Friday 31st August

One in three vehicles breaking the law - Police revealed last night that when they stopped buses, coaches and limousines on the M40 as part of a spot check earlier this week, 34 per cent were breaking the law in one form or another. Two vehicles were not allowed to carry on until repairs were carried out.

Beds crisis - A survey yesterday showed that at Wycombe and Stoke Mandeville hospitals scores of elderly people are taking up beds when they should not really be in hospital. In total seven per cent of beds that should be used for patients with acute problems are being taken up by elderly people who cannot be found places in nursing homes or care centres and have no-where else to go.

Blues in market again - Wycombe Wanderers are putting together a bid for former England under-21 international Marlon Broomes. The 23 year old central defender has failed to find a regular place in Blackburn's first team and is said to be looking for a move.

Thursday 30th August

Psychic help - A psychic medium has revealed how she received a message from murder victim Jackie Poole telling her the name of her killer. Medium Christine Holohan scrawled the name "Pokie" during a "beyond the grave" session, but at the time - 18 years ago - it meant nothing to anyone This week Anthony Ruark was sentenced to life imprisonment for killing Miss Poole, who worked as a barmaid in Chesham, after new DNA evidence was unveiled - and now it has became known that Pokie was his nickname.

Shopping survey - Local shopping centres, with the notable exception of Beaconsfield, have fared well in a survey of their potential by retail analysts Business Strategies. Wycombe has come 76th best in the country (up 25 from last year), with Maidenhead 127th (up eight), and Aylesbury 139th(up 36). Other local shopping centres are Marlow (324, up one), Henley (332 up 21), Amersham (418 up 18), Chesham ( 470 up 4), Thame (489 up 24), and Gerrards Cross (551 up 21). However Beaconsfield has dropped a staggering 183 places to 520th, it is thought mainly because of increase shop rents.

Tory split - Aylesbury MP David Lidington is being threatened with the sack because he is backing Tory Party leadership contender Ken Clarke. Local activist Michael Shrimpton wants the MP deselected and says there are "no circumstances" in which he will work for Mr Lidington.

Wednesday 29th August

Life for barmaid killer - Plasterer Anthony Ruark, 41, begins a life sentence today for a murder he committed 18 years ago. Ruark, who had moved to Cheltenham, had denied murdering Chesham barmaid Jacqueline Poole in 1983, but an Old Bailey jury accepted new DNA evidence which showed fragments of his skin under the dead girls' fingernails.

New dog theft warning - Police last night renewed their appeal to owners of expensive dogs to keep on special alert following a fresh attack by professional dog thieves in the area. Three greyhounds were stolen yesterday from a kennel near Henley. Earlier this month pedigree dogs, believed to be stolen "to order", were snatched from kennels in Bourne End and Beaconsfield

Flying Finn - Justus Vajanne, a 24 year old striker from the Finnish club Atalantis will turn out for Wycombe Wanderers reserves today at the start of a trial with the club. Manager Lawrie Sanchez has made the job of finding an effective new striker his number one priority.

Tuesday 28th August

Murder verdict 18 years later - An Old Bailey jury is expected to decide today whether a man is guilty of murdering a Chesham barmaid 18 years ago. Anthony Ruark, who was a plasterer in Uxbridge at the time Jaqueline Poole was stangled in 1883, has denied the charge even though police have brought new DNA evidence against him.

Student gains A level after four hours study - Seventeen year old Alex Hobbs, of Goring, has backed claims that A level standards are falling after gaining a C grade in business studies after taking just four hours of private tuition. Meanwhile examining boards yesterday apologised to some students at Wycombe's John Hampden School after admitting it got the marking wrong in some GCSE history papers.

Victory for Blues - A last minute desperate jab at goal from Wycombe defender Paul McCarthy secured Wycombe Wanderers all three points in yesterday's 1-0 defeat of QPR at Adams Park. Later boss Lawrie Sanchex said he was pleased with a four point haul over the bank holiday. "I had expected us to beat Blackpool and draw with QPR, but I'm happy with the four points whichever way round they come," he said.

Monday 27th August

Festival rape hunt - Hundreds of people at Reading Festival were being questioned by police as they left the event last night after a 16 year old girl was raped in a tent in the small hours of yesterday. The girl was attacked in a tent in the designated area of the festival by two men.

