A MAN whose name became synonymous with the Hampshire village in which he lived for more than 40 years has died at the age of 90. "Mr Bursledon" Bert Betts, - who threw himself wholeheartedly into the life and times of his adopted village - died in Southampton
THE wheels literally fell off when thieves attempted to steal a powerboat from Netley's boat compound in Beach Lane. Police said the 14ft white craft was hauled out of the compound by raiders - only for it to be abandoned in the lane when the axle of
It's the everyday things, now consigned to the past, which you quickly forget about former times in Southampton. Take the old Hants and Dorset buses that used to be a welcome and familiar sight on the roads in and around Southampton and a good bit of
Today's Principal Arrivals: MOL Promise, container, TBA, 207. Today's Principal Sailings: Sea Humber, general, 1200, 36S; Nedlloyd Africa, container, 1500, 204; Pride of Canterbury, ferry, 1500, No 7 Dry Dock; NYK Sirius, container, 1600, 207. Tomorrow's
TODAY we launch the search for this year's Gazette Basingstoke Bison Player of the Season. The winner will follow in the footsteps of Stephen Foster and last season's victor Matt Cot. This season has seen many great performances and now it is up to you
PROFESSIONAL boxer Jon Honney faces a step-up in class next month when he challenges for the vacant southern area light-welterweight title. The 27-year-old from Oakridge will share top-billing at York Hall, Bethnal Green on Wednesday, March 5 when he
INTEREST in Craig McAllister is hotting up after the Town striker impressed during his trial with Queens Park Rangers. Luton Town are the latest club to join the chase for his signature after their manager Joe Kinnear watched the 22-year-old in action
Time is running out for Trojans to save themselves from a return to Hampshire Division One - but they must turn around their wretched season in the final five fixtures in London Division Four South-West. Currently bottom of the table on points difference
Fareham Heathens could make their excellent season even better by toppling league leaders Farnborough tomorrow and opening up the Hampshire Division One title race again. A win for the Cams Alders side, who lost narrowly to the all-blues at the start
The victim of a vicious assault has spoken of his frustration over 'warped' police priorities and the growing threat of youth crime. John Chamberlain (54), a postman, of Colson Close, Winnall, suffered a broken nose, severe bruising and damage to his
A new exhibition of historical local photographs from 1903 is currently on display at Winchester's Guildhall Gallery. The photos are a small part of the 45,000 in the care of the city council's museum service. They are on display until February 16th and
Plans for an Early Years centre in Winchester moved nearer with an update on the scheme at a meeting of the special educational needs panel. Councillors made it clear they were eager for the planning application for Bereweeke Road, Winchester, to be submitted
The fate of a Winchester conservation group, which itself was facing extinction, is now more secure thanks to a sudden influx of new members. The Winchester and District WWF group which has been running for 40 years, was in danger of folding last year
Motorists are facing more roadworks in Winchester as a new telecoms cable is installed for the NHS Information Authority. It is moving from Romsey Road to larger premises next to the Guildhall in The Broadway. New communications cable is being laid to
City councillors have recommended changes to plans for a site at Salters Lane, Winchester, after listening to the views of residents. They complained that the height and the colours proposed for the new homes did not fit in with the surrounding countryside
Police are appealing for help to catch vandals who have made a Winchester church a regular target. The Revd Mike Gardner says he is fed up with arriving at St Luke's Church, Mildmay Street, Stanmore, and finding broken windows. In a series of attacks
Three new houses will be built in the heart of Owslebury, near Winchester, despite neighbours' traffic safety fears. Winchester planners backed the proposal for Main Road, next to a former shop. Neighbours expressed fears that the access through a former
Time is running out to prepare your entry in the Hampshire Chronicle Community Newsletter Awards. Parish magazines, school newsletters and learned journals are all welcome in the awards which seek to recognise the hard work of volunteers throughout the
A scheme intended to encourage owners of private student accommodation to register as accredited landlords has been approved by Winchester City Council's cabinet. The voluntary council accreditation scheme, which will also extend to cover landlords of
Hampshire residents are being invited to have their say on whether the South-East should have a regional assembly. Regional government already exists in Scotland, Wales and London. The soundings exercise will determine if referendums should be held to
All aboard for the road to Morocco... This time it's not Bob Hope and Bing Crosby taking the trip, but a student from Shawford, near Winchester. Pete Killingley (19) is trying to hitchhike to North Africa to raise money for charity. He is undertaking
