Twenty-seven years ago Eric Slade had a collision with a car that left his right arm paralysed. He was certain his biking days were over, but, as he told Tony Long, life can be full of surprises... AFTER a collision with a car on January 25 1978 left
I HAD the privilege to meet the young and talented Pete Spalding during his break while working at Bridge Motorcycles in Southampton. Pete, pictured, is currently competing in Metabo British Superbike Cup, and after another podium finish is looking at
BRITISH teenage forward Mark Richardson will not be joining the Basingstoke Bison for the coming campaign. The Bracknell Bees player had agreed a deal with the Herd's general manager and head coach Mark Bernard, but was unable to sign a contract as he
HAMPSHIRE PGA won the annual Pinflag Golf Events Salver for the first time when they beat their amateur counterparts 6-4 at Blackmoor on Sunday. The crucial game turned out to be the very first one between Blackmoor professional Steve Clay and the Hampshire
EMMA WEEKS broke new ground for women golfers in Hampshire when she finished tied second in the Southwick Park Pro-Am. In a week when the ladies made the headlines for being allowed to try to qualify for the British Open, Weeks, from the Fleming Park
HAMPSHIRE'S leading professional golfers will be playing for one of the biggest cheques ever offered in the county when they contest The News Championship at Quindell on May 9. Portsmouth's evening newspaper is putting up £5,000 in a winner-takes-all
MARTIN Le Mesurier shot a final round of 70 to finish in a tie for 45th place in the Peugeot Challege at the El Prat Club near Barcelona. The Brokenhurst Manor clubman was playing his first Challenge Tour event of the season after losing his card for
LYMINGTON & New Milton's champagne title celebrations have fallen flat after they were dealt the bombshell news that they will not be promoted from the Sydenhams Wessex League. In a scenario spookily similar to Winchester City's predicament last season
EX-SAINT David Hughes is hoping to give Eastleigh a mammoth boost for the Ryman Premier Division play-offs. Specialists have advised him to call time on his playing career, but the 31-year-old midfielder wants to give it one last go and help push Eastleigh
HAMPSHIRE bid to avoid their first-ever defeat by a minor counties side when they travel to Shropshire in the first round of the C & G Trophy tomorrow. There have only been 11 occasions in the history of the 42-years of the competition when a Minor
HAMPSHIRE suffered a third successive one-day defeat to record their worst start to a National League campaign for five years. For the last three seasons Hampshire have won their opening one-day league game but a third successive defeat leaves them bottom
KAT Ellis (Debra Messing, Will and Grace) hires a male escort (Dermot Mulroney) to pose as her boyfriend at her sister's wedding. Her plan is an attempt to dupe her ex-fianc, who dumped her a couple of years previously.
THIS summer of the superfans will see the latest offering from George Lucas, Christian Bale's new version of Batman and the remake of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory run the gauntlet of public opinion on whether or not they've murdered
THOUSANDS of residents and workers in Basingstoke were hit by a power cut on the afternoon of Wednesday, April 27. A possible lightning strike to electricity cables meant 17,000 homes and businesses across the town were without power for 15 minutes from
EAGER Beaver Ben Dunkerley is the leader of his pack after collecting every badge possible - at just seven years old. Ben, who is a member of the Beaver Colony of Hatch Warren Scout Group, was honoured with a special presentation for all his achievements
Today's Principal Arrivals: Valmont Express, ro/ro, 1430, 201; Morning Noble, ro/ro, 2030, 43 Today's Principal Sailings: La Surprise, ro/ro, 1200, 105; Freya, cargo, 1700, 25; Legend of the Seas, passenger, 1700, 101; Trianon, vehicle carrier, 1700,
NEW Zealand's Prime Minister, Helen Clark, has opened CTC Aviation Group's latest new training facility - at Hamilton International Airport in New Zealand. The new centre is designed to deliver initial licence training for airline cadets. It will enable
A PUBLIC relations agency in Hampshire has come up with an innovative way of marketing itself on the move. Leepeckgreenfield is sponsoring a Southampton taxi which is literally spreading the word on the highways. Travelling thousands of miles a year in
NEW Zealand's Prime Minister, Helen Clark, has opened CTC Aviation Group's latest new training facility - at Hamilton International Airport in New Zealand. The new centre is designed to deliver initial licence training for airline cadets. It will enable