Driver questioned after fan hurt - A Blackpool football supporter is being questioned by police following an incident outside Blackpool's Bloomfield Road ground on Saturday when a Wycombe fan was hit by a car. He was treated for a suspected broken knee cap. Wycombe drew the game 2-2 after pulling back a two goal deficit.

Luke signs up - Wycombe golfer Luke Donald looks set for millionaire status after signing up with the Mark McCormack sports agency - the top notch group that looks after the business affairs of Tiger Wood and Colin Montgomerie. Luke, 23, who went professional last week is regarded as a potential hot property in the USA.

Sunday 26th August

Bottling out - Express Diaries has announced it is to close the factory that makes traditional glass milkbottles for the Wycombe area, leading to speculation that the doorstep bottle will be replaced by plastic cartons in the coming months. The bottle making factory in Hillingdon has been operating for 40 years, and 80 jobs will be lost.

Boy tied up - Police are hunting three youths who stole a 16 year old boy's bike and then tied him to a tree in a Chesham wood. The lad was only released after a younger boy discovered him an hour later. Paramedics were called to treat him for shock.

Festival ends - Eminem rounds off the Reading Festival tonight with hefty support from Marilyn Manson, The Strokes and Queen of the Stone Age.

Saturday 25th August

Bottling out - Express Diaries has announced it is to close the factory that makes traditional glass milkbottles for the Wycombe area, leading to speculation that the doorstep bottle will be replaced by plastic cartons in the coming months. The bottle making factory in Hillingdon has been operating for 40 years, and 80 jobs will be lost.

Boy tied up - Police are hunting three youths who stole a 16 year old boy's bike and then tied him to a tree in a Chesham wood. The lad was only released after a younger boy discovered him an hour later. Paramedics were called to treat him for shock.

Festival ends - Eminem rounds off the Reading Festival tonight with hefty support from Marilyn Manson, The Strokes and Queen of the Stone Age.

Friday 24th August

Beaconsfield lay-by murder : man charged - A 33 year old man was remanded in custody in west London's Horseferry Magistrates Court yesterday charged with the murder of Sinehead Healey, 26, whose remains were discovered in a lay-by in Beaconsfield in March. Kenny Lynch, of Margarvine Road, Fulham made a two minute apperance charged with murdering Sinehead, who disappeared from her West Kensington home in October last year.

High tech fraud crackdown - Police and shopkeepers in Wycombe Chiltern Shopping Centre are keeping their fingers crossed that shoppers will co-operate with a new drive against credit card fraud starting today. Customers will be asked to leave a thumbprint when paying by card which the shops say will only be handed onto police if the card proves fraudulent. If customers refuse to leave a print - or provide other forms of identification - the stores could refuse to serve them.

Festival starts - Travis, Green Day and PJ Harvey are the opening acts at Reading's three day festival today, which is being billed as the biggest festival in Britain following the demise of Gladstonebury. Police are standing by for thousands of fans.

Thursday 23rd August

Concern over missing Jayne - Police said last night they were now "very concerned" for the whereabouts of a 15 year old girl missing for over a month. Jayne Smith left her parents house in Aylesbury on July 15 and hasn't been seen since. It is believed she is in the High Wycombe area but searches over the past six weeks have been fruitless. Jayne speaks with a Midlands accent.

Exam standby - Local schools are confident their pupils will have performed better than most in the rest of the country when GCSE results are announced today. Hundreds of youngsters are returning to school this morning to pick up their results personally.

Jason tests - Wycombe Wanderers captain Jason Cousins will learn today if he is to be out of the game for some weeks. Jason, who is in his testimonial year, left the pitch on Tuesday night after being hit in a face during a clash with a Bristol Rovers player. There are fears he could have depressed a cheekbone.

Wednesday 22nd August

Life for GBH - A Wycombe man was sentenced to the maximum sentence for grievous bodily harm - life imprisonment - at Aylesbury Crown Court yesterday after he nearly beat a man to death with a scaffold pole. Dwayne Sandy, 22, of Hillary Road beat up Aaron Chandiran during an argument in Desborough Road a year ago, the court heard.

Rowers too expensive, let's have the Queen - Councillors have decided against asking hero rowers Sir Steve Redgrave and Matthew Pinsent to open Thame's new swimming pool next year because at a fee of £15,000 and £7,500 respectively they are too expensive. Now the Queen is to be asked instead.