Winchester planners defied their own officers to approve a plan to redevelop a workshop on the edge of Owslebury. They wanted councillors to refuse the proposal, by Acorn Doors, to demolish it and build a new one. They said it could set a precedent by
A skateboarding accident left Jonathan Lamb critically ill in Southampton General Hospital for three months. The Westgate School, Winchester, pupil was playing in Hacks Lane, Crawley, when it happened. Jonathan, who lives in Sparsholt, this week received
Top marks have been given to 18 Hampshire schools and colleges in the annual report from the Chief Inspector of Schools, David Bell. The report highlights places which had particularly successful Ofsted inspections and performed well in national tests
At a London ceremony, Edgar Feuchtwanger was honoured for his contribution to building academic links between Britain and Germany. He received the Officer's Cross of Germany's Order of Merit. It was a special moment to savour for Dr Feuchtwanger (78),
Local authorities are facing tough targets to improve their recycling performance. But each district and city council has different ways of helping householders do their bit for the environment. In Winchester, people are given two wheelie bins - a big
DENIS McGill, consultant physician emeritus to Winchester's Royal Hampshire County Hospital, died at his home on January 23rd, aged 77. He was educated at Minchenden School, Old Southgate and left at 17 to join the Fleet Air Arm as a sub-lieutenant observer
BUSINESSES and homeowners in the south have welcomed yesterday's cut in interest rates which puts rates at a 48-year low. The cut brings interest rates to 3.75 per cent, the lowest since February 1955, and is the first time the Bank of England has moved
Having taken Broadway and the West End by storm, Art has finally hit the road. It opened in London's West End back in 1996 and went on to win both the London Evening Standard and Olivier Award for Best Comedy. As one of the most successful plays on Broadway
Road was written in 1986 by Jim Cartwright, who is also credited with writing the hit Brit-flick starring Jane Horrocks and Michael Caine, Little Voice. A critique of social deprivation, Road has remained on school examination syllabuses since it was
OTHELLO is among those rare plays that features a handkerchief as one of its central plot devices. It's the seemingly innocent discovery of a mislaid hankie that prompts the jealous rage of the tragic title character - a noble warrior whose trusting nature
AN EASTLEIGH man bared all again today as he staged his latest naked protest. Steve Gough walked to Southampton Magistrates' Court in the nude causing raised eyebrows and shocked stares from passers-by and motorists using The Avenue, the main approach
CONCERNED Southampton youngsters raised £560.35 for African villagers after hearing of their battles to get fresh water. Ishaq and Nafeece Khan, aged 9 and 10, together with Jake and Amber Plumber, aged 9 and 6, organised a bring-and-buy sale after watching
COUNCIL tax bills in Southampton look set to rocket by nearly 19 per cent this year. The huge 18.89 per cent rise - one of the highest in the south - is revealed following new calculations by city finance chiefs. It would see council tax payers living
SOUTHAMPTON'S transport boss is today under pressure to resign over the city's roadworks chaos. Critics have called for Richard Williams to quit his post as thousands of Hampshire drivers suffer horrendous daily delays from road resurfacing and gas mains
HAMPSHIRE celebrities David Gower and Charlie Dimmock have revealed just how they see themselves, in a bid to raise money for charity. The cricketing legend and the gardening star have sketched self-portraits of themselves to go under the hammer at an
The nature of this event, almost a showcase, guarantees that you get the edited highlights from the above listed bands. Early dates in this tour have been well received with the bands apparently all up for it. With very different styles, an eclectic mix
The Warlocks, a substantial outfit from LA, claim to bring some danger back into rock 'n' roll in this, their first UK tour. Heavy on guitar and with two drummers, including Southampton boy Danny Hole, this promises to be one loud gig. The seven-piece
Winchester 5 - Southend 21 WINCHESTER'S winning streak shuddered to a halt on Saturday when an efficient Southend team won a convincing but not overwhelming victory at Nuns Road. Newly-promoted Southend have won most of their league matches to date, but
IAN MANCEY is hoping to continue his remarkable scoring record for Winchester City tomorrow (Sat 8th) at Burgess Hill Town to help them progress into the quarter-finals of the FA Vase. The 6ft 3in striker has scored 17 goals in his 14 games since signing
FIRMS threatened with job losses because of a major roadworks project have forced engineers to go back to the drawing board in a bid to protect their businesses. The busy A334 road was due to be closed for four months from April, spelling disaster for
ISLAND MP Andrew Turner has demanded assurances from the government that a former psychiatric hospital on the Isle of Wight is not going to be turned into a hostel for asylum seekers. Mr Turner tabled a question to Home Secretary David Blunkett this year
