Archives
Below are our archives for May 2012. If you are looking for a different month, please use the date search box feature below. To browse please choose from last month or try the News, Sport, The Guide or Opinion archives for this month.
Ex-Reading MP tells Leveson he was a News of the World target
FORMER Reading West MP Martin Salter has given a statement to the Leveson Inquiry into press standards alleging he was targeted by the News of the World (NoW) in a way that "goes beyond what is acceptable".
Ufton Nervet train crash victim named
A MAN who was killed when his motor scooter collided with a train at a notorious level crossing has been named.
£59.6m Civic Centre move set for approval
READING Borough Council is set to approve a £59.6m move from the crumbling Civic Centre.
The Queen pays tribute to The Chronicle
THE Queen has paid tribute to The Chronicle as she prepares to mark her historic Diamond Jubilee.
Special school just £5,000 off fundraising target
A LEADING special school is just £5,000 away from the £127,000 it needs to build a state-of-the-art playground specifically designed to meet the complex needs of its pupils.
A MAN was killed when his motor scooter collided with a train at a level crossing this afternoon. British Transport Police were called to Ufton Nervet in West Berkshire at 1.10pm.
TWO people were taken to hospital this morning after a car smash on the motorway.
Motorcyclist airlifted to hospital after crash
A MOTORCYCLIST has been airlifted to hospital after crashing his bike on the A329M this morning.
School bursar denies fraud charges
A PRIMARY school bursar fiddled the books to the tune of more than £2,600 by making herself unauthorised payments, Reading Crown Court was told today.
Town gets ready to celebrate Diamond Jubilee
MORE than 40 Reading borough streets will be hosting parties in celebration of The Queen's Diamond Jubilee. The 42 parties will take place between Saturday, June 2, and Tuesday, June 5, with the biggest expected in Northumberland Avenue, Whitley.
Hunt for river towpath flasher
POLICE are hunting a man who exposed himself to two 11-year-old girls jogging along a riverbank.
Maestros to get £2m for kids' music
MUSIC education will be revolutionised in Berkshire thanks to a £2m cash injection. The Berkshire Maestro's charity led a bid backed by Reading, West Berkshire, Bracknell Forest, Wokingham, and the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead for Arts Council England funding aimed at creating national "hubs" for music education.
Carrying a torch for true values of Olympics
NICK Nicholls was just 22 when the letter arrived informing him he had been chosen to carry the iconic Olympic flame through Reading on August 1.
Town GPs to lead the way on reforms
FAMILY doctors in Reading are poised to be the first in the country allowed to take control of multimillion pound patient care budgets under the biggest NHS shake-up in generations.
FACING a room full of people is something that many would shy away from, but members of Reading Speakers' Club regularly stand up to face the crowd.
Head backs down on mini skirt ban
A SCHOOL has backed down on a uniform clampdown after furious parents complained when their daughters were excluded because their skirts were too short - just days before their first GCSE exam.
Woman taken to hospital after crash
A YOUNG woman was cut out of her car after it collided with another vehicle.
Olympic Torch bill is a 'good investment'
READING will be shelling out up to £70,000 when the Olympic Torch relay arrives. The outlay has been defended by business leaders, torchbearers and the borough's ruling Labour group.
Victory for disabled driver in clamping row
A DISABLED driver who staged a three-week stand-off by chaining his car to his garden fence claimed "victory for small people" after wheel clampers this week slashed his parking fine by more than half.
Teen killed in motorcycle crash
A TEENAGER from Thatcham has died after his motorcycle was involved in a crash with a car.
Tower of strength: A new 24-storey skyline landmark
PLANS for a new Thames Tower outside Reading Station have been unveiled. A public exhibition on the proposals is open today and tomorrow from 9.30am-8pm.
'It's an eyesore': Residents slam council for neglecting estate
ANGRY neighbours say they have been forgotten in the rush to complete the multi-million pound revamp of a run down estate.
Cafe closed after kitchen fire
A TOWN centre cafe remains closed today (Friday) after a fire tore through its kitchen last night.
Man arrested in stabbing probe
POLICE are quizzing a man in connection with a stabbing in a west Reading park last night (Thursday).
Firefighters rescue newborn calf from lock
FIREFIGHTERS reunited a newborn calf with its mother after it wandered into the Kennet and Avon Canal and got stuck.
Man escapes motorway car wreck
A MOTORIST escaped serious injury when his four-wheel-drive flipped over on the motorway today (Thursday).
Woman held at knife point by hooded burglars
A TERRIFIED woman was held at knife point in her own home by hooded thugs.
Police re-open A339 after elderly pedestrian hurt in crash
POLICE have reopened a busy dual carriageway in Newbury after an elderly pedestrian was struck by a car this morning (Thursday).
Students' work joins gallery masterpieces
CAVERSHAM youngsters' handiwork is taking pride of place alongside masterpiece's by Da Vinci, Rembrandt, Van Gogh and Hogarth at the National Gallery.
A CHARITY-run language course is helping Nepalese women who have settled in Reading to integrate with the community by teaching them how to read, write and speak English.