Dumped - Wycombe Wanderers were dumped out of the Worthington Cup in the first round last night by Gerry Francis's sprightly Bristol Rovers side, 1-0.

Tuesday 21st August

Masked knifeman attacks woman - A 20 year old woman fought off a masked attacker with a knife by struggling and screaming at the top of her voice. Policed have launched a major hunt after the attack in Glebe Road, Chalfont St Peter just before 1am on Sunday. The woman, who was treated in hospital for a cut hand and shock, had just parted from her female friend and was walking a short distance home.

Canal closed - The Environment Agency closed part of the Grand Union Canal near Aylesbury while their officers attempted to eradicate a botulism bacteria which has killed hundreds and fish and around 50 ducks in the last few weeks. They treated the water by increasing the oxygen content to kill off the bacteria, which does not affect humans.

West country revenge - Wycombe's footballers will try to strike back against the West Country on behalf of Wycombe's cricketers tonight. The Wanderers will be looking to knock Bristol Rovers out of the Worthington Cup in revenge for Bath's three wicket defeat of High Wycombe CC in the semi final of the National Club Knock out Competition on Sunday.

Monday 20th August

Election nears - As thousands of ballot papers are sent out today to members of the Conservative Party, leadership contender Ken Clark is spending much of the day in Bucks hoping to win support in the county with the largest number of paid up party members. He speaks tonight in Aylesbury.

Masts anger - Conservation groups are to lobby local councillors to curtail the number of mobile phone masts after a flood of applications - 15 new masts or extensions to current ones have been proposed in the past week or so. However the phone companies say the masts are needed because phone reception is not good in the High Wycombe area.

Fitness tests - Wycombe Wanderers defenders Paul McCarthy and Mark Rogers will undergo fitness tests today after they picked up injuries in Saturday's 5-2 win against Wrexham. Manager Lawrie Sanchez hopes they will be able to play in tomorrow night's Worthington Cup first round match against Bristol Rovers.

Sunday 19th August

Embers shines - Wycombe's Paul Emblem made a memorable return to first team football after nearly two years of injury yesterday by scoring in the Blues' 5-2 trounching of Wrexham. Emblem, who broke an ankle and then ten minutes into a return match damaged a cruicate ligament, was praised by boss Lawrie Sanchez who said "People give up football with those problems but he's been strong all the way through." Other Blues goals came from Dannie Bullman, Michael Simpson, Paul McCarthy and Steve Brown.

Fingers crossed - High Wycombe Cricket Club have another chance for glory today when they take on Bath in the semi final of the National Club competition - the biggest game in club's history. They are keeping fingers crossed that the weather will not prevent play as it did last week.

Carried away - Tesco's Amesham store is to carry out a national pilot scheme enabling customers to recycle carrier bags after a survey found that the average Tesco customer does not like throwing bags away and has around 40 empty ones in their home.

Saturday 18th August

No to Big Mac - Councillors are set to refuse McDonalds permission to build their first drive-thru restaurant in High Wycombe, it emerged yesterday. Planning officers will tell a meeting next week that a drive-thru on the site of a derelict pub in Loudwater will be too noisy for neighbouring residents. But supporters will say the council has a downer on take-away restaurants - there are no drive-thrus anywhere in Wycombe although there are plenty in neighbouring areas, and town centre take-aways are surrounded by prohibitive parking restrictions.

Here we go - Wycombe Wanderers play their first match of the new season at Adams Park today with a new increased capacity away stand, a new pitch - it is a yard less wide to help our defenders - and a new striker, Darren Currie, making his debut. They are also up against the league's tallest player, Wrexham's 6ft 7in midfielder Dennis Lawrence.

Bowling home - Wycombe Cricket Club's ace bowler Tim Scriven is breaking a family holiday in France to fly home tonight at the club's expense. Tim is wanted for the postponed National Knockout Cup semi-final against Bath tomorrow and then he will fly back to join his wife and three children in Biarritz on Monday.

Friday 17th August

Into the lion's den - Ebullient Tory leadership contender Ken Clarke comes to High Wycombe today to make his first big speech since the holiday "truce" with rival Iain Duncan Smith. But he will get a cool reception from Wycombe MP Paul Goodman, who told the Tory newspaper the Daily Telegraph that he supports Duncan Smith. Yesterday neighbouring Beaconsfield MP Dominic Grieve joined in, telling the paper that Duncan Smith would not be "bogged down by rows over Europe."