KEY greenfield sites across Fareham are being protected against development until after 2006 under new proposals by the council. A draft report into the phased release of potential housing sites in the borough has been drawn up which proposes using up
Kieron Jones, pictured, is all kitted out for an intriguing exhibition which opens this month at the Royal Armouries Museum, Fort Nelson, Fareham. The exhibition, entitled The Knight is Young: Princely Armours and Weapons of Childhood, is a fascinating
THE ISLAND'S Walking Festival which is due to take place in May this year is set to be the biggest ever staged. New for this year's festival is the Seven Hills Elite Challenge Walk which at 27 miles long and seven hours' duration is not for the faint-hearted
TWO cutting-edge firms on the Isle of Wight have been honoured at a national industry awards ceremony. RF Engines and Spinlock were honoured at the Department of Trade and Industry's (DTI) Smart Achievement and Micro Awards. The ceremony recognised firms
AN EASTLEIGH man bared all again today as he staged his latest naked protest. Steve Gough walked to Southampton Magistrates' Court in the nude causing raised eyebrows and shocked stares from passers-by and motorists using The Avenue, the main approach
THE first round of talks to decide on the exact number of jobs to be axed at a Chandler's Ford factory have begun. Together bosses at non-unionised Ocular Sciences and elected staff representatives will thrash out the details of who will get the chop.
FIRMS threatened with job losses because of a major roadworks project have forced engineers to go back to the drawing board in a bid to protect their businesses. The busy A334 road was due to be closed for four months from April, spelling disaster for
ANDREI Kanchelskis has left Saints and signed for Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal. The winger, who signed on a free transfer at the start of the season, has had his contract at Saints cancelled by mutual consent. Kanchelskis made just two brief appearances
Films showing in the Hampshire region until 13 February. 8 MILE (15): Eminem stars as a poor aspiring rapper who turns to music to try to gain some respect.- Odeon Cinema, Southampton; UGC, Ocean Village. ABOUT SCHMIDT (15): A retired insurance-risk calculator
It was a day of ups and downs for two Hampshire golfers in the ANZ Championship at the New South Wales Golf Club today. Richard Bland went up, Matt Blackey came down. Significantly, though, both eased comfortably through the halfway cut but Blackey fell
BASINGSTOKE'S first Rubbish Amnesty Day held in Buckskin has been declared a success. The event was organised by Kingfisher Housing Association in partnership with Basingstoke council. More than two large truck-loads of rubbish were taken away from the
With the London Division Two South title race realistically down to three contenders, Gosport & Fareham will look towards local rivals Portsmouth for a helping hand for the third time in successive weeks. Portsmouth travel to third-placed Tunbridge
With the Isle of Wight all but assured of the Hampshire Division 2 title, the race is on for the side to join them in Hampshire Division 1 next season - and Fawley are in pole position, despite their recent slip-ups. They can all but secure their return
Fleet Street's finest spent Tuesday camped out on Martin Bashir's Winchester doorstep, after his probing interview with Michael Jackson. The Peter Pan of pop has accused Mr Bashir and Granada TV, makers of the documentary, of a "gross distortion of the
Residents are being urged to protest over plans to slash £1m from Hampshire's library books budget over the next two years. The proposals come as part of a major shake-up. Library chiefs say the money saved will be spent on refurbishing some older branch
Hampshire's world-famous gardens and arboretum at Ampfield is under threat from housing and sports ground developers. A proposal to build 1,100 houses yards from one end of the Sir Harold Hillier Gardens and Arboretum is being considered by Test Valley
An independent health watchdog investigating Hampshire Ambulance for the first time has given a damning verdict on the service. The Commission for Health Improvement report, out today, is highly critical of the trust's poor working practices, adding that
A 52-year-old Winchester man will be running in the London Marathon for Hampshire Help the Aged because, he says, he's "not getting any younger". Len Burgin, from Goring Field, is an old hand at marathons - two years ago, he ran in the event, dressed
Students from King Alfred's College, Winchester, are working with women prisoners on a theatre project that will culminate in a public performance in April. The joint venture with West Hill, the women's annexe at the city jail in Romsey Road, is aimed
Before making a decision, Winchester planners are to visit a site where developers want to open artists' workshops. Mountheed Ltd wants to convert a classroom and stores at a former children's home near Alresford to be used by artists, architects, potters
