County's review of the year 2005

Stonehenge became the centre of attention on 21 June

Wiltshire's year began with the unusual and rather disturbing story of a 12- year-old girl who was caught driving a car, twice over drink-drive limit.

In February, as the new restrictions on hunting came into place, four men were arrested near Malmesbury, with four dogs and the carcass of a hare.

In June came the tragic story of Hayley Richards, 23, the Trowbridge woman who was found dead with her throat cut.

The next month, speed cameras on the M4 were credited with reducing crashes.

Bronze Age

In January, the joint funeral of Roy and Joan Clarke, who were stabbed to death in their Melksham home, took place.

The bodies of ex-policeman Mr Clarke, 70, and his 55-year-old wife were found at their Melksham home in Wiltshire in December 2004.

Their son Michael, 21, is to stand trial, charged with murder, in January 2006.

In February an ancient burial ground on a farm near Devizes became legally protected from "plough damage" by an agreement between the farmer and Defra.

The funeral of Roy and Joan Clarke took place in January

Bourton Manor Farm had no less than 28 scheduled monuments - many from the Bronze Age - considered to be of national importance.

The same month, the upholding of a legal challenge in the courts to a speed camera fine meant Wiltshire Police faced the possibility of paying back more than £1m in speed camera fines.

The move followed a court case where a woman caught speeding had her case dismissed by magistrates after she claimed there were no warning signs on the A303. To date, the issue remains unresolved.

In March, Alicia Hempleman-Adams, the teenage daughter of explorer David, announced her intention to be the youngest person to trek to the North Pole.

Two convoys

The 15-year-old Wiltshire-based youngster went on to complete the 200-mile round trip of Baffin Island in -50F temperatures.

Meanwhile, in warmer climes, champagne replaced cups of tea for elderly residents at a sheltered housing complex in Swindon, after they won £9.4m in a rollover lottery jackpot.

In April the organisers of an anti-speed camera demonstration along the M4 hailed the protest a success. Motorists travelled in two convoys at about 56mph across a 30-mile stretch of the motorway.

In May came the news that six of the 28 Great Bustards reintroduced to Britain after a 172-year absence were still alive in the wild.

The bird had not been seen in Britain since 1832

The orphaned birds from Russia had been released on to Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire, in September 2004. Since their re-introduction, illness killed some of the birds, while foxes accounted for the rest.

Also in May a handful of veterans involved in secret military research in Wiltshire in the 50s, were invited back to see around the laboratories.

Many claimed they were fooled into taking part in the sinister trials at Porton Down which later damaged their health.

The case of Ronald Maddison who died 52 years ago during secret nerve gas tests, became a cause celebre when a 2004 inquest ruled that he had been unlawfully killed.

English Heritage allowed public access to the 5,000-year-old Stonehenge stone circle for the 2005 summer solstice celebrations. Sunrise occurred at 0458BST on Tuesday, 21 June, on what was the longest day of the year.

Police investigating the killing of Hayley Richards flew back to Britain with in June, with Hugo Quintas who was arrested in the Basque region of Spain.

Ms Richard's 23-year-old former boyfriend is due to stand trial for her murder next February.

MP rescued

In July the controversial speed cameras on the M4 were credited with reducing the number of fatal crashes and making the motorway generally safer

The Wiltshire and Swindon Safety Camera Partnership claimed that in three months, traffic topping the 70mph limit had dropped from 55% to 36.28%.

Also that month Melksham's Bowerhill Estate - with 115 reports of anti-social behaviour in four months - fell under police special measures in a move to stop anti-social behaviour.

The dispersal order gave police new powers to stop anti-social groups meeting in the streets.

The Conservative MP James Gray tore tendons in his left leg

North Wiltshire MP James Gray praised the services of the Cornwall Air Ambulance when he was airlifted off a cliff top after injuring his leg in a fall in August.

The 51-year-old Conservative MP had been on holiday when he slipped on a footpath at Tregardock near Tintagel, rupturing tendons in his leg. Mr Gray was stretchered down the cliff and made a full recovery in hospital.

The latest digital technology came to the county when it became possible for motorists who had received penalty notices for speeding, to view evidence of their offence online.

Using a personal identification number, people were able to access photographs of their vehicle, site maps and camera calibration certificates.

In September more than 200 people joined a demonstration against plans to close Bradford-on-Avon community hospital and Swindon's former Deputy Mayor resigned over comments made about disabled children.

Dr Owen Lister, a retired GP, quit after using the word guillotine when discussing children requiring special care.

Also in September a judge at Southampton County Court ruled against Russell Gray, who claimed Marlborough College was trying to get rid of his son to boost its league tables.

Rhys Gray, 16, was expelled from the school earlier in 2005 after sitting his GCSEs. The court had earlier heard Rhys had a very poor disciplinary record at the £22,000-a-year school.

Public order

The following month the government was found guilty of breaching the human rights of a soldier who had been exposed to mustard gas testing at Porton Down, 40 years ago.

In November police were granted powers to deal with abusive, threatening or insulting behaviour in public on the streets of South Wiltshire and Kennett.

Anyone committing a public order offence would be dealt with immediately by being handed an £80 fine ticket, it was announced.

The Duchess of Cornwall made her first solo official visit to the county in the same month, touring three charities in Chippenham and Atworth including the Bobby Van Trust of which she is patron.

In December it was announced that speed reduction measures would be introduced in Swindon's Pinehurst area from next January.

The move came after 71 road-related injuries were recorded in the area since 2000.

A very Happy Christmas to all our readers.