Saluting the town's good sports
FAMOUS faces from the town's sporting past helped unveil a new exhibition at Reading Museum.
ASPIRING artisans have less than a month to submit their work for this year's Reading Arts Week.
Unattended ironing sparks kitchen fire
FIREFIGHTERS are warning people to avoid storing items on top of their cookers after an oven blaze today (Wednesday).
Police hunt hit-and-run driver
POLICE are hunting a motorist who failed to stop after they were in collision with another car in Sindlesham.
Firefighters help locked out woman prevent kitchen blaze
FIREFIGHTERS had to break into a block of flats when a young woman locked herself out with the oven left on.
Residents must move after Woodley care home is axed
NEWS FLASH Wokingham Borough Council's executive decided tonight to shut Fosters residential care home in Woodley and transfer its residents - many of whom are suffering from dementia - to other homes.
Football club to donate cash to Alexander Devine appeal
BERKSHIRE charity Alexander Devine Children's Hospice Service is urging local sports teams to hold a fundraising event in 2012 and help raise £20,012 towards building a much needed hospice.
Robbers steal schoolgirl's bag
A SHOCKED schoolgirl needed hospital treatment when heartless robbers ambushed her and stole her school bag.
Man hurt after late night attack at taxi rank
POLICE are hunting witnesses who could hold vital clues into a late night assault at a Newbury taxi rank.
Firefighters rescue family from house fire
FIREFIGHTERS are warning people to make sure they have working smoke alarms after a family was rescued from a house fire today.
THE Royal Berkshire Hospital's chief nurse has resigned - the sixth member to quit its board of directors in five months.
Driver wins battle over bus lane
A MOTORIST is celebrating after overturning a fine dished out for driving in an infamous bus lane which raked in nearly £250,000 in just two years.
Derelict nursery gutted in blaze
AN UNUSED nursery school was gutted in a fire early this morning (Sunday).
Lions member has a clear vision for helping needy
A DEDICATED fundraiser has proved he has the Lions share by collecting 30,000 pairs of glasses for a charity campaign.
FURIOUS animal lovers have slammed a "money-making scheme" to tax them for keeping a pet. Shock proposals to impose the one-off £36 "pet tax" on apartment leaseholders at Kennet Island, south Reading, were announced in a letter last week from property bosses Hallmark Property Management.
Blue skies shine on today's Royal Windsor Horse Show
GLORIOUS sunshine greeted the thousands of visitors who flocked to see the UK's biggest outdoor equestrian show today.
Swimmer all set for tonight's Britain's Got Talent final
WINNERSH'S Jazmine Stansbury is competing in tonight's Britain's Got Talent final. Jazmine, 23, and her three teammates from synchronised swimming act Aquabatique, have been perfecting their new routine in the customized water tank outside the ITV programme's studio.
Motorists warned of delays during tomorrow's Woodley 10k
HUNDREDS of runners will pound the pavements in the Woodley 10K on Sunday. [13] The race, organised by the 1st Woodley Scout Group and sponsored by MCH
UPDATE: Horse show car parks open all weekend
CAR parks for the Royal Windsor Horse Show will be open as normal all weekend.
Motorbike destroyed in suspicious blaze
A MOTORBIKE was reduced to a 'molten' wreck in a suspected arson attack.
Sunday school teacher's killer murders again
A BRUTAL murderer who 25 years ago strangled a Reading Sunday school teacher after she befriended him as a pen pal, has been told he will die in jail after killing a second time.
Man and woman bailed on abandoned baby charge
A COUPLE charged with abandoning a baby girl on a priest's doorstep appeared in court today.
Take the plunge and vote for Jazmine
WINNERSH'S Britain's Got Talent finalist, Jazmine Stansbury, has spent the whole day training for tomorrow night's final.
Drought drags on but tougher restrictions are watered down
PLANS for a full blown drought order have been watered down after a month of record rainfall.
UPDATE: Horse show car parks re-open
CAR PARKS for Royal Windsor Horse Show were reopened this morning after torrential rain.turned them into a quagmire yesterday.
Woodley bus passengers warned of delays
BUS passengers in Woodley are being warned of possible delays on Sunday when the town hosts the annual 10K road race.
Baby Amelia: Couple in court today
A COUPLE have been charged with child abandonment following the discovery of baby Amelia on a priest's doorstep in Reading a week ago.
Synchronised swimmer plunges through to finals
A SYNCHRONISED swimmer has won a place in the live finals of Britain's Got Talent tomorrow.
UPDATE: Rain closes horse show car park
TORRENTIAL rain has forced organisers of Royal Windsor Horse Show to keep the main car park closed this evening.
Baby Amelia: Police quiz couple
POLICE investigating the discovery of baby Amelia on a priest's doorstep in Reading a week ago arrested two people last night.
Police hunt car key raiders and 'sentimental' snaps
RAIDERS grabbed a mobile phone, a laptop and a camera before helping themselves to a set of car keys and driving off in the victim's car.
Burglars raid Sonning Common house
BURGLARS raided a house in Sonning Common and stole jewellery including a gold wedding ring and an engagement ring.