A badly-needed village housing scheme has been backed by planners - but only after a struggle against their colleagues in the traffic department. City councillors and planners backed proposals for 10 homes for rent in Bridgets Lane, Martyr Worthy, as
Residents of Park Road, Winchester, are unhappy that the city's planners have given permission for a housing development. They argued that the extra traffic would lead to a more dangerous road. Councillors agreed that "Woodpeckers", a derelict house,
A new NHS dental surgery at Oliver's Battery, Winchester, is proving very popular. Residents are rushing to register for NHS dental care. Principal of the practice, Caroline Armitage, said: "We took 400 registrations on our first day and it was just so
Police are treating a blaze in a sports hall owned by Winchester College as arson. The building, in Beaufort Road, was severely damaged by the Friday evening outbreak and the bill is expected to run into thousands of pounds. Firefighters from Winchester
Offers to attend Oxford and Cambridge next September have been received by 40 students from Peter Symonds' College, Winchester. Principal, Neil Hopkins, said: "Of course we are proud of the achievements of all our students and Oxbridge entrance is only
An unusual scheme for two small houses in a Winchester suburb have been approved by planners. The city council supported Paul Bulkeley's scheme for two three-storey properties at the bottom of a garden in Fordington Avenue. Neighbour, Richard Silberrad
A campaign to make Winchester a Fairtrade city is being launched with a meeting at the United Church, Jewry Street, next Thursday. Organisers hope to secure the agreement of retailers and the city council. Already, it is possible to buy Fairtrade coffee
An innocuous Liberal-Democrat newsletter has caused a storm of protest among Winchester city centre residents. The Focus newsletter, circulated in St Michael ward, outlines plans to split the council's development control committee into three area committees-with
More than 100 people attended the fourth international lecture hosted by the Hampshire branch of the British Red Cross at Winchester College. Three society representatives spoke about the role of the organisation's humanitarian projects in Afghanistan
Star actors, Robert Powell and Liza Goddard, will be at the Theatre Royal, Winchester, on March 2nd for a fund-raising show. They will present Saints and Sinners, a look at life through the eyes of the truly good and the truly bad, with the help of lyrics
The many activities at Winchester Cathedral will be on view to the public at an open evening on Tuesday, February 11th. It will be the second year the local community can visit, meet staff and volunteers and get some idea of the work in which everyone
It was Benjamin Disraeli who said: "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damn lies and statistics." And recycling rates are no different. Hampshire County Council is now saying it recycled "around 21%" of all household rubbish last year but published
IT may be a load of old rubbish but waste disposal is a multi-million pound business. It cost £31m to dispose of Hampshire's growing mountain of household waste in 2001/2002. Most of it ended up in landfill but around 21% of household waste is recycled
Every fortnight residents in Romsey and Andover put out their garden rubbish for collection believing it will be composted. The council's website pledges: "Everything that is put into a recycling bin or bank will be recycled". But Test Valley Borough
A thanksgiving service for Nigel Robinson, who died suddenly, aged 55, took place at St Peter's Church, Bishop's Waltham. Born near Halifax, he attended Wycliff Mount Grammar School, before taking a civil engineering degree at Liverpool University and
A HUGE fundraising appeal at Romsey Hospital has finally reached its £1.3m target after a donation in memory of the town's tragic MP Michael Colvin. For the past five years health bosses have been working tirelessly to raise cash for a series of major
LYMINGTON'S long-awaited new hospital has taken a much-needed step forward with new moves to find a financial backer for the estimated £36m scheme. The New Forest Primary Care Trust (NFPCT) today placed its formal advertisement in the Official Journal
THE deck shoes are dancing to a different tune in the New Forest town of Lymington today - Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? For the yachting mecca has found itself thrust into the national spotlight for another reason - its bounty of millionaires. It would
Holidaymakers who jet off from Southampton International Airport will now be able to add Malta to their list of destinations. Tour operator Chevron Air Holidays, a Malta specialist for more than 20 years, is to operate a service throughout the summer
Forest Arts has been given the accolade of being the first venue for TV comedian, Harry Hill's new national tour. He will be playing 45 venues before ending up in London in April. A doctor before entering the comedy world, Harry's image has changed little
IF YOU'RE single and called Brenda, Southampton's Nuffield Theatre is the place to be this weekend - if you fancy your chances with a womanising redneck jailbird, that is. Otis Lee Crenshaw - aka American comedian Rich Hall - has a taste for women called