HAMPSHIRE commercial property solicitor Clare Huxtable ended a 14-year career in banking to achieve her dream of becoming a lawyer - but says the sacrifices were all worthwhile. Clare, who is the newest member of the commercial property department at
EX-SAINT David Hughes is hoping to give Eastleigh a mammoth boost for the Ryman Premier Division play-offs. Specialists have advised him to call time on his playing career, but the 31-year-old midfielder wants to give it one last go and help push Eastleigh
THE fate of a historic military building in Winchester has been decided after years of U-turns and debate. Planners at the city council have approved an application to convert the Royal Observer Corps (ROC) into four houses and build a further nine new
A GROUP of singers in Winchester recreated an old English tradition - singing in the May. Nothing unusual in that, particularly in the historic city. What was unusual was the location. The top of the cathedral tower. The organisers feared the weather
DEVELOPMENT for a new 500bhp version of the Range Rover Sport by a south of England specialist is well advanced. The most sporting of Land Rover's models has been treated to an entirely new look courtesy of Overfinch at Farnham. Aerodynamic bodystyling
PLANS for a £4m "superchurch" serving thousands of people in the Hythe area have been unveiled. Designed by an award-winning firm of architects, the Church of the Resurrection will be built on a hill overlooking Southampton Water if planning permission
A WATERSIDE school has been closed today because vandals smashed 48 windows. Staff and children arrived at Wildground Junior School, in Dibden Purlieu, this morning to find the building left devastated by a wrecking spree. Broken glass filled five of
A HAMPSHIRE community is in mourning after a respected father of five died after being involved in an acccident with a car. Michael Teague, 53, pictured right, was cycling to his home after enjoying a few drinks at a nearby pub when the collision occurred
JOHN Coughlan has been named by Hampshire County Council as its new director of children's services. The appointment, with an annual salary of £150,000, comes as a result of the Children Act 2004, which requires councils to co-ordinate and deliver all
HEALTH bosses have welcomed the decision of two Winchester pubs to go smoke-free. The Green Man, in Southgate Street, will completely ban lighting up on the premises from Sunday, May 1, following the example of The Old Vine, Great Minster Street, which
A WINCHESTER man, who has spent most of his years on the wrong side of the law, has been given a three-year anti-social behaviour order so he can clean up his act - or face prison. Marc Palmer, 24, was caught at the beginning of the year stealing a charity
PARKING problems have led council chiefs to see if a new home can be found for five charity minibuses. They are often left in a free car park outside the shopping parade in Priors Dean Road, Harestock, Winchester. The city council has given permission
DINERS enjoying a meal out in Southampton were evacuated from a newly opened restaurant near the city's Ocean Village after a derelict building next door caught fire in a suspected arson attack. Customers were led to safety from the basement of Canute's
IT was a birthday party fit for a queen when the world's most famous liner celebrated her 36th anniversary in Southampton yesterday. Cunard's Queen Elizabeth 2 has notched up yet another maritime milestone in her long career that began on May 2, 1969
A HAMPSHIRE community is in mourning after a respected father of five died after being involved in an acccident with a car. Michael Teague, 53, was cycling to his home after enjoying a few drinks at a nearby pub when the collision occurred in Fawley on
THE family of a 15-year-old epileptic schoolgirl who died while taking a bath hope her memory will live on in all those who knew her. Teenager Victoria Harvey's family said her bubbly personality and love of pop music, cookery, computers and art touched
STAFF and residents at Southampton's Salvation Army hostel fear they will be out of homes and jobs when the centre is refurbished. The centre was given a £4m cash boost by the government for much-needed work on the Mountbatten Centre in Oxford Street.
A GROUP of Southampton schoolchildren have produced a short film in a bid to help reduce the city's high teenage pregnancy rate. Entitled The Party After, the DVD tackles the links between alcohol, pregnancy and sexual health by looking at some of the
A SOUTHAMPTON church that was devastated during the Second World War will be the subject of a new exhibition in the city. The past, present and future of Holy Rood Church will be on display at the Museum of Archaeology, God's House Tower, from Friday.