Man who died in house fire named
A MAN who died in a blaze at his Midgham home has been named as David Woodley.
University to host Queen's Jubilee garden party
READING University's Henley Business School has been chosen as the venue for the Queen's three counties Diamond Jubilee garden party.
Car torched in late-night arson attack
POLICE are investigating a suspected arson attack in Whitley after a car was torched in the early hours of today.
Exclusive horse show ticket offer
DON'T forget to pick up the Chronicle tomorrow for an exclusive ticket offer for the Royal Windsor Horse Show.
Woman charged with attempted murder after house fire
A READING woman charged with attempted murder following a house fire in the early hours of yesterday has appeared in court.
A MUSCULAR thug snatched a teenager's wallet from his pocket as he walked along a footpath last night.
Election 'tussle' unacceptable
THE Liberal Democrats have promised an investigation after rival party supporters crossed swords at the election count.
AN HISTORIC mill has been given a new lease of life by its new tenants, who have vowed to rejuvenate it.
Flats evacuated after kitchen fire
A BLOCK of flats was evacuated following a small kitchen fire last night (Sunday).
Man jumps from burning building
A MAN jumped out of a burning building and was rushed to hospital early this morning. (Monday)
Mother and son escape cooker fire
A MOTHER and son escaped from a Whitley house today after a roast dinner triggered a kitchen fire.
Vaisakhi celebrations arrive in Reading
THOUSANDS of Sikhs transformed the town into a swirling sea of blue and orange today for the annual Vaisakhi parade.
Toddler rescued from locked car
A TODDLER was reunited wth his mum after being accidentally locked in a car in Earley today.
Mother called abandoned baby Amelia
A BABY girl abandoned on the doorstep of a priest's house in Reading is believed to be called Amelia.
A DEFIANT disabled driver has locked horns with a clamping company by staging an audacious stunt to stop them towing his car away.
Baby found abandoned on priest's doorstep
POLICE are appealing for help from the Polish community after a tiny baby girl was found abandoned on a priest's doorstep in Reading last night.
UPDATED - Conservatives hold but lose two seats
Votes have all been counted in Wokingham Borough Council election at Loddon Valley Leisure Centre. Conservatives have held their majority but lost two seats. Council is now made up of 43 Tories, 10 Lib Dems and 1 Independent.
Don't miss the Reading FC Souvenir special!
WERE you in the crowd for Sunday's Reading FC victory parade? Or at the Mad Stad? Then don't miss this week's Reading Chronicle Souvenir special. Loads of pix of fans - are you one of them? Keep this special souvenir of an amazing day packed with photos of the team and the crowds and interviews.
ARTISTS from across the county showcased their work at Reading's third Contemporary Art Fair.
Labour clear victors in borough elections
LABOUR walked away from last night's Reading Borough Council election count as the clear victors - winning overall control.
A MAN managed to escape a blaze which ripped through his Woodley home last night.
Blonde draws admiring glances at beer festival
A BEER called Blonde was named LocAle of the Festival at the 18th Reading Beer and Cider Festival last night.
LIVE - Reading Borough Council election results 2012
UPDATED: RESULT - LABOUR HAVE WON AN OVERALL MAJORITY
Reading goes to the polls for borough elections
POLLING Stations across the town will remain open until 10pm this evening - with The Chronicle revealing the results as they are announced live from the count.
Charity ride postponed due to weather
A CHARITY horse ride, which hoped to raise more than £60,000, has been cancelled due to bad weather.
TRAIN lines have re-opened following signalling problems this morning.
BERKSHIRE Media Group is giving readers the chance to snap up an exclusive offer for the Royal Windsor Horse Show.
Alok Sharma's Westminster Diary: May 3, 2012
THE CURRENT parliamentary session, which has been going since May 2010 and is one of the longest in recent times, has now come to an end.
Signal problems hit Reading trains
RAIL passengers are facing delays of up to one hour between Reading and Newbury this morning because of signal problems.
Power cut interrupts Bishop's pilgrimage
THE BISHOP of Reading's river pilgrimage was interrupted by a power cut today.
24 page Reading FC promotion supplement - FREE in this week's Chronicle.
DON'T miss your souvenir Reading FC promotion supplement which is FREE in this week's Chronicle.
Olympian summer effort needed by blood donors
BRITAIN'S summer of celebrations could cause a shortage of blood stocks and an appeal has gone out to new and regular donors to help increase supplies by 30%.
FROM 6pm today, a grassy field will be transformed into a hive of activity as the 18th Reading Beer and Cider Festival sets up camp. The five-day celebration at Kings Meadow will pay homage to 550 British real ales and more than 200 ciders and perries, as well as several other English tipples.
All Saints Junior School shut tomorrow
PARENTS are being warned that All Saints Junior School in west Reading is shut tomorrow.
Burglars stole TV and Playstation
BURGLARS who broke into a house stole a TV and PlayStation worth thousands of pounds.
THE ENVIRONMENT Agency issued flood warnings for rivers across Berkshire today as the torrential rain showed no sign of letting up.