It took a while, but in today's multi-cultural society finally there are comedians from minority backgrounds on the comedy circuit getting the exposure they deserve. Multi-award winning Iranian comedian Omid Djalili enjoyed a sell-out tour last year and
AN ANGRY young man comes to Winchester on Monday with a play described as "a milestone in the history of theatre". John Osborne's classic Look Back in Anger is Chesil Theatre's opening production of the spring season. This was the first play written by
HAMPSHIRE fire chiefs are urging the public to be more responsible after a huge drop in the number of calls during the recent strikes. Safety-conscious residents in the county heeded warnings to avoid risks during the industrial action when Royal Navy
THOUSANDS of extra wheelie bins could line the streets of Southampton if new recycling plans get the go-ahead. If the kerbside recycling scheme is approved by the city council Cabinet, 13,000 homes will have another bin for recyclable waste from October
SHOPPERS looked on in horror when a woman was killed following a collision with a tipper-truck on a busy Southampton street yesterday morning. The middle-aged woman was around the pedestrian crossing in Portswood Road at about 11am when she was struck
HAMPSHIRE environment chiefs are preparing to make a crucial bid for funding to save one of the county's historic waterways. The Itchen Navigation that runs from Winchester, through Eastleigh to Southampton is suffering neglect. This winter highwater
THE perilous state of Hampshire Ambulance Services NHS Trust has today been laid bare in a report by the Commission for Health Improvement (CHI). Low morale, poor working conditions and even putting lives at risk are just some of the points highlighted
RESIDENTS of a Southampton housing estate today celebrated the award of a huge cash grant. Children and adults in Sholing were overjoyed to be given nearly £60,000 by the Children's Fund and the NSPCC. The money will go to create after-school activities
Feeder are a band who have well and truly been through the mill before finally now getting the recognition they deserve. Their fourth album Comfort In Sound was praised for its sound and songwriting by the upper echelons of the music press and went gold
In the early 90s the Stereo MCs exploded on to the international music scene with Elevate My Mind and their album Connected. Childhood friends Rob Birch and Nick Hallam formed the band back in 1986. They created the UK independent hip hop label Gee Street
CAMPAIGNERS will hold a vigil outside Haslar Immigration Removal Centre today exactly a week after a Ukrainian asylum seeker was found hanged. Members of Haslar Visitors' Group and the Portsmouth Campaign to Defend Asylum Seekers will congregate outside
Hundreds of angry Isle of Wight residents turned out this week to protest against talk of moving accident & emergency and maternity services from St Mary's Hospital to the mainland. Residents were determined to show a united front against the plans
RESTAURANTS on the Isle of Wight are being warned to keep it clean after the owner of a top eaterie in Yarmouth was forced to pay out more than £9,000 for having a dirty kitchen. The case was heard at the Island magistrates' court, where food safety officers
THE ISLE of Wight is to claw back millions of pounds from the government to help offset threatened huge increases in council tax over the next few years. Members of the ruling Island First group and the Conservative opposition were celebrating this week
PUBLIC transport on the Isle of Wight is to get a government cash boost of nearly half a million pounds, it has been revealed. Delighted council transport bosses are celebrating this week following the news that £426,000- worth of rural transport grant
AN Isle of Wight footballer's first goal for 15 years meant it was sausages and chips all round. When 53-year-old Terry Crow looked up from 40-yards out and saw the 'keeper off his line he took aim and fired. To his amazement it went in and earned Rookley
TOURISM chiefs on the Isle of Wight are calling for accommodation suppliers to get in touch following a boom in bookings. Self-catering houses and cottages are proving particularly popular for summer breaks. Sally Richardson, call centre and distribution
THE new acting tourism chief on the Isle of Wight is preparing herself for a series of key projects which she has taken charge of during her six-month role. Rita Williams will be in charge of moving forward a tourism development plan and reviewing the
A MOTHER-of-two was told that her children were not at risk of developing a rare adult condition after an inquest found her husband died from Sudden Adult Death Syndrome. Coroner Grahame Short heard how Paul Daniels, of Malcolm Road, Chandler's Ford,
NOT many of Saints first-team could take a stroll through WestQuay shopping centre without being recognised. But then, there are not too many players in the Premiership like Paul Telfer. He remains the antithesis of the image of a millionaire footballer
IF YOU ever wondered where the British middle classes' love affair with Provence started, look no further than this film. Undoubtedly the most successful French film of the 1980s, this sun-drenched adaptation of Marcel Pagnol's novel of the same name