JIM Dixon says he was disappointed with the way Basingstoke RFC ended their season with two big defeats, but feels his players deserve to be praised for their efforts over the course of the season. A 55-7 Hampshire Cup final loss to rivals Havant was
QUEEN of pop Rachel Stevens and former Spice Girl Mel C are the latest acts to be confirmed at this summer's Power in the Park music festival at Southampton Common on June 5. Portsmouth boy band Noises Next Door and singer-songwriter Ben Adam will also
HAVING left school at the age of 12, singer-songwriter Paddy Casey learned to make music on the streets of his hometown Dublin. Riding high on the success of his multi-platinun selling album Living, Casey swept into Portsmouth. A small but nonetheless
FRENCH playgroup: Chineham's original French language playgroup "L'cole Franaise" celebrated its 20th anniversary recently. This event was attended by the borough mayor, Cllr Gwen Richardson, and Freeman of the Borough Mrs Betty Holmes. Children aged
ELECTIONS: The community centre will be closed to normal activities on Thursday, as it will be a polling station for the general and county elections. Hatch Warren and Beggarwood is part of Basingstoke South West for the purpose of the county elections
THEY were making a bid to net the support of first-time voters - and Eastleigh's parliamentary candidates should get an inkling of how successful they were at least 24 hours ahead of Thursday's general election poll. Students at Eastleigh's Barton Peveril
WALKING for Health: On Thursdays, from 11am, at the Walled Garden car park, Down Grange, Pack Lane. The walk takes between 60 and 75 minutes. GARDEN festival: Is being held at Aldworth Science College on Saturday, May 7, from 1pm to 4pm. For more details
A NEW harbour board is being set up to oversee the running of one of the country's busiest recreational ports. Seven members will sit on the River Hamble Harbour Board and deal directly with issues affecting the thousands of yachtsmen and women using
HILTINGBURY Community Association has joined forces with reading development librarian Adam Say to set up readings groups and local history workshops through Chandler's Ford library. A drop-in session to establish what type of reading group local people
JUMBLE sale: The next one is on May 7, at 2pm, and is being run by the Andover Road Village Hall committee. There will be a raffle and a tombola and donations of jumble, bric-a-brac, raffle prizes or tombola items would be most welcome. Help is also required
CRAFT fair: Those of you who wish to get involved in the craft fair or display any craft, either for sale or display, at the Norden Community Festival on July 9, should contact Brian at the Hall for All on 01256 475844, or me on the number above. INITIATIVE
HORTICULTURAL extravaganza: On September 4, our annual horticultural event will be upon us. I mention it now because it is time to put down those seeds and plants for the best village show in north Hampshire. Why not get your kids to sow seeds for some
WALKING for Health: The scheme that has proved to be so successful in Basingstoke has been launched in Tadley. The walks will start from St Paul's Church, The Green, Tadley, at 1.30pm, and are non-competitive and free of charge. Walks will take place
SOS from Iris at Melrose Hall: Volunteers are needed for various activities. If you can help, please call 01256 420676. CHILDMINDERS: Are growing in numbers on Tuesdays. However, there is always room for more, from 9.30am to 11.30am, at Melrose Hall.