A level successes - Wycombe area schools followed the national trend yesterday, many reporting record A level passes. Both grammar schools and upper schools said they were delighted by the trend and rubbished reports that the exams were getting easier.

Defender says no - Hibs midfielder Martin McIntosh turned down a chance to join Wycombe Wanderers on loan last night after his Scottish club agreed to let him come here. Instead he has made himself available to Rotherham. Meantime, former Arsenal trainee Lee Canonville, 20, has joined the Blues on trial.

Thursday 16th August

Cameras claw in cash - Although additional speed cameras have raked in more than two million pounds locally in the last year, they have made no difference at all to the number of people killed or injured in the areas where the cameras are, according to figures released yesterday. However Thames Valley Police, who cover the Wycombe area, say they are going ahead with plans to increase cameras and deny it is simply a money-making exercise.

Animal killer strikes - Police are finding out if there are links between another family pet killing yesterday and an earlier similar incident. The latest victim was a rabbit in a back garden in Forgetts Road, Lane End which had its neck broken by an intruder. Earlier a rabbit and a guinea pig were strangled in their hutch in a garden in Totteridge Road, High Wycombe

Beeb discovers Wycombe - After years of ignoring High Wycombe - the biggest conurbation in England without a BBC local radio station - the Beeb's Three Counties station, based at Luton, has announced that for the first time it is going to have reports from every Wycombe Wanderers game this season.

Wednesday 15th August

Live shells at school - Bomb squad officers defused three live artillery shells found in the grounds of a Wycombe primary school yesterday. The shells were discovered by workmen digging up the drive at Cedars First School in Hazlemere during the school holiday. The area, which was used as an army camp in the second world war, was sealed off while bomb squad officers from London made the shells safe.

Pets strangled - Police are hunting a sadist who strangled a family's pet rabbit and guinea pig. The animals were killed in their hutch at seven o'clock in the morning after the intruder sneaked into a garden in Totteridge Road, High Wycombe. Police are searching for a motive.

Holiday tragedy - Six year old Marcus Warren died in a Cambridge hospital yesterday three days after being involved in a car crash which claimed the life of his father. Andrew Warren, 37, his wife Nicolette and other son Michael, 8, from Hyde Heath, Amersham, were on their way to a holiday in Norfok when they were involved in a head-on smash by RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk. Mrs Warren and Michael were also injured.

Tuesday 14th August

Glorious finale for Luke - High Wycombe golfer Luke Donald produced a sensational end to his amateur career yesterday when he played a key part in Britain and Ireland's victory over the USA in the Walker Cup. Luke, 23, won both his singles and foursomes in Sea Island, Georgia to enable the home countries to secure only their second victory on American soil in the 38 year history of the new version of the competition. It was also the first time Britain and Ireland had retained the cup. Next week Luke, who plays for Beaconsfield Golf Club, makes his professional debut at a US tour in Reno.

Poignant farewell - Around 300 mourners gathered at the pretty Hughenden Church yesterday at the funeral of Wycombe High School pupil Amy Ransom, who died after falling down a Vietnam mountain on a school trip. She would have been 18 next month. A full inquest which will hear exactly what happened on the ill-fated trip will be held at Aylesbury later in the year.

Boss fined - Wycombe company boss Tim Payne was fined £100 yesterday because he sent an employee to Italy to secure a contract, knowing that his worker should have been on jury duty. Mr Payne, who runs an aircraft control equipment business in Queens Road took responsibility for the jurors' absence but Judge Christopher Tyrer rapped him for not informing the court in good time.

Monday 13th August

Amy's farewell - Scores of schoolfriends of 17 year old Amy Ransom will attend her funeral at Wycombe's Hughenden Church today. Amy was a member of a Wycombe High School adventure trip to Vietnam who died two weeks ago today when she plunged nearly a third of a mile down a mountainside. An inquiry into the accident is still underway.

Tories target - Bucks, with one of the highest concentration of active members of the Conservative Party, is being targeted as the holiday truce between the two party leadership contenders draws to a close. Ken Clarke's camp announced yesterday that Mr Clarke is to visit Wycombe on Friday and Aylesbury next Monday. Iain Duncan Smith is said to be planning visits next week.

