A SEMBLANCE of normality returned to the high street as lockdown restrictions continued to ease with the reopening of pubs, restaurants, hairdressers and play parks.

Andover’s take on ‘Super Saturday’ began with large queues forming outside barbers in the High Street as early as 7.30am. Salons were jam-packed for much of the morning as customers’ lockdown locks were tamed.

And while there were no such queues outside the town’s drinking holes, the punters inside were just as relieved to back in their favourite haunts.

“You’re my knight in shining armour”, cried one customer in the John Russell Fox as the barman delivered a pair of pints and two bottles of Corona. Another told the Advertiser, ‘It’s amazing to be back’, after almost 15 weeks of lockdown.

Also in this week’s paper:

- Mother’s tribute to ‘brave star’ after five year cancer battle

- Chantry Centre change is residents’ priority, according to survey

- Fatal plane crash at bakery to be commemorated 76 years on

- Team GB heptathlete opens school’s new running track

- Pupil pens letter of appreciation for village’s ‘hero’ shopkeeper

- “It’s not Midsomer Murders, it’s a bovine death” – councillors unearth bone remains

- Eight pages of puzzles to keep you on the ball

- News from our patches, including Whitchurch and Overton and Tidworth and Ludgershall

- Two pages of YOUR letters

- And much, much more

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