POTTY! Happy Faces children are growing Penny Potato at home in pots and buckets. When the potatoes are ready to harvest they will be returned to Happy Faces, where they will be counted and weighed. Funds raised will be used to buy shrubs and seeds which
MARATHON: Congratulations to John Ridout, who achieved his best-ever time in the Flora London Marathon, finishing in three hours and eight minutes. He raised more than £600 for Leukaemia Research. PHOENIX Club: Meets in the club room at 2.15pm on Wednesday
CALLEVA Tennis Club: Is looking for new members. It plays on the recently-resurfaced courts at Pamber Heath and Tadley Common. Call Ann on 0118 9813548 for a membership form, or go along for a free session of tennis at Pamber Heath courts on their Play
Sir.-As long-standing Winklebury residents, we're concerned to read in a political pamphlet, put through our door, that Winklebury Way will become a rat run if the Manydown development goes ahead. Judging by the increased traffic flow along Winklebury
Sir.-Regarding plans for New Road, I feel that constructing a multi-storey car park on the site of Castons and Southern Road car parks would be absolutely the wrong thing to do. All Saints Church is an attractive and symbolically-important old building
HARRY REDKNAPP has revealed how ace in the pack Peter Crouch has silenced his 'long ball' critics - both from the stands and within the Saints' playing squad! The former Pompey forward wasn't the most popular signing when Paul Sturrock brought him in
THE Folkworks' Fiddles on Fire national tour intends to set alight The Anvil when it blazes into Basingstoke. The audience will be amazed by the smouldering array of talent on show, selected from some of the world's finest folk musicians. Headlining are
AN ECONOMICS expert had an upbeat message on the global and UK economy to give to Basingstoke business leaders. Trevor Williams, head of group economic research for Lloyds TSB, spoke to an audience of about 100 people at a breakfast seminar at The ARK
LEES Farm Cottage stands in the heart of Hook village in half-an-acre of beautifully-landscaped and secluded gardens. A family home to Janice and Derek Childs since 1982, the listed 17th century home is now on the market through estate agents Charlton
THE Daytona name is the stuff of racing legend for Triumph Motorcycles and never used lightly. An evolution of the Daytona 600, a machine that's proved itself in both short circuit and real-roads riding, the Daytona 650 is a pure supersports machine.
HAMPSHIRE captain Kevin Weeks remarkably begins his 31st year in the county team when they open up their South East League campaign against Dorset at Liphook on Sunday. "I'm still waiting for a few more youngsters to come along and knock me out of it,
HAMPTWORTH are launching a new Ladies Masters Class on May 8 to introduce more women to golf. Club professional Katie Dawkins is running the six-week course, teaching basic golfing skills to get more women hitting balls and sinking putts. The course will
PORTSMOUTH manager Alain Perrin believes three of the club's out-of-contract players, Patrik Berger, Steve Stone and Shaka Hislop are "targets" of other clubs. All three will be asked this week whether they want to sign new deals to stay at Pompey next
DIMITRI MASCARENHAS will play his first one-day game of the season when struggling Hampshire visit Shropshire in the C & G Trophy tomorrow. Skipper Shane Warne brings the all-rounder back into the side as one of two changes to the side well beaten
A CRIMINAL (Ice Cube) is coerced by NSA Agent Gibbons (Samuel L Jackson) into becoming a field agent under their new xXx programme. Gibbons and his new agent go on a dangerous mission to track a military splinter group that is conspiring to overthrow
INSPIRED by real-life events, this is the acclaimed story of Samuel Bicke (Sean Penn), a failed salesman and ineffectual would-be assassin. Separated from his wife (Naomi Watts), he grows increasingly bitter and eventually attempts to kill the president
THOUSANDS of residents and workers in Basingstoke were hit by a power cut on the afternoon of Wednesday, April 27. A possible lightning strike to electricity cables meant 17,000 homes and businesses across the town were without power for 15 minutes from
A MAN has been jailed for three months after he attacked his fiance - an assault that he thought was so bad that he called emergency services in the belief he had killed her. Michael Elton, 52, was sentenced at Basingstoke magistrates court having previously
A ROYAL Air Force Gulf War hero who climbed into a female officer's bed after a champagne party has been cleared of a charge of indecently assaulting her as she slept. Flight Lieutenant Stuart Hague, a helicopter pilot at RAF Odiham, walked free from
DEVELOPERS are planning a prestige new £9m office building in Southampton city centre's thriving business district. Using one of the last remaining significant undeveloped sites in the city centre, a Coventry-based developer plans to erect a five-storey
THESE were the scenes as hundreds of top businessmen and women in the south took part in Queen Mary 2's first ever on-board conference. They tucked into a three-course silver service lunch at the Cunard liner's imposing Britannia Restaurant, with menu