Cricket grumbles - Rain washed out the High Wycombe v Bath semi final in the National Club Knockout competition yesterday and left both sides unhappy. Some Bath players felt the game could have gone ahead when the rain stopped but said leaky covers left the pitch unplayable, while Wycombe are not content with the replay date of next Sunday - an appeal is to be heard at Lords today.

Sunday 12th August

Big semi for Wycombe - In the biggest game in its history so far, High Wycombe Cricket Club has the opportunity to book itself a place at Lords today when they play Bath in the semi-final of the National Club Knockout Competition.

Jobs fear - There are fears of job losses in the area today after the German pharmaceutical group Bayer announced yesterday it was to axe 4,000 jobs on top of the 2,000 announced earlier. The company, which has bases in Marlow and Stoke Poges, withdrew a cholesterol-lowering drug Lipoboy on Thursday following fears it caused muscle weakness.

Starting loss - Wycombe lost 0-1 to a stubborn Cardiff side in their first game of the new football season yesterday before a crowd of 15,000 - the highest at Cardiff for years.

Saturday 11th August

George on the move? - Ailing Beatle George Harrison looks set to leave his 120 room luxury home in Henley after he announced yesterday he had bought a new mansion in Switzerland near to the clinic where he was treated a few weeks ago for a brain tumour. George is thought to have been unsettled at Henley since he fought with a midnight intruder two years ago.

Amy's fund - The family of Wycombe mountain death schoolgirl Amy Ransom have launched a fund in her name so they can send money to the orphanage in Vietnam where Amy and here Wycombe High School friends worked shortly before her tragic fall. They also want to send cash to local people who risked their own lives recovering Amy's body from the moutain ravine.

New boys debut - Close season signings Darren Currie and Gavin Holligan are expected to make an appearance in Wycombe Wanderers first game of the new football season today when the Blues pay a visit to high spending Cardiff. The club last night failed in a last minute attempt to bring former Cardiff defender Russ Perrett to the club.

Friday 10th August

New school visit guidelines - The Government is to introduce new guidelines for school trips following the deaths of pupils on school visits, including Amy Ransom, the 17 year old Wycombe High School sixth-former who fell to her death from a Vietnam mountain. The guidelines will be an easy-to- read version of a strict code of practice already in existence and will enable teaching staff to give "continuous risk assessment." Yesterday, World Challenge Expeditions, which organised Amy's Vietnam trip, were said to have completed their initial investigation into the accident and passed their findings to Bucks education bosses. Amy's funeral is to be held at Hughenden Church on Monday.

Hospital cash - Stoke Mandeville Hospital learned yesterday it is to receive an extra two million pounds to reduce its waiting lists after it was learned some people were waiting up to 18 months for treatment. Around half a million will be spent enabling some patients on the waiting lists to be treated in private hospitals.

Last minute buy - With one day to go before Wycombe Wanderers begin a new football league campaign, manager Lawrie Sanchez was last night trying to complete a new signing. He is keen to bring 6ft 3in defender Russ Perrett to Adams Park now he has been transfer listed by Cardiff - who will be the Blues first opponents tomorrow.

Thursday 9th August

Tragic computer message - Stressed student Christopher Noel, 18, left a screen-saver message "Mum I'm Sorry" just hours before his body was found at the foot of a town centre multi-storey car park, a High Wycombe inquest heard yesterday. But Coroner Richard Hulett recorded an open verdict on Christopher's death saying "We shall never know what happened in that car park." Earlier witness Maureen Sadler said she heard a "Tarzen type scream," as Christopher - said to be stressed out while revising for A levels - plunged to the ground.

Reward for dog - A dog owner last night offered a £1,000 reward for the return of a lemon and brown Cocker Spaniel called Bandit who has been stolen, along with two terrier pups, from a house in Cookshall Lane, West Wycombe. Police fear Bandit - who is valued at £1,500 - may have been stolen to order.

Terrifying attack - An 84 year old pensioner is recovering today after a robber wearing a balaclava broke into his Penn home while he was watching TV, put his arm round his neck and stole £50 in cash from his back pocket.

