Tony Blair's most senior legal advisers has backed the Daily Echo's battle to crack down on yobs in Southamp-ton. In an exclusive interview, Mike O'Brien, Labour's Solicitor General praised our "Stop the Yobs" campaign. Mr O'Brien said: "This is
A HAMPSHIRE policeman looking to help stop young troublemakers terrorising the local community has been forced to postpone his football coaching scheme because he is too busy dealing with their antisocial behaviour. PC Ken Venning of Romsey police went
MEMBERS of Southamp-ton's large Polish community are welcoming proposals to create thousands of new jobs for them in the UK. DIY giant B&Q has confirmed it is considering recruiting scores of painters and decorators from Poland. The firm is one of
A COOL-HEADED pair of paramedics who delivered a breech birth baby in their ambulance have received the warmest of thanks from the newborn's Andover parents. Tiny Calum Aylett was born two months early in the back of an ambulance while his mum Nina Thomson
MEET Appleshaw, Reden-ham and Clanville's very own Mr Entertainment - a man with grand plans to enliven the evenings of rural residents. Newly-retired Roger Bate-man has swapped the cosy familiarity of a career in IT for the alien art of entertainment
ANDOVER'S Shepherds Spring Junior School pupils transported Ireland to their school hall on Friday to celebrate St Patrick's Day. The school invited councillors and retired residents of Sandringham House, on King Arthur's Way estate for a lunch of roast
A FIRM based in Upper Clatford has developed a product which could resolve an age-old problem - children's undone shoelaces. The shoelace locker was designed by mother and teaching assistant Supen Taylor and uses a spring-loaded clip to hold the lace
A SECOND set of proposed modifications to the new local plan have been published for public consultation for the six weeks ending 5 May. Cllr Martin Hatley, Test Valley Borough Council deputy leader and portfolio holder for planning and transport, said
ANDOVER pension campaigners Bill and Sue Warman are disgusted by Tony Blair's rejection of a report calling on the Government to compensate 85,000 people who have lost all or part of their company pensions. The parliamentary ombudsman, Ann Abraham, made
RESIDENTS in Test Valley and Ludgershall are bracing themselves for the impact of a strike by local government workers on Tuesday over Government pension plans. Ludgershall residents could be hardest hit with Kennet District Council saying it will not
SAINTS boss George Burley is sweating over the fitness of goalkeeper Paul Smith. The keeper gave Saints a scare yesterday when he called in with a virus that forced him out of training. And Burley must now wait to see if Smith declares himself fit for
Broughton 8 Hamble Club Res 0 BROUGHTON striker Pete 'Pump' Edwards has had to take his fair share of ribbing lately - after all, he hadn't scored all season - but he put that right in fine style with a brace in Saturday's romp to victory over lowly Hamble
HAMPSHIRE riders recently attended a Cross Country training clinic at Hoplands Equestrian Centre, King's Somborne with Mary King, one of Britain's most inspirational 'Three Day Event' riders. Mary is a regular member of the British Team at European, World
Farnborough Nth End 3 Romsey Town 2 SATURDAY was one of those days for Romsey Town - they had to field a weakened side, the pitch and facilities were far from perfect, and a series of controversial decisions went against them, eventually leading to defeat
A PILOT plan to relieve parking mayhem in residential areas has moved an important step closer. A list of seven roads has been agreed by members of the environment overview committee at Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council after a row that has lasted
A ROYAL Navy mechanic from Basingstoke is using her artistic talent to benefit others around the world. Helen Sochon, from Chineham, joined the Navy as an operator mechanic and is responsible for helping to keep the Type 42 destroyer HMS Liverpool's super
COMMUTERS will find out in June how many trains will stop at Dean and Dunbridge stations when new timetables come into operation in December. New train operator, First Great Western, which takes over the franchise on April 1, says it has received 3,350
Michelmersh Silver Band has made an impressive start to its 120th year by moving one place higher up the national rankings. With a previous best of seventh in the second section following two first places in the third section among its achievements, it
TRADITIONAL music nights at the Netley Marsh Steam and Craft Show (July 21-23) have been switched off for this year - because of huge cost of licensing regulations. licensing fee is now £650 licensing fee, compared to £50 in the show's earlier years.
SAFETY railings are likely to be installed near the spot where a Romsey teenager was killed last month. Romsey's county, borough and town councillor Mark Cooper says he's been told a number of measures are to be taken to improve pedestrian safety at the
A SOUTHAMPTON yachtswoman had to endure horrific conditions as her boat was forced to sail on its side during her world record bid. Dee Caffari's attempt to sail around the world the wrong way nearly came to a disastrous end just 8,000 miles short of
THE Military Cross has been awarded to a Hampshire soldier involved in negotiating the controversial rescue of two Special Forces soldiers illegally arrested in Iraq. Lieutenant Colonel James Woodham of the Royal Anglian Regiment - now serving with the
LOCAL radio enthusiasts in Tidworth are celebrating after air-waves regulator Ofcom announced that two local stations are each to get a slot on the FM band. Garrison Radio, which has been broadcasting mainly to a military audience on 1287 medium wave,
ANDOVER police have been out on the town centre's streets to catch young truants. In their latest blitz on kids dodging school, the officers were joined by staff from Hampshire County Council's education department. A police spokesman said that during
A COACH company responsible for transporting hundreds of Andover schoolchildren is fighting a suspension which will ban its vehicles from the road for a month. Penton Mewsey-based Black & White Motorways Ltd had a 28 day suspension order slapped on
LUDGERSHALL butcher Allan Gardner has returned from a national food product evaluation in the Midlands with a clean sweep collecting seven gold awards with seven entries. Mr Gardner's latest triumph came at the Foodex product evaluation held at the NEC
A borough council miscalculation of the Andover special expenses levy means town residents in a standard Band D home will be charged 59p more in the next financial year. The charge covers the cost of services Test Valley Borough Council undertakes that