A SOUTHAMPTON shopping centre and other properties in and around the city are set to make millions when they are sold at auction in London. UK auctioneers Allsop & Co is to offer the freehold interest in the properties for sale on May 19 as part of
LYMINGTON & New Milton's champagne title celebrations have fallen flat after they were dealt the bombshell news that they will not be promoted from the Sydenhams Wessex League. In a scenario spookily similar to Winchester City's predicament last season
SPARSHOLT College Countryside Day on May 14 is expected to attract more than 12,000 visitors. It gives the college the chance to show off the skills of its 1,400 full-time students in milking, shearing, animal handling, machinery operation, shooting,
MARQUIS, the UK's largest motor-home dealer network, will be holding an open weekend at its Hampshire branch this weekend. The specialist is located in Winchester Road at Lower Upham, between Bishop's Waltham and Marwell Zoo. The two-day festivities will
A COUPLE who lost their toddler to a severe form of meningitis are pleading for the urgent introduction of a simple vaccination which could have saved her life. Amy Corps and James Barstow buried 19-month-old Freya, their only child, on Tuesday, after
A FUNERAL director found himself at the centre of a legal row alleging that he had poached clients from a rival firm. Nigel Chamberlain, a respected undertaker known to hundreds of bereaved families in the Winchester area, was accused of a breach of contract
HOSPITAL staff in Winchester are worried about the number of attacks on them by patients and their families, according to a survey. The concern was highlighted in a nationwide survey of NHS staff, and it puts the Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS
WITNESSES are being urgently sought by police following an attack in which a 22-year-old woman said she was raped in a lay-by near Winchester. The attack, which happened between 2.30am and 3am on Monday, left the victim extremely distressed, said detectives
THINK bigger is the message from Winchester City Council on providing affordable homes. The authority's cabinet met to discuss a government paper on the subject, which asked for its comments. Westminster is proposing that affordable homes must be provided
YOBS caused thousands of pounds of damage to cars parked near Winchester Cathedral in an incident which police have described as "mindless". They want to hear from anyone who saw what went on in Little Minster Street and Symonds' Street on the night of
THE best way to secure the future of Winchester's Royal Hampshire County Hospital is to balance the books - and, according to health chief, Chris Evennett, this means sharing some services with Southampton University Hospital, closing wards, shedding
JOHN Coughlan has been named by Hampshire County Council as its new director of children's services. The appointment, with an annual salary of £150,000, comes as a result of the Children Act 2004, which requires councils to co-ordinate and deliver all
KING of the Jungle and TV and stage comedy star Joe Pasquale will bring his unique brand of madcap humour and familiar songs to The Mayflower in Southampton for one night only in September. Crowned King of the Jungle in the 2004 series of I'm a Celebrity
THERE'S plenty to kick-start children's imaginations this spring at the Salisbury Playhouse. The fun begins on Friday with Quicksilver's touching production of Teddy In His Rucksack. Accidentally separated from his father in the forest, Ivanko has to
MORE than 80,000 people have been helped by Southampton City Council's Gateway information service since it opened last year, according to city bosses. The "one-stop shop" service - based at the city's Civic Centre - is being hailed a success by bosses
QUEEN of pop Rachel Stevens and former Spice Girl Mel C are the latest acts to be confirmed at this summer's Power in the Park music festival at Southampton Common on June 5. Portsmouth boy band Noises Next Door and singer-songwriter Ben Adam will also
THEY did it. But now it's time for another SUPER result. Following a nail-biting 4-3 victory over Norwich, Saints are now preparing themselves for another crucial relegation battle. Harry's lads now face Crystal Palace in another tense survival match,
JIM Dixon says he was disappointed with the way Basingstoke RFC ended their season with two big defeats, but feels his players deserve to be praised for their efforts over the course of the season. A 55-7 Hampshire Cup final loss to rivals Havant was
LEADING with a string of steady new tracks from forthcoming album The Invisible Invasion, The Coral made a fresh and subtle start to the stage of the Portsmouth Pyramid Centre. The crowd - still damp from the downpour of the entry queue - had to wait
AN afternoon of nostalgia and reminiscence is on offer at the Regent Theatre in Christchurch, with We'll Gather Lilacs on Friday. The show, starring classically trained soprano Jayne May-Sysum, is a celebration of the British ability to keep chins up