Wednesday 8th August

Foul play claim - Tory leadership contender Iain Duncan Smith has been accused of breaking a holiday truce by supporters of fellow contender Ken Clarke after Mr Duncan Smith met Bucks Conservatives in Aylesbury. The pair had agreed a two-week break from canvassing so they could take a holiday and Mr Clarke is in Australia. However Mr Duncan Smith's supporters say he is staying at his in-laws country estate near Aylesbury and the meeting with local Tories was planned weeks ago.

Death driver named - Police last night named a young driver who died at Gerrards Cross at the weekend after his car left the road and collided with trees on the Amersham Road. Lee Gorman, 19, from Hillingdon, died from head injuries a post mortem revealed yesterday.

Double dutch - Motorists in Little Kingshill were baffled when signs by roadworks were erected - they were written in Welsh! Bucks highways bosses said the contractors' previous job had been in central Wales and they had mistakenly brought the signs with them.

Tuesday 7th August

Security guard attacked - A security guard was beaten up and tied up when he disturbed two robbers on his early morning rounds yesterday. The thieves stole the keys to the safe after binding the guard at Missenden Abbey College in Great Missenden and made off with cash.

Boom boom - Bucks has come sixth in a league table of high earners produced today by Barclays with six and a half per cent of its residents earning more than £60,000 a year. Windsor and Maidenhead came third in the league. Meanwhile, a day after a technical recession was declared, one of the area's biggest employers - the medical research company Nycomed Amersham - will today announce business is booming by declaring profits of £126million.

Youngsters in court - A number of children appear in Wycombe Youth Court today accused to street thefts after police swooped late last week. They include a 12 year old accused of robbery in Chesham; a 14 year old accused of three counts of cash and mobile phone theft; another 14 year old accused of theft on Wycombe's Rye and a 14 year old and 16 year old on mugging charges in Wycombe town centre churchyards. In all the cases the alleged victims were other children, and the property taken was cash and mobiles.

Monday 6th August

M40 clue to terrorists - Special Branch detectives today begin a painstaking search through hours of motorway tape after senior intelligence sources say they are now convinced that Real IRA terrorists who exploded a car bomb in Ealing on Friday are based in south Oxfordshire. They believe the Saab used in the blast was driven on the M40 prior to the explosion and think they can discover where it joined the motorway.

Inquiry call - Bucks Education bosses are expected to call for urgent answers today from the company responsible for the school trip to Vietnam in which Wycombe High School pupil Amy Ransom died a week ago. It became clear over the weekend that local guides felt the mountain assent should not have been attempted in the first place because of the appalling weather conditions, and that Amy was not wearing the right footwear for wet conditions. Local police are also reported to believe that the party should have been roped together.

Read all about it - Fame and Glory, a book about Wycombe Wanderers successful FA Cup run, goes on sale today for £10, although marketing experts feel the club has lost potential revenue because it has been slow off the ground in producing the book.

Sunday 5th August

Unsuitable footwear - Amy Ransom, the 17 year old Wycombe girl who plunged to her death on a school trip in Vietnam, was wearing unsuitable footwear for wet weather, a mountain guide told The Times newspaper yesterday. Le Van Phuc, 24, said he thought conditions too hazardous to attempt the climb in the first place. He said Amy was jumping from rock to rock in footwear unsuitable for wet conditions. "I saw her slip and tried to reach out to stop her," he told the paper. "But I couldn't hold on and we both went over. I expected to die." Mr Le managed to grasp a tree branch 160 ft down the mountain side, but Amy tumbled a further 1,600 ft to her death.

Dogs attack - Police are hunting the owners of dogs after two separate attacks in Sands Park, Wycombe in which children were bitten. Two boys, aged 11 and 12, were bitten by two brown Alsatians and a three year old was attacked by a dog described as a "bulldog" type. On both occasions the dogs' owners walked off with their animals.

Rambo's back - Wycombe Wandereres striker Andy "Rambo" Rammell, who has been out of the side for several months through injury, came back with a bang yesterday when he scored the only goal in the Blues 1-0 win in a friendly against Aldershot.

Saturday 4th August

Mountain death inquiry - Police in Sa Pa, Vietnam, where 17 year old Amy Ransom fell to her death this week, yesterday completed their inquiries into the tragedy with reports that local guide Phouc, who apparently tried to save Amy, was no longer under house arrest. Meanwhile Amy's body is being flown back to High Wycombe today.