A WOMAN was taken to hospital suffering from hypothermia after spending three hours trapped at an Isle of Wight beauty spot. Police with tracker dogs and the Solent Coastguard rescue helicopter were scrambled to find the missing woman after she fell and
THE ISLE of Wight's library service is looking for volunteers to help gather people's wartime stories as part of a nationwide BBC project called The People's War. The project aims to record the memories of people who lived through the Second World War
ABOUT 500 revellers turned out to celebrate the 60th anniversary of VE Day with a victory parade around a Hampshire village. A handful of early risers even made it to Wickham Square for the start of May Day celebrations when traditional dancers from Wickham
A DUEL in the sky by bi-planes was the highlight of May Day activities at Fareham's Fort Nelson. Visitors to the Royal Armouries were treated to amazing aerial acrobatics as staff at the fort recreated the feel of 1915. They could also meet British "Tommies
THE opening of a futuristic building at Gosport's Royal Navy Submarine Museum comes a step closer tomorrow when a "topping out" ceremony takes place. Shaped like a submarine, the John Fieldhouse Building will be completed this summer as part of a £3.1m
BAUGHURST parish annual assembly: Held last Thursday, at Heath End Hall, was well attended. The main reason for this was that the guest speaker was Richard Hague, from Hampshire County Council's highways department, who spoke about various roads in the
AGM: The Royal British Legion Club in Bramley will hold its AGM on Friday, May 6, at 8pm. All are welcome. This will be an opportunity for you to hear a report of the previous year's activities and what plans there are for the future. For more information
MALMESBURY Fields: The manager kindly invited me to an entertainments evening on April 21. I enjoyed meeting old friends. We were reminded of when we were young by a programme of music and singing from Al Lee and Ann Hunt. They had fine singing voices
PARISH council: The next meeting is on Tuesday, May 3, at 7.30pm, in the Millennium Village Hall. EVENTS: May is a busy month in the village with the following events for your diaries: On Saturday, May 14, St Leonard's quiz night is at the hall, at 7.30pm
WE'LL Meet Again: Arrangements for the 60th anniversary of VE Day are coming together. Leaflets will soon circulate the village giving timing of events, but Don't Sit Underneath the Apple Tree - join your neighbours for a picnic on the recreation ground
PACKED: The agenda was certainly packed at the recent annual parish meeting. Many of Ellisfield's electorate turned up to hear reports from, and ask questions of, representatives from the parish council, educational trust, church, village hall, horticultural
PILES of rubbish are still scarring land next to Eastleigh's Lakeside Country Park more than two weeks after travellers quit an illegal camp. Heaps of branches, foliage and tree trunks, plus plastics, old carpets, domestic refuse, waste food, broken electrical
HIGHLAND cattle: Unfortunately, the highland cattle due to join the New Forest ponies on Bartley Heath will have to wait until next year to settle in to their new home. On a recent check by Rachel Remnant it was found that there is lots more fencing that
SIXTEEN tons: Was the amount of scalpings shovelled and barrowed by the Parish Paths Group recently. The bridleway at Frobury is now very much improved and makes the path to Ecchinswell a much better walk. PHOTO club: Meets at the Village Club at 7.45pm
Sir.-We write with reference to the new Malls. In our opinion, Festival Place is for the younger and better off. Why not make The Malls more like a high street, with small shops - e.g. butcher's, grocer's, delicatessen and haberdasher? Also, it could
Sir.-Following the article "Chiefs hold fire over 999 control centre proposals" (The Monday Gazette, April 18), I would like to make the following comments. Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service is committed to improving its service delivery and resilience
Sir.-I write regarding the article "Rail authority resumes study into new station" (The Monday Gazette, April 18). Here we go again - yet another study into a new railway station at Chineham. I seem to remember other proposals for a similar railway station
IT was a birthday party fit for a queen when the world's most famous liner celebrated her 36th anniversary in Southampton yesterday. Cunard's Queen Elizabeth 2 has notched up yet another maritime milestone in her long career that began on May 2, 1969
PLANS to build a statue in honour of Saints legend Ted Bates have taken a big leap forward following a hugely successful fund raising dinner at St Mary's on Sunday. Organised by the Ted Bates Trust, the charity auction alone raised some £14,761 towards
BASINGSTOKE Town goalkeeper Scott Tarr has decided to hang up his gloves after being told by manager Ernie Howe that he was not going to be given a new contract when his current deal expires. The 33-year-old's two-year deal will soon reach its conclusion
A FIRM of consultants headquartered in Basingstoke is masterminding the creation of a new island development off the coast of Bahrain. Basing View-based Scott Wilson has won a masterplanning commission for the proposed Asdaf Islands project for Dala WLL