Archer tattoo - Andy Edwards competes for the best tattoo portrait at a national competition in Peterborough today with a tattoo of Lord Archer, complete with prison garb, on his right thigh. Andy, 31, of Whitelands Road, Wycombe, has tattooed portraits of John Major and Tony Blair on his other leg.

Strikers return - Long term injury hit strikers Andy Rammell and Jermaine McSporran will return to action with Wycombe Wanderers today when the Blues play their final pre-season friendly at Aldershot. The club yesterday signed 21 year old Gavin Holligan, a striker released by West Ham, on a one year contract, subject to medical clearance

Friday 3rd August

Vietnam guide under house arrest - The guide who was with Wycombe sixth former Amy Ransom when she plunged to her death is under house arrest, it emerged yesterday as more details of the incident came to light. The 24 year old guide, known as Phouc,was helping the girls from Wycombe High School across slippery rocks after they had turned back from climbing up the Fansipan mountain. But both Amy and Phouc lost their footing and plunged into a ravine - Phouc managing to cling onto a branch after 20ft, breaking his arm. Local police want to know why the group were not roped together.

Survivors meet - The seven High School girls who witnessed the tragedy are expected to meet up later today for counselling after having arrived home exhausted yesterday. Bucks education officials and social services are expected to offer the girls and their parents, and the two teachers with them, professional support to see them through their grief. Twenty five other girls from the school, together with two teachers, are remaining in Vietnam for the time being. They were not with Amy's group at the time of the tragedy.

Support for family - Scores of messages of sympathy have arrived at the 18th century cottage home of Amy's parents Derek and Claire Ransom in Bryant's Bottom, between Speen and Prestwood. The couple, who have asked for privacy, were said to be "understanding but not necessarily forgiving" by Charles Rigby, chief executive of World Challenge Expeditions, which organised Amy's trip. They lost a son Lewis in a car crash three years ago when he was aged 17. They have been joined at home by the remaining son, Sam, aged 22.

Thursday 2nd August

Tragic party returns - The group of seven Wycombe High School pupils and two teachers are due to return from Vietnam today after cutting short an adventure holiday which ended with the death of 17 year old Amy Ransom, of Bryants Bottom Road, Great Missenden. It is the second tragedy for the family - three years ago Amy's 17 year old brother died in a car accident. The family have one other son. Amy's father Derek said Amy had raised the £3,000 for the trip herself and had been supported by her family. She was looking forward to university and the trip would have helped her self-development, he said.

Investigation under way - The company organising the visit, World Challenge Expedition, is carrying out an investigation into how Amy slipped from a path on Vietnam's highest peak, Fansipan, and fell nearly a third of a mile. The company said the group was being led by an experienced guide and this was their first accident in 15 years of organising such trips. They also received support from school head Liz Duffy and Bucks County Council. But local police in Sa Pa, northern Vietnam described the mountain paths as "dangerous and slippery" and say tourist guides were warning local people to stay off the paths.

Weatherman dies - Bert Foord, one of the first TV weathermen, died at Stoke Mandeville Hospital last night aged 70. Bert, who lived near Aylesbury, had been suffering from cancer. He was a popular figure at many local events and helped a number of local charities.

Wednesday 1st August

Schoolgirl dies in fall - Wycombe High School pupil Amy Ransom died after falling 1,500 ft from a mountain path in north Vietnam the Foreign Office said today. Amy, 17, was with seven other pupils and two teachers on a World Challenge Expedition when the accident happened in heavy rain on Monday. The party are now in Hanoi awaiting a flight home.

Lap top clamp - Police will begin stopping motorists in business parks in and around the Wycombe area today to highlight the growing number of thefts of lap top computers from cars. Motorists will be given warning leaflets after it was discovered that the area suffers one of the highest lap top theft rates in the country.

More ducks die - The strain C of botulism claimed the lives of more ducks in local rivers and canals yesterday as vets and environment agency workers continued their battle against the disease. It's hoped that thunderstorms expected tomorrow will inject more oxygen into the water and eradicate the disease.

Forrester deal off - Hopes of bringing Northampton striker Jamie Forrester to Adams Park collapsed last night when Wycombe Wanderers announced it could not reach an agreement over personal terms. However the club confirmed that it would offer 21 year old striker Gavin Holligan a contract after impressive performances in pre-season friendlies. Holligan has been on trial with the Blues after being released by West Ham at the end of last season.